40 years ago, as a child, I had been asked this questions many times: do you know a lot of openings by heart? My answer was NO.
Nowadays, I have been asked by beginners' parents many times: should my child learn some openings? My answer is still NO.
Beginners will not understand why a move in an opening line should be there. Missing a move or switching move order will change the opening completely. A good sound opening may become total suicide. Learning opening this way will not help your child, instead will hurt your child. They will not think by themselves. If the move is in the line, they will consider it's good. If not, then bad. Sometimes it's just a similar move, they still consider it's good. When opponents change moves, going out of opening line, they will be surprised and stunned. They won't know how to handle it.
My suggestion for beginners always is: learn the 3 principles, controlling center, developing minor pieces, and castling for king safety, after that, fight.
When I played against the French for the first time 10 years ago, I didn't know the line, and I didn't even know the name. But I looked at my opponent's moves and thought that they were reasonable, so had to be some line. I followed my common sense and reasoning, and I survived.
9 years later at NJ Open, I thought I had already seen most openings, but I noticed all my white opponents played the same opening moves which I didn't know. I learned later they all played Catalan. Was I scared? No, I wasn't. I just did my best to survive the opening, and win all of them in middle game or endgame.
Nowadays, I have been asked by beginners' parents many times: should my child learn some openings? My answer is still NO.
Beginners will not understand why a move in an opening line should be there. Missing a move or switching move order will change the opening completely. A good sound opening may become total suicide. Learning opening this way will not help your child, instead will hurt your child. They will not think by themselves. If the move is in the line, they will consider it's good. If not, then bad. Sometimes it's just a similar move, they still consider it's good. When opponents change moves, going out of opening line, they will be surprised and stunned. They won't know how to handle it.
My suggestion for beginners always is: learn the 3 principles, controlling center, developing minor pieces, and castling for king safety, after that, fight.
When I played against the French for the first time 10 years ago, I didn't know the line, and I didn't even know the name. But I looked at my opponent's moves and thought that they were reasonable, so had to be some line. I followed my common sense and reasoning, and I survived.
9 years later at NJ Open, I thought I had already seen most openings, but I noticed all my white opponents played the same opening moves which I didn't know. I learned later they all played Catalan. Was I scared? No, I wasn't. I just did my best to survive the opening, and win all of them in middle game or endgame.
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