Openings are Worthless; Middle and End Game is must more important.

Seems to me learning openings are pretty useless, middlegame and endgame is most important. No?

why don't u try learn Gambit?

Below expert, openings are likely one of the least important parts of the game. Most games below that level are not decided in the opening. 

I wouldn't say that openings are worthless, but they are generally significantly less important than tactics (most games are won and lost because one player overlooked simple relationships between pieces that led to substantial material loss) and endgames.

clerkofcourts08 wrote:

No! While a beginner should not get too wrapped up in opening details, you still need to understand some general principles and theory that openings are based on. A terrible opening will lead to terrible development, leading to a dreadful middlegame and you will never reach the endgame.

So learn something about why certain moves are recommended in various openings, and then yes, study tactics and strategies to help with the mid and end games. Good luck.

Not to neglect openings, or specific opening lines, but simply not to focus too much on openings - as so many posts here seem to indicate. At our lower levels, general principals, and tactical theory are where we should be focused. These help us better understand why certain openings exist.

I haven't come to this realization on my own, but by reading several different sources. One such source is available on this website: https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-get-better-at-chess  Point 6 gets to this.

Many beginners get a book on chess openings then try to memorize multiple lines without really understanding the tactic or theory behind the moves. Then, of course, when playing a game the opponent doesn't co-operate and makes "different" moves. Without a sound grounding in theory and tactics, the game starts to unravel.

Another common question, "What is the best opening?" This shows too much focus on openings and not enough on general principals and strategy.

So openings are important, but most important is the theory behind the moves. GM Yasser Seirawan's Book Winning Chess Openings (and I'm sure several others) emphasizes the importance of understanding the why of the moves, not the memorization of them. The tactics and strategies that get us into the middle game then become even more useful to set-up a successful end game.

"... for those that want to be as good as they can be, they'll have to work hard.
Play opponents who are better than you … . Learn basic endgames. Create a simple opening repertoire (understanding the moves are far more important than memorizing them). Study tactics. And pick up tons of patterns. That’s the drumbeat of success. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (December 27, 2018)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/little-things-that-help-your-game

It might be of interest to look at the table of contents of A COMPLETE CHESS COURSE by Antonio Gude: "... 3 Openings and Basic Principles 33 ... 4 Putting Your Pieces to Work 52 ... 5 Strategy and Tactics 76 ... 6 Endgame Play and Further Openings 106 … 7 Combinations and Tactical Themes 128 ... 8 Attacking Play 163 ... 9 Your First Opening Repertoire 194 …"
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/A_Complete_Chess_Course.pdf

"... Review each of your games, identifying opening (and other) mistakes with the goal of not repeatedly making the same mistake. ... It is especially critical not to continually fall into opening traps – or even lines that result in difficult positions ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627062646/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman81.pdf

"... Once you identify an opening you really like and wish to learn in more depth, then should you pick up a book on a particular opening or variation. Start with ones that explain the opening variations and are not just meant for advanced players. ..." - Dan Heisman (2001)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626180930/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf

"... For inexperienced players, I think the model that bases opening discussions on more or less complete games that are fully annotated, though with a main focus on the opening and early middlegame, is the ideal. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)

I feel like openings get gradually more important as a player improves in strength.  No matter what your strength, a lot of people around your level are as good as you (if not better), and learning a little more about your repertoire as you go can help from being left behind... but, at the end of the day you still gotta win the game, hence the importance of middle game strategy, tactics, end game etc.

My opinion (of little value) is that the transition from opening to middle game has been generally where the weaker player falls behind. The stronger player makes purposeful moves longer after both get beyond what they have memorized.

"... I feel that the main reasons to buy an opening book are to give a good overview of the opening, and to explain general plans and ideas. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)

The truth is that  very often one side or the other obtains enough of an advantage  for a win in the first 12 moves of a game.

It is a really poor choice for any player to neglect learning how to play the opening.

"... In the middlegame and especially the endgame you can get a long way through relying on general principles and the calculation of variations; in the opening you can go very wrong very quickly if you don't know what ideas have worked and what haven't in the past. It has taken hundreds of years of trial and error by great minds like Alekhine and, in our day, Kasparov to reach our current knowledge of the openings. ..." - GM Neil McDonald (2001)

This is on your authority as a player with a 1115 rating? You don't think that the game result had anything to do with some 996-quality moves by your opponent?

Studying openings is worthless. That is why beginners can play perfectly natural moves against the Italian Game and still get success!

It's all important.

Strive to play every phase of the game to the best of your ability, from the first move to the last.

Even a tiny mistake in the opening can cost you, and can become something that you'll never be able to come back from—especially if you're facing a strong, accurate opponent.

The danger of that mindset is it's easy to stumble into an inaccuracy, especially if the error is a move that seems logical and reasonable.

Even worse: the danger of finding oneself at a crucial opening move, and not knowing what to do next.

The players who find opening study worthless are usually the ones who find themselves hitting a wall eventually. The higher you go, the more crucial your opening accuracy becomes.

Openings are important. Middlegames and endgmes are also important. Every move counts. Remember that. Every move counts.

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