Learning 1.e4 e5 thoroughly

Then what? 1...c5? The Sicilian is not exactly taking the easy way out!

I was under the impression that with proper play, 1...e5 is objectively the best response (or at least one of the best) to 1.e4. I thought Black, with correct play, can equalize....and that includes handling the KG against White.

Learning a subset is at least useful for play and for pedagogical reasons going forward.

The quest then is to learn a subset of 1...e5 responses to 1.e4. Thoroughly learning ALL openings and variations would be a monumental task, and just not necessary.

I need to start with some basic responses, and gradually learn SOME of the Spanish Game, as well as other openings that might arise.

I went through Schulten -- Morphy, 1857 a few weeks ago (see http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2015/01/schulten-morphy-1857.html) and have been playing both sides of the Falkbeer in some of my blitz games as a consequence. I go through phases when I play the King's Gambit a lot with White. The Falkbeer has given me my lowest scoring percentage in the past.

There is a great deal of theory in the sicilian , thats true but I still believe its less than what is entailed in playing 1 ... e5   as black .  Its also less work , imo , to play any of the other popular responses to 1 e4 , like caro kann , french , pirc , modern .... etc . As black against 1 e4 I now play sicilians the most and use french as my 2nd opening against 1 e4 .  I vary between them as the situation demands and in the sicilians , as black , I play the classical sicilian and the sveshnikov both ... 

Z ... when they accept the gambit do you prefer the bishops gambit or knight's ? I have always preferred the knight's ... 

I play the French as my first choice, and fall back on the Sicilian if they answer with 2.Nf3, 2.f4, or sometimes with 2.Qe2. Sometimes, I'll play the Sicilian from the first move.

20% of the time, I'll play 1...e5 and take what comes, or play the Caro-Kann, the Alekhine, or something else.

In the french do you prefer the winawer or the classical ?  I like the winawer but have played both , my wife plays only the classical . 

I don't currently play the King's Gambit as White.

Classical. I've played the Winawer, but prefer the classical. I've toyed with the Burn and Rubinstein variations off and on. Some time back, I was considering a return to the McCutcheon, which I played a lot when I first took up the French c. 2003 (I had played the Sicilian since the 1970s).

McCutcheon is a fun game from both sides and a good choice I think .  Good chances for both players in practical otb chess . As white against the classical I sometimes play the steinitz lines and keep my queens bishop . 

I've been seeing a lot of the Alekhine-Chatard Attack lately.

I gave up on the McCutcheon after some losses to a young local player when he was in high school. He recently crossed over to Expert as a college student. He's currently the highest rated local player. I was reviving my interest in playing it as preparation for a possible match against him in the City Championship. I ended up playing a different opponent in that match.

The alekhine-chatard attack is tough and gives my wife fits , hahahahhaha .  I have spent hours working with her just trying to find something good against it , I also have trouble against it on the few encounters in which I allowed it . Maybe you should just avoid it and play the Burn ?  Interesting possibility anyway ...  Was the young player beating you in mainlines of the McCutcheon or one of the side lines ? 

This was the game (6.Bd2 was new to me at the time):

Interesting game , looks like he was more familiar with the line . I recently played against the McC  and chose 6 exf6 hxg5  7 fxg7  Rg8  8 h4  and won a nice game as my opponent was taken by surprise by this side line ...  I also retreat the B sometimes to d2 and to e3 and have also taken on f6 .... I think the line thats giving black fits these days is 5 exd5 . 

I took up the McCutcheon because I welcomed 6.exf6 hxg5 7.fxg7 Rg8. I had it in my first few lines. I recall that 8.h4 was played in some of these.

Intuitively, it looks as though Black's problems are severe, but I found adequate play.

No one has said this.

Oh my. What has happened to Chicken's poor thread.

Salvio was a child when Lopez died. You are probably thinking of Giovanni Leonardo de Bona. The opening of one of his losses in 1560 to Lopez is presented in http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2013/06/damianos-gambit.html. He got his revenge when he was in Spain more than a decade later.

Thanks for the good discussion Ziryab and Reb, I enjoyed it.

Leonardo's story is a fascinating one. He rescued his brother from pirates by playing chess. Not only did he earn back the ransom he took with him, but he increased his earnings betting with the pirate captain. Then, he went to Spain to get his revenge on Lopez.

It's pretty amazing to have that level of famousness in your family. Jeniifer Lopez is really talented. I love her mix album from way back. That was the bomb. REALLY good. I wonder if she plays the Ruy Lopez. We should research that.