Chess forum by Grandmasters

French Attack - Exchange Variation featuring Bb5

I've come across this Bb5 move during a number of blitz games recently (in the midst of various exchange variation move orders). I took a look back on the videos, but do not believe this Bb5 move for white was covered in the French Attack videos. Any recommendations on what to play against this move? (Or will another video be released for this move?)

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5. Bb5 was my old White repertoire, too. Taken from Christof Sielecki Keep it simple 1. e4. And since IM Sielecki is quite popular on Chessable and YouTube, you will face this line quite frequently at lower and intermediate levels.

Dear Joseph, this is a simplifed course and as such we can't cover every move. (Otherwise it would not be simplified). Everything will be dully covered in the main French course.
Then in he full course, if we miss and important variation we will gladly add it or correct it, but please understand that it cannot be done in the simplified course. We want to provide a simple opening rep. to get started :) 

Chessmood - French for Black

Hi, Yesterday I encountered this move order: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.exd5. This throws us outside of our Chessmood Repertoire. Against the Exchange we normally go for a Nge7 setup. Not that this move order causes any trouble for Black, but how would you respond?

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Just 4. ... exd5. The downside of White's move order is that now the c-pawn is blocked.

Doubt in the Benko Gambit course

I have a doubt in the below position. Why not c4 idea Nd3? In the game Qa6 was played with some same ideas.

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Another doubt in the same section. Image below. Why not here Ra4? preventing Ne3. 

Sidhart we cannot see the pictures. Can you post them again?

Hey Sid in Benko we normally try and exchange the queens to gain better endgame and we must always try and do it if we get an opportunity to do so and abt that Ra4 move even I had this doubt earlier and I find it good , I really don't know why ra4 was not played

Thanks for the updating the pictures. Now we can see them. I asked Gabuzyan to reply to you, we will get back to you soon.

Black pawns are connected and great ..the moment it reaches c4 alone it could potentially become weakness .unless there are clear advantage can be seen we want to keep it in c5 . exchanging queen is simple here and reduces white's coordination ....white queen does well in keeping white pieces together and better in Benko , if we can trade Black queen almost every time it favors us  

Hi Sidharth,

For position 1 there is a specific logic. C4 is a move that is being played sometimes. But it's good up to my opinion if we can avoid it. The thing is on c5 it's protected and is formulating a strong pawn chain. Controlling d4 square. If the bishop of white goes to e3 it's limited by c5 pawn. Knight can never go to c6 square from b4 or d4 squares. 

Meanwhile, once you play c4 it may become a subject of an attack and is losing so many benefits for black. It's just smarter to trade of the queens and focus with all pieces on the queenside pawns.

To summarise c4 is possible, but if we can we should try to avoid playing it.

For position 2 Ra4 I would say is a nice alternative and seems to me that can be played as well.

Love these questions!

Webinar: Attack with opposite colored bishops

Dear Champions,

We finished our webinar about: Why and how to attack with opposite-colored bishops.

Here I am attaching the slide with the main points that we discussed.

If you still have any questions you are welcome to ask here :-)

Good luck!

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Opposite square bishops in attack, couple of my games

Hiya! While waiting for today's lecture on OSB in attack, I checked if I had OTB games with this theme over the last year and sure enough these 2 fits the bill I think. Hopefully would be useful for someone ? https://www.chess.com/a/22rubAeQ6ZT2S https://www.chess.com/a/23kdkTGhCZT2S

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I think this is the position one should start thinking how to attack with White in the first game

,2nd game - Black to move. How to organise the attack?

new alapin sicilian section

If i am not wrong you have a section about the alapin sicilian for black in the part about the anti sicilian and on complete alapin for black course. What is the reason? I am very happy with this but i asked why there 2 sections

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Hey :) You will find more informations here: https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-channel/sicilian-alapin-2c3

