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Studying openings if you are < ~1800? Bad idea.
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postalpeet
12-Aug-15, 13:28

Studying openings if you are < ~1800? Bad idea.
As we state in the Wrecktangle System, opening study is wasted time on players who still do not know:
1) essential mating nets
2) basic or at least intermediate tactics and combinations
3) essential to intermediate endgame facts

Why? Your valuable study time is much better spent on the above three areas AND especially 4) analyzing finished games, especially lost games.

We contend (my Dad and I) that you can learn openings by playing correspondence chess PROPERLY (using the Game DB here at GK) to teach yourself openings and also by concentrating only on a defensive system such as 1...e6 (essentially leading to the French for 1.e4 or the Nimzo-Indian/Queen's Indian complex agains 1.d4) for black and 1.Nf3 (Barcza System) for white. The idea is to understand the ideas behind the opening rather than trying to memorize a blizzard of stray opening lines. In the black 1...e6 systems you see recurring ideas that come from the doubling of the white pawns along the c file. And these ideas lead to building an advantage in the endgame, if the game lasts that long.

So why tire yourself out on openings? Learn then slowing by playing correspondence chess and use your valuable study time on studying the proper things to increase your chess prowess more quickly.

Want to know more?

Write me and send your e-mail address and I'll post you the Wrecktangle Chess Training System by return e-mail.



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