Article: 3671 of rec.games.chess.analysis Newsgroups: rec.games.chess.analysis Path: info!dregis From: dregis@exeter.ac.uk (D.Regis) Subject: Re: beginner question Message-ID: Organization: University of Exeter, UK. References: <52uaqb$572@mozo.cc.purdue.edu> Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 11:59:59 GMT In article <52uaqb$572@mozo.cc.purdue.edu> kostek@widget.ecn.purdue.edu (Theodore M Kostek) writes: >Being a novice, I've been following the thread on good opening lines >for beginners with some interest. I have a question, though. > >Suppose I'm all set to play my favorite opening w/ white. Say the >Ruy Lopez to pick one. So I go ahead with 1 e4. But now black goes for >the Sicilian. Are my Lopez plans now essentially screwed? I just have to >make the moves on the fly using guiding opening principles? Making the moves on the fly using guiding opening principles is what we all have to do once we are out of the book, which in most people's case, is pretty early on! There is no cure for being out-thought in the opening. But don't try and learn more than you need. Learn about only those openings that you meet, and then, learn principles and ideas as much as variations. I heard about a player who devoted hours to learning a bust to the Latvian Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5). Hours. Of course, it was all wasted, because noone plays the Latvian, but just in case ... And then the day came when someone played the Latvian against him! And his opponent deviated from his analysis... shaken, he went wrong and drew, but was back the next club night to demonstrate a carefully analysed refutation... So, play your Lopez or your other favourite opening against other players your own strength. If someone starts playing the Sicilian against you then learn that one. Someone at your club can teach you a system that will suit you. What were your Lopez plans? Were they very different from "guiding opening principles"? i.e. Fast development towards the centre? Open lines to exploit a lead in development? Move over and attack the King? I think if your Lopez intentions went 1. e4 2. Nf3 3. Bb5 4. O-O 5. Re1 6. c3/d4 that would work fine against the Sicilian! But against the other defences, you might have to try a different approach. However, you don't have to learn very different systems against each half-open defence. For example, if you like gambits, then play a gambit against the lot. If you like the King's Indian Attack, play that against the lot. If you like space advantages, go for those lines, e.g. Alekhine (1. e4 Nf6) Four pawns variation (1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. d4 d6 5. f4 ) Caro-Kann (1. e4 c6) Advance Variation (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5) French (1. e4 e6) Advance Variation (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5) Pirc/Modern (1. e4 ... ...d6/...g6) Three Pawns Attack (1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. c3 g6 4. f4) Sicilian (1. e4 c5) Big Clamp Variation (1. e4 c5 2. d3 (...) 3. f4) There are other defences but you rarely come across them, even at Expert level. Hope this helps D -- May your pieces harmonise with your Pawn structure and your sacrifices be sound in all variations D _ / "()/~ Dave Regis &8^D* WWW: http://www.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/chess.html || \_/| = DrDave on BICS ~\ / "...what else exists in the world but chess?" _|||__SHEU: ~/sheu.html -- NABOKOV From info!dregis Tue Oct 8 10:28:45 BST 1996