I would recommend playing 1.e4 e5, alot, with white and black. At your level tactics are the most important thing to learn. King's pawn games tend to be more tactical right from the start.
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Yup, beginners are generally advised to play open games beginning with 1.e4 and answering 1.e4 with e5. Some nice, easily digested books on this subject might be:
Attacking with 1.e4 by John Emms
Play e4 e5! by Nigel Davies
You probably don't want to hear this, but as a borderline 1000 elo player you should not be worrying about your openings, but about your tactics and endgame. Studying those aspects of chess instead of openings will do wonders for your playing strength.
Alphastar18 wrote:
You probably don't want to hear this, but as a borderline 1000 elo player you should not be worrying about your openings, but about your tactics and endgame. Studying those aspects of chess instead of openings will do wonders for your playing strength.
You are right. Opening theory is so vast you ll probably want to quit chess if you study as a beginner.
I did not worry about my openings until my live chess ratings reached 1650 and was unable to beat the 1800's only because I had no reportoire. Some of my games were lost even before I had castled. I switched to turn-based and now I am experimenting with different openings. I think you should start worrying about openings after you reach 1550's.
yep, great advice here from everyone so far.
I would reccomend this to all players of your level
Dec 19, 2009
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#7
You don't really need to learn an e4 opening as white. Why should you? You can live your whole life as a d4, Nf3 or c4 player (or f4 for that matter), and never have to touch king pawn openings. That's the joy of being white - you can choose which pawn to push!
Dec 19, 2009
0
#8
j-jupiter is correct, of course: you really don't need to play any specific opening as White to enjoy a game of chess, and you do indeed have the right to pick your first move.
However, MOST (but not all) coaches would encourage learning players to play moves that lead to open, tactical games to ensure that that phase of a student's learning and experience is not missed.
This advice would have maximum effect if one were playing chess in the 1850s and 1860s when one's opponent would ordinarily comply by responding 1. ... e5. Alas, notwithstanding typical novice play, a far larger number of players today respond to 1.e4 with a semi-open game (e.g., Sicilian, Caro-Kann, French) or even a more closed game (e.g., Pirc). So, the advice is not as helpful in my estimation as it might have been once.
However, the original poster here is a novice or learning player (as estimated by the rating), SO ... most of his/her opponents may very well accommodate 1.e4 with 1. e5, leading to an open contest.
One recommendation for White might be the Bishop's Opening (used by the Polgar sisters during their formative years). But even something like the Goring Gambit wouldn't be bad, as a single pawn's discrepancy among players under 1200 is almost never a deciding factor - and such an opening really gets the pieces out quickly.
Good luck, in any case.
DrawMaster wrote:
j-jupiter is correct, of course: you really don't need to play any specific opening as White to enjoy a game of chess, and you do indeed have the right to pick your first move.
However, MOST (but not all) coaches would encourage learning players to play moves that lead to open, tactical games to ensure that that phase of a student's learning and experience is not missed.
This advice would have maximum effect if one were playing chess in the 1850s and 1860s when one's opponent would ordinarily comply by responding 1. ... e5. Alas, notwithstanding typical novice play, a far larger number of players today respond to 1.e4 with a semi-open game (e.g., Sicilian, Caro-Kann, French) or even a more closed game (e.g., Pirc). So, the advice is not as helpful in my estimation as it might have been once.
However, the original poster here is a novice or learning player (as estimated by the rating), SO ... most of his/her opponents may very well accommodate 1.e4 with 1. e5, leading to an open contest.
One recommendation for White might be the Bishop's Opening (used by the Polgar sisters during their formative years). But even something like the Goring Gambit wouldn't be bad, as a single pawn's discrepancy among players under 1200 is almost never a deciding factor - and such an opening really gets the pieces out quickly.
Good luck, in any case.
agreed 100%. 1.e4 e5 = best way to learn
i am currently trying to build a strong opening repertoire for my white and black play. and i've bought alot of books. but my opening books include MCO15, and standard chess openings. i really do suck at 1.e4, so i now play d4 and Nf3 instead, but if white plays e4 against me, i play the caro kann. But i really feel that this is not good not knowing how to play any e4 opening well. i DO know specific openings decently like guicco piano. but im afraid of the petroff defense and phildor defense can be annoying in 5 min games. does anyone know a good repertoire for a borderline 1000 elo player?