beginner / intermediate level books on openings
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looking for some advice on learning how to play/learn 2-3 solid openings.. anyone please ?
Fundamental Chess Openings, Van dear Sterren
If you are going to go down the dark path of reading about openings, then I recommend:
-First Steps 1.e4 e5 by Emms (which he considers a sequel to his “Discovering Chess Openings”, also a good book)
-Starting Out: 1.e4 by Neil McDonald
-The Queen’s Gambit Declined by Sadler
-Starting Out: The Queen’s Gambit Declined by Neil McDonald.
The Emms’ First Steps Book gives explanations and recommendations for Black and White, and also has a section on the Ruy Lopez. He suggests 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 for White then gives suggestions for the different openings after that, depending on what the reader might find to his/her taste. With Black, he recommends 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, then gives suggestions for the different openings after that, again depending on the readers’ preference.
I find the above books far more helpful than FCO or Collins’ one-volume opening survey, both of which have less explanation and lots more “moves per word” since they were trying to cram a lot into one volume (more like mini-references than instructional in my opinion).
Watsons’ four-volume series, “Mastering the Chess Openings”, comes highly recommended, but is for more advanced players and has lots of strings of unexplained moves.
-First Steps 1.e4 e5 by Emms (which he considers a sequel to his “Discovering Chess Openings”, also a good book)
-Starting Out: 1.e4 by Neil McDonald
-The Queen’s Gambit Declined by Sadler
-Starting Out: The Queen’s Gambit Declined by Neil McDonald.
The Emms’ First Steps Book gives explanations and recommendations for Black and White, and also has a section on the Ruy Lopez. He suggests 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 for White then gives suggestions for the different openings after that, depending on what the reader might find to his/her taste. With Black, he recommends 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, then gives suggestions for the different openings after that, again depending on the readers’ preference.
I find the above books far more helpful than FCO or Collins’ one-volume opening survey, both of which have less explanation and lots more “moves per word” since they were trying to cram a lot into one volume (more like mini-references than instructional in my opinion).
Watsons’ four-volume series, “Mastering the Chess Openings”, comes highly recommended, but is for more advanced players and has lots of strings of unexplained moves.
Sep 21, 2018
0
#4
I don't know quite what you mean by "solid", but I'll assume you mean "playable at a high level", not "defensive in nature".
Smerdon's Scandinavian is a decent choice. The book is written in a humorous and easy-to-understand way, and provides a comprehensive response to 1.e4, which as a beginner, will be about 70-80% of your games as black.
Here is what Jeremy Silman IM John Donaldson on Silman's website [edit: thanks kindaspongey!] had to say:
"The line Smerdon advocates [1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4] leads to sharper, more open positions with plenty of piece play emphasizing quick development — just the sort of opening that club players need. Often Black castles queenside after White has castled kingside, leading to sharp attacking play.
Smerdon’s Scandinavian is the rare opening book that is appropriate for amateur players."
Sep 21, 2018
0
#5
DeirdreSkye wrote:
The Portuguese gambit is one of the most complicated lines of opening theory. I have no idea why Silman said Smerdon's book is appropriate for amateur players. Either they are buddies or he was drunk or I am missing something.
Is there a simple way to play the Portuguese and I don't know it ?
It's less theory than trying to learn all of the open games as you suggested, in my opinion. And while individual lines can get tactical (i.e. theoretical), the overarching themes are pretty simple: develop your pieces quickly, provoke weaknesses, and play for checkmate or against white's center pawns.
But as you said in your first post, at the beginner level, "no one plays theory", so how much theory really needs to be memorized anyway? Developing tactical ability should be number one priority.
Sep 21, 2018
0
#7
cceeeess wrote:
looking for some advice on learning how to play/learn 2-3 solid openings.. anyone please ?
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-openings-books-for-beginners-and-beyond
"... For beginning players, [Discovering Chess Openings] will offer an opportunity to start out on the right foot and really get a feel for what is happening on the board. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Detailed suggestions are provided by Moret in his My-First-Chess-Opening-Repertoire books.
