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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Opening Repertoire How-To (Read 21682 times)
Sandman
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #44 - 12/10/21 at 01:27:39
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TD wrote on 05/15/21 at 06:12:05:
an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 05/15/21 at 01:35:26:

But all the sources I have looked at recently actually make a big assumption, that you already know which opening to study. Building a repertoire has to include a step where you make the choice.

Indeed, it always surprises me that that step is left out most of the time.



This!!!! I jump from one to another with no idea or guidance on HOW to pick one.
  

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FMCharless
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #43 - 10/30/21 at 23:26:43
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an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 02/26/21 at 07:06:34:
Bibs wrote on 02/26/21 at 03:46:15:
Basically, yes. Almost universal except, unfortunately, against that exact black set-up.

It is easier if White does not place knights on both f3 and c3 versus the hippo.

Of course. I strongly believe against the hippo white should play either e4+d4+f4, or e4+d4+c4. But isn't this good enough for a beginner? It's just a scheme for white to get all the pieces developed.


I completely agree. That was todays chess lesson.
  
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #42 - 05/22/21 at 02:00:02
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That makes perfect sense . . . the process of creating your own file is part of  how you learn the key moves and ideas.  I have toyed with using the training mode for my repertoires files from both sides as an additional learning tool and that seems to help in some cases.
  
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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #41 - 05/21/21 at 15:06:02
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Where to start, though? I'm just going to press on with the project, feel free to call me misguided as often as you want.
Edited:
I need to go on a chesspub diet.
  
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TopNotch
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #40 - 05/21/21 at 15:01:10
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an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 05/21/21 at 09:47:53:
Thanks for clarifying, I definitely read that all wrong. I agree there must be more than one way to construct the files for a repertoire. I seem to do it a different way every time myself. But documenting one way to do it is a good first step. And I would rather use a GM's example than one of my own, especially because I haven't been satisfied with any of my own efforts so far.

I was thinking about replicating Fishbein's structure but for a different opening, so people can see it but without violating his copyright. I haven't picked an opening though.


Wow! I would never replicate a GM's file or anyone else's for that matter unless I thought it better for me than my own structure, it's just such an individual thing and for me it feels so natural and easy to create.

When I create and review a file weeks or months later. I like to utilise training mode (which hides the moves) if I encounter an idea or move that puzzles me I try to figure out what's going on, and then comparing it to the annotation I made if there was one, adding explanatory text and/or moves if necessary.

Using someone else's files rarely contains all the things that will help you, they contain the things that mainly help the creator.
  

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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #39 - 05/21/21 at 09:47:53
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Thanks for clarifying, I definitely read that all wrong. I agree there must be more than one way to construct the files for a repertoire. I seem to do it a different way every time myself. But documenting one way to do it is a good first step. And I would rather use a GM's example than one of my own, especially because I haven't been satisfied with any of my own efforts so far.

I was thinking about replicating Fishbein's structure but for a different opening, so people can see it but without violating his copyright. I haven't picked an opening though.
  
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #38 - 05/21/21 at 05:27:16
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an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 05/20/21 at 22:57:48:
And I don't think "do it however you like" is a good set of instructions,

That's not what TopNotch wrote; he pointed out that there are several different methods posible. A "set of insturctions" tends to become too rigid quickly; a set of guidelines (including alternative ways) seems more practical to me.
  

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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #37 - 05/20/21 at 22:57:48
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I would say in the context of "Opening Repertoire How-To" that it does matter. And I don't think "do it however you like" is a good set of instructions, although it's very common indeed from strong players.
  
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TopNotch
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #36 - 05/20/21 at 21:28:01
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an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 05/20/21 at 21:07:24:
I just received Fishbein (2021) The Exchange French Comes to Life
https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1607370882

Very interesting is the last chapter (chapter 11) "Your Repertoire File". For the first time I have ever seen, and I have no reason to disbelieve that is what Fishbein is showing us, a GM has given his actual working ChessBase file, albeit in print form. In the past, GMs have given perhaps a paragraph or two that amounts to "you should put your repertoire in a ChessBase file".

Fishbein's repertoire "file" includes numerous references, at the end of a line, like "Game X"; and these refer to numbered games in the earlier chapters. Rather suspiciously, there are also a few references, at the beginning of a line, like "Game Y in the ChessBase theory file"; and these do not refer to numbered games in the earlier chapters. Does that mean Fishbein uses three different files -- games, repertoire, theory -- and is only showing us two?


Does it really matter. How one creates and populates a Chessbase file is a matter of taste, and depends on you like information organised. Some like one big file, others prefer a set of smaller files, some like lots of explanatory prose and some prefer symbols and numeric evaluations 0.00.

