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Chess Cheat Sheets

Chess Openings Tuesday - 1st September 2026

Published about 2 months ago • 2 min read

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Hey Reader,

Welcome back to this week's Chess Openings Tueday.

A quick question for you...

A well-established chess coach just advised me that building a chess business is really hard, and that matches my experience. But I'm not sure why, and I'd love your input.

So, please take a second to reply to this question:

If you've never bought a product with us, which of these is closest to the reason?

A) I can find most of what I need for free elsewhere

B) The products look useful, but they're not something I feel I really need

C) I'm interested, but I don't want to spend money on chess resources

D) I haven't seen a product that solves a specific problem I have

E) I've considered buying, but the price hasn't felt worth it to me

Just reply with the letter. Any input at all is seriously appreciated.

Alright, thanks. Now onto this week's openings.

Döry Defense

Chess Notation:

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 Ne4

Win Rate:

  • Black: 42%
  • White: 55%
  • Draw: 3%

Themes:

Defensive, Solid, Tricky/Unorthodox

Pros

  1. Surprise value against unprepared opponents
  2. Challenges White’s central control immediately
  3. Avoids most standard opening theory
  4. Creates unusual positions from the beginning

Cons

  1. Violates opening principles by moving the same piece twice
  2. Statistically performs very poorly for Black
  3. Knight on e4 may become a target rather than a strength
  4. Central control and development often favor White significantly

Polish Opening

Chess Notation:

1. b4

Win Rate:

  • Black: 45%
  • White: 51%
  • Draw: 4%

Themes:

Aggressive, Flank Attack, Hypermodern, Tricky/Unorthodox

Pros

  1. Surprises unprepared opponents
  2. Bypasses traditional opening preparation
  3. Creates unique pawn structures and plans
  4. Offers creative play for imaginative players

Cons

  1. Concedes immediate central control
  2. Can lead to positional disadvantage against proper response
  3. Exposes b4 pawn to potential attack
  4. Generally considered slightly inferior to standard openings

If you've got a second and have never bought a product, please reply with a letter below:

A) I can find most of what I need for free elsewhere

B) The products look useful, but they're not something I feel I really need

C) I'm interested, but I don't want to spend money on chess resources

D) I haven't seen a product that solves a specific problem I have

E) I've considered buying, but the price hasn't felt worth it to me

It helps me out a ton.

As always, feel free to reply with your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, etc.

That's it for now. Catch you in the next one.

Cheers,
James
Chess Cheat Sheets
​info@chesscheatsheets.com​
​https://chesscheatsheets.com/​

P.S. If you've not yet seen the new Opening Dominance Arsenal... it might be the thing that changes your mind. Check it out here.​

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