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From	Message
jkarp 01-Nov-11, 15:25	Opening Games, Developing Pieces, and Studying Positions I use to care mostly about openings, and I have tried to develop pieces immediately, in the first move as black. However, I spoke to Jack Stockel about this last Friday, and he told me that it does not matter what all of the openings are called because he does not remember all of the names. He also told me that one should eventually develop the minor pieces in the opening game but not during the very first move because it destroys the center, prevents one from controlling the center. Most importantly, I was informed from Jack, that one should look at, analyze, and think about the entire board as it is important, but that is not enough. studying all of the positions is the hardest but most important part of chess, and that is what he meant when he said, "Think about things".
jkarp 03-Nov-11, 11:45	I also learned that one should only play openings that have been studied by masters and grandmasters.
shamash 03-Nov-11, 13:15	the issue is not development Of pieces. . . . . . the issue is control By pieces, especially control of the center. So when you look to first develop your pieces, you look to develop -- a better word is "deploy" -- -- to deploy them to where they exert control on the center. Once you are further along in your education, if you wish to read a grandmaster on this subject, I suggest Yefim Geller's "Application of Chess Theory."
ionadowman 04-Nov-11, 14:03	Play with purpose... ... I guess is the point to be made. 'Getting your pieces out early' is maybe too general an approach. Pawns have a role in the opening that possibly has been understated. At least two pawns must be moved in order to release the bishops. OK: where do you want them? The answer to that might well depend on how the game is shaping - or how you want to shape the game. This is one reason why knights are more often moved before the bishops are - deferring the decision for the latter until more information comes available. Note, by the way, that Emmanuel Lasker's 'knights before bishops' guideline refers to each side of the board individually. He would have no comment to make on the development of the King's bishop before the Queen's knight, say. But there are exceptions to the N before B 'rule'. In recent times I've taken a bit of a shine to the Bishop's Opening. The problem with the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) is that the thing is highly theoretical for 20-30 moves in its main lines. The situation with the Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 is that its most dynamic lines seem to peter out to a quick draw, or else you get a stodgy, drawish sort of game. Now, I kinda like the Giuoco Piano as a very 'logical' sort of line, with the bishop early striking towards the f7-square. In any case, c4 is a good active posting. By playing it as early as move 2 (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4) you achieve certain things. The opening pawn move of course stakes out a territorial claim in the centre, and frees the f1-bishop. Having decided I want the bishop at c4, I move it there at once: no shilly-shallying. Now we can look at moving the d-pawn to free the other bishop, without worrying about one or the other being shut in behind the pawns. The first few moves might then go something like this: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 (Black's e-pawn is not attacked, so Black often elects to develop this knight before the other) 3.d3 Nc6. Black has got his knights out quickly and can now think about where he wants his bishops; White has his bishops free, and can rapidly deploy his other pieces. This is an example of the kind of thinking involved in even the very earliest of moves in a given opening...
shamash 04-Nov-11, 14:27	and the purpose of play. . . . . .Botvinnik wrote, is to create targets for your pieces.

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