I play daily, where I not only have an abundance of time, but can legally use books, articles, videos, and opening databases so I can get playable positions out of the opening with virtually no memorization. As such, I use a wider variety of openings than I would if I was playing live or OTB. In total I use: Queen's Gambit (white), King's Gambit, Ruy Lopez (white or black), Sicilian, Slav, and Scandinavian. I'm not a master in any one of those, and probably a wider range than what most would recommend for my level, but at least the time I am spending on openings and opening theory is at least stuff I will use since I am doing it as the game is happening, and it's not dramatically cutting into my time spent analyzing my games or doing tactics puzzles since I am not memorizing anything. Daily also allows me to "scout" my opponents opening tendencies, so if my opponent tends to like and excel at openings I don't like playing against (Italian, anything 1.d4 Nf6, vs the Sicilian when I am white) I can choose something else and avoid those lines. Also, if I see that my opponent has say a 85 % win rate in one opening, compared to a 65% win rate in all games with that same color then I will avoid those lines no matter how comfortable I feel with it, or vice versa, if he has a 35% win rate in a line compared to a 65% win rate in all games with that same color, I may go for it even if it isn't one I have used a lot. But the truth is even if you would only prefer to play a "narrow reportaire" of 1 or 2 openings, you will in actuality play more than you would like because the opponent has just as much say as you do about what opening is played and you may not be able to control what he or she does.
How many openings do you actually use?
In fact I use only three-four openings.
Baltic defence, Sicilian one, Modern defence (so the Computer defined when it analized my game)... and King's Gambit.
But one Chess expert said that I abuse them... In a sense that I don't know them.
Early I used also the Scandinavian defence in modern variation.
Apparently, I only play the French and the Dutch. Even as white, I start with 1. e4, and all my opponents play the French lately. Since I play it as black, I know how to handle it, so I'm not complaining, but it's just odd that I never even see the occasional Sicilian any more, let alone the Scandinavian, Alekhine, Pirc, Modern, Caro Kann, etc. I do actually get e5 once in a while, but still less than I'd expect.
Brink, I would avoid the Sidestepping Theory book, it might be a nice read, but you will not like that computers and serious players will easily dismantle it or make it boring to play.
i use 50 openings cuz im bored
Depends on the opponent. Still learn.
My repertoire for white is always 1.e4.
1...e5 - italian game
1...e6 - kings indian attack
1...c6 - caro-kann advance
1...c5 - grand prix attack
As black for 1.e4 I play pirc, queens gambit I play albin counter-gambit and for everything else I play either dutch or stonewall defence
I mostly go kings pawn opening, and then transition to center game.
Although that's only as white. I always go Silican as black.
Three.
White:
A Classical Dutch setup.
===
Black:
Against e4 - Scandi' Qa5.
Against d4 - Budapest Gambit.
Against anything else, a Classical Dutch setup.
Not much, just Sicilian Defense & London System
I am in the fairly small repertoire category.
White: Queen's Gambit, English
Black:Against e4: Sicilian, Caro-Kann
Against d4: generally classical defense lines, depends on if I'm facing QG or a London
Against Others: just general principals
Hi!
Here my suggestions for an opening repertoire depending your level and goals:
https://www.chess.com/blog/maafernan/openings-for-beginners
https://www.chess.com/blog/maafernan/openings-for-intermediates
https://www.chess.com/blog/maafernan/a-solid-opening-repertoire-for-speed-chess
Good luck!
While this post is literally 3 years old I wanted to pitch in and say that I have a relatively broad repertoire! I really like studying openings which isn't the best at my level, but I don't really care. I play e5 vs e4, nimzo-QGD vs D4, and ruy lopez as white, but I also play kan and najdorf Sicilian, caro kann, and KID (very occasionally) and bogo indian vs 1.d4, while I also experiment with mainline 1.d4 and 1.c4, and evans gambit in blitz. I always think its good to experiment and branch out with openings because it introduces fresh ideas to your chess, regardless of immediate improvement.
While this post is literally 3 years old I wanted to pitch in and say that I have a relatively broad repertoire! I really like studying openings which isn't the best at my level, but I don't really care. I play e5 vs e4, nimzo-QGD vs D4, and ruy lopez as white, but I also play kan and najdorf Sicilian, caro kann, and KID (very occasionally) and bogo indian vs 1.d4, while I also experiment with mainline 1.d4 and 1.c4, and evans gambit in blitz. I always think its good to experiment and branch out with openings because it introduces fresh ideas to your chess, regardless of immediate improvement.
I agree with experimenting broadly, but I think the term repertoire implies a strong familiarity, level of knowledge for my skill level, etc. I'm envious that you are comfortable in so many openings--I've tried quite a few (more over the board in casual games or vs. bots than in rated games) like the Vienna, King's Gambit, KID, other modern defenses for Black, but I'm just not comfortable with them.
Guess I need to broaden out my book a little bit!
My repertoire: white: Evans gambit, fried liver attack, closed Sicilian, caro kann panov attack, french defence tarrasch defence. Black: najdorf Sicilian, nimzo and queens indian, English opening queens indian variation.
To be quite honest @Jahtreezy at your level it may be better to just play a narrow repertoire. While I am not significantly stronger than you, it's not entirely justified for me to be comfortable in so many openings. I also don't know theory to move 30 like I do in the ruy lopez in every single line (exaggerating, but some lines do go that far) but ultimately the reason why is because I experimented a lot with trying to find the "right" opening for me. I care a lot about long term improvement because I hope to reach NM someday, and I realized that I stand to learn the most from the white and black side of the ruy lopez, as well as the nimzo-QGD as black. Sidelines are really more for spicing up the game or blitz stuff. It's better to know a repertoire super deep than super broad.
usually when I play in a tournament I follow a strict repertoire with one opening against everything (e.g. Spanish, Open Sicilian, French Tarrasch, Panov as White) except when I know my opponent has been preparing for me, it was so fun when I knew someone had prepared the Black side of the Panov against me deeply and even if I felt confident about my prep I had the last laugh by switching to the 3 Nc3 Caro throwing all his analysis out of the Window, I ended up winning