I’m trying to learn solid to aggressive openings, any good ones I should learn?
![Grey836](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/365482877.c178b109.50x50o.a3c2afef1c52.jpg)
![Ethan_Brollier](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/175647987.85e56bc1.50x50o.b22e01d11758.jpg)
Don't bother learning openings when starting to learn chess. Just put a pawn or two in the center, develop your knights in one move, then develop your bishops in one move, then castle and boom: you've got yourself an opening.
Instead, use this formative time as a chess newcomer to learn tactics and basic endgames. I would highly recommend chess.com's own endgame trainer. Go into the Learn tab, click endgames, and then do a few of those and the daily puzzles anytime you log in to chess.com before you actually play games, then analyze at least one or two of your games first with engine off and then with engine on. I guarantee you will climb like crazy if you actually commit to this sort of thing, especially if you play an hour every other day or more.
![ibrust](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/18839990.06d443b1.50x50o.fa176271e3c9.jpg)
No, you should learn the first 4-5 moves in the opening, just don't over-focus on the opening to the exclusion of other skills and concepts... it takes very little time / effort to learn the opening 4-5 moves deep. And if it's something you enjoy doing this will lead you to play more and get better... you'll pick up concepts along the way as well.
Do what you are called to do.
As for aggressive openings - if you want aggressive e4 is generally the way to go. I think Kramnik recommends beginners learn e4/e5 from both sides. He thinks it teaches them a variety of pawn structures. Hard to disagree with a former world champion trained in the old Russian school.
![magipi](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/33406185.d3f19aa2.50x50o.d42fc468e097.jpeg)
Openings are completely irrelevant. The only thing that matters is to reduce obvious one-move blunders. Don't play random moves. Use your time and think.
Here is an example game where you banged out 9 moves without thinking, and resigned. Using up less time than the increment.
https://www.chess.com/game/live/116882426747?username=grey836
![ibrust](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/18839990.06d443b1.50x50o.fa176271e3c9.jpg)
The biggest gains I've gotten in elo have come immediately after making changes to how I play the opening, they are not irrelevant, I don't know how this one idea got into you peoples heads but it seems to be like a parasite sucking away all the other thoughts. It doesn't take long at all to learn just the basic moves and concepts in an opening, it's not like brain power is some super-limited resource.
![magipi](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/33406185.d3f19aa2.50x50o.d42fc468e097.jpeg)
The biggest gains I've gotten in elo have come immediately after making changes to how I play the opening,
This might be true, but again, it's irrelevant in the current situation. Just look at the game I linked. The guy doesn't have any problem with openings, but after move 4 starts to play random moves and blunder a piece every move.
![ibrust](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/18839990.06d443b1.50x50o.fa176271e3c9.jpg)
The advice you're giving, "openings do not matter at all, completely ignore them", is what I'm responding to. And that's advice anyone could take seriously. Can you point to anyone who actually learned the game this way, or is this some pie-in-the-sky theory you have about how learning works? The sort-of-clueless beginners on here could read what you say and think... okay gee I'm going to completely ignore the opening now!! And what will they gain? They're not going to learn more by this, just less. They will just make less effort. They will probably end up with no concept of the position they're playing, so they won't learn much about positional chess, they'll lack the foundations.... when they do reach 1400 they'll need to relay the foundations... It's a waste of time.... all that was gained is some theoretical accelerated progress just through low elo, which isn't even important for long term development, just by focusing on tactics... laying no actual foundation for understanding... acceleration which may not even actually occur since brain power isn't some fixed resource.
![magipi](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/33406185.d3f19aa2.50x50o.d42fc468e097.jpeg)
The advice you're giving, "openings do not matter at all, completely ignore them", is what I'm responding to. And that's advice anyone could take seriously.
That advice I am giving to specific individuals in specific situations. The specific situation is that the guy's openings are okay, but their time management, tactics and blunder checking are absolutely not okay.
In this specific situation changing the opening is useless and pointless. The only thing that matters is to cut down blunders, and the only way to do it is to use their time and think. Nothing else matters, especially not openings.
On the other hand, when someone else plays random nonsense moves in the opening, I will give another advice, pointing out opening principles.
![Grey836](https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/365482877.c178b109.50x50o.a3c2afef1c52.jpg)
I’ve been learning a little endgame and middle along with a improvement on my tactics (the example game wasn’t my highest point) I’ve been playing IRL for a while and hope that repeats of that game never happen, I really appreciate the input from you both, at a low level like mine all input no matter how basic is still a benefit to my overall learning. Thanks to all of you guys @magipi @ibrust @RichColorado @Ethan_Broillier
It’s great to hear you’re working on your endgame and tactics! Every bit of input helps, especially at the beginning. Keep learning and playing, and don’t worry about past games—they’re all part of the journey. Thanks for the appreciation! Lhi Provider Portal