Thinking Process

This was mentioned in the Q&A session, so I guess there will be a blog or even a course on thinking at some point? Right now is there any advice to nurture a good thinking process say for the 1800-2200 FIDE range of player in long play especially? (i.e. that will be the rating of most of the opponents) I believe I compensate a more structured thinking process by longer time controls, meaning I use a lot of time and in shorter time controls am more prone to blunder. Avoiding structure can have its benefits in terms of creativity as well and not being in a psychological position that you're reacting to the opponent, particularly when you have the initiative, and if the opponent has serious threats or ways to combat the plan that didn't come to mind when the opponent moved, they are noticed later in the thinking. Also in OTB there is the time where the opponent picks up and moves the piece which often alerts one to their threats, where as online it's instant so it must be remembered to check what the move just did. One the common faster time control blunders as time gets low is getting over-focused on an idea and forgetting to consider what is happening elsewhere and what the opponent is doing. This happened during the play the GM event where I forgot about my kingside pieces assuming they were still untrappable. Maybe this is rigor of thinking process or just pressure under time (slow browser wasn't helping either). Does trying to stick to a rigid process help as a checklist here (i.e. check what your opponent played, what are they trying to do, is it a blunder, how does it affect your plans, ...). The problem is such checklists can either be exhaustive and so not practical, or trite and obvious. The trade-off in low time (one sided) is missing potential aggressive options as you're more focused on what the opponent is doing?

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Hi David, I am attaching a screenshot of my thinking process cheat sheet for OTB. Somehow copy-paste into message doesn't work :( The checklist items are listed in chronological order. I would start at the top and proceed to the end of the list. In case of shorter time controls, you can do just a few items (bold )from the list. Which ones? Depends on the needs of the position. P.S. - Is there anything that I have missed?

Interesting topic! I will be very interested to hear what Avetik and/or Gabuzyan have to say about the subject. When I read David's post the thing that sprung to mind was Jacob Aagaard's four types of decisions (automatic, simple, critical, strategic). What I've heard (from his interviews) and read (in Thinking Inside The Box) about this makes pretty good sense to me. Regarding my own playing at longer time controls I'm definitely not a fan of checklists, with the exception that I try to force myself to do a quick blunder check (checks & captures) before making a move. I'm a big believer in tapping into your intuition and combining this with explicit reasoning and concrete analysis to choose a move. If a move doesn't feel right, then you'd better double check your logic before deciding to play it! Sometimes a move will start to feel right only after you've looked at a few variations.

On the subject, this book has just been published https://chess.co.uk/products/think-like-a-super-gm-michael-adams-philip-hurtado which compares the thinking of various levels of players when solving around 40 puzzles. This also might be a good format for an event, where a GM thinks about test positions which have already been recorded being thought about by several Chessmood members of various levels. The final video is made by combining the event with the videos of the participants with a section or two on suggestions how to think and analysing the differences between the various levels.

One more doubt Sir..

What if he plays london system with c4 instead of c3.. Delaying c3.. For eg d4 Nf6 Bf4 g6 e3 d6 Nf3 Bg7 h3 O-O and then he plays c4 instead of c3. And then After tht I need to know how to continue for black if he plays c4 followed by Nc3 or Nbd2

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Sir I didnt get any reply for this question

Hi Sreenath,

That is a playable position and not a very concrete line. Usually, I am trying to make their ideas with e5 to fight for the center.
As well if possible we can still try to get the opponent's dark-squared bishop.

English_Botvinnik System

Hy everyone, tomorrow I'll have a OTB tournament and I'll played against an experienced player. I know that He'll played english OP as white and I'm prepared with line and plans. I have a questione about the line which our opponent doesn't allow the pawn sacrifice... 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. f4!? (Is it good?), what is our plan if opponent push pawn (f4 - f5 and so on) 10. h3 (it is the move on the theory and I know idea and How to responde) I feel these pawn pushes like a strong attempt to attack my king, I don't have e5 anymore to control the square f4. is there a danger? Someone help me!

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I don't see any immediate danger for your king. Your have no weaknesses on your kingside, and white's pieces are not yet aggressively placed. Also, any premature f5 push will give you the e5 square for a knight. I think this is a position where white goes for a slow build up, so you have time to manoeuvre and create some play of your own. If necessary, black can sometimes play f5 to block white's f-pawn.

