Answers.Body: <p>Wrong question.  </p>
  
  <p>If you want to beat a 2200-2400 opponent then you need to be a 2200-2400 level player. </p>
  
  <p>The hippopotamus type openings are doomed to failure according to one old GM.  I find them very easy to beat but then  I do not usually play 2400 rated people.  OTOH they are not tactical type openings at all. Nor are they very aggressive.<br>
  If you want to play hardball tactics then play a more open type of opening.</p>
  
  <p>You should master ONE basic opening and play that one.  It is not the opening that wins,  it is the player making the moves that wins or loses.</p>
  
  <p>You should look at the French defense for black if you want to play that style.  For white try a Reti.  Or even just the Ruy. </p>
  
  <p>A  Sicilian would be better but is much harder to learn.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-29T13:55:03.293Z
Answers.Text: Excellent point. If you learn garbage, eventually, you have to relearn good openings.
Answers.UserDisplayName: PhishMaster
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Answers.Text: True.  But that opening is effective at the beginner level  and gives them a chance to learn to play some without losing right away.  In the end it is a losing strategy and serious players will have to finally learn a better opening to improve their ratings. I suspect some of it is fear of new players about losing or making mistakes so they try to play 'safe' not realizing that just ensures defeat although delaying it.
Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-29T14:27:32.910Z
Answers.Text: Bad logic since a 2200 rated player won't feel afraid to go into sharp openings where you need to calculate variations against another 2200 human. However, would be hesitant to go into sharp positions against 2200 rated computer since calculating is the computer's main strength. I agree that 2200 rated computers will be equal in strength compared to 2200 rated humans, but I doubt that they would be in equal strength in the same types of positions. A human would be beaten playing the Hippo, but the computer has trouble against it. I am sorry, but your answer wasn't valid yobamamama.
Answers.UserDisplayName: SubhanKhan
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Answers.Text: That is your opinion.  My experience says my answer is valid.  Weak players have trouble against the hippo.  Good players can beat it easily.  Playing a slower positional game might be good against a computer but playing the hippo is asking to lose against machine and  people.
Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
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Answers.Text: Why so down on the hippo?  I play it sometimes through transposition.  weaker players often don't know what to do against it.  I'm happy to play it against stronger players.  If I can survive the opening I find I get a better middle game and ending.
  
  More on topic, the hippo used to be a great opening against chess engines.  But that was before I had access to ones that were master strength.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael West
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Answers.Text: Itnever gives me problems and I win easily against the people using it.  Now that may be more to the people playing it than the opening itself:)
Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-29T23:26:34.337Z
Answers.Text: yobamamama On Hikaru Nakamura and MVL's match against Komodo of various strengths they played the closed Sicilian and the Hippo opening to beat the computer. Hikaru even used it to beat a 3000 rated komodo on chess.com Komodo challenge. It is indeed an opening that engines have trouble with.
Answers.UserDisplayName: SubhanKhan
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-29T23:34:18.760Z
Answers.Text: People are not engines.  The OP is not  Nakamura.
Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-30T02:10:03.523Z
Answers.Text: Yobamamama I only said that it worked well against computers. I agree that it is just suicide against any human over a rating of 2000. Computers have a different approach to the game and that is why the Hippo works very well against computers. However, you were saying that "playing the hippo is asking to lose against machine and people". This isn't true in the case of machines and that is why people use it to beat computers.
Answers.UserDisplayName: SubhanKhan
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-30T02:48:44.330Z
Answers.Text: That may be.  I only have seen people use it against me and against other players.
Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-31T02:44:28.640Z
Answers.Text: @yobamamama While I don't think the opening played is extremely important, it can make a non-zero difference against an engine. A certain opening has a higher chance of leading to a certain type of middlegame style of play, which the engine may not be as comfortable with.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
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Answers.Text: Engines are not people.  They do not feel uncomfortable.  They do what they are programmed to do.  Maybe they have bad algorithms to help them decide what move is best.  The next version will fix that flaw.
Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
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Answers.UserDisplayName: yobamamama
Answers.Body: <p>You're looking at this the wrong way. As you say yourself:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>the tactical superiority of the computer always gets in the way and I end up losing or drawing the game.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Thus, it's really not a matter of opening choice: the computer is better tactically. The best hope you have of beating this computer is getting better tactically. Chess is a game of tactics, so ultimately tactics will serve you better in the long run.</p>
  
  <p>That doesn't mean a good opening strategy won't help. The Sicilian has a reputation of being a better for black than other openings. Consequently, the queen's pawn is considered better by some for white because it stops the Sicilian.</p>
  
  <p>But again, the best strategy is less about opening choice and more about learning to follow through with that opening to the middle-game, and the endgame by extension. And the best way to getting better at this is by getting better at tactics.</p>
  
  <p>Even if you are good at tactics already, then try to get faster, and more accurate. This will ultimately help you in the long run.</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p>tl;dr: My recommendation is Sicilian for black, Queen's pawn for white, and just simply drilling tactics.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-31T22:39:18.883Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Chipster
Body: <p>I have had good positions with the Hippopotamus opening with its Kings Indian structure(ranging up to +3 in evaluation) but in the end, the tactical superiority of the computer always gets in the way and I end up losing or drawing the game. The computer I am talking about is Computer Level 9 on Chess.com(Not to be confused with Komodo 8). My playing style is very tactical and aggressive, but I doubt that would work well against stronger Level 10. The openings that I am looking for are openings that are very positional in the beginning, but they also offer counterplay in the middlegame. Please suggest openings for white and black.</p>
  
