Chess forum by Grandmasters

Moodcoins

What can we do with MoodCoins? 1000= 1$ but what do we do with it? What is $1?

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We can't convert moodcoins into real money, but the main usage of them is to buy the courses or have a pro membership in very special circumstances.

Time control

How much time do you spend on studying chess? Are you sure you spend it effectively? 

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More than 10 hrs. Yes, I am.

I made it short because I do not want to bloviate.

Recent Chess study

Hi all,

I attached a picture of a recent puzzle on ChessMood that I could not figure out.  I know Black is threatening to play Bf1 and then promoting his h2 pawn.  But I don't see what White can do to defend.  I doubt White can mate, so the best seems to try for a stalemate.  If he could lure the new Black queen to f6, that would be splendid, but I don't see how.   Thanks in advance - Sarathi

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Hey Sarathi,

You have already recognized an important idea of Black: playing Bf1 and then promoting the h-pawn!
But White can get a draw (of course no chance to win for White!), not with a stale mate trick, but by trapping the new black Queen!

1.Rc1? (a waiting move on the 1st rank, as the white Rook must stay on the 1st rank to prevent h1=Q) would not work , 1…Bf1!, Rc7 (planning Rh7, hoping to trap the new Q), h1=Q, Rh7, Bc4+!! (intermediate move to allow the black Queen to escape on the 1st rank), Kg7, Qf1-+

Therefore, White first needs to move his King to the dark square h8, so that the black Bishop has no check any more):

1.Kh8!, Bf1, Ra7! (planning Rh7), h1=Q+, Rh7!, Qg1, Rg7+ and next Rxg1= (winning the new Queen for the Rook) 

This was the only puzzle that I spent too much time on it. It was not easy to find because subconsciously you don't want to put your king under the check, so at first Kh8 move even doesn't come to your mind

2850 in chess.com

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How did you start

How many years are you playing chess and how old were you when you did your first steps?

I was 6. I've learned moves from my uncle and started to study by his recommendation.

How was your story? :)

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Chess used to be shown on TV. Play Chess was a programme presented by GM Hartston that was on during the school holidays, and also there was coverage of the Kasparov Karpov matches which I was interested in but never had a push to go play. Took it up properly much later when I found out about clubs and tournaments (shouldn't have to find out about these things they should be more encouraged). Mind you if I'd been playing chess more often rather than being on my computer I might not have had a well paid career, so I suppose I took the right path.

Certainly I think having 10-20 minute chess programmes on TV as filler would help the intelligence of population far more than the umpteenth repeat of Cash I Found In the Basement While Baking Something In A House I Bought In the Country.

I was 5 when my father tought me to play chess, because he was tired of me beating him at checkers.

However, I didnt start studying the game till I was 22 years old or so

At the age of 16, now I am 23. Learnt from my dad and 7 years old kid. Found first mentor in 2017 and was improving but due to life issue I left chess for two years and in the beginning of this year I was like a novice but I worked well from march to now and gained almost 1600 elo level. 

Chess Rating

What is your current Fide elo rating?  if you don't have then at lichess or chess.com.

What was your highest performance and when?

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2222 is my current rating, I can't remember my highest, but it was about 2260

FIDE     1465 and it's my highest.

online chess.com 2134 blitz and lichess 2202 blitz. Now I am back to 2000 on chess.com and 2130 on lichess. Yeah right now my rating is not speaking how well I am studying but I am sure soon it will because in past coach told me when we install too much in little amount of time then it takes time for our brain to apply those concepts in our games. So, I am just waiting for that moment when my ordinary brain will find those pattern heheeh.

Sometimes I hate rating system. Strong players ignore lower rated players and don't even like to talk with us. On theother hand some strong players are so kind  to help players like me. For example my two training partners have level of 2000+ FIDE  but still they work with me. Example is @Jay_Garrison. This man is boom for my chess. People also selling themselves. Even GMs. I don't wanna mention the name of GM but he texted me on fb and asked me how I got 22k member group on fb. Then I told him my approach of helping people in best way. I made a lot comments. Replied to more than 1000 people and then they joined me and my group grew. GM texted me for marketing purpose. All time he cried in front of me for sales sales sales. Then in the end he said to me why I am helping people ? They don't even watch your content. Then it made me angry because I was helping beginners so I left him.  Yes he is GM but I call those kind of GMs only fool. Money is not everything. Once I will achive my goals I will help more people and for free too. 

Οn lichess I am 1898 bullet, 1867 blitz, 1843 rapid and 1760 classical. On chess.com 1816 bullet, 1749 blitz, 1690 rapid. 

