learn opening systems first , since the first moves are the same no matter how the other player responds. But the fact is you need to expect some Borden in chess study it's hard work to get better.
What is the most fun way to learn openings?
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Jan 30, 2016
0
#3
What I did for a while was to learn the next move of each opening only after I'd played a game against the computer where I guessed what the best next move should be. After I looked up the "correct" move after our game, I would add it to my repertoire and use that move the next time if I hadn't done so already. The biggest benefit of this method is that it gave me a very good feel for the opening in terms of what worked, what didn't, and exactly why. The biggest drawback is that my repertoire expanded so slowly that whenever I actually used those moves in OTB games, my known lines ended before I'd fully developed, so I'd still make mistakes in the opening or in knowing what to do in the middle game.
I wouldn't recommend that method anymore, unless it is used in conjunction with some other method that involves learning entire lines, but it was kind of fun for a while... Maybe.
I often suggest Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014).
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
I believe that it is possible to see a fair portion of the beginning of Tamburro's book by going to the Mongoose Press site. Perhaps it would be appropriate to look at Discovering Chess Openings by GM Johm Emms (2006).
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Perhaps it would be of interest to look at some of these quotes related to opening study:
"... For players with very limited experience, I recommend using openings in which the play can be clarified at an early stage, often with a degree of simplification. To accomplish this safely will take a little study, because you will have to get used to playing wiith open lines for both sides' pieces, but you can't eliminate risk entirely in the opening anyway. ... teachers all over the world suggest that inexperienced players begin with 1 e4. ... You will undoubtedly see the reply 1 ... e5 most often when playing at or near a beginner's level, ... After 2 Nf3, 2 ... Nc6 will occur in the bulk of your games. ... I recommend taking up the classical and instructive move 3 Bc4 at an early stage. Then, against 3 ... Bc5, it's thematic to try to establish the ideal centre by 4 c3 and 5 d4; after that, things can get complicated enough that you need to take a look at some theory and learn the basics; ... Of course, you can also play 1 d4 ... A solid and more-or-less universal set-up is 2 Nf3 and 3 Bf4, followed in most cases by 4 e3, 5 Be2 and 6 0-0. I'd rather see my students fight their way through open positions instead; however, if you're not getting out of the opening alive after 1 e4, this method of playing 1 d4 deserves consideration. ... a commonly suggested 'easy' repertoire for White with 1 Nf3 and the King's indian Attack ... doesn't lead to an open game or one with a clear plan for White. Furthermore, it encourages mechanical play. Similarly, teachers sometimes recommend the Colle System ..., which can also be played too automatically, and usually doesn't lead to an open position. For true beginners, the King's Indian Attack and Colle System have the benefit of offering a safe position that nearly guarantees passage to some kind of playable middlegame; they may be a reasonable alternative if other openings are too intimidating. But having gained even a small amount of experience, you really should switch to more open and less automatic play." - IM John Watson in a section of his 2010 book, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4
In a 2006 GM John Nunn book, in connection with opening study, it is stated that, if a "book contains illustrative games, it is worth playing these over first", and the reader was also advised, "To begin with, only study the main lines - that will cope with 90% of your games, and you can easily fill in the unusual lines later."
In one of his books about an opening, GM Nigel Davies wrote (2005), "The way I suggest you study this book is to play through the main games once, relatively quickly, and then start playing the variation in actual games. Playing an opening in real games is of vital importance - without this kind of live practice it is impossible to get a 'feel' for the kind of game it leads to. There is time enough later for involvement with the details, after playing your games it is good to look up the line."
"... I feel that the main reasons to buy an opening book are to give a good overview of the opening, and to explain general plans and ideas. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)
Jan 30, 2016
0
#5
The funnest and best way is to play in tournaments where they feature an opening position as your first move. https://www.chess.com/groups/view/dhlc-online---learn-the-openings
Too many I'm afraid. Say I wanted to avoid a transposition and now I can't, at least not without giving up.
Feb 2, 2016
0
#7
This is a good question, in my opinion, especially since memorization (if that's all you do to learn openings) does tend to be unpleasant.
I like zBorris' suggestion but I haven't seen an opportunity to do that online, and I probably wouldn't have time anyway.
What I started doing for about an hour before going to our chess club on Fridays is reviewing my repertoire to refresh my memory of uncommon lines that I may encounter at the club--openings like the Latvian Gambit, Elephant Gambit, Vienna Game, Modern Opening, King's Gambit, etc. Last week I wasn't in the mood for that, since it does take some effort to read and play through the moves on a second screen, so instead I clicked through the moves of an online database to achieve the same memory refresher effect. I enjoyed that: all I had to do is click and watch the "chess movie" go by, rather than having to read. I also played a little game with myself while doing that: at each move I would ask myself "What will be the preferred next move?" and then make a prediction immediately before clicking to see what the most popular responses actually were. With a whole opening database to explore, that's a much more appealing way to refresh one's memory while testing one's predictions.
I am having troubles studying openings I always get bored what is the most fun way to learn openings?