Cant remember openings during games?

Anybody else have this problem? I’ll learn a new opening, but when it comes to play it (say the Englund Gambit) I totally forget after the first move.

Is it because I’m not studying enough? Should I start taking notes and playing with notes (is that cheating?)

Thanks

Yes, if you can't remember it, you haven't really learned it.

You can't use notes. 

 

Dont use your notes when you play, that is not in the spirit of the game, you need to memorize openings depending od your level of play. My opinion is that with your elo you should develop peaces by common rules and get out of opening by simple development rules.

Take center with pawns, play each peace one time etc...

It is important to understand what you play, that could be problem if you go into long opening line. (and your oponent probably wont play strongest moves, so if you dont understand what you play it could be big problem for you).

Best regards Ivan

Same here.

I watch a vid on YouTube, everything seems logical and I think I really understand what is going on.

And then when the situation arise - let’s say that englund gambit - I am sort of lost.

The good news: If this happens a few times and I analyse my game and watch the vid again, the stuff sinks in.

🧐

Not being cheeky but yeah that’s a bit suss that’s how I’m finding it hard I av my anoulough board set up that’s helping 🈴

Sorry for da spelling

Me thinks a lot of it is comment

Commitment was meant to say

As others have said, play opening principles, but if you want to memorize openings try Chessable whuch uses spaced repetition.

Viznik: At our level, there’s limited value in remembering a long opening main line, because our opponents haven’t done their studying either.

What I have found works well is: 1) Knowing general opening concepts, 2) Memorizing only the first few moves of the main line, and 3) memorizing as many as possible of the best one or two moves in response to ALL the other things my opponent may do. For example, I often play the Scandinavian opening as black: 1. e4 d5. If they do not make the main-line move 2. exd5, then I know the next 1-2 moves if they push their pawn, or advance another pawn, or back it up with a knight. As it turns out, my win rate is worst when they follow the main line (as it should be) since all the other choices give me better ways to push back, which I’ve looked up and memorized.

What’s great about this is that remembering a few 1-2 move responses is a LOT easier than remembering ten moves into a main line, and more useful at our level, where a guide might say something is a “rare response” yet a third of opponents do it.

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a chess coach based in California. My website is www.ChessByLauren.com.  

 How do you learn a new opening?  Before you play an actual game, just practice the opening first to see if you know it or not.  

The bottom line is that you need to find what works for you.  What works for some people might not work for other people because people’s brains are wired differently.  

   I hope that this helps.