Questions tagged [opening]
Questions relating to the initial moves of the game and their aims
1,752 questions
1 vote
1 answer
80 views
Why is the engine best move in the Petrosian variation against the Grunfeld third most played?
In the following position the engine recommends Bf4 at low and high depths but in the masters database is the third most played move with only 16%, why is this?
- 45
6 votes
2 answers
3k views
I hate playing white
Long story short: I'm a 2200 rated player, I'm satisfied with my black repertoire, but I really HATE playing white, as I often end up clearly worse when I try principled lines, or slightly worse when ...
1 vote
4 answers
166 views
How does opening study work if Chess games aren't predictable?
My question: For example, say you're learning the Ruy Lopez. Any opening book will present it using some line of play, often an entire game until checkmate. Even if you play through that game and ...
- 49
1 vote
1 answer
76 views
Aggresive line against Colle system
I'm trying to find an edge as black against the 'Colle System'. One of the suggestions I found "labelled" as 'Anti-Colle' is developing the light-squared bishop actively (something like Bf5)....
- 113
1 vote
2 answers
120 views
Confused about where to go from learning opening principles [duplicate]
Sample Game https://lichess.org/kTn67W90ICEW I have used John Emms' Discovering Chess Openings and Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess book on Openings to learn basic principles. For instance, I ...
- 49
4 votes
2 answers
153 views
Intermediate: Should I change openings because I don't like IQP positions (against stronger players)?
I have an OTB rating of about 1600 FIDE. I want to keep my opening work to a minimum, as I don't have much time as a working adult. Thus I bought Sielecki "My first opening courses" both for ...
- 611
-1 votes
2 answers
91 views
After 1. d4, is 1. ... c6 good at all? [duplicate]
According to Lichess' database for masters, it is played less than 1% of the time, which seems to indicate it is a bad move. On the other hand, after 1. d4 c6, the most common two responses among the ...
- 9,479
1 vote
0 answers
83 views
How did the Alatortsev Variation get its name?
In the Queen's Gambit Declined, a popular move order is 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Be7, often referred to as the Alatortsev Variation. rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 4 ...
- 71
2 votes
1 answer
160 views
What is black's source of compensation in this line of the Giuoco Pianissimo?
This position is based on a line that I found during analysis after my game, though it never actually occurred. Black goes down a piece for a pawn and damages whites structure, but white is still able ...
8 votes
2 answers
2k views
When do games typically "leave known territory"?
For the sake of the discussion, let's assume "good chess players" here, maybe strong amateurs and professionals, and "serious" games (for example, no bong cloud), and classic chess....
3 votes
1 answer
1k views
Just a simple opening, but I got brilliant. Why?
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Qf6 6. Nd5 I got a brilliant (in Chess.com) in 6. Nd5. Can somebody please explain why it is brilliant move? The next few moves are: [StartPly "11&...
- 133
2 votes
1 answer
245 views
Comparing e5 vs exd5 in those three positions (Nimzo, Smith-Morra, Danish)
Compare those three positions: Danish Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 Nc6 4.cxd4 d5): [Title "Danish Gambit"] [StartPly "9"] [FEN ""] 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 Nc6 4.cxd4 ...
0 votes
1 answer
95 views
In this pretty common position, what are the strategies behind the different queen placements?
r1b1kb1r/ppp2ppp/2n5/3qp3/8/2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 1 7 After 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3 which I believe is quite common with the knight sacrifice + ...
0 votes
1 answer
100 views
Opening suggestion for black vs d4/c4/Nf3 where I can reuse my Reti (white) and French (black) knowledge
As white I always play 1.Nf3 and usually follow it up with b3-Bb2, or g3-Bg2-c4. As black against e4, I play French. In general, my approach is to play solid and give opponent some static weakness (...
- 2,522
1 vote
0 answers
74 views
In the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy, Linksspringer Variation, why is c4 sometimes not the preferred move
I'm used to play against line similar to this one: 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.d5 Nce7 4.Nf3 which I think is called Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy, Linksspringer Variation Usually, White plays c4 at one point ...