What do you prefer to open up with as white?
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What do you prefer to open up with as white?
I personally prefer 1. d4 but I also like 1. e4 but the sicillian tends to be a nightmare to face, what does everyone else like to open with as white?
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
I played 1.a3 2.b4 in the pub last night. I can't remember how it ended but i probably lost!
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
I’ve played 1.e4 for the last 3 years, but I’ve come to the conclusion there is just too much theory to study. Lately I’ve started going back to d4 - I’ve found I’ve been able to draw with players graded 20 points higher than myself, and I’m winning the easier games - a slightly conservative way to play with the white pieces, but it beats getting taken apart.
I always enjoyed playing against the Sicilian, it was the French (which I believe you yourself beat me with Tim, in a rapid play last year) which mainly bugs me - I love playing it as black, so psychologically I hate been on the white side of it
I always enjoyed playing against the Sicilian, it was the French (which I believe you yourself beat me with Tim, in a rapid play last year) which mainly bugs me - I love playing it as black, so psychologically I hate been on the white side of it
"When you see a good move, look for a better one!" - Lasker
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
Interesting way of gaining early queenside expansionGreg Breed wrote:I played 1.a3 2.b4 in the pub last night. I can't remember how it ended but i probably lost!
Yes that trap you fell for in the winawer at bury I love facing the french but because I play it myself it means I know the theory well I guessJon Mahony wrote:I’ve played 1.e4 for the last 3 years, but I’ve come to the conclusion there is just too much theory to study. Lately I’ve started going back to d4 - I’ve found I’ve been able to draw with players graded 20 points higher than myself, and I’m winning the easier games - a slightly conservative way to play with the white pieces, but it beats getting taken apart.
I always enjoyed playing against the Sicilian, it was the French (which I believe you yourself beat me with Tim, in a rapid play last year) which mainly bugs me - I love playing it as black, so psychologically I hate been on the white side of it
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
For a long time I played exclusively d4 type of schemes (sometimes starting Nf3 or c4), trying to leverage a relatively narrow repertoire.
At some point (possibly out of boredom), I had an epiphany: I'm a lousy amateur that likes chess, why should I leave out from my chess experience the half of it that starts with 1. e4?
Ultimately, I believe a player like me rated about 2000 can (and should) play almost any opening as either Black or White with minimal preparation. Many years of following top chess tournaments (and few books) apparently gave me enough patterns to play almost anything.
After almost a couple of years into this experiment, the results (and ratings) have not been impacted negatively... and I had a lot of fun, especially in some wild lines against the Najdorf (think of Bg5 f4 Qd2 and a piece sacrifice in b5/d5/e6). Some opening disaster also, but I cant really say they never happened before
At some point (possibly out of boredom), I had an epiphany: I'm a lousy amateur that likes chess, why should I leave out from my chess experience the half of it that starts with 1. e4?
Ultimately, I believe a player like me rated about 2000 can (and should) play almost any opening as either Black or White with minimal preparation. Many years of following top chess tournaments (and few books) apparently gave me enough patterns to play almost anything.
After almost a couple of years into this experiment, the results (and ratings) have not been impacted negatively... and I had a lot of fun, especially in some wild lines against the Najdorf (think of Bg5 f4 Qd2 and a piece sacrifice in b5/d5/e6). Some opening disaster also, but I cant really say they never happened before
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
Team chess can help as well, you can borrow ideas and styles of play from those you sit next to.Paolo Casaschi wrote:Many years of following top chess tournaments (and few books) apparently gave me enough patterns to play almost anything
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
Certainly; please don't tell anyone, but I feel free to borrow ideas and styles also from complete strangers sitting next to me at individual tournamentsRoger de Coverly wrote:Team chess can help as well, you can borrow ideas and styles of play from those you sit next to.Paolo Casaschi wrote:Many years of following top chess tournaments (and few books) apparently gave me enough patterns to play almost anything
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
1.e4 - Best by test!
I have dabbled with 1.d4 a couple of times - without success, simply as I have never played it so I am not quite as familiar with the types of position that are reached. I guess it would probably help my chess if I just tried playing exclusively 1.d4 for six months and see what happens.
