Why am I so bad playing black?

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WaysandMeans

I go through winning with white lots of games in a row, but black really causes my problems, try the kings indian defense but always get suffocated, any tips?

aanval22

Feasgar math! I have a similar problem in over the board chess, I think part of the issue is getting strong with certain white openings and not doing as much work with your black game. Out of curiosity, which openings do you play?

WaysandMeans

I play London with white and Kings Indian defense with black.

aanval22

Ok London will get you out of the opening pretty easily, but King's Indian really requires knowledge of theory not to get crushed. In general though, playing openings is much harder as black since you are down a move. Maybe you want to try something simpler than King's Indian?

WaysandMeans

yeah i get overwhelmed especially if somebody bangs three pawns in middle, what do you suggest?

aanval22

Well my personal favorite is the Albin Counter Gambit, also other gambits such as the Budapest are good for getting the initiative. If you want something more solid, maybe the Semi Slav.

SmallerCircles

If you like the Nf6 start like with the KID, you could do the Nimzo-Indian + QID, which should be less suffocating and a little less tricky than KID.

It can start with some other moves too and typically black will end up pushing to c5 and d5. The bishop in QID monitors the e4 square. And the aim in the Nimzo-Indian is to eventually take the pinned knight and give white doubled pawns.

ShrekChess69420

The King's Indian Defense is a very difficult opening to play and master. I would play the Dutch Defense instead: 

1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3...

The Leningrad Variation of the Dutch Defense is like a hyperaccelerated King's Indian Defense where Black has already advanced the f-pawn and therefore does not need to waste a tempo with the f6-knight to begin the usual kingside attack. Black may play Qe8 and d6 to support the e5 advance. If White chooses to suppress the movement of Black's e-pawn with d5, Black will play a5 and Na6-Nc5. For instance:

7. ...Qe8 8. d5 Na6 (although 8. ...a5 and then Na6 is also playable) 9. Nd4 Bd7 10. Rb1 Nc5 11. b4 Nce4 12. Bb2

(9. Rb1 Nc5 10. b4 Nce4 11. Bb2...)

There are also many other variations in the Dutch Defense. The Classical Dutch Defense is where Black plays f5 Nf6 e6 Be7 O-O d6 and adopts a very solid structure. Black sometimes meets White's e4 push with fxe4 and e5. The Stonewall Dutch Defense is where Black play f5 Nf6 e6 d5 Bd6 c6, to try to clamp down on the e4-square. The Stonewall Dutch Defense often leads to closed positions where Black can begin a kingside assault. Black has a strong rook lift idea of Rf6-Rg6 or Rh6. In positions with a more open center, Black can rook lift a5, Ra6 instead. 

Perhaps the only thing Black must be careful of is the Staunton Gambit. It seeks to immediately exploit the weakened light-squares around Black's king.

1. d4 f5 2. e4!? fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 c6 5. f3 d5 Black is OK.

(4. ...d5? 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. Qh5+ White is better...)

 

tygxc

King's Indian Defence is difficult to play correctly. Nimzovich Indian Defence is hard to play correctly too: you give up the bishop's pair. Albin's Gambit (loses a pawn), Dutch Defence (weakens the king's side) are unsound.
Just defend 1 d4 d5. That is more solid.

GoodKnight36DD

I think playing black you're always at a disadvantage

Jimemy

You can try d5 vs d4 and e5 vs e4 as black instead of kings indian. Because then you crab control in center on move one. Its alot easier to play I think then kings indian. 

salmonella777

Practice is the key, bro

MisterWindUpBird

Slav/Caro always feels about as solid as a leaky boat to me. I plan to learn Albin Counter Gambit. At least it's a decent try at getting on the front foot as black and has a few venomous lines beyond the basic Lasker trap line. Might work...

magipi

I have checked a few games, but I could not find any where you lost because of the opening. Can you show one for us?

On the other hand, I found a game where you resigned in a position down only a pawn, with plenty of pieces left. That shows a horrible lack of fighting spirit.

Viznik

Try the Scandinavian Defense: Viznik Variation (tutorial here) I think it will give you the edge as black you need to start winning games.

ShrekChess69420
tygxc wrote:

King's Indian Defence is difficult to play correctly. Nimzovich Indian Defence is hard to play correctly too: you give up the bishop's pair. Albin's Gambit (loses a pawn), Dutch Defence (weakens the king's side) are unsound.
Just defend 1 d4 d5. That is more solid.

Dutch Defense is not unsound. Many masters including Hikaru have played it over the years...

tygxc

#16
Dutch is unsound: see figure 4 (a).
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2009.04374.pdf 

That does not mean it is unplayable even at grandmaster level.
The opening does not really matter. Middle game tactics decide games, not the opening.

WaysandMeans
magipi wrote:

 

On the other hand, I found a game where you resigned in a position down only a pawn, with plenty of pieces left. That shows a horrible lack of fighting spirit.

 

 

I think the wife acceptability factor came into play there, hate that opening 😂

WaysandMeans
magipi wrote:

I have checked a few games, but I could not find any where you lost because of the opening. Can you show one for us?

 

I will have a wee look 👍

WaysandMeans
NervesofButter wrote:
WaysandMeans wrote:

I go through winning with white lots of games in a row, but black really causes my problems, try the kings indian defense but always get suffocated, any tips?

All you're playing is speed chess.  So at your level uneven results are to be expected.

As far as your playing the KID?  All you're doing is playing memorized moves with no understanding of the position. 

Your games are being decided by blunders and missed tactics which is to be expected.

 so should I play 15/10 games instead?