Chess forum by Grandmasters

Anyone else facing the stafford gambit a lot?

This is a pretty popular gambit on twitch with eric rosen. It may have a lot to do with my level (~1000-1400) but im getting it kind of a lot when I want to play the scotch (and they go petroff defense). I've been declining the gambit by playing  4. d4 to defend the knight but maybe accepting the gambited knight is better? I just want them to be out of whatever comfort they have with the gambit line. Just wondering if anyone had go to response to this.

Replies

Hey! GM Danya made a vid about it on his YT! he gave a clear defense against it! just check it out!

I faced it a lot too! but not so much these days!

You can check out this lichess public study: Stafford Gambit Study (lichess.org)

I don't recall ever having it. What's the idea of the gambit if declined (defer d6, d5 in one, play b6 Bb7 instead - I guess capturing Nxc6 opens lines with dxc6)? Can I just retreat Nf3 and transpose where Black has shown his cards by playing Nc6?

@daniel schleith

Acceptance is certainly the strongest course but your 4.d4 is also an excellent and practical way to decline the Stafford while still retaining some advantage. 4.Nf3 is not as strong because in many lines Black gets to go d5 in one move instead of two.

Well done daniel I like your thought process in dealing with Gambiteers. :)

One sound way of accepting the Gambit not mentioned by Daniel Naroditsky is:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d4 [6.d3 Bc5 7.dxe4 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qxd1 Don't fall for that one, it's the main idea behind The Stafford.] 6...Be6 7.c3 with a big advantage for White. 

Yeah... And I'm very sad to see some IMs or GMs teach it to their students, telling it's a wonderful gambit. 
In reality, I feel Black is just lost. 

You should just now this 7.c3 move, with idea d4, then e5. 

Is it covered in any course, where someone recommends this gambit?
I haven't seen it. With very clear reasons, of course, why they didn't cover this move :)  

I'll cover this soon in the Abracadabra openings section :) 

@Kevin_D, what do you think about 7.c3? 

I have seen it just a couple of times. Last time was just a few weeks ago and I am sure it was down to IM Rosen streaming it & uploading to his YouTube channel. I won easily against it, mainly as my opponent played it badly! Still, it is one of those openings that is just bad! Except if it is played by a good player, who actually knows it & how to play, then it might be challenging I guess!

IM Rosen & Jonathan Schranz & several other chess streamers seem to delight in promoting dodgy gambits (Nakhmunson gambit?!). I do not mind this generally, but sometimes they go very silly and are shown to be very foolish! That is their choice... et comme les francais dit "chaque un a son gout"!

In conclusion I am sure you can find a sound good way to beat this Stafford gambit..follow Avetik & Kevin's advice! GL .....Right Mood, Right Move COGRO!

Caro Kann Exchange Variation - Looks like an interesting alternative.

Hello, ChessMood Family!

In the picture below, the move recommended is Bxd6. During a game, I thought about an interesting idea Ne5 and played it. My idea was to use the pin over a4-e8 diagonal. What do you think?

Replies

Hi Sidharth

This move is covered in the course Section2.10 7...Qd7 (1:40). Coach mentions this is a the lesser path to follow as Black will look to play 10...Qc7 11. Nxg4 Bxf4 12. Nxf6 gxf6. Yes Black pawn structure is broken but they have opposite color bishops, push f6-f5 to close out Bd3 and King will sit on f8.

Perhaps there is more to it, but the 10.Bxd6 main line has given me an easier path and plan to play with good results!

Hope that helps

Anti-Sicilian with e6 - missing advanced variations

There is reference in video 3   4... d4 5. Bb5+ Nd7 to an advanced section with 10. b4 which doesn't seem to be present aside from a quick skim over in the video. Given this course is the theme of the upcoming tournament is this material available yet (even if not in recorded form)?

Also there is mention of more material in 5... Bd7 to be discussed in the advanced section

In 4... dxe4 with Nc6 and a6 (video 7) there is the mention of further advanced material after 12. d4.

Replies

Regarding the first variation, yes, after b4, we get a pretty nice position benko gambit style. Maybe something could be added but the position is very good for white and very easy to play. If I ever get there I will have no problems playing this position but maybe it can be expanded in the future

Regarding the second one, in my notes after Bd7 the variations are very long. Are you sure that we need more material?

As for the 3rd one, yes maybe in the future for an advanced course it may be added, but I did not already remember all these variations and your post made me realize about it.

I think that at our level, our plate is so full already that it is difficult to follow up with so many amazing variations...

