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Chess forum by Grandmasters
Titled Tuesday / Arena Kings
Hello everyone :)
I wanted to know if Chessmood Grandmasters already planned (or did in the past) streams while playing Chessmood openings during Titled Tuesday or Arena Kings?
Have a nice day :)
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There used to be streams for the online Bundesliga.
No, they do not have the time to play blitz much :-). We make them work hard preparing and analyzing the contents of the courses... ;-)
1.d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 question
In this variation (Veresov? I am uncertain) as black I know we likely play 2...d5 here, but after Bf4 I am unclear how to approach this. Normally I see 1.d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. Nc3 d5, as in the course about Jobava line, but since here I already have d5 and not g6 I am not quite sure.
Does anyone have a preferred set up, or is this in the material somewhere that I missed? I appreciate the feedback!
Matt
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I will ask our GMs about this.
Hi Matt,
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 I would go g6 and basically this is transpo to the course, but imo difference is also that very annoying line for white 3..e6 could be played here as well (as an extra), with ideas Bb4, Nbd7 and c5 using unfortunate Nc3 development.
Of course there's an additional option of 3.Bg5 (Veresov), I dont think this was covered yet, so will be interesting to see what CM GMs suggest.
Btw I used to play this as white in blitz/rapid (learned from GingerGM courses) and this 3..e6 move he mentions as being one of the best for black, so that's that.
Hi Matt,
In my opinion we can go d5 and get a transposition to the other line, or if white goes with Bg5 now, their Knight on c3 is not staying really well. It's in front of the c pawn and white will not really be able to fight well for the center.
Not so Grand Prix !
I realise that there are lots of transpositions but one recently gave me some major concerns. My strong opponent initially played the Nc6 line but then g6 not Nd4. Seems like Black can elect to go different ways and has more flexibility than White. So e4 c5 : Nc3 Nc6 : Bb5 g6 : I then played Bxc6 and he replied b/c6. I played f4 Bg7 : Nf3 and he responded with c4 !? I should have played d3 but played Qe2 and got d5 back. Anyway I got nowhere fast ! So my questions to the GM's and Pro-Members are 1) how do you reconcile Nc6 and Bb5 if Black just moves to the g6 ( or e6 ) lines? 2) Q1 is more pertinent when, as so often happens, Black takes on c6 with the b pawn.
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Hello,
You can just play 5.d3 before going f4 and everything is fine here :)
After 6. c4 you can play 7 d4. If he captures en passant, it is no different then 7. d3, and if he doesnt, you have the big center, and the ability to later play b3 trading his c pawn for your a pawn opening the a file for your rook, hitting his weak pawn on a7.
That's quite Grand! After Bxc6 you have an extremely good Rossolimo position where you don't have to waste time to play f4 as you get it in before you play Nf3. This is much better for white than the traditional Rossolimo and very difficult to defend as black.
I played g6 against Avetik in one of the simultaneous streams he did and got crushed so I learned a good lesson as I now know how difficult it is to play this position as black. Nd4 is essential to not get a worse version of the Rossolimo.
It would have been nice if there was a section covering Bxc6. This is a line which we face most of the time. A section that covers the plans and shows some model games could be nice.
Dear Keven,
We do actually have the explanation of the line in our videos when black plays with g6 and allows us to take. We do get a better version of Rossolimo since we can play with f4 prior to Nf3 moves.
Article: “You Can Become a European Champion!”. And I Thought – Why not?
Hey champion!
You can find GM Avetik's interview with 2021 European Champion GM Anton Demchenko in our blog:
https://chessmood.com/blog/anton-demchenko-interview
Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas about it here.
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I liked that about the "healing springs" of chess knowledge. It seems is difficult to find without the help of a coach.
Could you be more extensive about that in a future article?
Super interesting interview. You love the game, you have talent, you work hard. And from one day to another your rating drops from 2670 to U2600. Chess is really a tough game.
