Questions tagged [opening]
Questions relating to the initial moves of the game and their aims
1,368
questions
10
votes
1answer
199 views
Why is …a6 played in the Exchange Slav?
[fen ""]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 a6
I do not see the point of this move. At first I thought it is aimed to prevent Bb5 and thus maintain the knight on c6, ...
3
votes
2answers
179 views
Why is the 'classical' Nimzo-Indian called the Noa variation?
I recently played 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5, and it was coded as the Noa variation of the Nimzo-Indian. There was a Josef Noa of Hungary, who lived from, 1856-1903, but his recorded ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Why don't people play the Englund Gambit?
[FEN ""]
1. d4 e5
I have been playing this gambit for over 8 months with extensive analysis and have come to the conclusion that it is a very playable opening and, in many cases, black can ...
6
votes
2answers
344 views
Black Lion opening plans for White's 5. Bc4 line
The Black Lion is a line that can be transposed from a Philidor or Pirc defense. I play with White this line.
[FEN ""]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O c6 7.a4 Qc7 8.Re1 ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Exchanging on d5 in queen's gambit like openings
I'm ~2170 rated but having avoided d4 d5 type setups my entire chess career, as some things are quite mysterious to me.
In positions where white has pawns on d4 and c4 and black has one on d5 (...
7
votes
6answers
4k views
Why does Stockfish recommend this bishop exchange early on?
When reviewing my games on Lichess, I very often find the Lichess engine recommending to me to sacrifice the bishop early on after checking the enemy king. I have created a sample game where you can ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Is calculation the most important aspect of playing chess?
In many of my games, I've come across opponents who can calculate really well and deeply. Generally I feel that I lose if I can't calculate as well as my opponents. So my question was really if ...
0
votes
1answer
80 views
Information on adding opening knowledge to an engine
I'm writing a chess engine in C# for school purposes. As part of the assignment, I need to read something from an external document. I was thinking of reading an opening book, but I can't really find ...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
How much do you actually learn from the book Modern Chess Openings by Nick de Firmian?
How much theory does the book actually cover and how far in terms of opening knowledge and building my opening repertoire will memorising every line of the book get me?
1
vote
1answer
108 views
How to avoid blundering in chess? [duplicate]
I realize that there is no point in playing good chess if you end up blundering away a rook or a bishop. I end up blundering atleast once in two games which generally ends up with me resigning due to ...
3
votes
3answers
342 views
How viable is the hippopotamus defense?
Clearly the defense is not viable in top level chess for classical time controls. Roughly at what rating is it viable to have the hippopotamus defense as your primary black defense?
2
votes
1answer
138 views
Black answers to Grand Prix attack
I am reading about the Grand Prix Attack and the main lines of development for Black. One line considered is as follows.
[FEN ""]
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. O-O
...
3
votes
3answers
163 views
Transposition into KID
I have looked at many grandmaster games where White starts off with 1.c4, which later mostly transposes into a King's Indian. However, Black could have immediately played 1...e5, which seems slightly ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3, is 2…Nf6 safer and easier to learn than Nc6?
I am an amateur player and do not have much time to study and memorise complicated opening lines. Am wondering after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3, if 2...Nf6 is a safer and simpler option for black than 2...Nc6. My ...
8
votes
2answers
824 views
Why don't masters prevent the pin after Bg4 in the modern Italian game?
In the Italian game, according to the Lichess masters database, the play usually starts similarly to
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Bb3
However, ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Owen's Defence playability
The Owen's defence is a chess opening which starts with 1. e4 b6!?. This opening is playable if Black can get a quick c7-c5 break, where he has a pawn on e6, b6, and then he pushes c7-c5.
However, ...
5
votes
9answers
3k views
Why aren't early opening moves generally given exclamation marks?
As the title above, why aren't early opening moves generally given exclamation marks? I see question marks for obvious opening mistakes from time to time, e.g. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6? or 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bg4?! ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
Listing engine evaluation of each game after opening to track my opening skill level
I've recently picked up the book "Pump up your rating" where the author talks about tracking each of your games with a post-mortem analysis. The report of all your games combined will show ...
