Your friends are right. You can get by to a point with a little opening knowledge, but there's a definite ceiling if you don't know much. Definitely the weakest part of my game.

I think anyone can have an enjoyable game when given the right opponent. It seems a shame to measure oneself against expert players and studied devotees. As with language, two mediocre participants can be as engaged and stimulated as two experts, simply on a different level.

The thing is, like others have said, you can see how the early game is important. I feel like there is a body of knowledge about the early game that you need to have in order to not feel like you're just flying blind. The fundamental barrier to getting into chess I think, is that in the early game, fucked if I know what counts as a good move towards controlling the board later.

I guess you could blunder around with other noobs who are making equally hapless openings. But I find that quite unsatisfying. I want to be thinking tactically from the beginning and you can't really do that until you understand what makes for better positioning in the early game.

I've actually been playing at a more intermediate level on chess.com. But I still can't beat the Nelson-bot. And I've watched a couple of videos about it

This book:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22875323

Is pitched a little above my level, but it has helped introduce new concepts to me in a clear and concise way. I'd recommend it to anyone trying to improve.

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 3:41 am This book:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22875323

Is pitched a little above my level, but it has helped introduce new concepts to me in a clear and concise way. I'd recommend it to anyone trying to improve.

seconded. i should have bought it years ago.
there is now https://jackli.gg/chessle/ of course. try it if you like opening theory.
i just play giuoco piano every time and wait for black to blunder.

if i'm black i just try to play the best defenses. KID is solid. FM Alaynew likes the sicilian and if you're willing to put in the time, that's probably smartest.

if they try scholars mate, do this.


damiano defense.
N x P and queen checks black on next move. from there your white queen should be able to to take the rook.

scotch game
if Nxd4 Bc5 Nxc6 Qf6 threatening mate.


ruy lopez
if NxP Qd4

you can go deeper of course, but knowing what i just showed you will produce the highest percentage wins for the lowest study. for instance if somebody knows more than 3 moves of the kings gambit or russian game, i'm probably dead. but nobody at my level really does.

My latest resolution has been to improve my chess game. I play on Chess By Post a lot. No cost, and you can have as many games going at once as you can handle. Also has an Explore Moves function where you can play out potential scenarios. It also has free puzzles to help you improve your game while your waiting for folks to make their moves. If anyone is interested in playing there, hit me up - I'm dangerzone17

I've started playing online more, I'm pretty bad, but if anyone wants to play a game on chess.com hit me up (KBrendan)