value of opening repetoire and how to build effective repertoire

[Uri Blass]

I wonder what is the elo value that humans can earn in chess only by memorizing opening repetoire for white and black.

Of course it may be dependent on the size of the repetoire and the way you build it.

unfortunately I do not know about good software to learn opening repertoire.

I use the site chessbook.com but it does not give me all of what I want.

1)I want the software to ask me not only about the moves of me but also about the moves of the opponent that I have a reply to it in my repertoire but the software ask me only about my moves.
It is important because practically in a game I would like to be sure if I am in the repertoire or maybe my opponent played a move that is not in the repertoire so I can be sure when to start to think.

2)I want an option to give null moves for the opponent in the repertoire(the point is that when the plan against many moves of black is the same plan I do not want to enter many possible moves of the opponent but simply know that my next moves are a4 a5 a6 for example unless the opponent prevent it by some way).

I am not sure about the correct way to build effective repertoire and I mean mainly what moves to choose for myself(my choice for the opponent is also not perfect but in this case the software in chessbook.com do some work by allowing me to choose the biggest gap that is the line that I can get with the biggest probability that is not in the repertoire inspite of believing that it is not the best to learn this line and basically if there are 2 lines with the same probablity it is better to learn longer lines because the short lines are usually bad and I probably can get good results against them with no learning).

I thought about 2 ways to choose moves for myself:
1)Use the engine to suggest a move
The problem is that the engine may suggest a line that I do not feel comfortable with it and maybe it is better to choose a line that has valuation of only +0.1 but I understand and not a line with evaluation of +0.7 by stockfish that I do not understand.
2)Use myself to choose the moves for myself after thinking of some minutes and use the engine only to see that there is not something clearly better than I understand why it is clearly better.

I would like to have a research how much rating points humans can earn by memorizing 500 positions with white and 500 positions with black and what is the most effective way to choose the positions(I think that it is bigger repertoire than most of the players below 2200 lichess blitz rating have).

[jefk]

500 positions imo isn't much, i would suggest 500 opening lines (at the end of the tree)
and this imo may gain 100 elo points, 150 points in slow play also depending on the sort
of player, meanwhile, general chess knowledge, especially tactics (up till NM level)
remains the most important. It may vary for different people/playing styles/
chess strength, of course. We know that eg. Kasparov was depending to a high
extent on opening preparation, but then he also was above NM level wasnt he

Depending on your memory you might choose to develop a special -sharp- blitz
repertoire, eg with gambits; my memory isn't good enough to have a wide gambit
repertoire, but with some gambits as eg. Scotch gambits i used to have relatively
good results (chances of the opponent making a mistake is much bigger in such
sharper openings). Some solid gambits also work in rapid (but after a
while i switched back from 1.e4 to d4 repertoire style).

NB although you probably know this, once you selected your variations in detail
'understanding' of these variations becomes more important than memory itself,
looking at master level games with these lines may help, but better is to
read some good chess books about the openings you selected to play;
or simply my own awesome book (as mentioned on my blog)

Disclaimer, i'm not a chess trainer but more a correspondence player and
opinions and advice about openings vary a lot amongst various chess trainers,
they could advice you variations depending on your playing style but imo you
can better choose yourself (and keep some variation). There's an enormous
overload of info both in chess books and youtube vids, and it's indeed an effective
thing imo to make a selection, and not swallow all this (usually useless) info.

Years ago i worked (with programming help) -for several years- on the program Bookbuilder for
purposes you mentioned, but stopped with it, and made it open source; it was a bit of a mess the
source codes, but someone last year found out how to recompile the stuff (Borland C++ builder)
and started working on it (but not being a real programmer, development isnt fast).
The program had a opening book trainer which was a bit buggy but this now seem to have
been resolved; the online engine analysis still is Crafty, but for humans this is strong
enough (ideally the program should have a Uci interface ofcourse.

The program gives suggestions for opening names, and contains much more accurate
opening variation and subvariation names than the Chessbase programs.
Personally i think that knowing names for the (sub)variations you play is enhancing
human memory for your openings, after all we are not comps. Soon going to upload
the (tested/working) new version, announcing it here, but meanwhile you
can have a look (if you didn't know it already) at

https://sourceforge.net/projects/bookbuilder/

NB in this program the 'best' opening moves in the book -which you can
adapt with the crafty analysis- are indicated , as result of engine
analysis (which i did offline with Obsidian; but in reality there ofcourse
are usually many choices as eg. the 'Perfect book' variations indicate.

NB in my situation i simply wrote down (or try to memorize the variations i
wanted to play, simply by playing a lot of games, blitz or rapid, eg on lichess .
Sometimes i selected these book moves with the Bbuilder program but not
always the 'best' moves and then tested that with the Bbuilder program.

good luck with your repertoire building
(although not as important as tactics, i used to enjoy this because
it gave me more insight in chess history, players, games etc)

jef

PS there also exists Chess Position trainer, which more advanced (and working)
opening position trainer, but personally i find it a bit complicated in use
(and not sure if it gives sufficient opening names)

PS2 i'll see if i can upload the preliminary new release of BBuilder
end of this week or so (i also need to update some documentation
then like in the readme.txt so i'm not in a hurry)

[Uri Blass]

500 positions imo isn't much, i would suggest 500 opening lines (at the end of the tree)
and this imo may gain 100 elo points, 150 points in slow play also depending on the sort
of player, meanwhile, general chess knowledge, especially tactics (up till NM level)
remains the most important. It may vary for different people/playing styles/
chess strength, of course. We know that eg. Kasparov was depending to a high
extent on opening preparation, but then he also was above NM level wasnt he

Depending on your memory you might choose to develop a special -sharp- blitz
repertoire, eg with gambits; my memory isn't good enough to have a wide gambit
repertoire, but with some gambits as eg. Scotch gambits i used to have relatively
good results (chances of the opponent making a mistake is much bigger in such
sharper openings). Some solid gambits also work in rapid (but after a
while i switched back from 1.e4 to d4 repertoire style).

NB although you probably know this, once you selected your variations in detail
'understanding' of these variations becomes more important than memory itself,
looking at master level games with these lines may help, but better is to
read some good chess books about the openings you selected to play;
or simply my own awesome book (as mentioned on my blog)

Disclaimer, i'm not a chess trainer but more a correspondence player and
opinions and advice about openings vary a lot amongst various chess trainers,
they could advice you variations depending on your playing style but imo you
can better choose yourself (and keep some variation). There's an enormous
overload of info both in chess books and youtube vids, and it's indeed an effective
thing imo to make a selection, and not swallow all this (usually useless) info.

Years ago i worked (with programming help) -for several years- on the program Bookbuilder for
purposes you mentioned, but stopped with it, and made it open source; it was a bit of a mess the
source codes, but someone last year found out how to recompile the stuff (Borland C++ builder)
and started working on it (but not being a real programmer, development isnt fast).
The program had a opening book trainer which was a bit buggy but this now seem to have
been resolved; the online engine analysis still is Crafty, but for humans this is strong
enough (ideally the program should have a Uci interface ofcourse.

The program gives suggestions for opening names, and contains much more accurate
opening variation and subvariation names than the Chessbase programs.
Personally i think that knowing names for the (sub)variations you play is enhancing
human memory for your openings, after all we are not comps. Soon going to upload
the (tested/working) new version, announcing it here, but meanwhile you
can have a look (if you didn't know it already) at

https://sourceforge.net/projects/bookbuilder/

NB in this program the 'best' opening moves in the book -which you can
adapt with the crafty analysis- are indicated , as result of engine
analysis (which i did offline with Obsidian; but in reality there ofcourse
are usually many choices as eg. the 'Perfect book' variations indicate.