3
votes
3answers
645 views
Playing Reversed openings
In chess games where my opponent is White, White may play 1. e3 or 1. d3, so when I play 1...e5 and 1...d5 in response, I find myself in a reversed opening where I have the opening advantage. What are ...
1
vote
3answers
408 views
Engine Evaluation Confused
The Muzio Gambit is -0.8 by Stockfish depth 22. However, if the f7-pawn is moved to the g-file, the evaluation falls to -3.5. How is that so? Both positions seem fine for White.
[FEN ""]
[...
5
votes
5answers
709 views
What is the most sound, yet still sharp, gambit?
I have played chess seriously for a little over a year and my style is an aggressive one. I started off playing really dubious gambits (at least in my opinion) like the King's Gambit and the Latvian ...
4
votes
1answer
105 views
What is the idea behind Schuhler Gambit?
The Schuhler Gambit is a line in the Sokolsky Opening.
[FEN ""]
1. b4 c6 2.Bb2 a5 3.b5 cxb5 4.e4
White gives away their b-pawn here. Stockfish claims this actually gives a small advantage ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
Stafford Gambit Accepted - Qe2 - What to do?
Today I have been playing some new lines I haven't tried before. I am quite fond of the Petrov (Russian) Defense and I found some interesting lines particularly the Stafford Gambit seemed to peak my ...
3
votes
2answers
140 views
How does one analyse openings judged dubious by engines?
I have recently picked up the Norwegian Defense (also known as Northsea Defense), 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6.
All modern engines claim it is not good. But I have great results (14W-1D-5L in 15+10 on 2000 ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
How to beat the Scandinavian Defense?
As a person(~2170 uscf) who has recently started playing the scandinavian defense(Qd6), and has played against the scandinavian defense on the white side, I find it hard to get any sort of meaningful ...
4
votes
5answers
537 views
Move comparison in this opening
In this opening, being White, I want to understand, for the next move, why is e4 not as strong a move as e3 or Nf3? I am a beginner.
[FEN ""]
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6
1
vote
1answer
152 views
What should be the next move for Black?
Both sides have had equal points untill now. If the Black knight is moved, then White can move their knight with discovered check. What should Black do?
[FEN ""]
[StartPly "11"] ...
1
vote
1answer
159 views
Grunfeld Defense as White
This opening gives White a big center and aims to destroy it. I have trouble playing the exchange variation as White because Black has great piece activity while my pieces are stuck in passive ...
-2
votes
2answers
377 views
Is the London system a good chess opening for beginners?
Is the London System opening is a good opening to invest on for getting deep on its variation for a beginner player (rank 1000-1100)? actually I heard it's a boring and systemical opening and for ...
-4
votes
2answers
72 views
Openings vs. Middle vs. End games [closed]
Which among the following is the most difficult to master in Chess games?
Opening vs. Middle vs. End
1
vote
1answer
113 views
Unusual sequence of opening moves in the Open Ruy Lopez with 6.d4 Be7
As title above,could someone kindly explain the tactical highlights of the rather unusual sequence of moves arising with the recent interpretation of the Open Ruy Lopez with 6.d4 Be7?
[FEN ""...
2
votes
1answer
209 views
How to look up my games based on specific opening in lichess?
This question is not related to chess as such and is more related to the chess website lichess. I tried asking in their forum but haven't yet got an answer.
I would like to look at my games based on a ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
Can Black punish a provocative h-pawn push against fianchetto setups?
This question might sound ridiculous, but I think it needs to be discussed.
[fen ""]
1. c4 g6 2. h4!? (2...h5 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 Nh7 (6...O-O) 7. Be3 O-O) (2...e5 3. d4 ...
5
votes
1answer
610 views
Reversed openings
Reversed openings, as in ones for Black that are played by White, have a characteristic that usually main lines for Black are obscure in White, and vice versa. How would this be true, since White is ...
