EDIT-4K inappropriate
ranking the top 5 Open Game openings for white
Sort:
TheSampson wrote:
so I ranked the top 5 responses against the Sicilian Defense for white and it got a lot of negative attention, from narcissists who mocked my rating and said nothing else because they didn’t have an actual argument, to people who actually had something worthwhile to say. Nonetheless ima do it again lol 💯💯💯
1. Ruy Lopez
Amazing from beginner level to absolute top-level. It usually offers extremely rich positions. It’s hard to argue against it unless you’re a Gotham stan and whine about the amount of theory it has. It’s only flaw might be the Marshall, which doesn’t immediately lose for white by any means if they know what they’re doing.
2. Italian
A lot of people say it’s drawish, which most of its lines are, but you can easily get a dynamic game by utilizing something like the Evans Gambit and the Fried Liver, maybe even the Scotch Gambit transposition (in the Two Knights Defense with 4. d4). Great, solid choice for white, and it probably has no weaknesses (in most of its lines) just because of how solid it is. The problem is, people are absolutely bawling in joy over the Fried Liver because of GothamChess and now I’m seeing it in the Sicilian??
3. Scotch
My upmost recommendation to beginners, even at my level. Simple to learn, solid, easy to play, and effective up to 2000. Even Kasparov got a lot of good wins with it. My only problem with it is the Bc5 line where you have to play c3 and sort of sabotage your b1 knight’s development, but it’s not a horrible curse or anything.
4. Vienna (Not the gambit)
Nc3 is a great alternative to Nf3 (if you like eating chalk but whatever). It really cuts down on theory and it can lead to really solid positions. The only response I saw to the Vienna when I played it was Bc5 for some reason? It’s honestly just a dubious move imo. Overall, I’d say it has some weaknesses, like the fact that black can easily put pressure on the white position in most lines, but I wouldn’t really call it refuted. The gambit is terrible tho don’t listen to GothamMess
5. Ponziani
If you play this opening, you either stan Eric Rosen or you premoved the Delayed Alapin Sicilian for some reason. It’s… acceptable? The prior 4 options are just so much better, it’s not even close. Even the Vienna. The gambits are just bad and the b1 knight’s development is sabotaged for no compensation. If you’re gonna play c3 and d4, just play the Ruy Lopez or the Italian.
Yup I can agree with this. I like a good King's Gambit myself but don't think it makes the top 5 - half the time you win the pawn back with an open F file and a country worth of space, but other times you compromise the safety of your king while being down a pawn. Also I think I slightly prefer the Italian to the Ruy. The case for the centre game also still stands but realistically it's sacrificing a tempo for....what, really? Surprising your opponent? I just don't think it's very good, though I've never studied or played it.
Jul 7, 2023
0
#24
Interesting thread, I missed it.
Of those 5 Open Game openings, I only play one, which is also the only one I play as white : the Scotch ( with unsatisfactory results, but I like it ); I know Italian too, but I don't play it anymore. I've never played the others, I find them against me when I play as black.
It's clear that the OP knows a lot more than me on the subject, but I would have a little objection to his initial message : I'm afraid Ruy Lopez is not good for a beginner like me, or even more advanced beginners than me. It is certainly a beautiful and amazing opening, but it is too complex, it requires deep strategical skills, you have to deal with many possible replays from black… Maybe I’m wrong, but the others are better, in my humble opinion.
Nice thread.
FrogboyWarpz wrote:
frog wtf
idk man
the-goated-nerd wrote:
what about catalan
The Catalan doesn't start with 1. e4 e5.
As it was already pointed out 2 years ago.
magipi wrote:
the-goated-nerd wrote:
what about catalan
The Catalan doesn't start with 1. e4 e5.
As it was already pointed out 2 years ago.
But it was not pointed that a beginner may well start with 1.h4 and 2.g3, and still think that he is playing the Catalan.
Mazetoskylo wrote:
magipi wrote:
the-goated-nerd wrote:
what about catalan
The Catalan doesn't start with 1. e4 e5.
As it was already pointed out 2 years ago.
But it was not pointed that a beginner may well start with 1.h4 and 2.g3, and still think that he is playing the Catalan.
That's true... but it's completely irrelevant in this topic, which is about ranking 1. e4 e5 openings.
spammer who spams multiple times per thread
as if spamming once wasnt enough...