Questions tagged [opening]
Questions relating to the initial moves of the game and their aims
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What are examples of very aggressive openings?
One of my favorite openings is the King's Gambit. It is extremely aggressive, and makes for a sharp tactical game without sacrificing too much material. It isn't played much at the highest level at ...
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Is there a good online opening training software?
There are a lot of websites to train your tactics, but I can't find any for opening repertoire. I am looking for something similar to 'Chess Position Trainer' but online, where I can import a pgn file ...
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What are pros and cons around banning castling?
Vladimir Kramnik has proposed on chess.com that castling be banned for the good of the game.
What are the kinds of objective points that might be made for & against this idea? Based on these, do ...
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What is the worst opening move, and why?
Grouping of initial moves of a chess game are well known, though I've never seen analysis of the worst possible opening move, any thoughts? If so, please provide more than just a move, but the exact ...
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Good openings for a beginner (for white)
I am a beginner in chess and I like to play some of my friends who are basically at the same level. Usually who wins is based on who makes that one amazing (and lucky) move and quite frankly I want to ...
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What openings are good for the repertoire of a tactical player?
I'm preparing an opening repertoire for a small "open tournament" that will take place in a few weeks.
I think I'm quite decent at tactical play, and I like situations that give me the initiative - ...
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How do I get a well-rounded understanding of chess openings?
So, it was inevitable. I am making progress in the middle-game. I understand positions better and my tactics continue to improve. My end games are still solid/superior for my skill level so I ...
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Are there any gambits involving sacrificing a piece?
My impression of the word "gambit" is the sacrifice of a pawn or several pawns at the opening stage of a chess game. However, based on the definition on Wikipedia, a gambit (from ancient ...
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What are the consequences of an early a6 in the Sicilian?
Once I encountered an opponent who used a very early a6 in his Sicilian Opening.
[FEN ""]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
What could have been his objective with this move and how should I have have countered ...
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What's a good way to learn opening theory?
I'm a hobbyist chess player and usually play online. While I've seen thousands of great chess games and win a fair number of games online, the one thing that I have struggle with is studying openings. ...
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Why is the French defence not played at the highest level?
I am a French defence player and I enjoy playing almost all the lines (Tarrasch, Winawer, advance variation, ...) because I think the play that follows the opening suits my style and I feel very ...
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The London System: Can it be broken?
I've faced the London System several times so far, and just don't know what strategy to adapt against it (I exclusively play Nf6 in response to 1.d4). I'm a highly tactical player, so I try following ...
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Why is the Ruy Lopez such a common opening?
The Ruy Lopez opening is characterized by the moves:
[fen ""]
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5
Why is this opening so popular? It does not appear to be particularly special/unique for white or black, so ...
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How do chess openings work?
A recent question by xaisoft got me thinking about a problem I had as a novice player. When I first started to play chess, I thought that the moves in an opening were independent of the moves made by ...
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Why is the Ruy Lopez a sensible opening for white?
As an amateur, I prefer the Scotch game as opposed to Ruy Lopez, since I feel that White loses tempo and Black seems to gain tempo with queenside counterplay in the main line.
[title "Ruy Lopez"]
[...
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Why always 4...dxc6 and not 4...bxc6 in the Ruy Lopez Exchange?
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/1ppp1ppp/p1B5/4p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b - - 0 1"]
In the Ruy Lopez Exchange, black always takes back the bishop with 4...dxc6. In Timothy Taylor's 2011 book Slay the Spanish, he ...
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What openings typify 21st century chess?
What openings are particularly typical of 21st century chess so far? To be more clear, which openings are particularly popular in the 21st century relative to the 20th century? For example, certain ...
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Does the first-move advantage for White have real meaning apart from the highest levels of play?
Most games that involve taking turns, with one player going first by lot or agreement, have some sort of advantage to going first. Tic-tac-toe, for instance, is a guaranteed draw for player 1, ...
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What is the worst opening move in Chess960 for White?
Is there a first move for white in Chess960 in which white can immediately blunder a piece or lose a significant advantage (say -2.0 or so)?
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Opening tree graph
I found this tree and found it an excellent visualisation:
Could anyone provide me with a graph that includes all common chess openings but to a lesser depth?
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What should you do when opponent opens with excessive pawn moves?
As a beginner I'm not spending much time studying openings (there are so many!) but trying to work on opening principles.
One principle I've read is not to move too many pawns in your opening moves.
...
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Can anyone tell me name of this opening where knight is sacrificed?
Is there any way to take knight and save rook at same time?
Please do tell name, so I can search on YouTube.
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6 3. Nxe5 fxe5 4. Qh5+
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Which notable players in chess history successfully used dubious openings?
I am reminded of a famous game between Karpov and Tony Miles where Miles played 1...a6 against Karpov's 1. e4 and still won the game.
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq -...
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What is the Bongcloud opening?
I have heard the Bongcloud opening mentioned on chess.com, but I have never heard of that. Is this a real opening, and if so, what is it?
user20520
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What should I do about the dilemma of castling early?
