How to choose the right chess opening for your playing style!

But how to choose the right opening for your playing style? There are thousands of different openings, some more aggressive, others more quiet, some more theoretical, others more creative. How to find the one that suits your skills and preferences best?

In this article we propose five questions to ask yourself when you have to choose an opening:

1. Does the opening fit your playing style?
   Chess players can be divided into two main categories: positional and tactical. To simplify things, we can think of these as defensive and attacking. Positional players prefer solid and harmonious positions, where they can exploit spatial and structural advantages. Tactical players love complex and dynamic positions, where they can use combinations and sacrifices to gain an edge. If you are a positional player, you should choose openings that allow you to get a good pawn structure and a control of the center. If you are a tactical player, you should choose openings that allow you to create tension and attacking possibilities.
2. Do you like playing the middle games that result from that opening?
   The opening determines the type of positions that will appear in the middle game. Some openings lead to closed and blocked positions, others to open and fluid positions, others still to asymmetric and unbalanced positions. You have to be sure to feel comfortable with the characteristics of the positions that you will get with your opening. For example, if you like having space to maneuver your pieces, you should not choose openings that force you to defend in a restricted space.
3. Do you like playing forced and theoretical variations?
   Some openings require a deep knowledge of theory, because they contain many forced and critical variations that have to be memorized and understood. These openings are suitable for players who have a lot of time to devote to study and who love testing their memory and their accuracy. Other openings are less theoretical and more based on general principles and intuition. These openings are suitable for players who prefer having more creative freedom and who want to avoid the preparations of their opponents.
4. Do you have a lot of free time to keep up with the evolution of opening theory?
   The opening theory is constantly changing, thanks to the advances of human and computer analysis. Some openings are more subject to novelties and revisions than others. If you choose a very popular and modern opening, you have to be ready to follow the latest discoveries and to modify your repertoire accordingly. If you choose a more classic and stable opening, you can be more relaxed and trust your established knowledge.
5. Do you like taking risks in the game?
   Some openings are safer and more cautious, others more daring and provocative. If you are a player who is not afraid of putting your king or material at stake for a devastating attack, you can choose openings that offer you these opportunities. If you are a player who prefers to keep a solid and defensive position, you can choose openings that ensure you adequate coverage and a healthy structure.

In conclusion, the choice of the opening depends on your personal playing style and preferences. Experiment with different openings and see which ones work best for you. With practice, you will be able to find the right opening for any situation and improve your overall game.