e6 is literally a transpositional device, black wants White to choose between these openings. e6 is Nf6 with the benefit of being able to transpose into the French and removing Trompowsky and Torre possibilities. It’s literally equal to Nf6.
The Englund is extremely dubious
d5 shouldnt be this low just because white can choose the opening lol, it’s an extremely solid choice at every level
The Indian game e6 transitions to is bad for black statistically:
this, for example is the Closed Catalan. White does way better.
The englund is only dubius with Nc6 as it's follow up. But it's good like this:
While both players are able to develop their queenside bishop, white can't develop his kingside bishop yet and black already has. The engine doesn't like it, but I've had good success with it.
The problem with d5 isn't that white decides the opening, it's that no matter what black does white is clearly better after white does the Queens Gambit by more than the one's above it (and b6 and e5) where their positions are just different from each others. I still put it pretty high though, because it's the easiest to learn how to play.
Feel free to post your opinions and/or rankings. And let me know whether or not I should continue doing these, next with responses to Reti.
IMO it would go like this:
Bottom tier
20. g5 (Borg gambit): Basically a grob but a tempo down, the grob by itself is already a tricks only.
19. f6 (unnamed): The point of this move being....
If black wanted to play some sort of mirrored caro kann it is just not going to work. Attempts of symmetry on the kingside and queenside are not going to work because the queen and the king are different pieces. After e4, black can't even play e5 normally because black can not recapture, because of Qh5+. Black can play nc6, which is a transposition to the hammer gambit in the nimzowitsch defense, but if white plays nf3 and bc4 controlling the weakened diagonal and not allowing castling black is just going to have a hard game.
White can also play 2. nf3 controlling the e5 square, and at this point the best thing black can do is play f5 and play the dutch a tempo down. Why would anyone do that. f6 also deprives the knight on g8 from it's best square
18. Nh6 (unnamed): This defense only works in atomic chess. In normal chess, is just a misplacement of a knight. it does not control any useful square
17. h5 (unnamed): This defense weakens the kingside and does not do anything important for the position.
16. Na6 (australian defense): This defense was played by nakamura against Wang yue. This defense is definitely better than nh6 because in this, at least you are trying to set control on a more important square such as c5, but it allows white to simply play e4 and take over the center.
Low- middle tier
15. a5 (unnamed): This response also allows white to take over the center and does nothing but at least doesn't weaken the kingside like h5, so it's just a wasted move and not a lot more than that.
14. e5 (Englund gambit): This is objectively one of the worst moves you can play against d4, but i let it be on the low-middle tier because at least it has some tricks.
The hartlaub-charlick gambit has some danger if white takes on d6 and isn't careful enough after that, but the lines where white protects the pawn with nf3 instead of exd6 often lead to uncomfortable positions for black.
13. h6 (unnamed): This move also allows white to take over the center but at least it prevents a possible bg5 in the future.
Middle tier:
12. nc6 (mikenas): the point of this defense is to prepare e5 in the center. after 2. c4 e5 3. d5 black can play bb4+ prior to nce7. Which is why after nc6, the best approach for white is to push d5 followed by e4 and try to build up in the center. After e4, if black plays ng6 white's best move is h4 threatening to chase the knight and almost forcing black to play move like h5
11. c5 (Old benoni): The old benoni is better than all the other responses below it. it's still not that great. After d5, black can transpose into other lines of the benoni if white plays c4 against for example: 2.d6, 2.e6 or 2.nf6. However, white's best approach to those three responses is actually not to play 3.c4 but rather play 3.nc3 preparing for e4, which is why it's not so great for black.
10. a6 (st george's): This defense usually aims to play b5, it can also (sometimes, depending a lot on white's moves) transpose into a line from the modern defense. unlike other moves (1. h6, 1. a5, 1. h5) This move actually has a purpose and does not create a weakness compared to 1. a5 and 1. h5.
Usually an idea of white to counter b5 is g3 followed by Bg2, however black has some interesting ideas after 1. d4 a6 2. g3 e6 3. bg2 c5 and after 4. d5, exd5 5. bxd5 Nf6 attacking the bishop
9. b5 (Polish defense): Black plays b5, looking for a fianchetto on the light squared bishop and also controlling the c4 square. White can still play c4, which is kind of a reversed birmingham gambit where white has already played d4, but white's best approach is to play e4 controlling the center. black after e4 can play either bb7 or a6, being bb7 more common and kind of a reversed polish but with the option of white to play bd3 without blocking the d-pawn
White can also play 2. Qd3 which is a reversed german defense.
Overall b5 is not the strongest response by black but not a bad one.
upper-middle tier:
8. b6 (English defense): An ok weapon that often arrives to e6 b6 positions. White's best move is e4, transposing into the owen's defense. It can Transpose into some Queen's indian positions if white doesn't immediately play e4 and black decides to prevent it with nf6.
