Zatox wrote on 05/16/09 at 09:09:59:



I played Qc2 for while but I found the positions too sterile if black goes down the mainline. Also black can have some fun with the Ne4 lines a la Adams.

I was pretty surprised by 7 Bf4, myself. I was expecting d5 there. I did strongly consider d6 for my 7th move. I chose Nh5 because I figured it would force White to spend a move with Bd2. I was obviously very pleased with the choice of Nc3. That gave me far more than I thought I could gain.

Thanks for the input. I knew I probably hadn't played it perfectly, but I was a bit encouraged by what you had to say.

I got a chance to try out one of those suggestions tonight... with success! I played a game against a Chessmaster opponent rated 2076 who opened with Nf3

Here's the game:
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 e6 Bg2 b6 4 d4 Bb7 5 0-0 Be7 6 c4 0-0 7 Bf4 Nh5 8 Nc3 Nxf4 9 gxf4 d5 10 Ne5 c6 11 cxd5 cxd5 12 f5 Nc6 13 Nxc6 Bxc6 14 fxe6 fxe6 15 e3 Bd6 16 f4 Qh4 17 Rf3 Rac8 18 Rc1 Qh5 19 Qd3 Rf5 20 Nb5 Bf8 21 Na7 Bb5 22 Qd2 Rxc1 23 Qxc1 Bc4 24 Nc6 Bxa2 25 Ne5 Rf6 26 Qc8 Bb1 27 Nd7 Rf5 28 Nxf8 Rxf8 29 Qxe6+ Qf7 30 Qxf7+ Rxf7 31 Rf1 Be4 32 Rc1 Ra7 33 Bf1 Ra2 34 b4 Ra3 35 Rc6 Rxe3 36 Rxb6 Kf7 37 b5 Re1 38 Kf2 Rd1 39 Rc6 Rxd4 40 b6 Rb4 41 Be2 d4 42 Rc4 Rxb6 43 Rxd4 Bf5 44 Ra4 Kg6 45 Ra5 h6 46 Rb5 Rxb5 47 Bxb5 Kf6 48 h4 g6 49 Be2 g5 50 hxg5+ hxg5 51 fxg5+ Kxg5 1/2-1/2

That game demonstrates one of the most aggrivating features of Chessmaster: it refused 4 draw offers in clearly drawn positions, so I had to play it all the way to insufficient material.

Anyway, I set out to try to get into a Queen's Indian, and succeeded. Obviously, I'm happy about that. The game summary by the program said I gave up a winning position to end up with a draw, but honestly, I felt like I was under a bit of pressure (and a bit of trouble for a while) for most of the endgame. I'm okay with that (else, I wouldn't play the C-K), but I'm curious what the program was referring to.

Any comments on the game or the opening? Anything I need to learn from here?

[quote author=BPaulsen link=1242322828/0#5 date=1242424035
The QID structures are the most nuanced when arriving via 1.c4/1.Nf3, and require the most expertise. [/quote]

Could you elaborate on that a little bit? In which ways is that so, and what do I need to be careful of?

BPaulsen wrote on 05/14/09 at 22:49:49:


I was talking about playing as White. I prefer playing against the Queen's Indian or Bogo Indian. I don't play the Nimzo or the Bogo as Black.

Thanks for the suggestions against Nf3. I like the idea of being able to play my regular d-pawn defenses against it. 

I think the Caro/Slav pairing sounds good for you for now; I play it myself, having realised after many years of ignorance that the Taimanov and Kan Sicilians I was playing weren't actually very well suited to my abilities. 

You'll probably be aware of the oft-repeated advice that the Open Games are very beneficial to one's chess development (unfortunately I never heard this advice when I started playing chess, to my detriment) and so the Petroff might be worth experimenting with some more if you've got bored of Caro Kanns, something that seems to happen sometimes....  

I play the Petroff occasionally as it doesn't seem as demanding as the Ruy Lopez and early deviations mean you don't always get it anyway so you can spend more time on things like the Kings Gambit, the study of which must only be good for your development after all those semi open games.   

Other than getting that 1...e5 experience under your belt I defer to more experienced and stronger players who post here when it comes to advising on a repertoire, although I would add that I have always opened 1.c4 and I think that's what has made me more 'positional' than I perhaps ought to be, were my chess ability more rounded.  However, that has also encouraged me to answer 1.c4 with 1...c5, whilst 1.Nf3 can be a real headache if you don't really work something out against it.  When I used to play the Dutch I would just go 1...f5 (although that wasn't always without it's problems) but as a Slav player now I tend to go 1...d5.   If you chose to play both the Symmetrical English and the Sicilian you could answer 1.Nf3 with 1...c5 confidently enough, but you are talking about boatloads of theory and a drastic repertoire change if you go looking into the Sicilian at all.....and I don't think it's the 'positional' repertoire choice you seem interested in.  Queens Indian and Nimzo/QGD might be good, but again quite demanding (don't forget the Catalan) - if you are fairly happy with the CK and Slav it may be better to concentrate more on tactics and endgames until you really get bored of your openings. 

Hope this may help.  By the way, Steve Giddins wrote a useful little book entitled 'How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire' which you might enjoy; other similarly good books with sections on this topic that I'd recommend would be Yermolinsky's 'Road to Chess Improvement' and John Nunn's 'Secrets of Practical Chess', whilst more recently Lars Bo Hansen wrote a great book called 'How Chess Games are Won and Lost' which also discussed choosing your openings in depth. 

   

I've been trying to build a good opening repertoire recently, as I feel like I'm getting to the point in my chess development where it's needed. I prefer to play positionally more than tactically. Here's what I play/am thinking about playing:

As white I generally play 1 d4. After 1... Nf6 2 c4 e6, I play 3 Nf3. I'd rather play against a Queen's/Bogo Indian or a QGD than a Nimzo.

As black, my primary response to 1 e4 is the Caro-Kann, though I've been strongly considering complimenting it with the Petroff. I'm also curious about the Scandinavian and even the Sicilian Kan, so I'd appreciate any suggestions regarding them.

Against 1 d4, I usually play d5 and try to go into a Slav. I've been considering adding the Queen's Indian to my repertoire, as well. I do occasionally play the QGD, so I'm fine with playing that after 3 Nc3.

I usually just play c6 against the English since I play the Caro=Kann and Slav anyway. I haven't looked too much into other English lines yet, although I am curious. So, I'd definitely like some suggestions there.

I'm having a tougher time making up my mind after the Reti. I usually play Nf6, put I'm very open for suggestions there. Nothing's set in stone, as far as I'm concerned against 1 Nf3.

Anyway, that's where I'm at right now. Any advice, additional suggestions or even recommended changes are appreciated.

Thanks in advance!