Help a bad player pick a new opening

I usually play the Ruy Lopez as white, but I not sure its the best system to fit my playing style. Generally I prefer to avoid locked up, positional games and get to tactical mid/end games. I need some advice on what opening or specific variations of that opening people here feel accomplishes that best.

thanks for the help

I don't play e4 as white, but my understanding is that the Ruy involves more manuvering than other e4 openings.  You might look into the Italian game (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4) or the Scotch game (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4). If you want to be very tactical right away, you could always play the King's Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4).

Thanks Biarien, I do play the italian game often. i was just wondering if there was something that got me to the tactical game i like even better. I like the Kings Gambit suggestion you made. i think i'll go try it out in a few games.

thanks for the advice

If you are playing mainly for your own pleasure, pick your openings and have fun. On the other hand if you are intending to be a long term serious student of the game, don't avoid openings because you want to win now in the way you want to. Instead definitely investigate and play the Giuocos and the Scotch Games etc. (it's a long list indeed) because each opening teaches its own lessons.

After some time doing just that will make you a very versatile player. One other players say "He's hard to meet."

If you are after tactical games then the Italian is a great choice, if black avoids it and goes into Two knights defence, you got what you want right there. And if he goes into the italian with you there is allways the Evans gambit.

Granted it might be a bit unsound, but hardly at our level.

Even the normal Giuoco Piano should be tactical enough so long as you don't play d3 as white, right?  Playing e4, Nf3, Bc5, and d3 as white against black's e5, Nc6, Bc5, and d6 leads to very slow games, while white playing c3 to prepare d4 instead of d3 leads to more exciting games. At least that's what I've read -- not speaking from experience.

i`ve been playing the evan`s gambit more lately and have read a lot on the opening. there are a lot of attacking opportunities for white and black can fall into a lot of various traps. black probably can equalize but would most likely have to have a very good understanding in order to do so.

Bishop opening is fun. Especially 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4!

Bishop gambit is fierce.

Danish Gambit is wide open. Alekhine preferred the Goring gambit version.

Search Tactical Openings on this site, the articles by Gm Serper are excellent.

I recommend the Bishop's opening with Vienna Options and King's Gambit Declined.

Try the bird opening. It's one of my favorites.

1.c4 is the English... 1.f4 is the Bird

I didn't know the evans was unsound at almost any level

Kasparov beat Anand with it in 1995