Openings and Defenses

The opening dictacts the direction the game is heading. Getting the advantage by playing a better opening position is very beneficial. What openings do you like to use to try for that opening advantage?

My picks as white: Queens Gambit Declined or Accepted, King's Indian Attack, Ruy Lopez

My picks as black: Nimzo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Caro-Kann, French Defense

White: queens gambit accepted/declined, kings indian saemisch, english attack, yusopov attack, scotch game, colle zuckertort system.

Black: slav, semi-slav, queens gambit declined, ruy lopez, berlin defense.

i generally prefer a solid somewhat closed position with an easy development.

I prefer semi-closed openings. I am looking in to reading "The Semi-Closed Openings in Action" by Karpov at the moment.

Looks like a really useful book. According to one review it points out the standard ideas behind the openings, which are surprisingly hard to find unless you find a book about a specific opening.

Let's start discussing some openings.

I would like to start off with the nimzo-indian.

1.d4 nf6 2.c4 e6 3. nc3 bb4

Before I talk about the actual nimzo-indian I would like to talk about what other normal things I see when I try to play the nimzo-indian. I see 2.nc3 a lot which gives me the options of the KID or Queen's Pawn Game. I believe that I like the Queen's Pawn Game better. I don't like playing against the bayonet attack in the KID. I feel that this is a very strong attack for white. What would you play against 2.nc3? 

Now on to the Nimzo-Indian which is a very common defense in master play. The move that I used to not like to see played next by white is 4.Bd2 since I want to double the pawns. Another big thing white wants though, is the bishop pair. After 4.. Bxc3 5.Bxc3 Ne4 though white is going to lose his dark square bishop. Other than that variation, you will usually succeed in getting doubled pawns and are able to attack the c4 pawn. 

What do you think of the Nimzo-Indian and how would you play against it? Or, are you like me and try to stay away from playing against the Nimzo-Indian?

For more on the Nimzo-Indian:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimzo-Indian_Defence

When i play against the nimzo i usually play this line, a favorite of kasparov for a while.

I would be happy to play this as black and I think that this variation is the best choice for white. 

I would still transpose into a different opening as white with my second move though. I feel like the best defense against the Nimzo-Indian is to not play the Nimzo-Indian.

I like it because its easier to play than the variations with the doubled pawns.

Yeah, 3.Nf3 is pretty common just dodging the nimzo completely and ending up in a queens indian.

That is what I would do.

My only problem with the queens indian is that a lot of the lines are really drawish.

I would rather play the queens indian than the nimzo-indian though.

so i found out this opening. it basically prevents your oponent from moving his knight to f7 while capturing their bishop and knight. the problem is it requires you to move your king which means you wont be able to castle. so i was wondering if it is worth it or not?

White cant play 6.Nf3 because of Qxg2

and black is a rook up. If instead of Nf3 white plays 6.00 then Qxe5 7.Bc4 Ne6 8.d3 b5 9.Bd5 c6 10.Bb3 Nf6 and the position is almost equal, though harder to play for black.

yes i guese that will work as well :) so do you guys think its worth it?

Personally, i dont like those kind of positions, but it seems playable.

4.nxd4 exd4 5.0-0

It seems that white would have good chances here.

If instead of 8.dxc 8.c5 then cxd, with a comfortable position for white.

I stumbled on this opening in an old article, it looks interesting. Its called the "Veresov"

What do you guys think about it?