Dancing Queen

Hi all,

Sometimes I come across an opponent that bounces their queen around the board causing me all sorts of trouble.  I know I should be pleased about this as they aren't developing other pieces but it always seems to cause me trouble.

Below is a recent example.  How would you punish my opponent's play? 

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/95516349085?tab=review

Replies

On move 7 you missed an opportunity to trap the queen of white, so that would already have punished them. 

On move 10 you should have developed a piece instead of making a pawn move.

On move 12 you missed an opportunity to skewer whites queen and win a rook.

On move 15 you tried to exchange the queens, however, you should not have done it because of the following reasons:

White has a unsafe king, it's in the center and you are ready to attack it with your developed pieces and queen, because the queen is the strongest attacker. So don't exchange your strongest attacker when opponents king is in danger!

You could have won tempos on whites queen, by playing Rc8 for example. You develop a piece and white is forced to move the queen away.

On move 16 you missed Qc1+, winning many material.

So actually I think you did the development very well, you just didn't see the tactics at the crucial moments. 😁

Anti-sicilian, part 1, 5... e6

Hello dear coaches and pro members: what to play after black move 5… e6, in the grand prix attack?

Thanks and good day

Replies

Hi Marius,

Can you write all the previous moves to know the exact position that you are referring to?

Thanks 

Blunder sharing

Hi guys, 

I recently watched the BlunderProof course and I would like to create a discussion in which we can share their blunders and mistakes so other people can learn from them. For this, I want to share with you one of the biggest blunders I have made to date.

I was playing my first OTB tournament and I had no real experience on tournaments, so I made a lot of mistakes with time control and emotional management. On the other hand, I had no ELO level so my opponents didn't really think I could beat them and played worse than they should.

On the fourth round I played this game with Black pieces:

[Event "XVII Torneo de Promoción de Almansa B"]
[Site "Almansa"]
[Date "11/08/22"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Alfonso Magraner del Val"]
[Black "Alejandro Carretero Hernández"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1656"]
[WhiteTitle "-"]
[WhiteTeam "Monteolivete"]
[WhiteFideId "https://ratings.fide.com/profile/24514721"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[BlackTitle "-"]
[BlackTeam "Excálibur"]
[BlackFideId "https://ratings.fide.com/profile/32099959"]
[TimeControl "90'+30''"]
[Termination "Rendición"]
[Board "20"]
[UTCDate "2022.08.11"]
[UTCTime "19:36:55"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "C67"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation, Westerinen Line"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/kaasslejandro"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 (6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d5) 6... dxc6 7. dxe5 Ne4 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Re1 Nc5 10. b3 Bg4 11. Ng5 Bh5 12. Bb2 h6 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Rxe4 Bg6 15. Re2 Bc5 16. c4 Ke7 17. Nd2 Rad8 18. Nf3 Bd3 19. Rd2 Be4 20. Rad1 Bxf3 21. gxf3 Rxd2 22. Rxd2 Rd8 23. Rxd8 Kxd8 24. Kf1 Ke7 25. Ke2 Ke6 26. f4 g6 27. Kf3 Kf5 28. Bc1 Bd4 29. Be3 c5 30. h4 c6 31. Bc1 h5 32. Bd2 f6 33. exf6 Bxf6 34. Kg3 Ke4 35. b4 Kd3 36. Be3 Bd4 37. Kf3 Kxc4 (37... cxb4 38. c5 a5 39. Bxd4 Kxd4 40. f5 gxf5 41. Kf4 a4 { [%cal Gb4b3] }) (37... Bxe3 38. fxe3) 38. bxc5 Kd5 (38... Kd3 39. f5 gxf5) 39. Bxd4 Kxd4 40. f5 gxf5 41. Kf4 Kxc5?? (41... b6 42. cxb6 axb6 43. Kxf5 c5 44. f4 c4 45. Kg6 c3 46. f5 c2 47. f6 c1=Q 48. f7 Qc8 49. Kg7 Qg4+ 50. Kh6 Qe6+ 51. Kg7 Qg4+ 52. Kh6 Qf5 53. Kg7 Ke5 54. f8=Q Qxf8+ 55. Kxf8 Kf4 (55... Kf5)) (41... a6) 42. Kxf5 Kd5 43. f4 c5 (43... Kd6 44. Kf6 c5 45. f5 c4 46. Kg6 c3 47. f6 c2 48. f7 c1=Q 49. f8=Q+ Kc6) 44. Kg6 c4 45. f5 c3 46. f6 c2 47. f7 c1=Q 48. f8=Q Qg1+ 49. Kxh5 Ke6 (49... Qd1+ 50. Kh6 Qd2+ 51. Kg6 Qg2+) 50. Qh6+ Kf7 51. Qf4+ Kg7 52. Qc7+ Kf6 53. Qd8+ Kf7 54. Qd5+ Kf6 55. Qd6+ Kf7 56. Qf4+ Kg7 57. Qg5+ Qxg5+ 58. Kxg5 b5 59. Kf5 b4 (59... Kh6 60. Ke4 a5) 60. Ke4 a5 61. Kd3 a4 (61... Kh6) 62. Kc4 b3 63. axb3 a3?? 64. Kc3 Kh6 (64... a2 65. Kb2 a1=N) 65. b4 a2 66. Kb2 1-0

