Simple Opening Repertoire

Hi,

Im looking for a simple opening repertoire which would give me reasonable chances against everything my opponents can come up with but wouldnt need me to learn a lot of theory. Ive been told that something like the KIA, KID and the Pirc would make something like that, but Im not very sure. Does anyone have any ideas?

Regards,

Soumen

Well, there's more than one way to describe "simple."

The repertoire you describe, based pretty much on the quick fianchettoed kingside castle, DOES make it VERY easy for you to get 5-10 moves into a game with practically no risk whatsoever.

The trick, of course, is that this same repertoire makes it extremely DIFFICULT to get 20 moves into a game without being at a disadvantage, unless either you know a TON of theory, or you're playing against a complete rube (in which case, it doesn't much matter what you play).

As black:

against d4 - f5 (Dutch)

against e4 - c6 (it's big but principles are quiet simple)

As white:

e4 and then:

against c5 - closed sicilian (Nc3) or Alapin (c3)

against e6 - closed french (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5)

against e5 - Italian game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4)

              there's still Petrov, scandinavian and lots of other oddities but you wont see them very often.

The first question is this...

Do you like playing the Pirc?

The KIA?

The KID?

If you do then yes this repertoire is fine.  At the patzer level theory doesn't mean much.  I've played the Modern OTB with very little prior preperation. The same goes for the Reti.  They just aren't that difficult for me to understand.  Now The KIA baffles me.  I have had the hardest time trying to be successful with the Closed Sicilian.  These opening just don't seem to fit me. 

If you are looking for a simple low maintenance repertoire pick up A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire.  It is based on the Colle Zukertort opening with the 150 attack and the Barry attack vs. Black Fianchetto defenses.  One book and you've got yourself a white repertoire.  Note that all three don't promise a theoretical advantage for white but again at the patzer level that's not going to matter much.

If you like 1.e4 but are stressing at all there is to know about the French, Sicilian, Pirc, etc. then pick an open game (1.e4, e5) that you like, let's say the Scotch game and play the KIA against everything else.  Simple.

With black the Accelerated Dragon is a good choice against 1.e4 and a QGD is a good choice against 1.d4 (there are tons of options one I like is the Tartakower variation).

Bottom line is, there is no one repertoire that is a magic fix.  Even if you find your dream simple repertoire eventually you are going to want to learn other openings and that will require more work, but to start off with there is something to be said for getting into familiar positions that you understand, especially with faster time controls.

The amount of theory you need below master level is minimal. Few of your opponents know deep opening theory beyond what you can learn in a few days, and if you deviate they will be just as lost as you.

London system as white, caro-kann and slav as black, and you've got yourself an easy low maintenance repertoire.

You should decide for yourself what are you comfortable with, but common advices for developing players are:

-1e4 as W, to learn tactics. Against ...e5 either an italian game, bishop opening or some romantic "time for material" gambit such as the danish with Nxc3. this openings give you simple and understandable strategic goals to fight for.

-as B against e4 always e5, open games are the basis for your development. Against the sicilian the open variations demand consideration. W gets development and piece play, B position tend to collapse if B has not a real understanding of this complex opening. The intense theory in not to be feared, your opponent is unlikely to have a master preparation 

-against Queen gambit the tarrasch defense is often recommended. Same reasons as before: you get piece play and a sort of "open game"-feeling position. Same for the albin countergambit, but unfortunately W can rule it out via 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3, while he can't stop you from playing the tarrasch.

-the tarrasch setup e6 d5 c5 can be employed against anything else, 1.Nf3, 1.c4, 1.g3, 1b3 and so on.

There is no need for a lot of theory, as Hypocrism rightly says, but you have to play some games to start getting a feeling of the position, expecially for the tarrasch.

@Rathhood

Caro-Kann vs e4 and Dutch vs d4 is quite a contrast

Dutch is super-aggressive while the Caro Kann isn't...

When building a repertoire, I think one should cater to their style of play and keep their openings at a similar "aggression" level...

Play French vs. 1.e4 and Dutch Stonewall or Classical vs. d4,c4,Nf3 using the 1...e6/2..f5 move order if you want something aggressive...

And jw, why does everyone think KID has low theory...I hope you realize that this opening has theory to 20 moves, just sayin...Just because the first 5 or 6 moves are easy to play doesn't mean theres low theory

GM Nigel Davies has made many instructional DVD's on various opening sytems for both White and Black. I own several, and he did make one on the King's Indian Attack, which is easy to learn. I suggest taking a look at samples of his video instructions on either youtube or at chessbase.com. Even though Nigel is a grand master, he will explain chess ideas and moves in words a beginning chess player can understand.

It depends how you play dutch - I'd recommend 'stonewall' - lock position and then it isn't very agressive. I was only trying to present few openings that have very simple principles easy to memorize positions and key moves. Ofcourse it doesn't have to suit him - every1's different. Quite few ppl posted their opinion here so he can choose whatever suits him best.

Thanks for all the replies guys. I really "like" the formations achieved out of the pirc, the KIA and the KID. There is such awesome attack potential in them. The only thing is, that attack potential seems to be realized only if the opponent makes mistakes. Im still a little confused. I wonder if what Im looking to be able to do with the hypermodern stuff is a little beyond me?

