Chess forum by Grandmasters

Last ChessMood article

Hello ChessMood family and Happy New Year! Wish you all the best!

"P.S. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the effectiveness of your time management last year? What changes are you going to make this year?"

What is your answer for this questions? :)

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I would rate my time management to the scale of 6. But this year I will definitely try to reach the scale of 10 in time management.

Question

Is 4.Sf3 covered in Benkogambit course?

Kind regards,

Martin

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Yes, it is.

In video 33 4.Nf3 is just mentioned along with 4.a4, 4.Nd2 and 4.Qc2 - when white refuses the pawn sacrifice. It is said that 4.Qc2 is the best of this options, and it is only about this move in the next videos.

But anyway, the Benko course will be revised, when they find the time to do so. I believe this was said in a streaming

Hi Martin,

Yes, it is covered as others as saying as well.

In general, it's not dangerous at all move as it gives black a pleasant choice of developement.

A Very Brave ChessMood King

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/81st-armenian-championship-2021/8/1/6 Is the Black King being lawless or demonstrating true valor? 

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By no means. the Black King is being lawless, but in fact it is demonstrating true valor, because there was no way that white can attack the black king. It was a perfect game played by Black.

Book recommendation

Hello friends

Wilson here, USCF 1318 I guess like 1200 FIDE even less. Please recommend a strategy / middlegame / positional book appropriate to my level I should read cover to cover. Thank you

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Before I recommend you any books, I would first like to read this blog first which will help you immensely to determine which books should you read.

https://chessmood.com/blog/which-chess-openings-books-courses-to-learn

Scotch with 4...Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Ne4!?

Hi, I'm new to the ChessMood community.   I have recently started playing the Scotch in my online games after beginning with the course and I faced this unusual 6...Ne4 in 2 games against the same opponent.  It looks very strange but I couldn't find an instant refutation.
I ended up playing 7. Nd2 Nc5 8. Nb3 Ne6 9. Bd3 and ended up winning in both games in the end but wondered if anyone had already worked out the strongest continuation against this rare move.

Creating my pgn file I added it and the engine seems to think 7. Nd2 is a good response but what's the best plan here.  I went Nb3 because I wanted to prevent Bc5 later and didn't want to restrict my f-pawn.

Any ideas on how to approach this would be welcome!

Thanks a lot!

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Hi Adam,

This is a bit rare move, I checked it out with a strong engine and the recommendation is Nd2 with a better position for white.

If Nd2 we play bd2 and white is ahead in development with space advantage as well.

If Nc5 seems that nb3 is the best response again. 

In both scenarios white is much better.

Book recommendation

Hello friends

Wilson here, USCF 1318 I guess like 1200 FIDE even less. Please recommend a strategy / middlegame / positional book appropriate to my level I should read cover to cover. Thank you

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Probably only ones I can think of for that level are the Winning Chess Strategies, Simple Chess and a skim of My System.

At 1200, you'd be better working on tactics particularly with focus on checkmates (The Art Of The Checkmate), basic tactics (on chess tempo / winning chess tactics for juniors), basic endgames (silman's complete endgame course - the older volume 1 course by Silman will be harder to get I'm assuming this is the same material / pandolfini's endgame course), learning to use the knight to see forks etc, avoiding dropping material in blunders and simple tactics. For strategy just worry about active pieces, good squares and basic opening principles. Develop quickly and try to attack, avoid dropping pieces and take what your opponent drops (checking that it's not a sacrifice with compensation).

Until then (1500 at least) I'd keep the strategy (and opening) work light as is all in vain if you drop material or cannot capitalise on a better position.

Simple chess by micheal stean

Try the steps method. There is a trainer's manual for each step/level one can use for self studying. And there a different workbooks with plenty of exercises. And don't hesitate to start with level 1. The exercises are well chosen and even I (ELO 2000) profit from them when teaching my kids. 

Try blindfolded chess

Have you ever tried to play blindfolded chess ?

Lichess allows this mode , Go to preferences and the last option is to play blindfolded and make it yes,

You will play without seeing pieces on the board

Try it and tell us the results :D

This is the only game I managed to win : https://lichess.org/Qhq5WAbLryiZ

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I used to use a handle BlindDrunk on FICS. I played pretty much like that too.

