Chess forum by Grandmasters

Pawn Structure Training?

As coach suggested to work on openings courses and then play more and more games of that openings and then check your pgn files for any mistakes. By this way we can memorize not only the variations and ideas but it will improve our speed of play too. But what about pawn structures? I am working on pawn structures with my friend. We chose those pawn formations which may arise in chessmood openings. I am sharing my current structures training in the bottom.

1. Carlsbad Structure. (Before chessmood I studied and loved this structure and this structure motivated me to learn classics of Karpov so after coach taught me learn classics I chose Karpov).  Another point of learning this pawn formation is to improve my caro kann exchange variation play. Because Chessmood presents Caro exchange so we have carsbad in exchange variation too.

2. KID structures. The reason behind learning this structure is that sometimes in London System we get some versions of KID. So I decided to learn the structure.

So my question is how do you guys revise pawn formations ideas? For example, for me carlsbad main lines are so easy to understand and I can even dominate people using carlsbad ideas but KID is tough and new structure for me. So is it good for me to play games with this new structure then check the ideas with book of structures that I did well or not. 

Any suggestions about working on pawn formations are welcome.

I am using this book because it not only show games but the way author explained ideas improved my positional understanding to the next level. I am also thinking to apply the woodpecker method in case of pawn structure training.

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/235/chess_structures_-_a_grandmaster_guide_by_mauricio_flores_rios/

Replies

Hi Abhi,

To try to understand pawn structures, I use a book by Andrew Soltis named Chess Pawn Structures or something like that (I owe it in Spanish). I think it does a decent job explaining the most common pawn structures and typical plans.

About Queen Gambit Structures, I bought "Understanding before moving 2" by Herman Grooten and I liked it because it uses a lot of text to explain the concepts and schemas and has a lot of diagrams, so it can be studied without a board and has some nice model games

After playing games with these structures, I review the books and try to grasp the ideas better.

Hello Abhi

About KID structures specifically, there is a good old book by Robert Bellin and Pietro Ponzetto titled "Mastering the King's Indian Defence". The book chapters are not divided by opening variations, but rather by the different structures which can appear in the King's Indian Defence: "Mar del Plata Centre", "Petrosian Centre", "Sämisch Centre", etc. Besides general concepts and pawn and piece configurations, they also provide several model games to understand each of these structures.

I believe analyzing model games is still the best way to come to understand pawn structures, by having a feeling based on pattern recognition of where the pieces want to go, which exchanges are favourable, etc. Also, playing them in training games is very useful to develop your own experience and understand your difficulties.

Cheers

Alex

The Right Way to Prepare for a Chess Tournament

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This is an excellent article. One question I have is how to train visualisation skills? Apart from solving problems are there other things I can do??

Many thanks and keep up great work

Pre game rituals such as eating blueberry parfaits, listening to Jerry Garcia, Tupac, and Chuck Mangione, while smoking mad blunts to the dome and getting highly medicated puts me in the perfect state of mind to dominate on the chessboard and do really well in chess tournaments. I also reccomend bananas, gatorade, and chocolate to help fight off the chess dementors. No this is not a joke.

it good article i really like it thank you toyou

Very good article. Eating well, exercise and good study habits are key to help maintaining balance during the stress of the battle.  Thank you for sharing it.

Try BENKO GAMBIT in Chess Correspondence (ICCF)

I'm trying BENKO GAMBIT in Chess Correspondence (ICCF) as BLACK. May I get good lesson from this game.

https://www.iccf.com/game?id=1184790

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Correspondence chess will really be a tough test for Benko Gambit. Please, let us know how it goes

If you want to really improve in chess, I mean in real chess, you should stop playing Corr. Chess. 
It kills many important skills as a chess player. 

Best Bullet Ever!

Omg, coach this is first time ever I crushed a 2500+ player in Bullet. I did not used the Chessmood Openings but as I am studying Carlsbad Structure so I tried to apply it in my own games. Due to bullet some ideas I missed and black got a decent position but I had time and I won on time. Thanks you very much for coach Avetik sir for his valuable video lessons and his study plan improved my game on the next level. 

https://lichess.org/48w9ZBfAbGF3

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well done Abhi ... now the self belief grows, the wins will follow!