@ David Flynn

Some lines need to be recorded yet, it is not easy at all for the Chessmood team to prepare all the materials, everything is original and requires many, many hours of preparation behind the scenes in order to record a course. Avetik, Gabuzyan and Johan at the moment are the faces behind the videos but there is an enormous number of hours spent on research and checking. Still, we will never be able to cover everything or to do everything right. Neither it will be to everyone's liking, but any chessmood follower can see the evolution of the site, slowly we are having an almost full repertoire. If you had become a pro user at the beginning of the site, the repertoire was at 30%, now it is at 85% maybe, yet some courses are planned to be recorded again in order to offer you all the best contents possible (within our reach). Also, just as a personal note, if Avetik says that the line will be in the advanced section, the line will be there. He always keeps his promises.

We also take into account the number of views of the courses, maybe you are mostly concentrated in opening theory, but the majority of users may be viewing the middlegame courses. Therefore, the interest should be shifted to the middlegame and we should provide more contents there too based on our pro members preferences. Sometimes you spend countless hours in a course that you believe it is very good and people are more interested in other things, nothing to say there... Everyone has different tastes, different needs, but be assured that we will provide the best contents possible (again within our reach and time) for all of you dear pro members. :-)

A Doubt in the French Bd3

I was playing a 60 + 30 game on lichess. My opponent played french and the game went like this: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 c5 6.Ne2 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Ne5 9.Nc3 a6 10.Qe2 Nxf3+ and here I played 11.gxf3. What to do now against Nd5, the move he played.

Replies

One option here would be to just take on d5 (and then 0-0-0; black dares not to forsake too much king safety/tempo to grab a2 pawn) and ask black to choose between having an ugly isolated pawn on d5 or being incredibly behind on development that his AFK bishops and rooks are just targets for tactics later. (also if black castles short, then something like Bd4+heavy pieces stacking on the g file usually just ends the game instantly since black is not adequately prepared to defend g7). 

Sidhart, I just copied into a pgn the line that you requested for and added all the comments from the book: Tackle the French: A practical repertoire with 3. Bd3 from a guy that is called chessforlife. I do not really know the author but since it is based in our Chessmood repertoire, I bought it long time ago. I do believe that he just based the repertoire in our Chessmood lines, but anyways, the line that you mentioned is here and it should be more than enough.

Anti-Siclian Part 3 Yang-Artemiev 9... d5?

This move is not mentioned in the course and it's interesting because it's an obvious try, aiming for d4 and forking the N and B. Unfortunately for Black the tactics aren't on his side due to the king in the centre and 10. f5 gives a winning game:

10. f5 d4 11. fxe6 fxe6 12. e5

If 12... Nxe5 13. Bxb7 Ra7 14. Bf4 Rxb7 (or dxc3 first) 15. Bxe5 dxc3 16. Nf4 cxb2 17. Bxb2
    12... dxc3 13. exf6 cxb2 14. f7+
    12... dxe3 13. exf6 gxf6 14. Qh5+

Replies

Scotch Doubt - Very complex for me (Even for engine!)

I was playing in a tournament yesterday and I got one player. I played the scotch and it went like this. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.h4 a5 9.c4 Ba6 10.g3 and here, he played a move which is not in the course. 10...Qc5 and I played 11.Qe4 Be7 12.Nd2 Nb6 13.Nb3 Qb4+ 14.Bd2 Qa4. This position was complex for me and I lost this game without making any mistakes. Even for Stockfish 13! Stockfish 13 suggested 15.Nxa5 (during the game I thought it and found 15...Bc8!) and when I put in 15...Bc8! 16.Nb3 Ba6! (17.Na5 is met with Bc8 and it's a draw - Note: It was a must win situation) 17.Qg4 Bxc4 it says Black is better.

Replies

Would this line against Black's Queen be too dangerous for White after 15. ... Bc8

Hi Sidharth,

Interesting, playing these lines I never faced Qc5 but looks like a playable movie.

I checked with the strong engine on my own and discovered 11.Nd2 recommendation instead of 11Qe4.

All further moves are really complex. If 11...Be7 12.Bh3 or if 11...Qd4 there is strange 12.a3 move. 

I Will try to investigate this as well, but if you noticed during the streams and as mentioned in the course as the second option against 8... Qe6 there is a much simpler 9.Nd2 option. 

So if you just want to play easier positions check it out in the course :-)

English Opening

One of my opponent played liked this 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6

5. Nc3 g6 6. g3  when i tried to play Benko.

How to continue for Black ? is this 3. ..... cxd4 is ok ? 

Replies

You want to look at the Maroczy Bind course 6. g3 for this, it's a transposition. This transposition was also mentioned in the first section of the English course.