Hi Alessio,

F4 in my opinion is doable, though it's not a concrete danger. Black can try to go for the ideas on the queenside with Nc7 - pawn b5.
Positions are playable for both sides, so overall in different situations we show model games, which can help you play better in that middlegames.
 

Good luck!

E6 second move in scandinavian

good day, after e6 second move in scandinavian should we take the pawn?

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Hi Druva For me ...dxe6 helps Black develop with Bxe6, thus I would play 3.Bb5+ and after c6, 4.dxc6, bxc6 5.Ba4 Black had fractured pawn structure. If instead Black play 4..Nxc6 then Nf3, 0-0 and d4 and if Black allow Bxc6 where they capture with bxc6 then do it to fracture the pawn structure. Hope that helps

Hello Druva!

Yes, it's not a dangerous sacrifice at all! Take the pawn and play an active game, I like 3.d4. 
Many players make a mistake when getting extra pawns in the openings: they are playing passive. 
So just accept the pawn, and get active development of pieces.

3...Ne7 in our 3.Bd3 French repertoire

Today I faced this move in the French (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 Ne7), how should we focus the opening in this game? I know that this move is not covered and it should not be good, still, in order to stay in our lines what could be the best approach? Thanks in advance for your reply!

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One thing I notice here, what's going to be guarding his king? We get a lot of firepower on the queenside and the centre is unsafe so Black castles king side. He also has to watch out for attacks on h7. Ne7 presumably to come to g6 is awkward and invites h4-5. The fianchetto Bg7 weakens the dark squares. Just Nf3 and O-O per engine seems reasonable and Black will have to cede something.

Edo, Ne7 is just a very bad and passive development. After 3.Bd3 usually our next moves are 4.Ne2 and 5.0-0 
But after 3…Ne7 we can even play 4.Nf3, as after 4…de4 5.Be4 there isn't Nf6. 

Mating Matador K+2P pawn race mate

Noticed this one was absent even though it's common. Was this because it's in the endgame and thus covered (to be covered) in pawn endings?

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Tactic Ninja

I have finished the Tactic Ninja course as always it was great experience. I also completed the Epilogue section ( Step 1 & 2). Now i am planning to do 10-15 mins daily practice with the course as suggested . My question is should i go through by section wise or I will only work with the Quiz part ?

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I would just work with the quiz first. See how fast you can finish the 777 problems… It is a good way to refresh your memory or even to warm up before your blitz session…

Mating matador, remembered this game

Thanks for mating matador course, nice to repeat the basics, just finished it and remembered one game shown to me long time ago about unavoidable mate. Can treat it like an exercise or just watch the game, white to move https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1673496

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Closed sicilian classical OTB game, analysis

Continuing the games from Lithuanian chess league (team event), next I played vs 2230 elo guy. He surprised me a bit with closed sicilian - was expecting Grand Prix from him and didnt remember chessmood variation :) as this was second game of the day and had little time to prepare. So here's my 6th round game. Any suggestions welcome https://www.chess.com/a/MJ6PXkb8ZT2S

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Thanks for sharing your game, only suggestion i would like to give is that, as i like bishop pair :D I wouldn't take Bf3 rather than that i think it was a good game, good luck for next games :)

Caro Qc7 line vs GM, OTB

And here's my final 7th round game from Lithuanian chess league team ch. Played vs 3GMs and other strong players on 1st board for the team. Gained 17 rating points :) In the game early draw was agreed, as it was beneficial for my team, but the last position is slight edge for white imo. Wanted to thank chessmood for this caro Bd3 variation, cause when prepared vs Qc7 line, black has to watch out :D https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/2pBBSESERU

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Thanks for sharing these games in our lines, played on a high level

Good job, congratulations :)

How to play in "Racing..."

I wanted to play GM in "Racing from 1200...". I clicked on "Join Event" which allowed me to view the stream, but how do I play in it?

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This event is not for playing in it. The GM plays against random people that are on chess.com at that moment and they are paired trough Chess.com system. During this event you should compare your knowledge of the variations with the GM, see how we plays with our openings, the plans etc. You can ask questions related to the games too. 

There are other events were you will have the chance to play with a GM, but this is not one them. ??

