Opening tasks (first level)

1. Develop your pieces towards the centre

2. Get at least a pawn stake in the centre

3. Castle King's-side

DCK = Develop, Centre, King

Bad things happen to players who don't duck

4. Put your Rooks on files that are or might become open (behind pawns that might be swapped)

Opening Principles (second level)

https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/opening-tips

Choosing an opening

what is a good opening system?

• one you understand = one you can bring more ideas to than your opponents (MODEL GAMES)
• suits your style
• one you get to play
• has a name... preferably Botvinnik's and not Grob's or Englund's

Everyone's first opening repertoire

Main line White opening	Old Stodge 1.e4 2.Nf3 3.Bc4 4.d3 5.Nc3
What to play when Black dodges	The same if I can 1.e4 2.Nf3 3.Bc4 4.d3 5.Nc3
Playing Black against 1.e4	Old Stodge 1...e5 2....Nc6 3...Bc5 4...d6 5...Nf6
Playing Black against 1.d4/etc	Wait, what?

N.B. not Old Stodge...

the RSPCR* says: Don't play Old Stodge -- Open a file!

*Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Rooks

The secret about dangerous openings

https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/secret-about-dangerous-openings

Playing for Traps

Avoid!

e.g. Englund Gambit https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/13375890623?tab=review

https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/more-opening-traps#bad

Playing with traps

Fine!

https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/more-opening-traps

Choose systems consistent with your style

Steady Eddie or Bonkers Billie?

Choose systems consistent with each other 

'System' openings - London, KIA, Stonewall, Colle-Zukertort...

'System' defences - King's Indian/Pirc, All-Purpose system with ...b6, Tarrasch Defence...

https://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/choosing-opening-repertoire#together

https://lichess.org/study/nsZYMsgQ/e8EECVwn

Four systems

1. Main opening system with White (after 1.e4 e5 or 1.d4 d5)

2. Playing Black against 1.e4

3. Playing Black against 1.d4

4. What to do if Black dodges (playing something else on move 1)

• play the same moves as I normally do
• don't have a set-up in mind
• play the main lines
• play a crafty system

	Dodging your 1.e4 e5 system	Dodging your 1.d4 d5 system
...c6	Caro-Kann D	Slav D
...c5	Sicilian D	Benoni D
...d6	Pirc D	Old Indian D
...d5	Scandinavian	Grunfeld
...e6	French D	Nimzo/Queen's Indian D
...e5	Petroff/Philidor	Old Indian D
...f5		Dutch D
...Nf6	Alekhin D	(Indian)
...g6	Pirc/Modern	Modern/King's Indian

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12zIaehLqzNCZqi-OB5LSDbEMc-3wwsB4...

Q&A

DJCA Opening videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Ni_hrhOJZ9mDALsX9qTmA/playlists?view=...

DR Opening booklets [secret link]

Caro-Kann:
Quick introduction: (DJCA booklet)
'Starting out: Caro-Kann' Gallagher (Everyman)
HP video intro: 30m https://youtu.be/Jiz7KLKjLas
Ideas explained: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Caro-Kann-Defence-Raymond-Keene/d...
In-depth review of main lines: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLssNbVBYrGcBZfLbeAU7d8llHf2jxBEl7
Chessable Free Short and Sweet courses with video
Sielecki 4...Nf6 & 5...exf6 https://www.chessable.com/course/95549/
L'Ami https://www.chessable.com/course/45388/
Full course no video https://www.chessable.com/course/25098
Book: Play the Caro-Kann by Jovanka Houska (Everyman)

Sicilian:
Quick introduction: (DJCA booklet) 
'Starting out: Sicilian' Emms (Everyman)
HP video https://youtu.be/impkeLfyyVM
(N.B. several others on YouTube are pretty useless)
Ideas explained: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Sicilian-Defence-David-Levy/dp/4871878066
​In-depth review of main lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=impkeLfyyVM&list=PLssNbVBYrGcDUDYiWilH-m...
Chessable: lots! https://www.chessable.com/courses/s/Short%20sweet%20sicilian
Book: Meeting 1.e4 by Alexander Raetsky (Everyman) (Sicilian Four Knights')
Example of IM prep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rESOaTtRSxE

Scandinavian:
Quick introduction: (DJCA booklet)
 'Starting out: Scandinavian' Houska(Everyman)
HP video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpd8jcVKcJw
​In-depth review of main lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpd8jcVKcJw&list=PLssNbVBYrGcDxYjYug23Ls...
Chessable: 3...Qd8?! https://www.chessable.com/im-john-bartholomews-scandinavian-free-version...
Book: Scandinavian by John Emms (Everyman)

Gambits:
Can be dangerous, even to good players:

[Event "9th S&W Young Masters"] 
[Site "Witley ENG"] [Date "1999.07.18"]
 [Round "2"] [White "Houska, Miroslav"] 
[Black "Moskovic, David M"] 
[Result "1-0"] 
[ECO "D00"] 
[WhiteElo "2364"] 
[BlackElo "2260"] 
[PlyCount "31"] 
[EventDate "1999.??.??"] 

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 e6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe1 c5 10. Qh4 g6 11. Ne5 Re8 12. Nxf7 Qc7 13. Bxg6 hxg6 14. Qh8+ Kxf7 15. Qh7+ Kf8 16. Bh6# 1-0 

See also: Mackle-Turner WECU ch 2011
(DJCA booklet)
Can nearly always be declined without danger: (e.g. 3...e6 or 4...c6 above)
Better players often have the attitude of Steinitz: "The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it." (Also: "I'd rather have a pawn than a finger" (Fine)
Corollary: most better players rarely play genuine gambits (exceptions: Marshall Gambit & Benko Gambit)