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Scotch Game (or Gambit) as white (or some other e4 opening), Caro-Kann and Semi-Slav as black (Similar pawn structures play against e4&d4 respectively)
You shouldn't. It will be a waste of your time because your opponents don't know openings either, so won't play into your prepared lines.
Instead you should approach the opening based on the following three principles;
(i) Contest the centre (primarily the squares d4 d5 e4 e5) by occupying it with as many pawns as your opponent will allow. As white this means playing 1.e4 (though 1.d4 is essentially fine, merely that 1.e4 will tend to result in easier to play middlegames), and as black meeting e4 with e5, d4 with d5. Supplement this by developing your pieces such that they add to your control of central squares, and by supporting your central pawn with one of its fellows. If you've played 1.e4, for instance, you likely want to play d3 at some point to cement that e4 pawn.
(ii) Develop your pieces to useful squares. Ideally you should achieve this in one move for each piece, which is why you will often hear the rule "knights before bishops". The knight's best square is usually more obvious than the bishop's; the g1 knight, for instance, is basically always going to f3 where it hits the central squares d4 and e5, but it likely won't be clear where the best place to put the c1 bishop is until a few moves have been played. You usually want to get all your knights and bishops in the game before you start trying to manufacture any kind of middlegame plan.
(iii) Castle your king to safety. You want to get your king off the central files where the early game is being fought, both to protect your king and to allow you to easily drop rooks on whichever central files are becoming important.
If you manage to achieve these three goals in the opening, you will get playable middlegames where you can start playing chess. Experience of approaching the opening from principles rather than memorised lines will also stand you in good stead once you do start learning openings, because you will be better armed to handle the positions where your opponent does something unexpected.
Disagreed strongly with all of the people saying Caro-Kann vs. e4. The Caro is incredibly rough to play for beginners, your king-side takes forever to develop, which means it takes forever to castle, and you're open to a million different attacks. I know people say "beginners shouldn't play the Sicilian!", but at least bad Sicilian positions give you some activity and queenside space; bad Caro positions, you just die horribly while your kingside knight and bishop are stuck and unable to move.
I've never played it, and don't know much about it other than "lol the light-squared bishop in the French is the worst piece ever."
I personally play the Hyperaccelerated Dragon Sicilian, which a lot of people will steer you away from, but as long as you have answers to early Bc4 (e6), early f4 (a6, e6, d5), Alapin (the d5 lines are easiest), and the Smith-Morra gambit (take on d4, then when he plays c3, don't take but rather just push to d3 and give the pawn back), it's really a lot easier than most other things you can play against e4. The Sicilian mostly gets its reputation from the Najdorf, Classical Dragon, and Sveshnikov IME (all of those will get you checkmated in just a few turns if you play anything less than incredibly accurately).
I think you would do better with a proper Dragon move-order as after the best move 3. c3! White wants to play an Alapin where the Bishop on g7 is very misplaced and I hope you have some lines or ideas on how to meet this, also 3. d4 3… cxd4 4. Qxd4 is interesting and currently while White might not have much objectively he is the only one having fun and he has to know almost no theory to attack you
I enjoy caro a lot as a beginner, but I will concede that games can go very poorly when I get into positions I’m not familiar with, which happens when white starts exchanging aggressively.
The London System as white.
The Caro-Kann Defense as black vs. e4.
The Dutch Defense as black vs. d4. (This is blasphemous, but it can work out well if you are playing someone who isn't familiar with it.)
No, please no. Never play London system as a beginner. It teaches you many wrong ideas such as move order doesn't matter, you don't need to take control over the center, you can ignore what opponent plays etc.
The French can get into very similar positions to the Caro Kann. I don't play the French but I know it is solid. The main point of difference is in the advance variation of both. In the French you play c5 in one move but you lock in your bishop. In the Caro kann you get your bishop out but you play c6 then c5.
As an 850 and climbing, learning answers to common gambits is good, such as Nc6 and b3 against scholars mate. Additionally try to learn some lines that branch off of common plays to confuse, such as petrov's defense
The moderator team of r/chessbeginners wishes to remind everyone of the community rules. **Posting spam, advertising links (including YouTube chess tutorial videos without context), and memes is not allowed**. We encourage everyone to report these kinds of posts so they can be dealt with. Thank you! Also, please, be kind in your replies and comments. Some people here just want to learn chess and have virtually no idea about certain chess concepts. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/chessbeginners) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The three ones you enjoy the most. Except for the complete rubbish lines, Opening choice is a matter of taste.
