Chosing an opening... and sticking with it

Ok, over the course of my chess journey (since August 2022) I have been bouncing around openings, because finding the right one could be the keystone to a stronger performance. Here's the order of my openings:

1. Van't Kruj's. I was in the 200s - 300s at this time, so I would just move it up one like I had learned

2. King's Fianchetto Opening. This was good, but needed work because a) it could be countered by a fianchetto of their own, in which I would probably end up losing a bishop and b) it delayed knight development

3. Polish Opening. I found it interesting, and it mostly stumbled my opponents, but wasn't very effective

4. English Opening. Probably my favorite, but I found it has the same problem as the polish, in that in practically forces me to castle kingside if I want good pawn protection.

Current: Meises Opening. I like it a lot, as I have found that I play better when my pieces are closer to my side of the board. However, this has many flaws, as it allows my opponents bishops to get downhill, and it doesn't allow my knights to have useful outposts. Although it has made me climb the highest statistically, it doesn't work constantly. Anyway, I need your help on two things:

1. I need you to explain the point of having pawns control the center. What's the point of controlling the center?

2. I need a new opening, something that I can stick with for the rest of my chess life. And I want something flexible that I can replicate as black, like how d6 can be played as white and black.

Thanks in advance. Help please.

Not sure if this helps but as black, I defend with either 1. c5 or Nf6 and as white, it’s mirrored as 1. c4 or Nf3.

Personally, I am a stronger player as black because it suits my taste of counter attacking but as white, I focus more on the initiative and positional accuracy because the script is flipped.

For example, the Sicilian Dragon is sharp, double edge and straight forward with the black pieces but when white in the Reversed Sicilian, it’s enjoyable to play but can be a positional nightmare when pressing for the initiative and building up the game plan.

Regardless, I wouldn’t give up on the centre of the board rather you are a classical or hypermodern player but as white, you have the obligation to press for the initiative.

Therefore, openings aren’t your issues; I would review chess principles and basic fundamentals. Then, practice a lot of simple tactics.

Hmm, I don't exactly want a knight move, and I want to be able to castle both sides. Also, I don't think my chess fundamentals are bad, because I am rated 680 (approximately). This doesn't necessarily scream that I need to learn chess again, just I need to find better moves so that I can get to 1000 and beyond. However, I looked back at my first ever game, and I played 1. d4. I'm thinking about playing that. Do you think it is a smart choice? Also, if I do, how should I control the center?

Learning chess starts at 1500 so if you aren’t drilling simple tactics, mastering basic techniques, chess fundamentals and principles; you’re missing out.

Definitely revisit 1.d4 and play the Queens Gambit to “relearn” chess.

Or the London….

Starts at 1500? Ok, come on, I'm probably never going to be that good. Also, I'd rather stick with my pieces. And, don't even say that word when talking chess! You know what I mean! But fine, I will relearn chess. Starting Monday (offline weekends) I will start playing 1. d4 and continue from there. As for defense, I guess Nf6 is always a good move.

A couple friends of mine recently crossed 1600 and that was “impossible” to them.

You will be surprised that basic chess fundamentals, principles and simple tactics never goes out of style.

Good luck with the new direction.

Nf6 is a solid, flexible and versatile choice.

Your reasoning for everything is flawed.

What is wrong with castling kingside? Numerous opening involve castling kingside. Take my repertoire:

White - 1.b4 and 1.c4

Black - French and Dutch

1.b4 - Except for one line in the Kings Indian setup by Black, white almost always castles kingside

1.c4 - Depends on Black's defense. 1...e5 or 1...c5 almost always White goes kingside. I don't do the Reti, I transpose to QP openings, like 1.c4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.d4 (Exchange slav), 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 (QGD), 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 (Mikenas-Flohr), 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 g6 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3! Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 (Anti-Grunfeld), 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 (King's Indian Defense).

In almost all of these except the Anti-Grunfeld, White castles Kingside.

Black

French - Exchange always kingside. Tarrasch usually kingside. Advance depends on White's choice of line, and 3.Nc3 it varies where Black goes.

Dutch - Pretty much 100% Kingside except for the aggressive Stonewall variation (1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Be7 6.O-O Ne4 and now if 7.b3 then 7...Nc6 8.Ba3 Bf6 9.e3 h5! And if Black castles at all, it is typically queenside.

So there is nothing wrong with making the English a "lifetime" opening. Do realize you will also have to know either the Reti or else certain Queen Pawn Openings when Black plays for ...d5 (via ...c6, ...e6, or ...Nf6).

And openings are not interchangeable between White and Black.

