Tired of the Ruy. What next?

I am sick, ad nauseam, of having to back pedal my bishop from B5 (because of black's a6, etc) all the way back to nearly zero (or so it feels.)

I'd like a new opening - though at 1350 I need to concentrate on tactics, I know.

What is an uncomplicated opening for white?  Italian or the Scotch?  I like open games as I get suffocated in closed games...

Would entering a tourney based on the above two openings help? (They are listed in upcoming tourneys.) Or should I just go with chess.com's 1201-1400 set for March 1 and try the openings there?

What would you do?

stwils

The Italian is strong because it develops the bishop to its strongest diagonal.  You can choose different variations depending on your style and preference.

italian and scotch are both great.

here's a good link for the italian game.

if 3...a6 is the reason you want to change opening, maybe you should reconsider. a6 creates a weakness in blacks pawns and forces the bishop to a great square

I never thought about how it created a weakness in blacks pawn structure, and as for the bishop being forced to a "great square" I felt like I was retreating. Say a little more about the great square the bishop is forced to, please.

stwils

Thanks. I see that now. Thanks for including a game where I could see it.

So now I am castled and my bishop is on c3.

Is this better than the Italian would be? Or the Scotch?

stwils

Try the King's Gambit perhaps if you like to have control, and practice tactics. It sure makes for fun games.

You can always try out 1. d4 openings such as the queens gambit. They are much more positional though. Then you will have to learn the basic ideas of QGA, QGD including Slav, Indian defenses (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4), and basics of Benoni's. It may seem overwhelming at first but overall its not too hard to learn the basics of these. 

My first post on chess.com :O...yes i am a new member lol

Hey, check this out:

www.chess.com/article/view/spicing-up-your-openings-walbrodt-baird-gambit

I'd never heard of this opening before I saw this article. If you're looking for something a little different, but still like 1.e4, check it out. It's different enough to force your opponents to actually THINK, instead of playing memorized moves.

I was going to recommend the Kings Gambit. Its always good to keep your teeth sharp with tactics. Even go so far (given your current aversion to a particular line) as to abandon opening book theory for now. The books aren't going anywhere, but your understanding of the game (as mine did) may be. Try to play moves that you believe are good, positional and opening stage friendly. Try to understand the WHY.

IMHO, it is not far to empty on a strategy of opening book memorization.

Good Luck - and HAVE FUN.

i think you meant your bishop on b3.

for the italian, it's a similar position except black's pawns aren't weakened and your bishop is on c4 (a good diagonal) most likely (although it could be on b5 as well in some lines).

Scotch is pretty different, but still great.

The Italian is only quiet if you choose to have it quiet.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 and now:

3...Nf6 4.Ng5 and this leads to a violent game.

3...Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 with more violence, inviting the Max Lange.

3...Bc5 4.b4 Evans Gambit

3...Bc5 4.d4 Italian Gambit

3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.d5 Mueller Gambit.

3...Be7 4.d4

White can force violent lines or at the very least get strong pressure.  It is just a matter of taste.  Don't forget the Traxler!

For real men and real open opening there is only one choice(therefore there is no choice) BLACK-DIEMER GAMBIT..

Thanks, guys. You have given me some good options. Thanks for including the games. Was  helpful to see the opening in action.

I am signed up for a small Italian tourney but so far only 2 have signed up. I thought that would be good practice to see if I am comfortable with this opening.

Next maybe i'll try the Scotch, but it looks a bit difficult for me right now.

Think I'll concentrate on the Italian.

(I may decide to go back to the Ruy after a while.  :)  )

stwils

ITALIAN. 

I went through the same thing.  Ugh...I hate the Ruy Lopez forever now. Even the center gets too complicated for me.  blech.

I'd say if you've played alot of spanish and elines and want to stay on the E openings kings gambit either declined or accepted. I hate that opening with black.

If you want a totally open game, and don't mind losing some initiative, you could always go for the Itailian Game, Two Knights Defence, Knight Attack. (For a Nf6 response) :

Or, if black chooses the Italian continuation, you could always go for an Evan's Gambit. This is an extreme example of an open game as well:

These are two risky openings that can get you in a lot of trouble if you don't know how to handle them, but far more for your opponent if he or she doesn't recognize the best continuations. Both are still seen in master level play-- the Evan's Gambit more than the further. Research, research, research!

If the only thing you don't like about the Ruy is the bishop retreat, you should seriously reconsider. Black's a6-b5 structure is more of a target for your a4 thrust than anything too useful, and in the meantime your bishop goes to the same diagonal as the Italian. Oh, but rather than being on c4 where it can get a d-pawn in the face at any moment, it is safely on b3. From there it is often chased to c2, true, but if you look closely you'll notice that, far from being a "zero", it is pointing a long accusatory finger at the enemy king from there.

If you aren't liking the positions you get, then the Ruy is a bad choice for you, but if you thought that you were losing important tempos or something by moving the bishop around, think again.

i recomment playing the italian game like this