Weekly Blog #1: How I created my Opening repertoire

This is an interesting blog here. But I hopefully want to become a better and more consistent blogger. So here we go. I have been asked by friends and people on chess.com many times how to create a good opening repertoire, or how to decide on openings. So here are my tips from my experiences. 

1. Start with an opening that would be good for your skill level. For lower level player <1000, I would suggest simple openings without too much theory. Like the scotch. Its a very solid opening. For people 1000-1600, I would say start to study more complex openings. Maybe the italian or queens gambit. Or the london. 

2. Try to pick 1 or 2 openings you want to study as black, one against e4, and one against d4. Openings that get you to roughly the same middle game position. As the whole point of the opening is to make sure you have the best middlegame possible for you. 

3. Pick an opening for e4 or d4 that you want to completely study. Assuming they play what you want, and make sure to study other possible responses they can play against your first move. As long as you have a basic understanding of other openings you will be fine until around 1800. Which is where I would greatly suggest studying special and more complex lines. Like the sicilian. Or even gambits. I love playing gambits because it takes my opponent out of their prep and into mine.

How to learn and study all of these openings? Use the opening explore option on chess.com and see how masters play certain openings, try and go over the lines until you can play them from memory. Repetition is the key to success. And make sure to remember it'll take many games to get good at a new opening.

Hope this helps someone! Good luck with your chess everyone!