At the 2000+ level, 1.f4 scores 45%, lower than 1.a4 or 1.h4, so statistically that may be the worst opening. But at the class level, 1.f4 is quite playable.
IS THERE A BAD OPENING MOVE
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Sep 11, 2007
0
#3
There are many opening moves which are "playable".
In my opinion playable is: 1. Nf3 , 1. Nc3 , 1. b3 , 1. g3 , 1. c4 , 1. d4 , 1. e4 , 1. f4 , 1. d3 , 1. e3
Not playable which could give black some advantage: moving the a or h pawn, 1. g4 , 1. b4 , 1. Na3 , 1. Nh3
But surely you should understand and follow opening principles. Three of which are to develop your pieces quickly, castle the king to saftey, and control the center. If you follow these general guidelines it can help you to rule out some moves in the openings.
Sep 11, 2007
0
#4
I don't think there is any bad opening. Give a stronger player any opening, from 1.a3 or 1.Na3 to 1.h4 or 1.Nh4, or the 16 other possible first moves, and there is a high probablity he/she will win the game, despite the opening. Just don't play 1.g4 e5 2.f3 (or 1.f3 e5 2.g4). Now that's a bad opening. I've seen masters to GMs play everything possible in the opening. Usually, at the GM level, whoever knows the openng better to survive the middlegame or the endgame, will win. As a beginner, you may even want to avoid the more common openings until you are very familiar with them. Otherwise, you will get killed in traps and opening weaknesses that are well known.
also watch out for quick check mates. you dont want to lose in the first couple of moves. the two simplest can be done in 2 and 4 moves. I think theyre called fools mate and scholars mate but dont quote me on that.
DO NOT MOVE your c pawn and b pawn 2 spaces forward (if white) without being able to defend a4 from the black queen. look at that position on a board and you will notice that your king is trapped and the check cannot be blocked.
Also watch out for knights, bishops and the queen focussing on a single pawn. Especially the one on f2 for white and f7 for black. Follow along with these moves on a board and you will see the danger to black. 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 d6 3.Qf3 Nc6 4.Qf7++
The moves don't always happen in this order and the same situation can happen much later in the game too. Let me know if you have trouble with the notation
The only bad opening move is the one not made. The rest will either be good or educational.
As a beginner, you should follow good opening principles, as Matthelfst said. First and foremost of those is to control the center. So until you're experienced enough to understand the exceptions, always start every game, as white or black, by pushing one of your two center pawns forward two spaces. As white, I'd say stick to 1. e4 at first, rather than 1. d4. With king's pawn openings, you're more likely to trade center pawns early and get wide open, tactical battles, which will lead to faster wins and losses. This will help you learn and improve faster and more easily than playing quiet, positional games, where games are won and lost based on subtle positional play that's not as easy to learn from.
--Fromper
There is no such thing as an absolutely "bad" opening, but there are openings that are better than others.....let's just put it that way. Don't forget that Miles (with black) beat the great Karpov at the height of his career by playing 1. a6 in the 1980 European Championship. If you know the principles behind the openings and know what you want to do, you should be able to have a decent game. That said, I myself usually stick to the fairly traditional stuff: e4, d4, Nf3, and so on.
I have to disagree with Matthelfst.
1.g4 (The Grob) is perfectly playable, and has quite a few traps in it, and is great for surprise value.
GM William Lombardi said "There are no bad openings below master level."
Oct 16, 2007
0
#12
billwall wrote: I don't think there is any bad opening. Give a stronger player any opening, from 1.a3 or 1.Na3 to 1.h4 or 1.Nh4, or the 16 other possible first moves, and there is a high probablity he/she will win the game, despite the opening. Just don't play 1.g4 e5 2.f3 (or 1.f3 e5 2.g4). Now that's a bad opening. I've seen masters to GMs play everything possible in the opening. Usually, at the GM level, whoever knows the openng better to survive the middlegame or the endgame, will win. As a beginner, you may even want to avoid the more common openings until you are very familiar with them. Otherwise, you will get killed in traps and opening weaknesses that are well known. Assuming BEST play, which I think should always be the assumption, then there ARE good and bad opening moves. Again, this assumes best play...
A very strong IM once told me : "There are no bad openings, only bad chess players." - IM Boris Kogan
Mats wrote:
also watch out for quick check mates. you dont want to lose in the first couple of moves. the two simplest can be done in 2 and 4 moves. I think theyre called fools mate and scholars mate but dont quote me on that.
DO NOT MOVE your c pawn and b pawn 2 spaces forward (if white) without being able to defend a4 from the black queen. look at that position on a board and you will notice that your king is trapped and the check cannot be blocked.
yeah I got spanked on these moves once and it was ugly. I was mated before I even knew what happened to me. Serious decimation from black's queen.
Reb wrote:
A very strong IM once told me : "There are no bad openings, only bad chess players." - IM Boris Kogan
I had to play around this three-pawn 'tower' I ignorantly set up ('forbidden' I think my opponent said - she was a good sport). It sucked.
When I saw the caps locked title, I expected something different. Disappointing.
Now for something more interesting. How about a poll?
What color socks do you wear? Do you have a lucky pair?
I had a pair of orange party socks. I cannot remember when I got them. Of course nothing ever went with them, but hey they were orange.
is one opening move worse than another opening move,i'm new and just getting into chess,really wondering if there is a worst opening move,like statistic wise?