The best answer to 1. -- c6 if we start with 1.c4 ?

Hello Chessmood friends,

What would be the best answer to 1. - c6  if I start with 1c4?

Does playing 1c4  gives us any advantage facing the Slav? or playing the main lines Slav/Smi-Slav still remains the best way to get the most out of opening for White?

I know that I can enter the Panov Attack via 1. c4 c6 2.e4 move order

Also I can enter Reti by delaying d4 and playing e3 and Cf3

I am wondering if these systems impose more problems to Black than main lines Slav/Semi-Slav.

What do you think?

Is there any advantage for white against 1.--c6 if he starts with 1.c4 or not?

Thank you all

Replies

Hmm looks very passive for me.I think you can play e3 Nf3 b3 and delay d4.Because you can play with a hedhegog setup.Also you can push d4 if you want.

But if you ask my opinion,play 1.e4 chessmood openings.They are best :)

how should there be. You will most probably transpose to a slav, semi-slav whaever where I think black is doing okay. The Panov is non critical. And the e3, b3, Nf3 setup isnt better than the one with d4 and the normal meran.

So I think c6 is super solid and one of the best moves against c4

As per the other post (related to benoni/benko)

1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 is interesting to avoid main line Slav:

White can delay d4 (Delchev, The modern Reti) and also play only for some lines while encouraging Black to enter very tricky systems with Bg4/f5 when white will often play Qb3 and/or cxd5 when favorable (Smith, e3 poison)

New events for PRO Members

Hey Champions!
We know that many of our PRO Members have never played against a GM, and we decided to host a bonus event for you. 

On the 1st of October, we'll have a simul game. 
GM Avetik will try to play on 20 boards against you and stream it. 

NOTE: Anyone who wins me, he'll be out from ChessMood team! 
Haha, joking :) 

Also, we've added a Webinar on the topic "Prophylaxis in chess" on the 17th of September. 
The details of the events you can find here: https://chessmood.com/events 

See you soon!

P.S We'll do our best to speed up your growth and we hope you'll also do all you can to accomplish your goals faster.

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Antisicilian with Nc3 part 2 ...Nc6

Maestro, I played this game which went: 1.e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 e5. Here should I still go for f4!? or is this now the wrong plan?

Un abrazo!

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Hi Ramón,

I am not GM or anything but I think that I remember Avetik playing f4 in one of the streams, I also played it twice because I remembered this from the stream, so yes, I would say that is good.

Saludos y continuemos aprendiendo a tope Ramón!

Chess

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Maroczy vs Benoni / Benko: I need your advice

Hi Chessmood friends,

I need your advice:

I have a problem with my White repertoire:

I prefer playing Maroczy as white against Benoni/Benko systems.

I am thinking about 2 following  solutions as White, and I need your advice on each of them:

1st solution:

I am going to play 1-c4 followed by g3 Fg2 : Including the following systems:

1c4 e4 2g3 Reversed Accelerated Dragon

Catalan 

Duch g3

KID g3

Grunfeld g3

Maroczy Bind VS all Benoni/Benko systems!!

MY 1st QUESTION:

What to do against the Slav? Going for the main lines Slav/Semi-Slav?

OR Panov Attack ( 1c4 c6 2e4 etc.),

OR  delaying d4 and playing Reti with e3 , Cf3 ?

OR ...

What is the best answer to 1. - c6? if I start with 1c4, does it give me any bonus facing Slav? or playing the main lines Slav/Smi-Slav still remains the best way to get the most out of opening for White?

--------------------------

My 2nd solution and QUESTION:

If I play 1d4 followed by 2c4, can I prevent all Benoni/Benko family and force black to enter the Maroczy Bind via Cf3 (Against ...c5) by not advancing d4 to d5?

