d4!

Everyone here plays e4...not everybody...you know what I mean....

I used to play d4 when I started, but since everyone here plays e4, I got sucked into the automatic "e4, click" mode when opening with white. Naturally, I am learning many of the defences black plays with d4. French, Sicilian, etc...

I played someone recently (not a common member to this site) and they opened d4. It was like I had no idea what to do for a few minutes, lol..... Anyway, since I am trying to prepare for a tournament soon, I guess I needed the wake-up call.

My question is, as someone who will be playing their first tournament soon, what other openings will I see (other than d/e4)? Time control is 15/10. I wonder if that makes any difference to peoples opening plans, as opposed to say playing a 45/15 tournament. Are some openings intrinsically better for faster time controls? I would think not; however, I also think rapid development of pieces to form an attack, lets say, may push people to prefer certain openings? Im interested because I don't want to be surprised. Obviously I can't prepare for everything...I know that.

Mike

You will be surprised, considering your experience and the fast time-control. Accept it, so that it doesn't come as a surprise to you 

hm... it seems to me that you consider an opening just as a first move for white, but also the first move of black its a big step to opening decision.

For example at 1.e4 you can see for example

1.. e5

1.. c5

1.. e6 

and others...

for 1.d4 you can see:

1.d5 

but also 1..Nf6 ( indian openings)

or 1..d6 or more...

Obviously i just scratched the surface or maybe not even that, but you got the idea.. its not just the first move of white ( or the fost move for black) that decide how the game will evolve.

Anyway, sticking to the first white moveas your request, you can enounter also

1.c6 ( english opeing)

or

1.Nf3 ( reti)

Not so common, but neither that rare...

i've seen 1.e3 followed by 2.d3 a fair few times, usually by players from India. you can get into trouble if you attack it too aggresively.

Yeah, prepare for the English. It's common enough that it gets played, but uncommon enough that people like to rattle your cage with it, if they think they can make you use up some time. It seems like it just transposes into the QG most of the time I run into it.

Are you gonna be playing in a open tournament. I play the K.I.D but I don't consider an easy opening, and it's not for all chess players. There are some lines I had fun with, like the semi Slav or the Queen's Indian, but it is your choice on what you want to play. Remember opening study should not be the focus if your rating is not at least 1600 (While that is my opinion).

Yes, Iv'e noticed this too. Many Indian players with both White and Black fianchetto both bishops and play d3/d6 and e3/e6. 

I think the opening is called "beginners game" it was created by a strong player called Pafu he wrote a book on it.