Chess forum by Grandmasters

(Edit) What to do when my confidence is really low?

Hello!

I have been having this problem for about a month. I am not able to concentrate properly and work on chess as I used to. I feel like I don't want to work on chess anymore. I have a fide rating of 2200+ and am pretty young [ <16]. I have the time to work on chess but simply cannot concentrate properly. I am really low on confidence and not sure how to overcome this problem. Any help would be really appreciated. 

P.S: I was a former- PRO Member and loved your work. Thank you for all the work that you have done!

Replies

I would just take a break. If as you said, you don't enjoy it anymore, just stop. When you don't enjoy it, there is no way that you will continue... Recharge your energy, find your Why and we will be here waiting for you... Try to stay at least 1 month away from chess, see what you feel... You are young and you can always come back.

if this is because you don't feel like doing studies or playing when you all relax and you're not exhausted, it might be cause your brain's probably disturbed. Listen. If you're feeling kind of not playing at that moment. just take a break. i know it sounds kind of not that much.... but look there are basically some reasons why this is happening. -

1) you are exhausted.

if you're exhausted. just do so as I told you. take a break.

2) your concentration is diverted

sometimes it happens with me too. i am not able to focus on studies and my concentration is not built strong and I am diverted. look. first of all. your concentration is diverted cause probably there's a lot of things there to distract you. what I do is when I analyze chess. i clean up all the clutter at my table and keep my table all clean with nothing but the chess board and the stockfish engine which I practice with. just that. clutter is probably doing it, if your concentration is diverted. if not. try meditating. that will help a lot in increasing your concentration even your brain powers.

3) you're not feeling like playing anymore

is that cause you lost your interest in chess after being a 2200+ player? aRe yOu KiDdInG mE? still, even if you do and you wanna continue just watch chess matches of gm's and bro if you lost your interest. i can do nothing in that. :) can I?

Hi MR N

Coach wrote a blog on bad results, I have applied the same approach when my confidence/ study dedication is low.

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

Hope this helps

Well, even your are quite young (compared to me borne in 1971) - stop doing what you were doing so fare and do something (chessrelated) new. E.g. try the deadly sins by Rowson (or even Goedel, Escher, Bach by Hofstadter, a book read when I was about 13 and read again and again - and that seems to have quite an influence on the deadly sins). Having finished one or both books reward yourself and get back to your regular training. 

How to overcome this :(

The happier this picture is, the more real and unbearable it is for me :( 

After a long laugh, I stopped for a moment and realized it is a huge problem that has to be solved.

Some winning games came to my mind which I missed because of this stupid reason. Once I had a rook, knight and 2 pawns against a single rook, and get checkmated. Can you imagine? :(

I hate when people gather around my board and I'm stressed for it :( 

I don't know how to overcome this. Are there any tips?

Is there anyone who has this problem or am I alone? :(

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1- Play against pieces

2- Put ear plugs

3- Do not look around

Didn't the Russians train with distractions? I'm sure I've heard stories of players having smoke blown at them (not good for the health mind you). Perhaps practise analysing or playing friendlies with distractions to work on them not interfering so much with your focus, different music, sometimes loud, TV particularly something you like, have someone come and constantly distract you. Try walking away mid flow then trying to get back to where you were. Get someone to trash talk while you play them.

you're not alone! you're not alone! you're not alone! ))

It's really annoying especially when you know that they want you to lose lol.

If l see someone looking at my game who is a friend of mine. I say "Shoo-go away" If a honourable person is seeing i drink enough water

Get sunglasses like Kortschnoi and be sure that they activate colors when they shine!

Scandinavian with ...Qd8!?

Hi I just lost a blitz game which started 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nf3 and Black just went back immediately with 3...Qd8!? and later played ...c6 / ...Bg4 / ...e6 and I got nowhere and got quickly outplayed by an opponent rated around 2300.

Any tips on now to combat such opening play will be most welcome.

