Grand Prix with Nd4 4...a6 with e5 idea questions

Hello CM!

My friend (about 2000elo) played this line  in his country U18ch and got to this variation after 6...e5. Looks like black is trying to setup kinda botvinnik system like we play vs english. White misplayed the position with Re1 and got outplayed later with black advancing f5.

I dont see this variation in the courses btw (correct me if I'm wrong)

Imo, white has couple of plans: Bc4 with maybe ideas of Ng5 and f4 or smth like Bc4, Nd5 and c3 playing in a more calm ala Spanish type position. But black looks solid and in the long term, I'm bit worried about f5 plan and not breaking that pawn triangle

Also checked in the db, there are only a handful of games with good results for black actually, so it would be interesting to know GM opinion.

Please suggest the plans for this position after 6..e5. Thank you.

Replies

Hi Paulius, 

e5 weakens the diagonal a2-g8 and d5 square. I would go for Bc4-d3. Then decide based on black's moves as well. Sometimes playing through the center and sometimes through kingside as well.

Rapid Match (10+0)

Anyone rated 1850+ rapid on chess.com willing to play matches matches against me? My ELO is 1850.

Replies

At what time?

Modern Maroczy - White Strategic Error?

I have found this position on a game of one of my opponents in the Modern Maroczy line

I believe it is an error on white's side because they are freely trading their good bishop and allowing black to continue with their plans h4,Qh5 etc Also I believe this makes the white knight move on d5 less effective since the possible pawn capture on f7 would not come with check

Am I correct? Is there any better plan than the one with the normal lines?

Thanks!

Replies

 Was there not a model game in the course re Qd2/Be3 and Bh6?

This is a very bad move says Avetik. But do not take my word for it, listen to him in the game Liu X vs Bu X. 2017.

https://chessmood.com/course/modern-maroczy-bind/episode/589

Changing the Dark Squares Bishop (DSB) is always in Black favour since White stays with a bad Light Squares Bishop (LSB).

Happy learning Jordi! I am sure that you will rock in the Catalan League with our Maroczy!

'Tomb' mating pattern

Not sure if this would deserve a section in Mating Matador, since it's a help mate / trap. But I've fallen into this not just once, but twice. Given the king gets entombed, I think it's a good name for it.

  The first time it happened in the attached game, I was low on time and should have easily drawn against the CM, but it was so tempting to threaten the king with back rank troubles, not seeing that White had a quiet move which then the king is stuck in the tomb, and getting mated next. I also missed it a few days later in a blitz game and got snap mated, so it's a very easy trap to fall into - it's an automatic reaction to advance the king as far as possible to keep the other king back.

  The key to the pattern is the two enemy pawns (diagonally offset) supported by their king which also stops the front escape from the tomb (or something else does) and a third (friendly) pawn or blocker stopping the rear escape. The rook cuts off the other side and gives mate (although now the king can't move, anything else which can attack the king also would.

Replies

The website is not allowing me to attach the game so here is the link:

https://lichess.org/sxYzmuEtnrzW

Sicilian Alapin_1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. Bd3

In this Line, what are our main plan? what do we play?

Replies

We play in the center, complete our development and castle. Not necessarily in that order.

I've not looked much into the details of the Kopec system (the actual name) which occasionally appears. White aims to get the bishop to c2 plus a two pawn centre, perhaps to anticipate O-O and in the shorter term defend e4. On c2 it doesn't hit f7 or protect d5 so that's where the plan is. A dragon style setup is one way blunting the bishop, another is closed Sicilian with g6 and e5, which will produce similar positions to the Lopez (White got the bishop quicker to c2, but Black quicker to g7 and no tempo 'waste' with a6). Note this is covered in the Rossolimo course as a plan to similar positions.

Despite a video course published by Foxy Openings, and the attempts of Kopec, it never caught on, which probably means the are likely a few games in the database of stronger players taking it apart. Just don't spend too much time - at most see a plan you like and move on; it's quite rare to see it (a couple if times in blitz for me, never OTB IIRC).

How to build the momentum after a break?