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9033.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9050.pdf
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/vincent-moret/
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014) combines explanation of principles with starting opening suggestions. Of necessity, his opening descriptions are less detailed (than those of Moret) because he tried to offer choices to the reader and give some indication of how a player might choose what to try.
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf
Some players may not like the idea of relying on the limited selection of an author. It is a pretty daunting project to try to learn a little bit about a lot of openings, but, if one wants more freedom to make choices, it would make sense to look at a book like Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Openings.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
While reading such a book, don't forget that the primary purpose is to get help with making choices. Once one has chosen openings, I again think that there is wide agreement that the way to start is by playing over sample games. Some of us think that it can be useful to use books like First Steps: 1 e4 e5 and First Steps: Queen's Gambit
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7790.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7652.pdf
as sources of games with explanations intended for those just starting to learn about an opening. Be sure to try to use the openings in games in between sessions of learning. Most of the time, one faces a position with no knowledge of a specific move indicated in a book. One has to accept that as part of chess, and think of opening knowledge as a sometimes helpful aid. After a game, it makes sense to try to look up the moves in a book and see if it has some indication of how one might have played better in the opening. Many opening books are part explanation and part reference material. The reference material is included in the text with the idea that one mostly skips it on a first reading, and looks at an individual item when it applies to a game that one has just played. Resist the temptation to try to turn a book into a mass memorization project. There are many important subjects that one should not neglect because of too much time on opening study.
https://www.chess.com/article/view/learning-an-opening-to-memorize-or-understand
https://www.chess.com/article/view/3-ways-to-learn-new-openings
https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-understand-openings
"... Overall, I would advise most players to stick to a fairly limited range of openings, and not to worry about learning too much by heart. ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2008)
"... I feel that the main reasons to buy an opening book are to give a good overview of the opening, and to explain general plans and ideas. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)
"... If the book contains illustrative games, it is worth playing these over first ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)
"... the average player only needs to know a limited amount about the openings he plays. Providing he understands the main aims of the opening, a few typical plans and a handful of basic variations, that is enough. ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2008)
"... Everyman Chess has started a new series aimed at those who want to understand the basics of an opening, i.e., the not-yet-so-strong players. ... I imagine [there] will be a long series based on the premise of bringing the basic ideas of an opening to the reader through plenty of introductory text, game annotations, hints, plans and much more. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627055734/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen38.pdf
"The way I suggest you study this book is to play through the main games once, relatively quickly, and then start playing the variation in actual games. Playing an opening in real games is of vital importance - without this kind of live practice it is impossible to get a 'feel' for the kind of game it leads to. There is time enough later for involvement with the details, after playing your games it is good to look up the line." - GM Nigel Davies (2005)
"... Review each of your games, identifying opening (and other) mistakes with the goal of not repeatedly making the same mistake. ... It is especially critical not to continually fall into opening traps – or even lines that result in difficult positions ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627062646/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman81.pd
Various items of possible interest:
"There is no such thing as a 'best opening.' Each player should choose an opening that attracts him. Some players are looking for a gambit as White, others for Black gambits. Many players that are starting out (or have bad memories) want to avoid mainstream systems, others want dynamic openings, and others want calm positional pathways. It’s all about personal taste and personal need.