-------------------------

As I mentioned at the very beginning, I am searching for a solution to force Benoni/Benko Black players to enter the  Maroczy system

--------------------------

Thank You All

Replies

I don't see how you can force a Maroczy in all cases: for instance Black can play: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 (Kasparov); usually followed by ...d5 (as a gambit) for active play (e.g. ...Bc5). This is recommended as an antidote to the 3.Nf3 line in most (if not all) Benko Gambit books...

If you play 1.c4 and you are afraid of the slav, just go for a pseudo meran. You´ll play Nf3, e3 and b3, just not play d4. It is rather stratigical, but something tricky for most slav players.

But you should also know what you are doing.

Or if you like avrukhs repertoire books, which would make some sense, considering your repertoire, you could just play a normal meran with e3 and b3.

Hello,

I guess there are really several questions:

1) Can you 'force' Black to play Maroczy after 1.c4 (no, Black can play anything including ...e5 or ...e6/d5 or ...c6/d5) or 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 (no, Black can take and play Kasparov's gambit with ...e5 or I guess delay the decision about the center)

By the way, if Black is actually happy to enter Maroczy structures in either case (1.d4 or 1.c4), it might be that Black is actually AT EASE in these kind of structures. So apart from the fact that you enjoy these type of positions, you are not guaranteed and advantage (even if Khalifman says it is +/= after 20 moves of theory, chances to remember/be able to play this are low), as Black will ALSO like the position and know how to play it.

=Do you want to play on Black's turf?

2) Is Kasparov's line with ...e5 winning? (no, nothing is winning), AND

is it a good line in PRACTICE when Black has prepared it and White gets it once every 50 or 100 games? Probably. Chess book authors will not say 100% of the time that it's best but it's a decent repertoire choice I guess (and what are the odds that a system designed by Kasparov who was the best opening theoretician for 20 years would be 'bad'?)

3) With regards to general repertoire considerations and the slav defence.

3a) I played closed openings for nearlly 25 years (Elo 1800s-1900s; I tried everything d4, c4, Nf3, transposing into d4 systems or not, systems with e3; and even every Qpawn: Tromp, Veresov, Colle d3, Colle b3, and lately London). The Slav is a major headache if you are looking for an advantage OR if you want to force dynamic play. I guess this is why it is palyed my most top players, it simply is one of the best replies to d4. So I guess the best you can hope for against the slav is to get a position familiar to you with a clear plan. This is actually tough as Black has a lot of different systems where the nuances are small. In practice you end up fighting for a small advantage in theory where Black is very comfortable and knows his stuff well.

3b) as a former semi-slav player, for me, the most annoying situation is when White does not give you a clear target/plan. So indeed, as suggested, systems where you delay d4 are interesting. So in terms of move orders, systems with c4/Nf3/e3 are an option. You do not have to enter systems with b3 (they are also not bad and work against both Slav and SSlav), you can wait and in case of dxc4, take back with the Bishop. There are some interesting lines in the book 'e3 poison'.

3c) For the repertoire you suggest (g3 against everything), your Bg2 will always be there but the type of plans/positions you need to know how to play are VERY diverse and it might, in practice, be tough to remember when to play each plan.

4) I guess when you choose a repertoire, 3 considerations come to mind

- a - How good is objectively the opening? = does it guarantee a clear advantage (unless the opening is know as being refuted/clearly inferior like some dodgy Youtube gambits, it does not happen often). If the answer is YES, just learn it and play it

- b- Do I like (=you should read 'am I able to play') the resulting positions. Sometime we 'like' stuff we don't know how to play (to quote GM Avetik: chess players don't always know what they need :-)

The repertoire you suggest, will resutl in many different positions. Do you like the all, can you play them all well? Are you not going to get confused between them?

AND

- c- What are the chances that I get the positions I like?

For instance, I have been interested in the Schara-Hennig Gambit for years. I think it gives very decent compensation for the pawn, the attacking schemes are clear, White underestimates it... etc However, in most games, people tend to respond with e3 systems/some stuff that transposes to more static openings like QGA or symetrical Tarrasch. So In practical terms, I don't get what I'm looking for.

4) Why not simply learn something against the Benko/Benoni?

