Questions tagged [opening]
Questions relating to the initial moves of the game and their aims
1,368
questions
0
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0answers
23 views
Is 1.d4 harder to study than 1.e4? [closed]
I'm a 1.e4 player and I have been thinking about trying out the Queen's Gambit, but it seems harder to study because lines are not nearly as forcing and there are a variety of setups that Black can ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
What are the most provocative chess openings? [closed]
What openings are the most "provocative" in the sense that they make your opponents think "Grrrrr... that's a bad move / I must be better here," causing them to play more ...
8
votes
3answers
416 views
What are the ideas behind the 4.Qxd4 variation of Philidor's Defense?
I recently learned that this is a valid way for White to play for advantage against the Philidor:
[FEN ""]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6
According to the ...
6
votes
3answers
297 views
Is there a free online chess repertoire tool?
Is there a free online chess repertoire tool? It can be some place where you register, save variations and comments, and navigate with a board what you do. I was used to chessply, but apparently it ...
5
votes
1answer
78 views
Resources on Italian Game, Two Knights Defense with 4. d3 h6 and quick …g5
Do any books or other resources discuss this variation for Black? Does it have a name?
The general idea is to go 4...h6, then ...d6 and ...g5 in some order, depending on what White does.
S. Mamedyarov ...
4
votes
1answer
349 views
What does columns 1-24 mean?
I was reading Modern Chess Openings by Nick de Firmian, and found "columns 1-24 deals with 2...exf4 " in relation to a theory table. So what does "columns 1-24" mean?
3
votes
1answer
346 views
Why do modern Grandmasters prefer playing quiet openings?
I am rated 1450 and I am have been analyzing GM level games since I began playing chess. I noticed that most GMs consistently play balanced almost boring openings against each other and that only a ...
22
votes
7answers
9k views
What is a good French-like defense against 1. d4?
I enjoy playing the French Defence as black against 1. e4, for the following reasons.
It often creates a closed position without wild tactics
It takes white away from the more familiar lines (1... e5 ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Any reference material on the Franco-Benoni defense?
The Franco-Benoni defense is characterized by the black moves:
[fen ""]
[startply "4"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5
The books I've read on the French defense contain none or very little ...
5
votes
2answers
67 views
Franco-Sicilian Defense Theory [duplicate]
I am wondering what the main lines and point of the Franco-Sicilian Defense are for Black. I could barely find any theory about it online, and it' is my favorite opening as Black. As such, I am ...
1
vote
3answers
284 views
Why is my theoretical knowledge is not coming to any use?
For the last few months, I have been reading "How To Reassess Your Chess (I expected at least this book to work), "Simple Chess," "The Art Of Attack," some ending book, "...
5
votes
6answers
854 views
The London System
I'm rated on Chess.com in 1400 right now (elo). But sometimes my rating fluctuates between 1200 to 1500. As I searched on internet, I'm a beginner that is going to the intermediate level. Should I, as ...
4
votes
2answers
184 views
Does one need to know all popular openings if they wants to be a top-level player?
Let's say there is a player who knows nothing about Sicilian Defense. If they always start the game with 1. d4 or 1. c4 as white and play the Caro-Kann as black against 1. e4, it seems to me that they ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
Why does black gain from this “center fork trick”?
In the following position, Bc4 by white is evaluated as a bad move that can be punished by ...Nxe4.
Although I can see why it tactically works, I fail to see how the resulting position favors black. ...
3
votes
2answers
201 views
Why are English setups with g3 like the Catalan considered solid for White, while the Sicilian Dragon is risky for Black?
I know that the Sicilian Dragon is considered very risky for Black if White knows what they're doing; they can go for the Yugoslav Attack setup, play h4-h5 to break open the h-file, try and exchange ...
0
votes
1answer
114 views
Is Whale Variation a successful opening?
I am an early, intermediate in chess. I played the Whale Variation and won some games as White. But there is an issue when Black moves their knight to d4. I have a problem with it. Is the Whale ...
1
vote
1answer
108 views
Can one theoretically prove that these moves are marginally better?
