Opening repertoire
An opening repertoire is the personal menu of opening lines a player has decided to rely on, so that with either color they know where they are heading and have answers ready for the opponent's most likely choices.
Also called: repertoire
Think of a repertoire as a map rather than a list. Each branch should end in a position whose plans you understand, so that when the opponent leaves the moves you know, you still recognize the kind of game you are playing.
Building one usually starts from the moves you will meet most. As Black that means an answer to each of the common first moves, and as White it means choosing your first move and then deciding how to meet the main replies. Rare sidelines can wait; a simple, sound answer to them is enough until they start appearing in your games.
Coherence helps more than variety. Openings that lead to similar pawn structures let what you learn in one carry over to another, which saves study time. For example, a player who likes a kingside fianchetto can use it in several openings with either color.
Keep the repertoire alive. After every game, find the move where you left your preparation and note what you should have played. Patch the holes that actually show up in your games before adding anything new.
Two mistakes are common. One is copying a strong player's lines without understanding them, which leaves you lost at the first surprise. The other is switching openings after each bad result. A system needs many games before it can be judged fairly, and many losses have little to do with the opening.
Also worth reading is Catalan setup. The Catalan setup is a White formation with pawns on d4 and c4 and a fianchettoed bishop on g2, putting long-term pressure on Black's center and the queenside along the long diagonal.
It sits close to Italian setup. The Italian setup is a White formation after e4 and Nf3 with the bishop on c4 aimed at f7, usually supported by c3 and d3, used for a patient fight in the center and on the kingside.
It sits close to London system setup. The London system setup is a White plan that brings the dark-squared bishop to f4 before e3 can shut it in, then builds a sturdy triangle of pawns on c3, d4 and e3 that suits nearly any Black reply.
Opening ideas such as "Opening repertoire" are easier to keep when they are tested on your own games, which is what a first lesson with George Li begins with.
Related terms
Opening preparation is the work done before a game to know your chosen lines well, including studying your own repertoire and checking the likely choices of a specific opponent.
Repertoire building is the process of choosing a small set of openings that suit your style and then learning their ideas, typical plans and key lines well enough to play them confidently.
Opening theory is the body of knowledge about the opening, made up of the known moves, plans and evaluations of the main lines that players have tested over many games.
The opening is the first stage of a chess game, running from the starting position until most pieces have left their home squares and the kings are safe, and it shapes what kind of middlegame both players will face.
A tabiya is a standard, well known position that arises in a particular opening after a sequence of typical moves, and from which the main plans and ideas of both sides are understood.
A sideline is a less common or less critical branch of an opening that is considered playable but is not the move most often chosen at the highest level of theory.
Guides that go further
Most popular chess openings and win rates
The most played openings, how often White wins, and how the numbers change with rating, computed from public games.
What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li.
Want to spot this in your own games?
A first lesson starts with your games: George reviews them and builds a study plan around what he finds.