I had to fight in a drawish bishop endgame where I got a winning position but at some point my opponent found a way to draw the game by queening at the same time as me so then we had a drawn queen endgame.

Nevertheless, this affected my mood so I was not thinking properly since that point and when my opponent exchanged the queens at the end and started playing instantly because he had 30 seconds on his clock I started mooving same fast as him to make his time run out, even though there was a 30 second increment in each move. 

For 5 moves I moved instantly full of nerves thinking that I had a winning position and now it is a draw and by move 63 I had completely convinced myself that I would lose the game because I completely forgot about the possibility of the game ending in a draw, so I made a horrible blunder thinking for a moment that this move could return me the victory when, in reality, it loses the game. 

The most embarrassing thing in this story is at that point I still have 40 minutes on my clock. 

I learned a lot from that tournament, and I hope you guys could also learn something from this, as I learn from the mistakes of other people too. 

Replies

Funny idea! 😁

bro you are unrated but play like a 2200 and play Berlin LOL very nice game 

is there a main course for the french attack?

GM Avetik claims in the starter course Blackmood opening that he will recommend a different move for black in the main course but I do not see a special course for 1.e4 e6

I also see no reason to recommend to play move A when you are at low level and later move B when you are higher level.

It practically means that a player needs to memorize more lines in the plan of the improvement to become a stronger player.
 

Replies

There will be a course for advanced players on the French in the near future.
Even if you see no reason for our recommendations, there is a reason why move A is for lower levels and move B is for advanced. The ammount of study for the expected rivals is different in both cases, also the ammount of opening that you need to know at lower levels is not so important as the blunders and tactics. 
A beginner player does not have either the capacity to understand an opening as an advanced player. 
Please read our articles in our blog to see who we are and how are we focusing chess teaching and understanding, it will help you to know us better.
You should not focus on memorize or play just computer moves, focus on understanding the why behind the moves… According to your reasoning in previous posts, there will be no Kings Indian, no Benko gambit, or any other Gambit since the evaluations of the computer would go +1 for long time… Still they exist and even World Champions played them regularly… 😅
Now I checked a bit your profile online and I see that you are a Correspondence Chess GM, then our Whitemood and Blackmood is of course out of the scope but many lines of the advanced repertoire should be up to the task…

is it good to play chess 960?

i am a 12 year old chess lover who wants to improve his chess.i need some advice whether to play chess 960 or not because i have seen most top players play chess 960.need some help please?

