Building A Repertoire

Suggestions?

Must include:

• Opening for white...and responses to black's responses
• Defence for black vs. e4, d4
• "Pet" opening - something less common, for white, and black
• Unorthodox - completely off the wall, for white and black

For white: 1.d4 2.c4

For black: 1.e4 c6!

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6

Pet opening white: 1.c4, pet opening black 1.d4 f5

Unorthodox: 1.b3, 1...b6

Thank you very much.  I was considering d4, c4 for white, and the caro-kann.  Thanks again.

Forget about the pet opening/unorthodox bull **** and just focus on playing good mainline openings, while working on your tactics and endgames. For black, find something you like against 1.e4, 1.d4, and 1.c4, and once you get experienced with these defences maybe add in something against 1.f4, 1.b3 and other odd first moves by white.

As white just play either 1.e4 or 1.d4, learn good solid lines, and fix up holes in your repertoire as you go. Make good, established mainlines your pet openings, and avoid the unorthodox stuff altogether as it won't do much for your chess in the long run. I am not saying you must play heavy theory openings, but rather good openings that follow the standard opening principles and don't rely on surprise as their only chance of getting an advantage.

Ok, so I've decided to do 1. d4 for white, for sure.  For black vs. e4, I want to learn the Sicilian eventually, but should I try something else first?  The Pirc, Caro-Kann, French?  Or should I do 1...e5, and maybe the Petrov?  Are there any openings that are similar to the Sicilian that I could learn?  Or should I start with the Sicilian, and in the mean time play 1...e5, which I already know?  Which is best for black vs. e4 opening?

Against d4 should I learn the QGD, and then start learning Indian defenses? 

Thanks

Well you can build it out of marble, mahogany, or if you are the modern type, stainless steel.  Either way I suggest building it from scratch and be your own man.

I think every body should have the symmetrical defenses in their repertoire. 1e4 e5, 1 d4 d5, and 1c4 c5.  Learn to play these first then learn some asymmetrical defenses.

1...e5 is far better than the sicilian for players under 2000 strength. You will learn a lot more about chess playing the open games than trying to remember tonnes of sharp, forcing sicilian theory. I would avoid the petrov, 2...Nc6 is more enterprising and will teach you more about chess because it leads to more different types of positions.

The QGD would be a good place to start against 1.d4. Just like 1.e4 e5, the play is natural and logical for both sides, and will teach you how to play principled, classical chess. Once you get good at the QGD maybe try something else.

I did try playing 1...e5, but I found myself overwhelmed with tactics. I took up the Caro to allow myself time to get better at tactics and also improve strategy, as well as have an opening advantage. Now, I want to play the 1...e5 lines just to break out of my comfort zone and improve my game although I'll still play 1...c6 in serious games.

To the OP,

You and I are about in the same rating range.  Although I am sometimes tempted to stray, for the most part I play e5 against e4 and d5 against d4.  From there, people tend to throw out very strange stuff.  I wish I got more Queen's Gambits and Spanish Games.  Instead, its center game, odd gambits, the Veresov, you name it.  I am not saying I never get a more mainline opening, but I wish there were more of them and fewer trips off the beaten path. 

If yo are playing correspondance take the time to look things up in a data base and build up as you go.  Don't think you have to have a repertoire in a notebook before you can play.

For live/over the board, don't spend much time on opening theory.  Play by good opening principles, and play slow enough always look at the tactical implications, but you will go further with tactical study, a few endgame skills, and maybe a good intro book on positional elements than you will trying to "book up" on openings.  For higher level play, its needed,  but down where we are at the small advantages that come out of an opening are going to be eclipsed by tactics 90+ percentage of the time.

As white e4, against 1....e5 2.f4  agains 1...c5 f4 against 1... c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Ne5. against 1... e6 2.d5

As black against 1.d4 Nc6 against 1.e4 c6, against 1.c4 Nc6 and against 1f4 e5

I find this comment very very odd but yet typical.  If i understand correctly, the poster's approach is to avoid tactics (Caro-Kann) in order to improve at tactics.  Hmm...  The realistic way to improve at tactics is to try to get into tactical situations as often as possible-- take your beatings and learn from them.

How about if i said that I started to go to the gym to exercise, but i found that i was way too out of shape to exercise.  So i decided to stop going to the gym in order to allow myself time to get in better shape.  My plan is that someday i will eventually start exercising after I get in better shape.  Sounds odd, no?

FWIW i am self-taught 2056 USCF with no lessons, started chess at age 25, now 29.  Good luck anyway.

PS, my suggestions:

1.e4 2.Nf3 3.Nc3 against almost everything for white.

1.e4 e5 for Black see http://katar.weebly.com/black-vs-1e4.html

Tarrasch defense as Black.  See Schiller, Complete Defense to Queen-Pawn Openings.  don't laugh, it is Schiller's best.

the caro kann is also very tactical but i think white has the attackingchances because of blacks cramped position. where is the fun in that:)

I suggest that everyone here who is interested in 1...e5 as black take a look at Katar's video series (link above). It is not the 1...e5 repertoire I play, but it was quite inspirational to me when I was deciding whether or not to try the open games. You will definitely learn something and can use his repertoire if you don't want to go out and buy a book!