I have seen that after my exams get over it is very hard for me to gain the same strength. During exams I don't study chess (lets say 2 weeks) But I will be facing very big problem. The problem is that my exams will end in 25th or 26th while I have a very important tournament on 10th March (It was supposed to be held in January, but it postponed and the reason is known to everybody)  Now I am totally devoted to studies and today in free time I played in lichess and from 2341 I played such brilliant chess that it went 2267. I am fearing how can I stop playing such brilliant chess. What to do, Sir?

About me I am now in Class 7

Replies

I know several people who didn't play chess for years and quickly regained their strength. Don't overthink it. Things you have properly absorbed should come back quickly.

English Course_Botvinnik System

In this variation, my opponent refuse the pawn sacrifice line and at move 11 he should play Be3. Why  not f4? it seem a strong move because takes space in the center to prepare an attack! We are late to play e5...

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. e4 a6 6. a4 d6 7. d3 Nf6 8. Nge2 O-O 9. O-O Rb8 10. h3 Ne8 11. f4?! 

Replies

You can play 11...Nc7 and if 12.f5 then 12...b5! , see: 

https://lichess.org/Kibjiajn/black#21

Maybe e6 d6 Nge7 setup will be better as white has played a4 so b4 is weak

Hello ChessMood family,

I support the idea that Akiba offered. We go for attack on queenside with Nc7-b5 :-)

Cozio's mate over the board

It's rare at this level to mate an opponent (at 2 hours time control), but that's what happened here where the White opponent (1650ish) was snap mated with a variation of Cozio's mate (bishop acting to take away the escape squares). To be fair White was lost anyway, and his fork not being all that, but there were trickier variations (both had low time) had he noticed it. If only he'd been a pro member and watched Mating Matador, eh?

My way of recognising the pattern (and the similar swallow's tail) is to look for the contact check and depending on whether it's at a diagonal or horizontal/vertical whether the two squares left are / can be covered. Knowing the pattern of the two squares to cover can help you find such possibilities and I was well aware of it (or was forced to be) after 32. Ne4.

Also 5. a4 in the Rossolimo Bxc6 is almost a novelty. I played a5 and just went back to the known theory, although the computer is suggesting the novelty 5... f6 which I might look into to see how that plan would be better (I doubt I'll ever see 5. a4 again). White's original idea was after a5 to place the knight on c4 via a3, but it ended on c3 in pretty much the mainline (until the perhaps foolish o-o-o) but with a4, a5 played. Perhaps I should have left the king in the centre and pushed b5. 24... c4 is my main mistake, otherwise it looks fine for me.

Replies

Very nice David, thanks for sharing!

Seems like white didn't see the mate in 1 when they took Rxe8.

Nice monster black bishop, completely dominated the kingside.

So I think the computer is happy with 5... f6 because the bishop is gone. It complains if you try it after 4. a4, and the reason therefore is because with the bishop on, Bc4 will eventually come and the diagonal is weak; after the bishop is off it's fine with the f6 e5 idea, and the Q isn't coming to b3 as c3 weakens the d3 square.

That said nothing wrong practically with just playing 5... a5 as I did and going back to the main line.

Doubt in WhiteMood Openings course [Section 3 - Philidor Defense 3...Nc6]

Hello all,

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6  3.d4 Nc6 Here instead of just continuing development with 4.Nc3 and then bb5 often I forget Nc3 and play 4.Bb5 first.Is that also fine ?

Any advice would be welcome.

Thank you in advance

Replies

Sure. This move is fine, too.

What do think could be a reason to first play 4. Nc3?

Both options are perfectly fine but if you are following the ChessMood Rep, then 4.Nc3 makes more practical sense as 4.Bb5 transposes directly into one of the mainlines of the Steinitz Variation in the Ruy Lopez, a defense that has quite a lot of established theory attached to it.

This question was raised before on the forum and if I find the link I will attach it here for ease of reference.

Revelation! Mating Matador G!

While going through the very well done, significant Mating Matador course , it suddenly occurred to me that the matador pictured could be none other than H Gabuzyan, albeit with a little glamorized hairdo, jewelry accessories , tie, etc.

