Best One-Stop Solution System

What is the best one-stop solution system(s)? I have heard some say for White a system starting with 1.g3, and for Black a system starting with 1...g6 (I believe the latter is called the Modern Defense).

There are also others: Hippo, Hedgehog, etc.

Anyone have any recommendations and details for White and for Black?

Sometimes players will throw things at me that I am not expecting, such as, for example, 1.e3, 1.d3, etc.....

Well for Whtie I like, the London System and the Colle.  They won't really give you an advantage out of the opening, they push that to the middlegame.  But both of them can be used either positionally or to generate abrupt attacks.  There is also the King's Indian Attack which, will work against anything black uses as well, as far as i can recall.

For Black, yes 1g6 is the modern defense.  there is also the dutch which will work against both d4 and c4.  that will mean there is only e4 to worry about.  Then there is the 1.d6 system.  I don't know much about it, but Cyrus Lakdawala wrote a book on it called 1. d6 Move by Move and it will work against ANY white reply.

As far as the really wierd stuff like 1.e3, 1.d3, etc...my answer to that is always the same: if the opponent is willing to give you the center, take it, and nurse the advantages it give you.  So just respond with e5 or d5 which ever one you think is best.

Thanks. Taking the center makes sense. However, I believe 1...g6 is statistically very successful (and used in much Master play) against 1.d3, and probably 1.e3 as well. Of course, this may just be more to learn than dealing with e5 or d5 if you are already familiar with those types of plays. I believe 1...g6 is often used as part of a universal system when you are Black, as 1.g3 is when you are White.

You know, I've never really thought about it in that way, using 1. g3 as White and 1. g6 as black.  What I do know is the kingside Fianchetto is used in a LOT of opening for white.  The KIA, English, Catalan and the Fianchetto systems designed to be used against the King's Indian Defense.  So there are a lot of transpositional ideas.

For black the kingside Fianchetto is used in the Modern, the KID, and the Grunfeld.  Those are the only ones I know of for black.

I understand the desire to work on openings AND to find a universal system.  Maybe you found one with these Fianchetto ideas.  But as I learned more about chess and learned the importance of pawns, I now really think that it is better to learn about pawn structures.  The reason is if you learn the pawns structures you get the basic plans for all the openings.  And there are only 15 or so basic pawn structures as opposed to over 400 opening systems according to the FCO.  This isn't even including the variations.  And get Mastering Opening Strategy.  It will really help you all the way around with the opening regardless of what you play.  That's just my two cents.

The Armenian Grand Master Movsziszian, Karen openig repertoire is mainly 1.g3 with white and 1...g6 vs e4 and 1...d6 and then 2...g6 against d4. 

what senchean said about pawn structures definitely makes a lot of sense. i guess i should also add that you should be careful to not lose the bigger picture with "system" approaches, the opponent has pieces and pawn structure too :D

do you know about Mars Opening? xixixi

What is Mars Opening?  Does that even exist?  A google search says no.

only for alien from mars

many people like the systems that start with kingside fianchettos, namely the Barcza system(which usually evolves into a KIA), and a Pirc/KID as black.  these all share the same idea

i like fried chicken xixixi

I think that you mean The Fried Liver attack.Tastier than fried chicken!

preet 

#womenarefromvenus

#tisneitherherenorthere

Some interesting comments indeed! Thanks for the advice.

The "I like fried chicken!" comment scares me a bit though.

1...g6 isn't a catch-all system.  Not recommended at all against 1.b3 or what I've played over the board every game as White for the last 4 months, 1.b4!

@ThrillerFan: Someone who is really good is going to recognize this and prepare heavily for 1.b4 and get you.

@Lullaby: I'll take the bait. What is the Mars System?

#tishereandthereatthesametimeparadox