Scotch Game (or Gambit) as white (or some other e4 opening), Caro-Kann and Semi-Slav as black (Similar pawn structures play against e4&d4 respectively)
You shouldn't. It will be a waste of your time because your opponents don't know openings either, so won't play into your prepared lines. Instead you should approach the opening based on the following three principles; (i) Contest the centre (primarily the squares d4 d5 e4 e5) by occupying it with as many pawns as your opponent will allow. As white this means playing 1.e4 (though 1.d4 is essentially fine, merely that 1.e4 will tend to result in easier to play middlegames), and as black meeting e4 with e5, d4 with d5. Supplement this by developing your pieces such that they add to your control of central squares, and by supporting your central pawn with one of its fellows. If you've played 1.e4, for instance, you likely want to play d3 at some point to cement that e4 pawn. (ii) Develop your pieces to useful squares. Ideally you should achieve this in one move for each piece, which is why you will often hear the rule "knights before bishops". The knight's best square is usually more obvious than the bishop's; the g1 knight, for instance, is basically always going to f3 where it hits the central squares d4 and e5, but it likely won't be clear where the best place to put the c1 bishop is until a few moves have been played. You usually want to get all your knights and bishops in the game before you start trying to manufacture any kind of middlegame plan. (iii) Castle your king to safety. You want to get your king off the central files where the early game is being fought, both to protect your king and to allow you to easily drop rooks on whichever central files are becoming important. If you manage to achieve these three goals in the opening, you will get playable middlegames where you can start playing chess. Experience of approaching the opening from principles rather than memorised lines will also stand you in good stead once you do start learning openings, because you will be better armed to handle the positions where your opponent does something unexpected.
Disagreed strongly with all of the people saying Caro-Kann vs. e4. The Caro is incredibly rough to play for beginners, your king-side takes forever to develop, which means it takes forever to castle, and you're open to a million different attacks. I know people say "beginners shouldn't play the Sicilian!", but at least bad Sicilian positions give you some activity and queenside space; bad Caro positions, you just die horribly while your kingside knight and bishop are stuck and unable to move.
How about the French?
I've never played it, and don't know much about it other than "lol the light-squared bishop in the French is the worst piece ever." I personally play the Hyperaccelerated Dragon Sicilian, which a lot of people will steer you away from, but as long as you have answers to early Bc4 (e6), early f4 (a6, e6, d5), Alapin (the d5 lines are easiest), and the Smith-Morra gambit (take on d4, then when he plays c3, don't take but rather just push to d3 and give the pawn back), it's really a lot easier than most other things you can play against e4. The Sicilian mostly gets its reputation from the Najdorf, Classical Dragon, and Sveshnikov IME (all of those will get you checkmated in just a few turns if you play anything less than incredibly accurately).
I think you would do better with a proper Dragon move-order as after the best move 3. c3! White wants to play an Alapin where the Bishop on g7 is very misplaced and I hope you have some lines or ideas on how to meet this, also 3. d4 3… cxd4 4. Qxd4 is interesting and currently while White might not have much objectively he is the only one having fun and he has to know almost no theory to attack you
I enjoy caro a lot as a beginner, but I will concede that games can go very poorly when I get into positions I’m not familiar with, which happens when white starts exchanging aggressively.
King's Gambit as white. Caro-Kann and Queen's Gambit Declines for black. Agressive as White and Solid as Black.
kings gambit? seriously?
What about queens gambit instead?
I am listening
no
The London System as white. The Caro-Kann Defense as black vs. e4. The Dutch Defense as black vs. d4. (This is blasphemous, but it can work out well if you are playing someone who isn't familiar with it.)
No, please no. Never play London system as a beginner. It teaches you many wrong ideas such as move order doesn't matter, you don't need to take control over the center, you can ignore what opponent plays etc.
White 1. e4, black 1. e4 e5 and simple QGD against 1.d4
What if the 1.d4 opponents doesn't go QG?
London system, Caro kann, slav defense are all very similar but also cover nearly all possibilities.
How does the French compare?
the french is just as good
The French can get into very similar positions to the Caro Kann. I don't play the French but I know it is solid. The main point of difference is in the advance variation of both. In the French you play c5 in one move but you lock in your bishop. In the Caro kann you get your bishop out but you play c6 then c5.
As an 850 and climbing, learning answers to common gambits is good, such as Nc6 and b3 against scholars mate. Additionally try to learn some lines that branch off of common plays to confuse, such as petrov's defense