Answers.Body: <p>This is where you have to understand the opening, not just play memorized lines.  If your opponent strays too far from the most popular lines, he's probably made an error.  It's up to you to understand the opening enough to punish him for it.</p>
  
  <p>So you can't force him to play the line but you can make him wish he did.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-18T15:20:13.133Z
Answers.Text: In other words, you are referring to `Opening Principles`, correct?
Answers.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-18T15:28:28.280Z
Answers.Text: I suppose, but for a specific opening.  Opening principles could be generic - develop pieces, castle early, don't move the same piece twice, etc.  In this case, if an opponent doesn't follow the tried-and-true script, there is likely a way to gain an advantage and this may vary depending on the specific opening.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-18T21:33:17.457Z
Answers.Text: And that leads us to the eternal battle with openings... it is just impossible to learn them all, but the way i see it, as @xaisoft points out, Opening Principles will give you a solid game, that is far more important IMHO.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Helio
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-19T02:22:56.257Z
Answers.Text: @helio, you seem to be saying that we don't need to know openings as long as we know general principles.  That may work at the "C" level but works less and less as we improve.  GMs spend a lot of time learning specific variations of openings.  Are you suggesting their time is wasted?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-19T21:17:51.417Z
Answers.Text: Not at all @TonyEnnis, as a matter of fact I agree with you and yes, I know that most GM's will thoroughly analyze openings some 40 moves deep or even more, so the way your answer is put together perfectly applies for someone in the higher ranks, but for any other filthy mortals (like myself) that don't have a thorough opening knowledge, playing on the safe side based on solid Opening Principles and avoiding (or trying to avoid) blunders, will give you a playable middlegame, which for a "C" level player may be enough to turn the table and win. Yet again if  the player in question is a GM...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Helio
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-19T21:18:49.997Z
Answers.Text: ...this answer does not apply to him, why would a GM ask himself a question like this?...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Helio
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-18T15:19:24.477Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-12-18T15:19:24.477Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Body: <p>For a while, anytime I got the chance to play the <code>Scotch</code>, I would as long as my opponent (being black) played the moves.  If they did not follow the move order, I would just continue with something else, but I noticed, the more I play an opening, the better I get at it (This is obvious).  </p>
  
  <p>Another way to view this question is, besides 1 or 2 move openings such as the <code>English</code>, <code>Caro-Kann</code>, <code>Sicilian</code>, <code>Pirc</code>, etc which obviously have been defined as being reached after 1 or 2 moves, how can I force my opponent and this may not be possible, it may just be by chance, to play moves up to the point where my opening is defined?  </p>
  
  <p>Certain openings I have found this actually works pretty well such as the <code>Ruy Lopez</code> because it has such a natural move order <code>1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5.</code>, but in other openings, it is not so easy.</p>
  
Tags: <opening><learning>
Title: How can I frequently practice openings that are more than 1 or 2 moves long?
ThreadText: # How can I frequently practice openings that are more than 1 or 2 moves long?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-18)
  
  For a while, anytime I got the chance to play the `Scotch`, I would as long as my opponent (being black) played the moves. If they did not follow the move order, I would just continue with something else, but I noticed, the more I play an opening, the better I get at it (This is obvious).
  
  Another way to view this question is, besides 1 or 2 move openings such as the `English`, `Caro-Kann`, `Sicilian`, `Pirc`, etc which obviously have been defined as being reached after 1 or 2 moves, how can I force my opponent and this may not be possible, it may just be by chance, to play moves up to the point where my opening is defined?
  
  Certain openings I have found this actually works pretty well such as the `Ruy Lopez` because it has such a natural move order `1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5.`, but in other openings, it is not so easy.
  
  **Tags:** opening, learning
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2012-12-18. Score: 9 | Accepted answer
  
  This is where you have to understand the opening, not just play memorized lines. If your opponent strays too far from the most popular lines, he's probably made an error. It's up to you to understand the opening enough to punish him for it.
  
  So you can't force him to play the line but you can make him wish he did.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: In other words, you are referring to `Opening Principles`, correct?  
  > **username_1**: I suppose, but for a specific opening.  Opening principles could be generic - develop pieces, castle early, don't move the same piece twice, etc.  In this case, if an opponent doesn't follow the tried-and-true script, there is likely a way to gain an advantage and this may vary depending on the specific opening.  
  > **username_2**: And that leads us to the eternal battle with openings... it is just impossible to learn them all, but the way i see it, as @username_0 points out, Opening Principles will give you a solid game, that is far more important IMHO.  
  > **username_1**: @helio, you seem to be saying that we don't need to know openings as long as we know general principles.  That may work at the "C" level but works less and less as we improve.  GMs spend a lot of time learning specific variations of openings.  Are you suggesting their time is wasted?  
  > **username_2**: Not at all @TonyEnnis, as a matter of fact I agree with you and yes, I know that most GM's will thoroughly analyze openings some 40 moves deep or even more, so the way your answer is put together perfectly applies for someone in the higher ranks, but for any other filthy mortals (like myself) that don't have a thorough opening knowledge, playing on the safe side based on solid Opening Principles and avoiding (or trying to avoid) blunders, will give you a playable middlegame, which for a "C" level player may be enough to turn the table and win. Yet again if  the player in question is a GM...  
  > **username_2**: ...this answer does not apply to him, why would a GM ask himself a question like this?...  
  
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