September 03, 2023

Ep. 80: Chess Opening Surprises to Trick Your Opponent

42 minutes

Ready to shake up your chess game with some unconventional openings? In our latest episode, we make a case for occasionally adding complexity to your game. By getting higher-rated opponents out of their comfort zone early on, you can create an unbalanced, non-theoretical position that might just give you the upper hand. We also bring attention to the "piece polishers" - those players who love sticking to conventional theory. This episode explores how you can disrupt them. We delve into the effectiveness of off-book openings, such as 1. e3. Please note that this isn't an exhaustive guide to every unconventional opening, but a general overview. Finally, we explore some exciting opening ideas that can lead to tactically rich positions. These can disorient a classical player who is not prepared for the unexpected. We discuss the Grob, otherwise known as the Spike, and the Scandinavian Defense. We also delve into the Evans Gambit, and the Orangutan Opening. These might seem a bit out there, but with a basic theoretical study, you could gain a significant advantage by occasionally springing these surprises on your opponent. So, let's get ready to catch your opponent off guard! Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 09:15 - 1. e3 10:43 - Fianchetto Structures 16:00 - Early h4 and ...h5 Ideas 19:05 - 1. d4 e6 22:08 - The Grob (1. g4) 24:35 - Scandinavian Defense 26:43 - Alekhine's Defense 28:54 - Orangutan Opening (1. b4) 32:52 - Benoni Defense 36:20 - Evans Gambit 39:01 - Outro 🎯 Support the Show: