What openings should i play?

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Avatar of theidoogy

I am going to a chess tournament in Monday, 15 min each player, the level of the players there is about 1500-1600. (actually it's 1200-1800 tournament, but that's what i think is the level there)

Anyway, I am praticing openings now, and i should know what openings to practice the most, and what openings i should play in the tournament.

 

As white:

Ruy lopez
Sicilian - Alapin variation
Queen's gambit
Indian defense - Queen's Indian Defense
(English)
(Scotch)
(Nimzo Indian)
(King's Indian Attack)

As Black:

Sicilian
Queen's gambit declined (QGD, Not slav)
Grunfeld
Nimzo indian
Like Grunfeld, but instead of d5, c5.
(French)
(Pirc)
(Slav and Semi-Slav)

Openings i am not really going to play:

Italian
Najdorf
Caro-Kann
Scandinavian
Bird
King's gambit, or any other pawn sacrafise gambit.

I would be glad if you can tell me what openings i should play and practice more, and what openings i better not play.

Thanks for help :)

Avatar of Fear_ItseIf

A few days isnt very much time to properly prepare an opening to a degree that will help you. Read over some strategy and do some TT.

As for what openings you should play:

Scotch as white

QGD v 1.d4, i recommend the tarrasch variation.

1..e5 v 1.e4, it wasnt on your list but i strongly recommend you do. If you insist on something from your list the french would probably be best, as it requires less memorisation..something you dont have time for before the tournament.

Avatar of theidoogy
Fear_ItseIf wrote:

A few days isnt very much time to properly prepare an opening to a degree that will help you. Read over some strategy and do some TT.

As for what openings you should play:

Scotch as white

QGD v 1.d4, i recommend the tarrasch variation.

1..e5 v 1.e4, it wasnt on your list but i strongly recommend you do. If you insist on something from your list the french would probably be best, as it requires less memorisation..something you dont have time for before the tournament.

Actually i trained on openings a lot before, but as people say, practice makes perfect, and i want to know what openings i should really use.

Actually i do play the tarrasch in QGD. I don't really like 1...e5, it gives the white side to much felxibility of how the game will go, i preafer the sicilian, but i will think of it.

Avatar of kikvors

If you've already trained on openings a lot before, then you should practice your middlegame and endgame instead. After all, those decide the game, and practice makes perfect.

Avatar of grandad364

From chats with players better than I, I think that there are two good alternates for studying openings (in addition to or in place of the zillions of opening Books)

The simplest is to "not make the same mistake twice". Keep a record of your games. When you think you were outplayed in the opening, research and learn the best response, i.e., only learn a move or two additionally to each opening.

The second easy option is to obtain Chess Opening Wizard from Bookup. You can use their databases or create your own.

Overall, for players up to about 2200, the most often recommended study is for tactics.

Avatar of NimzoRoy

The great hypermodern GM Richard Reti wrote in "Masters of the Chessboard" that beginners should concentrate exclusively on open games (of course your opponents may not always oblige you here) ie Double KP Openings as White and Black. Next, after learning how to play open games (or more likely, after getting some clues) he recommends learning semi-open games such as single KP openings and then closed games - single QP Openings for instance, although several closed defenses in the Ruy Lopez lead to very closed games even though it's a Double KP Opening.

I don't think total strangers can tell you what openings will and won't work for you. First you have to determine if you like to attack, defend, counter-attack or have no preference; if you prefer open, semi-open or closed games (or don't care) and what your strengthes and weaknesses are. 

For now I advise you to learn general opening theory. If you have the time and gelt pick up a book like "Fundamental Chess Openings" by GM van der Sterren or better yet, a cheap used copy of GM Fine's "Ideas Behind The Chess Openings" - its not exactly state of the art anymore but it's supposed to be a good place to start. 

Click on this link for some good advice from several GMs:

http://www.chess.com/blog/NimzoRoy/chess-opening-principles?_domain=old_blog_host&_parent=old_frontend_blog_view

Avatar of theidoogy

by the way, where and how can i train my middle game and end game without theory?

Avatar of kikvors

What do you mean, there is a huge amount of middlegame and endgame theory and training material available.

Tactics Trainer and the like are good to do before tournaments, I think they have the most short term benefit as they sharpen your calculation skills. There are also thousands of books and videos on the endgame, on strategy, on typical plans, attacking, et cetera. Chess tutor videos on this site are also great, from what I've heard. I think you should go for books that have exercises, not just text.

Avatar of Annikadas

I want to know which opening to prefer as black...against e4 .......and d4

Avatar of LightningBoltOfZeus

e4 i would pirc,against d4 i would say dutch,leningrad

Avatar of Annikadas

thanks

Avatar of MDL4

Tarasch is good as black

Avatar of MDL4

Well,I play the Guiko Piano as white

Avatar of MDL4

I think for black against e4 The Petrov defense is good

Avatar of MDL4

And If the white player plays d4 Queens Gambit,You have to play the Slav Defense