Happy pieces_5. The Queen in attack

Hello champions! I just want to point out one mistake, which I found in the analysis of game Ahues vs. Alekhine. After 32 Dxf1, commentator shows variation which starts with 32...Rxf1 33. Ke2 Rg1 atc., but there is mate in one with 32...Jb2++. https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1315637 With best regards Petrosian64

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Thanks and welcome to the family Petrosian 64! We will take note of it and we are glad that you spotted this, this means that you were paying attention! Thanks and happy learning!!!😀

Anti-Sicilian with 2.Nc3 d6 (Part 1) Advanced Na5

I have a question how to play against Na5 11.Be3 black doesn't take bishop immediately but plays b6 (with idea Bb7 and pressure on e4 pawn or even Ba6). It is logical move to develop bishop.

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Can you provide the exact moves Inara? That would be very helpful or an screenshot… Thanks!

Anti-Sicilian with 2.Nc3 d6 (Part 1) question

In video it says 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. O-O e6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nb5 d5 9. exd5 exd5 10. Bxd5 Nge7 11. Bxc6+1. e4 d6 2. Nc3 c5 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bc4 Bg7 6. O-O e6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nb5 d5 9. exd5 exd5 10. Bxd5 Nge7 11. Bxc6+ in video it says bc and we are pawn up. But nothing is said about 11. Bc6 Nc6, so we cannot get pawn.

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Hi and welcome to the family!!! This question was already asked and solved 2 months ago, please check it out Inara:

https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-channel/anti-sicilian-with-2nc3-d6-part-1-video-19

😀

And happy learning!

Any news on when Blackmood courses or the French and Dutch Main courses will be added or updated?

I understand these courses takes a long time to make. I am just curious if there is any idea on updates to blackmood repertoire. Or when the French and Dutch main courses might be added. I was waiting for more updates on these until I renew my membership. Thanks for all the hard work and good content.

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We have not an specified agenda for these courses. As you said courses take a lot of time when done properly and we are not in a hurry to publish courses just to publish them. First we are finishing the courses on the middlegames and endgames, blunderproof, how to win winning positions and how to try to win lost positions. Then we will go back to the openings. But we can not say any dates.😀

NEW ARTICLE: Mysterious Backward Moves on Diagonals

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An excellent collection of examples! Thanks!

These are the best examples of 'invisible moves' that I have ever seen!!!

Carokann Exchange interesting move order

Hi Chessmood friends, Recently I played a game where I faced a line against Carokann. 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 g6 6. Bf4 Bg7 7. Nf3 Nh6!? 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 f6 This was the first time I faced this Nh6 idea and I have no idea how to played against it as black will get the initiative after e5 move. Any good suggestion against this line?

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From memory you want to play c3-c4 when black does this sort of thing. Open up the centre to take advantage of their weird piece placement. Not sure if it 100% applies in this precise line, but I'd be looking for the right time to play c4.

This was already debated here. But you play c4 opening the center before they play e5. Check it out:😀

https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-channel/early-5g6-in-the-caro-kann

Also maybe you do not need Bf4 because the Black Bishop will go to g7… Go Nf3 and 0-0 and c4 directly if possible.😀

Hi Wensitn,

F6 move weakens a lot a2-g8 diagonal and the Black King. That's why my recommendation is to play with c4 and open the position.

Daily puzzle answers

I got my first Chessmood coins today!! First time I have solved the Daily puzzle correctly on the first attempt. There have been some occasions where I've not managed to solve the puzzle after attempting multiple combinations, and have had to concede in frustration. Is there a way of seeing / getting the solution if you have failed the puzzle?

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You solved the today's daily puzzle in one go? Congratulations. I failed. And the solution brought a smile to my face. I guess the only way to see the solution is to keep trying. Which is the goal of the puzzle ....to get you to retry until you see it (or until you cheat yourself by using an engine assist).

Hey Rob? Guess what? I too got my first Chessmood coins today! Solved it on my first try.

Hello Rob, To make it better from the educational perspective we don't provide the solution :-) Otherwise, a student can give up and see what was the right answer. However, I believe that finding the right solution even through struggling is much better for chess growth! If some examples are very difficult, the Tactic Ninja course is a great help to improve the tactic and calculations. Best wishes ?

Btw, Today's daily puzzle is beautiful! (Sorry to up this thread but didn't want to make a new one only to say that ? ; But I recommend everytone to have a look at it ?)