7. g6 (modern defense): Not a lot to say here. White can play e4 transposing into a normal modern defense, or c4 which either it's still a modern defense or transposes into a KID/grunfeld if black plays nf6.
6. d6 (OID/KID/English rat/Pirc): the move d6 usually looks to transpose to an Old indian defense/King's indian defense. White is allowed to play e4, which transposes into a pirc defense so you have to be familiar with this opening if you play this.
the situation where d6 is stronger is when white plays 2. c4 which allows black to play 2.e5 entering into an english rat defense, a strong defense if you ask me.
5. c6 (Slav/caro kann): this move is transpositional. If white plays c4, nf3, g3, black plays d5 aiming for a slav setup. If white plays e4, it's a transposition to a caro kann. If white tries to play the accelerated london with 2. bf4, black can answer with 2. Qb6 attacking the b2 pawn.
4. f5 (dutch): In this defense black usually tries to develop the pieces from the kingside quickly, take a control on the e4 square and also play b6-bb7 if possible. However, black needs to be flexible enough, because the setups (Classical, modern, stonewall, bb4) should be played depending on what white plays. You can not always play the stonewall for example against every white's setup. In the dutch, white's most played response at master level is 2. g3 because it controls the h1-a8 diagonal before black does.
If black plays 1. f5, black needs to learn what to do against aggressive responses such as 2. e4 (staunton), 2. g4 (Krejcik) or 2. Bg5 (Hopton attack). If black wants to avoid these responses, black can play 1. e6 followed by f5 but also assuming the possibility of a french transposition if white plays 2. e4 or 2. nc3
Top tier responses:
3. e6 (Horwitz): This is a great transpositional weapon. It can transpose into a dutch, QGD, english/owen defense, french defense, indian defenses with e6, benoni, catalan, etc. Black usually waits white to show their plan before they do. Black can also play the kangaroo defense against 2. c4. possibilities in this opening are a lot. This is a very flexible move.
2. d5 (Queen's pawn game): Not a lot to say here. Opens up the diagonal for the LS bishop and puts a pawn in the center controlling the e4 square, solid response by black.
1. Nf6 (Indian game): Controls the e4 square with a knight rather than a pawn. Most played response to d4 at masters level, developing a piece. You can play the indian defense that suits more you style: KID, Grunfeld, nimzo/queen's indian, bogo indian, dzindzi indian, OID, benoni, benko, etc. A very flexible move.
1...e6 tends to struggle against the london system same goes to 1...c6 because black does not get the usual active play that he typically strives for
Feel free to post your opinions and/or rankings. And let me know whether or not I should continue doing these, next with responses to Reti.
IMO it would go like this:
Bottom tier
20. g5 (Borg gambit): Basically a grob but a tempo down, the grob by itself is already a tricks only.
19. f6 (unnamed): The point of this move being....
If black wanted to play some sort of mirrored caro kann it is just not going to work. Attempts of symmetry on the kingside and queenside are not going to work because the queen and the king are different pieces. After e4, black can't even play e5 normally because black can not recapture, because of Qh5+. Black can play nc6, which is a transposition to the hammer gambit in the nimzowitsch defense, but if white plays nf3 and bc4 controlling the weakened diagonal and not allowing castling black is just going to have a hard game.
White can also play 2. nf3 controlling the e5 square, and at this point the best thing black can do is play f5 and play the dutch a tempo down. Why would anyone do that. f6 also deprives the knight on g8 from it's best square
18. Nh6 (unnamed): This defense only works in atomic chess. In normal chess, is just a misplacement of a knight. it does not control any useful square
17. h5 (unnamed): This defense weakens the kingside and does not do anything important for the position.
16. Na6 (australian defense): This defense was played by nakamura against Wang yue. This defense is definitely better than nh6 because in this, at least you are trying to set control on a more important square such as c5, but it allows white to simply play e4 and take over the center.
Low- middle tier
15. a5 (unnamed): This response also allows white to take over the center and does nothing but at least doesn't weaken the kingside like h5, so it's just a wasted move and not a lot more than that.
14. e5 (Englund gambit): This is objectively one of the worst moves you can play against d4, but i let it be on the low-middle tier because at least it has some tricks.
The hartlaub-charlick gambit has some danger if white takes on d6 and isn't careful enough after that, but the lines where white protects the pawn with nf3 instead of exd6 often lead to uncomfortable positions for black.
13. h6 (unnamed): This move also allows white to take over the center but at least it prevents a possible bg5 in the future.
Middle tier:
12. nc6 (mikenas): the point of this defense is to prepare e5 in the center. after 2. c4 e5 3. d5 black can play bb4+ prior to nce7. Which is why after nc6, the best approach for white is to push d5 followed by e4 and try to build up in the center. After e4, if black plays ng6 white's best move is h4 threatening to chase the knight and almost forcing black to play move like h5
11. c5 (Old benoni): The old benoni is better than all the other responses below it. it's still not that great. After d5, black can transpose into other lines of the benoni if white plays c4 against for example: 2.d6, 2.e6 or 2.nf6. However, white's best approach to those three responses is actually not to play 3.c4 but rather play 3.nc3 preparing for e4, which is why it's not so great for black.
