Pairing Scotch + ?? for white and Pirc + ?? for black

Let's see what Magnus thinks-

Waterworld | American Express (youtube.com)

tip #5: expand your horizons. Try different openings

This guys tips are also interesting -

6 Simple Tips To Reach 1500+ ELO In Chess - YouTube

He often says to play different openings, he's not trolling there. Of course he invalidates what you just said so that's inconvenient for you.

Just replace the "??"'s with some random opening of your choice. You won't find any useful answers here. At best you will really enjoy chess, and at worst you won't improve at all.

Also, avoid watching those Finegold Youtube videos on the motto "openings don't matter". While he is a hundred percent correct claiming that for amateur/beginner players, there is no point following his advice if you're into chess to have a good time, and not becoming a strong player.

It could not be any more clear based on this comment above that the OP intends on playing a 2nd opening. I see that you've added alot of bold and color to your point there, this only adds an element of hilarity to it seeing as it does not make the slightest bit of sense.

Keep trying

It obviously proves something when your claim was specifically about the OPs stated intentions in this thread, dunce. Once again we see the most basic logic eludes you. I still find it hilarious any of this needed pointing out to begin with, this is 2nd grade level reading you're struggling with here.

As for this point you're repeatedly making that a person has to learn an opening before playing it - this is a basic observation which has absolutely no critical relevance to anything said in this thread. Again it's hilarious that you think you're making some critical point with that.

Keep trying!

He is here asking for advice on which 2nd opening he should learn and then play, imbecile. You know, because he intends to learn the opening and then play it.

I know, who would have ever thought that he planned on doing BOTH of those things. Man that was a tricky one.

Going forward you should reserve bold and colored text for true and obvious statements, not stupid comments where you show you are confused by the very most basic things.

Once again nowhere in this thread has anyone ever suggested that anyone should play an opening before learning it, when Magnus tells a beginner to play a variety of openings this does imply they should learn the openings first. You know, because that's required if they're going to play them. Besides, your claim has shifted since you originally claimed the OP intended not to play the opening but merely to learn it. So shifting the goalposts + strawman + just having no relevant point to begin with basically summarizes your "argument" here. This dumb argument which may be the dumbest I can remember having over the last couple months online - and that's really saying something.

It's too bad for you that colors and large font size will never replace a substantive argument for those with an IQ above 85.

Btw - an ad hominem is an insult used as a replacement for an argument, what I've done is trashed your point and then, in addition, also pointed out the fact you are a complete dunce. So no, that actually is not an ad hominem, it is just a personal attack in this case. Yet another fail at logic from you

Keep trying

"TryToMoveThatWay wrote: The claim I was making was to not worry about the difference in openings"

I have reduced your stupid point to a smaller text size so that we can read it, I hope you do not mind this.

What you argued here is that the OP did not intend on playing his opening.

You did call Magnus a troll, then in the post I've just quoted right here you made an argument - an incoherent babbling mess where you say, in the form of a bunch of babbling boldened slogans, that the OP never claimed to want to play an opening, but merely to learn openings. You made that point clearly in this grammatically incorrect sentence:

"You do know what the difference between learning and playing means? Did the OP say he wanted to play?"

This is your only argument in that retarded post of yours. Yes, it is barely coherent, but we can still clearly see you are claiming the OP did not intend to play his opening. Yes, you did say this, and infact this is your only argument.

No, I'm afraid I do not suffer from amnesia, you can keep insisting that history is not what it is but sadly there is an entire log of you saying this crap.

Keep trying!

Lol, the internet is serious business. Is this typical for this forum? (Edit: not directed at ibrust, I appreciated your help!)

Anyway, looking forward to learning the queen's gambit in the coming weeks. Open to any other suggestions (on openings to explore that contrast w/Scotch and Pirc) as well.

Thanks!

Sometimes

Update: I finally made it to 1,000 Elo after a little over 3 months! (a bit anti-climactic, last opponent resigned in 3 moves. But i'll take it! ). Thank you everyone for your thoughts!

In that time, I've also worked my puzzle rating over 2k, and my puzzle rush 5min to 25. I've played out dozens of grandmaster games OTB as well. I was able to attend a chess club first and only time last month in person and lost my first and only OTB game by hanging my queen.

While I do think working tactics, checkmate patterns, and just playing games have been the biggest contributions - I do think I have really gotten alot out of studying opening theory. Who knows, but I think it has been very helpful for my understanding of the game as a whole, even if not making me a better player per-se.

I ended up getting a chessable 1. e4 repetiore course focused on opening fundamentals, which is helpful to have some basic ideas to respond to things like the scandi, french, caro, etc. I paired that with a chessable course on the scotch, with is what I try and work into if opponent plays along.

For black, I ended up focusing on the caro kann against 1. e4 and... drum-roll, I'm making a serious go at learning the KID against 1. d4. I am struggling mightily with it, but am enjoying it as a really challenge since it is so different, counter-intuitive, finicky and difficult to memorize. I have a chessable course, and am also on game 20ish of The KID according to Petrosian which I try and play a game out of every few nights.

So basically, I have an open game for white, a semi-open game against 1. e4 as black, and Indian game against 1. d4 as black. I have really enjoyed this breakdown so far.

Any way, I feel like i am now a beginner! Wooo! Time to keep learning.

Just an update that I hit 1,201 after grinding a bunch of 10 minute rapid games, will go back to 15+10 after I get some sleep. 
As white, continuing to work on general responses to my 1. e4 and continuing to play around with the scotch game. I occasionally actually get the start of mainline scotch now and again, so I am actually starting to learn "real" scotch lines.

I've had to keep up the Pirc practice, as often I will start a KID against 1. d4 and white will move order into the Pirc instead of KID. 
Still trying to make sure opening work doesn't infringe on tactics & calculation training + miscellaneous stuff like master games, positional ideas, endgames, etc.