Chess forum by Grandmasters

Tactic definition

Today i've decided that discovered attacks can be considered as a particular subcategory of clearances. In case i will build my own learning platform or i decide to buy chessmood.com, i will base my teaching on this assumption

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😀😅Very good Massimo, but if you decide to buy chessmood.com (others have tried too) we'll just have to say to you “No thank you” 😀

How to use the courses most effectively?

Hi. I'm new to chessmood.

I am wondering, how do I work most effectively with the courses?

I am rated around 1500 on chess.com.

I am currently trying to complete these courses: Tactic ninja, Attack like Viking, 100 classical attacking games (I love to attack but I am never able to finish my opponents even when they play the most ridiculous moves and I have a very strong attack going), endgame roadmap (because I always lose endgames)

Currently, I am trying to do a section of each a day. (Some days I won't have time to do 1 section of all of them)

Is this the best way? Am I doing the most useful courses for me? What is the best way to work with the courses?

I already did BlunderProof and SLP in December with a free month from black friday, but I am not sure I used those courses as effectively as possible.

Chessmood is great!

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Hi Joe!😀

Welcome to the family!!!!  We hope that you will like and learn a lot! 

Below is a copy from a post asking the same question last week, since I was going to write the same, I am just posting it below adding some more comments for you:

This depends a bit on individual needs, did you already have the 1 on 1 call with Avetik or Gabu? This is a crucial moment as a PRO member, do not miss this!
Because during the call depending on your level and needs they will recommend you how to best proceed. 
If you haven't yet, no worries. 😅

The first thing is to check the Study plan according to your level and create a good routine based on the Plan.

https://chessmood.com/chess-study-plans

As a general rule you can study courses in parallel of course, for exemple you should watch a daily lesson every day, one section of Tactic ninja every day too, one classic game per day, you can watch some endgame basics too, etc. Then if you study one opening, focus on this one and do not start another one, I do not think that it helps to study several openings at the same time. 😀 😄
You need to create your own routine, the more defined the better and tweak it a bit according to your memory, time, etc… 
😁I hope this helped you a bit, but if you haven't yet, do the 1 on 1 call with a GM as soon as you can… 💪

I need help?

When I play a blitz game it often happens that somedays I play the game so rash as to completely getting out of control and feel that my time is less. But somedays a miracle happens I play a very calm and composed game and also often feel I have like 10mins in my clock. I mostly play 5+3 according to the recommendation. 

Can anyone pls give a solution as to how I can play a calm and composed game like mentioned above.

Thanks in advance!

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Pranav, hi! 

I think we are all human and not robots, we cannot play at the same level everyday. You should play when you can focus and you really want to play. 

You can also play longer time controls to have more time, rapid games 15 +10 will make you play more slowly and understand better the positions.
Please read the blog, there are several articles related to this, but this one is my favorite one: https://chessmood.com/blog/surrender-experiment

 😀

Mating Matador Correction

Hi guys. My training partners and I are currently working through Mating Matador and loving the material chosen. We did find an error in Section 13 Back Rank Mate Example 3 as pictured here. Avetik mentions that 2 …Qf6 doesn't work as White has 3. g5  hg5 4. Qb4+ taking the b3 pawn. But 3…Qf4 appears to win instantly in the same manner as the main 2…Qg5 line. Not sure if this was caught before, but such errors are inevitable and they keep us on our toes! 

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Yes, Qf6 is also working, well found! Taking note of it😀! 

No sound when moving pieces in quizzes?

There are no piece moving sounds at all on ChessMood?
thanks

Dan

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No, at the moment we do not have this feature and I think that even Chessable being from Chesscom have this feature either. 

We may study to implement this but no promises here. 

Thanks for the suggestion, though.😅

Robatsch / Modern Defence (e4 g6)

Hi there,

I've been going back over my notes for the WhiteMood Openings (and looking again at the contents list for the course) and I can't see any mention of the response where black plays g6.

I realise that the number of people playing it (using the 365Chess database) is only around 2.97% but that's higher than the percentage for the Alekhine (2.27%) which is covered. 

So, for those of you who have encountered it - how did you respond?

Yes, I know it's rare.  And yes, I know there are other areas that would be better use of my time.  I'm just curious! 😀

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Nevermind - just found it!  It's within the Pirc section.  

Yeah, to basically anything unknown to me, I play the Grand Prix attack! Fun!