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Hi Ramon

The setup against c6/e6 with Bg4 is covered in section 6 of the Scandinavian course. There is an excellent model game (Bassem vs Al Sori) showing how to use the d5-pawn break when Black King is still in the centre

https://chessmood.com/course/10-crushing-the-scandinavian/episode/1066

My summary approach: When Black doesn't directly challenge d4, aim for the d4/c4 pawn setup; Against Bg4 play Be2 with h3; Keep in mind an early Bg4 weakens the b7-square, use c4 to play Qb3. Use d5 open the centre against Black King in centre with setup c6,e6, Nf6, Nbd7,Bh5 once White Be2,h3, d4,c4, Nc3 and 0-0

Hope this helps

id say simply improving in chess. after qd8 black sais: i have less space, but I am a stronger player than you and will outplay you.

I'm really interested in this as well. Would be a good idea for a daily lesson topic! :)

Nc3 Sicilian with 2.. Nc6 - 3.. bxc6 and e7 with Ne7

It happens to me quite a lot that after 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 black recaptures with the b pawn. I just had a case where black then proceeded to play d5 and e6, and develop the knight to e7. I tried following standard plan but encountered an interesting response at move 10.

From my engine analysis it seems Qh4 is not the best move here, but instead  white should play e5. I looked for this variation in the courses and the closest I came was the 2.. e6 course but there the coverage is about when black plays Nf6, not Ne7. Your thoughts about the best plan for white would be appreciated.

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Any and all contributions are warmly appreciated!

Hey! 
Well, when Black puts the pawn on d5, instead of d6, the c5 pawn becomes super weak! 
And we can win the game positionally instead of checkmating. 
Instead of Qe1, Qh4 plan, we can plan e5, close the bishop, and then organize b3,Na4,Ba3. 
Even Black organizes Ba6,c4,cd3, anyway, after cd3, they have problems with c6 pawn and dark squares. 

One more thing, if after Bc6,bc6, Black plays d6,e6,Nge7, then e5 move becomes very strong! Weakening the c5 pawn. I have shown this idea during the webinars.  

And then winning the game positionally. 

A win against Sicilian Bc4

Since I'm often looking to improve things and can come across quite critical, it's worth noting there is so much that's right though which often doesn't get said.

Just had a nice win against Bc4 (not perfect as I had a couple of low time based blunders) where normally I struggled against this system. Thanks GM Gabuzyan for the course and the follow up session!

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English Opening - for attention of GM Hovhannes

Hi, I researched a player I was drawn against on LiChess and discovered he played a sort of delayed English, by playing 1.Nf3 2. c4 and then 3. b3 in order to play Bb2 to oppose a g7 bishop.  So knowing this I tried to work out what might be best but I seemed to get the worst of it.  In fact, till my opponent overlooked the loss of a knight I believe I had a lost game.

I cannot find this early development of white's QB early covered anywhere, could you have a look and suggest how best to handle it?  Here is a link to the game   https://lichess.org/u1sOMs17jH1t.

Thank you.

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@Derek_Simpson

The Link you posted returns a '404 page not found' error message when I try to access it.

Good point, but I wouldn't think of replying 1. ...c5 against 1.Nf3 (even allowing for knowing  in this case my opponent was most likely heading for an English).

Most of the advice given in the English and the Benko Gambit is based on either 1. c4 or 1. d4 respectively, it is slightly more difficult to assume an opponent is going to end up in either by  1. Nf3

But thank you for your advice and interest in giving it.

I always play c5 against 1.Nf3, the same order suggested by Wil. It transposes to the Acc dragon, Maroczy, English etc. almost always...

Thank you you have resolved my concerns, it is much appreciated.  Perhaps I should pay more attention to the streams in future!!

In the opening...

Hey coach, I was just wondering the right plan against stonewall? As of now I am playing in KID style and quickly playing e5 break . What is the right way to play according to our chess mood repertoire.

And also I am finding difficulty playing against Sicilian rossolimo 0-0 line where he doesn't play BC6 ANY IDEAS?? 

Replies

Kid style with e5 break is a fine way to meet the Stonewall Attack, another excellent way is to play for c5 break or you can even combine both. The most important thing when facing the Stonewall Attack is to know what white wants to achieve from the beginning and prophylactically destroy his dreams.