Caro-Kann Bg4 Qb3 line

Hello,
In the Bg4 Qb3 line, I liked the Ng5 idea. I tried it against my sparring partner and won a good game. When analyzing, he suggested 14...Qd8!? with the idea Ng5 Nh5. I guess this is a novelty and an interesting one ?
The next game he played it, I answered 15.Bg5 but was not convinced. Maybe 15.h3 a6 16.a4 is better ? Then I studied 15.h4 a6 16.g3, in the spirit of the ChessMood course, which is the most promising I guess. The critical line looks like 16...b5 17.a3 Qb6 18.Ng5.
What do you think ?
Thanks a lot,
Sylvain

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Hi Ravot,

Thanks for sharing your question, It's so nice to see someone new utilising the forum. In the diagrammed position the Engines love 16.g3 which is okay I guess, but in positions like this and similar ones, if Ng5 is not working I usually try to switch to the 'Plan B'. Plan B involves Ne5 transferring the Queen to h3 (Not possible in the engine g3 line) and looking for opportunities to plough ahead on the Kingside with a later h5, a crude plan admittedly but not easy to meet and totally in the spirit of the position. I have a Model Game in mind and will post it if I can track it down, 

I agree with you Ravot that h4 followed by g3 as the Engine suggests is definitely the best approach here, and it's very strange that Qd8 has not seen any practical tests as yet.  Thanks for the info about the Dzinzi - Karpov clashes, I think I also may have heard in an interview that Dzinzi was Karpov's coach for awhile.

Hi Sylvain,

This is a very nice question. Up to my records, we should play with h4 after Qd8. The idea as mention g3 - kg2 - rh1 trying to open the h file.

If after h4 black plays Nh5 then Bg5 move is coming.

Current Torre recommendation?

Referencing this post:

https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-members/torre-attack

Is the 'universal' d5 c5 Nc6 Qb6 still the recommended way to go against the usual set-up of e3 c3 Nbd2 Bd3 ?

Note that in the d4 sidelines course the Tromp move order is not possible since we play g6 against Nf3 (and the course covers Bg5 then Nf3).

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Hi David,

Can you please clarify the position for me?

The Section: Sicilian's Closed Systems - Update?

Another very instructive section as usual. But please allow me to bring to your attention two important omissions from the update, that I would like to see covered soon. The missing lines related to our repertoire are 6.Nh3 and 7.Nh3.

See diagrams below for details:  

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illustrative Games:

Hey! 
Yeah, true! 
Nh3 was also suggested by one of Armenian IM's. 
We'll add it, after Gabuzyan finishes his participation in the Armenian championship. 
In two words, the key of playing against it, is not to hurry with 0-0! 
But instead play Nge7, h6, Be6.  

Hi Kevin

We are working on this lines and in near future it will be recorded!

Chess improvement

Hello Good morning friends my chess.com rapid time control rating is 1754, my aim is cross 2000 rating barrier at end 2021, I usually invest around 7hrs per week for chess, I am not making any serious mistakes in opening but  let say after 15 or 20 moves i am not able to make a plan and do some serious mistakes and also i am very weak in analysing my game or any masters games. So how can i improve my level of middlegame and how can i improve in analysing my own games?  Please suggest in best possible way. 

Thank you

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I was also under the same problem before two years. It would be very useful to watch the courses of the commented classical games or endgames, which not have only perfect commentary, but also complicated plans that my opponents do not even know about. You can also watch the other middlegame courses if you are a pro member and if you are not, it is really worth your while. Some puzzles or compositions of the middlegame and endgame phase, which are categorized in chess.com and lichess may also help. I hope I tried to give you some good suggestions.

"Crushing All the Sicilian's Sidelines" course is updated!

Dear friends, dear PRO Members!
We just uploaded the 3rd section of "Crushing All the Sicilian's Sidelines" by GM Hovhannes Gabuzyan. 

Watch it here ? https://chessmood.com/course/crushing-all-the-sidelines-of-sicilian

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if i am not wrong you missed an dangerous line

1 e4-c5 2 Nc3-Nc6 3 Bb5 (wich is recommend for white

will there once come also a recommendation for black versus the Moscow 3 Bb5

Modern Pirc ---> Pirc transposition

I am not a PRO member now but I had watched the course previously when I was a PRO member. According to my files, I have a doubt. What do we do when Black plays 1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Be3 c6? I remember Avetik sir telling something like it transposes to the Pirc soon but what if Black delays Nf6 and plays b5 and Nd7? What is our setup here? Also, is it possible to play 5.g4?  Thanks in Advance!

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Thanks a lot for your detailed reply, Kevin! I will certainly take a look at the setup you mentioned. Will there be an update to that course? I think it has been quite a long time since the courses were released right? Again, thanks a lot for your reply!!

Scotch ...Nf6 - advanced video 41

Hello  Chessmood pro family!

