The Elephante’ Opening - Opening Theory - For Beginners
Ladies & Gentleman,
I am a New Player + Beginner!
As a Beginner, Reddit Players have been very helpful with opening ideas.
They gave me suggestions to watch YouTube Videos.
I am happy to report I have followed the advice and I think I have found a set up I like.
(Photo #1) -> Might have Spoiled it, but yeah I want to play Elephant Opening.
I think the Elephant Opening can match my play style.
The problem is the Elephant Opening I Play doesn’t seem very popular.
I have decided to make this Thread today to get some guidance.
I want to share with you the moves I play to see what you think.
I have decided to keep my Opening Theory Knowledge to 3 moves because I’m New!
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(Photo #2) -> Before I start, I want to share with you concept.
The Concept I want to share with you comes from Regular Chess.
I’m new to Chinese Chess, but not Regular Chess so I’m trying to apply similar principles.
To Win in Regular Chess, The Goal is to Attack your Opponent’s weakness.
To Not Lose in Regular Chess, The Goal is to Defend your Own weakness.
The person who can Attack the Enemy Weakness while Defending their Own often wins!
They win or draw a lot more vs. lose!
My Play Style is very Positional, Defensive, & Slow Attack Building.
In Regular Chess, People would label me as “Python”.
A Python is a snake that slowly squeezes the life out of its victims.
My Play Style is similar because I make it hard for my opponents to attack me.
Then I build up an attack which causes my Opponent to feel as if they are being suffocated.
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When I look at (Photo #2), The Starting Position of Xiangqi.
I look at the Weak Points in my Position + my opponent Position.
- The Pawns on File 3, 5, & 7 are Undefended (Weak)
- The Cannons on File 2 & 8 are Undefended (Weak)
- The Elephants on File 3 & 7 are Undefended (Weak)
7 Pieces are Undefended in the Starting Position of the Game.
Most players recommend playing a Central Cannon Opening (Even Pikafish with Green Arrow).
It makes sense to me why an Attacking Player would do Central Cannon Move.
The Pawn on File 5 is Weak + King is on same File -> So Attack It!
BUT I am Defensive Player -> So I’m thinking of Defending my Weak Points!
Then I go for the Attack after my Defenses are in place!
This is why I like the Elephant move.
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When you look at (Photo #3), You can see the Impact of the Elephant!
- Elephant are no longer Undefended
- Cannon are no longer Undefended
The Pawn on File 3 & 7 can move up later and Elephant will Defend them too!
Potentially, 6 out of 7 Starting Pieces can be Protected by this 1 Move.
This is why I feel like this is the Best move for me!
Lets say my opponent responds with Central Cannon!
HERE IS 1ST THEORY QUESTION:
Pikafish recommends playing my Knight to File 3, but I don’t think like it.
Pikafish thinks it’s an excellent move, but I don’t understand why.
I feel like when players Attack other players.
They like to Invade with Cannons or Rooks.
Most times they Attack the Pawn Row, Cannon Row, or Back Line.
They want Targets to Attack and I feel like putting my Knight on File 3 is just asking for my Knight to be put in harms way.
I feel like my Knight is Safer for the Defensive on File 4 -> Green Circle.
No one really Attacks the Bishop Row -> No one wants to win Bishop.
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When you look at (Photo #4), Pikafish thinks I’m lost.
The Evaluation goes from 0.6 to -0.7.
How accurate is this Evaluation because I’m very Skeptical?
In Regular Chess, We have Engines! One is called Stockfish.
It does well most times, but most people don’t trust it in the Opening Phase of a Game.
We have Chess Theory designed by Human over Centuries of Games!
The Human Evaluation of the Opening has been better over all.
I am wondering if Pikafish is in a similar situation.
Is my move really that Bad?
HERE IS 2ND THEORY QUESTION:
I am losing and Blacks Crushing move is Knight Move to the Edge of the Board?
Who is playing this move?
What on earth is it doing their?
I have gone from Rating 300 to 500.
Not a single player has ever responded with Pikafish move.
- Most played move I see is Knight move on other side -> Green Circle
- Second Most played move is Knight to center, not edge -> Yellow Circle
- Third Most played move is Cannon up -> Blue Circle
If my opponent finds Pikafish move, Is it Game Over for me?
This is why I made this thread because this is Wild.
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Lets pretend my opponent plays the Opposite Knight Move (Photo #5)
I feel like when people think about playing Central Cannon Opening.
They move the Cannon + Typically follow up with Same Side Knight.
Is Black making Errors? I don’t know!
Pikafish says Black is making Errors! -> The Evalution goes from -0.7 to -0.5
It seems Normal to me, guys! -> Please Tell me if I’m missing something here?
The Position you see is the one I am getting the most!
Move 3 -> I am in conflict with Pikafish again.
Pikafish wants to move the Knight, but it seems so bad to do!
If I move the Knight, My opponent will respond by moving their Pawn on File 3 up 1.
I think the Best move is to move my Pawn on File 3 up 1 as a Preventative Measure!
What do you think?
PRETEND I MOVE PAWN UP 1 -> Look at my position -> Everything Defended!
In Regular Chess, Strong Players use to ask Weaker Players to consider Candidate Moves.
What are my Candidate Moves?
- I am thinking File 3 Pawn up 1 -> Green Circle
- I am thinking Cannon Over -> Yellow Circle
- I am thinking Rook Over to make Battery -> Blue Circle
I feel like all my moves seem better vs. Knight move, but I am wondering if that’s true.
The Pawn move defends my last pieces + is clearance move for my Knight.
If I develop Knight first, I think Black will push their pawn to hinder me.
In some ways, The pawn move is like a preventative move.
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Alternatively, I thought about the Cannon move.
It’s a move reminding Black that he hasn’t been focusing on his Defense.
He has Undefended Stuff in his Area as well.
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The Last move I thought about is Rook move.
It develops the Last piece on my Right Side.
It creates a Battery for Invading.
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This Set up feels like my Style of Play!
It Safe Guards my Base -> Then it gives me time to slowly start thinking of Attacking stuff in my opponents Unguarded Base.
Anyway, I have Talked long enough.
If you read this Far, Thanks for coming by.
I wish I could show you more, but I’m a Beginner! LOL
I am not at that level of memorizing/knowledge dozens of moves, BUT everyone as to start some where. I think getting my first 3 moves right is good starting step.