That's a broad question. Why not narrow it down to one opening at a time?
What plans go along with the top openings?
Check out http://www.thechesswebsite.com/chess-openings/index.php for some great introductory videos on various openings.
I also just picked up the Fundamental Chess Openings book and it seems to do a really good job of explaining ideas behind each opening without overloading you with variations 20 moves in.
I would recommend Reuben Fine's book, "Ideas Behind the Chess Openings." The book was originally written in the 1950's I think, but Fine revised it in the early 1990's, so it includes most of today's popular openings.
Way too broad a question and you should absolutely get ''Mastering the Chess openings'' (volume 1 and 2) from John Watson explaining the main plans of almost every top opening except the English and the Dutch.
Mezmer wrote:
Check out http://www.thechesswebsite.com/chess-openings/index.php for some great introductory videos on various openings.
The video on the King's Gambit recommends the Allgaier Gambit + moving the Queen out right away and grabbing pawns Patzer variation which is completely lost after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ng5 h6 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qxg4 Nf6 8. Qxf4 Bd6
This is all very well known theory. What's much worse this has been pointed out several times in Youtube comments and the chess website posted Keven, rather than acknowledging the mistake and learning, instists 7. Qxg4 is obviously a good move and 8... Bd6 is a bad move because it blocks the pawn and White is winning... proof anyone can post anything on Youtube and seem credible.
He may have some good videos up, but his coverage of the KG suggests he has no idea what he's talking about and should not be trusted in other lines.
Ok, so I'm at the point in my chess where I understand memorizing openings isn't good - it's the ideas behind them that count. By ideas, I mean: the plans that each color should adopt (such as what pawn advances should be aimed for, what squares are each side trying to get control of) and what imbalances are each side aiming for.
Reading through Silman's books, I understand that in each opening, white and black both have a plan they want to accomplish. If I know, say, what black is trying to accomplish when he does 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4, if white plays something unexpected, I won't be lost.
So I guess my question is, what positions are each side striving for in the top openings? I understand that's a lot of writing for one person to do in one post, so is there a book someone would recommend that explains each color's plans in the top openings? Does the ECO do this, or does it just have lots of continuations/variations?
Thanks!