Chess forum by Grandmasters

Luck in Chess

How many percent do you think luck affects in chess? Do you consider yourself as a lucky player or not?

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I am never lucky in anything. I won every game by super efforts. No one gave me free points. On the other hand I lost my all games by blunders. So, I have no luck.

Chess is a game of some luck. I think because there is no 'inside' random element such as a die or what cards you are dealt, it's misunderstood as a game where luck doesn't figure (those that play poker will note that while bad cards are not something that can be controlled and ultimately could undo the best player, a fair part of the game is how those cards are played - a bad hand on its own isn't a problem if you can convince your opponents to fold).

Because playing perfect chess is beyond the human mind, and for at least sub-super GM is often more complicated that our skill level allows us to work out, there is a luck element.
Take a sharp position that neither side really know what's going on - one of two things might happen:
My opponent makes an error and I see it - and v/v
My opponent makes an error and I don't see it - and v/v

If I'd calculated some other line (when both lines looked appealing and there wasn't time to calculate both) and this means I would have/would not have seen the error, then there is luck/bad luck that I chose that line to calculate.

Another luck example is the opponent plays an opening I've been studying or falls into my pre-game analysis so I get a good position.

I do subscribe to the make your own luck point of view, but that is about being successful over many events (critical moment where the right/wrong decision factors highly) not just the one. The chance of success in any one particular event could be down to you, but it's a game of numbers (the better you are, the better prepared you are, the better state of mind you are in, the more events you'll succeed in overall and the better you'll play).

I think 40% of luck. Do I consider myself lucky? never :(

To-do list

Have you already read the last awesome article?

https://chessmood.com/blog/organize-your-day-organize-your-chess-journey

Do you have a To-do list already, if you don't have it yet, are you going to create?

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WEll I never create any to do list but on the other hand i love to write what I learnt everyday. 

Here is my daily chess updates files!

https://chessmood.com/forum/main-channel/daily-study-updates

I used to plan my day every day at night and put everything in my head. But that's only for the next day.

Now I will write down the monthly and weekly plans in a copy.

I have read the article, although I don't do any to do lists, I keep it all in my head. Also, find me in the sparring partners forum. I am searching for partners to practice chessmood openings.

I have a lot of experience with these and its a very good article.

Have been guilty of avetik syndrome feeling bad about not completing list!

Will post my chess one later today actually to see what people think

First Session!

Hello everyone! Today I played my first session of games and I played 7 games, 5+5 Time control!!

Can you guys guess my score?

PS. Its not very good ``(                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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may be 4?

Great! 

a

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Just as after 9.f3 (where we play 9…d5) we also should play 9…d5! after 9.h4, the plan with playing 8…Re8 was anyway to prepare d5 with e6, and now after 9.h4 we want to strike on the Kingside – h4 is very aggressive, White keeps his King in the center, at least for the moment, but h4 also weakens some squares on the Kingside (in particular g4). Play might continue 9…d5!, 10.exd5, Na5, 11.h5, Nxb3, 12.Nxb3, b5!

Krystof, it will be covered in the adv. section. A bit I covered in the last webinar.

P.S Please such posts upload in the PRO Members channel. 

Jobava 4. e3 5. h4 7. Qd2

In this line, the course notes:

After 8. gxf3 black is fine, e4 will be met by c6 and e6.

Is it possible to have a couple more moves here, or in particular what to do with the b8 knight in this position if c6 is needed to meet e4, and whether O-O is right after O-O-O.

Simon Williams (the Ginger GM) in his Jobava course gives this line, and notes that after 8... Nc6 (suspicious as a mistake since no c6), now 9. O-O-O O-O 10. e4 += 'comfortable for White, better development, piece placement and control over the centre, with moves such as Kb1 e5 and maybe Bh6'.

Also there is a model game if 8... O-O Navara - Bobras after 9. O-O-O and in the game 9... c5 is played (marked as ? with 10. dxc5 as +=). In the comments 9... c6: 'White is already well on top' and the line 10. e4 b5?! 11. e5 Nfd7 12. e6! fxe6 13, Rg1 is noted Black is in a mess and has lots of weaknesses.

What's the Chessmood suggestion?

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Hi, I am also interested in more info for this line. This year, I was crushed in 45m+45s game by White who was later banned (not related only to my game), most likely because he played with the help of the computer software.

That does not make the game less interesting as I was probably facing very good moves from the White side. I have some improvements to my game but still I do not find this line easy to play for Black.