Benko Course - Advanced Modern section

Hi Chessmood, GM Swapnil Dhopade has a course on Chessable (Lifetime Repertoire: Benko Gambit) where he tackles both of the problem variations that are mentioned in the Advanced Modern Benko videos in the Chessmood Benko Course. Against 8.a7 Rxa7 9.Nf3 he gives 9...e6 Against 8.e5 Ne8 9.h4 Bxe5 10.h5 he gives 10...Qb6

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What do you think of this course, I want to buy it to complement

lenguaje

Greetings to all, I am from Venezuela now I have lived in the USA since April, I would like to know if there was any option to watch the videos in Spanish, since I still do not speak English well

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Unfortunately not. There might be subtitles and translations some time in the future, but as far as I know there are no plans yet and it's a big job if it were undertaken. The English in the videos is mostly clear despite a few hybrid words and the odd mispronunciation, but given English is a third language for our GMs they do remarkably well. Given that much of chess culture is in English (Russian aside) and given you're based in the US now, it might be a good way (and motivator) to improve your English. Also while English is a hard language because of irregularities and the number of words, getting some fluency isn't so difficult given the number of films, songs, web pages and so on available. It's much harder for the English to learn foreign languages well because you don't get the same immersion possibility. If you get stuck on a few words they'll be help in the forum. Also Google translate may help a bit. Give it a go and see how you get on, it will get easier and the subject is always chess.

One other thing, you can now slow the videos down to half the speed. That might help you catch things that were too fast.

The creators of Avetik and Hohvannes use English as a third maybe 4th language. They have made solid English improvements over the last 3 years and can be an inspiration for those who are just learning it now. Buena😀 suerte

 Marcos, we have so many hours of videos that it is not possible to subtitle everything, the cost is too high and learning basic English for chess is not so difficult if you try it a bit. Always the same vocabulary is being used, you will learn it in no time… 😀
And just in case:
 Marcos, tenemos tantas horas de vídeos que no es posible subtitularlo todo, el costo es demasiado alto y aprender el inglés básico para ajedrez no es tan difícil si te esfuerzas un poco. Siempre se utiliza el mismo vocabulario, lo aprenderás en poco tiempo... 😀
You can do it!!!💪

Chess is an easy game

When all the moves are covered in the course, chess is an easy game 😀😀 https://lichess.org/YBAmlEpq3RgM

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Helpmates are always helpful

NEW ARTICLE: A Lifehack to Speed up the Growth in Chess

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Great life advice. Thank you for writing this. Inspired

It was a good Blog. I believe, as you do, that you must formulate realistic but uncomfortable high goals to be able to reach your potential. The “public” communication of the goals is the commitment to and the handshake with yourself. When I was a working citizen, I always formulated my goals for next year(s) and was not afraid of communicating them broadly, especially to my bosses. Since I am very lazy by nature (I am convinced it is due to my genes) it helped me a lot to put the gun to my head.

I do assume however that the area in which you formulate the goals must have high priority to you. Otherwise, the goals only will be some exercise without any commitment, or the goals will be trivial.

My time perspective, as a senior citizen, is also quite different from the young girls and boys aiming for IM/GM titles. I just love it when young people put up that kind of goals and work for it. I only hope they will get a lot of help to formulate good and the right goals and a lot of help to reach the goals as well. It seems ChessMood is a blessing.

I remember first time I met my golf coach. After a cup of coffee and a chat he told me to meet him at the driving range in 15 minutes. Take the opportunity to warm up, he said. After exactly 15 minutes he showed up. He asked me to hit some balls with a short iron and then some balls with the driver. Well, he said, if you want me as a coach you should throw away all your books about golf. You know too much theory than is good for you. You must also do exactly what I ask you to do on the training. When I came home the same afternoon, I was not too happy. Anyhow I packed my golf books in boxes, I had a lot of them. Put the boxes away, out of my sight. On the driving range and the golf course I did what he told me and expected. At least as much as was within my capacity. Eventually we become good friends and I became a decent single handicapper.

This experience tells me that challenging goals and hard work not always will give you the result you expect. It is important to have the right goals and identify the right activities and the right training. To work fast and wrong is the worst-case scenario. Much better to work slow (but fast is better) and right.

I have taken up chess again after long hibernation. Except from Correspondence Chess at ICCF. I learned more about using the computer than I learnt about chess when I played Correspondence Chess. My current Blitz rating on lichess.org is around 1700.

