saubhikr wrote on 01/26/08 at 02:34:11:

My main reasons for playing the Open:
*it's theoretically sound.
*it leads to intersting compllicated positions full of play.
*it's very flexible: both players have lots of options.
*it's currently quite out of fashion: so white may be out of his comfort zone (limited experience with the type of positions) and may even have forgotten the theory altogether.

I've also been looking at the Modern Steinitz for the same reasons.

kylemeister wrote on 07/26/11 at 17:47:07:


Ye that's true, I've been trying very hard the last few weeks to find the "right" openings based on my style and temperament. I watched Kasparov's 3 Najdorf volumes a few weeks ago, and I think I've been influenced greatly to try and play the openings he does, which is probably a bad idea after checking my results, specifically with the Najdorf, I either get crushed on the kingside or come undone in sharp tactical battles. Whereas in the Kalashnikov I seem to be doing a lot better (is the Kalashnikov a positional opening? I always thought it was tactics orienated, but I don't have a clue tbh...), also the same story with the Grunfeld/King's Indian as opposed to the QGD, having much better results in the latter, tbh I think I'm going to try and build a repertoire around trying to reach and endgame where I'm slightly worse with black and slightly better as white, because after reviewing my own games (albeit only 5min online blitz games), endgames are definitely the strongest part of my game. The problem for me though is I find these quieter openings boring (referring to QGD, I like the Klashnikov a lot), but I seem to have better results with them, so I guess I should stick with it.

On topic: Thinking about it, the Berlin is the obvious backup choice to my Kalashnikov.

LostTactic wrote on 07/26/11 at 17:11:22:


Then the Zaitsev would be a bad choice...

Anyone know if "The Ruy Lopez - A Guide for Black" is still the best reference book on the Zaitsev? Also would Marin's "Beating the Open Games" still be the best complement? I have Jan Gustaffson's DVD on open games, but he tends to favour lines that are too aggressive for me.

If it is books only, then Keres should have scored more as Davies' e4-e5 covers this

As of today, the Zaitsev prevails.  Excelsior.

I did play a few marshalls back in the day, then experimented on the breyer, but now am sorely tempted to take a look at the open & archangelski.

Rubenstein is the Na5 (Chigorin) followed by Qc7 variation. Marin proposed this as the main response to Ruy Lopez.