Has the "will defeat you" look also....

Anyone also noticed the likeness??

Replies

French Bd3 main line with 9.. Bb4 and 10..Qa5

Hi,

The French Bd3 course mentions the possible move 10..Qa5 in the 9..Bb4 variation of the main line, and refers to the advanced sections for continuations.

I was contemplating 11. 0-0 or 11. a3, but do not see any clear advantage for White (even after checking with engine).

Is there a better recommendation?

Thanks in advance! :-)

Replies

Hi @demetrio_c

Exactly, this advanced section is.not yet published I believe but Avetik already answered this in https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-members/question-in-french-defence

Avetik proposed:

After 10...Qa5 I recommend 11.0-0 and then a3.

If 11...a6 then Nd6
If 11...Nf3 12.Qf3 a6, here we have a key move, 13.Qg3!
13...0-0 14.Nc7 Nh5 15.Qh4 Qc7 16.Qb4 with a better position.  

Happy getting positions that you like and knowing the plans constantly in the French!!

WhiteMood - error in pgn-file.

It is great with  ”White repertoire light”. Thanks a lot! Can´t wait for Black light.

However. I got a little bit confused in section 2, video 9 – Scotch Game: There seems to be a discrepancy between pgn-file and video. Hope the pgn-file will be corrected.

PGN-file: Analysing 4.Nxd4 d6 5.Nc3 g6 (5…Nf6 6.Bf4)

Video:  Analysing 4…d6 and 4…g6

Conclusion - There is no 4…g6 in the pgn-file but on the video and there is no 5.g6 on the Video but in the pgn-file..

PGN of video 9, Section 2 Scotch game:

Video 4…d6:  4.Nxd4 d6 (4…Be7 does not change anything. Still the same set-up for White) 5.Nc3  Nf6 6.Bf4 Be7 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0

Video 4…g6:   4.Nxd4 g6  5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 (and then Qd2 and 0-0-0) 6…Nge7

(6…Nf6 7.f3 (To stop Ng4) (if 7.Qd2 then 7…Ng4 (After Nf6 White may also push the e-pawn. 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 and Black only has 8...Ng8 not to lose at least a pawn.)  )

7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 d6 This is a better version for Black than 4…d6. But the g6-pawn is a very good target for White.

9.h4

Replies

I am getting a little bit (only a little bit) wiser:

Video 4…g6; this line seems to transpose to PGN-file: 4.Nxd4 d6 5.Nc3 g6 (5…Nf6 6.Bf4) 6.Be3 when move 8.d6 is made.

It is very confusing!

I still don´t understand how you can push the e4-pawn if you choose to go the 4…d6 variation??? Something must be wrong?!

Hope somebody can assist and sort it out. I need a drink!

I have looked at the Video again and tried to document it in a more simple way than above.

PGN

4…d6 5.Nc3 g6 (5…Nf6 6.Bf4 Be7 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0) 6.Be3 Bg7 7.Qd2 Nge7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.h4

 Video

4.,,d6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Bf4 9-9 8.0-0-0 Be7 7.Qd2

4,,,Be7

4…g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nge7 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 d6

4,,,g6  5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f3 d6 8. Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0

4…g6  5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5Ng8 9.f4

In the pgn-file g6 is made as move 5 but as move 4 on the video. There is no move 5,,,g5 on the video. Since 4,,,d6 is made in the pgn-file 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5Ng8 9.f4 seems wrong, Of course a variation 4...g6 can be added only for the 7,Nxc6 bxc6 8.e6 variation but I think it becomes very confusing. I would prefer 1;1 between pgn:video.

Chess in //// EDITED BY CHESSMOOD

Hi,

I am new to this forum and am hoping to gather marketing information on the related topics: chess, nascent technology, and income from playing chess virtually.

If this forum post seems out of place to members that frequent this forum, please let me know where to move this post to.

I do play chess, but I am not a pro by any standards. I was a member of my middle school chess club. Played once in college, and now am getting back into it by playing on Chess24. Maybe we can have a match sometime.

