I am overwhelmed at the beginning

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Samoosha
I don't consider my self beginner really , my rate is 1000 , bit alot of times I found my self overwhelmed very quickly at the beginning of the match . I don't memorize the openings and their variations , I have studied all the principles about the ideas behind the openings , (fighting for the center , the space /the time/the material issue ...etc) I usually begin with 1.e4 and tend to the italian game . I want to know is that a good way for activate my pieces quickly without being overwhelmed ??
EKAFC

Study your opening. Also, be prepared for the sidelines in case your opponent doesn't want to play into an Italian. Check this link here and you will have access to a lot of chess books. Then you want to create a study out of the book on Lichess and fill in the most relevant information from the book. Here's the first part of my Queen's Gambit Study and here is my French Defense Study not necessarily for you to start playing them but so you can have an idea of how I make my studies from books. Hope this helps!

harriw

The Italian is a good opening, you have to know both the Giuoco Piano (3. ... Bc5) and the Two Knights defence (3. ... Nf6), though if you don't play Evans gambit or Fried Liver, the lines are likely to transpose. The advantages of the Italian are that you develop your pieces quickly and have the option of castling early. Of course you need to be able to play against a number of other e4 openings, besides 2. ... Nc6 Black can play Nf6 (Petrov) and d6 (Philidor) or of course in the first move you have other options, most notably the Sicilian (c5), French (e6) and Caro-Kann (c6). At the beginner level the Scandinavian (1. e4 d5) is also popular as it does not have many lines, some might also try the Alekhine (1. e4 Nf6).

Usually around 1000 rating it is enough to make healthy moves in the opening so that you get a good position for the middlegame. After that you start to enter the territory, where people have some idea about their openings.

Samoosha

Thank you both . @EKAFC , I have seen your studies ,Awesome, you have done a great job . @harriw , a lot have advised me not to memorize all of these openings , do you think I really need to know all of that or just depend on the general concepts ?

binomine
Samoosha wrote:

Thank you both . @EKAFC , I have seen your studies ,Awesome, you have done a great job . @harriw , a lot have advised me not to memorize all of these openings , do you think I really need to know all of that or just depend on the general concepts ?

At 1000, you should start memorize opening lines, but usually only 2 ~ 4 moves at most, and the general idea of what you are trying to do when you play it.

You should already have a general idea of what you like, so you should pick an opening and really get a good grip on it. Both what options you have, and what your opponent can do. 

 

StormCentre3

I think the question about being “overwhelmed” at the start is an excellent one.

My suggestion is to observe and absorb what is seen rather than thinking of what possibilities may exist (possibly the cause of any anxiety).
Become comfortable with the starting position and the elements that are in play. For example- 8 x 8 squares define the playing field. The game takes place within the boundaries. A simple concept- yet one few take time to actually understand it’s consequences.

Look at the board and pieces. What is seen ? Perhaps being overwhelmed is a result of an imagined future - one that does not exist.

Laskersnephew

I took a quick look at your recent games, and you seem to be winning about as often as you are losing, so you can't be getting overwhelmed in every game! Perhaps you could post a couple of games where you felt you were overwhelmed right from the start

Kadenstarr

I would recommend learning a few lines that you face the most for both white and black- like these

 

This for white if you play the Italian

 
 

Something like this for black

 

 

You don't need to memorize all of it though

mpaetz

    Pick one defense to e4 and one foe d4 and one system for white. Just play those lines for a while. Analyze your games with chess.com openings library and analysis feature. You will soon learn what misjudgements you are prone to. After you become more proficient in these openings you can expand or change your repetoire. Don't try to become an expert in any opening yet, and don't just seek out traps and gambits that will get you wins vs other low-rated players. Your goal is to understand why and/or when certain ideas are good or bad. When you have improved enough you will play vs stronger opponents who are well versed in their favorite lines and will have to study your usual openings more deeply.

StormCentre3

All this posturing about suggested openings really has zero bearing on the topic. 

MisterBender
Thankful to be here, what i Nice community👌
StormCentre3

People suggesting their opinions about what openings to play are trying to be helpful- but in reality it only confuses and overwhelms the new players that much more. So much advice is made in these forums by members who have zero, actual hands on experience in instruction. They can only repeat cliches and bias with no real knowledge how people learn and assimilate chess concepts.

JacksSenseOfDread

I end up playing Italian a lot, too, but I like a grinding style game

RussBell

Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

Introduction to The Italian Game...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-the-italian-game

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

Samoosha

thank u all for your answers .

@stormcenter3 , me be you r right , sometimes I think I am overwhelmed because of my overthinking .

@Laskernephew , That depends on the opponent style I think , some of them tend to the quiet play , but to be more specific (and I think I gonna post that in a separate post ) , when I play with black and start by anything but e5 (like what I think called carocan and French defense .