Expert: Len Molden - 3/29/2008

Question
Len, I'm having difficulty with openings in general. I exhaust myself reading threough opening books and memorizing lines but if my opponemnt makes a move off from a variation I often get confused and blunder. How can I more effectively understand the principles of an opening without sheer memorization? Also, playing as black is even more difficult. Am I supposed to memorize a move to counter every one of white's since white begins the game? I'm not new to chess but these questions have always frustrated me. I hope you can help.

Answer
Hi Greg,

This is a common question I receive with regards to chess openings and one which I had to deal with at one point in my chess career as well.

One proven principle which helps deal with this problem, is to study openings centered around basic themes.  For example, take this defensive system for Black against White's three main opening moves:

1.e4 c6 Caro-Kann
2.d4 d5

1.d4 d5 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
2.c4 c6

1.Nf3 d5
2.c4 c6

Or...

1.c4 c6
2.Nf3 d5

Each defense involves d5...and c6 and a simple, straightforward placement of the pieces.  The idea for Black is to eventually trade the d-pawn for White's e4 or c4 pawn when the timing is right, to help free his pieces and gain an outpost for a knight on d5.

For White, you could play a system which involves 1.d4 2.Nf3 3.c3 4.Bf4  Of course you can't always play these moves in this order as it depends on what Black does, but you aim for this basic set-up.  

An aggressive system which can be used against virtually every set-up is the King's Indian Attack.  As White you open with 1.Nf3 then play 2.g3 3.Bg2 4.0-0 5.d3 6.Nbd2 and the plan is to play for e4 as soon as possible.

As Black this system would involve playing the King's Indian and Pirc Defenses:

1.e4 d6 Pirc Defense
2.d4 Nf6
3.Nc3 g6

1.d4 Nf6 King's Indian Defense
2.c4 g6
3.Nc3 Bg7
4.e4 d6

1.Nf3 Nf6
2.c4 g6

Or...

1.c4 Nf6
2.Nf3 g6

One player who was very successful with an opening repertoire that was basically the same with both White and Black was the Canadian Grandmaster Duncan Suttles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Suttles

A three volume set of all his games with complete annotations was written by GM Yasser Seirawan and FM Bruce Harper and recently released (March 2008) and I highly recommend it:

http://www.suttlesbook.com

Regards,

Len