funnily enough i 'follow' your beginner repertoire
except for the fact that "1 e4" as white narrows nothing down
no matter what you think, the 1 e4 family is vast and diverse; and not at all alike to one another
Thematic repertoires
Sort:
I think is valid idea Skynet, at least until you be a GM and then you branch out
I am looking for thematic repertoires, meaning repertoires built around a theme, a common set of values or goals, openings that share some similarities or that have the same style or that pair well with each other.
Universal systems, from best to worst:
- London; Slav, Caro-Kann
- King's Indian: KIA; KID, Modern
- English-Dragon-Benoni: Sicilian Dragon (possibly accelerated or hyper-accelerated), Modern Benoni, Symmetrical English; English Fianchetto variation (c4, g3, Bg2, Nf3, O-O, d3)
- The Hippopotamus (aka the Hippo, the Double Fianchetto)
Systems that are almost universal except for the fact that you can't play them against 1.e4:
- Stonewall: Dutch; Bird
- Colle; Semi-Slav
Systems for Black (they can also be played with White, but they are played much more commonly with Black than with White):
- French, QGD
- Philidor, Old Indian
Systems for White:
- Catalan
Grunfeld-based repertoire: Grunfeld, Alekhine; Reversed Grunfeld 1.Nf3 2.g3 3.Bg2 4.d4
Repertoires based on the same Pawn structure:
- IQP: QGD Tarrasch; 1.e4, Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack, Sicilian Alapin, French Exchange Monte-Carlo (or 3.Nd2 if you want something stronger), Scandinavian early c4, Italian with early c3 and d4. As Black against 1.e4 getting an IQP is unlikely, but you could try the French or the Petrov or the 2...e6 Sicilian.
- Any universal system also has the same Pawn structure
XXXL transpositional repertoire: 1.Nf3, 1.d4, 1.c4, 1.g3; QGD, Semi-Slav, Nimzo, QGA (all of them).
Classical repertoire (which follows the general opening principles the most faithfully, especially the one that says "occupy the center with Pawns"), which is the best repertoire for beginners: 1.e4; QGD ...Be7, Double King's Pawn.
Hyper-modern repertoires: 1.b3 or Reti; Nimzo/QID or Grunfeld, Alekhine or Modern
Gambit repertoires
Repertoires based on getting as much space as possible
Drawing repertoire: Grunfeld, Petrov or Berlin; 1.e4, Petrov 5.Qe2, Sicilian Alapin, French Exchange
Must-win repertoire: 1.e4, Scotch, Sicilian Smith-Morra Gambit, French Advance (or 3.Nc3 if you want something more sound), Caro-Kann Advance 4.Nc3, Modern-Pirc 150 Attack; Modern Benoni (or the KID if you want something more sound), Alekhine or Modern or Nimzowitsch (or the Sicilian if you want something more sound)
Closed: 1.d4; French, KID
Open: 1.e4, Scotch, Open Sicilian, Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack, French Exchange Monte-Carlo; QGD Tarrasch, Double King's Pawn
Slow, quiet, positional, strategic: Caro-Kann, QGD ...Be7 Alatortsev Lasker; 1.e4, Ruy Lopez, Sicilian 3.Bb5 or Closed Sicilian, French 3.Nd2 or French Exchange, Caro-Kann Advance Short.
Sharp, theory-heavy, sound: 1.e4, Open Sicilian, French 3.Nc3; Grunfeld, Sicilian Najdorf or Sveshnikov
Sharp, theory-heavy, aggressive, attacking the opponent's King: 1.e4, Open Sicilian, French 3.Nc3, Caro-Kann Advance 4.Nc3; KID, Sicilian Najdorf or Dragon
Post your own ideas of thematic repertoires.
What do you think of building one's repertoire around a theme? Is this a good or a bad idea? Would this limit one's exposure to the different patterns and ideas and thus slow one's long-term rate of improvement?