10. a6 (st george's): This defense usually aims to play b5, it can also (sometimes, depending a lot on white's moves) transpose into a line from the modern defense. unlike other moves (1. h6, 1. a5, 1. h5) This move actually has a purpose and does not create a weakness compared to 1. a5 and 1. h5.
Usually an idea of white to counter b5 is g3 followed by Bg2, however black has some interesting ideas after 1. d4 a6 2. g3 e6 3. bg2 c5 and after 4. d5, exd5 5. bxd5 Nf6 attacking the bishop
9. b5 (Polish defense): Black plays b5, looking for a fianchetto on the light squared bishop and also controlling the c4 square. White can still play c4, which is kind of a reversed birmingham gambit where white has already played d4, but white's best approach is to play e4 controlling the center. black after e4 can play either bb7 or a6, being bb7 more common and kind of a reversed polish but with the option of white to play bd3 without blocking the d-pawn
White can also play 2. Qd3 which is a reversed german defense.
Overall b5 is not the strongest response by black but not a bad one.
upper-middle tier:
8. b6 (English defense): An ok weapon that often arrives to e6 b6 positions. White's best move is e4, transposing into the owen's defense. It can Transpose into some Queen's indian positions if white doesn't immediately play e4 and black decides to prevent it with nf6.
7. g6 (modern defense): Not a lot to say here. White can play e4 transposing into a normal modern defense, or c4 which either it's still a modern defense or transposes into a KID/grunfeld if black plays nf6.
6. d6 (OID/KID/English rat/Pirc): the move d6 usually looks to transpose to an Old indian defense/King's indian defense. White is allowed to play e4, which transposes into a pirc defense so you have to be familiar with this opening if you play this.
the situation where d6 is stronger is when white plays 2. c4 which allows black to play 2.e5 entering into an english rat defense, a strong defense if you ask me.
5. c6 (Slav/caro kann): this move is transpositional. If white plays c4, nf3, g3, black plays d5 aiming for a slav setup. If white plays e4, it's a transposition to a caro kann. If white tries to play the accelerated london with 2. bf4, black can answer with 2. Qb6 attacking the b2 pawn.
4. f5 (dutch): In this defense black usually tries to develop the pieces from the kingside quickly, take a control on the e4 square and also play b6-bb7 if possible. However, black needs to be flexible enough, because the setups (Classical, modern, stonewall, bb4) should be played depending on what white plays. You can not always play the stonewall for example against every white's setup. In the dutch, white's most played response at master level is 2. g3 because it controls the h1-a8 diagonal before black does.
If black plays 1. f5, black needs to learn what to do against aggressive responses such as 2. e4 (staunton), 2. g4 (Krejcik) or 2. Bg5 (Hopton attack). If black wants to avoid these responses, black can play 1. e6 followed by f5 but also assuming the possibility of a french transposition if white plays 2. e4 or 2. nc3
Top tier responses:
3. e6 (Horwitz): This is a great transpositional weapon. It can transpose into a dutch, QGD, english/owen defense, french defense, indian defenses with e6, benoni, catalan, etc. Black usually waits white to show their plan before they do. Black can also play the kangaroo defense against 2. c4. possibilities in this opening are a lot. This is a very flexible move.
2. d5 (Queen's pawn game): Not a lot to say here. Opens up the diagonal for the LS bishop and puts a pawn in the center controlling the e4 square, solid response by black.
1. Nf6 (Indian game): Controls the e4 square with a knight rather than a pawn. Most played response to d4 at masters level, developing a piece. You can play the indian defense that suits more you style: KID, Grunfeld, nimzo/queen's indian, bogo indian, dzindzi indian, OID, benoni, benko, etc. A very flexible move.
I kind of think you put c6 too high. Yes, it can transpose into Caro-kann or Slav, but in lines like this:
the c pawn is accomplishing nothing other then blocking in black's knight.
Also how is e6 where white could turn the game into the Catalan top tier?
1...e6 tends to struggle against the london system same goes to 1...c6 because black does not get the usual active play that he typically strives for
Exactly. They're both great against e4, but d4 has a less aggressive-more positional nature to it that these moves don't really hold up to.
The Indian game e6 transitions to is bad for black statistically:
this, for example is the Closed Catalan. White does way better.
The englund is only dubius with Nc6 as it's follow up. But it's good like this:
While both players are able to develop their queenside bishop, white can't develop his kingside bishop yet and black already has. The engine doesn't like it, but I've had good success with it.