I have not had the 1 to 1 meeting yet but my goals are clear, within the next three years I will;

·         On a regular basis play Blitz/Bullet above 2200

·         On a regular basis play 20/40 min above 2100

·         Played 10000 (65 games/week) games with at least 8000 games within my opening repertoire (CM’s)

 I am currently working on my activities for year 1. I do hope I can postpone the 1 to 1 meeting to end of December or beginning of January. I would like to think through the activities. I do not mind if the meeting with a GM will mirror my first meeting with my golf coach if the result will be as good.

Hope I have put the gun to my head!

/Göran

Hello Sir!

Interesting! Sir, I wanted to ask that isn't Gun near head a Fear motivation (which may increase stress) ? I read somewhere that the best way to work is to work not to achieve some goals but to work as a matter of Duty. It said something like 'If we stop working then our body (both physical and mind) will start dying. So we should work not only to achieve some things but work as a matter of duty.' 

Sir, your views of this?

I loved the blog And the pictures

Benko after e3?

Good day guys. Is it possible to enter Benko after d4Nf6c4c5e3... ? Thank you

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Are there any Chessmood openings which enter or follow this line ?

3.e3 is covered in the Benko course in the section about rare 3rd moves: https://chessmood.com/course/benko-gambit/episode/45. 3.e3 isn't a critical line and black has a number of good continuations.

Must Know Endgame Theory Bishop Pawn

Is it just me, or was that video (Q Vs P bishop's pawn) a little unclear. I know the material well already, so I know what to look for, but did others who are less familiar require the stalemate position to be actually shown rather than inferred to get the main point across, and a demonstration of the stalemate with the king on the wrong side hurrying to the corner. Just think on that video it could have been more explicit and I had to go back to check the main point had been made. Otherwise a good course.

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New article: Theoretical Rook Endgames - All you Need to Know U2000 Level

11-year-old GM Gabuzyan was playing in the Armenian Youth Championship. 
 

He had trained hard for it. And everything was going as planned. 

A win in the final game would make him the champion and give him a chance to play at the World Youth Championship. That was his biggest dream at this point of his life.
 

Only 1 thing stood between him and the championship cup – a Rook endgame!

And then he got a winning position… Alas, he failed to spot the win, and eventually the game ended in a draw.
 

It was disheartening. However, on the bright side, it made him more determined to improve. So he went to his coach who helped him lay the foundation for a strong Rook endgame.
 

In today’s article, GM Gabuzyan shares the very same things his coach taught to build his understanding of Rook endgames.
 

These include the most important positions and concepts that are enough for players below 2000 rating to know.
 

Read the full story 👇
https://chessmood.com/blog/rook-endgames

And you can share your thoughts with us under this forum thread.

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Hello Gabuzyan Hovhannes, absolute brilliant explanation and visualization! Thank you!

Pawn strategy course?

Would be a useful course for 1700+ players. Pawns are so versatile there is so much that can be written, and many players make mistakes. Take this lesson snippet from Coach Andras - how many would make some of the same mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM1rcDvpuwc A pawn (move) can be positive: Attack a piece causing it to move away Attack/control a square stopping pieces occupying Provide a support to an outpost Open files for rooks Open diagonals for bishops Provide cover for pieces behind it Remove the opposing king's cover Close opponent's lines Make opponent's bishop bad Distract a blocking pawn / breakthrough Exchange or offer exchange of opponent's pawns to help pieces or bring in pieces Weaken opponent's structure Split the board into two Prevent pieces escaping or trapping them Diverting pieces to stop them advancing further But a bad pawn (move) can sometimes irreversibly: Weaken our structure Close lines and/or make our bishop bad Get in the way of lines of attack Expose/weaken our king Leave weak squares Prevent escape of our own pieces from attack / traps Open the board unfavourably Close the board unfavourably Require defending by pieces or unfavourable pawn moves leaving other places weak Often there are a lot of strategic decisions to make with pawns: Sacrifice it? Leave it? Defend it (pawn or piece)? One or two squares forward? One, two, three, four pawns in the centre? Form a fianchetto? Gain space on the flank(s)? Bolt-hole for our king, and which one? Capture towards the centre or away? Open, closed, semi-open position? There is the valuation of different pawns such as centre pawns tend to be more valueable so pawn exchanges are often unequal (GM Arkell in Arkell's endings IIRC notes his strategy is to value the pawns from least to most valueable a,b,c,d,e,f for the types of positions he plays) There is the well trodden but often misunderstood cases of the backward, doubled, tripled, isolated and dispersed pawns which often make players miss good moves because they naturally shy away from forming these structures. Forming pawn duos as a preference to leaving a hole, but there again there is the stonewall saw-tooth. The theory of more pawn islands is usually bad. The gambit opening. Then there are the well know pawn structures - carlsbad, IQP, french advance, KID, benoni variations, hippos, etc. As well as a whole host of other openings which while many covered in chess structures is too advanced for many players Then there are the typical kings positions (fianchetto, h-pawn advanced 1, fianchetto + h-pawn advanced 1 or 2, advanced f-pawn, advanced g pawn with h-pawn advanced 1), and several qside additions Then there are the different types of centres and strategies around them Finally the interplay between pawns and pieces (good/bad bishop, outposts, opening files for rooks), colour complexes and weak strong squares caused by pawn moves and when to probe such weaknesses. Certainly a lot of ground for one or two courses, not to mention strategy in general, which is only sporadically covered in the classical games and daily lessons.

