Q+A for beginners(and everyone else)

HUH???

Bacon, I'm the one asking the question here. If you're not going to answer it, keep your two cents out of it, pal

Why don't you play some chess instead of answering forums, Bacon, you're useless anyway

I can't find it now, but somewhere in the forum, it says you can play Sicilian regardless if you're black or white, this is why I asked, because I was always taught e4 is the best opening for white. I seem to get clobbered if I don't use that or Reti opening. I sure hope a time is coming when you can ask questions in the forums without someone making you feel stupid for asking them. 

I imagine that IMBacon meant well. I believe the "HUH???" from post #396 was innocent confusion. I too was confused upon reading your question at first, but I think I now get what you are trying to ask. The confusion is because White can't choose to play the Sicilian if Black doesn't want too (and the same for other openings). If Black wants to avoid the Sicilian, then don't play 1...c5 or reach it by transposition. When any opening is played, it refers to a setup or position. In such a position, the opening name is such regardless if you are White or Black - I think this is where IMBacon probably got a little confused (as I did originally). Is the Sicilian solid for Black or White? I say it is, as are all "mainlines," but this is only judged by the opening theory and games played. There is a small chance that I too misunderstood the question (even now), but I think this is what you are asking, right krazykat1975? Feel free to correct me if I am not understanding what you are asking, or if I answered it appropriately. 

The confusion is understanding. I was confused by the post, somewhere, and I cannot find it now, but it said that Sicilian could be played for black or white. Which doesn't make sense, because if you try to open up that pawn on White side, it could lead to "Fools Mate". Forgive me, but IMBacon has a habit of irritating other players with his  comments. Thank you for your clarification, however, my question has fully been answered

all right - glad to help  Yeah openings are merely the positions reached: so after the popular 1.e4 c5 we have the Sicilian Defense (which can obviously go into far deeper lines and openings). If this position comes up, it is given that name regardless if you are White or Black. Usually, people describe it as the opening "from the White side" or "from the Black side", but it is the same opening - the color indicated just signifies which side we are willing to do analysis of. 

Thanks again! 

KeSeto helped me understand. Thanks Ryan

Sorry, your name isn't Ryan. Chessmaster. Forgive me, I'm ADHD...that ry before chessmaster looked like Ryan at first. My mistake. Thanks for clearing up the confusion. 

Oh. Your name IS Ryan! I just looked you up. Sorry. Soooooo.....e4 has been working absolutely GREAT for me, along with Reti. I seem to get clobbered if I use anything other then that to play white. Black? Sicilian. I may have read it wrong, but I thought you wrote that you could play Sicilian regardless of weather you are black or white, and it stirred up a bunch of nonsense here. KeSeto was very friendly with his response. Bacon, not so much. I will avoid Bacon from this point on, no worries here. Have a great day! 

when is the king allowed to defend himself to avoid check or kill an attacker?

The king doesn't really have much of a defense unless he's going to capture a piece adjacent to his own. You have to use your pawns and main pieces (knight, bishops, queen, rooks) to not only defend your pieces, but use them to try and checkmate your opponent. If you're just a king on the board, for example, because all your pieces have been captured, and your opponent still has a few left, its pretty much game over for you. King has no defense whatsoever. 

What did i do now???

No. You don't understand. We all blunder. We all make mistakes. You just make what is called "calculations." "Calculations" is when you move pieces in your head, instead of on the board. Think about moving that bishop, for example, before you actually move the bishop. What position does that put you in? What position does it put your opponent in? Is your opponent going to get more advantage from that move then you will? Did you remember to check your king, is he still safe? These are just a few questions you have to ask yourself when you play each game. Chess boils down to one thing...making the best move possible. I don't know what you're rating is, I bounce anywhere between 1350 and 1450 lately. Most players at this level, especially the 1400 mark, make the best move possible 50 percent of the time, according to analysis. If I can get here, there's no doubt you can make it here too one day. I have more focusing issues then I can count. However, if you can master an opening, and get used to how that opening is played over and over, you can get familiar with it in ways your opponent may not. ( I'm familiar with at least 10 lines, for example, with The Italian Game. If my opponent plays the lines I am familiar with, I can play an excellent move he/she may not have seen coming. It just depends on how many moves you can think ahead, too.) Good luck, you'll get the hang of it. 

xD IMBacon, you must have just had that "volunteer look"

I might...I do get volunteered for a lot of things.

Hi

Hi there in this chess.com club I'm in, the tourney took about 4 days to start, and then someone from the club told me i had probably dropped off the list of people in the tourney, but then it started and I'm playing the same person in  two games. They are way better than me, so can I just focus on one of the games only as it has gotten very weird very fast. As we have 3 days to make turns perhaps I could start playing that one properly in a couple of days.