Tactical vision problem

Hi guys! Currently I'm into a period where my tactical vision is quite off. I can't solve most of the puzzles like I used to do a month ago. Have you ever been in a situation like that? Any suggestions on how can I go forword this? thank you

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Being 'off' would my thread below on 'being in the zone' be useful?

Well first of all kindly tell your elo so I will try to answer you well. If you are pure beginner then it happens and you need to do a lot tactics and min one classic a day but if you are intermediate then I wanna know what kind of patterns you was solving and from where?

https://chessmood.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-tactical-vision We have a good article. Read it, it should help

Lucio, I would recommend you to check out the great software "CT-ART 6", it will help you to keep your mind in a good shape, even if you do just 10 minutes each day. 

I faced the same problem as you (I have the same elo rating in tactics). It has nothing to do with vision or decrease in your ability to solve tactics! It is probably a change in their algorithm and they have changed the rating of the puzzles.

A criticism of the TODO list

Recently there was the blog article on planning using TODO lists to help complete your study.

As I saw an article (below) relating to TODO lists, I thought I'd throw it into the discussion. This offers scheduling (allocating) time instead as an alternative idea for those that find TODO lists have some of the problems mentioned.

https://forge.medium.com/be-a-schedule-builder-not-a-to-do-list-maker-396096a7486a

Note that I don't believe in either method alone, other than for occasional use or hitting a deadline when there is the need to focus on specific tasks or time-box something. Both can be used together though (i.e. you schedule time for certain tasks on the TODO list). However for trying to work long term, neither works for me. A big part is finding what works which differs between individuals.

As explained in my reply to the TODO article, there are at least two components which scupper the best laid plans of TODO lists and schedules - realism of tasks and motivational hunger. I'm less motivated if there are enough unknowns, or the task is too large and unrealistic or not something I'm good at from past experience. [Note being able to cope here and being a 'can do' person is a great way to get ahead in a career since others will also shy from difficult ill-defined tasks]. Doing too much of something (or something is far more pressing or interesting at this moment) also means tasks won't get completed or we'll feel burned out trying to do them - you can only sprint for so long - small chunks often are usually better that marathon sessions just to get tasks over with. The hare and tortoise can be seen as an allegory for this.

So where does this leave chess. I wish I was saying it as someone who'd made a title and then I could say it with a little bit more authority, but as I'm too a learner at good amateur standard, the best I can do is draw parallels from what I've succeeded in. If you need to organise your time and tasks to get enough work done then by all means do it. Just make sure the tasks aren't trying to accomplish more than one or two small things at once (learning a 25 move variation in an opening you don't really know well when you aren't a strong player, is not that, remembering what options Black has after move 6, and what the rough plan to each, is). Make sure the tasks you are accomplishing are the important ones given the time you have (not missing simple tactics is more important than knowing all the openings even if you could accomplish that). Avoid information overload. Aim to do study often, make a habit of it, than cram for a week or two, get demotivated, forget it all, then try to restart next year. And remembering knowing is one thing, being able to demonstrate it on the board and win is the end goal.

Happy to be corrected by others that have got further than I.

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Certainly some good points in that article. In my working life and personal life for probably the last 10 years or so. I have run things based on my calendar, with scheduled time for certain projects etc.

There are weaknesses in this also, it often takes way more of your time to do a task than you would think. Or you are say working on something its super interesting and you want to investigate furthers but your schedule has another task in it etc. Generally I find if something takes your curiosity you need to work on it or investigate it fairly quickly. Otherwise that passion/intrigue goes and it becomes just another task on the list and can weigh you down.

I use a combination of both actually list and schedule. I have a general list broken down into what I want to do medium term, then for this month/week and day. Then those tasks blocked out in my calendar, trying to make sure I leave 1.5x the time i think it will take to complete it (often takes longer). I am not some master at this or anything, and often things don't go to plan. Just try not to beat yourself up when it doesn't.

Likely there is no perfect/magic formula as long as you dont spend all your time making lists and not actually doing! (some people I know do this)

I'm a list-maker: lists of things to do, lists of lists of things to do, and so on. The problem is that most of what goes into those lists, doesn't get done, as it's easy to list them without scheduling When they should be done.

I was also inspired by a similar article recently on using a calendar/time-table to schedule tasks. Everything goes into a TODO and then the most important and urgent ones get put on the schedule, a weekly schedule. This has helped me to make sure some things get done.

