Hey @gopher72! 👋
You're on the right path—focusing on a couple of solid openings like the Italian and the French Defence is a great strategy at 1400. Learning too many openings too soon can spread you thin, so what you’re doing now is smart.
To answer your questions:
1: How does your opponent’s opening affect your own?A lot! In chess, the *first move* your opponent plays sets the stage for which setups are possible. For example:
- If they play 1.e4, your French Defence fits perfectly.
- But if they go 1.d4, the French doesn’t apply—you’ll need something like the Queen’s Gambit Declined, King’s Indian Defence, or Slav Defence instead.
2: Should you learn more openingsEventually, yes—but not all at once. Once you're comfy with your current ones, you might want to pick:
- One more defence vs. 1.d4 (if you don’t have one yet),
- And possibly a backup system for when someone plays a less common first move (like 1.Nf3 or 1.c4).
3: Should you pay attention to videos about d4/e4 responses?
Definitely! Especially ones that explain *ideas* and *plans*, not just move memorisation. The more you understand *why* you’re playing certain moves, the better you’ll be across all openings.
You’re doing great—build your base now, and the rest will come naturally as you keep climbing. Let me know if you want specific beginner-friendly responses to d4, you can try out too!
I'm improving by focusing on 2 openings (Italian, and French defense) and use the main openings pretty much regardless of what moves my opponent makes in their opening. I see books and videos that talk about using openings that respond specifically to the classic d4 and e4 openings. Which leads to my questions. How does an opponent's opening effect your opening? Should I learn more openings? Which ones? Should I pay any attention those books and videos that talk about how to respond to d4 and e5 openings? I have a 1400 elo. Thank youl