Hello. I'm beginner player, and from the day I learned to play chess , I always start with d4 as white . And now I just wonder,maybe its worth to learn some fancy opening ,like start with c4 or f4. Because If I will have enough knowledge , I will instantly have advantage ,because not many people a familliar with openings like these ? What your opinion about that ?
Opening is just one phase of the game. You may get an advantage there, but you'll lose it fairly quickly if you don't know how to attack and defend properly. I'd say, focus on those issues first, then see if you can expand your opening repertoire with surprise openings.
f4, if you don't know theory, will lead you to resignation way faster than e4 or d4 (without theory knowledge) lol don't touch f pawn in the opening !!! :D leave Fakundo for Masters
Analyze your performance in terms of win/draw/loss by opening. If you are on the plus side as white, you probably don't want to randomly choose a new opening. Winning games means you understand the positions that arise from your opening. You can look for other openings that create similar middlegame structures.
If you're on the minus side with white, then your opening may not be working for you. You may not like or understand the positions that arise from it. That's a tough call, as you may be getting good positions & then being outplayed by stronger players. You have to think about that one.
In general, it's not considered best practice to try for "opening surprises." This often leads to making one-move "traps" that leave you in a worse position if your opponent doesn't take the bait.
A book you might look at is How to Build Your Chess Repertoire by Steve Giddins. It gives some advice on how to decide which openings are right for you. I think the most important aspect is that you enjoy playing the opening. It's possible to enjoy playing an opening even though you don't win as often as you would like (or should).
Good luck.
If you're on the minus side with white, then your opening may not be working for you. You may not like or understand the positions that arise from it. That's a tough call, as you may be getting good positions & then being outplayed by stronger players. You have to think about that one.
In general, it's not considered best practice to try for "opening surprises." This often leads to making one-move "traps" that leave you in a worse position if your opponent doesn't take the bait.
A book you might look at is How to Build Your Chess Repertoire by Steve Giddins. It gives some advice on how to decide which openings are right for you. I think the most important aspect is that you enjoy playing the opening. It's possible to enjoy playing an opening even though you don't win as often as you would like (or should).
Good luck.
Using the database to find the spread in games won by white compared to black.
lichess.org/analysis#explorer
I think as a rule of thumb, the higher the percentage spread the better are your chances of winning with the white pieces.
The best 4 moves for white are the following:
Master 2200+ Ratings Database (% Spread)
1. d4 ...11%
1. c4 ...11%
1. Nf3 ...11%
1. e4 ...08%
Note: The draws are more frequent in the Masters database then in Lichess database.
Memorize the first move and their two best responses (Symmetric and Asymmetric).
Once that is do. Learn the second two best white moves and then be ready to see the next two black responses.
With time you will have specialized in at least one opening.
Practice end games. The experience generates end game horizon ideas during your middle game.
All Rating Sets Lichess Database (% Spread)
1. Nf3 ... 10%
1. c4 ... 6%
1. d4 ... 5%
1. e4 ... 1%
Since you have a Lichess rating, you might want to disable the other ratings in the Lichess database to discover what players are playing at your level. Find the highest percentage difference between White and black on each of these moves and play that opening.
Enjoy controlling the center and maintaining piece safety. Exchange pieces only when there is a reason. They are your tools to win the game.
* PHASE ONE (Develop your minor pieces with prepping your king to castle)
Plan an attack on the minor pieces.
Gain space while creating you pawn structure.
Two pawn moves are needed to free both Bishops.
One of those pawns should control or occupy the center.
Aim the pawn structure towards the opponents King to hinder your opponents Bishop and help your Bishop.
Knights & Bishops need to be mobilized to castle.
King Safety is paramount before attacking.
Try to capture a Bishop with a knight.
* PHASE TWO (The opponents pawn structure is broken down into islands. An end game is planned. )
Attack the pawn structure to open columns for the rooks.
You should have less pawn islands than your opponent.
Turn an opponent Bishop into a bad bishop.
Create a Knight outpost to gain control of the opponent's space.
Queen Activity
Rook Mobility : Control a Column
King Mobility (Space to move in case of an attack)
* PHASE THREE (Basic End game tempo calculations)
Create a passed pawn and push with a rook to it's promoting square.
Rook Activity : Control a rank in your opponents territory. Ideally the 7th & 8th rank
King active in the center.
Each piece has two different purposes during each phase of the game (Protects & Attacks).
Exchange the opponent active piece with your passive pieces.
lichess.org/analysis#explorer
I think as a rule of thumb, the higher the percentage spread the better are your chances of winning with the white pieces.
