the london system is fine
just stick with it.
I used to lose a lot of games with the london system, but with a little bit of help I started getting better positions.
just stick with it.
I used to lose a lot of games with the london system, but with a little bit of help I started getting better positions.
It is not impossible to denote the best first move. It is either 1.d4, 1,Nf3 or 1.b3 but it is impossible to understand why that is so unless you are Magnus Carlsen. Or Leela.
1.Nf3!
1 e4 Best by test - R. J. Fischer
@MattyAhmed : Why don't you stay with the London for a little while? See www.amazon.de/Win-London-System-Sverre-Johnsen/dp/1904600352 as well as the games of Vladimir Kovacevic at http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=42463
In my opinion, 1700 is the perfect time to transition away from the London system into something else. You'll still face a good number of players who don't know how to equalize against it but at a certain point you're not going to get many advantages. Give us some info on what you haven't played but are interested in.
I like everything @Rumble_Fish said.
I don't know how this will go, but I will take a stab at it in case it helps you.
I went through an openings problem back in my early development. When I was first starting I tried out most opening systems where people would suggest their path. It always confused me. I couldn't even really understand anything they said. I spent hours and hours every day trying to figure out why I couldn't understand openings. I gradually climbed a small ladder. I went from 900 to 1600 fairly easily with the help of videos here and there. I even signed on with chesslecture.com and asked them to help point me in a direction.
I got an answer.. They told me they would forward my message to one of the GM's in the list. He told me that he would give me a free lecture with the provision that I would promise to do what he says in the email. I promised and he did a cool video on one of my vegas games. In case anyone remembers or has an urge to look it up. I was the subject of the "Universal training system" video made by GM Jessie Kraai.
www.chesslecture.com/video.php?id=752&screen=38&nav=Strategy&use=all&sort=date&dir=down&skill=Any&startrow=10
I was the player of the black pieces. It was both informative and embarrassing analysis because he stripped me of my confidence in analysis that game. And back then I was considered the most knowledgeable opening guru in my local club. (Interestingly enough.. I still am. Although I am better at it now than I was then.)
So: What was the advice he said in the email?
He said, "Forget about openings and play chess." What he meant by that was that you shouldn't spend a lot of time on openings to learn chess. Get something basic and learn how to play real chess before exploring the more difficult areas.
I don't think you should worry about switching openings unless you want to expand the knowledge you already have. The two problems people when developing is 1. they believe they need to study openings to succeed and 2. They believe they need a system to succeed. Both of which is not all correct. You shouldn't study too much opening theory as a class player. Also you shouldn't depend on a system to succeed as a player. Having a system is fine, but having the ability to be flexible and expand that system as you get stronger allows for easy growth and development.
How did I accomplish this plan?
I searched for an easy idea to forget about openings for a while and study positional chess. What I found was that a lot of books and videos on the Colle/Zuckertort system had really nice ideas based around learning by pawn structure and it had great information on learning positional ideas. I am not saying study what I studied. That is silly. However, I do think finding books that teach an easy opening with the idea to actually teach chess is a good way to look for an opening. The london system has this. There is literally nothing wrong with experimenting with openings. Just do it to get an idea what you want to do. Then focus on it enough to learn chess.
Here are the openings I recommend for both colors that have this in mind.
White:
Colle/London/Colle-London hybrid
Queens Gambit Decline Exchange - This has several ways, the most common first is through Roman forum. He has a whole system as white that is easy to understand. I always recommend this first.
KIA/English/Reti/Larsen - All of these are good, they are all related in some way and they are easy to learn.
Black:
Against e4:
Sicilian Kan or Hyper accelerated dragon - Yes there is a difference between Sicilians, and there is even a difference between the accelerated and hyper accelerated dragon. The hyper accelerated dragon is a shortcut through theory. The theory that avoids mainline for white is very small in the hyper compared to the mainline. Also the accelerated dragon is one of the most positionally minded. You don't need a lot of theory to learn it, and it can be tactical in nature. I highly recommend learning either one of these two first.
against 1. d4
This is difficult.. I usually recommend something easy like the QID/BID/NID complex. However I also recommend the the modern complex. This is any opening that has to do with the "Modern Robatch" pawn structure. IE: Modern robatch/KID/Pirc/Prybl/old indian there is also two more structures the philidor with the black lion is a distant relative and the benoni pawn structures.