- eg if you don't like main lines lines with Nd2/Nf3 and taking in c4 with Bf1 give solid (not a great advantage but playable) positions, or lines with 5.b6

- Against Benoni, there are several positional lines that will five you a decent games (including the line with g3 to be consistent with your other systems)

Which brings us to the conclusion I have drawn for myself: I am trying out the Chessmood 1.e4 openings (my Black repertoire already included Benko and Acc Dragon in the lpast luckily, I just came back to them!). I was always put off by the amount of different lines one needs to learn to play 1.e4 (hence my endless research for systems, lately the London like more and more people) but in reality, I ended up in situation where looking for an advantage was tough as the plans were not 'clear' and being confused between variations that are somewhat similar but not exactly.

What I realised looking at the 1.e4 repertoire proposed by Chessmood is that obviously there are a lot of lines to remember but it is easier to RECALL the plans if the positions are very different and if the position you end up with has clear strategic characteristics (isolani, opposite side castling...).

Note: I am not (yet)  a PRO member and I haven't been encouraged to promote the repertoire :-)

Find a plan (Part-2)

As most of you guys knows I am fond of learning positional chess and I am novice but I love to learn and I am working well. I am working on this specific pawn formation or I can say I am doing revision of this pawn structure because I already studied this pawn str in depth 2 years ago but revision makes my game to the next level in any given structure. So I thought to revise this finished structure with my new chess knowledge and ideas.

Here I am sharing an interesting position for you and now you have to find ideas for both sides.

Your task:

1, Tell the assessment of this position.

2. Plans for black and white in given pawn formation.

3. Name of this pawn formation.

Replies

I also know coach @GM_Avetik_Grigoryan shared some games of this structure in the classical commented section and this position is taken from that same course but I also  studied this same position from different sources too.

OK this one is not so hard.

1.White went to a minority attack.But blacks knight is well placed so there is no problem on queenside for black.Center is closed and black is ready for a kingside attack.

2.For white:

a)Pushing b5 and creating a weakness at c6 pawn

b)Playing f3 and pushing e4 against a kingside attack

For Black:

a)Defending minority attack go on an attack on kingside

b)Excanging LSB.

c)Taking control on e4 square

3.Carlsbad Pawn Structure.Generally arises after Queens Gambit Exchange or Caro-Kann

This time I am sure with my answers :)

Find the plan!

Black's last move was Rc8!  White played h3 . Now solve the task!

Your task::

1. Find the idea behind Rc8.

2. Find a useful plan.

3. Try to find best squares for the pieces.

Replies

Very interesting position.I am not sure about my answers,But I will learn it anyways :D

1.Maybe push c5

2.Exchanging the pieces(Especially LSB),Push c5 or f6

3.Knight to f5,BSB to e7 rooks on c file,Queen to b6 LSB bishops to outside of the board :)

Puzzle for you guys!

Here is avery nice puzzle I found yesterday! tell me if u can solve it!

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this is the puzzle!

Very creative puzzle.I can't solved it first try but I was so close

5 Crucial Steps to Stop Bad Results in Chess

Hey Champions!
We have an interesting article on our Blog about this topic.

https://chessmood.com/blog/5-crucial-steps-to-stop-bad-results-in-chess

If you have any questions, comments or you just liked it, feel free to share your thoughts here :) 

Replies

Very nice post! Thank you.

Personally, my bad time in chess has lasted a long while (easily 1-3 years). I continue to play nevertheless, as I know my breakthrough is coming soon! I too, firmly believe it is important to have PMA (positive mental attitude) to life and chess play.

I enjoy all these fine positive motivation quotes you include in the post and would like to mention two more! Apparently Einstein said failure only happens if you stop trying, so always keep trying your best and Nelson Mandela said "do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again".

Right Mood Right Move...no hoodie blunders! ;-)

True and most of the time we lose games and never come to realize the real reason...its a starting point in checking our faults and take the right action...thank you so much

This was the first article I read from chessmood :) I remember after the worst tournament I had in January, Avetik Grigoryan found me in a very bad mood and sent this article :) After one month I went to play another open tournament where I brought back the rating I lost in the previous tournament :) Today I decided to read it once again and I wanted to share my positive memories here :) 

Daily puzzle 4 September 2020

the daily puzzle on the 4 september i played Kb2/a2 same thing, thinking that after g2 Rf2 Ne2 Rxg2 i was winning. I could not find a different answer, could anybody help me?

