Sicilian Defense - Parham Variation

So apparently there's been tons of discussion around 1.e4 e5 2.Qh4 -- Nakamura has even tried it. People seem to hate or love it.

So I was reading about this Bernard Parham guy in an article on the Chess Drum website, and it appears that he plays 2.Qh5 against just about anything (besides 1...g6 or 1...Nf6 of course). Quite fascinating.

So I decided to try it out against the Sicilian for fun. Here's some results. My opponents seemed to be "uncomfortable" that I play such an odd second move.

Keep in mind these are just 10 minute games between me and another beginner, so don't judge too harshly! My record is 5-1 playing this opening so far.

This one here is a loss :(

To me, it looks like white is just positionally lost by move 5. 

But it seems like most beginners (<1800) totally have meltdowns when unfamiliar openings are used. I mysef don't really know anything at all about any openings, so they are all more or less the same to me. Whenever I try to do a mainstream opening such as open sicilian, I just get whooped due to someone having memorized a bunch of moves.

But everyone has always told me don't study opening, study middlegame and endgame to get better, so that's mainly what I have concentrated on. Maybe if I started studying openings I can get to the intermediate (1900-2200) level. That would be nice.

Actually, I think it looks kind of fun... 

Fun for black...'

And <1800 is not a beginner. Players rated 1600 are already decent club players. 

Opening Rules:

Control the center: Qh5 does not control the center

Develop a piece: Queens should not be developed so early

The queen will also be easily attacked.  

I know right? I just like the idea that I violated a dogmatic "opening principle" like the ones that Robert is reciting and it confuses my opponents.

Robert I know you're a much higher rated playerd than me, but I don't really agree with your "rules" -- I've seen GMs play 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 with much success. I also saw a game between two masters in chess life magazine that started 1.e4 e6 2.Qe2 and white won, so I started doing that as well. I actually have a very positive score with that opening too. I'll post those ones in another thread for analysis.

Also, yes I am a beginner (ok, maybe advanced beginner). You think I would know what my own playing strength is... if I qualify as a decent club player, then literally 95% of OTB chess players are 'decent club players' or better. The majority of the players at my local club are rated higher than me (we have a dozen regulars rated over 2000 in the USCF), and only the scholastic players are like 1000-1400 range. I listen to them rattle off names of opening variations all day and it all seems a bit overwhelming.

I tried to read "Nimzowitch My System" and literally had to put it back down cause I had no idea what he was talking about. I also tried to read "Dvoretsky Endgame Manual" and had to put that back down too because it was a bunch of gibberish to me. I did start reading "Silman Endgame Course" and that I can sort of digest the first couple of chapters. I love puzzle solving books, but positional and theory based books are really hard to grasp :(

I'm hoping to keep practicing and get to 2000 soon. It's my goal.

dont need moves silican wtf?????? just play with the flow everything will change at hand

1600+ is hardly beginner level, but it's also hard to believe both players could overlook a mate-in-two in a 10-min game (game 1, 24...Qd1+).

@misterbasic: The Scandinavian and the 2. Qe2 French are exceptions to that rule. In the Scandinavian, once the queen gets to a5, White can't gain time off of it anymore, apart from a future Bd2. Then Black can look to set up a Caro-Kann structure. He also gets in the ... d5 break very quickly. In the 2. Qe2 French, Black is prevented from playing ... d5 due to 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3. The only "wrong" thing about this move is blocking the LSB.

After 1. e4 c5 2. Qh5?!, White has abandoned normal development for no reason at all, other than hackiing at the c5 pawn. Simply 2... Nf6 and 3. Qxc5 Nxe4 is instant equality.

Wayward queen like. I've seen it a couple of times and I like to reply reply with 2..e6.