just a quick question on openings

How do you guys get to memorize so many openings, and incorperate that into your games? Both as white and black? Is that just by reading some kind of books, the chess.com openings tab, etc.?

YOU .... DO .... NOT .... MEMORIZE!

If you think better players are better due to memorization, you are painfully mistaking.

You need to UNDERSTAND an opening when you study it. Be able to explain in words what BOTH SIDES - not just the side you are playing - are doing and why other moves are bad.

For example, after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6, why is 5.Nf3 better than 5.Ne2 to cover the d-pawn? If your answer is "Because my French book gives that move", you don't understand anything.

Memorization is useless. If your opponent deviates, you need to actually understand what is inferior about it. I could reel off the first 10 to 15 moves of just about any opening, but the question is, do I understand how to follow up, and do I understand what to do against other moves? Understand why they are inferior, etc.

For example, I could just reel off the first 13 moves of the Seville Variation of the Grunfeld, but all you have to do is deviate and I would be clueless. I do not understand the Grunfeld. Whereas, you play a weird move in the French or Petroff, you will likely lose against me as those as the two kings pawn openings I truly do understand.

It is not about memorization at all!

Thanks!! Great advice. I used to 1750, but my poor opening ideals and techniques made my rating plummet. But just one more thing: how would I make sure I'm playing a sensible follow up to my opponent? Is that just a case of practicing lots of different variations of all types of openings? Thanks again.

In this order, do the following:

Play the chess game

Annotate the game without computer assistance. Look for better moves for both players - part of it is figuring out the mistakes.

Use an engine to show you the missed moves and compare to your analysis.

I asked 2 local GMs how they learn new openings. The more experienced one said he finds the key position to aim for, works to understand plans from there . Then, when he understands that position, he works at understanding how to get there.

The other said that he plays thru lots of recent games where his side wins to see how to play his side, then lots where his side loses to see where the dangers lie.

I've tried both and both are valuable. I also set up a critical position then play lots of games vs a computer with rating set to be mine + 200 until I internalize plans. While doing all that I use postal chess stamps to record positions with thematic tactics of the opening, MG and early endgame. Lately I started playing 3day/move games where opening books are allowed so I get practice there. Of course it all means nothing until I restart laying OTB. And, perfect understanding is not attained by you or your opponents.

-I hope there are some ideas there that you find useful. - Bill

I've been trying to do this recently (before/after engine notes), but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right or effectively or even if I'm getting any benefit from it. It'd be extremely appreciated if you could do a quick write up on what type of things to write down or even better if you could provide an example of a game that you (or anyone) annotated before and after engine analysis. Is it just strictly noting what the better move was?