How to handle d4 as Black

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ThrillerFan
harshKidBg7 wrote:

If you are bored by playing some positional lines then you might try out some interesting gambits like the Albin Counter, Budapest or Von-henning-schara. These gambits will always keep you engaged and interested.

If your biggest interest is setting up your own funeral, then sure, play these!

kindaspongey

"... I have deliberately avoided the major theoretical variations ... which would have no place in a work mainly intended for amateurs or young children just starting out. And I have deliberately chosen aggressive variations. Playing aggressive openings allows the development of one’s tactical vision in open positions, which can only benefit progression. Do not be afraid, or reluctant, to play some of the gambits in this repertoire, even though they may have a dubious reputation according to omniscient opening theory. I have bet on pragmatism and efficiency. And this approach has been confirmed by the results of my students who have tested – and adopted! – this repertoire against opponents of their own level. There will always be time, later, to come to the main opening variations recommended by theory, which will inevitably require much more effort. Initially the goal must be to forge a digestible repertoire without expending too much energy on it, and above all by emphasizing understanding rather than memorization. This is undoubtedly the aim of this book, which is not intended to prepare masters, or even candidates to become masters (at least not right away!), but rather to offer ideas and points of reference to players – young and less young alike! – who engage in competitions and are not sure where to start studying openings. …" - Vincent Moret in a 2017 book that included the Albin Countergambit as one of its suggestions for Black.

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9050.pdf

RussBell
kindaspongey wrote:

"... I have deliberately avoided the major theoretical variations ... which would have no place in a work mainly intended for amateurs or young children just starting out. And I have deliberately chosen aggressive variations. Playing aggressive openings allows the development of one’s tactical vision in open positions, which can only benefit progression. Do not be afraid, or reluctant, to play some of the gambits in this repertoire, even though they may have a dubious reputation according to omniscient opening theory. I have bet on pragmatism and efficiency. And this approach has been confirmed by the results of my students who have tested – and adopted! – this repertoire against opponents of their own level. There will always be time, later, to come to the main opening variations recommended by theory, which will inevitably require much more effort. Initially the goal must be to forge a digestible repertoire without expending too much energy on it, and above all by emphasizing understanding rather than memorization. This is undoubtedly the aim of this book, which is not intended to prepare masters, or even candidates to become masters (at least not right away!), but rather to offer ideas and points of reference to players – young and less young alike! – who engage in competitions and are not sure where to start studying openings. …" - Vincent Moret in a 2017 book that included the Albin Countergambit as one of its suggestions for Black.

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9050.pdf

The link above is for the following book....

My First Chess Opening Repertoire for Black by Vincent Moret...

https://www.newinchess.com/my-first-chess-opening-repertoire-for-black

This is a very interesting and dynamic repertoire for Black targeted to the beginner-intermediate player.  Against 1.e4 Black will play the Scandinavian Defense - Portuguese Variation.  Against 1.d4 Black plays the either of the Stonewall Dutch Defense (against 1.d4 without 2.c4) or the Albin Counter Gambit (against 1.d4/2.c4).

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_17?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=my+first+chess+opening+repertoire+for+black&sprefix=my+first+chess+op%2Cstripbooks%2C212&crid=2VLNJL9TJ6H42

 

Moret's companion book -  My First Chess Opening Repertoire for White - is even better (IMO)......see my mini review of the book here (search 'Moret')....

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-openings-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

https://www.newinchess.com/my-first-chess-opening-repertoire-for-white

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f41ZbPq9OpE