Carlsbad Ideas- Let's Debate

Hi, today I played a nice game of Carlsbad. I know it was blitz but I was well prepared for the main lines so I had no issue with time control. My question is how do you play as black in Carlsbad? In my game black made a commitment by playing c6. I think it gave me additional option of long castles. Instead of this c6 I prefer more Nbd7- Qc2- Re8 idea to play Nf8 and later decide play c6 or direct c5. 

The problems of c6 was that black will have to lose a tempo in playing c5 and this tempo is sufficient for white to advance his forces in the queenside. Also if black follow general plan of Nbd7 then Re8 Nf8 and white thinks ok let's castles long (which he can if he wants to) then black have additional idea of Be6 Rc8 and direct c5 and hope for active counterplay against white's king.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/5494218858

Some thoughts about my game now:

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playing c6 is more precise. As black you do not want to castle too early, but if you do not go for c6 you do not have enough wating moves

Take a look at this game and you will see the problem with early commitment with c6. Yes, I am not saying your idea is wrong but I wanna know more. Because whenever I play these lines and black commit early c6 then I like this long castle idea and only b5 plan can be super complex for white to handle but even there white can use the c5 outpost for his knight. So, it's gonna be interesting to know more about this structure.

Now take a look at the game played between Timman and Boris Spassky. Here black delayed c6 because he was waiting for white to show his cards and when white castled then he went for c6 and his plans. On the other hand if white castles long then black can get nice counterplay with Be6 Rc8 and c5

Yes, level of player is not so high but another victim of early commitment with c6

https://lichess.org/ui6d7PdIlPBT

Guys where are you????

T K sure sir, add me on lichess abhi_mary_1997

No one posted any update?

Arkell's Endings (book or video form) has a fair bit of discussion on the minority attack.

Here as we can see white castled long and black haven't made the move c6 so now the plan of Be6-Rc8- c5 is more effective. I was right that early commitment with c6 is not so good. Do you guys agree ?

Scotch 4... Qh4 5... Bc5

The coverage probably should look at 5... Bc5, the second most common reply to Nb5 as it's not so simple.

After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bc5

There is a spot mate now on f2. Two moves now Qf3 and Qe2 to defend against that with over 100 games in each.

6. Qe2 Qd8  - now whose queen looks silly? if 7. Qg4 Kf8 8. Nxc7 Qxc7 9. Qxg7 Bxf2 10. Kxf2 Nxe4 11. Ke2 Qe5 +=

Even 6. Nd4 here 7. Nxd4 Bxd4 and while the computer thinks White is better here, the Queen is a problem on e2, c3 makes it problematic to develop the queen side, Nd2-f3 is two moves while the e-pawn is going to be attacked and White has a while to castle, and 8. g3 Qf6 9. c3 messed up the queenside and is the sort of position tactical cavemen (the sort that have played hundreds of Qh4 in blitz) like to play that is losable with a small slip.

6. Qf3 looks better, if Nd4 (Ne5?? 7. Qf4!) 7. Nxd7 Kd8 8. Qf4 Nxc2 9. Kd1 Qxf4 10. Bxf4 Nxa1 11. Nxa8 d6 (to prevent a rescue attempt that would happen after Bxf2) 12. Nc3 Ne7 and it looks complicated even if White is better as simple obvious moves such as f3 lead to equality if the computer is to be believed.

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Hey David,

I just checked the line that you wrote, I don't think it's really complicated, because the position will end like you will take the knight on a1, he will take the knight on a8, then you will have a better pawn structure and the d6 pawn will be weak, your pawn on e4 definitely much better. Maybe you also have a chance to go immediately Nb5 and attack on d6 pawn.

In the advance section I believe the reccomendation is as follows:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Be2 Qxe4 7. Nb5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Kd8 9. 0-0

With lots of compensation for the pawn.

Tactical Game

Hey guys,

Let's post our best tactical checkmates here :)

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Carlsbad- Boom for my Positional Play!

Well, a lot players in our chessmood family are experts and some are learning classics.  In case of me I am just addicted to study of Carlsbad. I feel full of energy when I see this structure and analize games of this structure. I am still learning so a lot mistakes I have to solve. Here is an interesting position. How many of you know this position and plans for both sides? Guess who played this !? Ne2 N in a game. Please don't check database.  

I am now a days working on my base files on Carlsbad Stru. My plan is to dive deeper into the positions and see min 200 classics based on all the themes. 

In the second pic you guys can see I am arranging my base file based on themes and in the bottom I am pasting a lot commented games so I can easily understand ideas. I know basics of all the themes already so looking at 200 or may be 500 games in a month wont be a big task for me. I am saying See not analize. Rest study I do with my partners. 

Note: I am also studying with chess partners different things like middlegames books, pawn structures book, endgames  and opening training games too. Alone I like to work on this str. a lot.

