Beginner opening repertoire
Sort:
I am a 700 rated player trying to make a repertoire that complex enough to not be boring as I go to higher levels while still being solid
This is what I have been thinking
White
D4 trying to play the catalan (can I play the catalan against most of what black does?)
Black
pirc defense against e4
KID against D4
I was wondering what types of other responses to d4 I would need to know and whether this is a good reasonably complex repertoire
Dec 27, 2023
0
#2
19081219CLA wrote:
I am a 700 rated player trying to make a repertoire that complex enough to not be boring as I go to higher levels while still being solid This is what I have been thinking White D4 trying to play the catalan (can I play the catalan against most of what black does?) Black pirc defense against e4 KID against D4 I was wondering what types of other responses to d4 I would need to know and whether this is a good reasonably complex repertoire
No, what you say is not even close.
There are 2 defenses the catalan is playable against, and others where the catalan is impossible.
First off, Just because White plays d4, c4, and Fianchettos the Bishop does not make it a catalan.
For example:
1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 OR 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 and now 4...d5 or 4...d6 - All if these are the Dutch Defense. A Catalan is impossible here.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 is either a Fianchetto King's Indian or Fianchetto Grunfeld, depending on what Black does with the d-pawn. Again, the Catalan is impossible here.
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, you only get a Catalan if Black plays 3...d5. If instead, 3...c5 is played, you have a Benoni Defense, and 3...Bb4+ is an offshoot of the Bogo-Indian.
Then, after 1.d4 d5 2.c4, the Catalan setup is dubious against the Slav (2...c6 3.g3?!) or the QGA (2...dxc4 3.g3?!)
After 2...e6, if White wants a Catalan, he should play 3.Nf3 first and only if 3...Nf6, play 4.g3 and enter a Catalan. 3.g3 can be answered by 3...f5, going into a Stonewall Dutch. Note that 3.Nf3 f5? Is a mistake because White gets a clear advantage after 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.Nc3 intending 6.e3 and 7.Bd3, leading to the position Black must not allow against the Stonewall. With 3.g3, that position can no longer be reached.
So after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 or 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3, you have a Catalan. Everywhere else, the Catalan setup is either weak (Slav, QGA) or impossible (KID, Grunfeld, Modern Benoni, Dutch)
@1
"I am a 700 rated player" ++ Then do not worry about openings.
You do not win or lose because of the opening, but because of tactical errors.
"White D4 trying to play the catalan" ++ Good, but complex.
"pirc defense" ++ Ok
"KID against D4" ++ Ok
"what types of other responses to d4 I would need to know" ++ None
"whether this is a good reasonably complex repertoire" ++ Yes
Dec 29, 2023
0
#4
Pick queens gambit instead of the catalan. The easiest way to play it by far is: if they accept, go e3. There is no good way for black to hang on to the pawn, there is even a trap(d4 d5 c4 dxc4 e3 b5 a4 c6 axb5 cxb5 Qf3!!! And black rook is trapped). If they decline, take on d5. Why? To stop your opponent from taking you in the future. Then just develop your knights to c3 and f3, c1 bishop to g5 or f5, play e3, develop your f1 bishop to e2 or e3 and castle.
Dec 30, 2023
0
#5
Hi!
If you are interested in some guidelines for building a healthy repertoire, you might check out my post:
https://www.chess.com/blog/maafernan/openings-for-beginners
Good luck!
Dec 30, 2023
0
#6
Don't brother about the opening at this level. Just play 1.e4 as White, and answer 1.d4 with 1...d5 with Black. Play simple moves and focus on learning the middle- and endgame.
