Flexibility?

I'm still not very good at openings, and I don't have good enough memory for memorizing opening that are unlikey to happen. I can't think twenty moves ahead, it just doesn't happen. So I was wondering if there was a simple Opening that allows for the ability to memorize complex strategies, and gives a slight advantage or major if that works.

I think trying to memorize openings will probably do you more harm than good at your current level.  Try to understand opening principles, work on tactics and play, play, play but most of all: enjoy playing.

Opening principles:

• Occupy the centre (d4, e4, d5, e5) with central pawn pushes and influences by developed pieces
  
• Develop your pieces quickly and efficiently (try to move them each once only)
  
• Castle your King to safety
• Do not start your attack to early -- develop first so that all of your pieces can participate, then work on finding tactical opportunities
• Don't move your queen out too early -- my queen's first move usually connects my rooks which means I've castled and developed all of my pieces
  
• Late in the opening you can look for opportunities to move your rooks to better files (half open or open files ideally)

These are guidelines, and of course there are always exceptions, but if you follow them you should find you come out of the opening intact at your level and above.

Good luck and enjoy.

Don't memorize opening lines. You're going to find yourself playing through book lines you don't understand and wondering "what do I play here". It's incomparably better to play a slightly inferior move (or even an outright blunder) based on a plan of your own, than to follow book lines.

Even if you lose you will always at least learn something.

Guys, openings might not be the most imporant thing for him to learn, but this an OPENING discussion. This might be a beginner who thinks he should start studying openings, but I'll answer his question anyway. The KIA (King's indian attack) is plan based and is easier to lay than the KID simply because of the extra tempo. So is the english, though there is some theory on that. Pretty much any system (like the colle or something) doesn't have alot of theory, you just need to know the basic plans. But you can't hope for an advantage against good play, but this isn't important yet. Make sure you learn the plans behind these, don't just play the KIA because the fianchetto looks cool.

Should he not play e4 than KIA and QGD where he is given a "positional advantage" that he does not understand. Also e4 will sharpen his tactical play which is needed.

Yes -- I'd say two Knight's or the Italian are probably a good place to start if you insist on booking up.  Remember to understand why you're making the moves you are though as opposed to simply relying on rote memorization.  I'd still really recommend only taking those openings 3-5 moves deep in study and then reverting back to opening principals and deciding for yourself what move is best though.

Playing the two Knights but only knowing it three moves deep is a recipe for disaster.

"OH NO WAT DO I DO HE WENT G4!!" D:

I really think that studying tactics and games in the "sharp" 1 e4 openings are all you need. Most positions explode with tactics anyway, but I have not played a gambit but my tactics are ok.

At a higher level of play, maybe, but not in the 800-1200 range.  Your opponent's just aren't going to punish you that badly for minor tactical misses.

That said, I play far more italian than anything else so perhaps I'm not the best person to speak to the pitfalls of two Knight's....

But it's a pawn sacrifice opening... you can't only know three moves in and do alright.

You mean after 4. Ng5?  Yes -- you do need to know how to come out of that line with equality which requires some deeper knowlege, particularly if you face the Fried Liver.

Fair point.

Oh right it's G5, not G4.

Although, it's the rare opponent at the same level who'd know the White side of those lines, maybe I should have just stuck with recommending the Italian since I know both sides much better than I do the Two Knights (of which I've only really played the White side).

The Italian has got to be the best beginner opening. Easy development, simple, and you have the F7 target in mind from the third move.

I've played the Italian game and the two knights defense alot from both sides. I think 3...Bc5 is a little safer, but I feel like you will learn more by playing the two knights defense. The two knights with 4.Ng5 is a great lesson in material vs. developement. Of course with either opening you are going to lose games because you don't the lines, this happens at every level of chess. Here's a game were GM Samuel Reshevsky dropped his queen in the opening because he didn't know the lines. Don't stress to much about openings.

Yeah, for White I like the Italian. And the Scotch. And the Four Knights. These were the openings I was advised to play, being a novice.

Being a novice, I was advised not to play the King's Indian Attack.

The Scotch is probably good at very low levels because people won't know how to react to the D4 push.

This is my fav opening for white or black. I use it every time I play and I usually turn out pretty well. Here it is:

Dafuq