Replies

Chess is a game for fun! 😁Why not play it if you enjoy it? It is good for tactics and many other things, why not? If you like it play it, of course!😃

Which is easier?

Which is easier?
Play for real with wooden tools or play on the computer
For me, it's easier in reality when you see your opponent and you can tell if he's in trouble
Because I am ranked much lower on chess.com than in reality
what do you think?

Replies

For me it's easier to play on the computer because I don't have the pressure to win. That's why I play better online.

They have their pros and cons. I have played both and I can tell you that they are very different experiences. Playing Online is cool and easy, i can play anytime and anywhere, and i found opponents of any level and style. I use Lichess, it has many tools to help you get better , like engines, databases , and puzzles. I play on my phone when i take the train that I'm not at home . I like doing rush puzzles, they are addictive, but also so frustrating when you mess up a good streak. 
Online chess can be bad too... the internet is crap sometimes , and you lose your game or your time because of it .some people cheat online (mainly why i switched from Chess.Com to lichess.org ) , they use engines to play for them...  It's lonely and boring sometimes. You don't see or talk to your opponent, you just see a name and a number, and maybe some messages that contain cheater or NOOB most of the time. 
it's more real when you play over the board . You can see your opponent in the eye, and you can use your body language. My favorite thing is bluffing when i play a negative elo move and that he doesn't find it 😂.  feel the vibe of the the tournament. Playing in real life is more fun and rewarding, because you can make friends , You can learn from them, by watching or asking. Or when you finish you talk about ideas that you missed and You remember it better. 
I would say that the main cons are that you have to go and pay to play in clubs or tournaments, which can be hard and expensive. And you may play against people who are too good or too bad, You have to know the rules and chess notations. 
I like offline chess more, because I think it's more fun. Luckily i can play chess against my friends In a place at my university , we are a small group so we know each other. playing against someone  with people watching you is intense. Especially when you play a final in a tournament . I also think that offline chess is more fair and honest, there is no cheating or manipulation, and you can respect your opponent more. I still play online chess a lot , but I don't care too much, mainly to try new openings like the closed Sicilian recently. (thanks to chessmood course)

😂

i think pieces because you can actully move to the correct place because i always mouseslip in games on computer

Analysing games

Hi, I want to study chess with a study plan, and I've decided that I'll play both 5+3 and 15+10. However I'm wondering: should I keep fixing mistakes separately? For example, if I blunder 1 piece per game on average with fast time control but 0 on slow time control, should I avoid fixing the less relevant mistake I make in slow game and just focusing on bigger ones I make on fast time, keeping track of “2 separate progresses”?

Replies

Fixing mistakes based on time control is smart. Focus on what goes wrong often. But, if your openings differ, that matters too. Consider both for better improvement. Good luck mate 👍

Pawn moves

Hi everyone, I'm 1300 rapid on chess.com, and I was wondering, at what rating should I start to study pawn plays and to which level? (Like from x to x rating study this, from y to y study that ecc.) Thank you

Replies

Hello, I do not understand what you mean. Can you please clarify?

congrats on reaching 1300! When it comes to pawn moves, they can be related to tactics, openings, middle game, and endgame stuff. It's kind A broad term , Check out ChessMood's plan for 1000-1500 – they've got some good tips. And hey, reaching 1500 is doable by playing, solving puzzles, and enjoying the game Here's the link : https://chessmood.com/chess-study-plans/for-intermediate-players

You should know basic pawn endings around that level. The chess endings for U2000 course has everything you need.

Is there any way to train in chess audibly without watching?

Hello, ChessMood family.
I have a lot of time during work where I can listen to anything through headphones, but I can't watch. Can I utilize this time to improve my chess skills?

Replies

There are not many (if any) audiobooks related to chess, apart from chess story, etc.

