The Importance of Openings

So, this blog is titled "The Importance of Openings" though perhaps it should be titled "The (Non) Importance of Openings."  One of my students, who will remain unnamed until their results are on par with my expectations, has the aspirations to make FM strength or hopefully stronger by the end of 2020.  This player is already quite strong, a National Master, so my expectations are quite higher than his.
First, some of you may be wondering why a National Master would want to take lessons from another National Master?  The answer is quite simple, I have no idea.  OK all joking aside, I was always a stronger teacher then player.  My chess knowledge is quite vast and my ability to explain complex and intricate ideas so they can be easily digested by stronger players (as well as weaker players) has always been a strength of mine.  Obviously this player would be fully justified in taking lessons from a stronger player, and has, but he has returned (yes I was his first chess coach over a decade ago) in order to break through to the next level.
Now, to my theory on openings and their relevance.  As you get stronger, you're opening repertoire is going to be very important.  Not only do you need to play reliable lines that suit your style, you also need to have theory memorized as well as knowing important strategic ideas in each position.  The stronger you get and intend on getting, the more you need to have in you're arsenal.  Also, once you make it to expert, I believe that you need more than one opening to choose from.  Very few of the elite have just one defense vs 1. e4 or 1. d4 and while they may always start with the same first move against these systems, they have a wealth of choices on each move.  Perhaps Lagrave is the exception to this policy as he plays Grunfeld and Najdorf nearly exclusively which has proven to do quite well for him.  If you are below 24-2500, I believe you can play some systems that are slightly more "gambly" as the opponents you face will be far less likely to fully punish you.  This will allow you to play systems that you will most likely know significantly better than your opponents. 
This is just one man's opinion though for mid level players.  I do not suggest this for players below 1800, as there are far more important areas that you need to improve on, such as tactics and endgames.  The sad part is, whether you are 1200 or 2500, tactics, endgames, positional motifs, and everything in between will be more important than all the theory you learn.  The good news is that learning all of this will help you in the opening!  It will help you choose systems that suit your style and will allow you to pounce on the inaccuracies of you're opponents.
Best of luck on your endeavors and as always I am available for lessons or questions.  You can reach me here, on twitter @bgoldchess, or on my facebook.

Sincerely,
Brian Goldstein

The basic information

My name is Brian Goldstein and I am a National Chess Master.  While this may sound grand, I assure you that my teaching ability far outweighs my accomplishments as a player.  This blog will be dedicated to my chess students mainly, but it is welcome to be read by chess fans of all strengths. 

I am in search of a few talented players who want to take their game to the next level.  This will be a no nonsense chess course.  I will give you all of the tools to improve and reach a potential you probably did not dream of, as long as you are willing to put in the work as well. 

I have expectations from my students, just as you should have expectations from me.  I am in search of a very select few who are passionate about chess and are willing to put in the work necessary to reach their maximum potential.  I am not offering "one hour a week" lessons, so students who are looking for that need not apply.  Yes, apply...as I am selective in my students as while I will be charging for lessons, I do not want to waste time with people who are not willing to put in the effort that will be needed to get you to where I want you to be.  No matter how hard I push you and how many hours we put in studying together, I assure you that behind the scenes I am putting in three times as much work as we will be doing together.  This will make our lessons streamlined, purposeful and will help avoid downtime. 

If you are interested, feel free to contact me via:
email: bgoldchess@gmail.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.goldstein.7
twitter: @bgoldchess

I really hope that I am able to find a few candidates who are as passionate not only about chess, but improvement, as I am about helping you reach your dreams.  Hope to hear from you soon, as I expect that these spots will fill up quickly!

Sincerely,
Brian Goldstein