Questions tagged [openings]
The opening refers to the beginning of a game, specifically the strategy and tactics involved in making the initial deployments and early moves that set the tone for the rest of the game and constrain future decisions.
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What is a good opening in Blokus?
I have played Blokus enough times to get a feel for the game and one thing that always bugs me is how to play the first few moves. There seem to be a couple of competing aims:
Get rid of big, ...
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Is castling still done in the openings in modern chess?
I have read in a somewhat old book that castling was to be done as soon as possible, but some of my playing friends don't bother to do it in the opening. What's the modern usage?
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Why is it of high importance to control the center of the board in Chess?
One reason for this is that from the center of the board, your pieces
have quicker access to the other parts of the board. Another is that
your pieces often attack a larger number of squares. What ...
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How important is memorizing chess openings in casual play?
I've played chess since I was kid and after much practice have become a decent player. I still though, have little strategy to my opening moves besides starting with a King's Pawn Game. I know ...
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How to reduce slow starts at the beginning of the game?
We recently played a game of Settlers of Catan where for the first 3 rounds none of us got any brick at all, so there was no road construction at all and it dragged a little. I'm not looking to reduce ...
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Catan starting strategies -- actual data?
I'm new to Settlers of Catan, and I quickly learned the importance of having a source of Brick and Lumber at the start of the game. And some googling showed that others agree ... and others disagree.
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When is it advisable to take Blue cards in the first age in Seven Wonders?
I've played several games of Seven Wonders now, and I'm still figuring out a lot of the strategy. I've learned that every card has its place and advantages, but the one group of cards that seems most ...
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Khet opening set-ups
What are the different merits of the Khet opening set-ups - Classic, Imhotep & Dynasty?
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Honinbo 1970, match 1: Why does white need to play toward the edge here?
People may remember this game from Strategtic Concepts of Go by Nagahara.
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$$|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$|. . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|...
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Opening strategies in Chess 960 (Fisher Random Chess)
I had a go at Chess 960 the other day, but whereas I thought I might do better against the computer as it didn't have an opening book, in fact the opposite happened as it quickly found holes in my ...
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In Chess what is the Queens or Kings Indian?
In Chess what is the Queens or Kings Indian, and why might it be useful?
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New idea in Sicilian for white?
I was wondering if someone could explain why this may be bad for white. Engines say white is a 0.5 of a pawn down after this line, but other than stunted development, I do not see a clear way in which ...
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What is a good opening for Go on a 13x13 board?
I have been playing a lot of Go recently at lunch but we are playing on a 13x13 board instead of a 19x19. I can't seem to ever win! I am beginning to think that my opening is leaving me in a bad ...
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What is the name of the following chess opening? What are its pros and cons?
At some point, when I was young, I learned an opening that involves the following moves: possibly after moving queen's pawn to the centre (d4), move out king's knight to above the bishop (Nf3), move ...
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In Chess, Why Does Black Sometimes Play "Cramped" Openings?
I'm referring to openings such as d6 (Pirc Defense) or e6 (French Defense) in answer to say, e4. These openings often make it more difficult to develop pieces than say, c5 or e5. In particular, the ...
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Are there any reputable chess openings which begin a4, b4, g4, or h4?
I have heard of 1 b3 and 1 g3, but never any of those in the question title. Is this because they do not work in practical play?
I've tried 1. g4 d5 2. h3 e5 3. d4 Nc6 etc. with a good chance of a ...
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Accepting Queen's Gambit
Why is it considered a disadvantage to accept Queen's Gambit? How should I play to take advantage of an accepted Queen's Gambit?
(All online guides I've seen simply state not to do it, but don't ...
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Axis & Allies - Opening strategies for the U.K.
I haven't played Axis & Allies in a while, and I'm currently getting my butt handed to me in an online match (partly due to a failed Kwabang attack).
I've got what I feel is a solid grip on ...
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Game from 1978: Why does this fuseki position favor black?
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$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . . . |
$$ | . . . , O . . . . ...
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What is the correct opening move in mancala when you go first in a 6 hole per side board?
Obviously the first thing you want to do is get the bonus turn. But I'm confused after that. You don't want to do your 4th hole from the left because that would allow your opponent to get 2 bonus ...
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Advice for responding to "Kwabang" attack when playing Japan?
When playing Axis & Allies as Japan I occasionally have an opponent use the "Kwabang" opening against me, which is where UK attacks Kwangtung on her opening move with the two infantry and fighter ...
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Are there names for checkers openings?
I have never heard of one; but I don't know where to look to make sure. This is something I've been wondering for a long time!
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What should be considered in constructing a balanced team of investigators?
I haven't played much Arkham Horror, but from what I've seen it's important to have a balanced team of investigators. What key attributes need to be represented by the team as a whole to have at least ...
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What is the best first development to purchase in Roll Through the Ages?
Played my first 4 player game of Roll Through the Ages official last night. I've played the solo game quite a bit but I quickly discovered that the multiplayer game plays a bit differently!
What ...
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In Go, Why are "High Point" Openings Seldom Seen in Modern Play?
I'm talking about opening with the "high point" of a "shimari, such as the 3-5 or 4-5 point.
The disadvantage is that it allows the opponent to enter near the corner, such as the corresponding 3-4 ...
