do you need to know chess Openings?

Do I need to know chess openings in order to play a solid game? Not necessarially win, just play a solid game. What are the advantages and disadvantages to knowing chess openings?

Point taken, sir. Thank you. Boy, do I have a lot to learn. LOL

Literally the worst metaphor I have ever heard

On topic: You should know opening principles, at lower levels that's all you need. That being said; it's not a bad thing to know openings, you just don't want to focus on them over tactics, endgames and long term strategy.

The concrete line of chess openings is the last thing you have to know. You will lose your games due to tactical reasons. (For example you do not see a 2-3 moves combination which wins a piece or something like that) So tactics is very important, but it does not mean that you should solve 100 tactical puzzles a day, it does not help, in a real game nobody will tell you that there is a combination on the board, you just have to find it. So if you find material about HOW TO spot tactical possibilities that is good, but if you play a lot of chess game it will be very useful also.

Endgames are very important also, you need to know how win a game if you have little endgame advantage, or how to drawn it from a little worse position. It teaches you general chess strategy at the same time.

Regarding the openings, you only need to know and understand the opening principles.

When you are starting out learning principles is better.

http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/ten-rules-opening 

The complications of opening theory are a waste as they will either be misunderstood or avoided completely.

Opening theory is really important and a good way to employ your time, as long as

1) you UNDERSTAND why you play a certain move, not just memorize

2) you don't go too deeply. The deeper you go the less likely is you're going to see it in a game

3) you understand what can be played OTB and what needs concrete opening theory. For example as white against the sicilian, if you play the closed sicilian then many of your moves are intuitive so you just need to know the general concepts; many moves can be equally good. On the other hand if you want to play the Yugoslav attack against the Dragon you really need to be booked up or you'll get smashed.

In this forum many people frown upon studying opening theory. I believe it's important because it gives you a solid foundation of strategical concepts, and also tries to consistently make you reach similar positions where you'll be experienced.

You can have the power of playing the first 10 moves like a GM. It's totally worth the effort.

Magnus Carlsen skips chess openings and he's #1 in the world...

Only because he plays less common lines it doesn't mean he doesn't know the opening theory for those lines.

I like to memorize chess openings (my faviorite is Ruy Lopez)

For solid (Because it can mean so many things it's best to take the word at face value)

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/solid

So aside from the irony of the 4th definition, you cannot play a solid without an actual opening rather it's elaborate or simple. You can have a solid middlegame, but if that's only one aspect of the game.

Advantages

Openings give you a head start on your middle game so your peices are developed and working towards a goal. This may not seem important against weaker players but weakness are asily exploitable in chess. A good metaphor is "just telling soldiers to run out there and do stuff until there are too many bad guys for you to deal with. Then try to come up with some good ideas." or "run the first few miles of a marathon however you want. once you get tired try pacing yourself". So common sense says the less weakness in your development the better and planning earlier is better then waiting till the situation escalades.

Disadvantages

You have to learn more fundamentals...so time? Learning the fundamentals isn't bad but it'll take effort. Just moving peices because a pro did it doesn't put you in a good position.

Also note that there's a difference between knowing the moves of an opener and Knowing the opener. It's like comparing what someone looks like vs who someone is.

Just plugging in some food for thought on this touchy topic. An article I wrote inspired by chess openings but applies to life as well.

http://maddchess.blogspot.com/2013/03/competitive-chess-training-part-11.html

Know you don't need to know opening lines to play solid.Just be familiar with general opening principles. At your level what you need to focus is to study endgames, middle games and tactics. I suggest you try buying books to learn this things.

knowing chess openings if taken seriously puts many into a straight jacket because they are afraid to play something different to the 'line' and so they kill their innate creativity...rebel and let your imagination rule!