Opening Repertoire

As black I am inclining toward Caro-Kann against 1.e4. and against 1.d4 I usually venture d5. I have been playing 1. e4 for white. I am needing a bit of knowledgeable direction in an endeavour to incorporate more strategical position for a stronger game overall rather than just winging it

I really don't have any opening repertoire and am wondering what might fit the bill? One for white and two for black.

What can you suggest? Thanks!

Well, I think you have a pretty good start:

You know what you play with White, You have a Black response against e4, and one against d4. I think those are the cornerstones of any repertoire.

If you wnt to change, do not change more than one of those at once.

Just my opinion.....

Thanks.I am not looking for long lines, just openings that will assist in incorporating strategy into my games.

@Fiveof swords. I will have a look at 1.c3.

I'm not sure what you mean by this.  And by the way, don't look at 1. c3.  I'm guessing (hoping) that was a joke.

Openings that will assist you in incorporating strategy?  That's most of them.  I guess maybe you are looking for less tactics.  You'll want to play mostly closed openings.  As black, something like the Caro Kann as you mentioned or the French.  As white, you can still play 1. e4 and look at closed lines for black's various responses.  Although it's not always easy.

The short of it is, you can't get away with not spending some time working on your openings if you want to have a repertoire...

@Webhead. I feel I need some better consistency in my openings. They are rather aimless and whimsical. Simply trying to decide on three openings that will give solid chances and are not largely tactical. it really is a continuing learning thing with lots still to learn and I am trying to incorporate improving skill, strategy, openings with some coherence so as not to waste time.

NO, DON'T DO IT, MAN! THERE IS STILL TIME TO GO BACK! DON'T BECOME LIKE THEM.

@Estragon. Thanks. I really do not know what my personal style is. I guess it is still in the process of development.Sometimes i surprise myself with good games. At other times not so good. Because of my years I am a little inconsistent so I figure knowing some definite openings would be a help.

I don't want to change openings and waste time, time is one thing I don't have a lot of. I want something that will help me improve my consistency while continuing to learn and have fun in the process but I feel I need some knowledgeable direction

I also want to be able to play in OTB tournaments at my level. I will get slaughtered without some depth of opening knowledge if only on time. Now is the time for me to put in some work on developing a stronger game.

Can I do it without some depth of at least three openings?

I don't think this is at all true at the class level.  You can play e4 without knowing alot of theory , gradually building up your responses over time by looking at your games afterwards.  You should build up a repertoire and you'll have to absorb painful losses, but most of your games will be decided by blunders and basic tactics so your repertoire is the least of your worries.

I don't know a dragon from a hippopotamus or a  french from an english but no doubt I've played them all. (well maybe not the hippo).With white I open with e4 followed by Nf3. If someting comes up early on that I'm not familliar with I refer to my previous games in games explorer, if it's something I've not encountered before I will check master games on game explorer for possible continuations. I'm too old and lazy to study opening theory and just play instinctively Thats probably why my rating is as it is but I play for fun not rating points (although it is nice when you have a large one).

I can play like this because I don't play OTB, If I wanted to play OTB then I might have to do things differently.

Thanks heaps. Looks like I need to hunt up classical lines for 1.e4. and for black.

Some live chess coming up for me.

Hey Chesteroz,

I was following your thread here and I was intrigued by your (everyone's) discussion on this topic. If you'd like, here are some thoughts I have on this issue of creating a repertoire, seeing the bigger picture, and trying to make the transition from "online enthusiast" to "over the board" tournament player...I hope this helps.

First thing, I believe a step that a lot of people overlook is that you really want your knowledge of the pawn structure to lead the way, not the memorization of theory or opening lines. In that context, I believe that you already have a great start as black (playing 1...d5 and the Caro Kann) as both those openings can, and most often do, lead directly to the Caro-Slav Structure:

With the e-pawn missing, this is much more a Caro Version of the Structure (commonly reached with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4). The Slav version of the structure would simply mean switching that pawn on c4 over to e4 (commonly reached in a main line Queen's Gambit after black, at some point, exchanges the pawns on c4).

In the Caro-Slav Pawn Structure, black is making an effort (constantly) to break in the center with either c5 or e5. If you made a study of Grandmaster games in that structure, you will notice that pattern for black...

As far as a white repertoire goes, my belief is that if someone is serious about their chess improvement, then they have to stop convincing themselves that "avoiding main lines" and "theory" is OK. It simply isn't! Over time, against real tournament competition, you will run into one-problem-after-the-other with sidelines. Eventually, you find yourself jumping from "one tricky sideline(s) to another". Basically, you reinvent the wheel, and retard your own improvement in the progress.

I have seen players reach Master Level (rarely) when their over all chess knowledge is high, even with a "repertoire of sidelines", but those players took a lifetime to get their, and never had a chance against stronger (titled FM, IM, or GM) competition.

So, keep playing 1.e4. You are right that you will need to learn more and more main line theory from your games, but I say what I said above so that you don't eventually give into the temptation of sidelines, tricks, bad gambits, etc just to avoid main lines. Learn the Open Sicilians!

Yes, there are a lot of them but there is a reason why the best players in the world play those positions for white: The Open Sicilians are good for white!!! In the end, we should not avoid things because of "our style". Style is an illusion to a certain degree, and saying "my style" is just another way of saying "I am weak in a different area".

So learn to do what Kramnik says: "I don't play the position, I let the position play me". Which means he plays the best move regardless of style and comfort. In the long run, this is the best thing for your chess and will enable you to beat very good chess players...

I hope something I said was helpful... If not, then sorry. Have fun!

IM Danny Rensch

IM ACEChess

Thank you so much. This is exactly the help needed. It gives best direction. Interestingly, my own feelings were along the lines of your suggestions but I didn't know how best to make improvement, it seems pawn structure holds the key. You may be pleased to know that elsewhere I have set up a few Sicilian themed online mini-tournaments and already have a little understanding of the Najdorf, Scheveningen and Dragon. Now I can look at these more closely with certainty of heading in the right direction. A reason for going in the direction of the Caro-Kann was the black Queen Bishop activity, I hope this is a reasonable conclusion.

Now this raises and interesting question: What would be a really good book for the future? Watson's Mastering the openings first book sounds good?

Thanks again.

chesteroz.

Chesteroz,

Get Andy Solits: Pawn Structure Chess; and Baburin's Winning Pawn Structures...

You will be a master of the Caro-Slav and Caro-Kann Opening...

Danny

IM ACEChess,

Thanks very much for your guidance and recommendations. I have a bit of work ahead of me now to build the hoped for stronger game. I would think think 6-12 months at least for results to really show.

Pawn Structure, Open Sicilian and Caro-Kann and playing over Master Games, all good stuff. Lots to learn plus a few games to try and make the learning stick.

chesteroz

@Five of swords.

I am grateful for your effort and effort of all to help.

By time I meant I have been playing nearly three years and at 63 years young I figure I haven't the time to waste finding out what doesn't compete. I simply need to go forward building on solid stuff and  for that I do have time.

The process is enjoyable, gives me activity and sometimes even the adrenalin gets a fright, I simply want to be able to have the basis for a stronger game as I think I still have some chance of achieving that, making my chess more satisfying.

Edit: And no, you were not mistaken, my post was simply a little ambiguous (unintentionally).

Hey!

I play the Giuoco Piano. The opening is for White. Here is he opening:

1. e4  e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4

The usual reply to Bc4 is Bc5. After that people usually castle.

For Black, you may want to see the posts I have given for Sicilian Dragon and Sicilian Najdorf. Both are very famous and used by GMs today.