Which chess opening would you play as white? if... 👉

1. You are facing an opponent OTB for $$$

2. You don't know his/her chess level.

Blitz - your first move as white, given the circumstances

Classic - same as above

I didn't ask you what do I need to play, I asked YOU what would YOU play, not me

How exactly does this work? So you get money for a win? Do you also lose money for a loss? What about a draw?

I would play an opening that I was familiar with, so that I could find good moves quickly. In my case, that's King's Indian Attack as White. I'm also quite familiar with 1. e4, but my Black opponent is quite likely to have pet opening systems of his own against 1. e4 or 1. d4. By playing the KIA I might bypass them and throw my opponent on his own resources right from the opening.

As Black, a Sicilian (vs 1. e4) or a King's Indian (vs 1. d4).

I think the answer in any case at all, is play what you have the most knowledge and confidence in, regardless of who you are playing. As a tournament player far below any top class, there is still a lot of money to be won, but no reason for me to deviate several openings as I'm usually facing people I know nothing about. They may play much stronger than their posted rating suggests. It doesn't matter, I'm going for what I feel most confident in.

Time control doesnt matter, im playing what i always play.

Agreed. There are at least two ways to win a chess game... by tricks, or by playing good moves. Of those two options, learning how to play good moves will win more consistently in the long run, and will work even against opponents who are alert for "tricks".

Tricks are for kids.

Whether my opponent is 500, or 2200, im playing what i always play.  

I would always go for the same things, E4. Then go from there. PLay what you know. orrr offer a draw if you get clear first

I always play best in a thick tactical jungle, so as White I like to play King's Gambit and play the classical open line against the Sicilian (that's 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3).

I'm probably one of those people that don't know what they would play in any game until I get there and then I think to myself "I haven't played c4 in a while, let's play that" almost regardless of the circumstances.  So for both blitz and classical I'd just play what I felt like playing at the time and don't come in with an opening plan of any sort. 

d4 all the way!

The OP's post is bogus.  When you play in an OTB event, you know the rating of your opponent.  You may not be familiar with his or her opening repertoire or style of play, but you'll know his or her level of strength.

If I specifically have no idea what their style of play is, I will play what I'm in the mood to play at that time, and not use my opponent to decide that, unlike say, at a local tournament where I know just about all the locals, and know what throws them off.  For example, there are a couple of wild guns that I'll play something like a Colle or Torre against, and then there's this one clown that thinks you can play 1...d6, 2...c6, 3...Nd7, and 4...Ngf6 against anything, and to go with that, 1.Nf3, 2.d3, 3.c3, 4.Nbd2 as White.

I faced him in the third round this past Saturday and took him down because I knew exactly what he wanted, and made sure he didn't get it.  For example, I know he always takes that d2 knight and goes to f1 and g3, and pushes h3.  Always!  Never anything different.  Pawn on h3/h6, Knights on g3 and f3/g6 and f6.  Used that to my advantage, and slipped one time and allowed him to draw if he knew how to play his endgames as I allowed a drawn endgame whereas I'm winning after a different rook move, but he doesn't know his endgames, so I still won.

Always play what you know best when it really counts.