You are being ridiculous if you want to reach 1900 otb with no opening knowledge at all. I guess you can play some wacky systems but that also requires some knowledge.
If you want to be strong and invest your time in learning chess I don't know why automatically it wouldn't affect on your openings. Simple sitting with engine, database or book 1/2 hours a week is ok. But you can't have mindset to hate openings, I know many players like that who keep playing their same crap openings for years and this just affects terribly on your chess.
1900 fide is strong amateur level/weak master and at this point opponents are serious about chess.
What I would consider is playing a lot of sidelines if you don't want to spend many time on mainlines (understandable), and this usually works at this level. You can try to look for very surprising variations, maybe objectively weak but having big surprise value etc. However you have to know something about them.
But, overall, if you really hate openings and for some reason don't want to learn anything then just quit competetive chess. If you are not willing to learn openings, you are also not likely willing to learn other phases of the game.
If you want to be strong and invest your time in learning chess I don't know why automatically it wouldn't affect on your openings. Simple sitting with engine, database or book 1/2 hours a week is ok. But you can't have mindset to hate openings, I know many players like that who keep playing their same crap openings for years and this just affects terribly on your chess.
1900 fide is strong amateur level/weak master and at this point opponents are serious about chess.
What I would consider is playing a lot of sidelines if you don't want to spend many time on mainlines (understandable), and this usually works at this level. You can try to look for very surprising variations, maybe objectively weak but having big surprise value etc. However you have to know something about them.
But, overall, if you really hate openings and for some reason don't want to learn anything then just quit competetive chess. If you are not willing to learn openings, you are also not likely willing to learn other phases of the game.
@SoySausage Yes You are correct as without spending more than say 10 percent of your Study Time on openings you can easily reach 1900 fide ... However most people don't reach 1900 fide in Chess (around 2000 USCF) at all precislly because they spend too much time just looking at Opening Possibilities ... Study Complete games without spending yoo much time on the Opening ... Still 10 percent can mean a couple hours a week still right ? especially WHILE studying Complete Games
"... we can see from the above that players who are happy as White to play for a small edge in a queenless middlegame have a number of lines where they can achieve the sort of position they want. Even in other variations, the willingness to settle for a near-equal endgame, rather than trying to obtain an objective opening advantage, makes one's whole job of opening repertoire management very much easier. ... With his superb intuition and depth of positional understanding, [Petrosian] was accustomed to treating the opening relatively flippantly, and did not normally strive very hard to gain a theoretical advantage. ... it seems to me that for many players below master level, having a repertoire where there is minimal need to prepare could in fact be quite attractive. It must be remembered that, despite its shortcomings, Petrosian's approach proved good enough to wrest the world title out of the hands of Botvinnik, one of the best-prepared players ever. ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2003)
Possibly of interest: How Ulf Beats Black
www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9062a.pdf
Grandmaster Chess Strategy by Jürgen Kaufeld & Guido Kern
web.archive.org/web/20140708093410/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review812.pdf
Possibly of interest: How Ulf Beats Black
www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9062a.pdf
Grandmaster Chess Strategy by Jürgen Kaufeld & Guido Kern
web.archive.org/web/20140708093410/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review812.pdf
Contrary to what is often said these days, opening is very important. Whether the game is open or closed... pawn structure and sometimes the long-term position of the pieces has a lot to do with the opening. Openings can be enjoyable. When we consider them in relation to the middle game and endgame.
Also one can see the subject of DEFENCE & books/videos relating to this subject are often overlooked as well as the Practical side of Chess & Psychology . One needs to look only as far as Emanuel Lasker World Chess Champion to see DEEP Original Chess @SoySausage ... So what book available or videos available is perfect for you ? Well if you look around & find the video exists as well an older version book & a revised edition of Endgame Strtegy by mikhail Sherevesky ... Your playing will change after reading or watching @SoySausage @Akarsh_2010
As white pieces: London
As black pieces: Slav and Caro-Kann
As black pieces: Slav and Caro-Kann
I played my first tournament at the age of 20, and I managed to reach 2000 FIDE about 14 years later without knowing opening theory, playing new stuff every game, never preparing for games and I didnt have a coach.
It can be done, just understand that you are giving yourself a handicap.
Work around it, like Django Reinhardt did.
That great jazz guitarist crippled his left hand in a fire but adapted to his handicap to become one of the all time greats, a natural improvisor blessed by the Gods.
Find the right approach to opening play that works for you.
In my case it meant avoiding sharp lines that my opponent might now, sometimes accepting passive or slightly passive positions at the outset but always searching for original ideas to get active play.
Play alot of FischerRandom games to sharpen your ability to form a plan.
Of course you need talent, lasting motivation and hard work to succeed.
If you are able to connect with the right coach it could help tremendously,
but be critical, at the same time dont expect miracles to happen over a short time period.
