Removing the Noise #3 - Choosing an Opening Repertoire

Removing the Noise #3 - Choosing an Opening Repertoire.

In the last RtN the reasoning behind studying the opening was investigated and it was linked to the concept of planning. A methodology of learning the strategic principles behind the opening was developed.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/removing-the-noise-2---why-study-openings

When choosing an opening repertoire to foster improvement, several criteria must be met.

• A ‘Standard Opening’ - This requires any opening to be a main line all the way up to grandmaster level. The reasoning behind this is that there will be a huge number of games for the student to study and a greater quantity of information will be available. Furthermore the positions obtained will contain good play for both sides allowing a playable midgame to emerge.

• Repeated Themes  - The opening should have a theme that occurs repeatedly, such as a common pawn structure, regardless of slight changes in variation. This will allow the planning aspect to be maintained as the plan will often depend on pawn structure

• Flexible  - The opening should not be totally rigid with regards to the move order, the opening will  allow the piece position and pawn structure to be established  in a way that aids the long term strategy without being punished if the move order is slightly wrong. Forgiving is another term for this.

• Varied Repertoire - For the whole repertoire a range of different openings is needed, some that lead to very open, tactical games. Others that are slow and positional. A range of different pawn structures should be seen and experienced by the player.

• Small - This is not a contradiction to the above point, the repertoire must be small but varied. It is a waste of time at this level to study a vast amount of openings, it isn’t fun and will hinder growth. 

• Principled - This is a contentious point, one of the most popular openings against 1.e4 is 1...c5 the Sicilian defence. This opening is not overall principled but still very good. The reason I suggest a principled opening is that even if the moves and the strategy are suddenly forgotten then basic opening principles can be something to fall back on. 

• Enjoyable - Easily the most important point. The opening has to be something that the player finds fun to play, this increases motivation, stops any potential boredom and the player will find it easier to work a bit harder in a position he/she finds enjoyable.

These criteria will allow an optimal opening repertoire for any improving player who is beginning to look at planning and openings.

Here are some openings I would recommend

Queen’s gambit both sides

Indian Defences’

Ruy Lopez

Italian Game

If you decide to play 1.e4 you should learn something about the Sicilian defence as well.

Next article RtN #4 - How to build and practice your opening repertoire

Don't forget how to bust certain unorthodox openings.  Be the player who plays the lines that Grob  and Borg players fear!  Sometimes a bust might be counterintuitive, thus the need for some study.  I usually play 1.d4 as white, but wouldn't want to lose to the Englund gambit or Budapest, and seemingly sensible developing moves in the Budapest are greatly punished, and I know when to throw in the feared a3 as white.  It isn't a refutation per se, but does put the breaks on black's trappy plans. 

This is an interesting point but I would be reluctant to reccommend people do this. 

You are totally correct that there are unorthodox openings that can punish normal developing moves, however, in terms of benefit/time you are rarely going to see these openings and dedicating time to them is not a good idea.

Instead time should be spent on the main lines of openings and getting familiar with the strategies and ideas within them.

When someone does produce an unorthodox opening, use opening principles and just be careful of traps and checks. Once the game is over if you went down in the opening just review the game and make sure you don't make the same mistake twice

For many lines it usually doesn't take too long.  The closest thing the wing gambit has to a bust is easy enough to learn in under a minute: 1.e4,c5 2.b4,cxb4 3.a3,d5 and black grabs some initiative for himself. 

Agreed that the bust can be easy to learn, but rather than learn all the possible responses and then all the counters it is better to just concentrate on the main line and then learn the response to the unorthodox opening once you have faced it. More efficent this way