Answers.Body: <p>The Petroff Defense (<code>1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6</code>) is a very defensive opening that tends to limit White's chances.</p>
  
  <p>Playing against <code>d4</code>, I like <code>...Nf6</code>, because it gives me the choice of either transposing into a Queen's Gambit, or playing an Indian (fianchetto) defense.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-07-12T16:16:46.220Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-07-12T22:29:00.113Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2012-07-12T22:29:00.113Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tom Au
Answers.Body: <p>You're not being naive.</p>
  
  <p>It sounds like you're a positional player.  You'll probably favor closed games.  Closed games are ones where there are pawns in the center, reducing the long-range power of many of the pieces on the board.</p>
  
  <p>Too much memorization is unhelpful. You will need to memorize a a few openings, and not too deeply. As long as you understand what the openings are trying to accomplish and you know basic principles you'll be fine.</p>
  
  <p>For openings, play <code>1. d4</code>, and work through some main lines of the Queen's Gambit.  From <a href="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess_Opening_Theory/1._d4" rel="nofollow">this link</a>, you'll see that your play won't change much for the first few moves; there's a theme.</p>
  
  <p>If you're on the black side of the board, you have more choices.  You'll probably see <code>1. e4</code> more than <code>1. d4</code>.  For the latter, look at the 'closed game' and similar:  </p>
  
  <pre><code>1. d4 d5
  2. c4 e6
  3. Nc3 Nf6
  4. Bg5 Be7
  5. e3 O-O
  6. Nf3 Nbd7
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>See how black avoids lines where the center pawns get traded off?</p>
  
  <p>Against <code>1. e4</code> you'll be looking for the same thing - lines that leave the pawns on the board or at least, like this Caro-Kann, leave a solid position:</p>
  
  <pre><code>1. e4 c6
  2. d4 d5
  3. Nc3 dxe4
  4. Nxe4 Bf5
  5. Ng3 Bg6
  6. h4 h6
  7. Nf3 Nd7
  8. h5 Bh7
  9. Bd3 Bxd3
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here's a link for a <a href="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess_Opening_Theory/1._e4" rel="nofollow">plethora of e4 openings</a>.  </p>
  
  <p>Which opening to pick?  Narrow down the field by examining games of Anatoly Karpov, Tigran Petrosian, Aron Nimzovitch, and Mikhail Botvinnik.  Nimzovitch is the godfather of the 'prophylactic' style you describe.  You might get a copy of 'My System', one of the first books to collect, state, and explain the principles of positional play.  Be advised this book (and many others) are old and were written using the now-obsolete 'descriptive' notation.  You probably want your copies to be in algebraic or figurine algebraic notation.  If you buy a copy off of e-bay etc you should verify what you're getting.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-07-01T04:10:25.427Z
Answers.Text: I guess you can't be perfect while defending. Queens gambit declined 2...e6 blocks light squared bishop and 4...Be7 would not be considered development of minor pieces. But that's how it is playing black right?
Answers.UserDisplayName: AWE
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-07-01T04:19:27.490Z
Answers.Text: There are other options than `2. ... e6`.  For example, the Slav sports `2. ... c6` (which blocks a knight) or a Chigorin `2. ... Nc6`.  The links I posted above show all these variations.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-06-30T13:01:32.067Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-07-01T03:52:11.877Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2012-07-01T03:52:11.877Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Body: <p>I'm a beginner and I haven't gotten into memorizing games. I don't like the idea of memorizing but now I think I have to learn a few to get to a higher level. Can someone give me a list of prophylactic defenses that a beginner should learn. Taking into account the basics like the control of the center, early development of minor pieces et cetera. </p>
  
  <p>I don't play aggressive. I like building up positions (prophylaxis). I need a few defenses that are an answer to most openings and doesn't block my minor pieces. Maybe I'm being naive?</p>
  
Tags: <opening><defense>
Title: Prophylactic defenses
ThreadText: # Prophylactic defenses
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-06-30)
  
  I'm a beginner and I haven't gotten into memorizing games. I don't like the idea of memorizing but now I think I have to learn a few to get to a higher level. Can someone give me a list of prophylactic defenses that a beginner should learn. Taking into account the basics like the control of the center, early development of minor pieces et cetera.
  
  I don't play aggressive. I like building up positions (prophylaxis). I need a few defenses that are an answer to most openings and doesn't block my minor pieces. Maybe I'm being naive?
  
  **Tags:** opening, defense
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2012-06-30. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  You're not being naive.
  
  It sounds like you're a positional player. You'll probably favor closed games. Closed games are ones where there are pawns in the center, reducing the long-range power of many of the pieces on the board.
  
  Too much memorization is unhelpful. You will need to memorize a a few openings, and not too deeply. As long as you understand what the openings are trying to accomplish and you know basic principles you'll be fine.
  
  For openings, play `1. d4`, and work through some main lines of the Queen's Gambit. From [this link](http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess_Opening_Theory/1._d4), you'll see that your play won't change much for the first few moves; there's a theme.
  
  If you're on the black side of the board, you have more choices. You'll probably see `1. e4` more than `1. d4`. For the latter, look at the 'closed game' and similar:
  
  ```
  1. d4 d5
  2. c4 e6
  3. Nc3 Nf6
  4. Bg5 Be7
  5. e3 O-O
  6. Nf3 Nbd7
  
  ```
  
  See how black avoids lines where the center pawns get traded off?
  
  Against `1. e4` you'll be looking for the same thing - lines that leave the pawns on the board or at least, like this Caro-Kann, leave a solid position:
  
  ```
  1. e4 c6
  2. d4 d5
  3. Nc3 dxe4
  4. Nxe4 Bf5
  5. Ng3 Bg6
  6. h4 h6
  7. Nf3 Nd7
  8. h5 Bh7
  9. Bd3 Bxd3
  
  ```
  
  Here's a link for a [plethora of e4 openings](http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess_Opening_Theory/1._e4).
  
  Which opening to pick? Narrow down the field by examining games of Anatoly Karpov, Tigran Petrosian, Aron Nimzovitch, and Mikhail Botvinnik. Nimzovitch is the godfather of the 'prophylactic' style you describe. You might get a copy of 'My System', one of the first books to collect, state, and explain the principles of positional play. Be advised this book (and many others) are old and were written using the now-obsolete 'descriptive' notation. You probably want your copies to be in algebraic or figurine algebraic notation. If you buy a copy off of e-bay etc you should verify what you're getting.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I guess you can't be perfect while defending. Queens gambit declined 2...e6 blocks light squared bishop and 4...Be7 would not be considered development of minor pieces. But that's how it is playing black right?  
  > **username_2**: There are other options than `2. ... e6`.  For example, the Slav sports `2. ... c6` (which blocks a knight) or a Chigorin `2. ... Nc6`.  The links I posted above show all these variations.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2012-07-12. Score: 2
  
  The Petroff Defense (`1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6`) is a very defensive opening that tends to limit White's chances.
  
  Playing against `d4`, I like `...Nf6`, because it gives me the choice of either transposing into a Queen's Gambit, or playing an Indian (fianchetto) defense.
  
  
  ---
  
  