yes. spanish 4N is my main 1.e4 e5 opening for white! my chess opening life got a lot easier once i settled 1.P-K4 2.N-KB3 3.N-QB3 as white against almost everything and as black against 1.e4.

Preparing to make even 1 introductory video is exposing just how weak my own opening knowledge is!

I do not know if anyone else thinks the same way, but I like to get a general overview of my rep before plunging into any type of off shoots with variations. I actually find this more important than what goes after, as my mind does not ' swim '. I got the free Bookup download years ago. All I do is put in the bare trunk, like you find at the back of a book. I do not use the program for what it is intended for, which is silly and a waste of time in my opinion. I will tell you a surprising fact - about 50% of the time I do this, I discover that the author has analysed the same variation twice and often given it a different assessment! Yes, amazingly this applies to modern books. My friend Charlie even fell into the trap recently with his book on the Sniper, because even he was obviously to some extent still 'swimming ' in an opening he has played for years. So what is my point? Just this, do not worry too much about the incredible amount of information at your finger tips, and don't try to be too ambitious.

Just realised I might have broke my own rule about being too specific about friends - so don't bug me about it. Another way of looking at openings is it's a bit like building a house, you start with solid foundations ( the bare tree ), and target the forcing move points. Books are often full of ' positional variations ', which frankly while learning the opening can be largely ignored.

is your ambitious video project still a go?!?!
(no rush of course!)

i will be especially interested to see you tackle the Open Sicilian!

The project is definitely still go. I have some good ideas about what I'm going to recommend against the French (I'm thinking of the Exchange against the McCutcheon and Winawer), but I'm still having trouble with the Open Sicilians. Once I feel like I have a decent handle on the basics of the Sicilian I'll be ready for the introductory video. I'm either going to recommend Bg5 lines (most likely) or f4 lines (also possible). I may even consider the Grand Prix, but probably not. After that, I expect to make 1 video per week until it's done- so I expect this series to take a few months!

Current plan is:
1. Intro: Opening principles: Control of centre and development, example of how to play if black cedes the centre.
2. Vienna: Sidelines
3. Vienna: Pierce Gambit
4. Vienna: Main Line
5. French: Chatard-Alekhine Attack
6. French: Winawer
7. French: Other lines (McCutcheon, Rubinstein, 2...b6)
8. Sicilian: 2...d6 and 2...a6
9. Sicilian: 2...e6
10. Sicilian: 2...Nc6
11. Pirc/Modern: Austrian Attack
12. Alekhine and Scandanavian with 2...Nf6
13. Scandanavian: Mieses-Kotrc Gambit and 2...Qd8

So I'm looking at approximately 3 months' work. I'm trying not to rush it.

nice repertoire... whats your rating?