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How to balance influence vs territorial plays on a 13x13 board?
Most of the answers to "What is a good opening on a 13x13 board?" deal generally with the differences between large and medium boards. I'd like to ask more generally about how I should be thinking on ...
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Good opening questions for Adventurers in Are You the Traitor?
Many people complain, when they first try Are You the Traitor?, that they don't know where to start; a lot of people will just sit there and think about it, without saying anything, or will ...
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In Axis and Allies, Should the U.S. Build a "Factory" in Brazil?
In Axis and Allies (original version), the basically maritime powers, the US and UK have a problem coming to grips with the land-based Axis. One solution is for them to buy industrial complexes in ...
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What chess-opening does this cat play
I just saw this funny cat video where the cat gets beaten in chess by a trick opening. It is not the well known fool's mate, but I guess it is a famous opening too. Can anyone identify the opening ...
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In Settlers of Catan, what seat position is the best for odds of recieving any resource?
If you use the standard rules, where the number tokens are laid out on the board in a pattern (small letters are below the pips), which seating position has the greatest odds of receiving the most ...
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What is the best opening in Hansa Teutonica?
What opening move should I prefer in Hansa Teutonica with 3, 4, or 5 players, and why?
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Initial card house rule for Kingdom Builder
I noticed in Kingdom Builder that the later players have a noticeable disadvantage if they have a card for the same terrain, because there is usually only one good spot to start with (see the question ...
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What different opening strategy exist when playing Quatro?
I enjoy very much playing Quatro, as I find that the small board, small set of pieces and symmetry. However, I am at loss in playing the beginning of the game anyway other than randomly. Because the ...
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Why do we surround the corner in go?
After watching several tutorials, everyone says to surround the corners. I was wondering why you do this? If I start playing the corners, how do I combat white if they instead start to only develop in ...
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If partner opens one heart, what do I need to respond with one spade?
If my partner opens one heart, and I respond one spade, am I showing four or five spades?
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Solid openings for Blitz Chess
Is there an accepted repertoire of openings that are solid in Blitz (3-5min per side) Chess? I guess the primary factors should be:
reasonably solid
simple structures
minimal number of tactical traps ...
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Do starting positions make a significant difference in Senji?
I had my first game of Senji a couple of days ago, and it's clear that the starting positions for each player are very different. (Senji map: http://goo.gl/LuHTA)
In a 6 player game it seems to me ...
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In chess, why is 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 rarely visited?
This opening begins by copying the Ruy Lopez/Morphy Defense for the first three moves, but White branches off with 4 Bxc6. I've read that 4 ... dxc6 5 Nxe5 Qd4 is effective for Black to recover his ...
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In Axis and Allies, Should Germany build a first turn transport and try and control the Med/Africa?
When playing Germany in A&A 2nd Edition, is it a feasible strategy for Germany to buy a Italian transport on the first turn, for the purposes of cementing Germany's Mediterranean naval presence ...
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Strategies and kingdom cards for a strong opening in Dominion?
Dominion is a game of widely varying strategies and paths toward victory. But the most important part of any winning strategy is a strong opening.
How can I tell if a kingdom card is a good opening ...
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Two space approach moves in igo
In igo, when I plan dan-level players, they often make two-space approach moves like the one shown in the figure below:
I have many of the standard books on go and they generally only discuss one ...
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Good first leads in sheepshead
In most trick-taking card games when you have a strong hand (as the bidder should in sheepshead) it's good to lead with high cards to retain control. However, in sheepshead players tend to hold on to ...
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Where can I find an opening database of professional games for 9x9 Go?
I'm looking for an opening database (also called game explorer) for 9x9 Go, showing in every position the percentage of times each move is played and also possibly the percentage of times each move ...
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How to open with Baratheon at Game of Thrones Board Game?
I've played a couple of games as Baratheon or closely observing the Baratheon player, and in my experience, there are two initial strategies that people choose. I'm undecided which one is better.
The ...
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AI effect on chess openings and variations
I'm writing an essay related to AI and chess. However I am not a chess player, but a Go player. There are many AI chess engines nowadays that significantly overwhelm the chess ability of human.
Go has ...
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Can the U.S. Open With an Air-based Strategy in Allies and Axis?
In Axis and Allies, the U.S. starts with the largest number of IPCs, and also has the furthest to go to reach the main battlefields. These conditions both suggest the use of strategies using (...
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In Bridge, Is it Sometimes Good to Lead an Opponent's Suit on Defense?
I was "West," that is, the opening leader. My left and right hand opponents had alternated diamond and spade bids, neither supporting the other, suggesting something like 6-1 misfits in both suits (...
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Should a temple always be built on turn 2 in Antike?
I played my first game of Antike with 5 other people. Everyone but me started at Marble, then paid one resource on the next turn to jump to Temple. Having never played before, I went another way, ...
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Scythe: Opening Moves Book? [closed]
Would it be feasible to create an opening book for Scythe, analogously to chess openings?
It would have 7 factions x 7 starting boards = 49 parts, which would be further subdivided depending on game ...
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Has black’s moyo already given them an advantage
Playing white against the Linux programme kigo1, I (c. 6 kyu) reached the following situation, which seems typical of my games with it: (unfortunately one can only put 10 moves in a diagram, so I have ...
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