Another benefit of the schedule is that it sort of forces you to come to terms with the fact that you have Finite time and so very little of it. Also, with a schedule you realize that the little things also take time away from your main tasks. For me, just making coffee takes like 15 minutes. I hadn't realized this until I started making a schedule.

I do like Coach's suggestion of keeping annual, monthly, weekly TODO lists. I think that combined with a schedule of when the things will be done will help stay productive and focused.

Thanks from heart

Hello, champions, my dear ChessMood Family! 

Happy Thanksgiving! 
Many of you have not only joined ChessMood, but also helped me to grow it. 
Some of you have shared it with your friends, some of you helped morally and financially... 
Some of you just raised your ratings, which is the best compliment for me. 

I want to THANK YOU from my whole heart, for everything you have done for me and for ChessMood, at least for your trust. 

I wish you happy Thanksgiving!
Enjoy :) 

With best wishes 
GM Avetik 

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Thanks Avetik and you too.

To say this is a great site is an understatement, because it's truly interested in players' improvement, and has the material and events to facilitate that. Thank you for your time and effort.

Looking forward to seeing the rating improvements, I'm sure it will bring with some work on my part, finally taking me off the 1800-1900 plateau. Onwards and upwards.

Thank you very much @GM_Avetik_Grigoryan, @GM_Hovhannes_Gabuzyan and the rest of the team.

Thank you for all your hard work, the hard work we can see and the one we cannot see but we can feel.

Thank you for the high quality of the site and for not falling into the temptation of trying to provide too much content in little time, affecting its quality. 

Keep up the good work and let's keep growing together!

You are one of the first people I want to give my thanks to dear Coach!!!

Thanks for your unwavering devotion to your job and each of us personally!

Thanks for coach for amazing chess contents. Because of you I am sure 1000s of players are alive in chess including me. Have a wonderful day!

Thank you coach! This community is my favorite part of chess, to be honest.  I appreciate everything the whole team does and am grateful to all your hard work. 

I Have to say THANK YOU because the site is awesome and the quality of the videos is very easy to appreciate. 
I have been member of other sites (premium accounts) and you could feel watching some videos that  the authors spent no time on doing them 'analysing' them.. or that maybe they were just with the engine on while recording and just saying the first move that it appeared... I echoe what someone above said... don't fall in the temptation of quantitiy over quality, keep the great work and more members will come... finally I have to say that I started with Chessmood in August or smth like that and in November I played my best chess tournament ever! Maybe it was a coincidence but maybe not...

So I am sure that as soon as my 6 months membership are finishid I will renew for other 6 months... and keep telling my friends to join! 

Well, same success story with me! I can only say a BIG THANK YOU!

I started by pure curiosity, not believing that you can help me. I just said "ok, I will try it for a few months, if it works I am staying".

Happy thanksgiving coach! I wish you the best!

I'll cross $ 100.000 soon...

Just had a call with my favorite personal development coach... I'm thinking to invest another big sum in myself and join his coaching program.

 And I Just figured it out, that I'll cross the 6 figures I've spent on my education during my life.

 Do I regret a cent that I've spent?
 Yes. Once I bought stupid courses for 1000$ :D

 Dear ChessMood Family. Check out this article, if you haven't.https://chessmood.com/blog/the-must-learn-skill-to-skyrocket-your-growth-in-chess 

 It's your life, it's your chess journey... You decide.
#Make_Smart_Decisions

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Theme tournament: The Nightmare of the Rossolimo

So just what is the nightmare? If it's the common nightmare theme of seeing yourself turning up realising you've not studied enough, then finding out you've forgot to put on clothes and are in your underwear.... isn't that probably just reality?

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Attack against Caro- Kann Qc8 line

In our caro-kann opening Qc8 line , one of my opponent played 13.  ..... Nh5 after below moves order in a game against me.

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6

5. c3 Nf6 6. Bf4 Bg4 7. Qb3 Qc8 8. Nd2 e6

9. Ngf3 Be7 10. O-O Bh5 11. Rae1 Bg6 12. Bxg6 hxg6

13. Qb5 Nh5

what is this move ? is it some engine move or recent theory?

how  should  I plan my game after 13. .... Nh5?

need your kind comments.

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My opinion is that 13...Nh5  is a good move, but it doesn't change much if compared to 13...a6 or 13....Qd7.

The lines more or less transpose into each other and end up in positions where Black and White are equal.

