For open, attacking games, go for the sicilian (like every other robot out there). In terms of the theory, you are playing opponents of your own level so if you don't have the deep theory, they probably don't either and if they do, they are weaker in some other aspect of the game. Just play what you enjoy. A great quote from Cox in his "Starting Out: 1.d4!" : "Another excuse tends to be; sure, I'm going to take up 5 Bg5 against the Semi-Slav, once I've got time and learned it properly. This tends to be a way of lying to yourself - it certainly was for me. My advice is - don't bother. The more you learn anyway, the more you'll recognise how littile you know, If you wait until you've memorized forced sequences leading to [an] advantage, you'll be waiting all your life. 5 Bg5 is a good more - get it on the board, get ready to fight, and see what happens."
playing against 1. e4
ooh if youre not liking the sicilian najdorf buy this book, here shown at this website
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Out-Sicilian-Najdorf-Everyman/dp/1857443926
, i recommend it to you, it shows you why the najdorf has a better winning %age for black than white :D,
its quite frankly the 2nd best chess book i ve ever read
I like Nf6 too :) but sometimes it can get hectic, you need some specific move orders to make it work.
Obviously 1. ...e5. Sicilians and hyper-modern openings are not easy to grasp. Many people think they do, but they don't. Classical chess is more intuative methinks.
Well, if you want open games you could play 1.e5 and in the Ruy Lopez try to get a Marshall Attack, which probably means you'll be playing against Anti-Marshall lines a lot ;)
well it seems the majority of advice is 1...e5
i should have mentioned that i hate playing against the ruy lopez, and i'm assuming that will be the majority of games i'll see. i'll give it a try again though. perhaps i'm missing some good lines i'd enjoy.
dont give up on the scandinavian! but play the version with 2... Nf6 not 2.... Qxd5
i've really been struggling to find an opening for Black against 1. e4 that i enjoy.
i'm currently using the scandinavian (1. e4 d5) or the sicilian (1. e4 c5) - preferrably the najdorf variation. however, i'm not really liking the position i'm reaching in either one (not to mention that the sicilian has a ton of theory can i do sometimes get lost in).
the french is out because i just downright detest it and it's closed positions. the caro-kann is pretty closed up too i think. i'm thinking of possibly trying some fianchetto modern defense of some kind (even though that can possibly get cramped as well).
any advice would be great. i prefer open, attacking games and i'll pretty much give anything a try.