One of the great things about the Chessmood repertoire is that there are transpositional opportunities so odd moves or move orders don't leave you in yet another system to learn.

NEW ARTICLE: Elephant Gambit | The Refutation

Replies

Nice work - shame we can't like the original post. Used to play at a club where a 2000 level player would play this opening, and it was frustrating despite knowing how to defeat it, not being able to remember the exact sequence under pressure so he'd often get away with things. Another caveman's opening sent back to the stone age hopefully - looking forward to reviewing the course.

Perhaps the Saturday after the e6 tournament we can be beating elephants (real elephants will not be harmed).

Just had a 3 minute game which ended badly for the opponent: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nxe5 dxe4 4. Bc4 Be6 (not covered in the course, but it's awful) 5. Bxe6 fxe6 6. Qh5+ (what else) g6 7. Nxg6 Nf6 8. Qb5+ (computer prefers Qh4) c6 9. Qb7 Nbd7 (blunder) 10. Nxh8 Rb8 11. Qxc6 Rc8 12. Qxe6+ - good night Nellie!

We should invite Eric Rosen to the upcoming closed tournament on the Stafford. 

Well, having read the article (the video course is still on my to-do list),  I gave it a try. Unfortunately, my opponent went for a rather tame line:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5? 3. exd5 Bd6 4. d3?!

More in the Elephant's spirit would have been to respond with 4. ... f5 (there is one game of Corbin, one of the few Elephant's aficionados in the database with this reply), however, 4. ... Nf6 was ok, too. I then decided to finally sacrifice to pawn with 7. ... c6 and to enjoy a bit more active position. Later, my opponent blundered a piece and the game became quite tactical with not too much time left.

I think I will use the Elephant Gamit as a kind of surprise in our next club games (they all know that I usually play the Petroff).

Benko Artificial Castling variation with a2-a4-a5

I recently played a blitz game against one of those lichess super-GMs and against our standard Qb6 & Na6 maneuver, he played a4 and immediatley a5. After analyzing it, it looks very solid indeed for white, and black doesn't seem to get any of their usual Benko play. Looking forward to the CM coaching team's input.

Replies

Hello Yair,

We had the chance to meet with the Chessmood GMs team and I am replying to your post. This move is very advanced, we do not know your ELO but we always say that the Benko works very good until 2400 FIDE or in blitz. This is one of the latest engine moves played by very strong GMS.

That said, we reached the conclusion that instead of 15.Nd7, the move ...Qa6 looks very interesting, the variation could go along the line: 15...Qa6, 16.Qe2 Nc2 and if the queen takes, we take on c4... The position is not bad and we have to bring the other rook to the game too. Please tell us if you ever meet this move again...

Super dedicated Training Partners Needed

Hi everyone, after a long time I am seeking partners for training. I need some partners who can read chess books with me. I do not mind your rating but all I want is super dedication. I am working from 8 am to 12 am  because there is an event in May. I wanna perform well so I need to finish some chess books. Text me if you can afford daily an hr to two hours of study. Dedication can benefit both of us!

But please serious people can text me. I need help because I want to change my life but without partners it's tough. I am 1465 rated only and working to reach 2000 by the end of 2021.

Replies

Always think at that rating, focusing on the right things makes the most difference in the least time. Usual is tactics, basic endgame and getting to a playable position in the opening, but not knowing much more. Players with that much and the right attitudes (post I made about players from 1500-1750 or so) should be able to reach 1800 easy enough. You will need long play experience, just playing blitz isn't enough. I went from about 1400 to 1800 in 2 or 3 years while holding down a job.

The commitment is great, but there is the danger of doing a lot of work which won't be of benefit yet or will provide less dividends than when you do it at 1800 or 2000 rating.

As for the regular training commitment, as much as I'd like to, I have far too much on both professionally and even keeping up playing games and the weekly chessmood tournament study. I guess that's the same for many, so having a pool of available people interested in helping but not signing up for any commitment might get you more.

What are the books you are working on/planing to study? I do like the ChessMood courses. But being born in 1971 I do miss to work with book and board. My regular study time is early in the morning (5:30 Berlin time) for about 90 minutes. 

LINE AGAINST NF3 C5 AND 2.B3

Hi chess mood family, in the last Liga tournament I played against a Gm and he played the following game I attached. I just want to know if I played the right line against this setup because when I play offline tournaments many strong players having fide Elo above 2200 are playing this setup and I often find it difficult to play. Is there any chess mood course against this maybe in the future.? Can somebody also tell me where I went wrong because I am having difficulties in analyzing such positions with the engine 

Replies

I do not like to be the bearer of bad news, but from my understanding, any Nf3+c4 start to the game has no actual opening theory. They are the ultimate test of your middlegame skills. One possible option would be, in the words of Coach Avetik, to "parrot" the moves of your opponent. (Minimum you can get away with "parroting" until end of opening/Mopening).

This has transposed into an English double fianchetto (c4, b3, g3 in some order) which isn't covered. And yes I've had this played against me. After Nf3 c5, generally it'll transpose into one of the other openings. It would be worth asking during the webinar a line for this, though getting aggressive with  e6 d5 d4 to block one of the bishops is scoring well.

How about 2.. g6!?, similar to the proposed repertoire against 1. e4 c5 2.b3?

Regarding this topic, we discussed with the CM team and it is very clear to us that we should use the following move as in the English section 6:

https://chessmood.com/course/english-opening-1.c4-how-to-play-for-black/episode/2323

I am attaching a pgn and also let me remind you that this line has been played in several streams. Do not forget to check them regularly if you cannot follow them live...

Smart cheating

Replies

Great view

Even Magnus Carlsen won't play re1 intuitively (but who knows :)

You pointed it right that we should play fairly as we are playing chess for brain development and not for external profits (which is a by-product of our playing skills)

On a similar topic to smart cheating, but not in this case, there is an app advertised on Steam that lets you play chess against others with a choice of the engine's first or second move. I'm not sure what you really learn or what the enjoyment is with that. A lower rated player might benefit when one choice is a blunder and another a good move, but a choice of two good moves the player doesn't understand...?

Anti Sicilian Part 3

Hello GM Avetik again 

I am using your great anti sicilian courses . so when i have some problems i ask them here . so this time there is problem in this variation ( this time i use english symbols !! ) :

1. e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4 d5 4.Nf3 de4 5.Ne4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Qe2 Nh6 8.b3 Nf5 9.Bb2 a6 10.Bc6 Bc6 11.d3 Be7 12.0-0-0 Nd4 13.Qf2 Nf3 14.Qf3  0-0 15.g4 

so here what if black plays 15.....f5 ???

Replies

Indeed computer says no here.

15. h4 retains the attack with f5 getting Qg3 and Ng5.

Queen’s Gambit Declined - Nimzo Indian move order

Replies

Anti-sicilian system part 4 (White repertoire) Unusual move order

Hello, tomorrow I have one game in a championship where the opponent (KM and rated more than 300 points higher than me) usually plays the anti-sicilian system on the part 3, but on the move 6 it deviates... I already looked at his games and at the engine(s) suggestions, but I was wondering if someone faced already such a development and how did they tackle it.

The opening variation is in the pgn, along with some comments. If anyone has some suggestion, it will be more than welcome. Thanks!

Replies

Stockfish likes the line you gave, if your opponent goes there he will be in trouble.

Fantastic! :) 

Heavy piece endings + defensive Nb3 in the French

A couple of points from this game. The first is the opening. In the French dxe4 line with c5, there is the Onischuk game which (Ne5 and Be7) which runs 9... Be7 10. Qe2 Nxf3 11. Qxf3 O-O 12. O-O-O Bd7 and now 13. g4 Qa5

In a similar line of the game Black delays Nxf3 with 10... O-O (computer prefers Bd7 with Rc8) 11. O-O-O Qa5 and now 12. g4 is marked as a mistake by the computer. True enough the g-pawn does become a problem and getting it to the f-file didn't help start an attack since the knight and bishop can defend g7. I'm being aggressive against opposite wing castling yet repeatedly the computer is saying that the defensive Nb3 to chase the queen instead of g4 is much better, and again later instead of Nf5. How to deal with these sorts of positions where there is a balance between defensive moves and aggressive ones?

Finally the game goes down to Q+R vs Q+R with pawns on both sides. Both sides have their chances plus blunders and it ends in a draw. Particularly in low time (both sides eventually) trying to work with heavy piece endings is really difficult. How to deal with these?

Replies

Hi David,

It's a nice question. Usually, it happens at the end of the game and sides are being in time trouble as you mentioned. There are 2 factors that I think are important. First is the king's safety. For example in the game you posted even being a pawn up white is having issues because of the open king.

Another thing assuming kings are safe is the pawn structure ( weak pawns, passed pawns)

How I usually play this position trying to keep my king safe, and making problems for the opponent's one.

Of course, this question doesn't have a concrete answer because it's always different.

I just tried to share with you my opinion and experience.

