Switching openings

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Avatar of boritopalito

Hi there! I started playing chess on November 2022. Since then I tend to switch quite often from opening to opening. For example I started with the Italian Game as white and E5/D5 as Black. 

Now I mainly play Vienna as white and Sicilian as black. More recently a more experienced player mentioned me the London system and recommended me switching to it. Now I wonder if I should switch openings, or just stick to whatever I am familiar with and try to be as good as possible with it.

Thanks in advance.

Avatar of mockbachess

There's no harm in exploring different openings, just don't forget there is more to study than just openings. I used to play the Vienna but was told that at a higher level it starts to falter against good tactics, so i switched to other openings and eventually tried the Ruy which has opened me up to another world on the board.

The London is very in vogue, i can't say i've played it but i've seen some content by GM Simon Williams who is a big proponent of the Jobava London. You may find that a system doesn't suit your style, i found the Colle system too stale in the opening, but there is only one way to find out.

Avatar of h4java

With the Vienna game you can win a lot at the beginner level, as long as your opponents don't know the main line with 3 ..d5. I would recommend that you round out your understanding of the playing variants of Vienna and the London system before you move on to other openings.

Avatar of AlphaTeam

I would not recommend changing openings regularly. Especially for players below 1000. Knowing the opening principles, and executing them at all times until out of the opening is far more important. Your opponents will not start playing book openings at a decent level until you get close to 1300. That is why knowing the principles, and executing them is far more  important.  I play center game as white, and it is not the best opening for white, but I have beaten 1300 USCF players in tournaments with it. What will decide your games is tactics primarily, and endgame knowledge. Knowing the basics of strategy is also more important than finding the best opening to play. Focusing on tactics, overkill mates (if you do not know them yet), and the very basics of strategy if more important than learning book openings well until you get over 1000. 

Avatar of magipi
boritopalito wrote:

Now I wonder if I should switch openings, or just stick to whatever I am familiar with and try to be as good as possible with it.

You can't imagine how little it matters. Switch if you want, or don't if you don't. Openings don't matter at all. The only thing that matters is blunders.

In this game you made at least 3 horrible blunders. Move 10 (not winning a piece), Move 18 (blundering the rook), move 21 (blundering the bishop). What is common in them is that you played all of those moves after just a few seconds of "thinking".

Use your time. Don't play random moves. Try to play good moves. These things matter a lot. Openings don't.