What opening is this?

Hey guys. Just recently got back into playing chess. Always trying to improve my game but I recently decided that, in my opinion, this is the "opening" I like to play. Looks similar to French Defense I think, with a few differences. I like to play like this because it frees all the pieces up and gets them mobilized for an attack. I keep my pawns at c3 and f3 to keep the knights away for a moment, and it works pretty well. Is this a valid opening? Any info would be helpful. Thanks! 

This isn't opening theory. It'll have a name, depending on how it started, but that means nothing.

It seems black has done five moves, and white has done seven. At least black's seem normal, whereas white's are a bit strange (why f3?).

I don't see how your pieces are freed up.  Quite the opposite, you look almost entirely strangled, with nowhere good to develop any of them.

But on the plus side, your kingside is a disaster.

The strangest thing is that white has two pieces developed (Ne2 and Bg2) but the knight can't go anywhere at all, and the bishop only to h3. White's undeveloped minor pieces aren't happy either: the Nb1 can only go to a3, and the bishop on c1 is still looking at its pawns.

You need to get all your pieces into play! That's the most important thing in the opening.

Also the French defence is played by black, and starts with putting a pawn on 1...e6 in order to be able to play 2...d5 with pawn cover. It is nothing like the position you have.

Hi Cjguz--your pieces are stumbling over one another a bit with this idea and there are definitely ways to improve on it.  One that comes to mind is the King's Indian Attack.  White forms a "hut" formation with castling, Bg2 as you've done, and then his knight on f3 instead of e2.  That way it can move later and it bears pressure on black's e5 pawn, while having a pawn on f3 instead just cramps your bishop.

c3 is another move that's often useful in this opening; it can support a push to d4 or a restricted center with a pawn on d3.  White may even use it to help play b4-b5 and expand on the queenside.  Your pawn on f3 is the only thing that's really out of place; put your knight there instead, use a move like Qc2 to keep e4 defended, then you'll have your choice among development like d3/d4, Be3/Bg5, Nbd2, Re1/Rd1, etc.

At this point in the game, I don't plan to move with my knights until later in the game. I made a small adjustment moving the pawn to f4. 

That looks better and now it's more similar to a King's Gambit Declined, where white managed f4 without getting taken by e5 at some point.  Black's bishop is misplaced on d6, suffocating moves like a pawn to d6 and his c8 bishop getting into the game, so you definitely have the upper hand here.  You would want to avoid trading down, as that will only free up his position.  d3 is again a great move, or f5 combined with a pawn storm against his king: h3, g4-g5, etc.  You still want to complete your development though, so a long-term plan might involve Kh1, Be3 (now you have Bg1 in case of Ng4) and Nd2 to get your a1 rook involved.  This is very playable for you though, and also looks similar to white's systems in the Grand Prix Sicilian (1. e4 c5 2. f4).  His center pawns are really flexible there as well.

Another play I like to use also is above. Maybe this is a better "opening"? Just trying to experiment really. Thanks for your help guys! 

Pentiumjs, thanks! I'll look into Kings Gambit declined.

The important thing to remember is that it depends on what the opponent plays! You can't just think of some setup and then play it regardless. Move order matters a lot, too.

At first glance, I see two possible options depending on the move order:

A very bad interpretation of the King Gambit Declined:

1.e4,e5 2.f4,nf6 or bd6 3. oh crap he did take the pawn now what!?!

or 

A Leningrad Bird - with a missed place Knight and an early e4. And forgot to accept the gambit:

1. f4,e4 ..... and who really cares from there.

Either way, white is open up to all sorts of tactical play and only 7 moves into the game - this should be a miniture for black, although I question the early short side castle from black. Castling long and activating some king side pawns could break this down fast.

Raymond

I understand, kikvors. This is how I began playing a recent game just before. Had my opponent used other moves, I would've adjusted my strategies as well. 

What do you guys think of the second play I opened with? Is it better, worse? Any info would be nice. Thanks for all your assistance. 

Cjguz -

After seeing the updated pics, I have a better idea of what you are trying to acheive. The opening you are trying to mimic is rather complicated. Given your rating, mine is not much better so please don't take offense, have you considered playing the open games. 

I think that would give you a much better understanding of opening therory, and stradegy. It is also a good fondation on which to build.

Just a thought...

Good luck my freind.

Raymond

Thanks Raymond. This is just experimentation. I'm open to suggestions and always willing to change how I open my games. As you can tell, both of the "openings" I like to play are more defensive than offensive. I found that is how I like to open when Black is playing in his respective position pictured above. Good luck to you as well. 

Cjguz -

In the last pic - it appears that black is playing a variation of Phildor (b3, bg2 being something I have not seen from this opening before - so it could be something else and a more knowledgeable player could probably tell us what it is for a fact)

Either way - I believe that at our levels the Italian game gives us a much better fighting chance -

We have a stronger light square bishop on C4 as opposed to weakening our bishop behind a pawn chain early - and our pawn structure is on the king side is stronger-

In the present set-up on the last pic - the Dark diagnal c4-g1 - present a very obvious weakness that could be exploited through some kind of tactical play - If I was black I would be looking for ways to take advantage of this diagnal.

Also, if blacks light square bishop pops out with a well times a3 - it could be very unpleasent! Not to mention the queenside space advantage if a4 was played first.

Check out: 1e4,e5 2nf3,d3 3. Bc4,nf6 4.d3 --- I think you might find it very playable with much more clear cut stradegies.

Raymond