The problem with d5 isn't that white decides the opening, it's that no matter what black does white is clearly better after white does the Queens Gambit by more than the one's above it (and b6 and e5) where their positions are just different from each others. I still put it pretty high though, because it's the easiest to learn how to play.
oh, golly gee
not a closed Catalan anymore, now black can adopt a hedgehog setup (various grandmasters have done this)
also the Englund Gambit is straight garbage, black loses a pawn for nothing and the line you showed loses 2 pawns for “uh I get bishop activity 
” like you weren’t going to get it in the first place
best line for black in the Englund gambit
+0.48
now, this is the GOOD line, which is already below average for most openings
The Indian game e6 transitions to is bad for black statistically:
this, for example is the Closed Catalan. White does way better.
The englund is only dubius with Nc6 as it's follow up. But it's good like this:
While both players are able to develop their queenside bishop, white can't develop his kingside bishop yet and black already has. The engine doesn't like it, but I've had good success with it.
The problem with d5 isn't that white decides the opening, it's that no matter what black does white is clearly better after white does the Queens Gambit by more than the one's above it (and b6 and e5) where their positions are just different from each others. I still put it pretty high though, because it's the easiest to learn how to play.
oh, golly gee
not a closed Catalan anymore, now black can adopt a hedgehog setup (various grandmasters have done this)
also the Englund Gambit is straight garbage, black loses a pawn for nothing and the line you showed loses 2 pawns for “uh I get bishop activity ” like you weren’t going to get it in the first place
best line for black in the Englund gambit
+0.48
now, this is the GOOD line, which is already below average for most openings
also the queen’s gambit is not automatically better for white wtf?
so many grandmasters have played it and black has won many times, black can adopt many plans in the QGD to improve his position or even counterattack
you can also play the Slav or the Semi-Slav to try and get an advantage, even the QGA if you’re really insane
not a closed Catalan anymore, now black can adopt a hedgehog setup (various grandmasters have done this)
also the Englund Gambit is straight garbage, black loses a pawn for nothing and the line you showed loses 2 pawns for “uh I get bishop activity ” like you weren’t going to get it in the first place
best line for black in the Englund gambit
+0.48
now, this is the GOOD line, which is already below average for most openings
Now it's Open Catalan, or a second line where White's better, or that bottom one which is okay for black, but doesn't compare to the positions I put in the top tier.
The line I showed has black getting a pawn back so it's 1 pawn for 2 tempi. When black then castles queenside it has a potential sack if white castles kingside, but is either way in a nice spot. And what you showed is not the best line for black. The best line for black is where it transposes into the Enlish Rat Defense, though admittedly white has to allow that...
Addressing your next post, when Slav (or Semi Slav) is your best option and that leads to this
With it's 42% win for white and 24% win for black, because its mostly symmetrical and black is playing more for equality than anything, you know black is in trouble. Black is still fine, but it's when you compare it to
Where White leads in development, while black leads in aggression and flexibility, and is actually playing more so to win d5 doesn't really compare, because it's biggest pros over the Dutch Defense are that it's easier to learn and more popular.
This list is a complete and utter joke, and produced by someone that clearly has no idea what he is talking about!
Case in point, in post 3, his argument against 1...e6 is "1.d4 e6 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.c4 transposing to the Closed catalan". Let's see what's wrong with this:
1) First and foremost, that is NOT a "Closed Catalan". It is merely the Catalan where Black retains BOTH options. 4...c6 is a Closed catalan, but 4...dxc4 is the OPEN Catalan!
2) 99% of 1...e6 players, of which I am one of them, aren't going to answer 2.g3 with 2...Nf6. Most are going to answer with 2...d5 or 2...f5. Black will take advantage of White playing g3 too early. That is why in the Catalan proper, you see 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, but after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6, you see 3.Nf3 by Catalan players and not 3.g3. You wait for ...Nf6 from Black. Instead, with White committed to g3, Black can answer ...f5 first before ...Nf6.
And now, other issues include:
1) Putting 1...b6 ahead of 1...e6 is also a complete joke. 1...b6 is not the English Defense. It is not determined until White plays his second move. After 2.c4, it is an English Defense. After 2.e4!!, FAR stronger, it is Owen's Defense. Most English Defense players will play 1.d4 e6 2.c4 (2.e4 transposes to the French) b6 and now 3.e4 Bb7 or 3.Nc3 Bb4 or 3.a3! Against which 3...c5 is best.
2) 1...d5 has no business being 5th. Another complete joke! The top 4 are obvious. After that, it is arguable. 1...d5, 1...Nf6, and then 3 and 4 are arguable between 1...e6 and 1...f5, and then the rest.
3) The polish Defense is not 14th! SMH! There are far worse options higher in his list.
not a closed Catalan anymore, now black can adopt a hedgehog setup (various grandmasters have done this)
also the Englund Gambit is straight garbage, black loses a pawn for nothing and the line you showed loses 2 pawns for “uh I get bishop activity ” like you weren’t going to get it in the first place
best line for black in the Englund gambit
+0.48
now, this is the GOOD line, which is already below average for most openings
Now it's Open Catalan, or a second line where White's better, or that bottom one which is okay for black, but doesn't compare to the positions I put in the top tier.