Thank you for your time and help.

Replies

Dear @Ryan_Lesosky

Sorry but this kind of posts are not allowed. No promotions or surveys, otherwise it may look that we support this. I edited and I will delete your post after a couple of days. Maybe you can try to post the same on Reddit under the Chess tag, lichess or chess.com, but this is not the correct place.

I hope that you understand.

Question (mistake) in English course

I have a question in section 5.Nf3, in the 6.d3 with 7.Nd2 idea (video 20).

As you can see here: https://imgur.com/PNkRrQc

This was one of the options mentioned by GM Gabuzyan. After Bd2, he says "As well, we can be trying to go for more active variation with ...f5" But as you can see Stockfish doesn't seem to like it. Is this a mistake?

Replies

Hi Inguh Kim,

This is not a mistake. We do not copy the first line of Stockfish, we have a team of GMs struggling to find novelties and the best practical variations. In this position, your Stockfish also offers f4 in the second option. In these type of King's indian positions the evaluations are very difficult to asses, but if we would just follow the first line of Stockfish, there would be not KID, no Benko gambits, etc...

First in the position that you posted, we have to give White a move, let's choose a5 which is the best line according to the latest version of Stockfish NNUE, the move to play as Black is f4! exactly as Gabuzyan says in the video.

What we need to understand is the essence of the position by ourselves, I always feel very comfortable attacking and playing this kind of moves... f4 is good because it makes possible to play Bh3, or take on g3 if needed, and since we are attacking, in someway it counters a possible b4.

Also if you do not like the resulting position, Gabuzyan offers 2 options in this video (20), playing b6 first on the minute  00:50. You can try this system if you like it better.

But please do not let yourself be guided by Stockfish, this would make us very sad... :-) And we hate being sad! We love to be happy... So happy playing and happy learning @Inguh_Kim. Thanks for checking this doubt with us!

Looking for a partner to practice opening lines!

Hi. I'm Mahdi from Iran. Looking for a partner to practice opening lines espicialy whitemood openings .my blitz rating on lichess is 2300.i wonder if anyone can help

Replies

Hi Mahdi, 

I am retired and in principle i am interested in trying with you, but my level is about 1800-1900 roughly.

forgot to add.. I am from Germany originally but live near Geneva in France after moving some 37 years ago there for work (and only restarted having time for learning and playing since 2-3 years)

Curiosity

I am interested in taking  chess courses  that cater to the 1200 rated player. Can you give me the names or numbers of a few of them  to see if I am interested in purchasing them? 

Replies

At the moment you can check for free the course:

1. Starter Course - WhiteMood Openings

https://chessmood.com/course/whitemood-openings

But I recommend you to become a promember then you can enjoy all of courses at anytime:

https://chessmood.com/courses

Our most special and worked out courses are only available for promembers, like the

https://chessmood.com/course/tactic-ninja

or the

https://chessmood.com/course/opening-principles

or

https://chessmood.com/course/mating-matador

But you can check any course since some videos are free and see what you feel.

When I jumped from about 1300 to 1500 the following things were in particular necessary for me:

Tactics - avoid dropping material, being able to see more tactics

Endgame - being able to correctly play K + P Vs K especially

Knights - in particular all types of forks

(I already had some reasonable openings for the most common lines, and muddled my way through the less frequent ones).

I soon after won the British U125 rating (about 1500) championship with 5/5 back in 1998

To do this I was playing probably a match game every week or two, maybe a tournament every few months, as well as a few online games (not a lot since I could only access the Internet at work - long ago!). I was also reading (often more browsing) several books, some were good for my level and some certainly weren't. You don't want to know how much I spent on books (and they are about 3 times the price now).

Where I'm going with this, is I can't say for certainty you'll make that jump in the next few months, but if you did study the courses that Odysseus mentions and probably the pawn ending one too and play some serious over the board chess you'll probably get there a lot quicker than being left to work it all out from purchasing the right books or courses elsewhere costing you more. It would take 2-3 months to go through the courses mentioned at the recommended speed of a section a day. There are several reports of a couple of hundred points increase after doing even just the tactics course whereas for me long before this resource it took 1-2 years!