Scotch ...Nf6 with 8.h4 Qe6

Hi fellow Chessmood members,

What do we play when Black plays 13...h5 here?

Replies

Hi Thomas,

My recommendation will be 14.g5 with a better position for white. There are many possible options for black after this move, but everywhere white has something. This is too complex but better for white.

If you like this kind of position in order to play it some extra work with the engine will be required.

Or if you want something less complex you play after 8... Qe6 9.Nd2 move also described in the course.

I think this is a mistake

Hello, ChessMood Family! In the course video (https://chessmood.com/course/sicilian-defence-part-2/episode/787) on 1:48, I think White could play exd5 instead of Qxd5. I think White is better after that.

Replies

Yes it's possible, but if we don't change the knights it is stronger because knight goes to b6 

I believe that Black will get themselves involved in a lot of unnecessary hot water regarding their queen if they decide to capture on c2 after Qd5. Qd5 is in line with a positional principle, to never play ed in the presence of that particular pawn structure, so that black's backward d pawn will always be exposed, instead of covered up by white's own pawn. A very notable example is the 6th game from the 1999 WWCC between GM Xie and IM Galliamova. In many analytical sources, white was blasted for allowing black to play Bd5 and covering up the d6 pawn, which ultimately enabled black to focus on launching an all out Kingside attack and win the game. 

Abracadaba requests

Hi everyone,

Don't know about you, but I really loved the new course vs the Latvian Gambit. I thought it might be a good idea for members to post what annoying dubious openings ('Abracadabra Gambits', as GM Avetik calls them) we're having trouble against, maybe as a guide to what we'd like to see covered. 

So my question is: which dodgy openings do you wish you felt more confident against?

For example, recently at fast time controls, I've had a good few people try the Stafford Gambit against me (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 Nc6?!), and this is doubtless because of all the YouTube videos where some high-rated player is 'demolished' with this secret weapon. Personally, I'm happy if my opponent plays this, because it's basically losing by force if you know what to do. If it's giving you trouble, I recommend Daniel Naroditsky's video on how to meet it.

But recently, I tried out the website openingtree.com, which allows you to analyse your results by opening move, and I found that I'd lost an embarrassing number of games against the Grob (1 g4?!). So for me, that's my request. I guess it's not played so often, so probably this can't be a priority, but I'd love to have some ChessMood repertoire against 1 g4.

What do you think? If you could request a ChessMood Abracadabra Antidote, what would it be?

Nick

Replies

I had the borg (1... g5) played against me by a strong player - almost beat them as well. Took it as a waste of time weakening push in the dragon / accelerated dragon and almost beat them (I overloaded a win).

Yes, all kind of abracadabra gambits is on the list of TO DO SOON. Do not worry, our GMs have been very busy winning the Armenian National Championship and they will continue recording all the courses pending very soon. Gabuzyan deserves some rest and I would like to give some days to Avetik too, but the guy cannot stay away from Chessmood more than 5 min. ;-) In the meanwhile I recommend you all to watch the Daily Lesson 42 (if you haven't already) which already gave me 3 victories against 1...b6.

Hi Nick,

First 1.g4 ? haha) I am always happy to see this for black honestly! And I have my beloved system

against it. I play 1...d5 and after 2.Bg2 Nc6. It's leading to positions where black is having big control over the center and followed by e5 will be controlling lot of important territory.

Meanwhile, white pawn on g4 will be weakened and short castle will be an issue.

I would recommend Night on g8 to develop from e7-g6 to use weakened squares by g4 move.

1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 is a near-winning position after two moves and super easy to learn for Black:

my problem is againdt 1.b4

How to play againts e4 e5 Nf3 f5 and e4 e5 Nf3 d5 ?

How to play againts e4 e5 Nf3 f5 and e4 e5 Nf3 d5 ?

Replies

I think these were covered in the courses.

Once again now that we have our 'Ending the Elephant Course' I thought it useful to stimulate conversation by lifting this thread from the archives. Also I would like to take this opportunity to commend Nicolo, Pasini on his successful use of the ChessMood Scotch, albeit with a twist, even against GM opposition: I say twist because Mr. Pasini has been experimenting with the very interesting variant 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Nd2!? [6.e5 being the current ChessMood recommendation] This was an old favorite of  Saviely Tartakower which Vassily Ivanchuk also seems to have a soft spot for. The idea is to attempt to play for a tiny but risk free advantage due to our better pawn structure, especially after the most popular reply 6...d5, however 6...Bc5 is a more critical test and I leave it to our ChessMood family, and hopefully even Mr. Pasini himself, to explore more fully and share their thoughts with us.

Happy hunting :)