The line I showed has black getting a pawn back so it's 1 pawn for 2 tempi. When black then castles queenside it has a potential sack if white castles kingside, but is either way in a nice spot. And what you showed is not the best line for black. The best line for black is where it transposes into the Enlish Rat Defense, though admittedly white has to allow that...
Addressing your next post, when Slav (or Semi Slav) is your best option and that leads to this
With it's 42% win for white and 24% win for black, because its mostly symmetrical and black is playing more for equality than anything, you know black is in trouble. Black is still fine, but it's when you compare it to
Where White leads in development, while black leads in aggression and flexibility, and is actually playing more so to win d5 doesn't really compare, because it's biggest pros over the Dutch Defense are that it's easier to learn and more popular.
4...b6? Is no good in the Dutch if White has already played g3. Instead of 5.c4, white should move the Knight. 5.Ne5! Which forces ...c6 by Black.
Ill let thrillerfan argue i led the whole rebellion last time
Some points because I personally think this is an incredibly bad list
1. The Barnes Defense is not decent. It is really bad.
2. h5 is probably worse than a5 because you also weaken your kingside in the process of losing a tempo
3. There is no reason b5 should be that low, especially since you put a6 higher? a6 is actually a fairly okay move against e4, but the whole point of a6 is to setup b5. Against d4, you don’t need to do that, so it just wastes a tempo. Also b4 is actually rather decent for black, since like the Polis Opening for white, it allows you to fianchetto the bishop and immediately grab some queenside space at the same time. Should at least be top 10
4. a6 is too high. Okay against e4 but pointless against d4
5. h6 is too high. In no world is the tempo wasting and minor kingside weakening move better than both the Mikenas and Polish.
6. The Modern is not the second best defense to d4. Not even close. Definitely top 10, but probably to the lower end of that.
7. Englund is hot garbage. If white just doesn’t fall for one very simple trap your position is pretty bad. Also white can just transpose to the Center Game if they want anyway, so that 5 minutes you spent learning the Englund Gambit trap is going to be wasted if your higher than like 1000.
8. b6 is massively overrated. Worse than the Modern for sure, and I’ve already determined that the Modern is on the back end of the top 10.
9. Dutch is too high
10. d5 is too low
11. Horwitz is too low
12. Benoni is too high
13. Were you high when you made this?
sigh
why did i ask for this
"same side vs opposite side castling reserved by black" is the most STUPID main argument ever
usually... white chooses 0-0-0 when black 0-0s
white 0-0ing then black 0-0-0ing exists, but is less common
but to use this logic for the bad openings is dumb
what, oh no i cant choose my castling oh WHAT SHALL I DO???
op thinks barnes is decent coz...
e4 f6 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5 e5
transposing to "a variation of the ruy"
first off i have no idea how even THIS is decent, but moreover
why did white not play 2 d4
or 3 d4
and whats the idea of Bb5?
and Nf3 is weird to play in the second move when the opp. has weakened e8-h5
Feel free to post your opinions and/or rankings. And let me know whether or not I should continue doing these, next with responses to Reti.
IMO it would go like this:
Bottom tier
20. g5 (Borg gambit): Basically a grob but a tempo down, the grob by itself is already a tricks only.
19. f6 (unnamed): The point of this move being....
If black wanted to play some sort of mirrored caro kann it is just not going to work. Attempts of symmetry on the kingside and queenside are not going to work because the queen and the king are different pieces. After e4, black can't even play e5 normally because black can not recapture, because of Qh5+. Black can play nc6, which is a transposition to the hammer gambit in the nimzowitsch defense, but if white plays nf3 and bc4 controlling the weakened diagonal and not allowing castling black is just going to have a hard game.
White can also play 2. nf3 controlling the e5 square, and at this point the best thing black can do is play f5 and play the dutch a tempo down. Why would anyone do that. f6 also deprives the knight on g8 from it's best square
18. Nh6 (unnamed): This defense only works in atomic chess. In normal chess, is just a misplacement of a knight. it does not control any useful square
17. h5 (unnamed): This defense weakens the kingside and does not do anything important for the position.
16. Na6 (australian defense): This defense was played by nakamura against Wang yue. This defense is definitely better than nh6 because in this, at least you are trying to set control on a more important square such as c5, but it allows white to simply play e4 and take over the center.
Low- middle tier
15. a5 (unnamed): This response also allows white to take over the center and does nothing but at least doesn't weaken the kingside like h5, so it's just a wasted move and not a lot more than that.
14. e5 (Englund gambit): This is objectively one of the worst moves you can play against d4, but i let it be on the low-middle tier because at least it has some tricks.
The hartlaub-charlick gambit has some danger if white takes on d6 and isn't careful enough after that, but the lines where white protects the pawn with nf3 instead of exd6 often lead to uncomfortable positions for black.
