How can I move past classical openings? - Chess Forums

headbite

Oct 1, 2013

0

#1

I'm around 1200 (ballpark) in blits and bullet and play classical openings as white. Develope the knights and bishops and fight directly for center control. I open almost exclusivly with E4 as white. I don't fianchetto in many games as I find it to slow.

I want to improve my game by learning new openings. I've been having some luck with the Morra Smith gambit and the Evens gambit. I like open position but can't stand when games just become a race to trade off pieces and get to the endgame.

Anyways.... can anyone recommend some openings that are not going to take forever to learn. I think I'm ready to start exploring some of these other strategies but I'm kind of overwhelmed with where to start. Normally when I see a kings gambit or queens gambit I'll just take the pawn and not try to protect the pawn after that point. I don't really know those lines all that well and they seem like classical style play anyways.

Is hyper modern normally the next thing to learn? Should I spend the time to try and learn the kings and queens gambit lines? It seems like there are just way to many sicilian lines to even know where to start with.

Also I should mention that I'll just learn trap lines as people use them against me. That's pretty much how I learned the fried liver. I got crushed often enough that I see that opening coming from a mile away.

So what a good next step for me to take in openings.

update: This article best answers my original question.

http://www.chess.com/article/view/amateur-opening-preparation-the-evidence

TitanCG

Oct 1, 2013

0

#2

Openings don't really make you better at chess. You might learn a trap or two but outside of those very specific situations you will be on your own again. And since players well over 1200 still aren't expected to know lots of theory anyway, those very specific situations you memorize will only rarely occur in your games. Instead you're better off learning about principles in the game - things you can use all the time.

You're a premium member so tools like the tactics trainer, chess mentor and all the other stuff can help you get better. Here is a page with lots of tips about the opening and middlegame:

http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/ten-rules-opening

VLaurenT

Oct 2, 2013

0

#3

@OP : first let me state that I fully agree with Titan's and Estragon's suggestions if you really want to improve your game.

However, if you look for a simple opening, you can try the London system. But chess is not simple...

FM ViktorHNielsen

Oct 2, 2013

0

#4

Snowyqueen wrote:

If you see someting like the Evans as a chance to race to exchange pieces to get to the endgame, you're doing it wrong.

Study tactics and attacking play. Your problems won't be solved by new openings.

+1

Ziryab

Oct 2, 2013

0

#5

Estragon wrote:

Until you get through most of your games without dropping a piece or getting checkmated because you overlooked a simple tactic, worrying about openings is a complete waste of time. The Exeter Club link TitanCG provides is all you need to know for now.

Besides that, practice tactics and learn the basic endgames. These things will help your game far more than any openings study.

+1

headbite

Oct 2, 2013

0

#6

I might of been cramming to many ideas together. I've been having some fun with the evans. I don't use it as a race to exchange off pieces. Sorry if I was unclear there.

I think I might give the london system a try. Since I play E4 almost exclusivly maybe going into some d4 lines might be a way to introduce something new.

I'm not worried about endgames. I know how to recognize and play all the simple endgames.

My middle game could be stronger but it's by no means super weak. My drop rate is low enough that I'm not asking how to better protect pieces.

I do alright with simple tactics. I spot forks, pins, uncovered attacks often enough that I'm not loseing a lot of games on tactics.

I'm trying to get exposure to different gameplay and right now the e4 lines I play are starting to get boring. I think I've got an idea what I need to do next to get some life back in the game.

I think the london system with casteling queens side looks like it might be intersting. I'll play that for a while and see if the games unfold differently.

MervynS

Oct 2, 2013

0

#7

If you play e4, you are bound to face an opening where black doesn't play the classical e5.

headbite

Oct 3, 2013

0

#8

Yeah.... I do see e4 c5 a lot and have been having a lot of fun with the morra smith gambit.

I think either way with e4 or d4 I just need to spend some more time casteling on the queens side to try and get into some new middle games.

Maybe I should of named the post.... how to get to interesting middle games? The game above does look more interesting then what I've been playing lately.

kikvors

Oct 3, 2013

0

#9

headbite schreef:

I'm not worried about endgames. I know how to recognize and play all the simple endgames.

My middle game could be stronger but it's by no means super weak. My drop rate is low enough that I'm not asking how to better protect pieces.

I do alright with simple tactics. I spot forks, pins, uncovered attacks often enough that I'm not loseing a lot of games on tactics.

I'm trying to get exposure to different gameplay and right now the e4 lines I play are starting to get boring. I think I've got an idea what I need to do next to get some life back in the game.

So how come you're not 2000+? You should easily beat anyone under that.

headbite

Oct 5, 2013

0

#10

kikvors wrote:

headbite schreef:

I'm not worried about endgames. I know how to recognize and play all the simple endgames.

My middle game could be stronger but it's by no means super weak. My drop rate is low enough that I'm not asking how to better protect pieces.

I do alright with simple tactics. I spot forks, pins, uncovered attacks often enough that I'm not loseing a lot of games on tactics.

I'm trying to get exposure to different gameplay and right now the e4 lines I play are starting to get boring. I think I've got an idea what I need to do next to get some life back in the game.

So how come you're not 2000+? You should easily beat anyone under that.

