There IS no adequate response to 1. e4 other than resignation. I'm sorry.
Black response to e4 please help
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There are plenty of resources for studying non-open sicilians. ICC has videos on the alapin, there are groups for variations of 3. Bb5+ on chess.com, and if you just search chessgames.com for games you can learn a lot. Also many chess books, such as MCO, would have all of the resources you need (although they might be difficult to get through)
I can give you some lines if you wish, although I'm still learning some of the positions.
dont worry about your opponent knowing more theory than you. they dont if their rating is close to yours there knowledge of whats going on is the same.
that said play e5 or a sicilian i you want more dynamic play. Avoid blocked positions like the caro and french just because they lead to blocked positions and that often results in learning stagnation.
Taimanov sicilian is really easy to pick up and learn
the dragons are fairly easy too with the accelerated probably safer than mainline dragon .
avoid pirc for now as well its a bit mmm counter punchy and timing the pawn breaks takes a lot of understanding and calculation.
There are tons of resources around the web and at libraries for free.
caro kann anybody? its a very solid opening with no weak pieces. its not too hard to learn. The sicilian contains a lot of theory, so im not sure if you want to use it yet. The french is okay too though. There's more tactics and stuff.
true. you should understand the principles and the moves, not just memorize openings.
Jun 21, 2012
0
#10
I almost always play the Sicilian and there are tons of resources available on the Internet to study. The Game Explorer at Chess.com is a great tool that helped me to get through many games with an opening I knew next to nothing about.
Estragon wrote:
In the basic pawn position White e4, d4 vs e5, d6, do you understand the proper plans for Black? Do you know the strengths and weaknesses of the approach of trying to maintain the strong point at e5 as opposed to relinquishing the center with ...e5xd4, and White's best ideas against either?
This is Pawn Structure 101. If you don't understand this stuff, you have no business playing d-pawn openings as White or Indian or Semi-Open Defenses (Sicilian, French, Caro-Kann, Pirc, Modern, Alekhine's) as Black vs 1 e4. Because all you are doing is memorizing some moves, you have no concept of why you or the opponent play any of them.
You are trying to take apart a locomotive engine when you don't understand how a lawnmower works, and then wondering why you can't make it work. The best place to start is the beginning. Otherwise you only get hopelessly lost and discouraged.
I understand the ideas of the sicilian well, control d4 in closed lines, gain an extra center pawn and open queen side lines in the open variation, use the c file, advance on the queen side, control b5, etc. (I play najdorf)
I however do not understand the pros and cons of maintaining the e5 strong point or taking on d4, etc. Perhaps this is why I feel that my play is poor in e5 lines.
I play d4 as white so my entire repetouire avoids e4 e5, which is the one opening I have trouble understanding.
In short I do have buisiness playing d4 and semi open games, as I can understand them while the open games simply confuse me.
don't fool yourself with studying openings which make you feel good as you will manage to play grandmaster moves untill move 3 or sometimes move 11.
study how to play chess , that will make you feel great as you will produce great moves by yourself and raise your strenght. (isn't that your goal?)
of course you should look at some where you know the general concepts and perhaps plans , but don't invest to much time into that
Jun 21, 2012
0
#13
thaskaiser wrote:
don't fool yourself with studying openings which make you feel good as you will manage to play grandmaster moves untill move 3 or sometimes move 11.
study how to play chess , that will make you feel great as you will produce great moves by yourself and raise your strenght. (isn't that your goal?)
of course you should look at some where you know the general concepts and perhaps plans , but don't invest to much time into that
I don`t agree for I think it is very important to chose favourite openings (I play 3 of them all the time - the English as white, the Sicilian and the Czech Benoni as Black) and study them deeply. I find it important to stick to them. Your opponents will respond with a couple of different moves and it is easy and not too much time consuming to find lines that fit you.
Boletus_CZ wrote:
thaskaiser wrote:
don't fool yourself with studying openings which make you feel good as you will manage to play grandmaster moves untill move 3 or sometimes move 11.
study how to play chess , that will make you feel great as you will produce great moves by yourself and raise your strenght. (isn't that your goal?)
of course you should look at some where you know the general concepts and perhaps plans , but don't invest to much time into that
I don`t agree for I think it is very important to chose favourite openings (I play 3 of them all the time - the English as white, the Sicilian and the Czech Benoni as Black) and study them deeply. I find it important to stick to them. Your opponents will respond with a couple of different moves and it is easy and not too much time consuming to find lines that fit you.
it depends at what level , and if it's OTB or CC
but in general , there is a guy in my club who used to have 2300+ elo (he is getting older now) who only knows theory up to move 3 , and as long you don't have reasonable strenght (2100+elo and fighting spirit), you will never beat him because he will never concede enough in the opening.
I agree that one should study how to play and what to do in openings generally , and he should know some lines and ideas , but investing in openings instead of raising strenght is a hoax.
Patzers study openings to feel good as they play good moves , but this is against the concept of chess, as you will be truly satisfied when you create great moves (or moves that beat your opponent).therefore it is much more important to invest in raising your strenght
Someone rated 2300 [even if he is old] has to know opening theory beyond move 3.
I completely agree with ponz.
I have seen examples who debunk your theory
(now he is about 2180 , but in his prime he had 2300+)
of course he plays according to opening principles , but he doesn't know theory
I think that my main problem with e5 is that I have never played it, and when I do I feel like I am being slowly crushed and am playing for a draw at best. I prefer more imbalanced positions with chances at counter play. And I have had more success in najdorf lines with e6, such as the sozin or 6. Bg5. After trouble with the english attack I have started using Ng4 systems, so the only line where I actually play e5 is against the opocensky (or something like that with 6. Be2) or similar lines, such as 6. g3 or 6. a4 Nc6 7. Be2 e5 8. Nxc6. And I have had much more experiance in with the najdorf, so I know the plans much better. I much prefer the scheveningen structure.
And no, I have been playing chess for less than a year so I understand very little, nevertheless I have been improving my play consistantly, and I do understand the ideas if not the subtleties.
Jun 21, 2012
0
#19
Aren`t opening principles part of the opening theory? I have played some so high rated players OTB (friends of mine) and they can beat even with 1.a4 ... 2. h4.
ponz111 wrote:
Someone rated 2300 [even if he is old] has to know opening theory beyond move 3.
As long as you're playing along lines of sensible opening principles, it's virtually impossible to deviate from theory in the first several moves, anyway. Whether you try or not, you're going to end up in an Italian, or a 4 knights, or a Queen's gambit, or at the very worst a Veresov or Colle or something.
As a starting player ive heard its relatively common to be curious and switch openings a lot. Well im starting to get interested in heavily studying my reps and...i just cant figure out what opening to play against e4 ive tried every opening almost. My two openings that i always play or Queens pawn/Queens gambit and KID. Here is why i am having such a ahrd time feel free too correct/persuade/ inform me if im wrong
Sicilian- I have no resources too study it if white doesnt go mainline open sicilian. I have no resourses for closed sicilians and id really like to study openings in depth.
Caro kann- my old favorate but i hate the positions that tend to result form it.
French defense: i find it very passive which is my ONLY reason for not playing it.
Pirc- I feel like i can get more of an advantage out of the opening and the pirc doesnt do that for me
Scandanavian- its too open a game and i dont like bring out my queen early