1
vote
2answers
435 views
Is Anderssen's opening playable?
There is a certain opening called the Anderssen's opening that plays like this.
[FEN ""]
a3 e5 2. h3 d5.
Black has developed two pawns, occupied the center, and opened up the lines for ...
2
votes
2answers
91 views
Benoni setup defence
In the Benoni, there is a certain setup for White where there is a knight on g3, and a bishop on d3. White then starts a pawn storm with f4-f5, with a large attack. How am I meant to play against this ...
0
votes
1answer
96 views
Spielmann Nimzo-indian
In the Spielmann Nimzo-indian, the position after this completely reasonable line makes the position seem that Black is winning. However, the engine evaluation gives the position as equal. What sort ...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
In the open Catalan, should Black hold onto their pawn?
In the open Catalan, Black can hold onto the c4-pawn with b7-b5 and a7-a6. If so, then the queenside will have to be severely weakened. I think that this approach is reasonable and playable, but many ...
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Polish Opening development
The main idea of this opening is to get a mass of center pawns, for less development. How can White get his pieces out before Black can develop too many pieces?
2
votes
1answer
75 views
Grob Opening lines
I sometimes play the Grob in blitz, where most of my opponents attack my g4-pawn with 1...d5. However, some opponents play 1...e5, leaving me in a weird position. Is there any way to play against 1......
2
votes
1answer
372 views
Benoni Bc1-g5 move
In the Benoni, I often have opponents play Bc1-g5 as White, after I have fianchettoed my king's bishop. I don't know how to stop it. I know that it isn't the main theory, but I haven't found a way to ...
0
votes
1answer
126 views
Benoni e4-e5 push
In the Benoni, a common move in the position is e4-e5 and then Ng1-f3. Afterwards, I have worries about my opponent playing e4-e5 and creating a passed pawn, but up to now, I haven't met with this ...
4
votes
1answer
431 views
Borg and Grob comparison
The Grob is a white opening which starts with 1.g4.
The Borg(reversed Grob) is a black opening which goes 1.e4 g5, or 1.d4 g5.
Since White is a tempo up in the Borg, what difference will this make? ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
Lisitsin Gambit Traps
I've started to play the Lisitsin Gambit (1.Nf3 f5 2.e4), and this opening works well for me. However, I have analysed my games and found I have neglected to take advantage of several traps. What are ...
6
votes
1answer
776 views
Double Grob-Coca-cola Gambit?
I was using the opening explorer on Chess.com when I came upon the following line
1.g4 g5 2. f4 (Coca-cola gambit)!?
How did this opening get its name? It sounds like Coca-cola walked up to Fide and ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Why isn't 6.Bc4 considered by theory in the 5.Bxf7+ Traxler Counterattack?
In the Traxler Counterattack of the Two Knights Defense, after
[fen ""]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6. Bb3 (6. Bc4)
why isn't 6.Bc4 considered as a "serious"...
4
votes
1answer
117 views
Searching for players by primary opening choice
My opening repertoire consists mostly of openings that score respectably at the club level but rarely appear in high-level play, and far more rarely as any high-level player's primary choice rather ...
2
votes
2answers
252 views
How to play against the inverted Philidor opening with Black
I was playing with the Black pieces online today, and faced a very strange opening:
[fen ""]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d3 Nf6 4. Be2
I check the database, and it seems that 4...d5 is good for ...
1
vote
1answer
413 views
Traxler Counterattack
I've had a few looks at the Traxler counterattack before. It seems fine for Black, but somehow the engine (Stockfish) says that White has a +2.57 advantage after Nxf7, but not much advantage after ...
2
votes
2answers
180 views
Bird's opening problems
I've played the reversed Leningrad Dutch for some time, and I have the problem that when I play Nd2, Black forks my rook and queen on f6->g4->e3. I never get to push my e-pawn before Black forks ...
