A repertoire is the set of openings you play on purpose. Players who try to know everything know nothing well. Players who pick a small set and learn it deeply start every game with a plan. This guide shows how to build one that fits your level.
What a repertoire contains
- One setup with White, such as a system you can play against anything.
- One defence to 1.e4 when you play Black.
- One defence to 1.d4 when you play Black.
That is three openings. At 800 to 1200 you need the first eight to ten moves of each. At 1200 to 1600 aim for twelve to fifteen moves, with the plans behind them.
Learn the ideas, not only the moves
Memorised moves work until your opponent leaves the book, which at club level happens early. After that, you need to know why the moves were played: which squares the pieces want, which pawn breaks matter, where the king goes. For each line, ask three questions: where do my pieces belong, what is my plan, what does my opponent want?
Choose openings that fit how you play
- If you like open, tactical positions, look at gambits and open games such as the Italian Game.
- If you like quiet, solid positions, systems such as the London System keep the same setup against many replies.
- If you like counter-attack, sharp defences such as the Sicilian give Black winning chances.
Do not choose by what a famous player plays. Choose what you enjoy, because you will play it hundreds of times.
Use spaced repetition so lines stay learned
The usual reason repertoires fail is that people learn a line once and forget it by next month. Spaced repetition fixes this: lines you know well come back rarely, and lines you forget come back soon. Five minutes a day on due lines keeps a whole repertoire alive. chessGM’s opening trainer works this way, and it plays the line against you so you must find your own moves.
Add a new opening only when your review list is empty
A common mistake is adding a new course every week. A better rule: add a new line only when your due list is empty. This keeps your repertoire growing at the speed you can remember.
Use a database to see what strong players do
After you have learnt a line, check it against an opening explorer. It shows the moves that were actually played in strong games from that position, and which ones scored well. You will see where your opponents deviate, and prepare for it.
What to do when the book ends
Sooner or later your opponent plays a move you do not know. Do not panic and do not try to remember. Go back to the three questions: where do my pieces belong, what is my plan, what does my opponent want? Play the plan, not the move you cannot recall.
Common mistakes
- Learning ten openings. Learn one deeply.
- Memorising lines without understanding the plan.
- Copying a repertoire that does not suit your style.
- Never reviewing the lines you learnt.
A four-week start
- Week 1: choose one setup with White and learn the first eight moves with the ideas.
- Week 2: choose a defence to 1.e4 and learn it to the same depth.
- Week 3: choose a defence to 1.d4.
- Week 4: only review. Play games, then check which lines came up and fix gaps.
Feature descriptions checked against the app by the chessGM team. The training plans are general guidance, not personal coaching, and have not been reviewed by a titled coach.