But, you could however start to improve visualization skills. That is, you could imagine, visualize the board and be able to follow a game just by listening the moves (1 e4, e5, etc). Of course, this is an advanced skill. It needs lot of practice and time. But it's a valuable one. And I think it's the only way to practice chess by listening to it.

There are many podcasts on chess visualization were you can follow or try to follow the games in your mind while listening to the moves, look for chess visualization podcasts on spotify and you'll find many…😀😀

Would Capablanca be crushed by an 8 year-old with engine prep?

I have heard people say that most decent (advanced) players with proper engine opening prep would crush Capablanca if they could play him (assuming that we don't give Capa any time to prep with an engine) This sounds ridiculous to me, but I would like to know how true it actually is.

Replies

Hello,

Well I've never searched this, but this sounds totally ridiculous to me also. I don't think that any decent but amateur chess player would stand a chance against Capablanca at his prime, who is arguably one of the best chess players who ever lived (unless of course if he made a big blunder, wich I think is almost impossible for so good players). There is no way that they could predict the whole game, and whenever their prep ended the game would have been over. There is no way an amateur (wich means a 2100-2200 MAX rated player for me) could beat Capablanca on a fair game (without engine prep), as his elo is estimated to be 2725 when he was at his peak. And as I said there is no way they could predict the whole game, some time he would eventually get out of prep and believe me, I don't think Cabablanca would have lost to Stocfish in the first 20 or 25 moves when I (rated 1600 rapid on chess.com) can last for 25 moves while playing in bullet mode (I just did it to confirm it and I got mated on move 25 while playing terribly and super fast 😀, I even hang my queen for absolutely no reason).

Also, a strategy of heading quiqly into an endgame wich the amateur player had studied with an engine might work, but, honestly, the chances of Capablanca going straight into this particular endgame are very fiew(we must also not forget that, if I remember well, he is considered to be one of the greatest endgame players of all time).

So my answer would be no, there is no way that an amateur would beat Capablanca with engine prep, as he couldn't possibly be so well prepared that A) there will be no need to think during the whole game or B) He will beat one of the greatest players of all time in 30 moves max. The only way I can see this happening is Capablanca blundering something really big (or if luck is on the player's side).

Question Pirc Defense

I am currently watching the “Starter Course WhiteMood openings” course, and I have a question about the Pirc defense. 

After 1. e4 d6 2. Nc3, black plays e5, we play Bc4 and go for a Grand prix attack structure with d3, f4, Nf3, not allowing black to play the Black Lion system.

Recently I faced the following variation:

After 1. e4 d6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3.f4, black plays e5. 

Now we can't play 4. Bc4 because black can take the f4 pawn,

and if we play 4.Nf3, we transpose to a Vienna gambit that is not covered in the courses.

What should I play after 1. e4 d6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 e5?

Replies

You can play Nf3 here as you are developing a piece and you are going to recapture that pawn by the following moves:
4. Nf3 exf4 5. d4 Nh5 6. Nd5 and that pawn is yours. Bc4 can be a inaccuracy here because Nxe4 Nxe4 then d5 puts a pin on your pieces and you have a bad position. Or if they just take the f pawn with Bc4 being played then d5 again and if your opponent stops with g5 then play h4, if they take the pawn on h4 then take Bxf4 and Rxh4.

Hi Donkey,

I haven't made it down to the openings section yet - still looking at Ninja Tactics and BlunderProof - so take that and my lack of experience into account!

I would still play Nf3.  This helps to continue our piece development and puts pressure on black's e5 pawn.  Also, although black could take our f4 pawn, would he?  Isn't he more likely to keep it in the centre and leave the tension applied?  And if he does take on f4, where is he going with it afterwards (it's isolated, undefended, and not attacking anything)?

Perhaps its just the level that I play at but, after we play Nf3, I'd be expecting either Bg4 (pinning our knight to the queen but fairly easily challenged with h3) or Nc6 developing black's pieces.

I'd also still consider Bc4 as a good move for similar reasons.