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As many of you know I wanna study positional chess. So the reason behind my love for this str is that it was the first str. I studied in depth and still I am learning new ideas. So I just love it. Two days ago I was analizing a chess game of Petrosian and in that game suddenly I forgot that the str. is carlsbad but soon I realized that it is and then what happened? We both found all the right plans of Petrosian in a bullet speed. It was the Starting position. Here I felt like looks like it's carlsbad and then I realized oh true it is and then with my training partner @Devansh_Shah we studied whole game and saw all the ideas in less than an hr. 

Guys, if you have any story like that about your love of pawns structures of anything then share it. I will be happy to enjoy your study stories.

very famous idea by Magnus, he basically refused the seemingly bulletproofed 6.Bf5 in a great game against Kramnik

Chatroom

Hi friends,

Is it a good idea to add a Chatroom to Chessmood website?

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We can have that but what is the purpose exactly?

Kourosh, this is something we are trying to create. 
But we're missing good developers. 
If you know anyone, please refer us. 

what are the advantages of the chatroom? 

7. f3 Modern Maroczy with Bd3 Ne2 Nf4 and h4

I apologize if this has been asked before but in the course, the line ends with the suggestion to play Nc5, a5, with ideas of Rc6-Rb6, Ra8, perhaps with the idea of pushing a4. However, when white starts pushing his kingside pawns with h4, I found in a training game that I had to play h6 (in the attached position).

Attaching the game, I was unable to come up with a freeing plan for black at the board. So this position after h4 in the attached diagram probably needs some analysis. Any tips on how to play this position are welcome. Thanks!

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Never mind the terrible f5 and everything that followed in severe time pressure, this was a 5s increment game (though I can't blame the clock, the tendency to make something happen even when not warranted is strong in me, something I'm trying to fight against). :)

Hey Vishnu! 
Yeah I know Gopal of course. We had a match with him, when I was in the USA. 
Vishnu, as we talked during the call, your goal should be now to learn the missing openings very fast, understanding the ideas, and spend time on the middlegame. 

Please, don't be trapped, and go to learn openings in-depth that 2400+ should do :) 

Avetik 

Chess Psychology

What is something you need to "let go" of to progress?

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Letting go is a vast concept

maybe just my smartphone :D

Model games in the "Caro Kann "

Hello, champions! 

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Scotch Game question

Scotch Game 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3,d4 ed 4.nd4 bc5 5.Nb3 bb6 6.Nc3 a5 what to play after a5 ?

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It's an uncommon line but I think here we are forced to play a4. My first thought was Qe2 but it allows a4 and black is faster. So just a4.

Now if Qf6 then Qe2 follow by Be3 looks logical to me

If Nf6 then Qe2 looks ok for me then castles allows Bg5!

If d6 Nd5 Ba7 Be3 looks logical to me

I hope it will be helpful for you. Rest coach knows better than me. 

How about Nd5 immediately? Winning bishop pair and preventing an easy Nf6 (due to Bg5). With exchanging on b6 and playing Nd4 if black pushes a4?

I just started watching Scotch, I don't know if this move a5 is there or not, I checked it with the engine for more than an hour and here's the result, but it's better if Avetik tells you which move and which idea to choose and Why. 

CHong, you can still go 7.a4 
But the biggest downside of 6...a5 is 7.Bb5!

And then after Nf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bg5! 

Thanks for the idea coach and everyone.

Super article on tactics

Another EXCELLENT article on tactics by coach Avetik Grigorian!

Kasparov?

Naaah!

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Kasparov is also great. He made Magnus to 2800. I hope my history knowledge is right. But at present Coach Avetik is the most amazing mentor I have ever met online.

Who knows Kasparov was a great coach or Magnus was so talented :D

Haha :)))) 
Thank you very much, guys )) 
But comparing me with Kasparov, is too much ))) 
I should still eat too much cheese and bread for comparing myself with Kasparov))) 

Suggestion for making a structured and typical study plan for ChessMood Pro members

Dear coach,

Thanks for providing world-class chess coaching and materials for affordable price via ChessMood. It is boon for both the armatures and the professional players of all levels right from novice to Masters.

I have a suggestion. Kindly ignore it if I am wrong.

As I mentioned earlier all the world’s top class materials prepared by experienced GMs through their research, on opening middle game endgame are accessible to ChessMood Pro-members. In that GMs explained all the concepts and theories very well and also showing how to implement in the game via streams. I request you to make a typical monthly study plan to cover all the studies in a pre-determined time span as per coach’s advice.

