Which opening is suitable for a beginner like me?

For white I play e4 mostly and can respond decently to d5. However I can't decide between Nf3 and Bc4. My friend who has 2000 rapid rating suggested me to play Bc4, followed by Nc3(Does Nf3 work in the bishop's opening?). Yes I can play that(haven't played on lichess yet but tried it somewhere else). My most played opening however is the Four Knights Game:Italian. Sometimes the Spanish variation. That is all for white

So which one is the most suitable opening for a player like me for both black and white?

Thank you!

I am a beginner in chess so please don't recommend complicated openings. What they teach us in chess at school is the e5 or d5. They prefer that we play e5 so I struggle when anyone plays d4 but I think I will learn that. However after e5, I choose between Stafford Gambit(Nf6) and Nc6. That is all for Black. For white I play e4 mostly and can respond decently to d5. However I can't decide between Nf3 and Bc4. My friend who has 2000 rapid rating suggested me to play Bc4, followed by Nc3(Does Nf3 work in the bishop's opening?). Yes I can play that(haven't played on lichess yet but tried it somewhere else). My most played opening however is the Four Knights Game:Italian. Sometimes the Spanish variation. That is all for white So which one is the most suitable opening for a player like me for both black and white? Thank you!

lizani

Use the database function on lichess. For example, after 1 e4, you'll find 1... c5, 1... e5, and 1... e6 are the most popular responses and account for 80% of the games. So as white you need a plan against each of these.
You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd.

Use the database function on lichess. For example, after 1 e4, you'll find 1... c5, 1... e5, and 1... e6 are the most popular responses and account for 80% of the games. So as white you need a plan against each of these. You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd.

HIHIHIHAHAHAHA_XRAY

There are no complicated openings, there are just mind-blowing gambits, for example the Queen's Gambit or the King's Gambit, but there are always defenses against them, and yes, e5 is not the safest move; various branches can play against you, the Halloween Gambit or the Traxler Attack, and you are sure that if you move e4 and you don't know the atidot. So, of course, study the theory of capturing the center first in chess, but you can also play the Sicilian or the Berne Opening, or the safest Slav Defense against the Queen's Gambit. There are many different openings, and it's almost impossible to learn them all, but there are no difficult openings. There's only the desire to learn. If you're too lazy to learn, don't teach.
I learned the Burn opening and now I can win 2000 or play the Halloween Gambit against 1800, whatever you like better, learn it.

There are no complicated openings, there are just mind-blowing gambits, for example the Queen's Gambit or the King's Gambit, but there are always defenses against them, and yes, e5 is not the safest move; various branches can play against you, the Halloween Gambit or the Traxler Attack, and you are sure that if you move e4 and you don't know the atidot. So, of course, study the theory of capturing the center first in chess, but you can also play the Sicilian or the Berne Opening, or the safest Slav Defense against the Queen's Gambit. There are many different openings, and it's almost impossible to learn them all, but there are no difficult openings. There's only the desire to learn. If you're too lazy to learn, don't teach. I learned the Burn opening and now I can win 2000 or play the Halloween Gambit against 1800, whatever you like better, learn it.

HIHIHIHAHAHAHA_XRAY

@lizani said in #2:

You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd.

Bro, there will be exceptions who will play the Burn Opening or the King's Gambit and that's it.

@lizani said in #2: > You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd. Bro, there will be exceptions who will play the Burn Opening or the King's Gambit and that's it.

lizani edited

@HIHIHIHAHAHAHA_XRAY said in #4:

You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd.

Bro, there will be exceptions who will play the Burn Opening or the King's Gambit and that's it.

That's why you use a large database, individual preferences will be swamped out by the majority. For example in lichess database, after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 has 61% and the King's Gambit 2 f4 only 6%. If you use the lichess masters database the openings will become even more mainstream - 2 Nf3 92% and 2 f4 only 2%. After 1 d4, the Englund Gambit is close to zero in the masters database although it rises to 6% in the main one.

@HIHIHIHAHAHAHA_XRAY said in #4: > > You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd. > > Bro, there will be exceptions who will play the Burn Opening or the King's Gambit and that's it. That's why you use a large database, individual preferences will be swamped out by the majority. For example in lichess database, after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 has 61% and the King's Gambit 2 f4 only 6%. If you use the lichess masters database the openings will become even more mainstream - 2 Nf3 92% and 2 f4 only 2%. After 1 d4, the Englund Gambit is close to zero in the masters database although it rises to 6% in the main one.

HIHIHIHAHAHAHA_XRAY

@lizani said in #5:

You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd.

Bro, there will be exceptions who will play the Burn Opening or the King's Gambit and that's it.

That's why you use a large database, individual preferences will be swamped out by the majority. For example in lichess database, after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 has 61% and the King's Gambit 2 f4 only 6%. If you use the lichess masters database the openings will become even more mainstream - 2 Nf3 92% and 2 f4 only 2%. After 1 d4, the Englund Gambit is close to zero in the masters database although it rises to 6% in the main one.

Even though the King's Gambit is rare, if it goes into a tournament, there's a chance you'll meet it, and it might be a big one, or a Sicilian, or something much worse...
And your moves won't help with the Lichess data base since there are more non-standard percentages in total than non-standard ones...