The pro membership is a bargain at the current price (set to rise soon except for existing members before then) and if I could have paid that (let alone the adjustment for inflation!) for 3 months and made the same gains it took in 2 years I'd have jumped at it. It does sound a sales pitch, but I think at your level given the reports of similar people, it would really be worth it. And 1500 is just a stepping stone as there are some great courses here and a whole opening repertoire to get you (much) further.

Hope that helps.

Origin of blind swine mate

Wikipedia mentions a Polish master referring to rooks on the 7th as swine, but that doesn't really explain much to the non-English speaker.

Here's what seems to make sense and is a probable explanation:

Rooks on the 7th are also known as pigs on the 7th, as they eat all the pawns. Swine is another word for pigs, or relating to pigs. An alley is a gap between buildings that is a small path or road (there are many alternative regional words for this). A blind alley means it doesn't lead anywhere, typically blocked by another building or wall. Hence the attacking rooks are the swine, and the 8th rank blocking rook makes the blind alley, hence the likely explanation.

Replies

One other thing, a road that doesn't lead to another open road (known as a cul-de-sac or close), has a 'dead end' (possibly literally as hundreds of years ago it was a very dangerous place to be). Which is also fitting as that is what happens to the king!

Question in Bd3 French de line

Coaches, 

I am really enjoying the Bd3 french, I've had quite a bit of success with it. 

I encountered a line in a G/45 game that I had a question about. Can you recommend a plan after the following:

e4 e6

d4 d5

Bd3 de

Bxe4 Nf6

Bf3 c5

Ne2 cd

Qxd4 Nbd7*

I wasn't sure what to do here and couldn't come up with a great plan. I ended up winning the game (game link below). I saw that Grischuk played this move against Magnus in blitz back in 2012 and won, any help would be appreciated. Magnus played Nbc3 in that game, which appears to be best.

Bd3 game (lichess.org)

Thank you for all of your great work coaches.

-Ben

Replies

Hey Benjamin! Good question. 
The way to play is 8.Nbc3, and after Bc5  9.Qf4! 
This is the important move, keeping an eye on Ne5. If 9...0-0, 10.0-0, next Qg3.
It's very uncomfortable to play this for Black with their development problems on the queenside. 

scandinavian

chessmood family can you please help me with this line.  1. e4 d5 2. exd5 nf6 3.Bb5+ c6 4. dxc6  bxc6..

where do i place my bishop then black next move is e5..

Replies

I guess that Bc4 or Be2, even Ba5 are good. You should try what feels more comfortable to you. White is already a pawn up and Black has a weakened Queen side.

Hey Jay! 
Bc4! 
Then the best way is d3,Nc3,Nge2,0-0! 
Nge2 is better than Nf3, as there will not be Bg4 - unpleasant pin. The same setup is strong against Scandinavian Gambit as well, which you can find in the WhiteMood Openings course. 

Bad and good news... (if you missed the email)

Dear chess friend! 
I have two pieces of news. 

Let’s start with the bad.
Very-very soon we’re launching the new website.
Now, you’re surprised, “Is it bad” ? :)
No, no :) 
It’s gonna be much nicer, more comfortable and with new features. 

The bad part is that the prices will rise…

Now, the good news.
They’ll remain the same for you :)

Yeah, we decided to keep it the same for all our early PRO Members!
You trusted us when we were new in the market, how dare we not appreciate it? :D 

 Just one thing.

Make sure there are enough funds on your card or PayPal.
Once you leave the PRO Membership, you can’t come back with the old price.

And one request.

If you have friends, that wanted to become a PRO Member one day, this is the best time, before the prices rise.
Please send them a message. I’ll appreciate it a lot.

Thanks for your support!

The more students we have, the easier it is for us to create more materials for you, add features on the website and much other stuff.
So, thanks for helping me make the chess world a better place.

With best wishes,
Avetik 

Replies