What opening would you recommended a clueless beginner to study for both white and black? I know there are plenty of resources online that covers various openings. Right now I'd like to find one rather "basic" that allows one to get into and get a feel for the game before I start concentrating on specific lines and the like. I understand, you need to crawl before you can fly. So I'd like to start crawling in the right direction.
Thanks.
Originally posted by pawntorook4i believe that if you are beginner you are better studying end games rather than openings.
What opening would you recommended a clueless beginner to study for both white and black? I know there are plenty of resources online that covers various openings. Right now I'd like to find one rather "basic" that allows one to get into and get a feel for the game before I start concentrating on specific lines and the like. I understand, you need to crawl before you can fly. So I'd like to start crawling in the right direction.
Thanks.
at least this is what i have read/been told in the past.
Originally posted by MCAi have a question about endgame vs opening study.. if i dont have a good opening, how can i get to the endgame.. course, i understand, what good is a solid opening if i cant finish?? can you say "chicken vs egg"???
i believe that if you are beginner you are better studying end games rather than openings.
at least this is what i have read/been told in the past.
Thing is, endgame you can understand much better why things are going the way they are. It is much easier to calculate in the end than in the opening and as Seirawan puts it "the endgame is where you can play like a GrandMaster". I for one will play a K+P Vs K as good as any GM out there 🙂
Of course it is pointless to study endings that you never actually see because you lose all your games in the opening or middlegame. I would recommend that you read "Logical chess Move by Move". This is not an openings book, it is a book that describes 33 games where every moved by both sides is annotated. This will give you much better understanding of what is happening on the board as welll as a taste of different solid openings.
After I read that (and I was a clueless beginner, thinking of it... probably still am) I decided to go for 1. d4 openings and I knew 2 or 3 variations up to the 6th or 7th move not because I study very hard the opening but because I played it a lot.
Then I dedicated myself (still dedicating) to middle game and to tactics... after reading Yasser Seirawan - Winning Chess Endings. Think is one of the most easy to read book on endings, it is not very complete but I doubt you need a much better one until you reach 2000 ratings.
Originally posted by pawntorook4I think the best solution would be to study whichever area of the game you feel is your weakpoint. After a while you will find that this is no longer the weakest part of your game and you can move on to study another area.
i have a question about endgame vs opening study.. if i dont have a good opening, how can i get to the endgame.. course, i understand, what good is a solid opening if i cant finish?? can you say "chicken vs egg"???
Originally posted by pawntorook4Well yes, but what you don't want to be doing is learning vast numbers of variations off by heart. The normal advice is that you need to find out about general opening principles first, and leave off looking at specific lines of play until later. Basically avoid very sharp openings for now. As black after 1. d4 you could try the Stonewall Dutch, which isn't sharp and has a fairly clear plan for black.
i have a question about endgame vs opening study.. if i dont have a good opening, how can i get to the endgame.. course, i understand, what good is a solid opening if i cant finish?? can you say "chicken vs egg"???
Originally posted by pawntorook4For beginners I would recommend Four Knights opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6), Italian game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5) Two knights game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6) and Evans gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4)
What opening would you recommended a clueless beginner to study for both white and black? I know there are plenty of resources online that covers various openings. Right now I'd like to find one rather "basic" that allows one to get into and get a feel for the game before I start concentrating on specific lines and the like. I understand, you need to crawl before you can fly. So I'd like to start crawling in the right direction.
Thanks.
First, learn the basics of chess. How the pieces move; the value, strengths and weaknesses of each piece; the balance of material, time, and space; and then learn *the* opening, not *an* opening. In other words don't concern yourself with with specific lines and opening names. Learn the general principles first that are relevant to all openings.
The basics of the opening: develop your pieces towards the centre, castle your king, connect your rooks.
- Don't leave pieces "hanging" unprotected, look for pieces your opponent is leaving hanging.
- Don't move pieces more than once (unless you have to)
- Keep a close eye on the f2/f7 square
- Don't "push pawns"
- Trade off pieces when it gives you more space or material value, avoid trades when it doesn't.
As a beginner, your mission to learn the opening is to learn why you should follow these principles and then check out a few annotated games off http://www.academicchess.org. Then move on to tactics and endgames.
I say Colle System and Reversed London System (aka the Boring Opening) as white, they're very similar to each other and relatively simple.
as Black, er, it seems harder to get away with skimming over theory in openings as black...guess it depends on your style...
but seriously, just pick something simple and study tactics + endgames
btw: i disagree with learning the Giouco Piano because you also have to learn the Two Knights Defense, which requires actual thinking.
Originally posted by pawntorook4I've played the KG with a lot of success mostly on principles.
What opening would you recommended a clueless beginner to study for both white and black? I know there are plenty of resources online that covers various openings. Right now I'd like to find one rather "basic" that allows one to get into and get a feel for the game before I start concentrating on specific lines and the like. I understand, you need to crawl before you can fly. So I'd like to start crawling in the right direction.
Thanks.
If you like keeping your pawns early the KIA will keep you equal and give you a nice system feel.
If you like very slow positional games, the Botvinnik Formation gives you a clear plan.