Examples:

13...a614.Qd3 Nh5 15.Bg5 Qc7
13...a6 14.Qe2 Nh5 15. Be5 O-O

13....Qd7 14.h3 O-O 15. Qd3 Nh5
13....Qd7 14.Qd3 Nh5

13...Nh5 14.Be5 Qd7 15.Qd3 a5
13...Nh5 14.Bg5 a6 15.Qd3 Qc7

I think you can go 14.Bg5 trying to exch. the bad bishop. 
14.Be5 and 14.Be3 also looks interesting. 

Black's problem is their king. 

Scotch trap in the 'beginner' Nxd4 line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 d6 5. Nc3 Ne7 - Nf6 was covered in the course.

6. Bg5 seems the right idea and tries to gain concessions with f6 or h6, 6... Be6 8. O-O-O f6

And now the tempting 9. Bxf6? gxf6 10. Qxf6 Resigns?? Both of us had overlooked 10... Kd7! and now if 11. Qxh8?? Bh6+ and the queen is lost.

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Wow so interesting. Did you check it with the engine?

Wow! I liked Kd7, cool one :)

Strongest player that you won

The higher rated player you beat and what was the rating?

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In over the board play I have a victory vs someone rated 2200. 

In a simul, I have a victory vs our very own GM Gabuzyan. I also have a win on time in a simul vs Coach GM Avetik, but I was losing when he ran out of time (I did try to offer him a draw, but he didnt see it)

I also have a draw vs Yasser Sierawan in a simul

I have won 2 CMs in lichess Blitz Arenas. In classical I have drawn against a CM.

The best players I've beaten are rated around 2200, although it's not often that happens.

Took out two FMs one year at Hastings, and also a long while back had a win vs Cathy Forbes (WIM) on time. Titled players aren't invincible.

Do you mean OTB or online?

Where are you from?

Me- Armenia, Yerevan

Let's go!

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Arizona - United States

A suburb of Chicago.

Greece, Central Macedonia, Thessaloniki GMT +2

Unfortunately India

Indonesia. Gens Una Sumus. Thank you.

Again same :D

Missouri - USA :)

I live in San Francisco, was born in China.

Madrid - Spain

Goa- India!

Alipurduar, West Bengal, India, Asia, Earth, Milky Way, Universe. 

Hope that's enough LOL :)

Lagos, Nigeria

Oakland, California, United States

Originally from Yerevan, Armenia (went to school 119 until grade 8)

Chessmood Events

Hello All,

I have a few suggestions for Chessmood Events.

1. Streams: Can we have more SLP and WWP streams? In some of my games, I am unable to convert a winning position, especially if it's a complicated, tactical win. By the way, I also love those thematic opening tournaments and the common mistakes stream afterwards.

2. Special Events: Simuls only happen a few times a year and I missed today's one :(   So if possible, could we have more simuls? I have already played Coach Avetik, Coach Gabuzyan, and Coach Samvel, but the thrill of playing a GM never leaves! If that's not possible, there are a few more events that happened in the summer which I loved. One-on-one games with Coach Avetik and Coach Gabuzyan were my favorite. Another good one was the Pro members Vote Chess vs Coach Avetik.

3. Courses: I have been watching the new courses and I absolutely love them! My favorites are "In Gabuzyan's Mind" and "Commented Classical Endgames". Keep up the good work!

Thank You

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Myself, I'd like to see some longer streamed games with Chessmood openings. Perhaps 30 min games. The extra time can be used to discuss the middlegame positions, but also I think sometimes the opening whizzes through and a refresh on the theory or how to deal with something novel would be useful.

The 100 commented classical games course is really good, I bought that which is how I found Chessmood - if you need to understand positional chess better it's a great course - very much recommended for 1700-2000s that can fight well in dynamic positions, but are all at sea when it gets quiet. I'd also advise if you play e4 to look at the Scotch course. That's really good and I've been having really good results with it at blitz which I wasn't having with the Lopez. I'm looking forward to having lots of wins with it as soon as Covid ends and OTB chess restarts - look out opponents :)

Accelerated Dragon Question

In the following position from the accelerated dragon, does black just play Nxd4 cd4, Be6 and have a fairly equal game? Or am I misplaying this somehow? This is in the line with ...Qg5 and then white plays c3

FEN: r3r1k1/pp3pbp/2n3p1/3p2q1/3N4/1BP2PBb/PP4PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 2 15

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Hey Matt! 
Sorry, can't see the position. 
Can you add a PGN file, screenshot or give the link of the video? 