I heard that for the first move, 1. e4, 1. d4, 1. c4 and 1. Nf3 are equally good and none of them is better than others, even marginally. However, after 1. e4, both 1... e5 and 1... c5 are marginally ...
2
votes
1answer
116 views
How did chess change over the 2010s and should I keep anything in mind for buying books from before 2010?
I presume I am being overly paranoid regarding this, and I definitely don't intend to turn away from older books at all, but were there any developments opening-wise, middlegame-wise, or endgame-wise ...
6
votes
1answer
555 views
Two Knights of the Caro-Kann: 2.Nc3 vs 2.Nf3
Is there any difference at all in playing 2.Nc3 or 2.Nf3 in the Two Knights of the Caro-Kann? On Lichess, why is 2.Nc3 the second most common move in the Masters database, and 2.Nf3 played almost one-...
2
votes
2answers
458 views
In the Berlin Defence, why is 4.0-0 prefered to 4.Nc3?
In the Berlin Defence, why is 4.0-0 preferred to 4.Nc3, as then White can transition into the four knights?
3
votes
2answers
303 views
Scotch 4 Knights with 4… d5
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/3pp3/3PP3/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 4 5"]
If Black "mirrors" White's move 4. d4 in the Scotch 4 Knights, and White wants to play sharp, aggressive moves, what would ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Find an opening based on the position of one player only
Given a position for just one player, how can I check to see if there is a standard opening that leads to that position?
For example, how could I find if there is an opening that leads (or may lead, ...
1
vote
2answers
439 views
Looking for a single, good opening that revolves around a “crab” pawn structure [closed]
I have often heard (or this one video just got it stuck in my head) Youtube videos (the timestamp is 2:37, nothing else relevant) refer to this kind of pawn structure as a “crab” pawn structure (below,...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
What are the shogi equivalents of Fool's and Scholar's mate?
In western chess, the Fool's mate and Scholar's Mate are two well-known mates that take very few moves from the starting position. What would be the shogi equivalents to these, or, more generally, ...
6
votes
1answer
279 views
Intuitive play vs learning strategies
When I first 'learned' chess, it was just the moves of each piece and then I started playing. I had no plan at all other than just moving pieces and trying to take from my opponent and protecting ...
1
vote
1answer
237 views
Why are avoidable openings played instead of systems?
It's been a while since I've played OTB chess, but I've gotten back into playing it online. Before my break (I was rated ~1400 USCF), I was a heavy advocate of the English Opening:
rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/...
7
votes
3answers
259 views
Where can I play against specific openings?
Is there a website where you can play against real people with an opening already installed by default? For example, I want to play against the English opening, but my opponents rarely play it, so I ...
1
vote
2answers
974 views
A digital tree (with annotations) of all chess opening moves discovered by theoreticians
I am looking for a tree of sorts, like the one of Chessmaster XI, but with deeper analysis, like why is this move good.
For example, e4 gets the center, with the idea of opening the bishop. e5 comss....
9
votes
5answers
28k views
Is there any good app for learning openings?
My great fail is that I cannot learn opening or initial play.
Normally I only play when I can connect to my mobile app (Chess Free on iOS), and play at a very low level (adjusted as a single bar), ...
2
votes
2answers
150 views
Openings that lead to opposite side castling
I really enjoy opposite side castling positions where I'm able to launch a kingside/queenside pawn storm and put my opponent under pressure. For this reason, I actually enjoy the Exchange French as ...
2
votes
2answers
111 views
What is White's main plan in Sicilian Keres variation?
I want to learn a new opening in the Sicilian defense called the Keres variation. What is White's main plan here?
[FEN ""]
1. e4 c5 2. Ne2
3
votes
1answer
166 views
How much does adding an opening book to a relatively weak chess program affect its strength?
Jonathan Schaeffer in One Jump Ahead (via the Chess Programming Wiki):
To solve the opening problems of his chess machine, Belle, Ken
Thompson typed in opening lines from the Encyclopedia of Chess
...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Up to which rating is my strategy in the opening is applicable?
I don't want to waste time on opening preparation. By this, I mean that I don't want to have to understand/memorize the moves or the typical plans in the middlegame. I just want to develop my pieces, ...
