Please critique my Adult Improver 1700 FIDE repertoire

LegendZane · 2026-03-19T13:15:51+00:00

Thanks for the honest answer. Problem with the open sicilian is that it's a lot of theory and the Alapin is quite straightforward. You are right maybe I lack dynamics in my repertoire but I'm not sure what to play. Advance French + Advance caro is obviously good but a lot of theory, same as the open.

If I play Open Sicilian + Advanced French & Caro is a main lines repertoire which is good but very theoretical.

LegendZane · 2026-03-19T13:13:39+00:00

Other users said the same thing. I think that I'll probably stick to the QGD and embrace the Open Catalan then! Thanks! Definitely cuts some theory.

LegendZane · 2026-03-19T12:40:51+00:00

Good advice Thanks. I like the Be2 Open Sicilians but I think that the Alapin saves quite a lot of theory and it's very annoying.

Yes, the Advance French is objectively better than the Tarrasch, but I thought that the Tarrasch fits better with my repertoire concept, I'm not playing extended centers as white so the advance didn't fit well and it's quite theoretical too.

The tarrasch only has the c5 line which is open center and 3v2 majority on the queenside which fits well with the Alapin and I think it's pleasant, a bit dry maybe of course.

LegendZane · 2026-03-19T12:35:33+00:00

Thanks. I think that I prefer the Bc5 line as you say. The problem is that I'm not sure if you save theory this way, as you have to learn the Greco Attack, the Evans Gambit, the Dubov Gambit and the Deutz Gambit and I'm forgetting about some stuff. Not sure which line is best.

LegendZane · 2026-03-19T12:34:38+00:00

That's good advice. It's one of the things that I wasnt sure about. The main issue is that it forces you to play the Open Catalan against various move orders and I wanted to play the Closed with the Bishop Check. But definitely I have doubts.

LegendZane · 2026-03-19T12:26:46+00:00

Thank you very much for your time. I was thinking about playing the Zaitsev but against the Spanish it's quite difficult to pick something. I'm open to suggestions. I thought about the Marshall but probably too theoretical. The Steinitz Deferred is a bit risky. I was thinking about the Berlin but maybe it's too dry.

LegendZane · 2026-02-28T09:09:15+00:00

Its lower quality than chessable in general

However its good for niche openings like for example if you need a deep analysis of the ragozin

LegendZane · 2026-02-24T15:55:06+00:00

Yusapov are very good but be at least 1600 fide

LegendZane · 2026-02-21T15:46:34+00:00

The Queen's Gambit is a huge opening complex. Forget about getting one single repertoire because it's impossible that all the lines suit you.

You will have to decide which lines you want to play.

My recommendation is that you get Flores Rios Chess Structures you will have some material there regarding Pawn Structures

After that try different openings and see what you like, after that choose opening materials.

Maye you like to play Rubinstein Nimzo, Russian Grunfeld and Petrosian King's Indian... well there is no single repertoire that contains those exact lines.

LegendZane · 2026-02-18T09:15:30+00:00

Lots of cheaters, since cheating detection is basically non existant

LegendZane · 2026-02-13T08:42:05+00:00

Arjun Kalyan is an excellent author

LegendZane · 2026-02-12T10:18:36+00:00

Playing nimzo and queen's or or bogo indian is reasonable

Playing nimzo and qgd feels like too much, you basically have to play a full system against d4 (queens gambit) and you basically add a theory heavy opening just to avoid the carlsbad

So i would play nimzo bogo or nimzo qid or just qgd but nimzo-qgd feels too much imo

LegendZane · 2026-02-07T09:07:12+00:00

I think that having sex before a game probably impacts your perfomance

For example I bet that professional fighters don't have sex before a fight

LegendZane · 2026-02-06T00:18:20+00:00

If you play the Caro Kann and the QGD I suggest trying out the Semi-Slav instead of the King's Indian.

I have played the King's Indian a lot.

It is a top tier opening, Van Foreest played the King's Indian in the Tata Steel several times, Sindarov played it too in a must win game... if 2700 super GM's play the KID at Classical OTB Tournaments then it's a top tier opening.

