Sicilian
Ruy Lopez
Queen's gambit
King's Indian
IMO
What Are The Most Important 4 Openings to Learn?
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Just learn how to play chess without openings. I still don't follow openings. Just play what you think you should while analyzing the position at the same time.
Start with the center pawns and don't start attacking before you develop.
Choose an opponent whose rating is no higher than 1250.
Know the fool's mate and the scholar's mate.
Queen's gambit
King's Indian defence
French defence/Sicilian
English opening
If you only play d4 as white, you can avoid the Sicilian, and most players will just play the QG or KID. As black, your opponent will likely play e4, d4, or c4. With e4, respond e6 or c5, and you can pretty much force the French or Sicilian respectively. If your opponent plays d4, he's on your territory, and you can use the QG or KID. There are a few people who play c4, so you'd better be prepared for that as well.
That should force games to an opening you're familiar with. I would choose the French over Sicilian simply because there are fewer variations.
Your games will get kinda boring if you play like that though...
ozzie_c_cobblepot wrote:
Sicilian
Queen's Gambit
Ruy Lopez
French Defense
caro-kann too
Before coming to chess.com one year ago, I had only played a couple of opponents. Therefore, most of my games were against the same person. Unfortunately, our games were very dull in the opening, as we played the same opening every time. It wasn't until I played online against other opponents did I understand some basics, even though I still don't study chess.
1. Ruy Lopez (White)
2. Sicilian (Black)
Black gets a little cramped with the Sicilian and starts definately on defense, but it's better than the defensive position you give yourself by meeting white's pawn in the center. I'm sorry that I can't describe chess, because I am still new.
Good luck!
Dec 28, 2009
0
#11
White:
Danish Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. d4!!) A favourite! :D
King's Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4!!) Dangerous!
Black:
Sicilian (1. e4 c5 and so on, huge amounts of theory to consume)
Scandinavian Gambit (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6!) I fell in love with this...
And steer away from any kind of boring queen's pawn thingies, they are for sofasitters. ;)
Dec 28, 2009
0
#12
Most chessplayers don't regard openings like you're describing it. For instance, I think one would be hard-pressed to debate that the Queen's Gambit (Declined) is one of the major theoretically important branches of opening theory. However, unless you actually play 1.d4 or respond to it with 1...d5, you'll never see it over the board. It's nice to have that abstract chess knowledge, but it's not that important at your level.
It sounds like what you need to do, rather than focusing on the "top 4" openings, is start to develop an opening repertoire -- what openings & variations you will play in response to your opponent's moves. You don't need to get into a ton of detail at first; just pick what move you like to play as white (e4 or d4 are best for a beginner), a defense to e4, and a defense to d4. As you encounter moves and variations that you are unaccustomed to, make reasonable choices based on the aforementioned opening principles, and then after the game look them up and learn a little bit more.
That will get you going well enough for the time being. You just need to be able to get out of the opening intact; you'll get more improvement by focusing on practicing tactics and learning elementary endgames rather than booking up on openings.
ozzie_c_cobblepot wrote:
Sicilian
Queen's Gambit
Ruy Lopez
French Defense
Ozzie is right on the money, as usual.
I´d moreover start with the Italian game or 4 knights opening. These openings are not as complicated as the sicilian.
wow! i'm overwhelmed by the response. really very interesting stuff. to summerize, i think there has to be a focus on general principals, thanks for the link hicetnunc. also, it seems as though there is a general consensus on what may be the most standard, albeit not necessarily the most exciting openings, which is fine by mine. thanks everyone for your input!
"What Are The Most Important 4 Openings to Learn?"
The four openings that occur with greatest frequency in your games, you work it out.
depends alot on which first move you like to do the most but. Knowing what kind of response vs e4, d4 , c4 you would do as black would be a start.
Four very good openings for beginners are:
White: Four Knights' Game, Giuoco Piano
Black: Caro-Kann Defense, Two Knights' Defense
Learn the openings you WILL encounter. If you respond to 1.e4 playing the french, do not study the sicillian, ruy lopez, italian, etc. If you play 1.d4 as white, you have no business learning the other openings; just stick to the ones you can learn from.
Hi Everyone.
I'm a relative beginner to chess - I've been playing for a while but have never seriously studied the openings. While I know some basic principles and theory, I need to get my openings and responses down to improve my game. I was wondering, what do you think are the 4 most important openings that every player should have down cold?
Thanks!
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