5
votes
8answers
949 views
Opening as a Beginner: Mainlines or Offbeaten path?
I am approximately 1500 OTB (Lichess Classical 1750, chess.com 1540, internal rating in my club ~1500), and of course I would like to improve. Work and family are demanding, so naturally I would like ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
How to score a certain move in a PGN, for how well opening theory is followed
I am making a bot that plays opening moves from a PGN. When the player reaches a position out of PGN, I want to give a score to the player how well he followed the PGN. What kind of statistics can I ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Developing the king before developing most of your pieces
I saw this opening for the first time and was amazed by the position of the white king.
[FEN "?"]
[startply "21"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h6 5. g4 Bd7 6. h5 e6 7. f4 c5 ...
6
votes
4answers
398 views
Most common tactic motifs in the opening phase of chess
On analyzing my games, I found that I usually miss tactics in the opening than during middlegame and endgame. To supplement my study by solving tactical problems based on motifs, it would be helpful ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
How to avoid falling into unfamiliar traps in the opening stage?
I will be playing with a player in a few days and his level (1400ish) is slightly lower than mine (1500ish). However, he is very familiar with dubious gambits and opening traps and I can easily lose ...
23
votes
9answers
7k views
Systematic approach to learning opening/endgame theory?
Some relevant information: I've been playing chess for 4 years, and for 3 in tournaments, although I've only played in about 10 tournaments so far (3 big ones, like the Pan Ams and Chicago Open). My ...
0
votes
2answers
147 views
What Openings can I play against most openings?
I'm looking for a "universal" opening. For example the King Indian which you can play against e4 and d4 and several other openings. What other openings (Black or White) can be played versus ...
1
vote
1answer
98 views
Attacking as Black in the Caro-Kann
Is it possible to play the Caro-Kann aggressively/tactically as Black?
What are the attacking chances/ideas for black in the Caro-Kann? Or is it simply the wrong opening for that?
I found a few ...
0
votes
1answer
139 views
Will I have to memorize all this?
I never studied openings so decided to try it.My plan is to play e4 openings and Caro-kann for black.
Now to learn the Caro-kann,I have to look at the Advance,exchange and Nc3/Nf6 stuff variations.
...
1
vote
2answers
226 views
What's the point of the Two Knights French?
According to lichess, if Black simply goes 3...Nf6 against the Two Knights Variation, then the main line is 4.e5 Nfd7 5.d4. This is the exact same position as White would have reached if they'd played ...
2
votes
4answers
300 views
SCID not recognising transpositions
I like going through open variations and taking notes and saving them in my database.
However I have a problem. When I get to two of the exact same board positions and same color to play, if I got ...
6
votes
10answers
3k views
Why don't I have more success with the King's Indian Attack?
My last opening of choice as White was the King's Indian Attack to avoid having to learn a lot of opening lines, it being a system opening. I've read Eric Schiller's and Ken Smith's books on the KIA. ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
Why not 7.Bb4+ before playing Ne7 in the French Defence: Advance, Paulsen Attack?
After playing 5.Qb6 which I believe is the final move of the Advance variation of the French, my opponent played 6.a4. I followed with cxd4 and them by cxd4 as well. After that I couldn't remember the ...
13
votes
7answers
18k views
Countering The Wayward Queen Attack
I'm a new player =I just started playing again after an over 10 year hiatus. I'm (sadly) in the 600s.
I've been studying openings and I seem to do better in games where I can use the Italian game or ...
10
votes
5answers
824 views
Which chess opening to learn?
I decided to start learning some opening theory, so far I have only played online and studied a couple of end games. Seems that a correct approach might be to chose one opening for white and two for ...
5
votes
6answers
8k views
Which opening is most defensive as black?
I am relatively a new chess player and been improving my strength in the opening for a while and would like to know which opening is the most defensive. 1.e5 seems a little too aggressive.
2
votes
1answer
1k views
Most drawish and least drawish opening
Based on statistics (drawing percentage), which opening is the most drawish and which one is the least drawish? I am aware of questions such as this one, but my question is different.
There are two ...
