Openings people love or hate

[Kevin Pacey]

Chess openings can provoke emotional reactions, for or against. Posters here might wish to share some of their favourite openings (or first moves as White) and/or note some openings (or first moves) they love to hate. Meanwhile, here's a sample I gathered, mostly from Chess.com anonymous posts (in the case of favourites especially, a large database can also give a clue, except maybe for a smaller size sample such as on this CFC Forum):

Favourites of some:

As White, 1.e4 was a big favourite - then some noted they like c3- or Closed- Sicilians, Exchange Lopez', 4.g3-4 Kts and King's Gambits (probably indicative of class player respondents);

Also as White, some liked 1.d4 most, preferring QG or Queen's Indian (via 3.Nf3) if allowed, while some liked Colle; finally, one guy mentioned he uses 1.c4 occasionally and one guy liked 1.Nc3;

As Black vs. 1.e4, Sicilian (Dragon and Lowenthal mentioned), 1...e5 and one person liked Caro-Kann (on Reddit one liked French, one liked the fishy 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qe5+ Scandinavian);

Also as Black, vs. 1.d4 favourites mentioned were Semi-Slav, KID and QGD [Tarrasch if in aggressive mood] - Slav, Benko and Dutch were also mentioned;

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/che...orite-openings

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comme...ening_and_why/


Hated openings, by some:

As White, 1.e4 players detested Petroff and French more than once (one suggested the Exchange Variation as retaliation against the latter [another liked that policy vs. Slav]), and Scandinavian was also mentioned;

Also as White, one 1.d4 player noted he disliked non-Indian defences being played by Black;

As Black vs. 1.e4, Anti-Sicilians were hated (Moscow [3.Bb5+] and Smith-Morra noted explicitly), 1...e5 players disliked Exchange Lopez (4 Kts Opening and Danish Gambit also noted);

Also as Black, vs. 1.d4, the Exchange Slav was noted, as were players who avoided 2.c4 (Colle, London etc.); finally bad/disrepectful 1st moves were detested, Exchange Variations in general were noted by one person (as was the King's Indian Attack).

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/che...chess-openings

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/che...penings?page=2


P.S.: I'd note that in the past I've seen the Caro-Kann (thus Slav too!?), Berlin Lopez and QGD disliked on message boards - it seems solid Black defences are often detested. Also, I'd imagine unpopular openings that may require a lot of learning to play well against could be loathed - in such cases a fairly effective sideline that cuts down on memory work can be welcome (especially at lower levels). For example, vs. the Alekhine's I sometimes use 2.e5 Nd5 3.Nc3, when Nxc3 4.bxc3 faintly resembles a French Winawer - objectively not quite best, but often gives the type of structure I personally can enjoy, since I play either side of that opening. Similarly, Sveshnikov used 2.c4 Nb6 3.c5, as it often transposes to positions arising in the 2.c3-Sicilian, which he championed as White.