Markovich wrote on 06/10/09 at 23:55:46:


I see. I apologise for that; in my excitement at spotting this website and forum, I had not stopped to consider that part. Not everything is in Google, though I have found that a great deal of semi-current chess books - including NCO - is available at my local library (to check out, not as a reference. Yay !). But I have found a great deal of information within the past two or three days, literally. 

At any rate, I thank you all for answering my questions ! And yes, the other thread has been very helpful as well. I now know how to proceed from here.

Damien Calloway wrote on 06/10/09 at 21:10:47:


Oh yeah?  Well, what's your rating now?  Because with the level of sophistication that you appear to have, it's not about the opening, it's about how well you develop your pieces and how well you spot ideas on the chessboard.  There is no opening system that will answer for that.  I would say more, but it would go even further offtopic.

And yes, it is rather annoying for someone to come here and ask for free chess lessons on topics concerning which they could very well do some independent research.

@Markovich - sorry if I annoyed you; it's only that I am trying to make sense of all the stuff I Googled.... 

@Fllg - I once played e4 when I tried to learn chess back in 1999-2000, but kept getting picked apart very fast; I then read My System and found out about the Reti - then lost even faster. Since then, I found the Colle thru a recommendation of that Soltis book. I have not really tried any other openings. I am keeping an eye out for additions/replacements for the Colle, though... in the meantime, it is what I already play. I guess now, they call it Colle-Koltanowski. There is a Colle Zukertort, I may try that, but I don't think the positions I will get will be much better... I really have not tried anything besides Colle, Torre, Stonewall, Ruy Lopez, and Reti. Oh, and Catalan, but only yesterday. I thought I'd try the English, but it is too Reti-like. 

As far as the English goes, I will research further. Never thought I would need MCO/ECO but it seems that is where I am heading to. In the meantime, thanks for all of your help.

Get a book and read it, for crying out loud.  But with this much chess knowledge you should probably be playing 1.e4.

Fllg wrote on 06/10/09 at 19:53:50:


Too right, mate.

Damien Calloway wrote on 06/10/09 at 19:12:53:


There are many possible ways to play the English, and many possible ways for Black to play against it.  I suggest you consult some reference books.  There's a good Starting Out book by Neil MacDonald.  

However the Reti is 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 without White's early d4, while in the English ...d5 is not played so readily. Obviously though, you could see a transposition from the English to the Reti if Black prepared a quick ...d5 with either ...c6 or ...e6 and White held back his d-pawn and played an early Nf3.  

Fairly obviously also, 1.c4 does not fit in with the KIA. 

Markovich wrote on 06/10/09 at 17:38:18:


I suppose he meant King's Indian Reversed/Attack.  But, still ...

Er, in the English White almost always plays g3 and/or Nf3.

To get an overview of the variations in a given opening, you could use a source such as MCO, ECO/Small ECO etc.