I would suggest learning by pawn structure, and I would suggest choosing a system that gives you a wide range of positional ideas.. Not a wide range of moves to memorize.
Anyway.. I hope this helps even a little. Sorry if it was too long and wordy.
I went through an openings problem back in my early development. When I was first starting I tried out most opening systems where people would suggest their path. It always confused me. I couldn't even really understand anything they said. I spent hours and hours every day trying to figure out why I couldn't understand openings. I gradually climbed a small ladder. I went from 900 to 1600 fairly easily with the help of videos here and there. I even signed on with chesslecture.com and asked them to help point me in a direction.
I got an answer.. They told me they would forward my message to one of the GM's in the list. He told me that he would give me a free lecture with the provision that I would promise to do what he says in the email. I promised and he did a cool video on one of my vegas games. In case anyone remembers or has an urge to look it up. I was the subject of the "Universal training system" video made by GM Jessie Kraai.
www.chesslecture.com/video.php?id=752&screen=38&nav=Strategy&use=all&sort=date&dir=down&skill=Any&startrow=10
I was the player of the black pieces. It was both informative and embarrassing analysis because he stripped me of my confidence in analysis that game. And back then I was considered the most knowledgeable opening guru in my local club. (Interestingly enough.. I still am. Although I am better at it now than I was then.)
So: What was the advice he said in the email?
He said, "Forget about openings and play chess." What he meant by that was that you shouldn't spend a lot of time on openings to learn chess. Get something basic and learn how to play real chess before exploring the more difficult areas.
I don't think you should worry about switching openings unless you want to expand the knowledge you already have. The two problems people when developing is 1. they believe they need to study openings to succeed and 2. They believe they need a system to succeed. Both of which is not all correct. You shouldn't study too much opening theory as a class player. Also you shouldn't depend on a system to succeed as a player. Having a system is fine, but having the ability to be flexible and expand that system as you get stronger allows for easy growth and development.
How did I accomplish this plan?
I searched for an easy idea to forget about openings for a while and study positional chess. What I found was that a lot of books and videos on the Colle/Zuckertort system had really nice ideas based around learning by pawn structure and it had great information on learning positional ideas. I am not saying study what I studied. That is silly. However, I do think finding books that teach an easy opening with the idea to actually teach chess is a good way to look for an opening. The london system has this. There is literally nothing wrong with experimenting with openings. Just do it to get an idea what you want to do. Then focus on it enough to learn chess.
Here are the openings I recommend for both colors that have this in mind.
White:
Colle/London/Colle-London hybrid
Queens Gambit Decline Exchange - This has several ways, the most common first is through Roman forum. He has a whole system as white that is easy to understand. I always recommend this first.
KIA/English/Reti/Larsen - All of these are good, they are all related in some way and they are easy to learn.
Black:
Against e4:
Sicilian Kan or Hyper accelerated dragon - Yes there is a difference between Sicilians, and there is even a difference between the accelerated and hyper accelerated dragon. The hyper accelerated dragon is a shortcut through theory. The theory that avoids mainline for white is very small in the hyper compared to the mainline. Also the accelerated dragon is one of the most positionally minded. You don't need a lot of theory to learn it, and it can be tactical in nature. I highly recommend learning either one of these two first.
against 1. d4
This is difficult.. I usually recommend something easy like the QID/BID/NID complex. However I also recommend the the modern complex. This is any opening that has to do with the "Modern Robatch" pawn structure. IE: Modern robatch/KID/Pirc/Prybl/old indian there is also two more structures the philidor with the black lion is a distant relative and the benoni pawn structures.
I would suggest learning by pawn structure, and I would suggest choosing a system that gives you a wide range of positional ideas.. Not a wide range of moves to memorize.
Anyway.. I hope this helps even a little. Sorry if it was too long and wordy.
Any opening you can play well. Don't be too concerned with opening theory until you are 1900-2000 level, if you ask me.
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