An Idea for an Easy, Sharp Repertoire

I think that right now the most efficient way for me to improve is just tactics-- doing tons of puzzles each day, and then having no more than 3 correspondence games to analyze deeply during and after. (unless anybody else has other ideas for quick improvement) To do this I want to get openings out of the way right off the bat-- develop an easy-to-learn but sharp repertoire that can last me for a few hundred points. Here is my idea, and I look forward to any suggestions, comments or concerns:

As white: e4

-Against Caro-Kann: KIA

-Against French: Advance Variation

-Against Sicilian: Smith Morra

-Against Scandinavian: e5, transpose to French Advance

-Against e5: OOPS! Need help here, not interested in ruy lopez or scoth

-Against Other: KIA

As black:

-Against Queen's Pawn: QID

-Against King's Pawn: French

-Against English: QID (not sure how well this works, looking for advice)

-Against Other: QID (again, not sure how well this works)

NOTES: So I'm trying to base my repertoire around the KIA, QID, and French, which I think tend to give pretty sharp games and different types of positions than usual. As I said I'm stuck with ideas for black against odd openings like the English and other, and I don't know if the QID works as a system. Also stuck with what to play as white when 1. e4 e5, I'm looking for different types of positions than the norm, don't really feel like a Ruy or Scotch. Some ideas I had were using the KIA also against the French and Sicilian (but I like using the Advance for the French, as I will be playing it from both sides and I think it would help).

Again, looking forward to any comments!

1. e4 d5 2. e5?! does not transpose to the French Defense and is quite weak. Black will obtain a French *structure* by playing ... e6 but first he can develop his bad "French" bishop outside the pawn chain by 2. ... Bf5. Even better is 2. ... c5! reserving the possibility of playing ... Bg4 later after White plays Nf3. Either way he equalizes easily and is well-placed to play for a win.

I suggest the Spanish Four Knights Game 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 as a practical solution to 1... e5. 3. Nc3 can also be used versus the Petroff.

The QID is not a complete defense to 1. d4. What are you going to do about 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3? The QID is bad versus this move order. Most QID players play the NimzoIndian 3. ... Bb4 here but that is a huge theoretical opening. There is also 3. g3 (Catalan) to consider.

You also need something else versus the English. The Nimzo/QID complex is a noteworthy exception to the idea that most defenses to 1. d4 also work well versus 1. c4.

Hmm, I didn't really think about e5 against the Scandinavian being so bad! What do you recommend, I find that regular Scandinavian games tend to be quite boring and not very sharp. Likewise, the four knights game ends up with positions which I absolutely despise. I really prefer more aggressive games.

As for your advice on the QID, I already have been playing Bb4 in that line and seem to do okay. I have no idea what to do against the English, maybe opt for a KID instead?

I think that if you like sharp and agressive games you should try to open the games and try open positions because they are full of tactis therefore I dont recomend the advance french better is 3.Nc3 to keep the game open. try open openings. If you dont like the Ruy Lopez nor the Scotch wich are good open openings you can try The italian game: Maybe the evans gambit

I've had alot of people tell me to try out the Ruy Lopez and Italian Game and stuff like that but those are exactly the type of games that I hate! 90% of my games in those openings will follow a similar format as shown below (maybe that's a bit exaggerated but you get my jist). For me, these open games seem to have no tactics! Maybe I'm doing something wrong and that's my problem.

I think you need to look into the Max Lange attack, a early d4 livens things up alot

That looks like just what I need! Thanks a bunch, I'll try it out. Looking at it briefly it looks like a main idea is Ng5? How sound is it, and do you win back the pawn easily? I couldn't find much on it with a quick search so it doesn't seem very popular..

NO MORE OLD STODGE! http://www.exeterchessclub.org.uk/Openings/nomoregp.html

Your plan in the Italian is c3 and d4; possibly d4 and c3. Possibly d4 exd4 e5. But you don't play Nc3, blocking your c-pawn!

