Is there a chess opening that annoys you ?

Now that's an explanation I can work with

Ahh, but there is a Plan B! This is what I was taught to defend against the Fried Liver. Works fairly well for me.

For me it is the Benko. As white, you are up a clear pawn and everything seems to be going well... and then BAM! you are hit with all these annoying queenside attacks after: Qb6, Rfb8, Ne5, Ng4, etc. (and that bishop on g7 gets really annoying to defend against.) True, if you play everything correctly theoretically you win... but one "bad" move, and all of a sudden you are MAULED by black`s overwhelming piece activity.

The black side of the french exchange pisses me off

@alphared

Interesting. I like that a lot better than putting my king in the centre with no protection at the kingside against the white queen. I'm going to look into this. Still don't really like blacks position. With my dreadfull plan I normally end up without pawns in the centre (and so does my opponent) and after we both castle on kingside I make a push with all my kingside pawns and that normally wins me the game. Again, at my low level. As a matter of fact I think this opening is the reason I have 68% wins as black in my last 300 games.

It's an interesting thing about the Ng5 Italian.  At lower levels, it's considered a pretty aggressive try for white, mostly because of stuff like the Fried Liver.  But once you know a line or two as black (like, for example, the mainline given above), you quickly realize that it's black that happily sacs a pawn and in return gets all the attacking fun.

I think the reason why I haven't looked into these lines for me was the position. I see 3 unconnected pawns. I see white has lost an enormous amounts of tempo, but still looks safe. I need to give it a shot. See where the attacking changes and plans are for black. That might get me to stop playing h7. But thank you both for the explanations! I really appreciate that.

Yes, I know what you mean. I few months ago I was having the most amazing problems with the Fried Liver! I couldn't beat it whatever I played and so I kept losing and losing and losing. Eventually I asked my buddies at my university chess club to teach me how to beat it or to at least hold my own and that right there is what they showed me. And now, no one seems to want to play it against me so I've lacked the games to prove my new found knowledge.

Granted, I'll admit that it doesn't seem like Black is /that/ far up here but I remember one of the guys (who is a NM [~2200]) said that he hated White's position here and that Black seemed to be so much better off. If you attack right and not be defensive (something I need to work on), then you should be fine as Black.

@Wilbert_78

In response to the Bc4 move (That's the Italian Game) try the Guioco Piano, 3...Bc5. It's a lot better than the Fried Liver or your h6 line. You'll see either 4. c3, 4. Nc3, or 4. b4 (Evan's Gambit) in response.

@AlphaRed

I know the Two Knights' Defense very well, and 9. Nf3 is a lemon. 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5?? Bd6! and white's knight is trapped. White could try 11. Nxf7, but the attack is still hopeless and white just ends up down material. That's why I play 9. Nh3 with intentions of Nf4 after black decides to push e4.

In diagram form:

Thanks guys. AlphaRed, if you want we can play an unrated game online and I will play white. See if I can poke holes. Who knows, we might learn something! (but it won't be for tonight since it's 5.47am here and I need to get some sleep after I finish my drink)

Ahh yes, I remember going over stuff like this with my buddy who is the NM. The knight has to be careful of where he goes cause he can get trapped. But in your diagram, can the knight not go to c4 instead of Nxf7?

Wilbert_78 wrote:

I just play this, I don't want to give up my right to castle.

What do you do if your opponent plays bxf7? I think you'd still forfeit right to castle king side. I say this not to doubt you but because I don't know how stop it myself.

To the subject, I dislike as black playing 1...e5 to e4. I haven't played a game down that line in sometime, so I'm going be prone to putting myself in bad positions as black, like falling for the fried liver attack, lol.

1. e4 e5 2. Qh5. 

If white does that, I take the bishop and thank white. I have no problem trading my right to castle for a bishop. (But I will try to trade Queens as soon as possible)

It can, and that's why I'm still rated 1200!

Something like Bc7 followed by Ng4 still screws over white's entire kingside though. Black has a sufficient lead in development to make an attack on f2 possible, if white castles that's just blunderful.

@ Wilber's - thanks! I also appreciate you bringing up your question. It's why I have refrained from playing e5 after e4.

After reading the following posts, perhaps my reluctance to play e5 in response to e4 might be a concern I can now dismiss.

Benko Gambit and NimzoIndian. Just annoying openings i like to really win those games.

Here are some traps to look out for against the Bowlder Attack.