Other than the fact that both involve a fianchetto, the KIA and KID are NOTHING alike.

1.e4 c5 and 1.c4 e5 are NOT the same thing. In the Dragon, the Yugoslav Attack is very strong. After 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2, Black needs to play a move like 6...Nb6 and the Bishops to e6 and e7. Black will get killed trying to play 6...f6, 7...Be6, and 8...Bc5, trying to mimic the Yugoslav Attack.

Bird's Opening is not the reverse Dutch - Black has not committed himself to ...d5, weakening e5. 1.d4 f5, Black has a point. 1.d4 weakened the e4-square.

Some will say the London System White is playing a Slav and Colle System White is playing a Semi-Slav, but again, MAJOR differences between the London and Slav or Colle and Semi-Slav.

Just because pawn placement is the same in the first say, 5 moves, does not make them even remotely similar. There are 32 pieces on the chess board, not 16. Just because the pawns are the same, the piece placement can be vastly different, when comparing reverse openings. When comparing what some call "sister openings", like the Pirc and King's Indian, Black's 16 pieces may be the same after 5 moves, but White's aren't, making the two openings nothing alike.

So you need to change your tune. You need 3 openings and you have to think of them as separate entities:

1) An opening for White

2) A defense to d4

3) A defense to d4

Some defenses to d4 (i.e. KID) are more Flank Opening Friendly than others (Grunfeld, Benko). You may or may not need a separate system against flank openings, depending on your defense to d4.

Yeah, I don't know. Everyone, I solved my problems. I didn't see your post, but I decided to "relearn" chess. I now play Queen's Pawn (and Gambit when I can), as well as Caro-Kann & Slav/Semi Slav. Recently I have been doing better, especially as black, with a 70% win rate in the last 7 days as black. Thank you everybody!

@1

"What's the point of controlling the center?" ++ The center is like high ground. A piece, especially a knight in the center is much more active than on the rim. It controls more squares, and can attack and defend and interdict opponent's moves. Playing the d- and e-pawns opens diagonals for your bishops, interdicts squares for your opponent and secures squares for your pieces. Capablanca postulated that everything else being the same you win if you control 3 of the 4 central squares.

"I need a new opening, something that I can stick with for the rest of my chess life."
++ You do not need a new opening. Each time you switch openings you lose more, not less. It takes time and losses to accumulate experience. As pointed out above you need 3 openings: in order of diminishing importance:

1. A defense for black against 1 e4
2. A defense for black against 1 d4
3. An opening for white.

"something flexible that I can replicate as black"
++ It is the other way around. As white (3.) you can play something you play as black (1.) or (2.) in reverse, with an extra tempo.

"practically forces me to castle kingside"
++ Castling kingside is powerful. It is like 3 moves Kf0, Rf1, Kg1 for the price of one and gains 2 tempi. It brings your king to safety and connects your rooks to activate them. Castling queen's side O-O-O needs a premature queen move, and the king usually needs to move to the b-file for safety.

@1

To come back to your 5 openings you have experience with, here are 5 coherent sets of compatible openings:

French Defense 1 e4 e6
Nimzovich Indian Defense 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 and 3...Bb4(+)
Van 't Kruijs opening 1 e3

Modern Defense 1 e4 g6
Modern Defense 1 d4 g6
King's Fianchetto Opening 1 g3

St. George Defense 1 e4 a6
Polish Defense 1 d4 b5
Sokolsky 1 b4

Sicilian Defense 1 e4 c5
Benoni Defense 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5
English Opening 1 c4

Pirc Defense 1 e4 d6
Old Indian Defense 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 d6
Mieses Opening 1 d3

I agree and play the Sicilian and English paring but the Benoni is difficult to play with that targeted backwards d pawn.

pick openings that you like to play. openings that you have confidence in playing against anyone.

it does not have to be the cutting edge of theory to be practical and effective.

I play the Polish, the Scandinavian, and the QGA with master level opponents on occasion. Not that I am a good player but to show that there is an over emphasis put on openings.

I personally think that reading and knowing

Jeremy Silmans Reassess Your Chess for middlegames and Ruben Fines Basic Chess Endings will show marked improvement in the other two phases of the game.

Thanks everyone! Also, for the Modern, Modern, KFO, I had already planned (before reading that comment) to teach my friends those openings, so seeing you suggest those for me reassures me. Now, just because I am bad doesn't mean I can teach. Mostly just the basics, as they are fresh on my mind, and that friends can't even name all of the pieces. Just confirm that it is good for them, and that my new openings are good as well.