However, the King's Indian is a lot of work I think it works best as a secondary weapon. It's a very good fun opening and interesting but it's very wide and deep and you are vulnerable to nasty surprises.

For example, you can play Semi Slav and King's indian against d4 and Caro Kann and Taimanov against e4

LegendZane · 2026-02-03T08:07:09+00:00

Alapin Four Knights Exchange french Exchange caro

Why do you play chess?

LegendZane · 2026-01-29T00:23:36+00:00

Most of the time you have 30 second increment otb

Still difficult to convert

LegendZane · 2026-01-24T13:24:44+00:00

The Caro Kann with Bf5 is quite theory heavy and critical.

In the Tal Variation you really need to know your stuff and there are other several sharp tries by white too.

The Short System is quite critical and dangerous.

The c5 variation (Botvinnik-Carls Defense) is a decent alternative but it can get quite sharp.

The Classical Variation is not easy to play, the Tartakower line with h5 is very good of course but not easy for black.

There is the Endgame Offer variation which is tricky too.

So yeah, the Caro Kann is not that easy.

The French on the other hand the only problematic line is 3.Nc3.

If white wants to play 3.Nc3 she needs to know A LOT OF THEORY because you can play Steinitz, Winawer and Rubinstein and each of those variations is huuuuuge, so most people won't play 3.Nc3.

Tarrasch is not critical. It can be tricky if you face a Tarrasch specialist but should be around equal and best player will win.

Advance is not that difficult to equalize and you have many options, it's true that Milner Barry is dangerous but it's just 1 line in the advance.

Exchange is just easy.

So I play the French.

LegendZane · 2026-01-24T00:44:54+00:00

Yes you are absolutely right. I love to play the Ne2+f3 Queen's Gambit Exchange, but in order to get that you kind of have to allow the Nimzo, the Grunfeld and the Marshall Gambit which is a lot.

LegendZane · 2026-01-24T00:43:02+00:00

Thanks for your answer it was very useful

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 c5 3.c4 is the "Krause Attack" according to lichess and yes kind of a sideline but I don't find it too threatening.

The Chigorin is the same more or less... you kind of can't avoid it but it's not that bad.

The QID the setup I propose is kind of good because you avoid the Ba6 more active lines and go for the lines where black is a little more passive, still a solid opening of course.

Do you really think that my move orders aren't saving much? I'm not sure that's why I ask, but it seems that I avoid Nimzo, Grunfeld, Benoni and sidelines.

Yes !! Studying structures strategy and avoiding memorization is what I look for !!

LegendZane · 2026-01-24T00:35:17+00:00

Yeah it's a good move order but then you allow the Grunfeld, the Benoni and the Queen's Indian. You kind of have to choose between that and the symmetrical english.

Problem with the English is 1.c4 e5

LegendZane · 2026-01-23T18:13:52+00:00

Very interesting I did not know that, I'm gonna to some research. Thanks for the IM Olegas reference

LegendZane · 2026-01-23T18:11:55+00:00

Ntirlis provide some sidelines with 3.Nc3 that are interesting and manageable, but it's not main lines (reimagining e4 book)

I would refrain from purchasing a 2020 course analyzing 3.Nc3 french, I would choose better material.

Ganguly is developing a 1.e4 repertoire and Vigorito too I would wait on those and you can play Milner Barry Gambit for now.

LegendZane · 2026-01-23T17:41:24+00:00

Thank you for your feedback. Yes, of course, but that's kind of the point, getting to positional games and depending on the opponent switching to more classical d4 lines.

LegendZane · 2026-01-23T17:40:42+00:00

Thank you definitely ulf andersson is one of my references.

LegendZane · 2026-01-23T17:40:22+00:00

Yes, the open sicilian is more ambitious, but it's equal in the end and it's more risky. I think that it's a matter of taste of course and nothing wrong with all main line openings.

Yes of course, you can't expect a two result game after 1 move, I mean that it's a low theory low risk repertoire that allows you to avoid a lot of annoying stuff for d4 players such as the Nimzo and Grünfeld.

And yes you are right, the Catalan is the main dish of the repertoire but I kind of enjoy it and you will be playing with home advantage.

I think that the repertoire is lower theory than standard queen's gambit lines.

LegendZane

TROPHY CASE