I don't mean in the conventional sense -- i.e., 'how should I study chess openings and become good enough at them for them to be in my arsenal'. What I mean by my question is that I am confused by how one plays certain openings due to the moves of the opponent. I'll try to explain what I mean. For example, the Sicilian defense -- I see that every famous chess player played a version of the Sicilian -- but no just on black, on white as well. This doesn't seem to make sense to me because I thought that the Sicilian was based on black's move of d4, no by anything that white plays. So, how can one have the Sicilian as white as a main facet of their repertoire? Or do I not understand how openings work? Is there a way for me to play the Sicilian as white if black does not engage in it? For example, if he plays the Dutch.
And something more concerning to me is this: should I play my opening as white near-regardless of what black plays? Not in the brainless sense (i.e., continually playing the main line and getting check mated instead of countering in any way), but in that I should establish the King's Indian Attack even if he plays something such as d4 -- ignoring his wish to play the Sicilian and instead establishing the pace from my end. Or am I forced to meet d4?
And as black, if my opponent opts, for example, to play the Ruy Lopez, might I still play the Dutch indifferent to his opening and attack the king side, or am I forced to meet his bishop and continue to play the main lines of the Ruy Lopez?
I know this is quite a lot of information, but this openings stuff is tremendously difficult to understand.
I'll appreciate any responses.
Sicillian: (black plays)
Spanish: (black plays and white)
KIA (white)
ur knowledge of openings is clearly flawed???
I don't mean in the conventional sense -- i.e., 'how should I study chess openings and become good enough at them for them to be in my arsenal'. What I mean by my question is that I am confused by how one plays certain openings due to the moves of the opponent. I'll try to explain what I mean. For example, the Sicilian defense -- I see that every famous chess player played a version of the Sicilian -- but no just on black, on white as well. This doesn't seem to make sense to me because I thought that the Sicilian was based on black's move of d4, no by anything that white plays. So, how can one have the Sicilian as white as a main facet of their repertoire? Or do I not understand how openings work? Is there a way for me to play the Sicilian as white if black does not engage in it? For example, if he plays the Dutch.
And something more concerning to me is this: should I play my opening as white near-regardless of what black plays? Not in the brainless sense (i.e., continually playing the main line and getting check mated instead of countering in any way), but in that I should establish the King's Indian Attack even if he plays something such as d4 -- ignoring his wish to play the Sicilian and instead establishing the pace from my end. Or am I forced to meet d4?
And as black, if my opponent opts, for example, to play the Ruy Lopez, might I still play the Dutch indifferent to his opening and attack the king side, or am I forced to meet his bishop and continue to play the main lines of the Ruy Lopez?
I know this is quite a lot of information, but this openings stuff is tremendously difficult to understand.
I'll appreciate any responses.