Learn the most relevant endgames (especially rook endgames).
Buy "Fundamental Chess Endings" by Karsten Muller.
Keep playing long events OTB. Ideally play against opposition that you beat 1 out of 4 times.
If you keep playing games with people on your current level or below you wont get any better, you might get worse.
Dont play too much blitz and bullet.
Even online focus on longer time controls.
Too much short time control play will make sure you a instill a shallow approach to the game in your mind.
Most importantly become the best you possibly can at calculating lines.
Dont be sloppy, calculate every move every time. Remember you're only as good as your worst move.
Work consciously about how you handle time pressure and the psychological aspects of the game.
Good luck!
It can be done, just understand that you are giving yourself a handicap.
Work around it, like Django Reinhardt did.
That great jazz guitarist crippled his left hand in a fire but adapted to his handicap to become one of the all time greats, a natural improvisor blessed by the Gods.
Find the right approach to opening play that works for you.
In my case it meant avoiding sharp lines that my opponent might now, sometimes accepting passive or slightly passive positions at the outset but always searching for original ideas to get active play.
Play alot of FischerRandom games to sharpen your ability to form a plan.
Of course you need talent, lasting motivation and hard work to succeed.
If you are able to connect with the right coach it could help tremendously,
but be critical, at the same time dont expect miracles to happen over a short time period.
Learn the most relevant endgames (especially rook endgames).
Buy "Fundamental Chess Endings" by Karsten Muller.
Keep playing long events OTB. Ideally play against opposition that you beat 1 out of 4 times.
If you keep playing games with people on your current level or below you wont get any better, you might get worse.
Dont play too much blitz and bullet.
Even online focus on longer time controls.
Too much short time control play will make sure you a instill a shallow approach to the game in your mind.
Most importantly become the best you possibly can at calculating lines.
Dont be sloppy, calculate every move every time. Remember you're only as good as your worst move.
Work consciously about how you handle time pressure and the psychological aspects of the game.
Good luck!
@ThunderClap said in #16:
> Also one can see the subject of DEFENCE & books/videos relating to this subject are often overlooked as well as the Practical side of Chess & Psychology . One needs to look only as far as Emanuel Lasker World Chess Champion to see DEEP Original Chess @SoySausage ...
I just read the preface to a book by John Nunn called John Nunn's chess course based on the games of Lasker, and his discussion about Lasker is very much along these lines. The book looks very impressive and any post-beginner (or perhaps a little bit more advanced beginner) would greatly benefit from it.
> Also one can see the subject of DEFENCE & books/videos relating to this subject are often overlooked as well as the Practical side of Chess & Psychology . One needs to look only as far as Emanuel Lasker World Chess Champion to see DEEP Original Chess @SoySausage ...
I just read the preface to a book by John Nunn called John Nunn's chess course based on the games of Lasker, and his discussion about Lasker is very much along these lines. The book looks very impressive and any post-beginner (or perhaps a little bit more advanced beginner) would greatly benefit from it.
@SoySausage said in #1:
> If a person's only goal was to get to 1900 FIDE OTB (no desire to get higher than that) and they would rather quite chess than spend much time studying openings, but willing to work really hard on everything else, how would you advise them?
@SoySausage said in #6:
> I didn't say NO chess opening knowledge. I said not spending much time studying openings.
@SycoraxCirce said in #18:
>
Thanks for sharing! In my club there is this guy who lacks deep opening knowledge but still is around 2100 ELO (peaked at 2220). He plays 1.c4 every time as white. However it must be noted that his tactical play is superb, wastly superior to mine (1600 - 1700 ELO) for example.
Also it must be noted that I hated to learn openings, but recently I have learned some opening theory to counter his english and I was actually able to keep up with him for some moves and it kinda opened my eyes to the fact that learning opening theory I discovered is much more than the exact moves you have to play, it challenges the way you play the game transforming you into a better player.
> If a person's only goal was to get to 1900 FIDE OTB (no desire to get higher than that) and they would rather quite chess than spend much time studying openings, but willing to work really hard on everything else, how would you advise them?
@SoySausage said in #6:
> I didn't say NO chess opening knowledge. I said not spending much time studying openings.
@SycoraxCirce said in #18:
>
Thanks for sharing! In my club there is this guy who lacks deep opening knowledge but still is around 2100 ELO (peaked at 2220). He plays 1.c4 every time as white. However it must be noted that his tactical play is superb, wastly superior to mine (1600 - 1700 ELO) for example.
Also it must be noted that I hated to learn openings, but recently I have learned some opening theory to counter his english and I was actually able to keep up with him for some moves and it kinda opened my eyes to the fact that learning opening theory I discovered is much more than the exact moves you have to play, it challenges the way you play the game transforming you into a better player.
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