For example:

Month-1

1.e4 against all openings other than 1…e5and1…c5(french,caro-kann, philidor, pirc, modern, Scandinavian, petroff, Alekhine) (sidelines)

Commented classical games 1-15

Classical attacking games

PawnEnd game

streams

Month-2

1.e4 against 1…e5( Attack with scotch)

Commented classical games 15-30

Classical attacking games

PawnEnd game

Streams

Month-3

1.e4 against 1…c5 ( Anti-Sicilian 2.Nc3)

Commented classical games 30-45

Classical attacking games

PawnEnd game

Streams

Month-4

Sicilian sidelines, Rossolimo, Maroczy bind, and modern maroczy bind

Commented classical games 45-60

Classical attacking games

Rook Endgame

Streams

Month-5

Accelerated Dragon

Commented classical games 60-75

Classical attacking games

Rook Endgame

Streams

Month-6

 d4 sidelines and against 1.c4

Commented classical games 75-90

Classical attacking games

Rook Endgame

Streams

Month-7

Benko Gambit

Commented classical games 90-105

Classical attacking games

Minor piece endgame

Streams

Apart from this, you may assign some more tasks in each month viz. puzzle solving also

Thank you.

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I'm not sure how that would help beyond motivation to do something by a certain time. It might be useful to know roughly how long each course should be worked on (beyond the time of playing the videos), but everyone is different. Most people have limited time and motivation wanes, so getting the 'best bang for your buck' i.e. using most of your time to work on the things that are holding you back now will get you further than trying to study everything over the course of months but not fixing the fundamental problems of why you are losing.

My advice is coming at your from a 1900 player who has been trying to get above 2000 for a long while, but I understand why most of my weaker opponents (1500s) lose games against me (or I escape with a draw rather than lose, usually because I mess up, not them outplay me). If one's tactics are awful (basic pawn endgames and basic rook endgames too), working on them is going to help big time, particularly if most longer games end up with a blunder of something or missing an 'obvious' win someone of a sightly higher rating would have seen.

While I'm enjoying the classical openings course, I'm not sure it's quite as useful for someone 1500 who is losing because they miss tactics, can't play basic endgames and lack the wrong mindset (play drawish, solid openings, same structure every time and don't set the opponent any real problems). Strategy beyond the basic ideas (rook on 7th, bishops better in open positions, knights on the rim are [can be] dim, etc) isn't needed so much there. It's a gold mine for me though coming in around 1900 because even though tactics are often deciding games, having playable and easier to play positions than your opponent counts for a lot and gives the opportunity for tactics to be in your favour. You aren't losing (usually!) because you missed a knight fork or couldn't draw a basic pawn ending.

So I think to put a plan of study that is to be followed by a group of people (even if banded by ratings) is probably not useful. Pro members get a 1-1 call with a GM (I've not had one myself so can't comment on how good it is), but without your own coach that is probably the best place to put a plan together (particularly if they look at a few of your games to try to get a common theme on what will do you the most good in the time you have).

Isn't this the point of the 1-1 call with GM avetik to come up with a study plan?

I think serious players need change in study plan after every 60 days. 2 month for a study plan is ok and then new study plans will be useful for serious players.

My study plan was.

Learn classics. 

Work on tactics

Work on chessmood openings.

Work on basic endgames

I did all this already and still I am working on them because I am not master yet.

Everyone is different, but if this plan works for you then I definitely think you should stick to it! Please let us know how it goes as you progress :)

Matt

Benko Gambit Declined best games (Coach Avetik)

Hi GM Avetik

I am going over Benko Gambit opening, but I still have a hole/gap in my understanding and database where your best Benko Gambit Declined games are still missing!

Remember, I asked for your best Benko Gambit Declined games quite some while ago and you said you would look a few up for me? How did that go? Did you find or play some Benko Declined games? I hope you did and can post one or two  of them for me to learn from!  Also, of course, these would be useful for everyone!

Alright, I look forward to any help you can give on this and I also look forward to doing the Chess Mood Benko course more fully now. COGRO!

Right mood, right move & no hoodie blunders!

Many thanks & best wishes ;-)

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Richard, I might miss questions posted in the main channel. 
Please, if you want be sure, that your question is answered, post in the "PRO Members" channel. 

I'm working on the Benko declined course. 
There are many many declines. 
Can you clarify, in which you're struggling most. 

Anyway, I'm sure you miss most our streams, during which we covered all the sidelines many times :) 

We can collect and filter all games of our coaches (Avetik, Gabuzan, Zaven, etc) in OFFLINE and ONLINE (Chess.com and LICHESS) that use this Opening (Benko Gambit) as Black... and learn how they handle and play this opening very well!

Thank you.

Problem in Classical Games, game 56 Larsen-Spassky

At around 4:20 Chessbase messes up and the d2 pawn is not replaced when the move is retracted and the Nb1 also temporarily disappears. Probably easily fixable by overlaying on the video.

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Oh... Our bad... A strange technical issue. 

Scotch Model games| 2 hour material is added

Hello, champions! 

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Very cool, thanks for this. A demonstration that the site is about helping people improve, not just about getting subscribers. Count me in!

What will be the next tournament and roughly when - i.e. what should we look at next?