Play what looks natural to you...
Ruy Lopez is both solid and straightforward, good way to improve.
Scotch or d3 Ruy Lopez?
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go for Ruy... everytime!
There's always the Vienna 2.Nc3. A lot of times that gets your opponent thinking as early as move 2. Just yesterday I got a couple of excellent attacks using it:
- https://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1643229739 (he played 2...a6?! so I transposed into a KG a tempo up)
- https://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1643904242 (this transposed into the KGD -- I think I may have let a win slip away somewhere)
If Black plays 2...Nf6, you have lots of flexibility in terms of third moves:
- 3.Nc3 (invitation to Four Knights)
- 3.Bc4 (but Black has 3...Nxe4)
- 3.a3 (and if Black goes for a reversed Scotch 3...d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 you have 5.Qh5! an improved Steinitz Defense)
- 3.g3, and
- 3.f4 where Black often plays bad moves like 3...Nc6? 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.d4.
The main line is 3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 and again here you have options:- 5.Nf3 (the main line)
- 5.d3 (wild tactics usually follow)
- 5.Qf3 Nakamura has tried this and its covered in Sveshnikov's book on a Blitz/Rapid Opening Repertoire
Jul 7, 2016
0
#6
From what you say, it looks like you're leaning more towards the d3 Ruy Lopez
OP:
You have played 0 games here. I have no idea of your skill level, or what you need to work on.
Lasker1900 wrote:
It makes absolutely no difference which you choose. Agonizing over opening choices is a complete waste of time, Which ever opening you choose, the odds are you will change several times during your chess career, and your opening choice will make very little difference to your results. In fact, why choose at all? Over the next few months, alternate between the two openings whenever you can. That will give you a good idea of which you want to play
Amen!
I play the Benko Gambit and have to listen to "The benko is busted at top level chess" Well i dont play top level chess, so its not busted.
Way to much emphasis is placed on openings.
Jul 7, 2016
0
#10
Where have you got that idea of yours that everything that's being played on the top level is good whereas something that's not being played all that often is bad, I wonder, and whether or not it is busted is not the point, besides, this is probably due to the fact that at the top level bringing something new and unexpected is customary nowadays.
Pestebalcanica, if I may ask. In your diagram what is the purpose of 10.a5? My computer also gives it as best but I would like to understand why.
To the OP: I'm thinking of playing those lines as well. I don't think a couple tenths of a pawn on a computer evaluation makes much difference so even if it's not the 'best move' as long as it's a 'good move' it's fine. In my opinion atleast.
PS: You are referring to 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...a6 4Ba4...Nf6 5d3, right?
To the OP: I'm thinking of playing those lines as well. I don't think a couple tenths of a pawn on a computer evaluation makes much difference so even if it's not the 'best move' as long as it's a 'good move' it's fine. In my opinion atleast.
PS: You are referring to 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...a6 4Ba4...Nf6 5d3, right?
Jul 7, 2016
0
#12
Fireline11 wrote:
Pestebalcanica, if I may ask. In your diagram what is the purpose of 10.a5? My computer also gives it as best but I would like to understand why.
To the OP: I'm thinking of playing those lines as well. I don't think a couple tenths of a pawn on a computer evaluation makes much difference so even if it's not the 'best move' as long as it's a 'good move' it's fine. In my opinion atleast.
PS: You are referring to 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...a6 4Ba4...Nf6 5d3, right?
To the OP: I'm thinking of playing those lines as well. I don't think a couple tenths of a pawn on a computer evaluation makes much difference so even if it's not the 'best move' as long as it's a 'good move' it's fine. In my opinion atleast.
PS: You are referring to 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...a6 4Ba4...Nf6 5d3, right?
I think because it makes the black pawn on b4 weaker (no a5 from Black) as well as the pawn on a6 and the a4-square becomes available to White. Not entirely sure though, I never play that kind of middlegames.
Thanks for all of the feedback, it is really appreciated. I think I'll play several blitz games with those openings to see which one feels right for me. Actually, I started yesterday evening with some otb blitz games and I think I did fairly well with both openings. I thought I might like the Spanish a little better, but I actually felt a bit more comfortable with the Scotch, although I've avoided the white side of the Spanish for years so that may have has something to do with it.
Fireline11 wrote:
PS: You are referring to 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...a6 4Ba4...Nf6 5d3, right?
PS: You are referring to 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...a6 4Ba4...Nf6 5d3, right?
Yes, I just recently learned about these d3 lines and they seem pretty good! There's a lot less theory it seems plus it has Carlsen's seal of approval.
Thank you spectator. I thought about those things but I wasn't quite able to put them together!
I played something like this in an OTB game yesterday and I won a pawn after 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...Nf6 4.d3 (notice this is different because a6 isn't inserted but this js definitely an early d3) ...Bc5 (logical move) 5.O-O (5. Bxc6 followed bij 6. Nxe5 loses to 6...Qd4 threatening checkmate and the knight) ...0-0?
And then I took on c6 and on e5 ;) I lost anyway due to my stupidity but I could have won.
I played something like this in an OTB game yesterday and I won a pawn after 1e4...e5 2.Nf3...Nc6 3.Bb5...Nf6 4.d3 (notice this is different because a6 isn't inserted but this js definitely an early d3) ...Bc5 (logical move) 5.O-O (5. Bxc6 followed bij 6. Nxe5 loses to 6...Qd4 threatening checkmate and the knight) ...0-0?
And then I took on c6 and on e5 ;) I lost anyway due to my stupidity but I could have won.
Hi, I'm having trouble deciding on picking an opening for White against 1.e4 e5. I want to pick one opening and play it exclusively for a while to get a really good feel for it. I'm hoping that some of the more experienced players out there might be able to guide me into the right direction. I'm leaning towards the Scotch or the Ruy Lopez with early d3 setups. Up until now I've just "winged it" with several openings, mainly the King's Gambit, Glek System, Italian, and Scotch.
So far focusing mainly on middle games and endgames has gotten me into the A class, but now I'm getting to a point where I feel that often my opponents are getting better positions in the opening and even though I can sometimes recover later on I feel that my openings are a weakness that I need to look towards shoring up if I'm gonna be an expert or master someday.
I've narrowed down the rest of my repertoire, but I'm really torn with what to play against e4 e5. I like classical openings with rigid pawn structures. I feel I have any easier time seeing where my pieces want to go in those types of positions. I don't like bottled up stuff though like the KID or French. I like the idea of the Ruy because it has such a good reputation, but I fear that even the d3 setups might still be a bit to sophisticated for me. I like the Scotch but my fear with that one is that it might be too theoretical for my tastes. Some of the main lines seem a bit unnatural too me. I don't want to play the Italian or Four Knights because frankly I'm growing bored of those.