See for instance http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/games/java/summer05/horowitz-lange.htm for ideas (the Max Lange Attack can also arise from 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Nf6 6.e5).

There is logic to this. Why do you think the French and Caro-Kann even exist? It is not because 1. ... e6 and 1. ... c6 are these amazing developing moves that everyone is dying to play. One blocks a bishop in for half the game and the other is a pathetic one-square wing pawn move. Neither move does anything to stop White from creating a perfect center with 2. d4.

In both cases Black wants to play ... d5 to challenge White's e-pawn. But he needs to prepare this move unless he is willing to concede time and space by allowing White to play 2. exd5 when no pawn can recapture.

2. exd5 is the punishment Black must accept for playing the Scandinavian. It is a punishment so serious that both the French and the Caro-Kann are more popular first moves despite their obvious drawbacks.

If you choose not to capture you then the Scandinavian becomes the perfect opening. Black plays the strongest and most thematic move on the board and suffers no consequences.

It's worth noting that 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 is an actual serious variation of the Caro-Kann. That's how much you have given up after 2. e5 c5!.

If you absolutely must avoid the main lines and all theory then 2. Nc3 is the second-best move. But a major reason this opening is popular with non-masters is that learning a main line and playing it well is White's only good option. All cop-out approaches give Black an easy game with winning chances.

Since you like the KIA perhaps you would like a g3 variation versus 1. ... e5. There are two that are simple and offer reasonable chances: Vienna Game 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 and the Glek Four Knights Game 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g3.

The Max Lange Attack is notorious for complicated variations where the player who remembers the most theory wins. Exactly what you said you didn't want in your original post.

Although Easy and Sharp normally don't mix together in a repertoire, I realized there are about 2 types of tactical games (I'm just generalizing the type of postion it usually comes out of). There are closed and open tactical games. Some examples of closed tactical games are the KID and the Modern (which is what I recommend). The other are also tactical games but use more open postions such as those from the Panov-Botvinnik Attack or the Two Knights Defense (Or possibly the Sicilian which seems to have the characteristics of both depending on the Variation you use).

For that sharp opening repertoire, it really depends on your preference. For those Open players, I recommend 1.e4 or 1...e5 and set-ups like the Giucco Piano, Vienna Game, Max Lange Attack and the Panov-Botvinnik Attack (That Caro-Kann is one stubborn defense!). Of course, your opponent can chose to play 1.d4 as White. So, try the Tarrasch Defense (This is about the best I can come up with as 1.d4 is notorious for closed positons) Oh, and for the French, I recommend the Advance Variation (another stubborn defense!) and for those Pirc/Modern defenses, try the Austrian Attack. And also, try the Grand Prix Attack or the English/Yugoslav set-ups against the Sicilian as these don't involve much maneuvering (Also, use the transpo trick with 2.Nc3 to get into the Grand Prix and avoid the Tal Gambit).

For those closed players, I just recommend the Modern and the KID or the Dragon as these usually transpose into each other and have similar set-ups with similar motifs. And for White, don't just waste that extra tempo, use it! So the recommended set-ups are the ones from the Closed Sicilian and the KIA.

Anyways, what is essential in these openings is a good sense of tactics,  a will to win even at the cost of extreme risks and a intuitive feel. Be careful though, sometimes it may be you who will fall on the wrong end of the tactics. You'll also need some strong guts. Very tactical games (which arise pretty often from these games) are not for everyone. Your have been warned!

Oh, and I forgot something. For those closed players, make sure to use either the Hippo (which even though looks passive, rocks) or the 4...a6 variation of the Modern. I have tried the 4...c6 variation and it usually difuses the fireworks or sometimes you are forced (by a bad move or something) to transpose to an inferior variation of another opening. Sometimes the c-pawn even becomes the main target. I recommend the book "Tiger's Modern" which does not only teach about that opening (like what it's supposed to!) but also helped me understand tactics and hypermodern openings more. Hope this helps!