Which is an easier opening to play for white:

Main

Date: 12 Mar 2006 06:54:09
From: John J.
Subject: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

and which is easier to learn?

d4 or e4?

I'm just starting to create my opening repertoir and it seems that d4 is
real popular these days.

Honest opinions will be appreciated.

My playing strength right now is about 1800 USCF.

Cheers !!

Date: 30 Mar 2006 07:18:04
From: doctorjohn
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

>>Ray Gordon wrote: Fischer played 1. e4. Good enough for me.<<

Of course, I heard that Fischer also said that with white, he could
always win with 1. e4. Whereas, with black, he could always win with
against 1. e4.

;- >

Date: 17 Mar 2006 05:00:30
From: ben carr
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

i have built a good attacking plan against pretty much anything with d4,
so im biased towards it.
1.e4 can be worked the same way, but i think there are more offbeat and
strange things black can do with it. It is probably best to study both,
as it will increase your overall abilities. I hope this helps.

Date: 21 Mar 2006 02:52:20
From: Ray Gordon
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

>i have built a good attacking plan against pretty much anything with d4,
> so im biased towards it.
> 1.e4 can be worked the same way, but i think there are more offbeat and
> strange things black can do with it.

Players of 1. e4 say the same thing about 1. d4..

>It is probably best to study both,
> as it will increase your overall abilities. I hope this helps.

The problem with studying both is that he loses depth in whichever one he
ultimately chooses, although I suspect that many major innovations in the
opening come from applying the principles of a 1. e4 opening to a non-1. e4
opening and vice versa.

Date: 22 Mar 2006 02:26:46
From: ben carr
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

There are plenty of times when a queen pawn opening turns into a king
pawn type of position, and vice versa. If you learn just one you might
get lost in those kind of positions. You have a point with king pawn
players saying the same about queen pawn openings. Maybe we should all
learn positions, not openings? There is also the factor that until you
learn some of both openings you wont know which suits you better.

Date: 30 Mar 2006 01:36:13
From: Ray Gordon
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

> There are plenty of times when a queen pawn opening turns into a king
> pawn type of position, and vice versa. If you learn just one you might
> get lost in those kind of positions.

You shouldn't, since it's part of the preparation (unless one is skimping on
their book).

>You have a point with king pawn
> players saying the same about queen pawn openings. Maybe we should all
> learn positions, not openings?

I study opening formations, not variations. Once you know formations, the
variations occur naturally, and even when you're out of book, you can
usually steer the game back to your "formation book."

>There is also the factor that until you
> learn some of both openings you wont know which suits you better.

Players still have to play black against the openings they don't play as
White.

Date: 13 Mar 2006 01:57:22
From: CeeBee
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

"John J." <[email protected] > wrote in rec.games.chess.analysis:

> I'm just starting to create my opening repertoir and it seems that d4 is
> real popular these days.

It seems you just started wasting your time.

--
CeeBee

*** The Cookie Has Spoken ***

Date: 12 Mar 2006 18:16:05
From: Christian
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

Hello,

"John J." <[email protected] > wrote in :
[email protected]...
: and which is easier to learn?
:
: d4 or e4?
:
: I'm just starting to create my opening repertoir and it seems that d4 is
: real popular these days.
:
: Honest opinions will be appreciated.
:
: My playing strength right now is about 1800 USCF.
:
: Cheers !!
:
:

Why not 1.c4
At your level, I don't understand why you ask that question.

Date: 12 Mar 2006 17:54:31
From: Jerzy
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

> and which is easier to learn?
>
> d4 or e4?
>

It depends on whether you are left-handed or right-handed.

Date: 12 Mar 2006 07:14:29
From:
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

John J. wrote:
> and which is easier to learn?
>
> d4 or e4?

Depends on what you mean by "easier to learn." If by "easier" you
mean "Are the strategic ideas and main tactical themes are simpler in
one and more complex in the other," I wouldn't care to venture an
opinion.
If by "easier" you mean "Which opening do I like better, and so will
study more eagerly," that is a matter of personal taste you'll have to
find for yourself.
If by "easier" you mean "Which opening will give me a playable
position with the least amount of study," the answer is either,
depening on your approach. With 1.e4, if you want to play it in a
main-line fashion, you will need a great deal of study to learn how to
deal with the Sicilian, Caro-Kann, French, Pirc and other asymmetrical
replies, besides deciding on what you will play as White against
1=2E..e5: Ruy Lopez, Vienna, Giuoco Piano, Scotch, King's Gambit, etc.
Or, you could sidestep most main lines by playing, say, the King's
Indian Attack (following up with Nf3, g3, Bg7, d3, Nbd2 and such)
against some of the assymetrical defenses.
With 1.d4, you face similiar problems. Either learn how to deal with
the King's Indian, Queen's Indian, Nimzo-Indian, Old Indian, Gr=FCnfeld,
Benoni, Dutch and other asymmetrical defenses, plus the Orthodox, Slav
and Semi-Slav defenses to the Queen's Gambit, plus the QG Accepted, or
choose a line that limits your opponent's replies. For example, after
1=2Ed4 Nf6, if you play 2.Nf3 instead of 2.c4 you eliminate the
possibility of the Budapest Gambit (2.c4 e5). Among QP openings, the
Colle System and London System involve less study than 2.c4 lines.

> I'm just starting to create my opening repertoir and it seems that d4 is
> real popular these days.
>
> Honest opinions will be appreciated.
>
> My playing strength right now is about 1800 USCF.

I'm surprised you could get that high without already having some
understanding of the issues you're asking about. In my experience, most
players at or near Class A strength already have a fairly well-defined
opening repertoire.

Date: 12 Mar 2006 08:00:10
From: Ray Gordon
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

> and which is easier to learn?
>
> d4 or e4?
>
> I'm just starting to create my opening repertoir and it seems that d4 is
> real popular these days.
>
> Honest opinions will be appreciated.
>
> My playing strength right now is about 1800 USCF.

Fischer played 1. e4.

Good enough for me.

Whichever move you choose will set the tone for your entire repertoire. You
can have a deep repertoire or a broad one, but only at the expense of each
other.

Date: 12 Mar 2006 11:57:34
From: Toni Lassila
Subject: Re: Which is an easier opening to play for white:

On Sun, 12 2006 06:54:09 GMT, "John J." <[email protected] >
wrote:

>and which is easier to learn?
>
>d4 or e4?
>
>I'm just starting to create my opening repertoir and it seems that d4 is
>real popular these days.

These are not openings, these are just choices for the first move. I
suggest playing first a little bit of everything to find out what
suits you best, then sticking with that.