I previously examined the issue of move orders back in May, but it's worth revisiting because of the breadth and complexity of the topic. One area in which move orders can be very important is when you are creating an opening repertoire and need the different parts of it to fit together.
Some good examples of this can be seen in openings such as the Alapin Variation of the Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.c3), someone may have a good line in this particular position (for example 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4), but what if their favourite line involves meeting 2.Nf3 with 2...e6? In this case their chosen defence against the Alapin will no longer work because they've already shut their c8 bishop in and will not be able to bring it out to g4.
How can this be handled? One approach can be to review your lines with an opening tree of the type that can be found at Chess Tempo or Chessbase. It might take some time, given the sheer scale of modern theory, but if done properly it will provide a good sense of your repertoire layout and help pick up any inconsistencies.
Training Tournaments
The training tournaments this week will feature two more Queen's Pawn Openings, the Colle (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 and now 3...g6 for Black) and the Trompowsky (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 and now 2...e6 for Black). I gave 3...g6 against the Colle in my Building an Opening Repertoire course, 2...e6 is a solid answer to the Trompowsky which can nonetheless unbalance the game:
Sunday November 9th at 5pm UK Time: Colle with 3...g6
Sunday November 9th at 6.15pm UK Time: Trompowsky with 2...e6
Video Discounts
This week's discount is 40% off my flagship Building an Opening Repertoire course, using the code 'nov7to15' when you buy it. This acclaimed course shows how to use simple opening lines to develop middle game understanding by reaching key pawn structures. The lines presented here (French and Queen's Gambit Declined as Black, 1.d4 followed by 2.Nf3 and 3.e3 as White) are easy to learn and remember. There are no elaborate computer generated variations, just plans and ideas.
Last week's discount was 40% off buying my series on Understanding Strategy & Planning, please use the code 'oct31nov8' when buying. Strategy and planning are two of the most difficult chess skills to master and most players never do. This video series presents a systematic way of approaching these areas by learning how to play different pawn structures and the plans and ideas they contain.
My Upcoming Events
I don't have definite plans to play anywhere right now, but I might play in the Bolton Rapidplay in December and then Nova Gorica in Slovenia in January:
December 7: Bolton Rapidplay
One of my local tournaments, details can be found here.
Have a good weekend.
Nigel
