b3??

I hope somebody out there in this big chess community can help a novice like myself. I enjoy the opening b3 but not sure how good/bad it really is. So any advice would be much appreicated.

 John

I think it depends on what you do after b3. Generally it's a good idea to try and occupy the centre (e4,d4,e5,d5) with your pawns and pieces. With 1.b3 that's not what you are doing straight away, but with Bb2 you have at least a bishop pointing at the centre.

The advantage of 1.b3 is that you will surprise most opponents, but I think the disadvantages are bigger than that one advantage. Have a look at the articles about chess for beginners, they are good and give you some sound advice on anything from the opening to the endgame.

It is not a bad opening. I have actually opened with it in real tournament games with good success.

Another interesting move order I play is 1. e4 c5 2. b3! to combat the Sicilian, one of the most popular openings in chess.

Because you describe yourself as a novice, I'd say you shouldn't be playing this opening. Beginners learn more about the game playing classical openings where you occupy the center with pawns, usually by pushing a center pawn 2 squares on your first move. It may be a perfectly good opening (I don't know much about it), but it's not going to help a beginner become a better player as quickly as 1. e4.

--Fromper