I have dabbled with 1.d4 a couple of times - without success, simply as I have never played it so I am not quite as familiar with the types of position that are reached. I guess it would probably help my chess if I just tried playing exclusively 1.d4 for six months and see what happens.
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
1. e4
Don't fear the Sicilian, there are plenty of anti-Sicilian systems out there. You can even play 2. c3 with little preparation. A quick look at the main lines and you'll be fine.
Don't fear the Sicilian, there are plenty of anti-Sicilian systems out there. You can even play 2. c3 with little preparation. A quick look at the main lines and you'll be fine.
Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
For the last 20 years or so I have played almost exclusively 1.Nf3 as white.
I often end up in a Queen's pawn or English type system, very occasionally I play 2.e4.
This season all that is going to change and I will be playing 1.e4 and 2.Nf3, to bring a bit more excitement to my games. Against the Sicilian I will play 2.Nc3.
I have already played e4 for the last 3 months or so in online games with a long time limit and my results are actually slightly better than they were before. Of course in online games I can look up the opening theory as necessary - when I start to play league games at the end of September, I am going to have to try and remember it!
I often end up in a Queen's pawn or English type system, very occasionally I play 2.e4.
This season all that is going to change and I will be playing 1.e4 and 2.Nf3, to bring a bit more excitement to my games. Against the Sicilian I will play 2.Nc3.
I have already played e4 for the last 3 months or so in online games with a long time limit and my results are actually slightly better than they were before. Of course in online games I can look up the opening theory as necessary - when I start to play league games at the end of September, I am going to have to try and remember it!
Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
Well depends what yhou feel comfortable im only 12 but i use to open up with e4 all the time but this season i will open up with 1.d4 as i find it easier and more complex to win! You also have to keep revising all the devised varistion as if you make 1 mistake in sharp opening you will be bashd a hell of a lot
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
"Team chess can help as well, you can borrow ideas and styles of play from those you sit next to."
Absolutely - I sat next to Robin Haldane for most of a season where he was playing exciting lines as white, whilst I had dull QGDs as black. When I got white at last, I played one of Robin's favourites. I will treasure the look on his face when he noticed. (Our opponents must have wondered why we were trying not to laugh. We explained afterwards.) For a change I got the 20 move win, whilst Robin was fighting on to time-control.
Absolutely - I sat next to Robin Haldane for most of a season where he was playing exciting lines as white, whilst I had dull QGDs as black. When I got white at last, I played one of Robin's favourites. I will treasure the look on his face when he noticed. (Our opponents must have wondered why we were trying not to laugh. We explained afterwards.) For a change I got the 20 move win, whilst Robin was fighting on to time-control.
"Kevin was the arbiter and was very patient. " Nick Grey
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
I used to be an exclusive e4 player, but sometimes it is just too "forced" and when your opponent plays a line he's expert in, it is a bit too easy for him to reach a completely equal position.
So I have been testing the "hypermodern" approach with Nf3, trying not to move the "e" and "d" pawns for as long as possible. That's quite funny actually: without a fixed pawn structure, the battle becomes very strategic, and flexible pawn structures allow you to outplay your opponent on a strategic basis rather than on a tactical one. Good fun I have to say.
So I have been testing the "hypermodern" approach with Nf3, trying not to move the "e" and "d" pawns for as long as possible. That's quite funny actually: without a fixed pawn structure, the battle becomes very strategic, and flexible pawn structures allow you to outplay your opponent on a strategic basis rather than on a tactical one. Good fun I have to say.
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
How good is the Barry Attack ? I see Mark Hebden no longer plays it and he was one of the main protagonists.
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Re: What do you prefer to open up with as white?
He played it at Torquay in the British, but seems to have given it a miss at the London Classic Open and Hastings. As to how good it is, that's one of the reasons why he made it work for so long. His typical Congress fodder, players in the 2000-2200 range don't really know.Barry Sandercock wrote:How good is the Barry Attack ? I see Mark Hebden no longer plays it and he was one of the main protagonists.
It might be this game, played just after the British that has caused a rethink.