Definetly English attack set up for me. Don't get me wrong, they're still very complex (ie fun!) positions with plenty of black counterplay.

But I do also really think that its relatively easy to play. For one thing white has a very clear/effective plan if black doesn't know precisely what he's doing. But also whites position has a genuinely sound positional base: he's well developed and his center is fairly stable.

In contrast I see a lot of people trying to play the 6 Be2 Nardojf as white and just not knowing what they're doing come the middlegame and the 6 Bc4/Bg5 style stuff is often somewhat all or nothing.

I don't see 1...e5 happening for me.  Too major of a change

Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.

No, 1.e4 e5. I am a moderate adherent of the Markovich doctrine: Tarrasch or 1.e4 e5 as Black (Markovich thinks you should play both).

I guess I will meet you and Markovich halfway!

In regards to the Caro-Kann, I think the Advance is viable for club players if they use 4. h4.

I assume by open games as black you mean Indian defenses or Dutch?

I have never understood why a repertoire should fit together. If someone enjoys the Fort Knox against 1.e4 and the Von Hennig-Schara against 1.d4, why not?
But I understand that contradictions are not virtuous.

Caro-Kann Nc3 and g4 strives for a wide open attack which you say you don't like.
GPA against the Sicilian is probably a waste of time. If you become stronger it will prove teethless. Switch to the Open Sicilian and play slightly offbeat stuff first. Davies in Taming the Sicilian (based on 6.g3) has shown it's not that much work. There are several other options; you only should avoid for the time being topical variations like the Richter-Rauser, the Jugoslav and the English Attacks.
If you like slow manoeuvring games the Classical against the Pirc is OK; I always have preferred the Argentinean Attack 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 0-0 6.0-0-0 and 7.f3. You'll be amazed how many scalps you will earn on a 1600 level.

You should either take up the Tarrasch or the Open Games as Black. Mastering open positions with active piece play is mandatory on our level if you want to improve.

I'm around your strenght as a player, and i have recently switched to the tarrasch QGD with very good results. Against the french i used to be an advance player, but now i feel more comfortable with Nc3. I think that also a switch to the open sicilians would be advisable.

Stigma wrote on 04/18/11 at 18:40:00:

Brr, I don't like this one. 4...Bf5 and White has nothing, maybe even less.