Regards,

Soumen

Don't play the KIA....

Such system openings aren't good for your chess

And in the KID, you really just have to go all out. If you are afraid of losing material on the queenside, then its not for you. Often white gets a pawn roller there and Black struggles to attack white's king at times..

Ok a simple repertoire.

White : 'A busy persons opening system'. A video by Nigel Davies.

This opening system is played the same way regardless if you play black or white.

DVD c3-d3 c6-d6 Set Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VuDuVVc-b8

You cant get it easier.

Forget about the opening theory. Focus on tactics,strategy,endgame and study masters games. Play chess with a practical approach.

I must object to the assertion that all beginners must play 1. e4. I played 1. e4 when I was sub-1000 and stayed sub-1000 for a while. I then switched to 1. d4 and in about a year and a half my rating went from 1000 to nearly 1800 USCF.

I graduated from, and way past, beginner status, playing exlusively the move 1. d4 as white. Therefore I take exception to this notion that all beginners must play 1. e4. It's true that I do play 1. e4 nowadays, but that's mainly because I got bored.

For someone seeking help with choosing openings, I usually bring up Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014).

http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html

I believe that it is possible to see a fair portion of the beginning of Tamburro's book by going to the Mongoose Press site.

https://www.mongoosepress.com/excerpts/OpeningsForAmateurs%20sample.pdf

Perhaps Soumen would also want to look at Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006).

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf

It was part of a seven part series of chess books. Here is a review of three other books in the series:

http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner

For more on the KIA, one could try The King's Indian Attack: Move by Move by Grandmaster Neil McDonald. Perhaps, it would be of interest to look at The Fianchetto Solution by Emmanuel Neiman and Samy Shoker.

https://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Pdfs/9029.pdf

Advice from various sources:

"Each player should choose an opening that attracts him. Some players are looking for a gambit as White, others for Black gambits. Many players that are starting out (or have bad memories) want to avoid mainstream systems, others want dynamic openings, and others want calm positional pathways. It’s all about personal taste and personal need.

For example, if you feel you’re poor at tactics you can choose a quiet positional opening (trying to hide from your weakness and just play chess), or seek more dynamic openings that engender lots of tactics and sacrifices (this might lead to more losses but, over time, will improve your tactical skills and make you stronger)." - IM Jeremy Silman (January 28, 2016)

https://www.chess.com/article/view/picking-the-correct-opening-repertoire

http://chess-teacher.com/best-chess-openings/

https://www.chess.com/blog/TigerLilov/build-your-opening-repertoire

https://www.chess.com/blog/CraiggoryC/how-to-build-an-opening-repertoire

https://www.chess.com/article/view/learning-an-opening-to-memorize-or-understand

https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-perfect-opening-for-the-lazy-student

"... For players with very limited experience, I recommend using openings in which the play can be clarified at an early stage, often with a degree of simplification. To accomplish this safely will take a little study, because you will have to get used to playing wiith open lines for both sides' pieces, but you can't eliminate risk entirely in the opening anyway. ... teachers all over the world suggest that inexperienced players begin with 1 e4. ... You will undoubtedly see the reply 1 ... e5 most often when playing at or near a beginner's level, ... After 2 Nf3, 2 ... Nc6 will occur in the bulk of your games. ... I recommend taking up the classical and instructive move 3 Bc4 at an early stage. Then, against 3 ... Bc5, it's thematic to try to establish the ideal centre by 4 c3 and 5 d4; after that, things can get complicated enough that you need to take a look at some theory and learn the basics; ... Of course, you can also play 1 d4 ... A solid and more-or-less universal set-up is 2 Nf3 and 3 Bf4, followed in most cases by 4 e3, 5 Be2 and 6 0-0. I'd rather see my students fight their way through open positions instead; however, if you're not getting out of the opening alive after 1 e4, this method of playing 1 d4 deserves consideration. ... a commonly suggested 'easy' repertoire for White with 1 Nf3 and the King's indian Attack ... doesn't lead to an open game or one with a clear plan for White. Furthermore, it encourages mechanical play. Similarly, teachers sometimes recommend the Colle System ..., which can also be played too automatically, and usually doesn't lead to an open position. For true beginners, the King's Indian Attack and Colle System have the benefit of offering a safe position that nearly guarantees passage to some kind of playable middlegame; they may be a reasonable alternative if other openings are too intimidating. But having gained even a small amount of experience, you really should switch to more open and less automatic play." - IM John Watson in a section of his 2010 book, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4

Very thanks to RattHood, bresando, Lavarook, dpnorman, jengaias and kindaspongey for their help, as a begginer give me an idea about the point.

The above game looks very Interesting

A simple repertoire for white:

http://www.gambitbooks.com/books/A_Simple_Chess_Opening_Repertoire_For_White.html

 "Building a repertoire ... we will take the idealized situation of someone starting from square one ... The first step is to think about your personal style. Do you prefer open, tactical positions or closed, strategic positions? Does an attack on your king make you nervous, or are you happy so long as you have a counter-attack? Do you prefer main lines, or something slightly offbeat? Next, look at the various openings available, and see which ones fit in with your personal style. ..." - GM John Nunn (1998)