Hi Donkey,
Chessmood addresses how to play against 3.f4, e5?! in the following 3 minute video: https://chessmood.com/course/11-crushing-the-pirc/episode/976

This is not part of the Whitemood lines, but part of the regular repertoire videos for 1.e4 (“Attacking the Pirc”). It is Section 1, 6.Super Version of King’s Gambit, and here GM Avetik recommends indeed to continue with 4.Nf3 and after 4…Nbd7 either 5.d4 right away or 5.Bc4/d3/O-O, and in case of 4…exf4?!, 5.d4 (planning 6.Bxf4)

https://chessmood.com/blog/how-to-memorize-chess-openings-variations

https://chessmood.com/blog/how-grandmasters-memorize-opening-variations

Replies

Nice article, I am glad I always like to make pgn files of my own. That's why in the first 15 days of chessmood pro membership I made my all pgn files but due to time issues I started learning them in march hehehe. I like to learn ideas and then variations and then play!!!

Thanks for the lessons. No matter you or anyone give me pgn files of whole comments but I wont remember it but when i make my own files I remember most of the ideas!. This is what I did always and I will do hehehe. My thoughts are simple about it. When we write our brain eyes hand works at the same time. On the other hand when we see a new pgn by others then only our hand and eyes work and brain thinks like oh I have it and I can check it anytime and focus flew away!

Great article and I have bookmarked it also.

To be honest when studying opening theory before (mainly from a book) I didnt do anything like this process.

Since joining chessmood I have taken the approach you outlined and worked out my own lines in pgn. I think its important to do this as often at lower levels you face some random moves. You can add them to the pgn (if not obvious outright blunders) and continue with the main plans you outlined.

I haven't got through all of the scotch (my first course) but the lines i have put into pgn and then practiced. I actually remember them almost exactly and if I dont quite (wrong move order or something) then the plan is clear to me still.

Nice article. I tend to write my ideas and plans for each openings I'm studying. Now I know why I forget some important lines.

Μy Antisicilian pgn files are separated in the 5 sections whereas in my Scotch pgn file I cover even the advanced lines vartiation per variation, and I also have to scroll down twice (or even 3 times in Scotch) as much as the material which appears in the beginning. So, I think they are maybe even a little bigger that the usual in my 1800 online level. I learned a lot from this article on the whole.

I love it! I have started to make the pgn file on my own, starting a week ago, and the reason is ChessMood article Memorizing Variations! Thanks Grandmaster Avetik a lot for helping me, I will never forget it! 

P/S: Are there anyway to buy PRO without money?

Thank you maestro for this one.

This reminds me of some discussion among fellow pro-members regarding the use of chessable, the platform that advertises the use of spaced learning software designed to reinforce move/lines memorization. I used chessable for some time, but not anymore. Not because I think it's bad, but because I think it (1) essentially fosters laziness, one of the chess student's worst habits, and (2) its effectivess depends on the quality of the author's instruction and the lines that he gives anyway.

So, thank you for reminding us of your approach which I believe is just spot on: there are no real shortcuts, and every chess student has to put in his or her own effort.  

To be honest, I really struggle to follow the advise.

When creating my pgn-files I do not wish to memorize the lines as good and effective as possible only. Also, I want to create a reference that I can use to check my games and to prepare for my opponents. Therefore, I need to make sure, that the relevant content of the course is transferred correctly into the pdf.

Or to put it in other words: I do not take the risk to omit relevant lines or the note them incorrectly. 

Another reason, I do not completely follow the advise, is that with my limited amount of study time, I wanted to gain a first and general understanding of the lines/ideas or to be more precise of all openings of the ChessMood repertoire. The reason is that watching our coaches use these openings is more effective after having got this basic understanding from the courses.

That is why I accept that after completing a section/an opening I sometimes have to confess that I hardly got a good understanding (and consequently did not memorize the lines very well). On the other hand, ideas/lines do come up when I see the line in practice.

