Openings
Chess openings: How to learn them? One important step in improving your level as a chess player is having a solid, well-developed opening repertoire that stands the test of time. You shouldn’t have to change your repertoire often. Rather improve and update the lines you already have. A good repertoire will help you get good, playable positions after the opening without having to spend a lot of time thinking about the moves or plans you want to go for. If you have to spend time in the opening, the ideal situation is doing that in order to decide between the different lines and plans (that you already know) of your repertoire.
1.d4 Opening – everything you must know! Most of the chess players enjoy having the initiative, being the attacking side. It is good but hard to achieve in every game: in some positions, the best you can do is to trade pieces and go into an endgame or play against some positional weaknesses. Those who really enjoy attacking chess would love to avoid such scenarios. They should know that the attack is like a tree – first, you need to plant and nurture it. The opening stage makes a big impact on the chances of growing an attack. If you place your pieces more aggressively or manage to weaken your opponent’s king, it creates the potential for future actions.
Caro-Kann Defense is one of the most fashionable openings nowadays both at the grandmaster and beginner levels. It is a reliable weapon that does not require a lot of memorization and usually leads to calm positional games. The good thing is that it still allows Black to play for a win: the positions are not sharp but still quite lively.
Dutch Defense is characterized by the moves 1.d4 f5 when Black is using the flank pawn to control the center. It breaks the symmetry and gains space on the kingside. Later, this can provide good attacking chances against the White king. Such an approach usually leads to double-edged positions and is good for playing for a win. That is why many modern grandmasters opt for it when seeking a combative play.
Larsen’s Opening (1.b3) is quite enticing for White. It is getting harder and harder to achieve any advantage with White pieces in the main lines. Black seems to hold their own in most of the popular openings. Modern chess players of all levels have access to the strongest engines, and they use them for opening preparation. Usually, your best chance against such players is to play something they don’t know. This way you avoid playing against the machine moves in the beginning. In recent years, many strong grandmasters started using it with great success.
King’s Indian Defense is an aggressive opening with a rich history. In the middle of the last century, it was popularized by great Soviet chess players such as Smyslov, Geller, Boleslavsky, Bronstein, Stein, and others. Later, it became the main weapon of the greatest chess players of all time Robert Fischer and Garry Kasparov.
Chess is extremely popular nowadays. A lot of people participate in different tournaments all over the world. To get on top in such a competitive field, you have to win frequently.
The old strategy of winning with White and drawing with Black pieces does not work in open tournaments.
Benko Gambit is quite different from usual Gambits in chess which are usually associated with ferocious attacks, mating threats, and opening traps.
In Benko Gambit, Black does not get any immediate reward for the sacrificed pawn. Instead, the main idea is to clear files for their pieces for the future play on the queenside.
London System is one of the openings that has become increasingly popular over the past few years.
For a long time, it has been considered a second-hand opening choice for white with a reputation of being dull, uninteresting, and suitable only for the “lazy players” who don’t want to learn any mainstream openings.
Queen’s Gambit Declined is one of the most classical and solid chess openings. It starts with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 when Black strengthens the center with a pawn and prepares the development of the kingside. Later, Black can opt for different schemes of development but all of them promise stability and safety. This opening is a frequent guest in a tournament practice at any level and should be studied by everyone.
Owen’s Defense starts with the moves 1.e4 b6 or 1.e4 e6 2.d4 b6 when Black is going to fianchetto the light-squared bishop. This is a bit slow and allows White to occupy the center but Black is hoping to attack it later with pieces and pawns. This system is not going to equalize any quickly, but people usually don’t play it to make a draw. This is the way to unbalance the game and outplay the opponent in the less-known positions.
