Questions tagged [opening]
Questions relating to the initial moves of the game and their aims
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Slav / Semi-slav Bf4 is bad?
In a recent game I played 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 (Semi-slav), then as White played Bf4 because I didn't know any theory. Lichess analysis board says this is a non-trivial opening ...
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Why is putting the pawn to d5 not so good here?
Compare this position:
[fen ""]
[title ""]
[startply "7"]
1.e4 e5 2.d4 d6 3.Nf3 f6 4.Bc4 *
And this one:
[fen ""]
[title ""]
[startply "7"]...
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Benoni line with White
I like to play the h3 line against the Benoni specifically when they play the a6 line like this one:
[FEN ""]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.Bd3 Bg7 8.h3 O-O 9.Nf3 ...
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Why does black have a higher win rate on Lichess in Exchange French?
In the following position, databases of master games show black has a higher win rate (Lichess says 20% for white vs 25% for black). Why does black have a higher win rate here?
[FEN ""]
[...
- 796
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Tricky response against the London system
I am 1900 chess.com rapid player. I am looking for some opening recommendations with black against the London. I find myself struggling to reach positions that suit my style.
I am genuinely tired of ...
- 249
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How do I face the Sicilian wisely?
When I play the open Sicilian with White, I have this constant unjustified urge to “do something” and “do it immediately or Black will take over”! I am good enough of a player to know this is stupid! ...
- 251
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Tool for training opening moves
I have a PGN with the best moves against common opening traps. I'd like to train my memory and use an app/website.
The idea is that computer chooses a random line on the PGN and I have to remember ...
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Resources for creating opening books or chess trees offline on PC
Please Suggest resources for creating, viewing and updating opening books or chess trees offline on PC. preferably with the ability to add moves or lines manually and with open source or free software ...
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In the Symmetrical Exchange Slav, why is 7. e3 played before 8. Qb3?
After:
[fen ""]
[Startply "12"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bf4 Bf5
How does 7. e3 e6 8. Qb3 benefit white as opposed to the immediate 7. Qb3?
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A game I might have read about, Kasparov had to analyse an opening line from scratch and ended up winning anyway?
If my memory isn't tricking me, didn't Kasparov once get a game where early in the opening he didn't know the line, so he sat down for 45 minutes and worked out that the best move is Qc7, and went on ...
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How to analyze new opening, in a tournament time-frame, as an intermediate?
This is a hypothetical question as I'm not actually taking part in tournaments but the question is I think worth posing.
I was non-chalantly playing this as black against a chess.com bot:
[StartPly &...
- 897
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Why do some common openings move a pawn in front a bishop prior to moving the king's or queen's pawn?
I've seen several people do this and assumed it was a beginner's mistake (since I'm a beginner myself and I play on the chess.com app usually only against other players within 25 points of my rating), ...
3
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133
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As a beginner, should I concern myself with pawn structure during opening, or just focus on developing my knights and bishops and winning time?
If a makes a difference, I usually open with the King's pawn (or, if I'm playing black and my opponent starts with the Queen's pawn, I'll usually counter with the Queen's pawn as well, since I don't ...
3
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132
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When is it worth it to sacrifice a knight or bishop in order to force the opponent to move the king down a rank and lose castling rights?
Specifically, I'm confused why the game review on chess.com says this move was a blunder:
I did end up losing the knight, but that's what I expected to happen. I did it on purpose to force the king ...
2
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1
answer
348
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What's the benefit to attacking f7 or f2 during the opening?
I remember a specific chess.com lesson on common openings, and it seems like one of the most common and safest openings is to take control of the center with the king and queen pawns and the attack ...