Hey there fellow chess players,
i am really enjoying the London as white and scoring very well with it.
Is there something comparably easy for the black side? I dont want to focus on opening theory at my elo rating. Just want something that makes sense and can be played until i am higher rated.
Greetings
Follow opening concepts and do not try to study any specific opening.
Fight for a share of the center. That means by no later than move 2, you should have played a move that attacks a pawn or prevents a move of a pawn by white.
For example:
Against 1.e4, immediately attack d4 with 1...e5 or 1...c5, or set up 2...d5 (to attack e4) with 1...e6 or 1...c6. Note that 1...Nc6 does nothing to stop d4 as it is a piece, not a pawn, and d4 is protected by the queen. Also, do not play 1...d5 right away as then your Queen has to recapture, which violates the Do not develop your queen early concept.
Against 1.d4, look to prevent e4. This can be done with 1...d5, 1...Nf6, or 1...f5. Note that your job is to try to continue to prevent e4. So if 1.d4 d5 2.c4, you want to cover d5 with a pawn, not a piece, so if White takes, you take back with the pawn and continue to control e4. If 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4, White needs 2 moves to play e4, Nc3 and e4, how do we stop it? Well, 2...e6 would do the trick. If 3.Nc3, White threatens e4, so we must stop with 3...d5 (covering e4 again) or 3...Bb4, pinning the Knight to the king, now if 4.e4, then 4...Nxe4. But if 3.Nf3, there is no threat to e4, and Black has time for 3...b6 and 4...Bb7 (not possible after 3.Nc3 - 3...b6?? 4.e4!). It is all about stopping e4. If 1...f5 and 2.c4, continue to control e4 and d5 with 2...Nf6 and 3...e6.
The other 2 main concepts are don't move the same piece twice unless attacked by a lesser force, like a pawn attacks your Bishop or Knight, and do not develop the Queen early.
Play games using these concepts, and you will EVENTUALLY, NOT IMMEDIATELY, get comfortable with certain openings. This should take about 3 to 6 months if you play regularly. Only then do you study what those openings are after e4 and d4. This is actually what got me attached to the French Defense back in 1995. It was just like a baby becoming left or right handed. To this day, I still play the French as my main defense to e4.
Hey there fellow chess players,
i am really enjoying the London as white and scoring very well with it.
Is there something comparably easy for the black side? I dont want to focus on opening theory at my elo rating. Just want something that makes sense and can be played until i am higher rated.
Greetings