What's a good level to start learning openings at?

I say you can learn anything, any time as long as you have unlimited time.

But if you have super limited time like me, probably around 3 hours per week for chess learning. It's better to try and learn something else. Learning openings could become a rabbit hole and an infinite time sink.

I think the biggest bang for the buck in terms of learning hours vs improvement for low level players like us is figuring out how to avoid easy tactical blunders.

Learning the openings is a long process,
At the beginning, applying the principles well and having the notion of tempo in mind is certainly enough. (until 1000-1200 for example)
Progressively, one ends up knowing if (for example) after 1.e4 e4, it is better to play a3 or Cf3! Still, at a low level it will often be the tactics which will decide the outcome of the game.
then, from game to game, one ends up building one's own repertoire by looking at how one finds oneself behind after 5 moves, or how one does not punish the opponent who made a bad move.
After that, i think that if you want to start to use an opening, you have to have a small idea of the different answers you can find, and of the strategic themes.
if you want to make more progress, you should try to work the games of a GMI player who practices the opening you want to use. Look at what kind of endgame you end up with, what are the strategic themes and how are they treated by the player. Having some knowledge about the pawn structures of this opening is probably also a good idea.
And once you get to that point, and hopefully with a progressing elo, it might be time to learn by heart (>2000-2200)

But don't give in to the mirage of books and videos that give you victories with a spectacular gambit or a rare variation

And finally, you should not devote more than 10-20% of your training to openings (unless you already have a good level and you want to obtain a GMI title

@DIDwePLAYaFAMOUSgame said in #8:

Meekal Tall played chess with a hockey stick. After learning about openings, he switched to brooms. An opponent of his, Bend Larspoon told him to switch to spoons. He found this easier to calculate moves. Then he met a guy, Mr. Importisch, who taught him what was important in chess.

No, just play chess, meet famous people and enjoy chess.
what do u mean

I can recommend you some opening to get start:
Bishop Opening, Saragossa Opening and Italian Opening.
You can start learning these opening on rating 1300.

I think a good level to begin learning openings is at 100, as there is no level where knowing opening strategies and tactics provides no benefit.

If you look at youtuber chessvibes videos about typical mistakes/reason for loss for different strength based on Lichess games around lLchess 1600 it seems to be of some sort of issued but not before.

Single most important reason is definitely even at 1600 level outright blunders (i.e opponent can just win material or mate without any tactical device) and after simple tactical oversights is second.

Remain with an original opening repertoire. It will just change slowly as you get better. Stay original, don't just be a common player, playing common openings. Improve the openings you already know by learning the chess traps that go with your personalized opening repertoire.

Rather then learning new openings, build some ideas from chess traps.
https://youtu.be/QH8FUGTE0QU

You should study a few openings for black and white ever now. But middlegame/endgame is more important. Try to expose your opponent ideas, because if you unable to do this, you will fall in traps. (I had responded 2.g6? after 2.Qh5 and lost a rook in one if my games). About certain openings: You can choose Italian with 4.d3, it is sound and can be used by both colors. But final choose is your
And last one: Opening traps is one of least important parts to study. You shouldn't believe that your opponent is fool

Play Colle System as white, play Hippo Defense as black. They both don't have deep theoretical lines, both a sound enough to get you to a good middlegame, and both have simple ideas. Later on, you'll be able to play Queen's Gambit + Reti lines very well, and Caro Kann lines + Hedgehog defense lines well since the positions end up being similar once you get better at the game. Both systems prevent "scholars mate" and opening traps that many people try to play at your level to get quick easy wins. You force them into boring positions, where they will make mistakes, and eventually the more you play those systems, the more you will see their mistakes, and capitalize on them.

You can learn openings at any level. The question is what for? On your level you need only basic level of opening knowledge. If you like to add tabasco sauce to your games (like I do) you can learn a gambit opening but it's much effort as your opponents will vary. Sooner or later you will forget a move in some variation and you are left 1 or 2 pawns down and no idea what do do next. Sounds good for me!