Recommendation for Opening against 1...e5

Saying you're not have much luck with the IG is a start, but the IG also includes the Two Kts Defense (3...Nf6), Hungarian Defense (3...Be7) and after 3...Bc5 there's the Evans Gambit (4.b4) and several lines beginning with 4.c3 or 4.d3. Which lines have you played so far? Posting a few of your draws and/or losses would help so we can see if your  problem(s) is/are in the opening or not

I looked at your profile and it looks like you play way more blitz than standard or online games. You gotta slow down to improve your openings and your game in general, I suspect many of your losses may be attributable to a blitz TL and not necessarily playing the IG. 

http://www.chess.com/blog/NimzoRoy/chess-opening-principles?_domain=old_blog_host&_parent=old_frontend_blog_view

Have not played the Ruy Lopez in a while.

@NimzoRoy I am not referring to online games as much as OTB. Online is not really where I have problems, but in slower OTB games I usually end with drawn games playing the IG. 

And to answer your question I have played against the Two Knights and Giuoco mostly.

I have a book on the Ruy Lopez so I will start studying. 

Thank you

Nothing is drawish at your level.  Heck I could get away with the Four Knights at my level easily and it is by no means drawish.

Well yeah it is drawish. Playing G/120 with the 4 knights will usually produce equal positions. With enough time, even the worst players could make a draw from an equal middle game like many of the 4 knights. But I understand where you are coming from. 

"Your level" and "My level" aren't very different actually I am rated 1556 USCF

I think you seriously underestimate the four knights from an experienced player in the line at the class level.  If people can play the Vienna at my level, then the Four Knights is no different.  In fact, I would say that the Four Knights is a better try for a win.

I don't know what level I am at anymore since I haven't played otb since 2010.   

In any case, I don't think I want to play the 4 knights even if it isn't drawish since I am going to start with the Ruy Lopez, but thanks for the help anyway I appreciate it. 

You could adopt either a Kings Gambit opening which is fun and great for demonstrating attacks well or you could also learn to adopt the kings Indian. attack as well. The second is relatively easy to under stand since you will setup the same scheme against nearly any Black opening with say in this order Nf3, g3, Bg2, 0-0, d3, Be3, Nc3 or Nbd2 and Qc2. There are ways to transpose the opening to hide your intentions and even lines in the Nbd2 variations where White plays c3, protecting against the Fianchetto on g7 if Black chooses to play this route. I have played it against opening ranging from Sicilian to French and Caro-Kann Openings to the Kings Indian Defense and Latvian Gambit. It is versatile even if Nick Defirmian wants to call it an opening for those who do not want to study Opening Theory. Also, if you do go into the Spanish, I get a lot of players who either play openings like the Berlin Defense (3... Nf6), or the old Stienitz line (3... d6), with some playing the Morphy mostly and if you take the Knight, about the only tricky line to watch for after 5. 0-0 is 5... Bg5. Really for me since I do not spend a lot of time looking into openings, I try to remember the ideas behind the common openings I see and if there is a move that looks odd, I immediately look to see if there is a tactical advantage to be had other wise, I simply continue with development and strive for imbalances.

Of course, you could also simply play 2. b3?

z99j

If you are at the 1500-1600 USCF level, don't get bogged down with theory--there's plenty of good, aggressive stuff that will work in the sub-2200 range.  The King's Gambit, The Vienna Game, the Scotch and Scotch Gambit--these are all proven openings against weak defenders, and you're playing against weak defenders.  When you get to the 2600+ level, then worry about whether or not it works against the best--'til then, work on some of the crazy stuff and have fun.

The best is the ruy lopez against e4-e5. It is played by Grandmasters, so it is the best. It is much better than the italian game, because you have quite the same plan in both the Ruy and the Italian, but the Ruy is faster. (Gives less time for black)

"that is both easy to study (unlike the ruy lopez) and gives white some advantage."

What is so complicated in the Ruy lopez? It is a totally logical opening, the closed systems has no forcing variations, (openings with forcing variations is the hardest to study) and even the opened variations (for example the berlin defence) are not as tactical as other open games.

But ok, if you do not want to play the Ruy lopez, you can play something else, there are quite good, tactical openings as well. I would recommend the scotch. (game, or gambit, both can be good) King's gambit is not recommended, if your opponent is prepared, you will have an equal or worse game, and as white, we want to have at least equal, but rather better position out of the opening.

Chances that your opponent will be prepared for the King's Gambit, imo, are pretty slim. I've played it hundreds of times online and in tournaments and came across someone who really knew the opening about 10 times. It's considered offbeat enough that I think a lot of players don't bother trying to figure out how to defend against it, especially when there are more mainstream openings to learn. The great thing about the KG, besides its value as a surprise weapon, is that the games are exciting 99 percent of the time. But it's not a good opening for players who don't like tactics or calculating long and complicated variations.

At the GM level, the KG isn't played often because GMs know how to play against it. But if your goal in choosing a response to 1)...e5 is to have an exciting game where the result is often determined in 25 moves or less (and often 1-0 if you're an amateur), then the KG deserves a look.

If you're a GM, probably better to learn the Ruy or Scotch (yawn:)

But what if you play the KG asnd your opponent declines?

There goes all excitement

The King's Gambit is pretty popular among the lower levels so you learn a line against it.  I always play 2...d5 3.exd5 exf4 and I don't have to worry about any theory (just have a line for Bb5+ and Bc4).  Is it the try for the best advantage?  No, but it is a line that can equalize to a middlegame battle that is allows black great piece activity.

It's still a KG, just a KG Declined:) And a lot of times, fxe5 can be very powerful for white after he's castled cause it opens the f-file for the rook.

2)...d5 is a great response (think it's called the Falkbeer Counter Gambit but could be wrong.) I think black sometimes pushes his e-pawn forward instead of playing exf4 and black's advanced e-pawn proves pretty difficult to deal with (hope I'm not thinking of a different opening here.) Most people I've played take the f-pawn on move 2 and those that decline it play something like ...Nc6. I think I lost a tournament game to 2)...d5. It's a tough move to meet

KG isn't unsound. Besides, for non-GMs, a variation on Shakespeare's famous quote is in order: "The fault lies not in the variation, but in ourselves." Expressed more simply a few decades ago by a GM: It's the player, not the variation

Bill C must stand for Bill Cosby. The guy in I Spy  and the Cosby Show. And the guy with the Pudding Pops commercial. I love that commercial man. I did not know you played chess let alone your here on chess.com.

Man glad to meet you. Can i get a photo with an autograph?

I almost forgot Fat Albert the movie and the comic that you were a part of making it.

Thank you for that comment. I didn't really think I wanted to go into unorthodox openings. I am taking your advice and studying the Ruy Lopez. And alongside opening study, I try to do tactics work and going over master games.