*Shrugs* I don't see how really knowing a pirate opening will is better than really not knowing a mainstream opening. I think you know enough of the Ruy, so the comparison is off. :\

I think the original poster has some point. Of course you shouldn't play the unusual stuff all the time, it hurts your development, but sometimes, just for fun, I play 1.e4 e5 2.b3?! Then my opponent thinks for a while, thinking, huh, what the hell is that?! Then suddenly he's playing bad moves, neglecting development, moving pieces twice etc. It's good against players who focus mainly on openings and haven't learned how to play chess.

Sometimes when I’m feeling crazy I play the Grob Attack. My weirdest game to date was against a player rated mid-1600’s. It ran 1.g5 Nf6 2.g5 d5?? 3.gxf6 My opponent stared at the board a few seconds then we had the following conversation:
Opponent: “What did you do?”
Me: “I took your Knight.”
Opponent: “How?”
Me: “Like this…”(demonstrated)
Opponent: “I resign.”

Hi friend.
My advices:
_ Study your own games. It's necesary to improve your game.
_ Play slow games regularly (1h finish or more)
_ NO PLAY BLITZ GAMES. Never. Remember, Botvinnik played chess, no blitz.
_ Tactic puzzles: Necesary, 5-20 tactics problems each day.
_ Study complete master games, especifically games about your own opening's repertoire, no others game. You must use a chess database.
_ Books openings: Yes, only chess books about your own opening's repertoire.
_ Others Books: Tactics (puzzles, like Pachman) and principally chess endings books.

Eco Chess: Encyclopedia of Chess Openings

I just ordered MCO-15 ... so I hope openings are important! LOL.

One must know the opening principles, of course, but often it is very difficult to decide the best way to apply the principles between moves 5 and 15. It is so easy to end up with a lousy position and a good thorough knowledge of an opening must help in this territory.

I especially like a combination of book, database, and chess engine for studying the openings.