Personally I find numeric evaluations misleading and meaningless to Human players in practical play, but try convincing an amateur of that who learned the game post 'Skynet'.
  

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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #35 - 05/20/21 at 21:07:24
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I just received Fishbein (2021) The Exchange French Comes to Life
https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1607370882

Very interesting is the last chapter (chapter 11) "Your Repertoire File". For the first time I have ever seen, and I have no reason to disbelieve that is what Fishbein is showing us, a GM has given his actual working ChessBase file, albeit in print form. In the past, GMs have given perhaps a paragraph or two that amounts to "you should put your repertoire in a ChessBase file".

Fishbein's repertoire "file" includes numerous references, at the end of a line, like "Game X"; and these refer to numbered games in the earlier chapters. Rather suspiciously, there are also a few references, at the beginning of a line, like "Game Y in the ChessBase theory file"; and these do not refer to numbered games in the earlier chapters. Does that mean Fishbein uses three different files -- games, repertoire, theory -- and is only showing us two?
  
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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #34 - 05/17/21 at 19:50:12
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FreeRepublic wrote on 05/14/21 at 14:51:10:
In the Najdorf example provided in an earlier post, I would definitely look at game statistics. The lines that score better would get my attention.

MNb wrote on 05/17/21 at 10:31:56:
He (Moskalenko) continuously stresses the importance of creativity, trying new angles, challenging theoretical consensus and looking for dynamic ideas.

Well, there we have it, the two basic approaches to the opening. My sympathy lies with *both*. If everybody plays the one best or approved line, chess would become too easy for people with good memory and zero talent. However, you can't just play any rubbish to get them out of book, unless you are absolutely certain about the zero talent. What I think is possible is to play exactly one inferior move in the opening, to get the opponent out of book, and then switch back to playing all the best moves. The only question is how inferior can it be and still produce better statistical results than the best line. When there is a bunch of moves of about equal value (say on move one), take your pick. Other than that, you should play the best move *almost* all the time. It's that *almost* that requires experience and judgment.

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Practice shows that a not too obviously inferior variation, provided that it has never been applied in tournament play, can be put to the test without too much risk, and before the "only" scientific reply has been demonstrated or published there is time to improve the variation in question and look forward to that reply to the reply which undoubtedly is to be expected soon.

Needless to say, this does not condemn all opening theory. Plenty of variations are convincing enough and have not been altered for years. But fortunately there are many methods and sub-methods about which opinions will always differ. Chess is a practical game in which, let it be said once again, our disability is just as important as our ability. If it were possible to squeeze the game into a theoretical straight-jacket chess would soon be forgotten.

--Lodewijk Prins (1950) Master Chess, pages 6-7

I call attention to "improve the variation in question", which I take to mean the player has to put in continuous work on the creative opening choice, similar to the way the top GM has to put in continuous work on the main lines. The difference will be the intensity of the opposition, which allows us to not work quite as hard.
  
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an ordinary chessplayer
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #33 - 05/17/21 at 15:45:59
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Right, that's a variation the young me would *never* have chosen as black, especially since there are so many other openings which at least require white to think for a minute about how to get the advantage. Kaufman would say a "free" bishop pair like that is worth half a pawn, add to that white's usual first move initiative and it's closer to +/- than to +=. It doesn't really matter which one is correct, in a sense they both are.

But the old me would consider it! I've looked at the Fort Knox French (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3(Nd2) dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7), but haven't ever played it for either color, so I'm not sure how this Scandinavian variation compares. Maybe it's about the same. Looking at Arkell's Endings, it's like watching water wear away at stone.
  
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #32 - 05/17/21 at 15:20:12
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an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 05/17/21 at 06:40:53:
I always thought the choice of the Scandinavian versus 1.e4 was very clever, because if you play the King's Indian Attack starting with 1.e4, as in chapter 4, then 1...d5 is the only reply that prevents you from reaching it. Unfortunately, his analysis of the Scandinavian is not very good. Evans played both the King's Indian Attack and the King's Indian Defense, but I don't think he play the Scandinavian much, if at all.

I seem to recall that he went with 2...Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 c6, a main line in those olden days.  That has been considered clearly better for White in ECO (I suspect including in the first edition, which came out the same year as Evans' book), though I see that the 2020 edition has it as only +=.
  
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #31 - 05/17/21 at 12:44:37
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@Lanark,

In my first post on Nakamura's tier ranking I did say, "Advanced." That was my bad. The top ranking is GM-level. Hope I did not waste your time.
  
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Re: Opening Repertoire How-To
Reply #30 - 05/17/21 at 11:36:44
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I love Moskalenko's (non-French) books! Smiley
  
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