This post elucidates how much data that players at every level should store.

Over the years I've summed it up as, "The most important chess opening book you will ever read is the one you write."

I'm going to recommend that every Chess Openings Wizard user read this post.

 - Mike

Let's say I have a great pgn file I've been making from the white mood Scotch pgn file (let's call this the Scotch Repertoire file) . Now let's say I've played 10 Scotch games online and I downloaded them and have the pgn for those games. How can I compare my games to the Scotch Repertoire file to see where I made mistakes (or to add new variations to the Scotch Repertoire file). I hope my question makes sense. Thank you!

Santiago vs Gabuzyan Analyzed Game

💪

Just finished watching the video and would like to comment on how much coach G has improved his analysis/coaching technique in the past 1 year or so….it's actually very impressive and I learned a lot from this one!!

This is one of the best explained games I've ever seen…Keep up the  COGRO coach and please add more games to your section.

Replies

Dear Ovi,

Thank you so much for your Kind words and feedback, I appreciate it a lot!

Will try to make it better :-) 

Presentation skills on the videos and clarity has also come on enormously.

Concentration training

Recently I read an article where avetik said that before he start  his students training he would make them do some concentration training and then start the training. So can I know what concetration training does he do?

Thanks in anticipation 

Replies

My friend, most important parts for concentrating before the game I've shared in the BlunderProof course. 
https://chessmood.com/course/blunderproof 

Also, you can check out GM Hovhannisyan's article on concentration
https://chessmood.com/blog/7-tips-how-to-keep-concentration-during-a-chess-game 

Good luck! 

a probably losing line in the white mood opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7?

Stockfish does not like this move and after 4….Kxf7 5.d4? has 5…c5 with a probably winning advantage(I consider 1.75 by stockfish after many minutes of search as a probably winning advantage).

The line may be good against weak players but I do not like the idea to play a losing move(in case that the opponent is prepared).

I know that I cannot win with white and equal position with good chances for the opponent to blunder is good enough for me but not worse than equal position with white.

I like the repertoire and I learned from it but the conclusion is that I need to check it with some engine to check it does not contain more blunders(and it is not that I consider every move that stockfish does not like as best to be a blunder).

Replies

I had trouble remembering all the right moves in this variation. I was thinking of switching to the knight back to f3 nxe4 and nc3 variation.

Depends what level and time control. My personal opinion against > 1800 in longplay (who has been playing Nf6 for aeons) or against a promising junior they might well know it well and how to counter. Players often look to avoid theory hence the likelihood of seeing it often is high. GM Gabuzyan believes it can be played at higher levels, and on that we agreed to disagree.

However, in blitz or lower rated opposition in long play it's very playable. You're not playing against masters or 3500 engines who know all the theory and can calculate deeply under pressure. Thus Stockfish's evaluation should be taken with a pinch of salt in such a line (where long tactical lines or hard to find moves are part of the analysis that leads to that evaluation).

Dear Uri,
We do not know your rating but this is a good line for a first repertoire to develop your attacking instincts and tactic sense. You also learn to play a piece down against a pawn up and a stranded king. Whitemood and Blackmood are the starters repertoire, although we play most of the lines against GMs and IMs too constantly. 
😀This variation I played it many times OTB and won many times very, very fast. People are not computers and it has a big surprise effect. Of course, if you want a better line, GM level line, just check the main course on the Petroff, this is our main recommendation for more advanced players… 😅
https://chessmood.com/course/petroff-defense

Happy study!!! 😃

Chessmood has a very nice blog category related to this topic: https://chessmood.com/blog/category/tournament-preparation

I would recommend you to go read some of these blogs. I am sure you will find them helpful!

I think the following blog is the most related to your question: https://chessmood.com/blog/the-right-way-to-prepare-for-a-chess-tournament

Good luck on your tournament! 😃