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I need an exciting off-beat opening vs 1. e4

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Cheddarman1

Hello, everyone. I'm looking for an off-beat opening to play vs 1.e4. I've been playing the Sicilian, more specifically the Najdorf almost since I started playing and I'm looking for something new and exciting that doesn't transpose into well-known theoretical openings easily (My other current openings are: Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, Budapest Gambit and Trompowsky Attack). 

All suggestions are welcome, thanks. 

2200ismygoal

Well off beat and exciting is the Latvian Gambit.  e4 e5 nf3 f5.  

Cheddarman1
2200ismygoal wrote:

Well off beat and exciting is the Latvian Gambit.  e4 e5 nf3 f5.  

That does look like a good candidate. The only problem is since I don't ever play 1. e4 e5 I'll have to find something to play vs Vienna Game and King's Gambit.

samtoyousir
LongIslandMark wrote:

The Scandinavian is not currently in favor with GM's, but seems to be solid enough for us mere mortals. 1.  e4 d5  2. exd5 Qxd5  3. Nc3 Qa5.

This is is exactly what I would say.

gundamv

Scandinavian is good.

You can also check the Pirc/Modern system with a kingside fianchetto.  It leads to tactical positions and is played occassionally at the GM level.

Cheddarman1
richie_and_oprah wrote:

1. ...e6 2 ....b6

off beat and 99 44/100ths % legit 

b6 isn't the most exciting move in the world, I must say.

Cheddarman1
LongIslandMark wrote:

The Scandinavian is not currently in favor with GM's, but seems to be solid enough for us mere mortals. 1.  e4 d5  2. exd5 Qxd5  3. Nc3 Qa5.

I'm not sure if I'd consider The Scandinavian an off-beat opening. I mean, it's got more than 16000 games played in chess.coms database which is more than the Petroff defense.

Cheddarman1
gundamv wrote:

Scandinavian is good.

You can also check the Pirc/Modern system with a kingside fianchetto.  It leads to tactical positions and is played occassionally at the GM level.

Again, the Pirc has been played 15000 times up to 3. g6 in chess.coms database. I'm really looking for something lesser known. Thanks for the reply though :)

TheGreatOogieBoogie
richie_and_oprah wrote:
LongIslandMark wrote:

The Scandinavian is not currently in favor with GM's, but seems to be solid enough for us mere mortals. 1.  e4 d5  2. exd5 Qxd5  3. Nc3 Qa5.

can't argue with this but make sure to cook up something v. 2. nc3

That's a transposition into the Van Geet.  Just roll with it as 2...dxe5 3.Nxe5,Bf5 4.Ng3,Bg6 is like a Caro-Kahn but without the c-pawn committed. 

Mandy711

You can play the Alekhine 1 e4 Nf6. It's definitely exciting and forceful. I hope it's offbeat enough to you.

MCFan
Mandy711 wrote:

You can play the Alekhine 1 e4 Nf6. It's definitely exciting and forceful. I hope it's offbeat enough to you.

I understand how White can be forceful. How can Black be forceful? I also don't agree that it is exciting.

Cheddarman1
Mandy711 wrote:

You can play the Alekhine 1 e4 Nf6. It's definitely exciting and forceful. I hope it's offbeat enough to you.

I will consider it but I never really thought much of an opening in which you move your knight 3 times in 4 moves, personally. It just seems to break down what I know about the rules of the opening

Mandy711
Social-Distortion wrote:

Why not just try out some different things and decide what YOU like to play, instead of what other people say you should play..

Best comment.

Cheddarman1
Social-Distortion wrote:

Why not just try out some different things and decide what YOU like to play, instead of what other people say you should play..

Because I want to study one opening and have a good understanding of it then use it so I'm not spending 10 minutes in game time working out a strong move in a sharp position on move 6, otherwise I'll just be at a disadvantage in position (which wont give me a good experience of the opening). I don't play 1. e4 therefore I don't have a huge knowledge of blacks replies, consqeuently I don't know which of blacks replies are the most interesting so I'm getting some suggestions.

MCFan

He is asking for recommendations so that he can try them out and decide which he likes to play. He isn't going to force himself to play an opening for a year based solely upon recommendations without having tried it out. Worst comment (that is, until you topped it Mandy).

pvmike

1.e4 e5 can be exciting hear are the Lines I play:

two knights defense  vs. giuoco piano

Falkbeer counter gambit vs. the kings gamibt

you can play the schliemann defense vs the ruy lopez

I don't see the other lines after 1.e4 e5, like the veinna game enough to worry about having a specific line for them. 

Ziggy_Zugzwang

1e4 e6 2d4 a6 !?

TYR1S

If you want sound stuff you could try the Aleknhine Defense. Also you could try looking for offbeat lines within the French or Sicilian complexes.

asvpcurtis

play 1.e4 Nc6!!! The Nimzovich defense if they play 2.Nf3 then there is 2...f5 the Colorado gambit

ChessinBlackandWhite

1....e6 with an early Qb6 or Qa5 in the first few moves is always exciting, and is pretty ofbeat. Expecially good otb