What is a good opening for intermediate players?
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What sort of positions do you like to get? Open or closed? Dynamic or slow? If you answer those questions, that will help you build a repertoire. Can you give an example of an obscure opening that you think is bad?
If you like open and dynamic position, here are a few options:
Kings English ( as white, try 1.g3 or 1.c4) or Scotch Gambit, Najdorf as white
Queen's Gambit Accepted (as black)
Sicilian (as black, go with the Najdorf)
This should be enough to get you to learn 8 lines, tops. From personal experience, I find that playing 1.g3 is less likely to produce symmetrical positions, as people are more inclined to immediately seize the center.
@1
"In my games, I mainly play e4" ++ Good
"don't know much about openings" ++ You do not need to.
"I would like some recommendations for me." ++ Keep playing 1 e4 as white.
As black defend 1 e4 e5 and 1 d4 d5. Those are most solid and most natural.
First understand that there is no "best" opening.
However, there are many good, very playable openings, albeit with lots of inconclusive debate over which are better than others. The issue for less experienced players is that some openings may be more or less appropriate - easier or more difficult to learn and play, depending on the amount of "theory" to absorb - than others.
The following present many interesting possibilities...
Chess Openings Tier Lists – GMHikaru (complete, beginner thru GM)…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9CwH47r6og&list=PL4KCWZ5Ti2H43-gcoByRnZs5fVR_Lg133&index=4
In the tier lists, chess openings are classified in terms of their appropriateness vis-a-vis player skill level - i.e., beginner vs intermediate vs GM, etc. For a given player level, the openings are rated and categorized into six "tiers", from "legendary" to "garbage" (the latter being an unfortunate choice of terms, IMO). These qualifiers are used in the context of not only the general effectiveness of the particular opening, but also how much so-called "theory" (i.e., documented variations) it encompasses, or how much emphasis is placed on positional versus tactical skill in order to play it well. So an opening they refer to as "garbage" (i.e. less 'appropriate' - a better term!) for a beginner may in fact be more appropriate for higher rated players who are assumed to possess a more highly developed requisite knowledge base and skills set. For each of the openings discussed note also whether the evaluation is from White's or Black’s perspective.
For beginner-intermediate players check out ‘GothamChess’ (IM Levy Rozman) on YouTube for recommendations and quick exposure to a variety of openings...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFod-ozimmM&t=103s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdyik5UwBtM
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gothamchess+openings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmbU97iftC8&list=PLBRObSmbZluTpMdP-rUL3bQ5GA8v4dMbT
Chess opening – Wikipedia…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_opening
Chessable’s Guide to Chess Openings (for White & Black)...
https://www.chessable.com/blog/opening-guide/
Openings Guides – SimplifyChess.com...
https://simplifychess.com/homepage/openings.html
‘Hanging Pawns’ openings videos on YouTube…
https://www.youtube.com/c/HangingPawns
Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
more helpful chess resources, including openings and book recommendations, in my blog...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell
