Bird's Opening

I am doing some research and am wondering about people's opinion of Bird's Opening.

If you think that it is a great opening, then please let me know. Alternatively, if you feel that it is a trash opening then I would like to understand your reasoning.

Thanks for the opinions.

I used to play the Bird's Opening from around 1700-2000.

It's not a great opening. But it's a good enough opening that you won't lose on the spot, and once you're familiar with the lines, you don't need to study as much anymore and can focus on your middlegame and endgame.

Once you get those down pat, you can come back and change the opening to something better. 

IMHO, Bird’s should be considered once you’ve analyzed your opponent’s play on black, and determined that this opponent may be weak in mustering a response. The underlying caveat to what I’m saying is that we’re talking about timed games. In particular, during tournaments.

So for example, let’s say you’re down 1/2 point at the end of a tournament. This is your last chance on white, and you’ve saved Bird’s for this occasion. You’re banking on winning, thereby going up 1/2 pt in what may be the last game of the tournament.

I see too many players trotting out French, Bird’s, Reti, etc in simple unclocked games with a random opponent on-line when they haven’t even mastered QGA, QGD, Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch, Sicilian, etc.

Play Bird’s, master it for sure. But save it for something special. Just my opinion… thanks.

Against 1) d4 the Dutch Defense 1)...f5 is in theory a strong or good opening and the Bird's Opening is in simple a Dutch Defense with reversed color and one more move so by logic it can't be a bad opening.

 

 

 

Thanks for the opinions, I appreciate it.

I don't think the bird is a strong opening but it has a huge surprise element. And players that have the Bird in theier Repertoire are usually fit in positions that arise from this opening. Most lower rated players will not have something special against this in their Arsenal. I personally play  Knight h6, my Light colour bishop to g4 and go for a pawn structure like the french but with bishop outside the pawn chain. - if possible

Some players transpose from Bird to kings gambit, i have seen this. As mentioned by alchessblitz, it is the Dutch with white and therefore comes with extra Tempo. Both opening lead to somewhat special positions and players using this openings seem to have a better positional feeling.