Thank you very much for an enlightening interview which is very useful for amateurs (who desire improvement) like me. The interview is an inspirational message as well as a strategic action plan for chess players who have higher plans in their chess career.
Notable in this interview is the requisite for establishing a good mood(e.g. good physicsl condition, playing good moves or games not necessarily focusing on the tournament outcome, etc.) while playing which is paramount as expounded in this sharing community (i.e. Chess Mood)
Right mood is important to find the right (best) move!
Again many thanks to Chess Mood!
I am very curious to know a bit just a bit of his 1.e4 :-p :-p
Chess insight from Noel Studer and Chessmood
From GM Noël Studer, a friend of Chessmood:
Just because you do something connected to Chess does not mean that you are Training Chess.
Watching some youtube video, reading a chess book on your couch or playing non-focused Blitz games have one thing in common: most people think this is training, but that is wrong.
These are all pretty passive activities. And while they can be fun & inspiring, they most likely don't improve your Chess skills.
So for the next week, count only real Training as Chess training.
Fully focused, planned sessions that force you to think with your own head and go a little beyond your limits. This is where the real improvements come from.
If you need something to plan your training or a nice Christmas gift, then get Noel's Chess Planner. It offers a simple way to plan all your training sessions and learn the most from each session. I already bought 2!
I loved the sentence: playing non-focused Blitz games ! This is what many of us do! Remember to read the post by Avetik about how to play blitz correctly: https://chessmood.com/blog/golden-method-to-increase-rating-in-chess
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How to know what to play if opponents play dubious sidelines
Hi
Recently I played a few online games.In both instances I got White and I played the scotch game and both times my opponents played moves not covered in the course.
Eg : 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 ed4 4.Nd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 and here my opponent played Qf6. In the game I continued Qe3,Be2 and then went for Kingside attack but it did not work so well.
It would be very helpful if you could give some advice regarding how to orient in these kind of positions.
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* I mean Qe2 and Be3 {instead of Qe3 Be2}
7.Qe2 followed by 8.Be3 is fine, 7.Qe3 followed by 8.h4 is also strong.
Maybe you could share the game to see what went wrong
Exactly as Akiba Rubinstein said, this is the right plan. Nothing wrong with it. Then you have to continue playing well, the opening is good.
Accelerated dragon new chessable course
Hi guys,
Found that chessable just released new accelerated dragon course by Plichta. https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-accelerated-dragon/course/89868/
If someone buys it, could you write if there is some new stuff in main lines and esp interesting is new maroczy setup for black as I see he recommends new trendy line 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Qb6!?
Thanks.
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Ouch on the video price tag, even at half price. I know recording of video takes a long while, but he's only an FM and you could get the chessbase and thechessworld courses for that and still have plenty of change for your chessmood subscription.
Never found chessable to be a good site for opening repertoire.
Another note is it's 51 hours of video. Does it really need to be that long. Showing variation after variation isn't really teaching.
@Paulius_Juknis I would recommend you to not change the lines, you already know the variations with Qa5 and have a very good feeling for them as we saw in your posted games, you got very good positions and a bit more of time at the end would have been key. The next time you will get the time since you know the opening very good and you have experience with it. Do not lose your time changing opening lines, you already have a good repertoire and you understand the ideas very good, we all know that... Stick to the lines, which have been approved and revised by proven strong GMS, everything comes together with time...
Regarding the repertoire on the Accelerated dragon by Pitchka, after checking it a bit more, I am 100% sure that it is based on Avetik Grygorian's repertoire from Chessmood. This is the one that I have been playing and studying the last 2 years and boy, it is so identical in so many lines. Even some novelties that were never showed before Avetik's team analysis, Pitchka uses them too. What a shame or maybe great FMS and great GMS think alike, right? Maybe I am too distrustful. Who knows? By the way I think that he used the Qb6 idea on the maroczy in order to not make it so obvious that the main line was Chessmood's one. The picture shows one of the key ideas that Avetik found and he also found the the same one, the Rb8 that Avetik is so proud of on the videos:
When black play in paulsen system vs grand prix
Coach, i don't find this variation en te sections, can you help me what we have to do ?1.e4 c5 2.Cc3 e6 3.f4 a6
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You are lucky Chico Malo,
This was already in the list since it has been asked before too...