Replies

after g2, Rf2 Black would not play Ne2? but Nf3!, Rxg2, Ne5, which is a draw!

1-0 on move 7 :)

Hey champions! 
Today was analyzing a game played by my student. 
Engine shows here a strange move, which gives White's a winning advantage :) 
Can you see it? 

Replies

Nice trap! Thanks for showing it to us!

9...Be6 in the Petroff

9...Be6 in the Petroff

Hello I was playing today and someone played 9...Be6 against our Petroff repertoire. I did not know exactly why it was a bad move and I castled anyway, then Bxa2 and I got a better position trapping the bishop. I was wondering why it is Be6 not played more, how should we proceed here Ne4, Ng5, 0-0-0 and if the bishop captures it will get trapped. Everything makes sense to me but what would you suggest?

Replies

Hey Ed! 
Well, Be6 is not played because it will be under attack after Ng5 or Nd4! 
You can do it ever right away. 

Antisicilian with 2...e6.

Maestro Avetik, I just played a 10 0 game on lichess. The opening went 1.e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. f4 a6 4.g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 Qc7 6. Nf3 and here my opponent played ...d6. In fact, he never played ...d5 which is the move covered in the course. So, I was on my own and decided to play later h3, g4 and f5 attacking on the kingside (my opponent was kind enough to castle there jaja). I won the game very smoothly, the opponent didn't play well, and the attack just went like a knife through butter (at room temperature)...

Please share any insights with regard to any such variation as the one I describe, i.e. without an early ...d5, or no ...d5 at all. 

Replies

Ramon, have you checked Sic part 4. 2...a6? 
We'll play with Nh3! and then f5! 

Opening Course

After the launch of Axel Smith's book E3 poison, many players are giving me problems

Any video in future for that?

Replies

Can you clarify your question please? What opening are you speaking about? 

Great webinar yesterday (Most instructive moments 1600-2400 series)

Thank you coach for your fine webinars. Yesterday (030920) was another excellent lesson (most instructive moments 1600-2400 series ChessMood openings-black perspective). Great teaching & great fun! I even got one of your questions almost correct, so I must be getting better! LOL! ;-)

Today I stumbled across a great game by the best 1.e4 player of all time GM R Fischer (in my opinion), but here he played against 1.d4 with 1.d4 Nf6 (Hort vs Fischer blitz 1970 Herceg Novi). I liked 19....0-0-0 - a delayed opposite side castle with Black getting a great position (and a piece ahead) White resigned 0-1.

In the webinar yesterday, we discussed to castle or not to castle and from all these examples we understand more on this important topic and that every position has to be considered on it's merits and we learn from ChessMood openings & games and from legends games. So, I think, beautiful play by Fischer as Black that needs to be shown & shared even though not a ChessMood opening, lessons can be learnt from these games as we see in ChessMood classical commented games section. Happy study & play all & thanks again GM Avetik! :-)

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Hey Richard! 
Thank you very much! :) 
The game you've added is a really nice one. It would fedinetely be in courses, if white didn't blunder a pawn on d4 on move 8 :) 
But we'll add in a course about now showing your cards :) 
Thanks! 

What is the best way to study openings ?

One at a time or try to learn a bit of each and then build up your repertoire that way 

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Since I decided to sell the farm and completely change my rep to the ChessMood openings, I first watched all the videos to get the ideas, and start putting them into practice right away. Then I followed Coach's advice and after every session I check my play vs each opening to reinforce the variations and the ideas.

If you are not going to adopt all the ChessMood rep, then I would guess 1 at a time wouldnt be bad, however, watching all the videos is good for more then just learning the lines, as there are many hidden gems for basic chess strategy hidden in these videos that will help with any opening. 

I wish you all the best!

Bill, check out this article: https://chessmood.com/blog/how-to-memorize-chess-openings-variations