Learning 1...e5--Best way?

So I am going to learn the open games but the theory just seems overwhelming. There is all kinds of stuff white can throw like evans gambit, kings gambit, danish gambit that I would have to learn properly to not get steamrolled.

I know that for openings like the Ruy you just need the main ideas below 2000. But I am mainly concerned about the non Ruy lopez openings white can throw.

What is the best way to get started? Any useful books?

The book :

Beating the open games, Mihail Marin

go through loads of old games from the goldmines that are the history of chess. if you havent gone through the fischer spassky kings gambit game or kasparovs resurrection of the evans, you are in for a real treat. good luck.

I tend to mix the two.  I have Chess Stars' excellent Sharpest Sicilian 2012 and Berlin Defence books.  I think Marin's suggestion on the Four Knights is more practical although the Chess Stars one is great for those who understand why the ...Ne7!? line is good and why white playing bishop takes knight is suboptimal compared to Nh4! 

I'm on the same boat, trying to learn 1...e5.

What about the book: Play the Open Games as Black by John Emms? (its a book covering non lopez 1..e5 lines)

Is that a good place to start?

Somewhat less "overwhelming" is Starting Out: Open Games by GM Glenn Flear (2010).

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626232452/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen134.pdf

Play 1 e4 e5! by Nigel Davies (2006) is a more demanding book that also covers the Ruy Lopez.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626201436/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen80.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627083715/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen98.pdf

The Kaufman Repertoire for Black & White by Larry Kaufman (2012) is a book that covers what you want and quite a lot more.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626221508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen162.pdf

I think that the most recent book on this subject is Bologan's Black Weapons in the Open Games. I'll post some links to reviews, tomorrow. If you have any preference for how to respond to 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 (3 ... Bc5 and 3 ... Nf6 are the two main options), you might want to choose a book that is consistent with your preference.

My favorite book for a long time was Frank Marshall's "My Fifty Years in Chess."  I agree with classof1970 that games of the old masters is the best, most fun way to learn the ideas of these openings.  Marshall is fun to read and he tells you about side lines.  He makes it seem easy.

Lots of old games (organized by opening) in 500 Master Games of Chess. Too old to include Fischer or Kasparov.

Thanks for the responses

I would respond to the Italian game with 3...Bc5 as I don't want to be bothered with some crazy lines in 3...Nf6 where I would be down a pawn and have to play very accurately.

Write me message, i give u solid rep.

I didnt get on with the flear book. some classic chess primers do a good job with the open games. try chess openings by mike basman, I think its excellent on this stuff

I learned e5 from the DVD of Gustafsson It gives good decent lines and explains the ideas rather well. 

It suggests:

Marshall against Ruy Lopez (i changed that)

Bc5 against Italian game

Nf6 against Scotsh (and Ba6 in the main line)

g5 against the kingsgambit 

Nd4 against the Spanish 4 knights 

http://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/gustafsson_package_vol1and2

I second this. If you don't mind jumping straight into the main lines, especially with the format of the videos offering strategic explanations and context, and files attached with deeper analysis if needed. If you enjoy Gusti's presentation style, it's pretty much ideal imo.

How do the Bologan books (one for 1...e5 open games in general. and one for Ruy Lopez) compare to the Marin and Lysyj books?

Chicken_Monster wrote:

"How do the Bologan books (one for 1...e5 open games in general. and one for Ruy Lopez) compare to the Marin and Lysyj books?"

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626195205/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen102.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627104938/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen159.pdf

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Bologans-Black-Weapons-in-the-Open-Games-76p3873.htm

I have not yet seen a review of the Bologan Ruy Lopez book.

I have the Bologan book but haven't read any of the others suggested.  For learning ...e5 initially, I think he lays out a nice plan on what openings/lines to focus on initially as they are more common/critical.  He also have a very extensive chapter on various themes/ideas/priyomes that he references in later chapters.  Some of the language can be Kmochish, but I think it works.  It's very similiar to the first two chapters in Cox's book on the Berlin Wall.

Are you sayimg that Bologan suggested the Berlin? Lysyj, of course, did. Somebody should check me on this, but, if I remember correctly, Marin suggested some sort of 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 Na5 thing.

The Italian game is dangerous, I used to play the hungarian defense against it, but more recently I came up with an interesting line against it that causes white to have dynamic chances.