You HAVE to study openings

I have found that I have to study openings in order to survive till the middle games - otherwise it is difficult to at least maintain positional equality.  I have found that people who do not study invariable falls in some trap/pitfall or the other.

Here is a trap - or more accurately, a pitfall - which I have successfully sprung on many people who have not read opening books:

Here is my first game here:

Nothing much, but black stumbles in the opening. Either he thought he will surprise me with an offbeat variation, or he did not study the Two Knight's Defense well. He left the game after white's 9th move - it was really not time to resign yet! But black probably played it with an attacking frame of mind, and felt disappointed when he had no attacking option left (other than 9...Bb4, though white still keeps the initiative).

The bottom line - without studying openings on will surely face an unfavorable middlegame or even endgame (some openings lead right into endgame).

Of course, knowing nothing about openings is stupid.  Especially if you don't know, for example, how to regain the pawn in the queens gambit.  But if its not the primary reason you are losing games, then stop studying openings.  Don't go "Oh noes, black with a =/+ advantage?  Quickly, I must spend 500 hours studying opening lines" if you are still hanging pieces midgame.  Beginners time is best spent on tactics.  There is a term used for people that dedicate most of their study time to openings, they are called perpetual beginners.

Furthermore, there are a lot of people on this site that will crush you with "unchallenging" openings like d3 in response to the 2 knights defense.  "Challenging" does not equal "Lots of opening theroy".  In corrospondance chess, one doesn't have to memorize opening theroy if one doesn't want to, as at chess.com use of opening databases and books are allowed at any time.

Openings are important especially the stronger players ur are playing, In your second diagram instead of playing pxp ng5 is much stronger

MBickley, I could not agree with you more - I did not say study of openings alone - I said study of openings is essential. If one knows the different tactical themes, one needs practice in their implementation, and books help with that practice. 

 kdelaney, I would be grateful if you can give the 4. d4 d3 5.ng5 (not the 4.ng5) analysis (or mention which books have it - however I cannot afford the ECO) - I did not find it in the books I have. 5.Ng5 d5 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Bxd5 Nxd5 gets a pawn but frees up Blacks game - is there something stronger? Thanks in advance.

Well, you also have to consider that OTB and correspondence chess differ. Here, of course, you played very well in the opening, and your opponents didn't.

Your opening play was at least 1600+ standard. Had they fought a 1200 player OTB, I suspect he wouldn't have taken advantage of their mistakes as swiftly as you did.

Thank you hicetnunc for your kind words. From a player of your stature, I treasure your comments! And yes, soon I intend to begin OTB play here, but I need more practice first. I am rusty after 20 years of abstaining from chess.