Avetik in his latest video shows how to play against the Hybrid setup in the Sicilian with e6 and a6.
It starts with 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4 a6!?.
Black is trying to trick us with the move-order. But with the right moves, we will be the one attacking their King!
He'll show you how, step-by-step, in the advanced section we’ve added to our Anti-Sicilian
(Part 4) course. Click the link below to check it out
https://bit.ly/3F4ErGS
Question on software
Hi, in what software does Avetik make its videos, that it can make moves with figures of one color in a row?
Ex .: Opening Principles 101, 30. f2 and f7 weaknesses 25 sec..
Thank you!
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I suspect it's just the latest Chessbase, whether there is the need to input null moves or not I don't know. You can also do this via scid for example by inputting a null move (though I don't remember if there is a keyboard short cut or you'd need to do it via the mouse). There also may be some editing going on which makes it look smoother.
Yes, Chessbase 16 is the interface used for the recordings. There is the possibility of entering null moves too as David explained.
While we are talking of null moves, nulling out the opponent's moves in a row except forcing ones such as recaptures or collection of sacrificed material can be useful for exposing plans which might be possible to follow. It also gives appreciation of the dim view the engine takes against irrelevant moves in that several null moves in a row (standing in somewhat for something irrelevant) quickly boost the score of the position.
Knight Sacrifice on Move 3
I’m new and very excited to be here. Last night I watched the Chess Opening Principles 101 video and was very excited by the portion about the knight sacrifice on move three. I play a coworker several times a week and he frequently plays 1….e5 2…..f6 as black. We sat down to play today and the game went like this.
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3. f6
3. Nxe5. fxe5 here I told him what a stupid move he had played
4. Qh5+ g6
5. Qxe5+. Qe7
6. Qxh8. Nf6!!!
And my heart sank because my Queen was trapped and I wasn’t smart enough to get her free. Later in the game I desperado’ed her for the second rook. Is there an easy way for me to get my Queen free after 6…..Nf6? How should I have played this better?
I looked at Stockfish which says it’s still +6.5 after the Queen gets trapped. It sure didn’t feel like +6.5 when I was playing it. Stockfish provided very little insight.
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Hi Ben
Doesn't d3 then Bg5 or Bh6 get you back into the game, as you an exchange + 2 pawns up, then you just trade off on f6 or f8?
Saturday theme tournaments + Friday webinars
Given we will soon have the b3 course and have finally got to 2400 in the webinars, is it possible now to consider bringing back the theme tournament soon for a few weeks with the follow up webinars which were very useful as a summary/prematch prep. Suggested line up (courses not in the first set of tournaments):
Petroff
Jobava (assuming the lines are still valid as there was some concern on the forum in one or two)
Alekhine (assuming it will be completed shortly)
b3 (assuming it arrives in time)
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An additional suggestion would be some of the ideal setups in the opening principles 101 course against the hippo etc. Or even against few or no moves made by Black to help understand the importance of fast development.
Guess what - I support David's motion :-)
A problem against our Bd3 against the French. (6...Ae7)
Yuffa's game against Bluebaum, from 2018 analyzed in chesspublishing. 1.e4 e5 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 c5 6.Ne2 Be7 (this move is the one that poses a new scenario, without Nc6). What is best for white? Maybe we could continue with 7.Nbc3 0-0 (7 ... Nc6 would transpose to our main line) 8. Be3 Qc7 9.0-0 cxd4 10.Nxd4 a6. This position seems comfortable for Black, he has a central pawn e. What does the coach recommend? I read in a forum post that they were working on this line. Another interesting option for Black instead of Qc7 is to play with his e-pawn. 8 ... cxd4 9. Nxd4 a6 10.Qe2 e5 11.Nb3 Nc6 12 Rd1 Qc7 (it seems that Black's position is more harmonious). What does the coach recommend for this 6 ... Be7?
