Which opening would you recommend with white for classical OTB games !?

IM strength? Something offbeat if you have experience. I would do d4 as generally people have less prep against that.

No I'm saying something like b3 is offbeat but people don't have much d4 prep unless they have a pet opening against it, like me.

#1

"I normally play Sokolsky with white and it's served me very well, in blitz and rapid time controls.
What if I'm playing classical or no time limit someone OTB and he is " IM FIDE  " ."
++ Your best chance is to play what you are used to play.

"Do you think I should still use what I know best Sokolsky opening OR learn a new opening? 
++ Whenever you play a new opening you are more likely to lose.

"Obviously if I'm playing IM FIDE I know I have less chances to win , it's common sense, but which opening do you think will give me a better chances to at least go in to equal endgame?"
++ Your best chance is to play what you always play.

Offbeat is NOT the way to go.  I would suggest one of the "Big 4", whichever you are most comfortable with (e4, d4, c4, or Nf3).

Forget about what they know.  What matters is that you know it and that it is sound.  I have played the Sokolsky in classic time controls.  If Black knows it, results are miserable.  Works better against lower rated kids and blitz.

In 2008, I played the Sokolsky against Lubomir Ftacnik (yes, the GM).  I resigned one move before he was about to execute eppolette's mate (WRc1, WRe1, WKd1 with Qd3# coming.)

Also, I can tell you that if Black knows it, 1.b3 is not good.  My best ever win over the board (opponent was rated 2447 and was an IM) was as Black against 1.b3.  Many play it to avoid a theoretical battle, but 1.b3 has theory, and if Black knows it, White usually has problems coordinating his pieces.

Whatever YOU know best amongst e4, d4, c4, or Nf3 is what you should play.  Do not base it on what might trick them.  They are IMs and GMs for a reason.  They do not get tricked by some stupid opening trap.

The funny thing is that all people giving advice here are much lower rated than the opening poster. Which is natural, given that the OP is in the top 99% of users (I guess).

So just to join the line: tygxc's advice is sensible, I agree.

d4 or e4 followed by Nf3 but it also depends on ur opponent's 2nd move

other options, Reti and Colle

its good if you are a positional player who does not like to make an initiative first until midgame

Sokolsky is good for blitz or rapid play sure, BUT is it really a good idea to give my first move advantage to a much stronger player when I'm playing white?  Probably not ! He's already strong and PLUS I'm giving him first move advantage.

I'm not saying I will play him or her now without my opening knowledge, I'm more saying I need to learn something solid if we are playing classical or no time limit game , where less tricks involve and more positional, strategical advantage's. 

I mean sure I can play e4 and go for Spanish etc... but do you think I will have an advantage there !? Where he plays this opening EVERYDAY with some GMs most likely not ! Similar story if I go for an Italian.

So I need to learn something JUST SLIGHTLY off beat, which is still good for white and he doesn't face in everyday life.

Like veresov attack or jobava or maybe KIA or...

Do you think it's better to go positional against IM  or tactically?  

Which opening to choose just one to invest my time on ?  Reti?  English?  Just d4 , KIA ? Catalan?  Or....? 

OBVIOUSLY if he's IM FIDE rated player like yourself he's HIGHLY professional and probably can outplay me no matter what opening I play I know that ! BUT which opening to learn so it gives me BEST chances to survive or at least equal game , maybe in some cases even win with some rare line if I'm more prepared.

Not sure what happened to the post (OP?) tygxc is quoting.

Nothing wrong with the answer tygxc (and pfren) gave. However, the question is a false dichotomy. The correct course of action is to play what one knows best AND learn a new opening. Faced with a strong opponent, whether to play the usual opening or to play a new one -- that one has been studying and planning to play sometime -- has no definitive answer. A strong opponent is likely to punish either choice!

Play what you know best.

A National Master friend of mine prepped for a tournament once. He booked up on some unusual lines, specifically for the tournament.

When he was paired against a grandmaster, he uncorked his home prep. It went as studied for several moves, but then the GM thrust out a wing pawn unexpectedly.

It was a dubious pawn sac, but my NM friend saw ghosts and maneuvered away from the pawn, instead of capturing it. A few moves later his other knight got kicked to an awkward square.

Half a dozen or so moves afterward, the position was a disaster. The GM had an attack rolling on one wing, and a firm clamp on the center. My NM friend had his pieces coordinated on the wrong side of the board - arranged for a position that never materialized.

He resigned in the middle-game, angry at himself for playing below his actual level. When I asked him what happened, he shook his head and said that he "got caught in his own prep".

If you are most familiar with the Sokolsky but don't trust it in classical games against top opposition, then you've picked the wrong opening system to specialize in.

If you want to point out that it is "sound enough for Blitz and Bullet" and that it gains you points at that time control... sure. But then you have no right to complain when you are left without a sound opening to play against strong players.

Playing for cheap tricks is a mistake that will come back to bite you as soon as you leave fast time controls and weak opposition behind you.

This.  Which I why I stopped playing the Bird except in fun games.

Just play what you know. Even if it is popular, if you just know the position better than your opponent or just feel confident, you can just play normal chess.

From the time I was 1400-rated, I played the Sicilian Najdorf as Black.

When I had the chance to play Black against Tal in 1988, what opening did I play?

Sicilian Najdorf.

what is this fear people have of playing unusual stuff vs strong players? my first OTB non-loss vs a GM was with 1.b4 (clean knight up in a messy game, but in time trouble, the GM drew me) and i even got like a +1  advantage right out of the opening vs Luifang Li once in an open when he was "merely" a 2550 USCF rated IM (but outplayed me later on). If you know your lines, black shoudnt really get any tangible advantage.

any opening that equalizes with white without reducing your winning chances to nil, or equalizes by  about move 20 for black without some horrendous weakness is playable. Now if you fear your opening/defense wont get you the type of position you desire vs such a player, then its time to expand your repertoire to include something that would. 30 minute prep a day before the game wont cut it so might as well play what you know.