Game Tips - Use of Opening Databases

Most correspondence chess sites allow the use of opening books/databases as part of the resources available to a player during a game. This resource is often ignored or underused by most players, especially those new to the game or have only begun to take chess a bit more seriously. A variety of reasons account for the neglect of opening books and resources. For some, they simply don't know that such a resource exists. For others, the use of such databases for the initial times can be a daunting task. One opening line has its "main" or what is considered as best line, and then it can branch into secondary lines, each with its own merits. Some opening lines also transpose to another type of opening depending on the responses by the other side.

Perception also play a role why opening theory is neglected. Some people think it is a case of rote memorization, one that they would happily do without, thank you, I want to "play" chess, not "memorize" it, goes the reasoning.

True, many have succumbed to the memorization of opening lines, with some even advocating that there is no other way around it. And so for quite some time, especially to those looking from the outside, chess has been reduced to a mental game of recall, rather than its true intent of a game of strategy and tactics.

But despite such negative connotations, opening theory remains an important aspect for any chess player, even the casual ones. However, getting the most of it requires studying it right at the very start. Memorization can get you to a point, but beyond that is a myriad of alternative lines that you are better off doing it right the first time: learning opening theory for the principles that it teaches. Here are a few tips I learned along the way to get the most out of opening theory resources:

1. Limit your number of games, and play those with ample time limits. Understanding opening theory will require time, and you would do well to be focusing on fewer games. It's also important that the time controls allow enough time for you to fully appreciate the moves that you are making, rather than rushing from one game to the next. Personally, I also prefer playing rated games as opposed to unrated ones, so I can maintain the realism of playing with consequence. If you can choose, choose to play those whose ratings approximate yours. It would not do you much good to be too pressured with learning opening theory while at the same time coping with the arsenal of a higher rated player.

2. Get a good opening theory resource. It can be a static resource that you can find in a book or the internet, or an interactive one like ChessOps (see sidebar link), which I found very useful and one I use regularly. For me, a good resource should explain the overall idea for the opening, shows the "best" line, along with a few alternatives, and explain the general idea what a particular move intends to accomplish. If it's possible, get one that mixes principles of good moves in the tutorial as well (not moving twice in the opening, castling early, etc.), so as to hit two birds with one stone.

3. Keep it simple. For white, stick to no more than two types of opening, and choose those that are the most common and most fundamental. For my case, I chose to play only d4 as white, because the response can already result in as many number of opening types as there are games. For black, I always do a Sicilian (c5) whenever possible (usually it's possible with an e4 opening and others), or a symmetrical Queen opening (d4 d5). You would do well to stick to a couple of openings for quite some time, since you would still need to understand the subtleties of the alternative lines and transpositions.

4. Stick with the most common line of play first. This is also called the "main" or "orthodox" line, unless you are forced by the responses to adopt the alternative lines. By learning the main lines, you would usually understand along with it the basic principles of piece development and points of control much better than with the alternative lines, since the latter tends to put a "twist" on the main line to make the response more unpredictable. Of course, sticking with the main line carries a greater chance of losing to a better player, which should be just fine if your intention is to learn.

5. Decide on a move first before consulting the opening book, BUT always consult the opening book no matter how sure you are. Deciding on a move first makes you think without bias, which you can then validate if your reasoning is right or wrong when you do consult the opening book later.

6. Replay the game everytime it's your move (one of the learning advantages of correspondence chess). Get a feel of where you are the last time you made a move. Go back to the start of the game if necessary to refresh your mind, especially if it has been days before you last made your move.

7. Take note when there is a deviation already from the opening line of play, and make a private note of it in your game if it's possible. It marks the end when you can reach for a reference and so you are already on your own. However, check thoroughly if that is really a deviation from opening line or merely an alternative move, in which case you can still follow the opening theory for that alternative.

8. You may be tempted to try a "better" response, but I would suggest you don't. Learn the rules first, break them later.

9. Do a short post-analysis of the opening moves once a deviation was already made or the game is already in the middlegame. This will preserve the lessons of the game for you while it's still fresh.

10. Enjoy the game! A positive attitude is definitely necessary to fully appreciate what you are doing. Otherwise it becomes a chore, something chess shouldn't be.

Learning opening theory will allow you to fully appreciate chess. Don't neglect it.

Happy gaming!

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