Memorising the chessboard

some people claim that memorising the board and being able to tell the color of the squares is crucial for developing calculation skills, is it really the case?,and why?

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It can always help to memorize, but you learn it also with experience, I never memorized but I know it naturally… It depends on how much did you play and how much attention you pay to details I guees…

Still I do think that it can help to know it and do visualization exercises too, in fact the games are happening in head, the more and clear 😁you can see there, the better… 

Thank you, ChessMood

I'd like to give a big thanks to the entire ChessMood family for creating this platform for a great chess learning experience. 

I come here to take lessons often, especially as I've faced many failures at my career, and coming to ChessMood has always been comforting. 

I hope I can fly to Armenia to meet everyone one day ! 

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Thanks a lot Kyle for your kind words!!! You are most than welcome to come! Armenia is a great country! 😁

Hi

😀

Hi this is my first time in forum 

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Hi Sahasra,

😁😄

Welcome to the family! Check some posts, and post any question you may have, chess - Chessmood related… We'll try to help… 😀

French Exchange

Happy New Years

After move 1. e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. Bd3 dxe4  4. Bxe4 Nf6 5. Bf3 Black plays …c6. It seems the Bishop ( Bf3) is very limited in moves. What should I do with this Bishop and how should I continue?
As always be in happy chessmood

steve

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Sorry for the delay Steve, I meant to reply to your question sooner but without realizing a week went by!
😇

Our bishop may be limited but even more limited is Black's light square Bishop and also Black's knight natural developing square has been taken. Black is getting into a very passive position and we should play actively. This move is not in the course because it is just bad, but you could develop in the following fashion. Let's start by Ne2 to be able to castle, then if Be7 (black moves are not so important because he is too passive) Bf4, c4, O-O, Nc3, Re1, maybe Qd2 or Qc2 and Rad1… It depends, but your priority is fast development and attack on the Queen side since we have 4 pawns against 3 as a general plan. 
I hope this helps! 😆  And again sorry for the delay!!! 

Queen's Gambit and Sicilian

Hi,
I play the Queen's Gambit as White. I was looking at the WhiteMood Openings and the “Step by Step opening repertoire for White” section, but can't find any videos on Queen's Gambit. I am not interested in changing my opening to e4, but want to improve on the Queen's gambit. Which videos can help me build a repetoire for the Queen's gambit?

Thanks in advance!

Replies

Hello,

So chessmood recomends only e4 openings. You won't find any videos on this site about the Queen's Gambit from the white perspective. If you want to know the reason why they chose to teach only 1. e4 GM Avetic explains it in this video. (https://chessmood.com/course/whitemood-openings/episode/3876)

If you don't want to change your opening, you can find courses about Queen's Gambit in other sites, like Chessable for example. There are also some great videos on youtube with analysed games of this opening or with explained theory if you can't afford buying a course. I recommend Hanging pawns for opening theory below 2100 level but you have to decide by yourself wich variation you will play, he explains a great deal of them without suggesting a repertoire.

Hope this helps

How to improve Puzzle Rating

Hi all

Much has been said about improving standard online rating but I would like to improve my puzzle rating that has plateaued for a while.

I do lots of puzzles /tactics daily , am doing the Tactics Ninja (2nd time around) and Mating Matador alsoetc.

Any suggestions would be welcome:)

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Simplest way to increase you puzzle rating is to spend longer on each puzzle.  Be paranoid and spend more time trying to refute your solution.

Improving your 5 ninute puzzle rush score is more difficult.

Why are all the events only on Tuesday and Saturday?

I was looking at the events page (I am a new pro member) and was extremally disappointed to find that all of the upcoming chessmood events are at 13:00 and 15:00 GMT on Tuesday and Saturday, basically the only times in the week that I definitely cannot attend! I don't see what the advantage is for me of a pro membership over an essential membership if I can never watch and participate in the events.

I think I might have to ask for my money back (30 days have not passed yet) and get an essential membership instead.   

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Hi Joe BB, 

This is the schedule at the moment and altough you can watch after the recorded webinars and live streams playing our openings, we understand perfectly your case.

Instead of replying in a public forum, please just get in contact with our Customer Happiness Department at [email protected]😀 and let's see what we can do. 😅

Joe, all the streams are recorded so you can always watch them later, when you have the time :)

Rossolimo Bxc6 structures, advanced theory question

Played a rapid otb 10+5 game recently https://lichess.org/broadcast/2024-m-richardo-banaicio-turnyras/round-3/Vab5p3CS/slAhGsAF and GM opponent made a tricky early 0-0 instead of Be3 chessmood theory.