I thought that would be obviouse by all the comments I have already made but since you seem to have missed the details I'll will emphasize them for you.

I can play all the SIMPLE ENDGAMES.

I can spot SIMPLE TACTICS.

My ability to see deep into the position is weak. I have a move horizon of about 2 moves. The number of variations I consider is 2. I thought information like this would be obviouse and summed up by my statement that I am 1200.

To update anyone else interested I've been playing some d4 lines and casteling queens side. @hicetnunc mentioned the london system and that was spot on for my level.

I think I would still consider my play classical but I am seeing a lot of new middle games which has made my games a lot more exciting.

dpcarballo

Oct 6, 2013

0

#11

SupremeOverlord escribió:

This is an easy opening to learn

Easy? Are you crazy?

What if White plays 2. c3? What if 2. Nc3? What if 2. g3? What if 6. f4? What if 9.Bc4? What if 10.exd5? (And so on...) How the f*** can you recommend a 16 move theory line to a 1200 player? You ARE MAD

TheGreatOogieBoogie

Oct 6, 2013

0

#12

No one is stopping you.

iamdeafzed

Oct 6, 2013

0

#13

[COMMENT DELETED]

Ziryab

Oct 6, 2013

0

#14

iamdeafzed wrote:

I fourth (fifth/sixth...whatever) what many others have posted in response to the OP's comment and say that you should study tactics, tactics, and more tactics. This is what will help you to improve beyond the thresholds of a 1200 rating. The Tactics Trainer is a good place to start.

Opening study is of some limited use, but mostly once you manage to get to the point where you can consistently play without dropping pawns/pieces much more than the occasional blue moon. I've also found that the main benefit to opening study is observing the typical patterns that tend to arise out of the opening(s) you use (e.g. the properties of the pawn structure you reach), as opposed to memorizing specific lines or move orders. The latter is entirely useless if you don't understand how the pawn structure dictates piece action.

Also, I've found that a good way to learn new openings (if you still insist) is to play some correspondence games and use the Game Explorer to guide you through the first 10 or so moves for whatever your new system is. Do this enough times and you'll eventually start to easily remember at least the first 5 opening moves, and you'll start to notice some important themes that keep appearing in the opening(s) you use. Expect there to be some rough patches (i.e. bad losses and blunders) with each new opening you try. Just be patient and with time and sober reflection on the mistakes you made, you should improve eventually.
Lastly, some relatively easy/non-theory intense opening lines to consider: London/Torre Attack/Colle Systems (all pretty much the same barring where white decides to develop his dark square bishop), 1.g3 (King's Indian Attack, which is hypermodern-ish).

+

Paul_A_88

Oct 6, 2013

0

#15

TACTICS!TACTICS!TACTICS!TACTICS!TACTICS!

macer75

Oct 6, 2013

0

#16

We get it! We get it! We get it! We get it! We get it!

KillTheHorsie

Oct 6, 2013

0

#17

Ask a cabbie how to get to Carnegie Hall and they might tell you which streets to go on. Ask a musician and they will tell you, "Practice! Practice! Practice!"

Ziryab

Oct 6, 2013

0

#18

headbite wrote:

I'm around 1200 (ballpark) in blits and bullet and play classical openings as white. Develope the knights and bishops and fight directly for center control. I open almost exclusivly with E4 as white. I don't fianchetto in many games as I find it to slow.

Good.

headbite wrote:

I want to improve my game by learning new openings. I've been having some luck with the Morra Smith gambit and the Evens gambit. I like open position but can't stand when games just become a race to trade off pieces and get to the endgame.

Bad idea.

headbite wrote:

Anyways.... can anyone recommend some openings that are not going to take forever to learn. I think I'm ready to start exploring some of these other strategies but I'm kind of overwhelmed with where to start. Normally when I see a kings gambit or queens gambit I'll just take the pawn and not try to protect the pawn after that point. I don't really know those lines all that well and they seem like classical style play anyways.

Is hyper modern normally the next thing to learn? Should I spend the time to try and learn the kings and queens gambit lines? It seems like there are just way to many sicilian lines to even know where to start with.

You're not ready.

headbite wrote:

So what a good next step for me to take in openings.

Get better at tactics.

headbite

Oct 6, 2013

0

#19

So lets say on a scale of 1-10 (compaired to other 1200 players) I might give myself these skill levels.

opening knowledge 3/10 (no variety as white in opening)

tactics 5/10

pice protection 5/10

Identifying winning endgames 7/10

spotting mates in the middle game 2/10

calculateing moves in advance and alternative contiuniations. 1/10

My point is that compaired to the other people in my skill range I can tell when my opponent has no clue how to win a clearly winning end game. I'm about average for people in my range on tactics so I'm not trying to improve those.

My original post was asking about openings. I've tried to say a few times I feel comfortable with where my tactics and endgame skills are right now. I was just asking for some simple alternative openings I could check out. The london system has been a lot of fun to play for me these last few days.

Someone mentioned corrospondence chess.... I think the risk of getting paired up with someone with an engine is just to high for that to be worth the time and effort.

iamdeafzed

Oct 6, 2013

0

#20

[COMMENT DELETED]