OK, it has been said that one of the opening fundamentals is to castle early, but I have a dilemma with this and it may very well be a natural dilemma that has to be dealt with or there may be signs ...
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Is Colle-Zukertort a good way to improve beginner play?
I'm still trying to improve my repertoire and building more towards aggressive openings which I find to better fit my playing style.
Colle-Zukertort seems like a popular one and I've seen it ...
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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 ...
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What proofs for refuted gambits are there?
I've stumbled upon this article a while ago, and I've also seen refutations for the Muzio Gambit (Joseph Kling & Bernard Horwitz - Chess Studies on Endings of Games). I'm wondering what other ...
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Is there value to learning openings as a new player?
Am a new player (had played before hadn't picked up a board for 3 years having never taken the game that seriously) and am going to try and commit to at least 1 rapid (10+5) game per day.
Have made it ...
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Are computers destroying chess?
These days I have been watching the candidates tournament, and I couldn't avoid noticing that players are reeling/scared of computer home preparation "a little bit too much".
For example:
1) In the ...
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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 ...
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What is black’s compensation in the main line of the Caro Kann?
After move 10 in the main line of Caro Kann, black has already moved its light-squared bishop four times, while white manages to develop quite a bit.
What exactly is blacks compensation for the lack ...
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Is learning opening theory necessary?
I have never studied opening theory. The closest I've gotten was briefly reading about several openings in books, but never memorizing or using any. While I haven't ever played in tournaments I have ...
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What is a tabiya and what is their importance?
I've heard the term Tabiya used online though I've never really run into it in any chess book I've read. I have an idea of what the term means but I'm not sure I'm correct, so first I'll say what I ...
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Playing the French Defense Exchange Variation
In the French Defense Advance Variation, 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 ..., there are some clear game plans for both sides, areas where you want a pawn break, where you want to attack, etc.
However, in the ...
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Why do some openings have Indian in their name?
Why are a few chess openings named King's Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Defense, Nimzo-Indian defense, and so on?
What is the significance of Indian in all these opening names? What's India's ...
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Why do masters open 1.d4 more often than 1.c4?
Why do masters open 1.d4 more often than they open with the English 1.c4?
STATISTICS
According to 365chess.com, 1.d4 is five times as common. Moreover, even if one admits Réti's 1.Nf3 as an ...
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What are white's plans in this Scotch Gambit position?
I'll skip the long explanation, but it's not uncommon for me to reach the following position as White out of the opening:
[FEN ""]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.O-O cxb2 Bxb2
(...
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Why is the Sicilian Defense considered hard to play?
I have been told never to play the Sicilian. It is a very complicated opening that even grandmasters aren't ever able to analyze and play well enough. But why, I ask?
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How should rooks be developed in the opening?
The opening is definitely a weak area in my chess game and I always feel like my rooks sit unused until well into the middle game (?). Is that just how things go, or is there a strategy that allows ...
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Did the Queen's Gambit series lead to an increased popularity of the Queen's Gambit opening?
A number of sources have commented on the impact of the Queen's Gambit series on the chess world, usually referring to online chess:
The Queen’s Gambit, the Chess Boom, and the Future of Chess
How ...
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Why is the King's Gambit not played often?
I have observed that the King's Gambit is usually not played at international level. Is there any specific reason for this?
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Openings - e4 vs d4
In more than 90% of chess games I play in, the first move is either d4 or e4.
When I am black, I try to counter e4 with Caro-Kann and Sicilian, and against d4 I usually just play d5 and see where ...
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What is 'space' on a chessboard?
I know, I know, this sounds like a ridiculous question, but bear with me.
As an example of my lack of understanding, let's take the advanced variation of the French defense.
[title "Advanced ...
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What is the theoretical consensus on the Roscher Gambit?
Edit: My mind played a trick on me after the fact. As Akavall notes in a comment, the Chadaev-Carlsen blitz game that I mention below actually proceeded 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nf3, a different gambit ...
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What is a good, aggressive response against the Sicilian Defense?
I would like to learn a good response against the Sicilian defense (in your opinion), for both blitz and slower games.
I am looking for a more aggressive response, since it fits best my style. ...
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Why does the London System have the reputation it has?
After being out of chess for many years, I became interested again. While I never studied in my earlier playing days, I always played e4 openings when white. That was partly due to that being ...
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Looking for an aggressive opening for black vs 1. d4
I like the King's Gambit a lot, and even the Latvian Gambit as black (with dubious results), so my style is very aggressive openings with potentially sharp lines and hack n' slash type of tactical ...
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Bird's Opening and the Dutch Defense
A naturally positional class-C player (c. Elo 1500), I have learned in recent years to push my f-pawn two squares early in the opening, to force myself to play tactical chess. The King's Gambit (...
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Alekhine's Defense variation, understanding white's overextended pawns, black's multiple early knight moves
I'm a casual, semi-serious chess player and have been an active player for over 10 years. In my time playing, one of the most unusual openings I have had the pleasure of playing against is known as ...
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