The great joy for me of this line is that it has encouraged me to rediscover the games of the late-19th and early 20th-century masters, from which I have a lot to learn.Īn Unbeatable White Repertoire after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 by Larry Evans and Ken Smith The basic scheme is to play 1.e4 followed by Nc3 and Nf3, with some exceptions.ġ.e4 e5 2.Nf3 (or 2.Nc3 first) 2.Nc6 (2.Nf6 3.Nc3!) 3.Nc3Ī super-solid choice that has a lot to teach developing players. To some extent, I set this repertoire forth as a guide for myself to know what future opening articles I might write upon my return to blogging in January. I have also offered eight book suggestions (which I've tried to hone to the absolute minimum) and links to material from my own archives.
I have never seen anyone suggest such a system (though Andrew Martin's " Repertoire Suggestions" at ChessPublishing come close), and so I thought I'd sketch it out for interested readers. It is also so solid that it will give your opponents nightmares trying to beat you. I think I have hit upon something rather original lately, which I like to call my "Knightmare Repertoire" due to its emphasis on early Knight development with Nc3 and Nf3 as White or Nc6 and Nf6 as Black.
Of course, I have never followed all of their recommendations, prefering to pick and choose to construct my own system, which is a project with no end. I have collected many repertoire books over the years and I enjoy seeing the way these guides try to create coherent systems out of the morass of opening theory we confront as chessplayers.