Openings are bunk. I play the bongcloud and don't do too badly. Focus on your chess, not on your opening book.
The move from one opening to another
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Feb 15, 2012
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#3
You now found out that you need to study a whole lot more. It never ends.
I have suddenly realised the complexity and depth of this fine game.
In the past 40 or so games I've played (here, FICS, FB, etc) I have pretty much played the italian and nothing much else. My rationale was to get a handle on an opening and see what happens. Now I've come to a few realizations that I wanted to share, but probably many of you know already:
1) I am beginning to see patterns in my middle game. A feel for where pieces end up, where they should be.
2) I feel tactics are a major part of this opening. Things get sharp quite quickly.
3) When any other opening is played, d4 for example, I feel completely lost. I have no idea what I'm doing. It is then the complexity of chess dawns on me: this is indeed a vast, vast game to master. It seems like a completely different game, even though the pieces look and move the same...
My question is this. I have focused on the Italian to get a feel for a solid opening with good chances for both and nothing too crazy. It's working well in terms of results and game improvement generally (which is my actual focus). Should I be trying other things out at this stage of my rating (1400ish) or, when I call the shots stick with it, and when my opponent calls the shots, just feel out whatever opening they we end up with?