The best 4 moves for white are the following:
Master 2200+ Ratings Database (% Spread)
1. d4 ...11%
1. c4 ...11%
1. Nf3 ...11%
1. e4 ...08%
Note: The draws are more frequent in the Masters database then in Lichess database.
Memorize the first move and their two best responses (Symmetric and Asymmetric).
Once that is do. Learn the second two best white moves and then be ready to see the next two black responses.
With time you will have specialized in at least one opening.
Practice end games. The experience generates end game horizon ideas during your middle game.
All Rating Sets Lichess Database (% Spread)
1. Nf3 ... 10%
1. c4 ... 6%
1. d4 ... 5%
1. e4 ... 1%
Since you have a Lichess rating, you might want to disable the other ratings in the Lichess database to discover what players are playing at your level. Find the highest percentage difference between White and black on each of these moves and play that opening.
Enjoy controlling the center and maintaining piece safety. Exchange pieces only when there is a reason. They are your tools to win the game.
* PHASE ONE (Develop your minor pieces with prepping your king to castle)
Plan an attack on the minor pieces.
Gain space while creating you pawn structure.
Two pawn moves are needed to free both Bishops.
One of those pawns should control or occupy the center.
Aim the pawn structure towards the opponents King to hinder your opponents Bishop and help your Bishop.
Knights & Bishops need to be mobilized to castle.
King Safety is paramount before attacking.
Try to capture a Bishop with a knight.
* PHASE TWO (The opponents pawn structure is broken down into islands. An end game is planned. )
Attack the pawn structure to open columns for the rooks.
You should have less pawn islands than your opponent.
Turn an opponent Bishop into a bad bishop.
Create a Knight outpost to gain control of the opponent's space.
Queen Activity
Rook Mobility : Control a Column
King Mobility (Space to move in case of an attack)
* PHASE THREE (Basic End game tempo calculations)
Create a passed pawn and push with a rook to it's promoting square.
Rook Activity : Control a rank in your opponents territory. Ideally the 7th & 8th rank
King active in the center.
Each piece has two different purposes during each phase of the game (Protects & Attacks).
Exchange the opponent active piece with your passive pieces.
@merkevicius #1
In the book Pump up your rating by IM Axel Smith, there is GM Ulf Andersson mentioned who said about 1.f4 :
"Black is already slightly better", because f4 weakens the 2nd rank, opens the d8-h4 diagonal and weakens the kingside.
Of course this is GM level talk, and it should be taken with a grain of salt but playing 1.f4 for beginning chess players can indeed be asking for trouble (More or less mentioned in #3 by TrainingOTB).
You could explore 1.b3, 1.g3, 1.Nf3, 1.c4 apart from playing 1.d4 and 1.e4 only.
However, if you want to improve as beginning chess player you probably will benefit more from daily tactics training, and applying the capture & check rule before making a move in your chess games. Analysing all of your slower time control games, focusing on middlegame and endgame and not so much on openings, with Stockfish and/or chess friends makes much sense as well.
HTH, GL & HF !
In the book Pump up your rating by IM Axel Smith, there is GM Ulf Andersson mentioned who said about 1.f4 :
"Black is already slightly better", because f4 weakens the 2nd rank, opens the d8-h4 diagonal and weakens the kingside.
Of course this is GM level talk, and it should be taken with a grain of salt but playing 1.f4 for beginning chess players can indeed be asking for trouble (More or less mentioned in #3 by TrainingOTB).
You could explore 1.b3, 1.g3, 1.Nf3, 1.c4 apart from playing 1.d4 and 1.e4 only.
However, if you want to improve as beginning chess player you probably will benefit more from daily tactics training, and applying the capture & check rule before making a move in your chess games. Analysing all of your slower time control games, focusing on middlegame and endgame and not so much on openings, with Stockfish and/or chess friends makes much sense as well.
HTH, GL & HF !
In my opinion, whatever opening you choose, you may lose against a stronger player, or agaisnt a player of your level aware of the opening principles.
I think just sticking with normal openings with main lines is enough for several hundred ( or in our case a thousand) rating points.
This is part of the sickness we amateurs have looking for shortcuts and tricks to get an edge is attractive... when just doing the hard work with normal lines and openings (we likely have much bigger problems than the opening specifics) will serve us the best.
Ultimately we're being lazy and looking for validation we're not being lazy.
There's no easy way out, no short cut home.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPb7g_BlXQ
This is part of the sickness we amateurs have looking for shortcuts and tricks to get an edge is attractive... when just doing the hard work with normal lines and openings (we likely have much bigger problems than the opening specifics) will serve us the best.
Ultimately we're being lazy and looking for validation we're not being lazy.
There's no easy way out, no short cut home.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPb7g_BlXQ
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