I Need a New Repertoire
I'm seriously considering switching to 1.d4 with white; also getting rid of 1...c5 and 1...d5 against e4 and d4 respectively. Some of the positions I get into I hate so much. Plus it would give me a good excuse to study chess all the time. Then after I was done I would be able to play 2 openings at any time which would be very nice in the match phase. I think the only reason I didn't switch lines a long time ago (especially the Accelerated Dragon) is that I put so much work into my lines I feel like I have to stick with them now. But that's not true, I really like learning new positions and I think it's the kick I need.
1) The Open Game (Double King Pawn)
2) The Semi-Open Game (Caro, French, Sicilian, etc.)
3) The Closed Game (Double Queen Pawn)
4) The Modern Defenses (Indian Defenses)
Economically speaking, any one player can eliminate at most, one group from study if he or she wishes to, for instance, since I meet the King Pawn and meet the Queen Pawn and play the Queen Pawn, I can if I wish eliminate the Semi-Open Game. If I elect to also play the King Pawn as White, then I cannot elimiate any one group of Openings. One is either on the White side, the Black side, or both.
One does have to be careful about specific and tricky move-orders though, mostly coming from the English and the Reti set-ups.
So if you eliminate 1...c5 and 1...d5, then you are going to leave the Semi-Open Game and the Closed Game for either the Open Game or the Modern Defenses. Or you are going to choose other defenses in the Semi-Open Game and the Closed Game.
If as White, you leave the move 1. e4 and concentrate on the move 1. d4, then to some extent, you are leaving the Open Game for the Closed Game and substituting the Semi-Open Game for the Modern Defenses.
Again, if you play both, then you cannot be also economical as you will then be on either the White side or the Black side of all categories of Openings.
The other very important point is that I would be able to avoid certain lines like say I hated a player's response to e4 but I liked their response to d4, I could play d4 and get a game I like. The more theory I know the easier it is to find a position I want to play during the game.
Eric - Yeah I've played the Accelerated Dragon for my whole competitive chess career and I was going to switch to another Sicilian but I would rather just learn something completely different. Something new. That classification is pretty standard these days although certain lines in each opening can be put in other categories, like the indians are definitely closed games and so are a lot of lines in the french. Also this is referring mostly to the nature of the pawn structure. I am not averse to any pawn structure and I am not trying to be economical (patching up my current repertoire is very easy to do and it is solid and ambitious). I am trying to broaden the base of positions that I understand and also infuse creativity into my early middlegame. Right now I rattle off 12-13 moves of theory and then use typical plans and I am not thinking enough. I just want to be in positions that are new to me. Doesn't really matter what kind of position it is I need to understand all positions to move forward.
I see... Yeah i know that "bored" feeling. It affects my performance as well. Like say, you're trying to get this cool Sicilian position (i like O' Kelly and Scheveningen) and they lash out with 3.Bc4... I get bored instantly.
1.d4 repertoires
If your not enjoying it would you really bother putting the effort it takes to play this game fairly well? Probably not, goodluck with the switch
You guys are making me think of when I first started making my repertoire for White. I had hit a sort of plateau and just adding new theory helped me break through. I'm getting excited.
I don't like this move, it just looks awkward to me.
-David