GOOD OPENINGS TO CHOOSE
Hey everyone,
Today, we are going to talk about choosing openings. First, CHOOSING GOOD OPENINGS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING. Failing to choose good openings at a small manner , will not bring you any advantage; and at a big scale, can put you in GREAT trouble. Therefore, it is very important to choose good openings.
According to Robert J. Fischer, 1. e4! is the “best by test.” Although Chess.com says that the win rate of d4 is higher, you have to realize that if black answers correctly, white is going to be in trouble (King’s Indian or Dutch Defense).
Therefore, start every game with e4.
Before we move on, we need to know whether you are more aggressive or more positional. Think about it more: do you push for attacking more, or strengthening yourself slowly more? There are different sets of openings you should use.
Let’s start with what you should use as white.
| Response to | Aggressive | Positional |
| 1...c5 (Sicilian Defense) | 2. f4 (McDonnell Attack) | 2. c3 (Alapin Variation) |
| 1...e5 | 2. Nc3 (Vienna Game) | 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 c*d4 4. c*d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 (Scotch Game, Four Knights Variation) |
| 1...e6 (French Defense) | 2.d4 d5 3. e5 (Advance Variation), and if possible, Paulsen Attack | 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 (Tarrasch Variation) |
| 1...c6 (Caro-Kann Defense) | 2. d4 d5 3. e5 (Advance Variation), 3... Bf5 4. Nc3 (Van der Wiel Attack if Possible) | 2. d4 d5 3. e5 (Advance Variation), 3... Bf5 4. Nf3 (Short Variation with 4. Nf3 if Possible) |
| 1...g6 2. d4 Bg7 (Modern Defense) | Try to stay on the path of something like Austrian Attack of Pirc Defense (if opponent stays on Modern Defense) | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
| 1...g6 2. d4 Nf6 (Pirc Defense) | 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. f4 (Main Line, Austrian Attack) | 3.f3 (Lion's Jaw Variation) |
| 1... Nf6 (Alekhine's Defense) | 2.e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5. f4 (Normal, Four Pawns Variation) | 2.e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4.Nf3 (Modern Variation) |
| 1...d5 (Scandinavian Defense) | 2.e*d5 | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
| 1...Nc6 (Nimzovitsch Defense) | 2.d4 | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
Continued (white):
| Response to | Aggressive | Positional |
| 1...b6 (Owen Defense) | 2.d4 | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
| 1...a6 (St. George's Defense) | 2.d4 | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
Now Black:
| Response to | Aggressive | Positional |
| 1.e4 | 1...c5, try to go Open, Dragon Variation (2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 e*d4 4. N*d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6), You can also try Scheveningen Variation if they choose 2.Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d6 4.d4 c*d4 5.N*d4 Nf6, BUT DO IT IN THIS ORDER. | 1...c5 Try to go either Rauzer or Sokin Attack method (2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 e*d4 4. N*d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6). If they choose Van Greet's Opening (so no e4), then try 1...c5 or 1...d5 |
| 1. Nc3 (Van Greet's Opening) | 1...c5 or d5. If you choose 1...c5 and your opponent converts it into Sicilian Defense: Closed 2. Nc3, then go 2...e6 and follow Sicilian Defense path | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
| 1.d4 | 1...f5 (Dutch Defense) | 1...Nf6 (King's Indian Defense whenever possible) |
| 1.c4 (English Opening) | 1...f5 (Anglo-Dutch Defense) | 1...Nf6 (Anglo-Indian Defense) |
| 1.b4 (Polish Opening), 1. b3 (Nimzovsich-Larsen Attack), 1.g4 (Grob Opening), 1. e3 (Van't Kruijs Opening) | 1...e5 | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
| 1. Nf3 (Reti Opening) or 1. g3 (King's Indian Attack or King's Fianchetto Opening) | 1. f5 | N/A: SHOULD be played aggressively |
| 1. f4 (Bird's Opening) | 1... e5 (From's Gambit), if they turn the game into King's Gambit, then try Fischer Variation (1. f4 e5 2. e4 e*f4 3. Nf3 d6) DO IT IN THIS ORDER. | 1... d5 (Dutch Variation) |
This is it. You may combine openings together. For example, the Fianchetto Attack in Dutch Defense is annoying to black, so you may want to choose King's Indian Defense even if you are like me, who uses Sicilian Defense: Open, Dragon Variation as their NUMBER 1 WEAPON AGAINST 1.e4.
Thank you. ANYTHING ELSE (Like 1. a4) IS VERY BAD AND YOU CAN USE YOUR SENSE OF CHESS PRINCIPLES (e.g. control the center with pawns, castle quickly, strengthen your center, etc.) TO DESTROY YOUR OPPONENT.
You can see that if you are positional, you have to learn more openings. Even if your opponent only chooses those from the list, he/she still can choose, let's say, Wing Gambit of Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5 2.b4), then you have to LEARN EVERY SINGLE VARIANT OF WHAT AGGRESSIVE PLAYERS MEMORIZE FOR SICILIAN DEFENSE. So, you may want to think to become a very aggressive player. Also, playing aggressively helps with your tactics for you have more tactical opportunities.
GOOD LUCK!!
Leon Quin
@leonquinplayz