13. h6 (unnamed): This move also allows white to take over the center but at least it prevents a possible bg5 in the future.
Middle tier:
12. nc6 (mikenas): the point of this defense is to prepare e5 in the center. after 2. c4 e5 3. d5 black can play bb4+ prior to nce7. Which is why after nc6, the best approach for white is to push d5 followed by e4 and try to build up in the center. After e4, if black plays ng6 white's best move is h4 threatening to chase the knight and almost forcing black to play move like h5
11. c5 (Old benoni): The old benoni is better than all the other responses below it. it's still not that great. After d5, black can transpose into other lines of the benoni if white plays c4 against for example: 2.d6, 2.e6 or 2.nf6. However, white's best approach to those three responses is actually not to play 3.c4 but rather play 3.nc3 preparing for e4, which is why it's not so great for black.
10. a6 (st george's): This defense usually aims to play b5, it can also (sometimes, depending a lot on white's moves) transpose into a line from the modern defense. unlike other moves (1. h6, 1. a5, 1. h5) This move actually has a purpose and does not create a weakness compared to 1. a5 and 1. h5.
Usually an idea of white to counter b5 is g3 followed by Bg2, however black has some interesting ideas after 1. d4 a6 2. g3 e6 3. bg2 c5 and after 4. d5, exd5 5. bxd5 Nf6 attacking the bishop
9. b5 (Polish defense): Black plays b5, looking for a fianchetto on the light squared bishop and also controlling the c4 square. White can still play c4, which is kind of a reversed birmingham gambit where white has already played d4, but white's best approach is to play e4 controlling the center. black after e4 can play either bb7 or a6, being bb7 more common and kind of a reversed polish but with the option of white to play bd3 without blocking the d-pawn
White can also play 2. Qd3 which is a reversed german defense.
Overall b5 is not the strongest response by black but not a bad one.
upper-middle tier:
8. b6 (English defense): An ok weapon that often arrives to e6 b6 positions. White's best move is e4, transposing into the owen's defense. It can Transpose into some Queen's indian positions if white doesn't immediately play e4 and black decides to prevent it with nf6.
7. g6 (modern defense): Not a lot to say here. White can play e4 transposing into a normal modern defense, or c4 which either it's still a modern defense or transposes into a KID/grunfeld if black plays nf6.
6. d6 (OID/KID/English rat/Pirc): the move d6 usually looks to transpose to an Old indian defense/King's indian defense. White is allowed to play e4, which transposes into a pirc defense so you have to be familiar with this opening if you play this.
the situation where d6 is stronger is when white plays 2. c4 which allows black to play 2.e5 entering into an english rat defense, a strong defense if you ask me.
5. c6 (Slav/caro kann): this move is transpositional. If white plays c4, nf3, g3, black plays d5 aiming for a slav setup. If white plays e4, it's a transposition to a caro kann. If white tries to play the accelerated london with 2. bf4, black can answer with 2. Qb6 attacking the b2 pawn.
4. f5 (dutch): In this defense black usually tries to develop the pieces from the kingside quickly, take a control on the e4 square and also play b6-bb7 if possible. However, black needs to be flexible enough, because the setups (Classical, modern, stonewall, bb4) should be played depending on what white plays. You can not always play the stonewall for example against every white's setup. In the dutch, white's most played response at master level is 2. g3 because it controls the h1-a8 diagonal before black does.
If black plays 1. f5, black needs to learn what to do against aggressive responses such as 2. e4 (staunton), 2. g4 (Krejcik) or 2. Bg5 (Hopton attack). If black wants to avoid these responses, black can play 1. e6 followed by f5 but also assuming the possibility of a french transposition if white plays 2. e4 or 2. nc3
Top tier responses:
3. e6 (Horwitz): This is a great transpositional weapon. It can transpose into a dutch, QGD, english/owen defense, french defense, indian defenses with e6, benoni, catalan, etc. Black usually waits white to show their plan before they do. Black can also play the kangaroo defense against 2. c4. possibilities in this opening are a lot. This is a very flexible move.
2. d5 (Queen's pawn game): Not a lot to say here. Opens up the diagonal for the LS bishop and puts a pawn in the center controlling the e4 square, solid response by black.
1. Nf6 (Indian game): Controls the e4 square with a knight rather than a pawn. Most played response to d4 at masters level, developing a piece. You can play the indian defense that suits more you style: KID, Grunfeld, nimzo/queen's indian, bogo indian, dzindzi indian, OID, benoni, benko, etc. A very flexible move.
I kind of think you put c6 too high. Yes, it can transpose into Caro-kann or Slav, but in lines like this:
the c pawn is accomplishing nothing other then blocking in black's knight.
Also how is e6 where white could turn the game into the Catalan top tier?
The catalan is definitely a great opening, but does not mean it is unplayable for black.