1k1r1b1r/p1pn2pp/2p5/2Ppp3/1P5P/RR6/P2N1PP1/2B2K2 b - - 4 19

In this position it looks better to me to play 19...Kb7 (preparing ...a6 and ...Nb8) then to bury the king with 19...Ka8 and ...Rb8-b7.

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c3 Sicilian 6th and 7th move deviations

The course only covers the main lines, which a lot of players as White do not play. Expect 5/6/7 Nc3, Bb5 without Bc4, Bc4 without Nc3, 7. exd6 and so on. Very few seem to play a mainline under 2000.

Some are quite tricky and if you make one mistake prepare for a game of SLP.

First example is 7. exd6 with the mistake 8 Bb5?! White loses a pawn, but Black is behind on development. I didn't play it perfectly accurately, and it seems the idea is to let the c6 pawn and possibly a7 pawn go to win the g2 pawn or trap the knight.

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6. exd6

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. cxd4 d6 6. exd6 Qxd6 7. Nc3 Be6 8. Nf3 - I should have played 7... Nc6 here so 8. Nf3 Bg4

6. Nc3

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 d6 8.
Nf3 dxe5 9. Bb5 - mistake d5 was better but I go on to lose.  - 8... e6 needs to be played to stop d5

For 7. Nc3 (instead of the mainline) I have dxe5 8. dxe5 Nxc3 9. Qxd8 Nxd8 10 bxc3 Bd7  or 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Nxc6 Nxd1 10. Nxd8 Kxd8 11. Kxd1 Be6 12. b3 Bd5 13. f3 Rc8  which is Ungurs - Sveshnikov Riga 2002

For 7. exd6 I have Qxd6 8. Nc3 Bg4 with e6 and Be7 to follow

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 d6 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. Be3 - some strange idea g6 9. Bc4 Nb6 10. Bxf7+ - this is not good Kxf7 11. Ng5+Kg8 12. Qb3+ Qd5 -end of attack

The lines after 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. Nc3 Bg4 9. Be2 e6 10. O-O Be7 11. h3 Bf5 12. Qb3 O-O 13. Qxb7?? are fun, the pawn is poisoned due to the threat of Rab8 and Ndb4 which catches the Q or the R but there is lots of calculation.

We could play 14...Be6 intending Bd5, instead of 14...Ba6 (in the first example)

Welcome New People

Hello everyone,

Recently I played a tournament, was a little busy for this reason and didn't follow what is happening here last month, now I see a lot of new names. Let me know who is a new Pro Member here  I want to welcome you guys, and will try to help you as much as I can :)

How your trainings are going and what courses have you already watched?

I hope you enjoy being in this Family,

I wish you best of luck in your future.

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Anyone Who Plays the KID?

Anyone Who Plays the KID?

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Me.

me too !

I just play against it ;-) (Bayonnet Attack)

The King's Indian is my obsession, it's a fascinating Opening that still even baffles the engines. Lately there is a line that many KID specialists are employing and advocating against the Saemisch, and it goes: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 a6 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.Qd2 b5 [For more details you can check out the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhEtEgaI8Q8 ]

Μy main repertoire against 1. d4 is: 

1. Benko Gambit / Modern Benoni for a win

2. King's Indian defence

3. Grünfeld defence which is an opening that works very well in my level. 

ok 

SLP

I did threaten this meme

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Chess Variants

Hey ChessMood family,

Do you play chess variants at chess.com or lichess, if yes, which one do you like best?

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I was top 30 in the world for bughouse back in 2017/8(chess.com), now I only play standard. If memory serves me right, GM Hovhannisyan was also roughly top 30 in the world for bughouse back then. 

Chess960 is my favourite. I also play 3check, King of the Hill wchich is good for controlling the centre and king activation in the endgame, and sometimes crazyhouse. 

I like chess960 very much, but I don't play it often because sometimes there are not opponents and I have to wait so long :D 

Is solving compositions good?

I have heard many opinions. Some say it will improve calculation. Some says it is not good.

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even I too have got many opinions regarding this

I would share my point of view and then you can decide

1) If you play games that require calculations and sharp play, solving them might help

2) If you have time, solving them will give you happiness and confidence

3) Kasparian's domination, 1234 endgame studies and sam Lloyd's puzzles would be best for rating range 1400+ although anyone can solve them if you like

4) Study- like solutions will most likely not help in practical play if the openings are dry

5) They can be entertaining yet tough to crack, so one must choose them wisely

6) It can help a lot in understanding piece coordination and geometry

7) It can surely help in swindling and slp