What openings to use in an U1400 section of a large tournament? - Chess and Board Game Strategy

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What openings to use in an U1400 section of a large tournament?

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02-24-2014 , 09:39 PM

jcsmitty22

grinder

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 567

If you were going to enter an U1400 section with alot of people, what openings would you focus on using? I assume it would be different than the ones you would be studying if it was the Open section full of grandmasters? I have been playing chess since I was little but my openings are a little fuzzy after a 15 year break from competition.
I used to use mainly queen-side openings and the grob but now that I'm older I realized I like the freedom of the King-side openings alot more, but theres so many of them!!! Thanks for your time

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02-24-2014 , 11:50 PM

BobJoeJim

Tournament Director

Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 11,200

Whatever you're comfortable with and familiar with, and normally play.

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02-28-2014 , 02:00 PM

Army Eye

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 2,534

Yeah, at that level, the opening matters very little. Play what you know.

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02-28-2014 , 02:01 PM

Noir_Desir

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,333

Just avoid the Grob if possible.

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03-01-2014 , 02:29 AM

tiger415

old hand

Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,264

I'm not sure what to play, but I think against 1.e4, 1...e5 is a really risky line for black at the lower levels. There's so many traps to learn how to defend against (eg. King's Gambit, Evan's Gambit, Danish Gambit, Scotch Gambit, etc).

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04-24-2014 , 09:17 AM

jcsmitty22

grinder

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 567

cool thanks guys, very helpful. First place is 2000$ and I am a 1392 rating (its from 1998 when I was little, except for 1 tournament a played recently and beat a few 1700s) so I will probably be favored to win and I dont wanna blow it!

Def gonna avoid the grob, although whats interesting is last tournament I played a few months ago some 1600 rated dude won all 5 rounds using the grob everytime

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04-27-2014 , 03:15 PM

meekrab

veteran

Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 2,784

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiger415

As opposed to which opening that doesn't have a lot of tricky lines? I mean I guess you could play 1. .. g6, but that's hardly enterprising chess...

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04-27-2014 , 07:45 PM

Sheepskin

grinder

Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 513

Quote:

Originally Posted by meekrab

As opposed to which opening that doesn't have a lot of tricky lines? I mean I guess you could play 1. .. g6, but that's hardly enterprising chess...

Good point. Basically he's saying at u1400 they know much more about e4 e5 than anything else. They also know e4 c5. I would stick to whatever I knew well enough to play the first eight moves without getting trapped.

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12-29-2014 , 04:48 PM

jcsmitty22

grinder

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 567

Funny thing is that two of the three guys I faced when I was playing black opened with C4, it was strange lol

ended up winning 3 and losing 2, the two i lost to went undefeated, rating still went up to 1404, good to be back in the game after 16 years off lol

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12-29-2014 , 05:46 PM

#10

coon74

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 10,684

Vs 1. c4, I believe 1... Nc6 is the nuts (with the idea of challenging the centre by e5), take a closer look at it

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12-30-2014 , 12:56 AM

#11

KyleJRM82

old hand

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,785

Quote:

Originally Posted by meekrab

As opposed to which opening that doesn't have a lot of tricky lines? I mean I guess you could play 1. .. g6, but that's hardly enterprising chess...

Lies and defamation!

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12-30-2014 , 01:05 AM

#12

grando1.0

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 17,111

scandi obv

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12-31-2014 , 04:03 PM

#13

nionios89

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 116

Quote:

Originally Posted by grando1.0

scandi obv

You're my man. The scandinavian is easy to learn, solid, and most opponents
will not have experience in the arising positions.

As white you can play 1. d4 minor systems such as Colle,Torre, London, Reversed Semislav etc which have lot of strategic play that U1400 players do not understand.

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