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Yes, Avetik is finishing the Alekhine and then we will update this line in the French too, this is in our list and I will make sure that it will be published in the advanced section very soon. I remember that after 7.Nbc3 0-0 we should play d5 right away exd5 Nxd5 Now we have the d5 square and c5 can be a weakness. Still, please wait for Avetik's update.
It's been a long time that we all thought 6...Be7 is very strong
against our tricky 3.Bd3 in French.
However, recently, Avetik finally found a strong way to play for White and proved it with engines.
Did he record it to show everything he found?
Yes, of course
https://chessmood.com/course/
Note: The section is really advanced
Power of the bishop pair - more sections coming?
Having almost worked through this course (very good may I add), it mentions at the bottom more sections are coming, though in the introduction text it mentions 11 sections. Is there more to come here or is the 'more sections coming' message in error?
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Hi David,
As you have seen by now we have 11 sections.
We may have more sections, or more material on the existing sections as well. By now it's not decided since we are working on a lot of material in different directions.
Good luck!
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon
7.Nxc6 variation
7...b6 8.e5 Ng8 9.f4 Nh6 10.Qd2 o-o 11.o-o-o d6 12.Bc4 Ng4 you suggested you showed here 13.Bg1 line and i am confused what if white plays here 13.Bc5
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Hello :)
We will check it out and get back to you soon.
I checked the LTR on the dragon by the FM Pichta from Chessable and the author only analyzes 12..exd6 and does not include Bc4 in his 1460 lines of repertoire, I guess that not everything can be included in a course.
Correct! 12...Nf5 13.Bf2 h5 is stronger!
2B vs N - Power of Bishop Pair 1.4
In this video, it demonstrates the idea of separating the knight and king and trapping the knight. However in the initial position I found a shorter way to win:
1. Be8!
Now the knight has no squares.
1... Kh8? 2. Kf7 and the knight has to give itself up else Nh7 3. Bd4+ forces it into the pin. Or also 2. Bh6 wins
1... Kg8 2. Bh6 Nh7+ 3. Ke7 zugzwang and now the knight has to give itself up else Kh8 4. Kf7 and only the knight can move and is lost.
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Nice one @David_Flynn
Hi David,
That is doable as well.
We wanted to highlight the main idea of separating opponent's king and the knight which is the general strategy for that specific endgame.
Missing chess tactic themes
The ninja course doesn't have sections on:
Encirclement - taking away squares from a piece with limited movement
Trapping - stopping a piece escaping
Zugzwang - endgame theme but has been considered tactical e.g. by Purdy
Stalemate - some tactical collections include stalemate as a theme
Any others?
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Encirclement is related with trapping, the section which we'll add.
Zugzwang and stalemate are 99% endgame topics, and we'll cover in the endgame courses.
Yeah, in 0.001 cases they also occur in the middlegame, but we didn't create this course for just creating it. We did it to help our students to maximize their growth, even if they have limited time.
ANALYSING CHESS GAMES
Which software do you use to analyse your names. I have tried several and they give different moves so l am left confused. Your help would be much appreciated.
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What do you mean? You just need yourself to analyse your games ^^
Use decodechess it gives a detailed explanation of the ideas and problems behind each move in rich and intuitive language. The only problem is that you can only analyse two moves a day if you do not wish to spend money. However, it’s analysis is almost as good as a coach. It is worth it to pay for it if you can’t afford a coach.