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Agreed. There is much to know about pawns, structures, roles in play, etc. A deep course in pawn play/strategy would be welcome and hopefully Avetik is aware of this.

Yes, this is indeed a good topic for thought and we took note of it for the future. Thanks!

Great stuff, I'm studying Mauricio Flores Rios - Chess Structures - A Grandmaster Guide book atm and would highly recommend it, I think it's one of the best for this topic

Locked out of Videos ?

Could well be my end but if I go to a course module and click on it it states 'because of its privacy setting this cannot be displayed'. Basically white text on black screen . Any ideas as I cannot access the course materials ? I've tried logging out and in again but to no avail .

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Hey man, the same happened to me yesterday. Turns out it was my bitdefender antivirus extension in chrome, I just made an exception for chessmood and it worked fine. Could also be some ad-blockers, just turn off all chrome extensions and reenable them one by one to see what is causing an issue. Hope that helps.

Yes, please try with another browser to check it out and let us know. Also check your extensions in your browser please …

Using Knowledge In a Real Game

I have learned a lot of information and can solve the questions. When I play an actual match, I can't use it well. How to fix my problem?

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You need to be more specific. Can you provide some positions, given details of your thinking process.

Yes, please provide more details on what worries you and maybe we can be of some help Endo-san…🤠

New Course? Decision-making in chess :)

Hello ChessMood family, Are there any plans for adding a new course about decision-making in chess? 🥰

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In a way, every ChessMood course is about decision making in chess :-). What sort of thing would you expect to see in such a course?

Well, many of these concepts are being explained in the classical games, attacking games etc. Also the Middlegame roadmap will offer some light to some of these decisions but as Peter M said, chess is decision, every move is a decision… But we will think of course to do courses on pawn structures, etc. But it is not a priority for growing, we must be efficient with our time and focus on what should be better for our chess growth… 😀

Utilizing the Chessbase 16

Hi, my name is Joshua Tan from Malaysia, may i know any one of you can tell me more about how to use Chessbase 16,in its essential forms?

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Hi Chessbase has a lot of features. Maybe an easy way to get started is to look at the Chessbase tutorials. https://en.chessbase.com/products/tutorials If there's something specific you want to know about it should be there. Rgds, Alex

'Win condition'

Another interesting one from Coach Andras, that is in an endgame find what we need to do to win, the 'win condition', then find moves to execute it. This fits with our endgame roadmap that we're working out where on the roadmap we are, then finding moves to do this. It could be used similarly in the middlegame to ask what would I do to improve my position, no doubt that and other things will be covered on the middlegame roadmap. On his example though, at first glance I didn't see how White playing Kf1 Ke2 allows him to carry out his plan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk6FnSgWGVo

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Note it doesn't mention the opponent's win condition which we should always have in mind. Quite often we get wrapped up in our own plans, particularly when winning we don't consider this and then get surprised. Again I suspect this will be covered in the WWP course.

In that example I'd consider playing Rd8 before Bb4. Seems natural to grab the file, and you can answer Kf1 with Rd2. Then play Bb4 and shuffle the Rook back to d3 to win b3 at your leisure. Although Bb4 Kf1 Rd8 Ke2 Rd2+ Ke3 Ra2 and the twin threats of Bc5+ and Ra3 look tough to deal with. Update: also note that the immediate Rd8 simply threatens to win a pawn with Rd4 since the f4 pawn can only be defended by g3 which allows Bxh3.