How to Choose your Openings

Choosing and learning openings is a finite aspect of the game. IMO intermediate players need to just find an opening and stick with it, then focus on improving strategy and tactics - especially the latter. @tpr unless you're above 2100 FIDE you can play the sounder gambits. Personally I play Smith Morra, Benko, Belgrade because they give me opportunities to grow as a player. Mainline benko for example might be +1 according to stockfish, and that's why Carlsen won't play it against Nakamura; at lower up to high intermediate levels, however, it's highly instructive and a dangerous weapon. I think that given that the opening played is relatively sound, the best player wins, no matter the opening. Unless one plays the stafford or the englund, the reason one wins/loses is tactical or strategical mistakes.
Don't get me wrong, if one's a positional player, playing the Smith Morra could bring worse results. Not because it equalises according to the engine; because it doesn't suit one's play style.
Never forget chess is a human game.

Choosing and learning openings is a finite aspect of the game. IMO intermediate players need to just find an opening and stick with it, then focus on improving strategy and tactics - especially the latter. @tpr unless you're above 2100 FIDE you can play the sounder gambits. Personally I play Smith Morra, Benko, Belgrade because they give me opportunities to grow as a player. Mainline benko for example might be +1 according to stockfish, and that's why Carlsen won't play it against Nakamura; at lower up to high intermediate levels, however, it's highly instructive and a dangerous weapon. I think that given that the opening played is relatively sound, the best player wins, no matter the opening. Unless one plays the stafford or the englund, the reason one wins/loses is tactical or strategical mistakes. Don't get me wrong, if one's a positional player, playing the Smith Morra could bring worse results. Not because it equalises according to the engine; because it doesn't suit one's play style. Never forget chess is a human game.

mkubecek

@fabian1999 said in #7:

@MutedTactics Playing the Najdorf requires a lot of time both to learn the different plans and ideas in each of the pawn structures and to learn / memorize specific variations where the game becomes quite concrete such as the 6.Bg5 or 6.Be3 variations). In my experience the effort and time it requires is probably not justified until you get to around 1900 FIDE, you would benefit much more from spending that time and effort working on your tactics, calculation, endgames or positional play.

Another problem with Najdorf - or any open Sicilian - is that everyone and his brother tells people "Don't ever dare to play open Sicilian as white, it's too dangerous!" so that up to some level, most opponents will play some kind of "anti-Sicilian" to avoid it. Therefore you need to be prepared for all of those first and also that not often you get an opportunity to play your favourite variation. And when you finally do, it will be mostly against stronger opponents. I think about learning Accelerated Dragon but from what I see, before even starting with it, I would have to learn to deal with Alapin, Smith-Morra, Rossolimo etc. because I would end up playing those more often.

Sadly, I seem to have similar experience with Italian as white recently. Out of my last 27 games with white on lichess, only 7 replied 1. e4 with e5 and out of those, only 4 replied 2. Nf3 with Nc6. It's even worse OTB unless my opponent is older than me. (I'm 51.)

@fabian1999 said in #7: > @MutedTactics Playing the Najdorf requires a lot of time both to learn the different plans and ideas in each of the pawn structures and to learn / memorize specific variations where the game becomes quite concrete such as the 6.Bg5 or 6.Be3 variations). In my experience the effort and time it requires is probably not justified until you get to around 1900 FIDE, you would benefit much more from spending that time and effort working on your tactics, calculation, endgames or positional play. Another problem with Najdorf - or any open Sicilian - is that everyone and his brother tells people "Don't ever dare to play open Sicilian as white, it's too dangerous!" so that up to some level, most opponents will play some kind of "anti-Sicilian" to avoid it. Therefore you need to be prepared for all of those first and also that not often you get an opportunity to play your favourite variation. And when you finally do, it will be mostly against stronger opponents. I think about learning Accelerated Dragon but from what I see, before even starting with it, I would have to learn to deal with Alapin, Smith-Morra, Rossolimo etc. because I would end up playing those more often. Sadly, I seem to have similar experience with Italian as white recently. Out of my last 27 games with white on lichess, only 7 replied 1. e4 with e5 and out of those, only 4 replied 2. Nf3 with Nc6. It's even worse OTB unless my opponent is older than me. (I'm 51.)

tpr

"I would have to learn to deal with Alapin, Smith-Morra, Rossolimo etc." * Decline the Smith-Morra with either 3...Nf6 or
3...d5 to transpose to the Alapin. To avoid the Rossolimo, play the Hyper Accelerated Dragon 2...g6.

"I would have to learn to deal with Alapin, Smith-Morra, Rossolimo etc." * Decline the Smith-Morra with either 3...Nf6 or 3...d5 to transpose to the Alapin. To avoid the Rossolimo, play the Hyper Accelerated Dragon 2...g6.

tpr edited

"unless you're above 2100 FIDE you can play the sounder gambits"

I used to be FIDE 2200+ and it is no fun playing the gambit side against a good defender.
Yes, at lower levels and in faster time controls any opening is good.
However, as you rise in strength it becomes a problem against stronger players.
Then you can change to more solid openings, but that drains energy and time and causes losses by itself.
So it halts your progress.
That is why it is better to play sound openings right away.
All experience you gain remains useful as you get stronger.

"unless you're above 2100 FIDE you can play the sounder gambits" * I used to be FIDE 2200+ and it is no fun playing the gambit side against a good defender. Yes, at lower levels and in faster time controls any opening is good. However, as you rise in strength it becomes a problem against stronger players. Then you can change to more solid openings, but that drains energy and time and causes losses by itself. So it halts your progress. That is why it is better to play sound openings right away. All experience you gain remains useful as you get stronger.