For example, if you feel you’re poor at tactics you can choose a quiet positional opening (trying to hide from your weakness and just play chess), or seek more dynamic openings that engender lots of tactics and sacrifices (this might lead to more losses but, over time, will improve your tactical skills and make you stronger)." - IM Jeremy Silman (January 28, 2016)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/opening-questions-and-a-dream-mate
https://www.chess.com/article/view/picking-the-correct-opening-repertoire
http://chess-teacher.com/best-chess-openings/
https://www.chess.com/blog/TigerLilov/build-your-opening-repertoire
https://www.chess.com/blog/CraiggoryC/how-to-build-an-opening-repertoire
"... A typical way of choosing an opening repertoire is to copy the openings used by a player one admires. ... However, what is good at world-championship level is not always the best choice at lower levels of play, and it is often a good idea to choose a 'model' who is nearer your own playing strength. ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2008)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-perfect-opening-for-the-lazy-student
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9035.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627110453/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen169.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9029.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/has-the-king-s-indian-attack-been-forgotten
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7277.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627104938/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen159.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627022042/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen153.pdf
"... Once you identify an opening you really like and wish to learn in more depth, then should you pick up a book on a particular opening or variation. Start with ones that explain the opening variations and are not just meant for advanced players. ..." - Dan Heisman (2001)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626180930/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf
"... To begin with, only study the main lines ... you can easily fill in the unusual lines later. ..." - GM John Nunn (2006)
"... For inexperienced players, I think the model that bases opening discussions on more or less complete games that are fully annotated, though with a main focus on the opening and early middlegame, is the ideal. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)
"... I think people tend to be afraid of the main lines. They think: ... sure, I'm going to take up (say) 5 Bg5 against the Semi-Slav, once I've got time and learned it properly. ... My advice is - don't bother. The more you learn anyway, the more you'll recognize how little you know. ... 5 Bg5 is a good move - get it on the board, get ready to fight, and see what happens.
Sure, there will come a time, whether on move two or move twenty, when your knowledge of theory runs out and you have to decide what to do on your own. ... sometimes you will leave theory first, sometimes your opponent. Nothing will stop this happening. It happens in every well-contested GM game at some point, usually a very significant point. This is a part of the game: an important part, something you have to get better at. ... to improve you have to challenge yourself; ..." - IM John Cox (2006)
"... 'Journey to the Chess Kingdom' ... is primarily intended for children ... Chapter five deals with opening principles, while chapter six provides an overview of the most popular chess openings. Importantly, the emphasis is on giving insights and explaining ideas and principles as opposed to advocating mindless memorization of long lines. ..." - WGM Natalia Pogonina (2014)
https://www.chess.com/blog/Natalia_Pogonina/book-review-quotjourney-to-the-chess-kingdomquot
"... [Fundamental Chess Openings by Paul van der Sterren] is not particularly suited for players who are just starting out. I would imagine players rated at least 1400-1500 would get the most benefit from this volume. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2009)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626173432/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen128.pdf
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/FCO-Fundamental-Chess-Openings-76p3561.htm
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/FCO_Fundamental_Chess_Openings.pdf
I would strongly recommend examining the sample.
d0su wrote:
… Here is what Jeremy Silman had to say:
"The line Smerdon advocates ..."
That was IM John Donaldson.
Sep 21, 2018
0
#11
kindaspongey wrote:
d0su wrote:
… Here is what Jeremy Silman had to say:
"The line Smerdon advocates ..."
That was IM John Donaldson.
You are correct. The page title ("Smerdon's Scandinavian - Jeremy Silman") threw me off.
Thanks all !
Smerdon’s Scandinavian is not 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4. It Is 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6.
According to the back cover it is a complete repertoire for Black after 1.e4 d5.
It is an attacking repertoire for Black that results in mostly in tactical skirmishes. Which as I understand it is just what amateur should be playing.
The book is divided into 5 sections the first 4 deal with different responses to 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 by White. The last one deals with responses other that 2.exd5 such as the BDG.
One of the reasons people at my level do not develop repertoires is because our opponents do not consistently play the “correct” first 3 to 5 moves. Where as they will almost always play 2.exd5.
At my level players will not accept most gambits, I used to try and play the Danish, but I did not have it completely accepted even once. Most of the time I ended up playing the Philidor.
I have never played the Portuguese Gambit. Which is the largest section in the book. Nor have I played against 3. Nf3.
Most of the time I am out of the book by move 5. So yes there is a lot of the book I do not use.
At my level there are openings that you can use to build a repertoire. I can think of three: 1. The Scandinavian, 2. The Philidor, 3. The King’s Gambit.
Another thing is the Scandinavian is currently uncommon at my level, much less common than the Philidor and perhaps now is the time for me to return to the Smerdon’s Scandinavian as my primary weapon.