Opening theory and engines are ruining the game.

Chess is a game where you use your head. You choose your moves. It builds your skill, and you get better. That’s the way it as played since the game existed. Then, engines came along. Modern grandmasters don’t even think for themselves. Most grandmaster games are just the result of memorizing piles of theory and engine analysis and then working through an endgame, until they enter a position which has been pre-solved by- you guessed it- an engine. An absolute beginner who just learned how to move the pieces uses more brainpower than these sleep-deprived zombies. Bobby Fischer was right. Prodigies which have so much potential are overshadowed by those who study with engines and opening theory. If they do prevail, they became slave to this new social construct, and lose all of their prodigal traits because they just play off of an engine.

Now, we have established that the professional field of chess has been completely corrupted by engines to the point where half of the entire game is dictated by engines. But now, it’s seeping into the beginner level. Scumbags like GothamChess are encouraging beginners to play the opening off of theory. Why? Why not just play the opening off of principles? You are a beginner. Playing off of basics is the best you can do. Opening theory is encouraging you to abandon your intuition and repeat engine moves. This is a bad habit disguised as a revolutionizing opportunity and everyone’s falling for it.

Solving the game of chess is removing the beauty of the game. The game was so much more fascinating in the 1800’s, where even top players made mistakes, blundered, and made a beautiful, revolutionizing comeback. Now, almost everything is a forced draw at the top level. It must be torturous to play at the top level.

Even I used to be a slave to this opening theory BS. Clearly, I am no longer.

Drop your Ruy Lopez, drop your Sicilian. Play whatever builds your skill. Players now take months to barely improve because they won’t build their intuition and skill. They waste their time memorizing openings instead of simply using their opening’s ideas and utilize tactical and positional concepts instead. You can simplify your chess. You just have to do it right.

My intuition sucks to begin with….

oh hey we got another march here, how convenient

gms use opening theory because they want to win, and they don't care about some random guy calling them zombies for playing the best moves

Oh, poor you! Then improve it.

who the hell is march

They’re studying engines so much that they’re not playing chess more than memorizing lines. The top level is favoring those with a strong memory over those with the ability to play the game. This is already problematic, but it’s not the main point. The main point is that this idea is seeping into casual games. Players are encouraged to learn mountains of opening theory before even studying positional understanding. Chess is meant for you to play, not repeat. Choose your opening, know its plans, maybe learn the first few moves, and play off of your tactics, positional play, and calculation.

I would like to hear why. The take, I mean. I’m not part of those laughable bands of buffoons.

Because opening theory has quite literally been around as long as modern chess. Openings like the King’s Gambit, Italian Game, and Ruy Lopez date back centuries to the very origins of modern chess. In fact the King’s Gambit may even predate modern chess by a few years or decades. Yes, a beginner shouldn’t be studying long lines of theory, but some knowledge of opening theory is inherently required to play the game. That’s just how it is. It’s been studied and developed for centuries and is played and studied today because established openings are the best ways to play the game. Yes, it’s only one aspect of the game, and one that too many hyperfocus on leading to deficits in other areas, but its not like the bogeyman of chess study. Attempting to avoid theory is going to put just as much of a dent in your chess skill as focusing on it too much. You need to find a balance and get the best of all worlds.

I partly agree. However, at the top level, players are playing 30 moves deep into opening lines like it’s a walk in the park. They learn countless lines into countless depths, to the point where games are literally 90% theory and engine study. There are “too many” variations with theory that these grandmasters have already learned. There are “too many” positions that seem illogical in a game, or unfavorable for either side- thus being avoided.

The casual player should simply play off of intuition. It improves their skill, creates a good habit, and by this practice, they will beat the opponent in the opening by taking them out of theory and playing off of intuition- since their intuition is much sharper and more refined than their theory-obsessed opponent.

You misunderstand what I’m saying. Of course some level of opening theory is required. Maybe the first few moves to know your opening, know your plans, and play off of them. But I’m saying that casual players nowadays are loading themselves with opening theory. They would rather study theory than tactics, positional play, calculations, etc. It’s unnecessary and slows down their progression as a chess player.

I suppose that’s more reasonable than what I previously thought you were going for

Yes, maybe I started off a bit strong and overdramatized the point

Basically, you are trying to say that, for beginners, understanding the opening is more important than memorizing the moves?

Can you explain what positional understanding is? I'm new to chess and want to improve, thanks

Yes. If you only memorize the moves, you don’t know where you’re going or why you’re going there.

Positional understanding is the ability to, say, “read the board”. The ability to create a gameplan as you assess you and your opponent’s positions. It is a somewhat complicated subject, but I assure you, learning it will be worth it. I recommend checking out an old chess teacher called Jeremy Silman, he wrote many good books on positional understanding such as The Amateur’s Mind. You can also just watch stuff on YouTube it doesn’t really matter