Chess lessons › Chess openings
Building a repertoire
Pick one first move as White and answers to 1.e4 and 1.d4 as Black, then prepare the replies you will meet.
The idea
A few openings you know well, with the common replies prepared first.
- Most games start 1.e4 or 1.d4, so as Black prepare an answer to both.
- Prepare the replies you meet most: 2.Nf3 here, not only 2.d4.
- Keep to your plan: ...c6 was played to support ...d5.
In a game: When you meet a move you had not prepared, look it up after the game and add it.
How the lesson begins
Your repertoire is the set of openings you play. As White you need one first move and your answers to Black’s common replies. As Black you need an answer to 1.e4 and an answer to 1.d4.
Those two moves cover most of your games. Among players rated 1200 to 1599 on Lichess, White opens with 1.e4 in 64% of games and with 1.d4 in 24%. Among players rated 2000 and above the numbers are 53% and 30%.
Say you play 1.e4. Which replies will you meet? At 1200 to 1599 the most played answer is 1...e5, in 50% of games, then 1...c5 in 12% and 1...d5 in 10%. Among players rated 2000 and above the most played is the Sicilian, 1...c5, in 31% of games, and 1...e5 comes in only 23%.
So what you need first depends on who you play.
A question
You play 1.e4 against players rated about 1400, and you have a week to work on openings. Where should most of the work go?
Show the answer
Your plan against 1...e5, which you will meet in about half your games.
Right. At 1200 to 1599, 1...e5 comes in 50% of games. Start where most of your games go, then add the Sicilian and the others.