How to study Black Openings

I am just getting started studying Openings. It seems to me that I could start by studying a single Opening for White, since I'll always have th efirst move.

However, for Black, given that there's many ways for White to start, - where do I begin, what do I concentrate on in the beginning and going forward?

I suspect maybe I am looking at this the wrong way - happy to be corrected! Cheers

what to respond against 1.e4 (hint: don't play ...e5)

1.d4? -> (d4-c4, or colle system, or zukertort, or london?)

1.c4 -> resign

I'm sure that's really funny,  but it went straight over my head 

First you need a defence against 1. e4. Here the first move will strongly define the character of the play. Each system is very different and is its own world. You will have the same problem if you choose 1. e4 as White.

Then a defence against 1. d4, but things are not so clearly defined. Rather there are different strategies :

1... d5 with the idea to strong point d5.

1... d5 with the idea to take on c4 after 2. c4 and later play c5 (rarely e5) to strike back in the center.

Then the Indian Defences (1... Nf6). There are two types of them. The dark squares Indians and the light squares Indians. The former ones focus on the control of central squares e5 and d4 (usually by playing g6 Bg7, and c5 or e5), the later ones on the control of d5 and e4 (often with b6 and Bb7, sometimes with d5 or f5).

Of those four strategies you have to pick the type that suits you the best then choose your defence accordingly (although some openings like the Nimzo are so vast it's almost possible to play all four types of strategy within its bounds).

Against 1. Nf3 and 1. c4 you have to use what you play against 1. d4 and 1. e4 to determine what to do (like 1. c4 e6 if you play the Queen's Gambit Declined, 1. c4 c6 if you play the Slav and the Caro-Kann, 1. Nf3 c5 if you play the Sicilian against 1. e4, and so on). But it's not always possible to transpose. White plays by setups there and eventually those setups will have to be studied to counter them effectively.

Other first moves are dealt by common sense (develop well and quickly, grab enough space in the center not to be squeezed, and so on).

You have 3 phases of studying Black.

1) You need to find a sound defense to 1.e4.  At the beginner level, I recommend 1...e5.  It is fully sound, and does not violate any opening principles.  If you really object to 1...e5, you can try 1...c5, 1...e6, or 1...c6, but they are all far more complicated and should be reserved for when you are higher rated.  I play 1...e6 myself, but I went through my days of 1...e5 and if I had to, I can very much play 1...e5 with confidence.  Any good player has learned this Defense.

2) Defense to 1.d4.  I recommend 1...d5 as it again follows principles.

3) Defense to Flank openings.  I recommend holding this off until you have completed the first 2 and defend based on your defense to 1.d4.

Find openings you enjoy playing, and learn the basics.  Make sure your moves follow the principles below.

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5.
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key. Centralized piece control more squares.
3. (King Safety)
4. Connect your rooks. There should be no pieces between your Rooks.

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles (Piece Activity).  Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)?
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)?

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

I love e5

White gets to call the shots. I love it when people play e5, I get sharp games

Indian defence is my favourite opening for black 

White does not call the shots.  Neither does Black!

After 1.e4 e5, 2.f4 does not automatically equate to a sharp game.  2...Bc5 leads often to a very positional battle.

2.Nf3 does not equate to a positional battle.  Black can play the Latvian, Schliemann, or even certain lines of the Petroff become sharp.

Black does not get all the say in Semi-Open Defenses.

Let's say you play the Najdorf.  What stops me from playing the highly sharp 6.Bg5?  What stops me from playing the highly positional 6.Be2?

French.  3.Nc3 does not dictate sharp or dull.  3...dxe4 leads to a positional battle.  White can do the same with 3.exd5.  It could also end up super sharp like the Poisoned Pawn.

Do not think that White dictates the game after 1.e4 e5 and that Black dictates in semi-open games.  You have it all wrong if you think that way.  Both sides dictate the game, not one or the other.  Just because 1...e5 is outside your comfort zone as Black or in your comfort zone as White does not mean you dictate.  I could play 5 games all as Black against you and respond differently all 5 times.  Where they differ may be based on what you choose, whether they differ at move 2 or move 9, but if White dictates, that implies he can force Black down the same path all 5 times if Black wants to maintain a sound position, and that just is not the case at all!

For example.  If you play 2.f4, I could do the following against you:

Game 1 - 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5

Game 2 - 1.e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7

Game 3 - 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5

Game 4 - 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5

Game 5 - 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5

Yeah, but I’d probably be more familiar than the black player in your example. Personally I like dragging the opponent into “my variation”.

There is no such thing as just the "Indian" Defense.  That's like saying "I play the Gambit".  Uhm, which one?

You've got the King's Indian, Old Indian, Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, Bogo-Indian, Grunfeld Indian (most books leave off the Indian part of this one, but an example of one that leaves it on is New In Chess Yearbook, and the abbreviation for this one is GI), etc.

Actually, Black is likely to be more familiar.  You have to divide your time between all of them.  Black just has to specialize in one of them.

When I played 1...e5, I answered the Kings Gambit in one of two ways and did not have to bother with the rest of it.  I always played either 2...Bc5 or 2...exf4 3.Nf3 (3.Bc4 is a joke to equalize against) d5.

I guess when looked at it that way, both are equally familiar, then. Now I can play nimzowitch defense in peace knowing that I can answer 2.Nf3 with ...e5. Although the position looks weird to me, since I haven’t played the black side of open games in 3 years

It should not look weird to you.  If you truly understand the open games, you ought to be able to play them from either side.  Being able to, and choosing to, are 2 different things.

In the French, I could play the White side of the KIA, Exchange, Tarrasch, Advance, or 3.Nc3 because I actually understand all 5 of them thoroughly.  I, by choice, do not play the Exchange or Tarrasch as White.  But if I were to go around saying that the position looks weird and confusing because I am sitting on the White side after 1.e4 e6, then clear I would not know the French.  I would simply have memorized and mimicked a few of Black's moves.

So whether or not you would be capable of playing 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 as Black would go a long way in determining whether or not you truly UNDERSTAND the open games.

I mean it looks aesthetically weird, since I haven’t been viewing games from the black side in 3 years. That’s like 20% of my entire life. I can play it from the black side... 

it gives the same feeling as when you play a white opening as black.

Take your last daily game.

This is an exchange ruy.  White was dumb enough to take 2 moves to play e4 and I am playing what would normally be the Whitw side of the Ruy.  What is different about it?  I gave up my King's Bishop for a Knight and better pawns.  If the fact that you castled to your left instead of your right bothers you, you have bad visualization skills.  Imagine if the King started on his own color, or if the board was turned 90 degrees and the lower left corner was light.  This is precisely what you would have if you played the exchange Ruy as White.  Kingside castling would be to your left.

I wish i could remember who said it.  Someone said that if you find an opening boring.  You dont understand it.

To me, it's like trying to write left-handed. (I'm right handed). It's no real handicap, but it feels a bit off. And the question never was whether or not white was dumb enough to take 2 moves to play e4, I just wanted to make a move order to show my point.