I have an upcoming tournament and I would usually use ChessBase but this is on Lichess and If I want to prepare for my opponents and see what openings they play (like an opening explorer) How would I do/get it?
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Yes, in terms of Opening preparation you can use Openingtree.com and the personal Opening explorer here on lichess (lichess.org/analysis#explorer/me), you just need to know the username of your Opponent, enter it and start looking at the Openings.
I myself am not experienced, but I've heard, that - if you indeed want to prep your Opening - you should look at the Openings yu play the most and at the same Opening, if your Opponent plays against it. Then you shoulod figure out the weaker lines of your Opponent and rep it out, as well as the stronger lines, because your Opponent is twice as likely to look at a game that went wrong than at a success. Here you can use the masters database (or the lichess database) and the engine to get the best lines - of course, Opening books and other tools are good too. And you should now your Openings: Only playing the moves you know and have memorized ain't that great, but knowing plans and ideas is great! (Although I think that you will have no problem with this.)
Then, you can also prep the middlegame by looking at arising pawnstructures and playing such middlegames against the engine or other players (like form position against a friend in real life or against an user here on lichess). Of course, going through tactics and puzzles before your tournament will only be in your benefit, so go through them to prepare.
And, last but not least, you have to go through the endgames as well - if you are winning and low on time, you should play the right moves instantly (that's very hard though, given a complex position). And you should also try to fight the engine in a won or drawn endgame in like bullet or even hyperbullet - then you will be prepared against time trouble in endgames.
Well I hope that you found this post helpful and that you win your tournament. Good luck and go crazy with your prep!
I myself am not experienced, but I've heard, that - if you indeed want to prep your Opening - you should look at the Openings yu play the most and at the same Opening, if your Opponent plays against it. Then you shoulod figure out the weaker lines of your Opponent and rep it out, as well as the stronger lines, because your Opponent is twice as likely to look at a game that went wrong than at a success. Here you can use the masters database (or the lichess database) and the engine to get the best lines - of course, Opening books and other tools are good too. And you should now your Openings: Only playing the moves you know and have memorized ain't that great, but knowing plans and ideas is great! (Although I think that you will have no problem with this.)
Then, you can also prep the middlegame by looking at arising pawnstructures and playing such middlegames against the engine or other players (like form position against a friend in real life or against an user here on lichess). Of course, going through tactics and puzzles before your tournament will only be in your benefit, so go through them to prepare.
And, last but not least, you have to go through the endgames as well - if you are winning and low on time, you should play the right moves instantly (that's very hard though, given a complex position). And you should also try to fight the engine in a won or drawn endgame in like bullet or even hyperbullet - then you will be prepared against time trouble in endgames.
Well I hope that you found this post helpful and that you win your tournament. Good luck and go crazy with your prep!
Yep but in real life you can prep only against GM or IM in database.
When you play somebody OTB do you know his or her online name? No that is why you must not tell people your account online.
And even if you are an IM who wants to prep against a GM. Are you sure he his going to play in favorite opening? People can switch.
It is better to prep against the French defense, against an opening and when you play your tournament you will play one or 2 games in that opening.
That's my point.
Let's say you want to prep me. Your prep is OP, I play into it and I lose. Perhaps I can come back in the middle game or endgame but let's say I lose. Did you win or was it your prep that won? You can win but not really be a better player
Then to win against people of my strength or superior to me you must prep everything that's too much work except if you are a professional player against IM and GM
When you play somebody OTB do you know his or her online name? No that is why you must not tell people your account online.
And even if you are an IM who wants to prep against a GM. Are you sure he his going to play in favorite opening? People can switch.
It is better to prep against the French defense, against an opening and when you play your tournament you will play one or 2 games in that opening.
That's my point.
Let's say you want to prep me. Your prep is OP, I play into it and I lose. Perhaps I can come back in the middle game or endgame but let's say I lose. Did you win or was it your prep that won? You can win but not really be a better player
Then to win against people of my strength or superior to me you must prep everything that's too much work except if you are a professional player against IM and GM
@ HDGhog Exactly! At some point it isn't chess being played but preparation, approved by databases and engines, being executed! That's the reason, why many people are impressed by prep and at the same time find it unnatural.
With this said, I think one can prep and play chess at the same time - but once again, at some point prep just takes over, if you have prepared too much.
With this said, I think one can prep and play chess at the same time - but once again, at some point prep just takes over, if you have prepared too much.
Utilize your time by focusing on your shortcomings and overall game play. If you know the systems you typically play, you won't need to spend an excessive amount of time on opening preparation.
For the records, you can also just enter the name of opp here at Lichess in the opening tree
Find the opening they like the most, then study the traps that go with that opening.
So if your opponent likes the Ruy Lopez ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_Lopez
Then you read up on it and note that it cover ECO C60 to C99
Then you go through the traps that fit your opponents ECO code.
Better is knowing your own chess insight openings and study how to better your repertoire with traps.
youtu.be/RysezEagO9c
So if your opponent likes the Ruy Lopez ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_Lopez
Then you read up on it and note that it cover ECO C60 to C99
Then you go through the traps that fit your opponents ECO code.
Better is knowing your own chess insight openings and study how to better your repertoire with traps.
youtu.be/RysezEagO9c
Prepare for the players with the highest better than percentage that's indicated in their profile.
Example:
Rating: 1948.83. @SpeedyCyclone is better than 84.0% of Blitz players.
Rating: 1651.88. Toscani is better than 61.4% of Blitz players.
So you don't have to prep for me. You would have the advantage just by looking at your percentage.
That 22.6% different in advantage. That's equal to 8.8 centipawns advantage, right from the starting position.
I would need you to blunder a few times just to level the field.
Example:
Rating: 1948.83. @SpeedyCyclone is better than 84.0% of Blitz players.
Rating: 1651.88. Toscani is better than 61.4% of Blitz players.
So you don't have to prep for me. You would have the advantage just by looking at your percentage.
That 22.6% different in advantage. That's equal to 8.8 centipawns advantage, right from the starting position.
I would need you to blunder a few times just to level the field.
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