For me, that's just the issue. For me, memorizing a bunch of rote responses takes away the fun of using your brain to figure shit out. But that also doesn't allow to you learn what works and what does not so easily--after all the standard openings are the preferred responses for a reason--so I have never and will never progress beyond a certain basic level. But whenever I have had an insight on my own about a particular position or sequence of moves, I got a huge rush of satisfaction almost better than any orgasm.