Unfortunately surprising your opponent may cause them to think.
What are some sound surprise openings?
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What's wrong with playing what you know and spending time furthering your understanding of the openings that you play or improving aspects of your game that may be weak?
lostpawn247 wrote:
What's wrong with playing what you know and spending time furthering your understanding of the openings that you play or improving aspects of your game that may be weak?
I am currently trying to improve my game too, but as this is a pretty important tournament for me, I'd like to do well. The other players will also have good chess understanding. At my kind of level, one can easily get an advantage by right opening choice, and relatively speaking, it can make a bigger difference in my results too.
Aug 6, 2019
0
#5
I strongly advise against playing a “surprise opening.” I tried the same thing in a $3000 tournament and it backfired immensely. However, if it’s what you really want, try playing English. It often surprises me how players rated around 1600-1700 don’t know English theory and general concepts.
I wouldn’t play a surprise opening as black - if you don’t know theory as white you’re only going to be in a little trouble - as black, well you’re toast.
I wouldn’t play a surprise opening as black - if you don’t know theory as white you’re only going to be in a little trouble - as black, well you’re toast.
You could try the Dutch vs 1.d4 and the Modern vs 1.e4
Vienna Gambit, Oxford variation. It has a lot of traps and produces an interesting game with attacking chances for White.
Playing a surprise opening that you have no experience in is a terrible idea. Go with something you trust and know.
To really surprise someone you almost have to play a gambit opening. Not advisable however unless you've had some experience with those gambits. The King's gambit would be a surprise but you could lose quickly if you don't know it well. Since you play the Benoni you could try something like the Blumenfeld Gambit. Both of these gambits require a lot of study time however. Perhaps more than you have time for.
MangoMankey wrote:
Playing a surprise opening that you have no experience in is a terrible idea. Go with something you trust and know.
I fully agree. Getting to know an opening (general ideas, move-orders, typical patterns/themes) can take up several months. Going for a surprise opening basically means that you will be as surprised as your opponent as you eventually end up in the middle game and have to think for yourself without understanding what you need to do. What you could do is go for a surprise variation in openings that you already know how to play. Everyman chess had a dangerous weapons series in the past, amongst which one on 1.e4 e5. New in Chess had SOS (Secret of Opening Surprises). Both explain the main ideas quite well and the openings discussed aren't easily refuted or completely unsound.
A month and a few weeks is enough time to study an opening, but I do not recommend choosing an opening with tons of theory and many variations going into the middlegame (Spanish, Sicilian, Queens Gambit etc.). Also you should choose openings that suit your style, not others.
I do have a suggestion though. The Alehkine`s Defence (1.e4 Nf6) is an opening that is
1. Rare
2. Doesn`t give you a losing position by force
3. You won`t need to struggle on making a plan (Because it`s almost always about destroying white`s pawn center.)
4. Not too much opening theory, just a few ideas (Attack the center, move your kings knight to b6 or b4, etc.
5. There are many different lines that you can choose from.
Albin Counter Gambit....(as Black. against the Queen's Gambit)...
Note: it can only be played as - 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5
This book succinctly instructs on exactly how to play it, by focusing on themes and plans...
My First Chess Opening Repertoire for Black by Vincent Moret...
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=my+first+chess+opening+repertoire+for+black&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss
The book presents other interesting, dynamic responses by Black to White's typical/standard opening tries...again, from the perspective of (aggressive but sound) themes and plans (not overwhelming reams of variations)...
https://www.newinchess.com/my-first-chess-opening-repertoire-for-black
excepts from the book...
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9050.pdf
Moret's White opening repertoire is designed to be dynamic and aggressive, and also instructively presented...
https://www.newinchess.com/my-first-chess-opening-repertoire-for-white
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9033.pdf
Unfortunately New In Chess did not include the book's table of contents in its pdf excerpt. However you can find that information in my (RLBell) book review here...
https://www.amazon.com/First-Chess-Opening-Repertoire-White/dp/9056916335/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1T7GQ09G9XMVV&keywords=my+first+chess+opening+repertoire+for+white&qid=1565234005&s=gateway&sprefix=my+first+chess+ope%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-1
If a complete gambit repertoire for Black, beginning 1.d4 Nf6, sounds intriguing (and it is), you might check out..
Attack With Black by Valery Aveskulov
The repertoire is based around the Blumenfeld, Vaganian and primarily the Benko Gambits.
https://www.amazon.com/Attack-Black-Valery-Aveskulov/dp/1906454396/ref=sr_1_1?crid=349VW448SJJ0K&keywords=attack+with+black&qid=1565234341&s=gateway&sprefix=attack+with+blac%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-1
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Attack_with_Black.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627001415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen164.pdf
An excellent supplement, which instructively covers all the same gambits as in Aveskulov is...
The Alterman Gambit Guide: Black Gambits 1 by Boris Alterman
https://www.amazon.com/Alterman-Gambit-Guide-Black-Gambits/dp/1906552541/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FLKPPCEEP6K1&keywords=alterman+gambit+guide&qid=1565234562&s=books&sprefix=alterman+%2Caps%2C186&sr=1-1
https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/Black-Gambits-1-exceprt.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627113531/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen156.pdf
1... g6
The Modern... slowly building a counter-attack in the center waiting to gain information on how yo best accomplish this.
Aug 7, 2019
0
#16
Well, if you are looking for shock value, you can always use the Elshad System. Below is actually my "debut" with this opening, played last night:
1. e4 and then you make a loud shriek akin to the noise a chicken makes when it's agitated. Gets 'em every time.
Oh... Oh... Not _that_ kind of sound. Please disregard this post.
by white i play e4 c5 nf3 d6 bb5 and e4 c5 nf3 e6 or nc6 b4!! and i have great success with black against e4 i play d5 and the portugese variation try it out
Learn the Mokele Mbembe lines. Or the Black Knight's Tango.
The Potato opening can be surprising too with an early rook lift.
Hi, so I have a tournament coming up in a month and a few weeks. My main opponents will be around 1650+ (this is an estimation) and 160+ ecf. It consists of 2 days, and the time control is 20 mins with 10s increment.
Right now, as white I play e4 for either Ruy Lopez or an Italian. As black, I play e4 e5, against d4 I either play a QGD, also somewhat familiar with the Modern Benoni and I may try learn the Budapest? If c4, I just play symmetrical.
I'd prefer something somewhat sound and tricky for the opponent to play.
So, what openings would you all suggest and thank you for any suggestions!