Best plan against sicilian : 1. e4-c5, 2.Nc3-e6, 3.f4-Ne7, 4Nf3-Nc6

Best plan against sicilian : 1. e4-c5, 2.Nc3-e6, 3.f4-Ne7, 4Nf3-Nc6

I think we can choose to play with g3... because I don't know where to put the light square bishop of white!

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There are some games in the database played with 5.g3. It looks pretty solid for Black. For example, one possible continuation:

5.g3 d5 6.d3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8.O-O O-O 9.e5 Rb8

Black seem perfectly fine here.

Well, all the suggestions are nice! 

I would play 4.g3 against the strange 3...Nge7. 
Why g3 first - to keep the Nh3 option. 

Question about Pawn Endgames course - video number 34

Hello everybody!

This may be a silly question, but I'm a bit confused about this, in the attached position, black to move.. the video says at 1:42, "black is keeping the distant opposition and plays Kd7". I understand the idea in the video, but my question is this: at this point, isn't white who actually has the distant opposition? (since it's black to move). I'm not trying to nick-pick the video at all, just trying to see if my understanding is correct. I've been watching the previous section on distant opposition again, but I feel I get the same idea.

Thanks!

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That's why we call it distant opposition, if the kings were on e5 and e7 then if black moves the king it will be lost, because you're losing the opposition, but now we have a distance and if white wants to win they need to bring the king forward, so we have to take control of this, when white plays Kd4 we have to meet with Kd6, if white plays Ke4 we have to meet with Ke6 after which black takes the opposition and the position is gonna be draw. After 1...Kd7 if white plays 2.Kd3 we have to play Ke7 and keep the distance. we are waiting opponent to bring the king forward then we are taking the opposition.

You are right. White has the distant opposition. But it's worthless because it cannot be transformed into the regular opposition. 

Well, maybe both are keeping the "COVID" distance? :D :D 

Interesting Rook and Pawns Ending

I have played a long 45m+45s game today with White, Rossolimo that came out of Closed Sicilian.

The above position happened when we had both approximately 3min time left:

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My opponent offered a draw. I didn't accept and played a tricky move 1.b4!? instead. My opponent run out of time. Surprised, I asked "What happened?"

His PC blocked and was not able to move. Later we discussed what we would have played.

1...axb4?! 2.Rxc5 Ra3?! 3.a5 b3?  Both axb4 and Ra3 are not the best moves, but only after final b3 Black is lost.

4.Rb5! Kd7 5.Kb7? Now it is a draw again.

Can you figure it out why the final position is a draw and what should have been played instead of 5.Kb7.

Rossolimo with Nc3 and c4

I played 30m+30s game today. Rossolimo with Black. In the Nc3 line I played the c4 move recommended by the ChessMood. My oponent played h3 and after cxd3 cxd3. Afterwards, I struggled to find a right plan for black. 

My oponent got out of opening better (I missed b4 move) and I was blocked on the King side and depressed on the Queen side. Luckily he launched prematurely a King's side attack, and I was able to get out of troubles and in the end I won the game.

My question is, "What plan would you choose after 8.cxd3?" Perhaps there is a better plan then 6...c4. My enegine actually gives ?! to the c4 move.

In general I find Rossolimo not to be an easy opening for Black. Space is limited and if you don't position your pieces correctly, you can easily be stuck as it happened in my game.

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In general I think you played very nice game, maybe some small mistakes, but I liked the way that you played.

Plans after cxd3 which I feel. I may be wrong but I am just sharing what my thought process is saying. Rest coach @GM_Avetik_Grigoryan will answer well!

I feel like you have ideas such as exert pressure on the backward d3 pawn with heavy pieces. You also have bishop pair so i don't mind if white open up the game it will favour me. If possible cement a knight on d4 and kill him on the dark squares. I feel like white's dark squares are so weak so you can target them. I also feel like f4 is also weak square so you can play something like Nf6- Nh5 Be5 and dominate those dark squares. You can also include g5 somehow to exert pressure on dark squares.

This is what I feel. 

About issue in Rosolimmo. I just wanna say may be you are new in this opening like I am but I never ever faced any issue facing Bb5. I feel so comf even in main lines so I think you just need more practice so you will start feeling the positions well and then you will be alright!

Robert after 8.cd3 I think you have a wonderful position! 
Free two bishops advantage and also White might get problems with d3 pawn. 
It looks very logical to think about plan, or even a move right now like 8...c5! and then at some point b6,Ba6, putting pressure on opponent's pawn on the.  

Maybe even c5 and then e5! so White's d3 pawn will be there forever weakness.