Tags: <opening><engines>
Title: What is the most effective openings to beat a 2200-2400 rated computer at chess?(With White and Black)
ThreadText: # What is the most effective openings to beat a 2200-2400 rated computer at chess?(With White and Black)
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-29)
  
  I have had good positions with the Hippopotamus opening with its Kings Indian structure(ranging up to +3 in evaluation) but in the end, the tactical superiority of the computer always gets in the way and I end up losing or drawing the game. The computer I am talking about is Computer Level 9 on Chess.com(Not to be confused with Komodo 8). My playing style is very tactical and aggressive, but I doubt that would work well against stronger Level 10. The openings that I am looking for are openings that are very positional in the beginning, but they also offer counterplay in the middlegame. Please suggest openings for white and black.
  
  **Tags:** opening, engines
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-29. Score: 3
  
  Wrong question.
  
  If you want to beat a 2200-2400 opponent then you need to be a 2200-2400 level player.
  
  The hippopotamus type openings are doomed to failure according to one old GM. I find them very easy to beat but then I do not usually play 2400 rated people. OTOH they are not tactical type openings at all. Nor are they very aggressive.  
  If you want to play hardball tactics then play a more open type of opening.
  
  You should master ONE basic opening and play that one. It is not the opening that wins, it is the player making the moves that wins or loses.
  
  You should look at the French defense for black if you want to play that style. For white try a Reti. Or even just the Ruy.
  
  A Sicilian would be better but is much harder to learn.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Excellent point. If you learn garbage, eventually, you have to relearn good openings.  
  > **username_1**: True.  But that opening is effective at the beginner level  and gives them a chance to learn to play some without losing right away.  In the end it is a losing strategy and serious players will have to finally learn a better opening to improve their ratings. I suspect some of it is fear of new players about losing or making mistakes so they try to play 'safe' not realizing that just ensures defeat although delaying it.  
  > **username_0**: Bad logic since a 2200 rated player won't feel afraid to go into sharp openings where you need to calculate variations against another 2200 human. However, would be hesitant to go into sharp positions against 2200 rated computer since calculating is the computer's main strength. I agree that 2200 rated computers will be equal in strength compared to 2200 rated humans, but I doubt that they would be in equal strength in the same types of positions. A human would be beaten playing the Hippo, but the computer has trouble against it. I am sorry, but your answer wasn't valid username_1.  
  > **username_1**: That is your opinion.  My experience says my answer is valid.  Weak players have trouble against the hippo.  Good players can beat it easily.  Playing a slower positional game might be good against a computer but playing the hippo is asking to lose against machine and  people.  
  > **username_3**: Why so down on the hippo?  I play it sometimes through transposition.  weaker players often don't know what to do against it.  I'm happy to play it against stronger players.  If I can survive the opening I find I get a better middle game and ending.  More on topic, the hippo used to be a great opening against chess engines.  But that was before I had access to ones that were master strength.  
  > **username_1**: Itnever gives me problems and I win easily against the people using it.  Now that may be more to the people playing it than the opening itself:)  
  > **username_0**: username_1 On Hikaru Nakamura and MVL's match against Komodo of various strengths they played the closed Sicilian and the Hippo opening to beat the computer. Hikaru even used it to beat a 3000 rated komodo on chess.com Komodo challenge. It is indeed an opening that engines have trouble with.  
  > **username_1**: People are not engines.  The OP is not  Nakamura.  
  > **username_0**: username_1 I only said that it worked well against computers. I agree that it is just suicide against any human over a rating of 2000. Computers have a different approach to the game and that is why the Hippo works very well against computers. However, you were saying that "playing the hippo is asking to lose against machine and people". This isn't true in the case of machines and that is why people use it to beat computers.  
  > **username_1**: That may be.  I only have seen people use it against me and against other players.  
  > **username_4**: @username_1 While I don't think the opening played is extremely important, it can make a non-zero difference against an engine. A certain opening has a higher chance of leading to a certain type of middlegame style of play, which the engine may not be as comfortable with.  
  > **username_1**: Engines are not people.  They do not feel uncomfortable.  They do what they are programmed to do.  Maybe they have bad algorithms to help them decide what move is best.  The next version will fix that flaw.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2019-12-31. Score: 0
  
  You're looking at this the wrong way. As you say yourself:
  
  > the tactical superiority of the computer always gets in the way and I end up losing or drawing the game.
  
  Thus, it's really not a matter of opening choice: the computer is better tactically. The best hope you have of beating this computer is getting better tactically. Chess is a game of tactics, so ultimately tactics will serve you better in the long run.
  
  That doesn't mean a good opening strategy won't help. The Sicilian has a reputation of being a better for black than other openings. Consequently, the queen's pawn is considered better by some for white because it stops the Sicilian.
  
  But again, the best strategy is less about opening choice and more about learning to follow through with that opening to the middle-game, and the endgame by extension. And the best way to getting better at this is by getting better at tactics.
  
  Even if you are good at tactics already, then try to get faster, and more accurate. This will ultimately help you in the long run.
  
  ---
  
  tl;dr: My recommendation is Sicilian for black, Queen's pawn for white, and just simply drilling tactics.
  
  
  ---
  
  