@lizani said in #5: > > > You can then use the database to find which 2nd move, 3rd move etc is the most frequently played. The people's choice is usually the best and you can't go wrong following the crowd. > > > > Bro, there will be exceptions who will play the Burn Opening or the King's Gambit and that's it. > > That's why you use a large database, individual preferences will be swamped out by the majority. For example in lichess database, after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 has 61% and the King's Gambit 2 f4 only 6%. If you use the lichess masters database the openings will become even more mainstream - 2 Nf3 92% and 2 f4 only 2%. After 1 d4, the Englund Gambit is close to zero in the masters database although it rises to 6% in the main one. Even though the King's Gambit is rare, if it goes into a tournament, there's a chance you'll meet it, and it might be a big one, or a Sicilian, or something much worse... And your moves won't help with the Lichess data base since there are more non-standard percentages in total than non-standard ones...

fallboss007

Use opening principles and study endgames

CCAK0123456789

@Fighting_King said in #1:

I am a beginner in chess so please don't recommend complicated openings. What they teach us in chess at school is the e5 or d5. They prefer that we play e5 so I struggle when anyone plays d4 but I think I will learn that. However after e5, I choose between Stafford Gambit(Nf6) and Nc6. That is all for Black.

For white I play e4 mostly and can respond decently to d5. However I can't decide between Nf3 and Bc4. My friend who has 2000 rapid rating suggested me to play Bc4, followed by Nc3(Does Nf3 work in the bishop's opening?). Yes I can play that(haven't played on lichess yet but tried it somewhere else). My most played opening however is the Four Knights Game:Italian. Sometimes the Spanish variation. That is all for white

So which one is the most suitable opening for a player like me for both black and white?

Thank you!

Look at @phil224 ́s studies. He explains really well and u get to learn some openings.

@Fighting_King said in #1: > I am a beginner in chess so please don't recommend complicated openings. What they teach us in chess at school is the e5 or d5. They prefer that we play e5 so I struggle when anyone plays d4 but I think I will learn that. However after e5, I choose between Stafford Gambit(Nf6) and Nc6. That is all for Black. > > For white I play e4 mostly and can respond decently to d5. However I can't decide between Nf3 and Bc4. My friend who has 2000 rapid rating suggested me to play Bc4, followed by Nc3(Does Nf3 work in the bishop's opening?). Yes I can play that(haven't played on lichess yet but tried it somewhere else). My most played opening however is the Four Knights Game:Italian. Sometimes the Spanish variation. That is all for white > > So which one is the most suitable opening for a player like me for both black and white? > > Thank you! Look at @phil224 ́s studies. He explains really well and u get to learn some openings.

tpr

"I choose between Stafford Gambit(Nf6) and Nc6." * 2...Nc6 is good and so is 2...Nf6, but Stafford Gambit 3 Nxe5 Nc6? is no good. You lose a central pawn. Maybe it is good for now, but later it will not suffice, so better start with something sound right away.

"For white I play e4" * Excellent, best by test - Fischer.

"I can't decide between Nf3 and Bc4." * Nf3 of course. Ng1 is less active than Bf1, and it is clear Nf3 is the logical move for Ng1, while the logical move for Bf1 is less clear.

"Bc4, followed by Nc3" * dubious.

"Does Nf3 work in the bishop's opening?" * Play Nf3 first.

Four Knights Game" * Excellent

"Italian" * Four knights Italian with 4 Bc4 is not as strong as Four Knights with 4 Bb5 or 4 d4. The reason is black can play 4...Nxe4..

"Spanish variation" * Excellent

#1 "I am a beginner in chess so please don't recommend complicated openings." * Most natural and best for beginners and World Championship Candidates alike is to defend 1 e4 e5 and 1 d4 d5 as black and to open 1 e4 as white. "I choose between Stafford Gambit(Nf6) and Nc6." * 2...Nc6 is good and so is 2...Nf6, but Stafford Gambit 3 Nxe5 Nc6? is no good. You lose a central pawn. Maybe it is good for now, but later it will not suffice, so better start with something sound right away. "For white I play e4" * Excellent, best by test - Fischer. "I can't decide between Nf3 and Bc4." * Nf3 of course. Ng1 is less active than Bf1, and it is clear Nf3 is the logical move for Ng1, while the logical move for Bf1 is less clear. "Bc4, followed by Nc3" * dubious. "Does Nf3 work in the bishop's opening?" * Play Nf3 first. Four Knights Game" * Excellent "Italian" * Four knights Italian with 4 Bc4 is not as strong as Four Knights with 4 Bb5 or 4 d4. The reason is black can play 4...Nxe4.. "Spanish variation" * Excellent

mkubecek

#10

@tpr said in #9:

Nf3 of course. Ng1 is less active than Bf1, and it is clear Nf3 is the logical move for Ng1, while the logical move for Bf1 is less clear.

Actually, John Emms in his book dedicated to Modern Italian (the c3-d3 setup) advocates for playing Bc4 first to prevent black deviating into Russian (Petrov). According to him, while black also has options to deviate after 2. Bc4, these are generally easier to handle than Russian.

I have not adopted this advice myself yet, though. So far most of my opponents who played Russian were not very familiar with the 3. d4 flavour and were soon out of prep after that.

@tpr said in #9: > Nf3 of course. Ng1 is less active than Bf1, and it is clear Nf3 is the logical move for Ng1, while the logical move for Bf1 is less clear. Actually, John Emms in his book dedicated to Modern Italian (the c3-d3 setup) advocates for playing Bc4 first to prevent black deviating into Russian (Petrov). According to him, while black also has options to deviate after 2. Bc4, these are generally easier to handle than Russian. I have not adopted this advice myself yet, though. So far most of my opponents who played Russian were not very familiar with the 3. d4 flavour and were soon out of prep after that.