Hi, I'm 15 and about a 1500-1600 player (UCU rating). For a while I have been playing modern themed openings (Botvinnik System, Alekhine's Defence, Benoni Defence) but unfortunately I have problems with them. I find that they either work very well or are a spectacular failure, expecially the Botvinnik with the weakness on d4.
So, what I am looking for are some openings and defences that are very solid and resilient. I've settled on the French Defence against 1.e4, but I am unsure about what to go for against 1.d4 or how to open the game as white (I am thinking about London System or Colle System but I really don't know).
Any suggestions?
P.S. Sorry if my spelling or grammar is horrendous, I'm terrible at English.
Originally posted by lukemcmullanWhen I was looking for a repertoire, I tried to imitate the openings of my favorite players. As these players changed, so did my repertoire. In time, I learned which openings suited me.
Hi, I'm 15 and about a 1500-1600 player (UCU rating). For a while I have been playing modern themed openings (Botvinnik System, Alekhine's Defence, Benoni Defence) but unfortunately I have problems with them. I find that they either work very well or are a spectacular failure, expecially the Botvinnik with the weakness on d4.
So, what I am lookin ...[text shortened]... y suggestions?
P.S. Sorry if my spelling or grammar is horrendous, I'm terrible at English.
When I have bad results against a particular opening, I take it up. That's why I started playing the French Defense.
With white, there is only one first move: 1.d4 (I play it 40% of the time).😉
Originally posted by lukemcmullanMy feeling is to rather learn and play the traditional openings e4 or d4. And only then graduate to the moderns. Meet these openings with the same because it's about control of the centre. As White, the Ruy Lopez to my mind remains the best opening - so don't discount it. As Black, against e4 and if you're not going to match same with same, look at the Sicilian which seems to be the most popular these days. Leave the Colle system alone, it's unsound.
Hi, I'm 15 and about a 1500-1600 player (UCU rating). For a while I have been playing modern themed openings (Botvinnik System, Alekhine's Defence, Benoni Defence) but unfortunately I have problems with them. I find that they either work very well or are a spectacular failure, expecially the Botvinnik with the weakness on d4.
So, what I am lookin ...[text shortened]... y suggestions?
P.S. Sorry if my spelling or grammar is horrendous, I'm terrible at English.
PS Your English and grammar is perfect
The Colle system is fine, calling it unsound is stupid. Unambitious or stodgy might be a better word, but I actually think the Colle and the French are perfect choices for what you are looking for. As black against d4 you can play the Queen's Gambit Declined. The Colle system actually has some poison too it. If black doesn't watch out white can smash open the center with e4 and rough him up! I believe the Exeter chess club website has something on the colle, and something on the French too. They are free and instructive. Good luck to you sir. You seem to be an intelligent young teenager with a good chess career ahead of you.
Originally posted by propawnkillerno tactics! you need to learn tactics at first which is why i play the giouco piano alot (cuz i not that high rated). By playing this I get too see lots of tactics since it is the sharpest opening I know. Also this helps you, but in this you can go striaght for the king with hundreds of tricks and traps. After you are a tactician, you can play other openings!
why is that?
Try meeting 1.d4 with 1...d5. It is solid, as in Game 1368179.
I looked through your finished games. They were won and lost through elementary tactics. An opening repertoire is not terribly important until elementary tactics are second nature.
Originally posted by WulebgrLasker has a point. 😀
Try meeting 1.d4 with 1...d5. It is solid, as in Game 1368179.
I looked through your finished games. They were won and lost through elementary tactics. An opening repertoire is not terribly important until elementary tactics are second nature.
Originally posted by WulebgrI've seen this point made many times, and I understand the reasoning behind it. However, as a person who's games are usually still decided by tactics, I still need to decide what moves to make early on in the game that will not get things off to a bad start. It seems to me like adopting an opening might still be a good idea for people like me, right?
Try meeting 1.d4 with 1...d5. It is solid, as in Game 1368179.
I looked through your finished games. They were won and lost through elementary tactics. An opening repertoire is not terribly important until elementary tactics are second nature.
Originally posted by mikebindThat's why I advocate adopting the style of your favorite player(s). If you don't have a favorite player, that's okay. The point is to play through a lot of games between masters and imitate until you begin to understand.
I've seen this point made many times, and I understand the reasoning behind it. However, as a person who's games are usually still decided by tactics, I still need to decide what moves to make early on in the game that will not get things off to a bad start. It seems to me like adopting an opening might still be a good idea for people like me, right?
Many years ago I had no chess databases, as none existed. But I had a couple chess books. One in particulat bears mention: Wijk aan Zee Grandmaster Chess Tournament, 1975. I played through most of the games in this book while I was in high school. I started playing the Grunfeld and the Queen's Gambit because I learned them in that book. I liked some of the games and annotations of Svetozar Gligoric in that book, so I bought Gligoric's Best Games, 1945-1970 and continued imitating. He played the King's Indian Defense more often than the Grunfeld, but the Grunfeld seemed to make more sense to me, and against the sorts of opponents I was playing, the opening was more practical. Players who leave "book" by move four do not reach typical KID opening positions.
Inasmuch as these habits of imitation improved my play, I recommend them to others.
Originally posted by lukemcmullanI was always told to use the Nimzo Indian Against d4. The nice thing is, it can transpose back into a French sometimes.
Hi, I'm 15 and about a 1500-1600 player (UCU rating). For a while I have been playing modern themed openings (Botvinnik System, Alekhine's Defence, Benoni Defence) but unfortunately I have problems with them. I find that they either work very well or are a spectacular failure, expecially the Botvinnik with the weakness on d4.
So, what I am lookin ...[text shortened]... y suggestions?
P.S. Sorry if my spelling or grammar is horrendous, I'm terrible at English.