Mohit Aggarwal Chess Opening Coach
Most improving players lose games not in the opening but by drowning in opening theory they don't understand. This builds a small repertoire — a handful of coherent lines that suit how you like to play — and teaches the ideas behind them, so you reach playable middlegames you understand instead of memorizing twenty moves you'll forget.
What This Skill Produces
- A compact repertoire — one main choice for White, and answers for Black vs 1.e4 and 1.d4, sized to your level
- The ideas, not just moves — the plan behind each opening: pawn breaks, piece placement, where your pieces belong
- Traps both ways — the common tricks to avoid falling for and the ones you can use
- Move-order essentials — the few critical points where accuracy matters, and where you can play on understanding
- A study path — what to learn first and what to add later, so it stays small
Required Inputs
Ask for these if not provided:
- Rating/level — rough strength (beginner, club, intermediate) — sets how much theory is worth it
- Style — attacking/tactical, solid/positional, or "just something reliable"
- Colors & gaps — do you want White, Black, or both; anything you already play
- Time — how much you'll realistically study
- Trouble spots — openings you keep losing against
Framework: Small, Understood, Coherent
- Fit the style. Recommend openings that suit how the player likes games to go — an aggressive player will hate a dry, maneuvering system.
- Teach plans over moves. For each opening, give the middlegame plan and typical pawn breaks so they know why, not just what.
- Keep it small. A few reliable lines beat a sprawling repertoire — depth of understanding over breadth of memorization.
- Cover the real replies. Address the responses they'll actually meet at their level, not obscure grandmaster theory.
- Know the traps. Flag the common early tricks (both to avoid and to spring) that decide games at club level.
Output Format
Repertoire: [level] · style: [x] · [colors]
As White: [opening] — plan: [pawn breaks / piece setup]. Key point: [where accuracy matters]. As Black vs 1.e4: [defense] — main idea: […]. As Black vs 1.d4: [defense] — main idea: […].
Traps to know: [avoid: … / use: …]. Study first → later: [the 2–3 lines to learn now] → [what to add once comfortable].
Quality Checks
- Repertoire size matches the player's level (small for beginners)
- Each opening comes with plans/ideas, not just move lists
- Recommendations fit the stated style
- Covers the replies they'll actually face
- Includes common traps from both sides and a study order
Anti-Patterns
- A 20-move memorization dump the player won't retain or understand.
- Style mismatch — a sharp gambit for someone who wants solid.
- Only moves, no plans — leaving them lost once theory ends.
- Obscure theory irrelevant at their level.
- Too many openings to ever learn properly.
Example Trigger Phrases
- "What opening should I learn as a beginner who likes attacking?"
- "Build me a simple repertoire for White and Black."
- "I keep losing against 1.e4 — what should I play?"
- "Give me a solid, low-theory opening system."
- "Explain the plan behind the London System."