On Openings: Stop Watering Weeds in Your Chess Garden!

...unless you’re aiming to grow a jungle of regrets!

For some time I've been waging a “crusade war” as I challenge the heavy emphasis on opening "theory" (actually the practice of the Masters) in early chess education and the role of the publishers in perpetuating this dangerous focus.

The chess world—especially for beginners—has been hijacked by an obsession with openings. The players, particularly amateurs, are sort of brainwashed into being one-dimensional consumerists of openings, spending disproportionate time on that part of game rather than building understanding through a broader grasp of chess ideas and concepts. 

Studying openings is a part of chess. Openings are important, but opening "theory" it is NOT. Not for beginners (one should just learn and follow the basic chess concepts and principles and you're good to go).

However, excessive focus on openings—especially for developing players—can be detrimental.

This is a systemic issue, not just a personal choice. Chess publishers are complicit because openings count for more than HALF of all chess material delivered to you (check @chessable Jan/Feb roundups below).

The publishers are not directly “complicit in a crime” in any legal or moral sense, but they do play a role in skewing how players approach the game. Openings are the sexy part of chess: concrete moves, and the promise of an edge right out of the gate. Publishers know this is easy to sell, easy to profit. 

This flood of content conditions beginners to see openings as the key to improvement, when in reality, it’s a grave disservice that slows or halts their growth. “Most players who spend their time studying theory never reach A-level,”—GM Lev Alburt.

It turns out the publishers profit by feeding an openings addiction rather than fostering real chess skills. They could elevate chess culture but instead opt for the easy sell (believe it or not, some of their experts and openings virtuosi are anonymous or pseudonymous creators of free content, their playing strength as low as USCF 1600; the "authors" on openings are sometimes very frank about their abilities, e.g. adam_a5x says he is "a big patzer in chess, so don't expect too much, learn this book at your own risk," —fair enough. GM Seirawan has had the liberty to call Nimzovich's ideas rubbish. How should we then call the content of these 1600-strong players?).

Chessable Roundup: January Edition. Harmful opening weeds out of control

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WHAT HARM DOES STUDYING OPENINGS DO TO YOUR MENTAL CHESS HEALTH

Excessive studying openings prioritizes rote moves memorization over understanding. 

Openings give you a false sense of security in the chess waters, while actually delivering a knockout blow to your developing proper chess skills.

Let's break down on how openings keep you away from what is really important and is actually heavily influencing the quality of play.

It’s extremely important to acquire proper skills and adopt the right concepts early in your chess studies. Learning chess—or any new domain—from a cognitive and practical how-humans-build-expertise standpoint should start with growing the conceptual knowledge as a foundation of your chess skills building. It serves as the understructure for all future learning. Without this solid base, your progress in any field can stall—or even grind to a halt.

Big-picture ideas, like understanding pawn structure, or the power of piece activity and coordination, act like a scaffolding. Once those concepts sink in and become second nature, they guide your decisions without you needing to overthink every move.

Chessable Roundup. February 2025. Only one non-opening item? Wow. Holy guacamole. Goodness gracious! (Kavutsky's Tactics x2)

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Early skills and concepts are the building blocks of knowledge. Just as you can’t construct a sturdy house without a strong foundation, you can’t tackle advanced topics without mastering the basics. A shaky grasp of fundamentals creates gaps that widen over time, making it nearly impossible to keep up as complexity increases.

To develop efficient skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, or more advanced specific techniques (e.g., prophylaxis, realization of advantage, exploiting weaknesses, piece coordination, pawn breaks, endgame precision, calculation, etc.) take time to refine. Starting early with the right approach ensures you develop these abilities systematically. If you skip this step or learn flawed methods, you’re setting yourself up for inefficiency.

To avoid the trap of misconceptions, adopting the right concepts early prevents you from internalizing mistakes or bad habits that can block your progress. When you learn something incorrectly—like a flawed and inefficient thought process—it sticks with you. Unlearning those errors later is often harder and more time-consuming than learning correctly the first time. Think of it like building a habit: the longer you practice the wrong way, the deeper it’s ingrained, and the more effort it takes to undo.

Mastering foundational skills early boosts your confidence and momentum, which is a key driver of progress. When you feel competent in the basics, you’re motivated to push forward and take on bigger challenges. But if you’re constantly tripping over gaps in your understanding, self-doubt creeps in. That discouragement can slow you down or even make you give up completely.

If you don’t prioritize the right skills and concepts early, the consequences of getting it wrong will make you eventually hit a wall. Advanced material assumes you’ve got the basics down pat—without them, you’re lost. It’s not just about frustration; it’s about time and energy wasted trying to patch holes in your knowledge while simultaneously pushing forward.

As you can see, proper skills and concepts at the start aren’t just helpful—they’re essential. They pave the way for deeper understanding, efficient growth, and long-term success. Skip them, and you’re not just slowing down; you’re risking a complete block to your progress.

The biggest blocker to your success in chess seems your excessive obsession with openings.

Samuel Bak, Various Openings... leaving your chess garden in ruin

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GRANDMASTERS VIEW ON OPENINGS

Several top chess grandmasters have expressed concerns about the detrimental effects of excessive focus on studying chess openings, particularly for developing players. They emphasize that an overemphasis on memorizing opening lines can hinder the development of essential skills like tactics, endgames, and overall chess understanding.

Garry Kasparov, has cautioned that too much focus on opening preparation can lead to a superficial understanding of the game. He advises young and developing players to prioritize tactics and endgames to build a strong foundation, rather than getting lost in the complexities of opening theory.

Magnus Carlsen is known for his intuitive and practical approach to chess. He has mentioned that he spends less time memorizing opening lines compared to many of his peers, preferring to focus on understanding positions and relying on his game sense. Carlsen’s perspective suggests that excessive opening study may not be as beneficial for developing players as building a broader skill set.

Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player ever, has highlighted the importance of creativity and independent thinking in chess. She believes that an overreliance on opening study can stifle a player’s ability to think independently during games. Polgar advocates for a balanced chess education, where developing players focus on fundamentals before delving deeply into openings.

Mark Dvoretsky, one of the most respected chess coaches, has stressed the need for a well-rounded approach to chess improvement. In his teachings, he emphasizes endgames and middlegame strategy, warning that neglecting these areas and the lack of the strong core skills in favor of excessive opening study can limit a player’s growth.

Vladimir Kramnik has spoken about the value of deeply understanding chess rather than relying solely on memorized moves. He suggests that developing players should focus on enhancing their overall game, as an excessive emphasis on openings might leave them unprepared for the complexities of middlegame and endgame positions.

These grandmasters collectively argue that while studying openings is a part of chess, excessive focus on them—especially for developing players—can be detrimental. They recommend a more balanced approach, prioritizing foundational skills to foster long-term growth and a deeper understanding of the game.

Focused, by Krzysiek Kulesza (Polish)

While the two at the chessboard seem intent on their game, the rest of the room bursts with energy and distraction; the chaos is undeniable

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Herewith, I'm sending an important message to the developing player:

Starve your opening distraction. Feed the right focus and priorities.

Obsession with openings is NOT opening your gate for success!

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