Hey guys,

Do you have an opening that you use more often than others?
Do you just have a few openings that you use?
Do you use set openings full stop?

Greg

As Black my main opening is Alekhine's Defence. Against most things I play 1. ...Nf6 though, and the Nimzo-Indian or King's Indian Defence are my main responses to 1. d4. Along similar lines as the latter, I sometimes try and play more directly for a King's Indian Attack Reversed (not technically identical to KID, but very close) in order to stop people playing certain openings.

As White the Spanish Exchange variation and the Four Knights Scotch/Spanish variations are my main openings, though I also play the Kings Indian Attack - sometimes just because I want to, but also because it's a useful way of stopping annoying semi-opens like the French (which my brother likes to play against me) whilst still allowing me to swing back into my other lines if I change my mind by playing 1. e4. Against the Sicillian I always go for the Rossolimo/Moscow variations (2. Nf3, 3. Bb5, the name depends on whether Black replies Nc6 (Rossolimo) or d6 (Moscow). I refer to the Rossolimo as the Mediteranean Opening, as it is essentially a Sicillian Spanish - the only difference after 6 ply being Black's first move. I plan to explore whether e5 or c5 gives Black better play after these moves in the future.

As white i usually start off with e4 because it allow more tactical play.
Sometimes i start off with d4 to mix it up abit.

As black i normally respond to e4 with c5 starting the Sicilian Defense.
And against d4 i respond by moving kf6 starting the Kings Indian Defense or Nimzo Indian Defense.

If they start off with another move that doesn't occupy the center or prevents me, then i take advantage of the situation and build up the center to get better positional play and controlling the center.

It always helps to keep a variation of play

As white what I play most often is the Ruy Lopez - one of the few openings that I'll play in both serious and skittles games.

A few of my favorites are oldies but goodies...

White:
1.Kings Indian Attack - I like the fact that it's a simple opening, but makes for a usually very tactical game. I really like playing in closed positions, and very tight middlegames.

2.Ruy Lopez - it's just a classic

Black:
1. French defense - one of my fav's

As white, I like to use c4, BOOM!, they don't expect it.

As for using the c4 technique, I believe it should be executed later in the game as I like to penetrate the pawns, before I eventually work my way behind the line of defense. Building up the center is very overrated in today's game. Much like Wade Phillips, I prefer to use the double end-around pawn penetration which works 99.9% of the time.

i use roy lopez and petroff if possible
as black i use scicilian

But, with White, I usually start with

1-Pawn to D4
2-Knight to F3
3-Pawn to E3
4-Pawn to C4

It's alot of pawn moves in the opening, I know, but it creates a fortress along the weak F2 diagonally. Also, Pawn to C4, attacks the center of the board and frees up a Knight to C3. I don't like to hem in my Queen's Bishop Pawn with Knight to C3. I usually exchange a C pawn for a D pawn.

I don't feel I lose tempo as black will eventually need to counter with Pawn moves of their own.

Then I move Bishop to D3 or E2, Castle King Side, move Rook to E1. Then I try to advance the King pawn and the battle is on.

I like to play a sound defensive game, take my opponents best shot and then counter. I play variations of course, sometimes bringing out the Bishop to attack Knight to F6.

If my opponent counters D4 with D6, I usually choose to go E4.

Thanks

White
1. e4

Against 1... e5
* Scotch (Gambit)
* Bishop's Opening
* Italian Game (boring only play this rarely)
* Ruy Lopez Exchange (learning it)
* Hope to ever get to play the Halloween Gambit

Against 1... c5
* King's Indian Attack
* Smith-Morra Gambit
* Grand Prix Attack
* Bb5 Sicilian
* Open Sicilians

Against 1... e6
* King's Indian Attack
* Exchange French

Black

Against 1. e4
* Scandinavian (2... Nf6, and 2... Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5, and 2... Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6)
* Sicilian Dragon
* French (only occasionally)

Against 1. d4
* King's Indian Defense
* Budapest Gambit (only very rarely)