Black does fine with the slav setup against g3:
Also, black is not forced to enter in a traditional catalan after 2. g3 in the horwitz. Most played response after 2. g3: c5, at masters level.
Where white position is still good, but black gets also a decent position with play.
I don't think that d6 fails against 2. g3.
Black can just play it like a modern defense with g6-bg7 after 2. g3, and if white decides to play e4 black can respond with nc6.
If white doesn't play e4 and depending on how black plays, it can transpose into a variation of the KID.
here is my try
20 g5
obviously
19 Nh6
pawn structure
18 f6
why? Nh6-f7 isnt happening and e5 isnt really playable
17 e5
hot garbage, engine rates it worse than THE BONGCLOUD
16 Na6
what, fortify d5 with c6-Nc7 next?
15 h5
ig if you want to attack white who wants a positional game... (also Bg5 f6 Bh4 g5 Bg3 h4)
14 a5
queenside stuff? not much sense but ok...
13 h6
just less transpositional than
12 a6
ig it transposes to some stuff but just a waste
11 b6
e4!! like thrillerfan said
10 Nc6
ig it can transpose to black knights' and chigorin?
9 b5
unique and decent ig
8 g6
you WANT to be kingside attacked?
7 c5
cant put it higher, this high coz most people (im told) play e3 or dc5 or smth
6 d6
decent transpositions but prevents black from playing d5 in one go
5 f5
good but MAAYBE a bit too early considering the staunton, Bg5, just a london...
4 c6
slav/caro, but why c6 now instead of later?
3 e6
amazing waiting move, but you have to accept a french
2 d5
here i put my choice second, its less flexible than
1 Nf6
the objectively best response to 1 d4 in the first move, SO flexible
thoughts?
This list is a complete and utter joke, and produced by someone that clearly has no idea what he is talking about!
Case in point, in post 3, his argument against 1...e6 is "1.d4 e6 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.c4 transposing to the Closed catalan". Let's see what's wrong with this:
1) First and foremost, that is NOT a "Closed Catalan". It is merely the Catalan where Black retains BOTH options. 4...c6 is a Closed catalan, but 4...dxc4 is the OPEN Catalan!
2) 99% of 1...e6 players, of which I am one of them, aren't going to answer 2.g3 with 2...Nf6. Most are going to answer with 2...d5 or 2...f5. Black will take advantage of White playing g3 too early. That is why in the Catalan proper, you see 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, but after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6, you see 3.Nf3 by Catalan players and not 3.g3. You wait for ...Nf6 from Black. Instead, with White committed to g3, Black can answer ...f5 first before ...Nf6.
And now, other issues include:
1) Putting 1...b6 ahead of 1...e6 is also a complete joke. 1...b6 is not the English Defense. It is not determined until White plays his second move. After 2.c4, it is an English Defense. After 2.e4!!, FAR stronger, it is Owen's Defense. Most English Defense players will play 1.d4 e6 2.c4 (2.e4 transposes to the French) b6 and now 3.e4 Bb7 or 3.Nc3 Bb4 or 3.a3! Against which 3...c5 is best.
2) 1...d5 has no business being 5th. Another complete joke! The top 4 are obvious. After that, it is arguable. 1...d5, 1...Nf6, and then 3 and 4 are arguable between 1...e6 and 1...f5, and then the rest.
3) The polish Defense is not 14th! SMH! There are far worse options higher in his list.
The computer does call it the closed Catalan. F5 leads to
and blacks queenside bishop is useless.
The computer calls b6 English Opening at that point so that's what I'm calling it, though that seems like a knitpicky point to begin with. But yeah, I love the Owen's defense as it establishes assymetry well, and still keeps nice flexible options, as it can either support a queenside castle or a c5 pawn advance.
D5 is to symmetrical and white reaches way better positions.
Why do you think Polish Defense is good?
So as many of you may remember, I originally ranked all of white's first moves here: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/i-ranked-all-20-first-moves-for-white?page=1, then I ranked all of black's responses to e4 here https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/i-ranked-all-20-responses-to-e4-for-black?page=40 now Im continuing down the road with white's next most common move...d4. The ranking is as follows:
Bottom tier:
D4 is a dynamic first move, usually leading to active games. It doesn’t have as many good options for black as e4, even if it does tend to result in more interesting games (hence why I ranked d4 above e4.) … And that’s why I can divide these into tiers, unlike e4 where the top 10 would all have been 1 tier. This tier, logically enough, has moves that lead to actively bad games for black.
#20 Borg Defense (g5)
Even worse than e4’s Borg Defense! Black gambits a pawn to give white a lead in development, and to cripple his own kingside.
#19 No name (Nh6)
Gives up the center and the decision of same-side or opposite-side castling to white. Let’s white cripple black’s structure. Horrible.
#18 Australian Defense (Na6)
This one doesn’t get your structure crippled right away, and if you do b6 then it won’t, and you get a queenside fianchetto with a more active bishop, and a more passive knight… meanwhile white gets everything.
