Download a free GUI (like SCID), a good free engine (Robbolito), and collections of favourite openings here:
http://www.pgnmentor.com/files.html
Once you have imported a openings DB, open a tree window and take it from there.
I find it useful to play through a whole lot of games very quickly, and try to predict the next move, only a few seconds per position. Soon you'l see you get it right more often than not.
Method:
Pick a repertoire. Look over a bunch of games on some freebie online database, to get the general feel for plans and piece placements. Then play spend a few nights playing blitz games following it as best as you can, with zero concern over whether you win or lose.
After, compare your games to master lines, to see where you went wrong. Also, run them through some freebie engine to see where you missed tactical ops.
Internalize, adjust, and adapt for next time.
For me, a whole lot of practice, and a little practical post-mortem kicks the crap out of every "opening trainer" ever concocted.
Method:
Pick a repertoire. Look over a bunch of games on some freebie online database, to get the general feel for plans and piece placements. Then play spend a few nights playing blitz games following it as best as you can, with zero concern over whether you win or lose.
After, compare your games to master lines, to see where you went wrong. Also, run them through some freebie engine to see where you missed tactical ops.
Internalize, adjust, and adapt for next time.
For me, a whole lot of practice, and a little practical post-mortem kicks the crap out of every "opening trainer" ever concocted.
Well put ... you really just need to organically "grow" your repertoire one move at a time (for each game where you deviated from theory).
The math usually goes like:
"Reasoning that goes behind the opening move that I make in a game"
+
"postmortem-revealed reasons that my move was wrong/inaccurate"
= "complete understanding of that position and what I need to do in future games/similar positions".
Tools like CPT/Bookup are one step away from rote-memorizing theory.
It all depends on how you use the tools. Chess Position Trainer and Chess Openings Wizard do have training features where you can drill your repertoire, but more important than that I think is analyzing your games and openings and trying to figure out where you went wrong. To do this effectively, you need to have an easily accessible record of your games and analysis. That's where repertoire software comes in most handy I think.
I'm currently about 1700 USCF, new here, and looking to start a little work on openings. What methods and/or software do you guys use for opening training and repertoir development? I've checked out a few pieces of software including bookup and chess position trainer. Just briefly surfing the interwebs, I've come across no shortage of disparaging comments regarding bookup and its creator, and CPT keeps crashing on me. I'm also reluctant to plunk down cash on chessbase, but I will if I have to. Thanks for your input and advice.