Kevin D answered perfectly! 
I'm thinking to create badges for our PRO Members. 
Kevin knows a lot about openings and our ChessMood opening. 
He'll definitely have ChessMood Master badge. 
So whenever, guys, you see his answers, you know he's trusted by ChessMood. 
What do you think about the idea? :) 

Chessmood Odysseus

Hello Champions and Future Champions, Hello Chessmood Family...

I bet that you recognize the words... I just dared to use them to start making my introduction to all of you.

From now on I am going to be watching over your learning Odyssey in Chessmood by moderating the forum. Lately we had some technical issues and some undesired posts, that is why our beloved Avetik asked me to moderate the forum. Of course in no way I will behave as an inquisitor, and we still have to fix some malicious posts but we are on it. 

I enjoyed very much banning a couple of users that were spamming us and deleted the posts that I could (and I will delete the the rest soon).

I will try to make your experience here more enjoyable and I have been taking good notes in the different posts that you wrote.

I will only ask some patience before I get used to my duties but rest assured that I will be here for you!

Replies

Great. Welcome. 

Welcome! Now your watch begins, the forum will be even better.

Hi Odysseus and welcome,

Are you able to make it  easier for users to track posts, especially older posts. The search function on the forum does not work very well.

Welcome Odysseus and good to see you're hitting the ground running!

Thanks, Odysseus, and thanks to everyone for their patience and ideas. 
This is just the first step. 

Soon, after hiring a new technical team, on ChessMood everything will be cooler! 
You'll see it :) 

More spam for you. This time about Vicki who I believe works at a greengrocer with large produce ;)

I guess it's whackamole until one/both of:

. Captcha on registrations and/or non-pro posts to prevent bots. Chess captchas with mate in one for example stop non-chess able spamming humans too (I think a good minimum is being able to mate in 1, despite some of our blitz games ;)

. Non-pro posts to be approved before going into the forum (also means that answers can be given at the same time on common topics)

The second prevents a reservoir of accounts built up before spamming. The first stops automated attempts when a manual user might give up on a moderated forum.

At the moment it's about a rate of one spam post a day, but in theory there is nothing stopping a higher rate and the site getting overwhelmed.

According to ancient Greek mythology, Odysseus sank a couple of ships, his crew died (some of them had a violent death) and it took him 10 years to reach his destination (a typical one-week journey)!

I really hope you are more lucky than he was :)

I don't know who you are, Odysseus, but you're very funny. Welcome and good luck!

The spammer has gone all KFC on us.

Chess Puzzles

Hello, if you are interested in improving and solving puzzles, then you are most welcome in our group https://t.me/ChessPuzzler

Its a telegram group where I and my chess mood friends will be posting and solving puzzles 

Only improving and serious players join pls !

Hope to see you soon :)

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Thanks for the great puzzles!

I joined the channel but I can not send any messages.

NEW ARTICLE: How to Defend in Chess – 8 Must-Know Defensive Ideas

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Excellent Article !!

Very interesting article but you should know that defence us my favourite part of the game. Especially in the Accelerated dragon, Schevenningen with black and Najdorf with white, which I also maintain ( The Sicilian is the most important part of my repertoire ), I have saved my king mostly with the escaping king or the brave king technique. When I played Schevenningen once, I marched from g8 to e4 through e6 and then back to c7, ending the game in a draw. 

Thank you 4 article. I followed the 1st 4 course. 

By the way, at the end, on counter attack, under diagram is written white to move but N is already on g5 (in fact I thought about Nf7+ Rf7 Qe5+ Kg8 - if Rg7 probably Rd8+ followed by QxQc3 - exf7+ Kf7 Rd7+ followed by QxQc3)

@ Richard

The ultimate goal is that all these defensive ideas eventually become intuitive and the urge to implement them happens on a subconscious level, such economy saves a lot of mental energy for the ensuing battle.