#17 No name (a5)
Same as against e4. Give up choice on same side vs opposite side castling and how open or closed the game is. Also messes up your queenside.
#16 No name (h5)
Same as against e4. Capitalizes on choice of same side vs opposite side castling, but let's white decide how open or closed it is. Messes up your kingside in the hopes to do the same but worse to white.
#15 No name (f6)
Middle tier:
This tier contains 2 more dynamic moves that isn't very good, but not bad enough to be in the bottom tier, then both of the boring, passive moves you can do against d4, and ends with 3 failed attempts at e4 transpositions.
#14 Polish Defense (b5)
This offers to trade your wing pawn for a center pawn after e4 Bb2, but white can simply decline with knight d2 and you have to protect your pawn. The result is that for white the game is open and for black it’s closed. At least white’s bishop is locked in…
#13 Mikenas Defense (Nc6)
That this wasn’t even in the bottom tier shows how good d4 is for white. This is a twerp-ish nuisance of a move that serves as a wannabe to its cousin, the Alekhine’s defense. Since the d pawn is protected it doesn’t work at all, as that tempo you get in the Alekhine a few moves in won’t occur here.
#12 No name (h6)
Same as against e4. Pointless. Gives up the center. Forces a closed game. Doesn’t really hurt you.
#11 St George Defense (a6)
Also the exact same thing as against e4, where I wrongly put it lower than h6.
#10 No name (c6)
It’s white who decides if this transposes to the Caro Kann or the Slav. Or White can just move his knight to f3 or c3 or even d2 and not let black achieve whichever opening they wanted to switch to, meaning black gave up the choice between save vs opposite side castling for literally no compensation whatsoever.
#9 Queen’s Pawn Opening (d6) (Yup, it and d5 have the same name)
This attempts to turn the game into the Pirc or the English Rat Defense (the latter of which has very good odds for black), but if white does g3 it fails miserably. And in the mainline that follows white does amazing.
#8 Horwitz Defense (e6)
It’s only incredible against e4. White gets to decide between the game becoming the French Defense (e4), the East Indian Defense or Benoni Defense Modern Variation with c4, keeping it the Horwitz with g3, and Reti Opening: Queen’s Gambit invitation. Meanwhile black decides absolutely nothing! None of the positions are that bad though, even though several of them aren't that good.
Top tier:
As you saw, the middle tier responses to d4 are all still meh, because d4 doesn’t have too many good options. There are thankfully some good moves though, which unfortunately tend to easily transpose, making this tier by far the hardest to decide the order for.
#7 English Defense (b6)
This will usually just become Owen's defense after e4, going for all that asymmetry black should be aiming for, andI really like this more than my placement shows, because of its popularity, stats, and engine placement. If White tries to stop the transposition with c4 or Nc3 just do e6 (and sometimes Ne7) first. In a vacuum I’d rank this a bit higher for sure.
#6 Englund Gambit (e5)
If declined black is just better. If accepted, black should do d6 (definitely not Nc6) and it becomes a nice position. Potentially the English Rat Defense with its sick stats, or nice, solid setups that weren’t reached often enough to have much stats behind them.
#5 Queen’s Pawn Opening (D5)
It’s this high because it’s the easiest for beginners as black, and because the engine puts it high. It’s this low because it’s usually what white wants when it does d4 as it allows positions like London or Queen's gambit to arise, and is way too symmetrical for me.
#4 Old Benoni Defense (c5)
Any response besides d5 statistically favors black (except Bg5 which resulted in a draw the one time it was played) and most of them are not even close. D5 however does favor white, which is a shame because I like some of the lines that follow. The worst case scenario for black is the Benoni Defense Modern variation, which is a bad position for both players.
#3 Dutch Defense (f5)
The top 3 are all very close to each other, but this has the worst stats, and is probably the hardest for black to play. But it allows for a safe kingside castle while still having an advanced f pawn and an active rook, keeping you safe if white castles queenside, and going on the offense if white castles queenside. Or you can castle queenside after and have a lead in attacking the king. Or Stonewall the setup. It also deters e4. Meanwhile white usually enjoys a space advantage in the center, and a lead in overall development, resulting in both sides being really well off.
#2 Modern Defense (g6)
White can turn it into the lines with e4, where black does well in, but white can also do c4, letting black turn it into some sort of Indian games, or Dutch Defense. If white brings out his knights first the game might become Chigorin, Fianchetto Defense or Pirc Defense.
#1 Indian Game (Nf6)
Both sides have several ways to play, but it won’t be symmetric, since if white plays Nf3 black does b6, and if white copies e6 and c5. Usually it turns into the King’s Indian or East Indian Defense. If white immediately goes for a kingside fianchetto black just plays d5 and develops how he wants, or he can fianchetto his queenside. Both players are in sick positions no matter what though.
Feel free to post your opinions and/or rankings. And let me know whether or not I should continue doing these, next with responses to Reti.