NB in my situation i simply wrote down (or try to memorize the variations i
wanted to play, simply by playing a lot of games, blitz or rapid, eg on lichess .
Sometimes i selected these book moves with the Bbuilder program but not
always the 'best' moves and then tested that with the Bbuilder program.

good luck with your repertoire building
(although not as important as tactics, i used to enjoy this because
it gave me more insight in chess history, players, games etc)

jef

PS there also exists Chess Position trainer, which more advanced (and working)
opening position trainer, but personally i find it a bit complicated in use
(and not sure if it gives sufficient opening names)

PS2 i'll see if i can upload the preliminary new release of BBuilder
end of this week or so (i also need to update some documentation
then like in the readme.txt so i'm not in a hurry)

I can certainly add more lines to my memory but not sure about the metrics of opening lines (at the end of the tree) because it is dependent on the length of the lines and it is not clear how you treat tranpositions) and it more interesting to me the number of positions in the repertoire(positions when I have a move to play in my memory of course inside the lines)

I could add 570 positions to a new repetoire for white that I started to build only this year in 19.2.2025 and I tested myself on them and got 570 out of 570 correctly but the test was only about my own moves and the software did not test me to see if I remember the opponent moves that are in the repertoire.

my visual memory is not very good so I use tricks to memorize words that are related to the lines.
For example I remember in some line that I play Qe2 if the opponet advanced 4 different pawns one square forward and play Rg1 if the opponent advanced 3 different pawns one square forward.

The problem with it is that when I add new moves the rules may stop to be correct and this is the reason that I prefer to have a software to test me also about the opponent moves(I believe that I can memorize also the opponent moves with training but when I only watch the opponent moves and I am not tested on them the result is that practically I do no remember the opponent moves in part of the cases and I may not be sure if I am out of my repertoire or not at some point).

[jefk]

well then flashcards software (if you not already have it) may be a solution
for you (instead of chess position trainer). There are a few programs for
that, i once had it on my todo list but never made progress
googling flashcards chess
https://www.chessflashcards.com/
seems to be something new
and some discussion


Some online tactical (blitz) players (or someone like Carlsen maybe) may
think you don't need a repertoire but real otb chess players still play games with
eg 60/30. Now if you're in such a tournament, or 'only' one evening, you don't
want to be fooled by some tricky lines in the beginning, possibly leading to
a loss. And there are some sharp lines such as , Sicilian, Gruenfeld, etc.
Nobody can play a Najdorf correctly with Black if you don't know the moves
too a certain depth; at a certain depth the opponent will deviate, no problem
then real (chess)life begins

[supernova]

I think Jeff's advice is more than clear. I'll try to summarize the key points from the previous messages.

Building a Winning Opening Repertoire: A Step-by-Step Guide
As a chess player, having a solid opening repertoire is crucial to improving your game. But what makes a good repertoire, and how can you create one that suits your playing style? In this guide, we'll explore the key elements of building an effective opening repertoire, with insights from chess experts and a recommended resource: "Better Chess Openings" by Jef Kaan (jefk).

Why an Opening Repertoire Matters
A well-structured opening repertoire can give you a significant boost in Elo points - around 100-150 points, depending on your playing style and overall chess strength. It's not just about memorizing moves, though; it's about understanding the strategic and tactical ideas behind your chosen lines.

Choosing the Right Tools
To build and train your repertoire, you'll need the right software. Consider:

• Bookbuilder: A powerful tool that offers a transpositional database, opening names, and line minimax. You can find it on SourceForge.

• Chess Flashcards: A user-friendly platform that allows you to create, manage, and practice your opening lines using flashcards.
  Selecting Moves for Your Repertoire

When choosing moves for your repertoire, keep the following in mind:
Combine engine suggestions with personal preference: Engines can provide optimal moves, but it's essential to select lines that you're comfortable with and understand.

