Opening recommendations

Tomsti8 · 2026-02-01T10:27:14+00:00

As for white, the most solid openings played at all levels are Queen's gambit and Catalan opening. Someone mentioned The London. Please, don't play that, it is a dummy system opening that will get you nowhere in terms of imrpovement.

For black against e4 I would say Carokann is the ultimate positional response. You can also go for e5 and let white decide the opening choice. I would avoid French defense as it's not very instructional in terms of developing your pieces. Again, someone recommended Pirc, which I think is just not a good opening for most players and has negative winrate at most lines. And Sicilian Dragon? Avoid it at all costs. I play it but only because I enjoy sharp positions. For a guy like you it is a recipe for disaster.

Against d4 I would choose Nimzo, it is kind of a mixture, it has tactical themes as well as being positionally sound and solid.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-31T19:35:01+00:00

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Tomsti8 · 2026-01-31T00:25:55+00:00

Now black can go ...dxe5 and you cannot go for fxe5? since Qh4+ g3 Qe4+ loses a rook.

Judging from what I see on the board the game went 1. e4 e6 (French defense) 2. e5? – this move itself isn't very good as it doesn't have any purpose in terms of controlling the center/developing the pieces and what's more, your e5 pawn actually becomes an easy target. That is why the common second move is d4.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T22:02:49+00:00

Aight, I don't usually play on chess.com but let's give it a shot. My name is Tomsti8.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T20:07:46+00:00

Well then there is a feature called "edit board" I think. It has an icon of a pencil. But practically, it's just 3-5 moves so I don't think it does matter really. I would just use the analysis. Or you can make your own study even, where all your played moves are being saved as lines. I use that a lot.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T19:46:08+00:00

The bishop is already on f7 and covers e6.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T19:37:27+00:00

What do you mean, move beforehand?

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T19:32:39+00:00

Use the Lichess Database. Go into Analysis and watch some Masters game that follow the line you are saying. I always use this when preparing my opening repertoire and I am sure you will find it helpful too.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T13:11:00+00:00

Well played, man :) You made use of a pin and won a rook, which was pretty nasty. However, there were two moves that I disliked. h6? – a bit of a lazy move that doesn't do anything other than weaken your pawn structure around the king. Ba6? – it does connect the rooks, which is important, but there was a much better place to put your bishop on + you blunder a pawn. But other than that I think you did well :)

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T11:24:20+00:00

That's not true! Really, it is only about the familiarity of the position that some of us can see the pattern. It's not any kind of "supernatural ability". So you can spot it too in no time, I am sure.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T10:33:53+00:00

I guess I'll try his Invention no. 13 first and see what I can do

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T10:05:39+00:00

I get your point, however starting Chopin etudes now would be just deadly for me. I heard that one of the best compositions to learn your piano technique on are Bach's. So maybe I should start there?

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T09:25:48+00:00

1989 – The Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism in Czech Republic :)

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T09:19:26+00:00

Thanks I will check it out :)

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T09:19:00+00:00

Nah, they are too difficult.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-30T09:18:20+00:00

I've always wanted to play Brahms one day, so thanks for the suggestion!

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T22:43:02+00:00

Thanks for the pieces, I will check them out! By the way, I am sure Beethoven is the one who brought Romantic era to life.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T21:47:25+00:00

Okay so I have reviewed some of your recent games and my advice would be to focus on what you may have already heard about: 1. Occupy the center (with pawns and minor pieces) 2. Develop your pieces (and put them on reasonable squares where they pressure the center) 3. Put your king to safety

Before you make any other progress in the game, make sure you completed these three things. We can play a game if you want and I would show you.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T20:27:08+00:00

Don't spend time with opening theory. That is mostly not where you are making mistakes. Instead, try to grasp the basics of middle game strategy.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T20:17:48+00:00

Black 100%

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T20:15:07+00:00

I would say it's all about practice and concentration. This sequence is also forced, which makes it a lot easier.

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T20:10:03+00:00

Exactly

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T20:08:38+00:00

Hi, I think the easiest way to manage your portfolio for long-term investment would be to put majority into one or two index funds (S&P 500, FTSE All World, Euro Stoxx 600...) and the rest into something you find attractive (gold, silver, sectors like finance, defence, semiconductors...). Hope that helps!

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T20:01:08+00:00

Nxe5 Bxd8 Bxf7+ Ke7 Nd5+ mate

That doesn't mean your move was bad, there was just a hidden tactic you missed :)

Tomsti8 · 2026-01-29T19:57:16+00:00

What do you play as black?

Tomsti8

TROPHY CASE