What opening should I learn? - Chess Forums

HeftyChungus

Jul 3, 2021

0

#1

I'm ~1500 rapid, as a beginner I played exclusively the Italian and Giuoco Piano games, and then switched to the London around ~1200, and have kept it til now. I mix in some Queens Gambit sometimes and feel pretty proficient in that as well, but am getting bored of the London and would like to branch out and expand my repertoire.

What do you all suggest?

Thanks 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

tygxc

Jul 3, 2021

0

#2

#1

"I played exclusively the Italian and Giuoco Piano games" ++ That is good
"then switched to the London" ++ That is good too
"I mix in some Queens Gambit sometimes" ++ Queen's Gambit is good too
"feel pretty proficient in that" ++ doubt that
"getting bored of the London" ++ Why? If you get bored, then how are professional players still excited after playing and analysing so much more?
"would like to branch out and expand my repertoire" ++ Why? Chess is about not losing and about winning, not about branching or expanding. Each time you change repertoire you lose more and you win less.
"What do you all suggest?" ++ Pick one: Giuoco Piano Italian, London, Queen's Gambit and then stick to it

RoyOelen

Jul 5, 2021

0

#3

"would like to branch out and expand my repertoire" ++ Why? Chess is about not losing and about winning, not about branching or expanding. Each time you change repertoire you lose more and you win less.

i would like to disagree strongly with this part. first of all; how can anyone win consistenly with only one opening/strategy? sounds like a bad strategy to me. also chess is about winning and losing. i like to see every match not as a win or lose situation, but as a sort of duty to make the best game possible where you and your opponent both aim for the best moves.

Nwap111

Jul 5, 2021

0

#4

Bobby Fischer did it all the time. Besides, it takes a lot to learn openings. Masters spend a lifetime and then lose in their opening. Why would you feel you learned everything?

riverwalk3

Jul 5, 2021

0

#5

Try Ruy Lopez next, which is a popular opening choice and good for intermediates. Once you're higher skilled try the Sicilian and King's Indian (and expand on Queen's Gambit) - these openings are more advanced.

@#2 Having a good opening repetoire is important, since sometimes your opponent has more control over the opening than you (especially if they play white). Even if you don't use the opening yourself, you might find yourself defending against the opening.

ninjaswat

Jul 5, 2021

0

#6

riverwalk3 wrote:

Try Ruy Lopez next, which is a popular opening choice and relatively beginner friendly. Once you're higher skilled try the Sicilian and King's Indian (and expand on Queen's Gambit) - these openings are more advanced.

@#2 Having a good opening repetoire is important, since sometimes your opponent has more control over the opening than you (especially if they play white). Even if you don't use the opening yourself, you might find yourself defending against the opening.

Ruy isn't beginner friendly in my opinion, if you choose a more offbeat Sicilian you're better off because you know all the ideas and your opponent cannot rely on theory.

DasBurner

Jul 5, 2021

0

#7

Colle: Rubinstein system is so much more exciting to play than London

slaintemath

Jul 5, 2021

0

#8

Maybe find a slow tournament based on an opening you want to try.
Gives a chance to understand what’s happening in a specific opening.
Especially if you make it through the first round.

HeftyChungus

Jul 5, 2021

0

#9

Thank for all the suggestions so far everyone, I may try out the Ruy Lopez 🤙🏽🤙🏽 And I agree with everyone else, I want to eventually learn every opening well, so that I can have more variety and fun and also so that when I face those openings I know what is annoying to play against.

JosephReidNZ

Jul 5, 2021

0

#10

English

Chuck639

Jul 6, 2021

0

#11

JosephReidNZ wrote:

English

Lol, I second c4!

Well depends, on second thought not really. It’s a very versatile and rich game. Black has many responses but white can still steer the game or transpose.

Be careful for what you ask for.

Hare_gopal

Jul 6, 2021

0

#12

You can try some catalan. It have tons of theory and you may like it.

MyNameIsNotBuddy

Jul 6, 2021

0

#13

It depends on preference really, I played around and found I liked the Reti Gambit. You could do the same.

RoyOelen

Jul 10, 2021

0

#14

pfren schreef:

RoyOelen έγραψε:

how can anyone win consistenly with only one opening/strategy?

You will understand when you become a good player.

I get that mastery of your openings is key and that you have to focus on one opening at the time. At least i think that is a good way to get better.

Could i say that in your progress as a player you master more and more openings and that the amount of opening knowledge is a good mark of your place as a player? What are your thoughts on that?

Every knowlegde to help me become a better chess player is welcome!

DasBurner

Jul 10, 2021

0

#15

RoyOelen wrote:

pfren schreef:

RoyOelen έγραψε:

how can anyone win consistenly with only one opening/strategy?

You will understand when you become a good player.

I get that mastery of your openings is key and that you have to focus on one opening at the time. At least i think that is a good way to get better.

Could i say that in your progress as a player you master more and more openings and that the amount of opening knowledge is a good mark of your place as a player? What are your thoughts on that?

Every knowlegde to help me become a better chess player is welcome!

just because you know a lot of opening theory doesn't mean you're a good player i.e me who knows tons of theory but is bad at almost every other aspect of the game

Chuck639

Jul 10, 2021

0

#16

DaBabysBurner wrote:

RoyOelen wrote:

pfren schreef:

RoyOelen έγραψε:

how can anyone win consistenly with only one opening/strategy?

You will understand when you become a good player.

I get that mastery of your openings is key and that you have to focus on one opening at the time. At least i think that is a good way to get better.

Could i say that in your progress as a player you master more and more openings and that the amount of opening knowledge is a good mark of your place as a player? What are your thoughts on that?

Every knowlegde to help me become a better chess player is welcome!

just because you know a lot of opening theory doesn't mean you're a good player i.e me who knows tons of theory but is bad at almost every other aspect of the game

I agree and in the same boat. Theory came very easy to me but my tactical prowess is weak.

My field is Engineering and Business Management in which I have learned that theory and practice are two different elements.

With theory, we can over think or as we say “paralysis by analysis”.

Then you have practicality which in most cases is functional and simple.

RussBell

Jul 10, 2021

0

#17

Chess Openings Tier Lists by GM Hikaru Nakamura and IM Levy Rozman
Chess openings are rated in terms of their appropriateness vis-a-vis player skill level - i.e., beginner vs intermediate vs GM’s, etc. They frequently refer to some openings as "garbage" or "bad" (an unfortunate choice of terms). However, these qualifiers are meant to convey how appropriate the specific opening is for the level of player being discussed, in terms of, for example, how much so-called "theory" (i.e., documented variations) the opening encompasses, or how much emphasis the opening places on positional versus tactical skills in order to play it well.
So, an opening they refer to as "garbage" for a beginner may in fact be appropriate for higher rated players who typically know more of the theory for particular openings and have a more highly developed understanding of positional concepts. For each of the openings discussed be sure, also, to pay attention to whether the evaluation is from White’s or Black’s perspective...

Chess Openings - Ultimate Guide to the Openings of Chess https://chesspathways.com/chess-openings/
Openings Guides – SimplifyChess.com...
https://simplifychess.com/homepage/openings.html
Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

ninjaswat

Jul 10, 2021

0

#18

Tad2721 wrote:

DANISH GAMBIT

Just bad

MyNameIsNotBuddy

Jul 10, 2021

0

#19

Tad2721 wrote:

DANISH GAMBIT

I played that for 3 games. My opponent goofed in the first, and my opponents both successfully defended the other two. I personally don't recommend it, but I didn't really study it, so it might be better than I think.

DasBurner

Jul 10, 2021

0

#20

Black gets a very east game with the Danish Declined with d5