Building the Berlin Wall

Hi guys, I need some help with a line of the Ruy Lopez, the Berlin Defence. I know it is a very solid opening for black, very drawish despite the king in the centre. 

Kramnik managed to hold 5 draws out of 6 when playing the Berlin Defence against Kasparov, who was white.

I need help with building the "Berlin Wall", any suggested lines?

Why is Ng5 the best? To be honest I think that's a worthless move. Black just replies Ke8 and then chases away the knight with ..h6, and you have achieved what exactly?

I'd say 9. Nc3 is the best move. That knight has to be brought into the game anyway and it's OK on c3.

Someone with a rating like yours should stop worrying about openings and go work on endgames.

exactly!

It's worthless to spend so much time on openings.  Work on endgames, middlegames, strategy, and especially tactics.

On the especially tactics note, stop playing the berlin defense, it's useless for beginners.  It's passive, so you don't learn tactics OR attacking as quickly as you do in other openings.  There are so many sharp and instructive positions, why play the berlin defense?  Because kramnik plays it?  Well kramnik doesn't need to learn tactics and how to attack, he already learned that as a beginner.

Im not exactly an endgames expert but i do noe all the basics and theories of endgames like active king, bad or good bishops, forcing promotions...

My chess coach (he is almost a GM, just needs a hundred or so points) says that my endgames theories are good enough for my level SO PLS I NEED HELP WITH THE OPENING.

ALSO DO NOPT JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR RATINGS, I JUST DONT PLAY OFTEN ON CHESS.COM!

http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=21905534

I was curious how you actually play.....

When black resigned they could have played b-f2+ winning the exchange.  From this very small sample you do in fact need to work on tactics.

This is actually a good problem becauase correct would have been d4, r-e1, n-d2 and c3

Sounds like you need to go with the "Great Wall Of China" your Berlin Wall will be torn down - get real dude............

Geez you people aren't cutting him no slack. Look in my option just go buy a the book or google the opening.

Timeless

Dont talk about ratings here. Either you help him with his question or just keep silent.

Every body  knows that you should know the endgame before you study opennings.

I didn't know that lol, when I first learned how to play chess I learned the opening. Thats probably why I'm so good in the opening and towards the end of the middle game I start to blunder and do stupid stuff. I have to say learning the opening really hurt my game. Now I'm learning the middle game, maybe one of theses days I will start to study the end game :)

agreed. so many U1000 players come and ask about where to improve in the opening when its a tactical flaw each time. should there should be a sticky thread explaining such a thing?

and I might add to the OP-

at a class player level nothing is drawish IMO. Im 1800 on here and even if I played only the caro-kann in all of my games there would still be hardly any draws. my oppenents and I just dont have the proper technique.

as for the berlin defense, getting a book may be a good spot to start

You said your coach estimated your endgame skill on par with your level -- well I'm telling you your opening knowledge of the Berlin is above par already.  In fact you could make it to 1800 knowing only what you just showed us.  As westcoastchess pointed out us class players loose because of tactics or endgame -- not by virtue of opening theory like the pros.

If you're under 2000 you get to eat tactics and endgames.  As far as openings go, all you need to do is choose an opening that fits your style, then without memorizing much more than you've shown us, play it for at least a year.

In fact, I'm 1800 and the only thing I could add to what you know already is that often white plays Nc3 and h3 then either doubles his rooks on the d file or, when black moves out his bishop to e6 early plays b3 and Bb2.  I can't tell you why any of that though, I just kinda remember that (guy at my club used to play it all the time).  Also black often plays h6 but I have no idea why... if he didn't should white play Ng5/Bg5?  I don't know... I don't know any of the theory... and I don't need to, I'm only 1800 :)

I don't see any Ng5.  Kindly explicate.  Thanks.

9 Ng5 Ke8 10 Rd1 h6 seems fine for black. There are plenty of more interesting moves for white: 9 Nc3, 9 h3, 9 Rd1+, 9 b3, 9 Nbd2, 9 c4, 9 Bg5+, 9 Bf4, 9 Re1, 9 a4, 9 Bd2. Nobody knows for sure which is better.
If you are good in endgames, then the Berlin is not a bad choice as you approach the endgame fast.

ummmmmmmmm you don't even need to play the berlin!

you could play a6, Nd4, Nge7, f5 e.t.c.

JUST CHECK WITH STOCKFISH

https://www.chess.com/blog/1cbb/3-most-memorable-berlin-draw-games