How do you train openings?

I recommend chessbook.com. You put in the opening variations and then the site tests you on your move orders. It even has master games you can go through in your chosen openings.

@PureProgressionFTW said in #20:

You're like someone who doesn't exercise at all mocking someone who does 20 pushups a day

20 pushups? Really? lol. You give yourself way too much credit.
This is more like having the intention of going into the ground with the idea of doing 1, but not even getting into the ground.

From your biography it sounds like you're a dabbler, you work hard & then quit when you get burnt out, not sure what's the point of that, like you said you're no Kasparov so why you trying to talk like him?

Dabbler Hmm. First time hearing the word.
Maybe, yes and no.
I do like to learn a lot of things. So I get into them, put the time learning, and move on with the next one.
The main difference is that I actually put the time, not to pretend I do.

And you know what the funny thing is. Instead of writting back, you could have spent 10 extra minutes. You have time, you just waste it doing something else that is meaningless. Just put the hour a day. Make do.

@PureProgressionFTW learning 7 openings at a time is a waste. Stick to one or two openings at a time. In my opinion, juggling different openings at once, all with their distinct themes will make your general play worse. Learn openings that are similar and learn theory by analysing your games so that the most played lines will remain in memory

@BabyPoltergeist said in #23:

@PureProgressionFTW learning 7 openings at a time is a waste. Stick to one or two openings at a time. In my opinion, juggling different openings at once, all with their distinct themes will make your general play worse. Learn openings that are similar and learn theory by analysing your games so that the most played lines will remain in memory

I mostly play the same openings, just saying you need different systems against different lines.

Take the c3-sicilian for example, it's not "one opening", black has 30+ different systems he can employ against 2. c3 so "1 opening as white" is more like 300 openings as white (different caros, dozens of different double king's pawns variations for black), etc.

But I agree it's not good to branch too much if you barely have the gist of certain openings (which is true for me & even players well above 2000 FIDE, tons of holes in our repertoires).

I tried the ChessTempo opening trainer, I think it can be good in combination with less rote memorization type stuff (going over studies taking more time).

I think for me it's more a matter of why like Nietzsche talks about. I've gotten into the bad habit of chess as escapism so I've created some negativity about it in my mind & almost don't want to take it seriously.

@PureProgressionFTW said in #24:

you need different systems against different lines.

Not necessarily. If you want to cut down on prep, you can just play the same setup against everything, be it the french/QGD, philidor/old indian, caro kann/slav, etc..

I've created some negativity about it in my mind & almost don't want to take it seriously.

Then maybe just playing the same things against everything can help with that.
seeing as how you want spaced repetition but don't want to spend money, maybe looking at some of the free courses chessable has to offer can be helpful. like this really well made caro-kann course: chessable.com/the-caro-kann-for-club-players/course/77954/

@PureProgressionFTW said in #24:

Take the c3-sicilian for example, it's not "one opening", black has 30+ different systems he can employ against 2. c3 so "1 opening as white" is more like 300 openings as white (different caros, dozens of different double king's pawns variations for black), etc.

But I agree it's not good to branch too much if you barely have the gist of certain openings (which is true for me & even players well above 2000 FIDE, tons of holes in our repertoires).
I argue that it's a waste of time to branch out since the majority of the memorised lines will never see the chessboard. The more reliable way is to spend that time to improve in calculation and evaluation to find the theoretical move in a position that you've never seen before

Chessable short & sweets

@Nivi0507 said in #27:

Chessable short & sweets

As of January 1, 2025, those have been locked behind a "pro-exclusive" paywall, so you need a pro subscription to access them.

@qpalzm123456 said in #28:

As of January 1, 2025, those have been locked behind a "pro-exclusive" paywall, so you need a pro subscription to access them.
then use variation preview, it gives 5 variations on 1 course per month so if u do it at the end of a month u get 10

Memorise the essence of a chess game. An opening is just a way to give your pieces some mobility. Without mobility, your pieces are essentially useless. The activity is in the middle game. It's the heart of the game, full of dynamic possibilities. The endgame is ageing with grace, which requires some chess wisdom.