Learn to play the london system. It is a good system against theoretical players. - IM from Hungary
What to do when you don't know openings?
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For someone seeking help with choosing openings, I usually bring up Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014).
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
I believe that it is possible to see a fair portion of the beginning of Tamburro's book by going to the Mongoose Press site. Perhaps it would be appropriate to look at Discovering Chess Openings by GM Johm Emms (2006).
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Here are some books on specific less-theory openings:
1...d6: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2011)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627090726/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen157.pdf
Bird's Opening: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2015)
The Colle: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2013)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627110453/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen169.pdf
The Four Knights: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627104938/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen159.pdf
The King's Indian Attack: Move by Move by Neil McDonald (2014)
The Modern: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627122119/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen166.pdf
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2013)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052905/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen175.pdf
Play the London System by Cyrus Lakdawala (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627100246/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen139.pdf
The Scandinavian: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2013)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626232217/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen171.pdf
The Torre Attack: Move by Move by Richard Palliser (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627105428/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen161.pdf
i think you guys have misinterpreted the question. i mean for example : what if someone played an opening you don't know of? there's specific ways to play to opening and what if you don't know how? i know plenty but that's not the question.
"One of my main aims was to give the reader enough confidence to face the unknown; to be able to play good, logical moves in the opening despite in many case having a lack of concrete knowledge of the theory." - GM Johm Emms in Discovering Chess Openings (2006)
Jan 11, 2016
0
#7
ncw1604 wrote:
i think you guys have misinterpreted the question. i mean for example : what if someone played an opening you don't know of? there's specific ways to play to opening and what if you don't know how? i know plenty but that's not the question.
Yeah.
Other than follow opening principles, try to choose a pawn structure you're comfortable with. Don't play main lines you don't know at all because then you'll get a middlegame where you just feel lost for what to do. Definitly don't worry about any theoretical advantage. Your goal is to be comfortable.
I don't know what you play against the dragon, but lets say a maroczy bind. Then play an early c4 or maybe a KIA setup. Don't play d4 for main lines.
But then after the game, if your choices didn't satisfy you, be sure to do a little research. Ideally you always have a little knowledge to work with for all main openings.
There are books on pawn structure (Soltis) that can help with this, although I don't know your rating.
If that doesn't appeal to you, you can learn a few stock openings like the colle, old indian, torre attack, and something with a kingside finachetto (KIA with e4 or like a schlecter slav with d4). Then when things get odd you can try to steer it towards one of those system. Many of those can be played against almost anything.
In Starting Out: The Sicilian, GM John Emms gives the reader at least a nodding acquaintance with the main possibilities such as Dragon, Najdorf, etc. It also introduces some of the ways that White can avoid the many possibilities that can result from something like 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627122350/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen123.pdf
"... There is no doubt in my mind that if you really want to test the Sicilian then you have to play the main lines of the Open Sicilian. The problem is that there are just so many of them ... and keeping up with developments in all of them is a substantial task. ... as you become older, with other demands on your time (family, job, etc.) then it becomes more and more difficult to keep up with everything. At this stage it may make sense to reduce your theoretical overhead by adopting one of the 'lesser' lines against the Sicilian: 2 c3, or the Closed Sicilian, or lines with Bb5. ..." - GM John Nunn in part of a 2005 book where he discussed a 1994 game in which he had played 2 c3.
In #4 above, I mentioned a book by Tamburro that also discusses ways for White to avoid 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4.
Jan 11, 2016
0
#9
When I play against an opening I don't know, I just play my game. I think sooner where to place which pieces, how to achieve an advantage or how to fight for it. If I want, I can also try to transpose to something I know better.
My experience of playing games where my opponent enters an opening or variation that I am not familiar with is that I attempt to use basic principles, often lose, then go back and analyse the game or research the ECO code to improve my knowledge.
Can't ever be afraid to lose, especially in amateur levels.
Viulindar wrote:
Anyway you should stop to play chess if you feel you are a bad player , you read the complete advice about it here
You've only ever played bullet on here. 😄
ncw1604 wrote:
i think you guys have misinterpreted the question. i mean for example : what if someone played an opening you don't know of? there's specific ways to play to opening and what if you don't know how? i know plenty but that's not the question.
Everyone sometimes finds themselves in opening positions in which they're not comfortable or with which they're not familiar; and that includes GMs who know rather a lot! Their opponents prepare against them with exactly that in mind much of the time.
Try not to be phased but try to play the position. Don't just play on general principles but try to get at least a rudimenary understanding of the position. What are your strengths and weaknesses and those of your opponent? Are there any tactics you need to be wary of? What possible plans are there for each side? Play what appears logical and reasonably solid, try to at least get an equal position out of the opening and don't panic! Ask your opponent about it afterwards whether you win lose or draw and do some research when you get home. Such situations are the product of whatever your opening repertoire is and they simply represent holes that you need to fill.
ncw1604 wrote:
basically as title asks. what do you do? for example, i know the sicilian dragon but not the najorf. do you stick to basic opening principles like board control? because the kings indian defence isn't like that and you kind of have to know the opening. thanks in advice.
Follow opening principles:
Control the center
Develop toward the center
Castle
Connect your rooks
basically as title asks. what do you do? for example, i know the sicilian dragon but not the najorf. do you stick to basic opening principles like board control? because the kings indian defence isn't like that and you kind of have to know the opening. thanks in advice.