Best Way To Study Chess Openings

Rude or not, do you want to get better? To the fellow that asked " can't do what themselves" I respond : play above your current level consistently. Even I take advice from players stronger than me.

I take advice from players stronger than me, too.  They tell me exactly what I said above.  And no one can play above their current level consistently.  That would mean their current level isn't their current level.  That was a completely nonsensical answer.

I guess you'r right, that makes some sense. I've been drinking liqueur so please don't cry.

I understand where everyone is coming from. Im going to take everything into consideration

1400 is approx av OTB. On chess.com (turn-based) is lower around 1350. Do not mean to be harsh with comment but complacency/overconfidence stifles motivation. The forums are awash with <1400 self-proclaimed ''chess-experts''. This is foolhardiness.

Learned something new

Ignore everyone's comments about openings with the exception of MJ4H lol

Also don't worry too much about your own rating when you are learning basics. Just focus on learning fundamentals so you have response rather than reactions. It's good that you ask for advice.  

For a beginner creating a repertoire is a big undertaking.  There are so many openings and variations no matter what you decide to play.  What's more is opening study isn't going to affect your results much.  That's why my suggestion is not to pause any other studying for the sake of openings, but to slowly build your repertoire by researching the opening a little more after every game you play.

So step 1 I'd say memorize the first 1-5 moves of the main line.  e.g. "I want to play the slav!  Ok so it's 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. (2 moves, easy).

Then in your next game they play it and either your opponent deviates on move 2 or plays something in the slav you haven't seen.  Do your best to navigate the unknown with opening principals and then after the game see if you left book first.  Why wasn't what you played a good move?  Does it break opening principals or is there a tacitc?  What have GMs played in the past?  Then quickly play over a few GM games (e.g. can use chessgames.com).  Nothing in depth, you just want to see how the game usually unfolds.  Play over the whole game and note what each side tried to do in the middlegame (white attacked on the kingside by pushing his pawns... black pressured white's center... someone attacked with piece play etc)

By playing just a few games online a day, and following this routine for at least one of those games, I'd say after a month or two you're going to know the opening as well or better than most of your peers.  Advice I've seen says to stick with that opening for at least a year before switching.

dont bother too much with past move 7, its unlikely people will follow theory that deep unless its a very forcing line.

i just learn the first few moves of each variation, try to learn ideas, and after a few months of trial and suffering, i bother to look at actual theory.

Imo, its easier to understand and regurgatate theory if you have played it with your own ideas there first.

At your level all you need to know are the general principles of the opening. Control the center,put your rook on open file,if you are ahead in development try to open the position, be carefull of pawn grabing if you are behind in development,if you have the bishop pair try to open the position,don't allow a pawn weakness unless you get some kind of advantage in return, unless you see a good reason not to do so always castle, a center that is closed means action in the wings, a center counter attack is most of the time good if your opponent are trying wing action etc.

You should focus your study on endgames, middle games and tactics. You told you have silman books, that is good they are nice books. You also need a tactics book, I suggest you try Chess Tactics for Champion by Polgar. If you don't have an endgame book, I suggest you buy 101 Endgames You Must Know by De la Villa.

Chess improvement takes time, so good luck on your quest for improvement. Focus on eliminating elementary blunders.

Yes, exactly.  It sounds slow, but it sticks in your mind better when you've tried to navigate it yourself and failed.  It also helps to understand why some moves are played and others aren't.

e.g. "holy crap, if black doesn't go for his e5 break when he has the chance he's screwed"  or  "wow, Petrosian didn't even try the pawn break, he rearranged his stuff and went for something totally different"

Developing an opening repertoire is an important step to improvement, but it's worth noting how often players who have admirable ratings (to most players!) bring up how opening study should be a low priority for most chess players.  From what I've read elsewhere and in this thread, I believe Waffllemaster and MrDamonSmith are two of these players, and I agree with them based on personal experience over a span of years (Edit: Estragon's advice is also great!).  There have been quite a few players like them in the forums here, also.

I don't want to take anything away from the advice of MJ4H: it sounds solid to me, and I believe I would benefit from following it myself. However, there are areas of chess study that are more important to the average player who is willing to work to improve and wants to see tangible results quickly.

Endgame study isn't sexy, but it will provide you with basic chess skills that can't be avoided by your opponents with one move that departs from your opening repertoire.  Endgame study also provides you with a set of solid ideas that will help you make better middlegame decisions that will lead to a better endgame for you.

Middlegame study will show you how to take advantage of positional opportunities as they become available, and lead to advantages that can be converted into a better endgame.  Taking control of open files, creating outposts for your knights, gaining space and the like--these are ideas that will help you win games when tactical strikes are not apparent.  The disadvantage of playing a somewhat-inferior opening system can be wiped out quickly if you are better than your opponent at establishing positional plusses in the middlegame.

Finally, and perhaps most-importantly, tactics training will provide you with more skill in spotting tactical possibilities for both you and your opponent.  Winning a piece often means winning the game.  If you get better at preventing the loss of your own pieces while getting better at winning your opponent's pieces, you will simply win more games and your rating will go up accordingly.  Tactics training also happens to be one of the most fun and addictive forms of chess exercise available.

One of the biggest reasons players want to study openings early on is to avoid opening traps they have fallen for, and to set their own opening traps.  Opening traps are often gimmicks, and often easily sidestepped with a better game for the opponent.  I'd rather learn more about how to make my pieces work better together to control more of the board or key squares than load my brain with gimmicky lines that might be sidestepped.

IMO, the best way for most average players to study openings is to avoid doing so (in favor of tactics, middlegame and endgame study) except for the little opening lessons you get from playing through master games and by analyzing your own games.  Also, be sure you understand (and frequently return to!) opening theory rather than learning specific opening lines.

Wow a lot of helpful advice. Thank you

excellent

I'm not a fan of Silman's books on middle- and endgame. I prefer John Nunn who always gives better explanations and really understands the positions. Sometimes I doubt Silman understands what he writes (a bit harsh - but it's my impression). 

The Müller/Lamprecht book on endings I can strongly recommend!

MontrellDenny, I'm no expert either but I think you should study at least the main openings although very brief, without variations. Just keep in mind the mainline, form the best plan and play chess! As white, I suggest you play the Scotch and as black the Petroff. These are the most common openings I use too!

Good suggestion. But what will you play against 1 d4 or 1 c4?

The Petroff can only be played against 1 e4 (or with transposition against 1 Nf3)! 

I play Nf6 against d4 but d5 might be more suitable response for his level.

For c4 ... e5 - the main response. Anyway I don't see too much the English nowadays.