Meat wrote on 11/27/07 at 17:07:40:
Quote:However, IMHO for club players things become more and more difficult recently, simply because of the amount of theory.
I am a club player, but I've never encountered anyone who has wheeled out 25 moves of theory against me. I don't think there are many players under 2000 elo who know that much theory. And even if they do, a good understanding of typical positions will most likely prove to be worth a lot more than knowing long variations.
Hmm ok, my definition of a club player is <= 2200.
Anyway, especially in these times of computer databases I more or less frequently run into youngsters with about 1900 - 2000 German Rating (may be equal to ELO) in the 5th league where I play, that "blitz" the first 15 - 20 moves in regular OTB games. There may be some special preparation (I'm playing more or less the same openings for the last 20 years) against me, but similar things are happening with my colleques in the team.
As for the KID, IMHO the game can objectively be over after these 15-20 moves, in a 4-pawns-attack, Samisch or a classical variation. Knowledge of plans and positions is nice. If you're not stranded in a completely lost position. Maybe I'm getting old, but that made me change to something more positonal and less sharp.
But lets be honest. At this "patzer" level (for me also below 2200) much more important than the objective value of an opening is that you like the positons that you get with the openings you play.
. I still have my - by far - best score in the "harmless" Ruy Lopez Exchange with 9-1-0, which I considered as a more or less automatic win when I was young