Focus on understanding, not just memorization: While memorization is necessary, understanding the ideas behind your chosen lines is vital.
Consider your playing style: Choose openings that suit your style, whether it's sharp and aggressive or solid and positional.

Structuring Your Repertoire

Aim for a balanced repertoire that covers various responses to common moves. Consider:

• 500-1000 positions: A good starting point, according to jefk, is 500 opening lines (at the end of the tree). Uri Blass mentions 570 positions in his new repertoire.

• Include opponent moves: Make sure to include common opponent moves and responses in your repertoire, so you're prepared to react accordingly.

The Book: "Better Chess Openings" by Jef Kaan (jefk)

This comprehensive book provides:

• A unique and timeless repertoire: For home players (1.e4) and club players (1.e4 and 1.d4)

• Optional repertoires: With gambits and general opening systems

• Thorough analysis: To build a rock-solid Black and White repertoire

• Many diagrams: To enhance memorization and understanding

Training and Practice

To effectively train your repertoire:

• Use flashcards or a similar tool: Flashcards can help you memorize and recall moves quickly. You can create digital flashcards using apps like Anki.

• Practice regularly: Regular practice helps solidify your knowledge and builds confidence.

• Analyze master games: Study master games that feature your chosen openings to deepen your understanding.

Additional Tips

• Keep your repertoire flexible: Be prepared to adapt and adjust your repertoire as you encounter new lines or situations.

• Use opening names and sub-variations: Knowing the names of openings and sub-variations can aid memorization and help you navigate complex positions.

[Uri Blass]

Thanks.

I am not sure how to use flash cards.

They suggest memorize my favourite game but I would like simply to add positions manually to my repertoire when I do not start with pgn file of a single game and I do not see instructions how to do it.

For example how do I add position after 1.e4 e5 to my flashcard when I need to choose 2.Nf3
Later of course I am going to expand it.

[Uri Blass]

I also downloaded bookbuilder but not sure exactly how to use it(note that I do not need something to find me the moves in the book and I only want something to ask me about moves that I add by myself to the book and I think flashcards is all I need when flash cards can be used not only for opening but also for positions I want to be sure that I know to play the right move not in the opening.

[Uri Blass]

I also downloaded anki but am not sure exacylu how to use it to learn even not for chess.

For example if I want to use it to learn translation from hebrew to english(this is not my target but I simply want to see it work when I can add manually chess positions and even if I try to add manually words it does not ask me to type the word that I want as a reply).

I downloaded anki from the following site:
https://apps.ankiweb.net/

[Uri Blass]

I see that I can choose between some options to tell me when to repeat but basically I do not need to give the translation but only to choose between options when to get the question again.

I may learn chess positions when I do not need to give the move but only tell the computer when to give me the move again but I prefer simply to give the move like I do in chess games.

I am not against options to tell if it was easy to me to memorize or I needed to think but not instead of giving the move.

[jefk]

there are some youtube vids with topic chess and anki flashcards
(sometimes used for tactics puzzles)

similar should be possible for openings (was on my todo list eg. for deeper positions
in Gruenfeld and Sicilian or some gambits eg KGA; but it stayed there (until?)

Note that flashcards are a proven system to transfer info from your short term memory
to your long term memory, for tactics a similar system is extensively described in
the book the Woodpecker method (Tikkanen), i'm not disciplined enough to do
such exercises in the exact structured ways as described, but am thinking of setting
up a similar system for difficult tactics/combinations, with flashcards (and then
two time repetition, eg first time 5 min thinking, second time 2 min, and then 30 s).
For opening positions you of course are not going to think (trying to find from memory
5 mins) unless you're like a GM as Bronstein who once thought for 30 min about the
first move But you may get the idea

As the good posting by supernova here suggested, Bookbuilder in general may help with
opening study although probably not in the very specific way you like to memorize
positions; and it may need an additional * quick start* user manual; i'll see if i can
do that for the newer version.

Bbuilder 4.4 ; coming soon !