I guess finding a coach is not a bad option, I mean first you analyse by yourself, then check it with the engine (like Chessbase or Lichess or other recommendations). And you can present all your analysis with your coach for her/him to correct it, with detailed explanation.
sorry for my English but hope that help!
The Trickiest French - A threat to our line.
There was a Survey in Chessbase Magazine 178 featuring our Pet Line, and among the analysed games was one highlighting a problematic move-order for us:
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 c5 6.Ne2 Be7! This unassuming little sixth move is quite an annoying finesse against our line, and not even the variation's greatest specialist Vladimir Onischuk has been able to find a convincing answer. Black's idea is to defer the capture on d4 until a better moment, while at the same time limiting White's attacking options as you will see.
I had been aware of this problem line since 2017, the year of the article, but quickly forgot about it since the Tarrasch was and is my main weapon against the French. However, motivated by our course, I was planning to surprise an upcoming opponent with the 3.Bd3 variation, until checking my files refreshed my memory.
Since 2017 the line continues to score well for Black at all levels, so we the ChessMood family must rise to the occasion and find a way to reverse that trend :-)
Here is the game from the Survey with the authors notes in both English and German:
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Thx Kevin for your great contribution!!!Who the survey in 178
Thx Kevin for your great contribution!!!Who the survey in 178
Yes, this line is in my database as well, and I thought it might be even stronger for Black to wait a further move and play 6...Nc6 7.Be3 and now Be7. White’s pieces trip over themselves a bit because of the N still stuck on e2. White can take the c-pawn and hold it for a bit, but black gets good compensation. If instead you go 8.Nbc3 then Bd7 is possible and soon the pressure on b7 which we hoped the Bf3 will give is gone. 8.Nbc3 cxd 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Qe2 0-0 11.0-0-0 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Qc8 followed by Qc6
Kevin, you pointed on our heart, and pulled the trigger :)
This Be7 is on our priority list, and we are working on this line with our team, with all kind of engines :)
Hopefully, we'll have good news soon and we'll update the course.
Hi, folks! Do we have something new in this 6.-Be7 line? As I have told you recently, I am testing your repertoire (both black and white) in correspondent games against strong players and this 6.-Be7 happened to me just today... Thank you beforehand for your answer!
It's been a long time that we all thought 6...Be7 is very strong
against our tricky 3.Bd3 in French.
However, recently, Avetik finally found a strong way to play for White and proved it with engines.
Did he record it to show everything he found?
Yes, of course
https://chessmood.com/course/
Note: The section is really advanced
Trap in the Alekhine
As the course is being update now, it's probably worth mentioning the 'trap' in the Nc6 introduction:
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 Nc6?? - Black tries to get this in a move early without d6
4. c4 - computer evaluation is now +2
4... Nb6 5. d5! - Surprise! Now where does the knight go?
or
4... Ndb4 5. a3 Na6 4. b4 Nab8 - a very sorry position which while not winning material the computer evaluations as nearly +4 - also probably the choice most opponents will make to not give away material. White now intends Nf3 d5 and Bb2
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Sorry it is mentioned already, so this post can be deleted or left as a reminder as appropriate.
Yes, it is in the course but it will be a good reminder for everyone, I would not delete the post... It actually happened in one of my games long time ago and I just remembered it thanks to your post.
b3?
Did we come up with anything preferred approach? Had this twice recently and elected for e5 then Nc6 and a6 to stop Bb5. I got a decent position but I ended up with no real dynamism in my position, With +1.5 to -1.5 into a late and boring middle game both times.
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Apparently they'll be a course on beating 1. b3 shortly.
A question is whether b3 with f4 will be considered (or will that be for a later 1. f4 course)
Good news, Gabuzyan is finishing the recordings and it will be uploaded very soon, in the meanwhile, we can tell you that it is based on the same setup as the English opening that we already play: c5-Nc6-e5-d6-g6 -Bg7 -Nge7. Maybe you can start trying it and see how it feels... For me, this setup has been fantastic, with very good results always!