Doubt not answered

Sir pls may I get the complete variation Full variation to the question I have asked.. for black.. for c4 london system.. What if he plays london system with c4 instead of c3.. Delaying c3.. For eg d4 Nf6 Bf4 g6 e3 d6 Nf3 Bg7 h3 O-O and then he plays c4 instead of c3. And then After tht I need to know how to continue for black if he plays c4 followed by Nc3 or Nbd2. This was the question.

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https://chessmood.com/blog/tv-concept-in-chess

Be2 Grand Prix

I mentioned this a while back that we don't have anything on 2. Be2 (and for that matter Be2 at other points after Nc3 f4 Nf3 Be2 which is occasionally seen and the retreat there from Bb5).

Well GingerGM now has a Chessable course on it, so we're likely to see it a bit more.

Is it worth a small section in the beating anti Sicilian course like the more common 2. Bc4?

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Hi David,

Had a classical OTB game last year vs a ~1800 guy who played exclusively with 2.Be2 vs sicilian and in preparation wondered what to play. Ultimately decided to go with Sielecki chessable recommendation from his Magnus sicilian repertoire course, also Plichta recommended this line as well.

The game went like this:

1.e4 c5

2.Be2 Nc6

3.f4 d5! (important move)

4.d3 e6

5.Nf3 Bd6 (typical bishop placement vs this line it will go to c7 and black is ready to go f6)

6.0-0 Nge7 (6..f6!? already could be played here, but I had nice trap in mind)

7.e5 Bc7

8.c3 0-0 (setting a trap)

9.d4? (smth other should be played but black is more than fine already) cxd4

10.cxd4 Nf5 and d4 falls due to Bb6 tactic at the end

So I think this early d5 with e6 and Bd6-c7,Nge7 with upcoming f6 is great way to fight for black vs this reversed dutch system

Hi David,

As you know we cover the main or little less important lines, but instead of Be2 white can make other super-passive moves and up to my opinion it's not really worthy to cover in the courses.

Just try to learn our main ideas against Sicilian sidelines and you will be able to deal with a lot of moves like 2.Be2.

I had one of these in long play last week and didn't deal with it effectively. My opponent must have took pity and resigned in an equal position with chances and me with 5 minutes on the clock (15 seconds increment) and him with tons of time - don't do this even if it looks like you've lost a pawn (he could regain it)! https://lichess.org/PpIT60H6/black After the game I checked what Ris had to say in his anti-sicilians book and he gives the line 1. e4 c5 2. Be2 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 d5 5. d3 Nf6 (i.e. leaving Bh6 as an option which happens in all given lines) where Black needs to know one or two ideas, but White gets no better than equality. The stem game is Kapnisis - Christiansen 2020 In my game 7... d5 was necessary and e5 was not to be worried about as Ng4 f6 is fine for Black giving a small advantage.

New Website

Hello Champions, 

do you enjoy our new website??

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Nice update! Thanks for any work you did!!

Somehow I can't change the profile picture. I think I registered a login by connecting to a Facebook account, and now the profile pic isn't downloaded from there, and I can't change with an upload of a new one either. There is no option to change the profile pic at all. Thanks for your work on the website.

Once I checked everything and understood how the different pages work, I must say that it is better than the old one. Chessmood is growing, getting new courses, helping us grow!

I don't know if it has to do with the new website, but since the change I no longer get MoodCoins for solving the daily puzzle.

Yes Susanna -- I had replied to the initial tab wanting feedback. I got a very polite email asking me for clarification on my points. Unfortunately I managed to delete it --sorry about that. So in an effort to be correspondingly polite this is what I would have said in reply. Whilst liking the new website I thought that the old 'back to courses' box should be retained as this was IMO easier that back arrowing . I also commented that the landing page with the pic of the two GM's was visually fresh & modern but you had to know or figure out yourself that the courses/forum etc were accessible through the 'Learn' function drop down. However, in truth it is easy to comprehend this and for those familiar with the site no problem at all. But a new comer to Pro-Membership would have to guess to navigate the site. Once again just minor procedural stuff. Good job overall and a nice platform for the future ?