That's why learning the Open Games is so important in your early chess development. The nature of 'The Open Games'  results in your attacking and defensive instincts becoming highly developed at an early stage as if by osmosis. :)

NEW ARTICLE: Knight & Queen: A Powerful Attacking Team

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Instructive Article !!

Thank You very much coach Johan! That was great! Hope il remember as well in SLP!

French question: Move 7....cxd4

Hi, 

I played a game against an FM using the Chess Mood French. I think I got a good position out of the opening, but don't recall seeing this specific variation in the 3.. Nf6 video. Can you confirm the correct move?

Here's the game, I was white.

1. e4 e6

2. d4 d5

3. Bd3 Nf6

4. e5 Nd7

5. Ne2 c5

6. c3 Nc6 

7. a3 cxd4

8. cxd4 f6

Here's where I had to think for a bit and I played 9. f4. Is this the correct plan here? Thank you so much.

Replies

I had two games last month with the same position in both of them I played f4. I also checked the move after the first game and Be3 was better first if the Queen is on b6, when checking what I did wrong and I recall that it was the first choice of the engine. I am attaching both games, in one I sadly lost at the after being a piece up, but in both games the position out of the opening was good I believe. Check it out...

Yeah Benjamin, f4 is correct! 
It's important to keep the d4,e5 pawn chain. 

Mistake in Acc Dragon 7.Be2 d6 8.f4 line

In the minor lines  8.f4 video you give 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6

5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. f4 d6

9. O-O Qb6 10. Kh1 Nxe4 11. Nxc6 Qxe3?

11...Qxe3 is indeed kind of equal but after 12.Nxe7 white wins back the pawn and the position is unclear. 11...Qxc6! gives black a big advantage. 

Replies

Hi Duvupov!

Just checked and what you are saying sound correct! Let me tell you that the Accelerated Dragon course and also Benko are being recorded again and we will take your note into a consideration.

New GM Gabuzyan recommendation in Closed Sicilian 6.Be3

I think 6... Rb8 was recommended before the update, followed by ...b5 and ...Nd4

However, in the latest update, 6...e5 is recommended.

6...e5 seems more in line with our repertoire, but I really liked 6...Rb8 an the resulting middlegame.

What are the differences, advantages and disadvantages between 6...Rb8 and 6...e5? Should I swap from 6...Rb8 to 6...e5?

Replies

Now you have two options. :-)

Sergio, it's will be much easier to play with e5, as you do it against almost all systems. Even against 1.c4 :) 
So we try to keep it simple. 

"Crushing the Scandinavian" course

Hey Champions! 
The course is uploaded and 3 sections are ready, others are on their way.
https://chessmood.com/course/10-crushing-the-scandinavian

I hope you'll enjoy it and start crushing Scandinavian players.
If you have any questions about the course - put them in the comments of this post.

With best wishes,
GM Avetik 

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The title of video nr. 57 in this course should be 7...Nb6! instead of 8...Nb6!

Killing the bluff crushing Sicilian sidelines

What if white instead 10Re1+ or Nd5 plays Bg5?

Thanks in advance

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Please give all moves.

Thank you!

Hello dear PRO Members!
I want to say thank you!
Why? :)

First, I'll tell you the good news.
You know, I'm trying to bring more Grandmasters to ChessMood.
And recently a man, who was in the top 10 in the world, agreed to record a course for us! (I will reveal his name later)

I would have never been able to invite such big guys without your support...
When you help me with marketing, for example by referring ChessMood to your friends, you give me more time to focus on chess and bring more value to ChessMood.
When you help me to grow ChessMood, I have more resources to invite the best players and the best coaches to ChessMood.
Thank you!

Last year we grew with 500%, with 1% marketing.
Most of the part of our growth came from our students, who referred their friends.  

Thank you very-very much!

I told you earlier, that all our profits will be reinvested to make ChessMood a better place and help chess lovers from all over the world.

Thanks for all your support!

With best wishes and deep gratitude,
GM Avetik

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Well, thank you for all the hard work you are putting in this platform! Since I became a member I have improved a lot and this is thanks to you!

