Which opening for Black!?

Hi all,

For years I didn't use any openings.. just made it up as I went along. Which is of course why I was never really any good!

 For some time now I've been hooked on the Queens Gambit when playing white. I enjoy it and can usually make it work for me to some extent.

My problem is, when playing black, The queens Gambit doesn't fit so well for me so I end up slipping back to old ways.. crossing my fingers!

I'm looking to start out with a new black opening, and wondered if you guys/girls could give me some advice on which may be the right one for me?

Thanks for you time...

Your opening with black depends on your enemys first move!

But I cant really tell you what to play, before you tell your style. Playing a Gambit when you are a positional player doesnt work. 

Hi 'furrer',

I'm not sure if I'd be considered a positional player or not. I don't know what my style is! When I tried the Queens Gambit and it kinda worked for me, I just stuck with it. Perhaps there is something better suited but I have not idea what. If you think you could help, we could perhaps play a game and then you would have a better idea?

'DonGee',

Thanks for the suggestions.. I take a look at them for sure.

'Dmytro',

I suppose what I was hoping for is something like:

" I suggest trying Kings Indian defence when playing black because... [explaination]"

I don't require a list of openings. I wouldn't need advice on finding one of those!

Thanks all the same.

Against d4(Queens Pawn) i play Semi-Slav

if you want to know "which opening to use at black" it means you are at a level where you need to develop a keen tactical vision - so play countergambits - latvian, 2 knights defence so you'll often reach traxler, ...

also open, sharp sicilians [najdorf, dragon etc] -
later on when you are significantly stronger you can consider dropping open , sharp sicilians for some time. Why? because you'll be meeting opponents who will win purely due to their better opening theory knowledge and experience against open sicilians. [You'll know when and if to take them up again when the time comes -- by then no one'll have to *tell* you :]

and the nimzoindian and bogoindian

and catalan and king's indian  

Isn't the salvio gambit a line for white (namely in the King's Gambit) ? I'd be interested if it was playable out of the sicilian for black :)

@topic- when you're an unexperienced player (as most of us, including me, are) you are still developing your style. Usually it's best to try some open positions first to train your tactics, so I would recommend any kinds of Gambits for black and white. I for myself like playing the King's Gambit with white and the sicilian dragon or Budapest Gambit, or Henning Schara Gambit with black, but I'm still searching for some good Gambit variation against 1.e4

what to play in black against e4???

i know,all players who reach a certain level almost  never play e4  because its a "beginner" move.however,its good and faster.being a pro doesnt mean you gotta play positional games.

Against 1.d4    Queen's Indian and Slav defense are very solid openings for black.

Against 1.e4    French defense,Sicilian or Caro-Kann are very good openings for black.Scandinavian is also very solid opening.

judgeofthenight wrote:

"i know,all players who reach a certain level almost never play e4 because its a "beginner" move.

You are absolutly wrong."Best by test 1.e4" Bobby Fischer 

    The perpetual question never truely answered.  I'm looking for an opening that gives me a winning advantage (without risk) as white regardless of black's moves and doesn't require a lot of study.  As Black I want an opening that gives me dynamic equality with chances for a full point, regardless of white's play and doesn't require a lot of studying.

    Shy of that utopia (for me not my opponents) any standard repertoire will do you fine as long as you avoid the "trick" openings.  You might want to consider pairing your e4/d4 defenses to have similar structures, eg. Caro-Kann and Slav or  French Winawer and Nimzo-Indian, Sicilian Dragon and Kings Indian.  You will have to learn some the standard deviations White takes because he doesn't know the openings as well as you but they are easily handled.

   I've played all of the openings I've cited with decent results, if you pick two and work at them you will have good results.  I just like to play lots of openings and am willing to pay the price in poor positions and lost games that sometimes results.  Playing multiple openings does not provide any "chessic" results such as greater understanding, better play, etc. it simply means I enjoy the game more.  Isn't that why we started playing anyway?

I sometimes play 1..g6, 2..Bg7, 3..Nf6. In the meantime white would of taken advantage of your small petty moves and would of grown a huge pawn centre. You however will of invested in the middle game,ands long as you can castle wont be under much threat. As one book so clearly put it... "this opening laughs at whites pawn centre"

Thank you all for taking the time to offer your support and ideas. It's been a great help towards guiding me along the next step of my 'journey'.

Cheers  all..

I suggest you try to make black moves where you control the choice of the opening not white. For instance e4 c5 forces white to play the silician. Or d4 Nf6 c4 e5 forces white to play the benoni ect...

if e4 e5 then you have to learn a every white opening line and there is a ton of them.

see my point?

I like QG as white, and I always find myself using what I think is sicilian as black, try it ;)

Hi. Though I knew how to play chess since my childhood, but for the last four years I have been playing chess quite regularly and seriously. Now according to my experience, I have decided to proceed further as:

1. while playing as White : I play King's Indian Attack

2. while playing as Black against e4 : I play Pirc Defense

3. while playing as Black against d4 : I play King's Indian Defense

The reason is that because in all of these openings first four or five moves are always same and need not to worry about what the opponent is doing.

I would welcome your suggestions on whether should I go ahead or change to some other Opening or Defense systems. 

Bye.

Hi. Though I knew how to play chess since my childhood, but for the last four years I have been playing chess quite regularly and seriously. Now according to my experience, I have decided to proceed further as:

1. while playing as White : I play King's Indian Attack

2. while playing as Black against e4 : I play Pirc Defense

3. while playing as Black against d4 : I play King's Indian Defense

The reason is that because in all of these openings first four or five moves are always same and need not to worry about what the opponent is doing.

I would welcome your suggestions on whether should I go ahead or change to some other Opening or Defense systems. 

Bye.