At your level, you should be learning the Queen's Gambit and Ruy Lopez from both sides. They follow principles to the letter. Most other openings don't.
Only after you understand both openings should you even remotely consider expanding.
When I say study the Queen's Gambit and Ruy Lopez from both sides, I don't mean memorize reams and reams of lines. Understand the principles of both. Go thru many master games, and at your level, preferably games over 50 years old (i.e. before 1964).
Again, the idea is to grasp all of the ideas behind both openings, and getting practice in both, FROM BOTH SIDES!
It is NOT about memorizing reams of lines or searching for that novelty at move 18. Your games won't reach that far - if nothing else, your opponent will go out of book.
What also confirms that you are not ready for other openings is your comment about headaches with the c8-Bishop in the French. Clearly you don't understand how to deal with a Bad Bishop if you are going to complain about it.
Hello guys,
I'm just about to building up my first "real" repertoire. At the moment I'm rated about 1700 and I'm quite young, which means my goal is to be a titled player one day.
In my chesslife I hitchhiked nearly every 10th game or so from one specific opening to annother.
Aganinst 1. e4: From Sicilian Dragon to Sicilian Taimanov, French, Owen Defence, Caro Kann, Philidor (closed), back to French and against 1. d4: Nimzo/Queensindian, Kingsindian, modern Benoni, Nimzo/Bogoindian, Dutch (Leningrad and Classical), Benkogambit and now Abrahams-Noteboom.
Now, as my opponents are getting better and better, a good, narrow opening repertoire will be more important I think. But which openings do you suggest? I'm a rather positional player, who plays the Queens Gambit and things like NID Rubinstein, KID Petrosian and so on with white.
Candidates against 1. e4:
- French (really nice opening, but the c8-Bishop makes me getting an headache in every game)
- Pirc/Modern (really cool, but the space-disadvantege could be deadly, or not?!?)
- Closed Philidor (nice opening, but I found it difficult to get much counterplay...)
-Suggestions? ...
Openings like the Ruy Lopez or Sicilian would need even more study, which is noit what I want. I want a little, narrow but active repertoire.
Candidates against 1. d4
- Classical Slav (Interesting, and a really good opening, but with a heavy theory?! Correct me if I'm misjudging things)
- Semi Slav Meran/Noteboom (really cool positions, but rather specific, I must be prepared for many minor lines)
- Kings Indian (But a more positional setup than Nc6, if so.)
Once again, I'm not very old, so I want to improve, which means I need an opening that "learn" me things, if you know what I`m talking about. Also it is not so important (for me, at least), if the pawn-structures are not the same at all. For example, a KID and French Structure in one Repertoire, is no big deal for me. Also it is important, that the opening does not have too much theory, if possible.
Okay, it's your turn :)