Is it Boris Gelfand? This is my wild guess... :)

My guess - Is it Akopian? :-)

2. Bc4 webinar: Nils' question

At 32:45 GM Gabuyzan answers Nils' question:

After 1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. d3 d5 6. Bb5 Bd7 (line in response to my question at 29:56), Nils asked what if 7. e5 here, and the response was Ng8-e7 is fine.

Looking at the computer, it's about equal, but here, 7... d4 is even better giving Black an advantage as if Nc3 moves, Qa5 is coming. 8. exf6 dxc3 9. bxc3 (9. fxg7 Bxg7) a6 10. Bc4 Qxf6 - Note: Avinash suggests d4 in the chat.

Note the French advance style trap, 7... Nxe5 doesn't work here: 8. Nxe5 Bxb5 9.  Nxb5 Qa5+ 10. Nc3 d4 11. Nc4 and the queen has to give up the pin.

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Shredder comes to the same conclusion. Thank you, David. PS. Preparing for White for this tournament I had the game Martinez Alcantara-Zhigalko, 2021 in mind where Black played 6. ... Be7 (instead of Bd7 as suggested in the webinar) and White got a nice game after 7. Bxc6 bxc6 an 8. e5.

North Sea Defence

It would be interesting to see your take on Carlsen's blitz weapon, the North Sea Defence, in the Modern course.

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Nf6!?

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https://chessmood.com/course/modern-pirc/episode/1518

Why not avoid the Rossolimo with 2...g6?

Dear ChessMood Family:

ChessMood’s Accelerated Dragon repertoire calls for the move order:  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6.  Why doesn’t ChessMood recommend 2…g6, which avoids the Rossolimo altogether and saves you the trouble of learning that entire line?  In other words, why is 2…g6 bad?  I’ve only heard two arguments:

1.  If you play 2…g6, you have to be prepared for 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4.  I don’t think this is a good argument.  In my experience, 4. Qxd4 is no big deal and comfortably met by 4…Nf6 5.  e5 Nc3, which is much easier to learn than the Rossolimo.  Granted, I’m a lower-level player…and maybe 4. Qxd4 is more dangerous at higher levels.

2.  If you play 2…g6, you can be forced out of the ChessMood repertoire if your opponent plays as Christof Sielecki recommends in “Keep it Simple 1. e4.”  Sielecki calls for:  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3.  Now Black is forced out of the ChessMood repertoire because in the Alapin, ChessMood calls for:  1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6.  In other words, in the Alapin, ChessMood never recommends …g6.  I think this is a better argument, but should one go to the trouble of learning the Rossolimo just to avoid Sielecki’s line?

What do you guys think?  Am I missing something more?  What’s better, 2…Nc6 or 2…g6?  I appreciate any insight you can share.  Thank you.

-Nick

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https://chessmood.com/course/6-anti-sicilian-with-nc3-part-5

In the "6. Anti-Sicilian with Nc3!? Part 5" course he explains how to play for white against g6! so g6 is not a good move. Nc6 is much better and if you want to improve, you need to study hard and work hard, unfortunately there is no other choice. :)

3.c3 seems to give white an small but easy adventage. If you like playing these lines, 2.g6 is good for you

Because your life in the Anti-Sicilians is less easy. If you normally play 2...Nf6 vs the Alapin, white can force you in a different Alapin with the 2...g6 move order. This means you will need to play a g6 system against the Alapin.

And you need something separate against the Morra Gambit. With the 2...Nf6 repertoire you can avoid the Morra Gambit by transposing to the Alapin line. 

There are also some other nasty sidelines vs the 2...g6 move order. Besides that, most anti-Sicilian books/courses for black are made for the 2...g6 move order. So just learn the Rossolimo is way more practical. And if you learn it well, you will discover that with the Chessmood repertoire it is very fun to play! 

Well, there are lots of good points in the answers. 
Firstly you'll allow 3.d4 with Qd4. 
2nd, the 3.c3 gives an advantage in the theory. 

Especially because of 3.c3, top players don't play g6. 

However, for example GM Guseinov plays it for long time. 

Overall, if your rating is below 2300 you can play 2...g6 too. 
It will be fine.