Positional Opening

Hi all.
I play a lot of bullet (of the 2min slow kind). I know that this may be the source of my complaint, but recently, I got really tired of encounters where the opponent simply tries to get an open position by unreasonably fast and rather unsound play, throws the kitchen sink, and I loose either on time or because I blunder. Since everybody and his dog is sooo well-versed in tactics (except me, it seems), this kind of approach usually is enough to beat me. You know what I mean: these kind of positions where the opponent gave some material just to have a knight close to your king, or an open file/diagonal. You know, you'll win the position if you survive, but managing to survive is difficult because of time, and so on. This kind of frustrated me to a point where I simply stopped playing (for, like, a day or so). On the other hand, I feel I need to change my approach. So I think of looking at different openings; what I want is rather closed positions, a lot of maneuvering, more positional chess. It's not that I want to claim something like "tactics are overrated"; and yes, I maybe should train a bit as well. But I somehow can't believe that an approach solely based on making the position so complicated that a game-deciding blunder is more likely to occur is everything there is.

Usually, I start with 1. d4 with white and play 1. ... e6 against almost everything; happy with the French, sometimes more of a Sicilian/Benoni type of thing.

So, any suggestions? And thanks in advance!

I recommend you the Caro-Kann: solid, quick, simple.

;)

Move quicker and play better. :)

@chessanalyst
Well, thank you. Never thought of that. Just a follow-up: What exactly do you mean by "better"? Something like playing a move that is "good" "in" the position it is played? Maybe that's an idea.

Go Philidor Hanham or Old Indian against everything :-)
So d6/Nf6/e5/Nbd7/Be7/c6/0-0 no matter what White does. It's very easy to play in quick time controls and closed. There are just very few aggressive tries against it that one needs to know. It is not very active for Black, but you can't have it all :-)

Idk its something I struggle with at different times as well.
Bullet chess is different you gotta make moves and not try for the best one. Good enough moves are best moves most of the time in bullet. And even in classical...

@Chessexplained
Merci Christof. I'll give it a try.

@chessanalyst
It's not so much about bullet chess but avoiding to stumble into positions that don't fit me regularly.

The French is quite tactical and is more of a counterattack opening. Maybe the Caro-Kann or the Petrov, two openings that Anatoly Karpov played a lot. Or the Berlin Ruy Lopez.
On 1 d4 the most positional and closed is 1...d5: just the regular queen's gambit declined or Slav defence.
With white 1 d4 should suit your needs, especially the Catalan with Nf3 and g3.

I also wonder why you want to play 2 minute chess. Play some slower time control: 3+2, 5+0, 5+8, 10+0. If you do not like losing on time and blunders that may be more pleasant to you. Especially time controls with increment are a big relief as you cannot lose on time any more. With a slower time control you have time to avoid blunders. Also at slower time control play is less tactical and less based on cheap tricks and you may enjoy that better.

To be honest, bullet is a different kind of animal where positional play just doesn't work as good as it should... Unless you're like 2700+ bullet. Tactics is just super important in bullet.

Answering your question; if you'd like a positional/closed style, i'd just go for a Slav with black against d4, and the Caro against e4. You can just premove 1...c6, both openings are somewhat positional and there are not that many tricks. You do need to check some annoying sidelines against the Caro, where there could be some tricks, but that just comes with experience. I agree with #8 that playing 2-min chess is not that suitable, for the things you are saying in #1 :) But anyways, good luck with it bro

You just said that your problem is that you don't see the tactics. Improve your tactics and you'll get better. That's the root of your problems, changing your repertoire is just trying to mitigate the effects. Almost as if you had a severe cut and you put a Band-Aid on it instead of going to the hospital.