Is playing the opening more difficult than - the middle game?

Question for 1800+ players:
Is it more difficult to play the opening or the middle game? 

They are different.  In opening, sometimes you have to play exact moves if you are facing a certain line. I have a line where I can click out 18  moves and get a great potion, a couple times against GMs on icc, but that is rare. most of the time you hope to get a comfortable position out of the opening, so a general knowledge of openings are required. 

Middle game you are much more likely to use your judgement and calculating abilities, where there usually are several ways to play the potion at any given moment.

It's very ambitious to expect over 1800 individual people to answer your tiny weeny question but i will try;

Openings can potentially be memorised but you have to understand what you're doing (eg, if you make sacrifices, be agressive) as this depends on the opponent's moves.  Generally mid-games are more complex and rely on tactics so you should study for longer to avoid making mistakes and to gain the advantage.

Hope that helps somewhat!

If you have low standards it`s your problem and tiny weeny is your weiner.

Middlegames are essentially an extension of opening, rich in strategy and have alot more complex decision heading into the endgame. It's hard to say what is harder really, I would say for most levels it would be middlegame, because you can get a decent position out of playing sound, developing and principled moves. But middlegame is really where you need to have a plan and that plan is linked with the opening lines you played.

I was thinking about this recently. Opening seems much easier. In the starting position, essentially every piece needs improvement. So it's hard NOT to make decent moves in the first 10.

In the middlegame, I usually know what I generally want to get done, but finding which moves can do it, the order, the timing, and when plans need to change, is almost never obvious.

Oh, and knowing various middlegame ideas, pawn structures, and the opening principals is what makes the first 10 much easier. As someone said the mid game is an extension of the opening. So knowing what I want to do, I simply have to find an efficient way to develop my pieces to help that goal.

In some openings the fighting starts early, then it's not easy. But most aren't like this.

The opening is the easiest part of the game. You just have to develop your pieces and castle. The middlegame is much more complex.

The opening is the easiest part of the game.  

I think the opening is actually the most difficult part because all  the pieces are in play,they are in their initial positions and the possibilities are endless.Besides it is very difficult even for engines  to evaluate opening positions accurately.At the highest level the opening is the most important stage but certainly not at more down-to -earth levels.

And what's that supposed to mean?? I'm giving my time helping you, aren't i

@Bilbo21 He's saying he doesn't want your opinion because you're low rated. He's saying he wants strong 1800+ players to give him advice.

Of course they do, especially you as a CM, but if you're way below GM level, any good advice should be welcomed

And I have beaten people who played for England OTB - my online rating is artificially low

I never said your opinions were not good, simply saying what OP was looking for.

All phases of the game are difficult in there own way.

The answer would be all of the above.