His idea was when I go e5 then he can play a3-b4 ideas without black having that gambit where we sac on c5 with e5.

Question, how should I react on 8th move should I go e5 at once or Nf8 delaying e5?. Imo both moves are playable, but I'm considering even trying this idea as white, cause structurally in practical otb game I think white can be slightly better.

What are your thoughts chessmoodians?

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Hi Paulius, 

This is an interesting question.
I checked the position and after a3 I recommend Qe7 as many strong players continued.
After b4 looks like you can win the pawn.

5 Reasons to Play Sicilian Defense for Black

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The sicilian defence is my main choice against 1.e4 when playing black. Although a vast amount amount of variations unfold in front of me, when my opponents play 2.Nf3, I feel very confident with this opening, since I am an aggresive player and like complex positions. But I like Nahdorf variation tge most (although I can't reach this course yet), and Taimanov variation, creating a mobile pawn centre to march forward. My favourite line in Najdorf is Fischer-Sauzin Attack.

When I become a chessmood member, I discovered the power of the accelerated dragon 4. ... g6 with accelerated fianchetto and 7/8. ... d7-d5 thrust. I find this a super opening for black!

Finally, I learned how to play against 2.Nc3 :), and now I am trying to solve the problem of how to fight the Alapin variation.

Good article!

I have a problem, can you help me?

Hello! I have problem in chess, can someone help me? I can't implement everything I learn in tournaments or games, for example I learned how to play against an opponent's pawn, but in a tournament I can't plan how to play against a pawn. And I have another problem that when the move is with me, I don't know how to think and find the right move My rank is 1830 and my Liches rank in fast section is 2400 Please, if anyone knows what I should do, help me so that when I learn new things, I can perform in the games and solve my problem and find the right move and the right way in the competitions

Replies

Hi,

In terms of how to think and find the right move, you may find the following useful:

• Noel Studer article : https://chessmood.com/blog/evaluate-chess-position
• ChessMood course -  The 7Q method : https://chessmood.com/course/chess-planning-7q-method

Not sure about the first question and implementing what you have learned.  Perhaps try some training games with a partner where you focus on the new information that you have learned.

Wait, I have a question. Do you forget things or you just don't implement them?

Hi , I think it s easier to implement new knowledge in slower game control . Being 2400 on lichess fast is very good but it also means you have probably automatic reflexes so to change some of them , you need time to pause and look further than your first thought . And then maybe you will remember and try to apply the new stuff ! Good luck 

Trying again wrong answers in the tactics course

1. In the tactics ninja course (which is excellent!), once I am wrong with one quiz, it does not allow me to try it again right away (like in chessable for example where you have 2-3 tries).
   I need to go back to that specific quizz once I am finished with all the quizzes, but then I need to start over again to do all the rest of the quizzes from that point on.
   2. I wish all the quizzes would also be in a separate chapter where I can just go into that chapter and practice again those quizzes without the need to go into each and every chapter in the course
   
   thank you!

Replies

Dan,

Look at the bottom of the screen and you will see the numbers of the puzzles in the quiz (1 2 3 …).    When you get one correct it is so indicated with a green checkmark. If you miss one, it has a red x under the number. You can click on the number and go to the start of that puzzle.

So, when I miss one, I click to go back to it and give it another try.

Also, you can click on “Start over” to reset all the puzzles in the quiz if you want to do them all again.

Happy puzzle solving!

Register for an event?

How do I register for an event?
There should be a “take your seat” option in the event page, no?

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Hi again Dan,

Yes, this was the old system, nowadays we are not using it. You just can connect from your Chessmood page at the moment of the stream and you can also add the event to your calendar, for example>. https://chessmood.com/event/positional-chess-nuances

French Defense/Attack

😀

Hello, Hope you are well.

I noticed that you were talking about a main course of French Attack in the BlackMood Openings. Is it already out or when is it coming out ? I am really interested.

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It will come out soon. For now, you can go further with self analysis.

Yes, this year we will hopefully release it. In the meanwhile keep practicing and analyzing your games… 😀

Today's puzzle reward

Hello,

It seems to me that solving today puzzle (01 / 23) at first try does not lead to moodcoin reward.

Did I miss something?

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Well it worked out perfectly for me, are you sure you did it first try or that you played the correct combination(Bf2, Qxf2, Nd7+, Kd5, Nf6+)?