Caro-Kann - Advance Section

Hello ChessMood family, recently a DVD has been released with the following recommendation against our preferred setup: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Ne2 e6!? 7.Bf4 Bd6 at first glance you would think White should have little trouble making progress here, but Black's plan of  Nge7 followed by f6 at some point is extremely difficult to breakdown, see the illustrative games as proof. Therefore I'm asking the ChessMood team of GM's how best to go about breaking down Black's position.

Thanks and warm regards.

Replies

Hey Kevin! 
Good question. 
We will take a look.

Maroczy Bind 10.h3!

Hi

I played Sicilian Defense, Accelerated Dragon before.

But in Maroczy Bind,I have a headache problem.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8.
Be2 d6 9. O-O Bd7 10. h3 !

idea is after 10... Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Qc2 a5 13. Rad1 Nd7 14. Bxg7
Kxg7 15. Bg4 Ne5

because h3 pawn protect g4 Bishop,white have a strong move now

16.c5!

after 16.c5!, black position is uncomfortable for me.

in database white also have good grade about this line.(82%)

is there any good plan or idea to against this h3 idea?

Replies

Hi Yang Sung Jui

Look at this post

https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-members/new-trendy-line-in-the-maroczy

/Kim Skaanning

modern defense

Modern defense is a very ambitious line where you give away the center to your opponents and attacking from the very first move. It's very dynamic line good for attacking players.If White doesn't know what's going on, he's in big trouble.This opening is played by attacking players such as Peter Svidler,Alexander Morozovich,Azmaiparashvili,Chernyshov,Jonathan Speelman and GM Hillarp Tiger Pearson and IM Cyrus Lakdawala are well known and have wrote books in this openings.

What do you think about this agressive opening?

Replies

I think White needs a clear and cohesive attacking scheme to combat both the Modern and the Pirc which is flexible enough to avoid being move-ordered. I like the so called 150 Attack setup and the best move-order to get it against the Modern is to go: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Be3!? now black has a big choice to make, transpose to the Pirc with 4....Nf6 and allow the 150 Attack, or try to stay in Modern waters with something else and risk an inferior King's Indian or inferior Pirc. The suggested setup also has something else going for it, the seal of approval of Anish Giri.

Aswin, I like the modern defence very much, since I am a very aggresive player. I often play the Hungarian opening for white 1. g3 e5 2. Bg2 d5 3. d3 Nf6 4. Nf3 (or e3) Be6 and then thinking about castling. I often transpose it into Hippopotamus setup, and have beaten even 1900 players with these openings. Currently, I am 1780 blitz on lichess.org and I have to say that my opponents have far more little theoretical knowledge than me ( the chessmood courses have made me very confident in the way I play my repetoire). I don't play the Pirc defence a lot, because I find it a bit passive opening, and my opponents know how to play against it. The key to play the Modern defence is to give to your opponent the centre, but from the 4th move you start to undermine it, without trying to occupy it yourself. It is true that the openings starting with 1. g3 or 1. ... g3 are very fexible and can ajust to any opening which includes a fianchetto of the kingside Bishop. 

Modern will sooner become a novelty! Why? If you look at the chess live book, the best reply e4 is 1...c5. The second best reply is 1...g6! 

Grandmasters vs PRO Members!

Hey Champions! 
How are you doing? 
 
I have cool news for you! 
As I told the last time, you gonna have many games vs Grandmasters, during the period.
So here we go: 
In less than 1 hour we have a tournament where 5 Grandmasters join it: https://www.chess.com/live#r=171520  

+ 

On 24, Tuesday - 1-1 Games, GM Gabuzyan vs PRO Members 
On 25, Wednesday - Simul Game:  GM Ter Sahakyan vs PRO Members
On 26, Thursday - 1-1 Games, GM Gabuzyan vs PRO Members  
On 27, Friday - 1-1 Games, GM Gabuzyan vs PRO Members   
On 28, Saturday - Simul Game: You guys vs me :D :D :D  

Let's beat COVID-19 boredom, and use this period to speed up the growth. 
With our Grandmasters team, we will do our best.  

For more info about the schedule of events and how to participate, you can find in the link below: 
https://chessmood.com/events  

Right Mood - Right Move ​​​​

Replies

great!

Question

How do i become aggressive and always have a right mood ?

Replies

For having a nice mood listen to relaxing music and sit in the nature for 10-20 min before a game in tournament.for becaming aggressive you can see the anti-sicilian in chessmood which i like very much and also read jacob agard's books like FIRE ON THE BOARD.

How to become agressive you mean in chess? :) 

If you want to play passive-aggressive chess study Tigran Petrosians games ;-)

Najdorf Sicilian player handling anti Sicilian

How a najdorf Sicilian player treat anti Sicilian 

Replies

If you mean 2.Nc3, it's not easy :) 

Hi Muhammad Qasam Qasam

If you look at the course "Crushing All the Sicilian's Sidelines" it is also made for a Najdorf player. Anti sicilian lines are with 2...d6. I think you can use it.

/Kim Skaanning

NIMZO-INDIAN DEFENSE

Hello GM Avetik. Could you create a complete black course with the Nimzoindian defense please?

Replies

Arturo, we create one opening repertoire, which is best for getting 2400 rating.
It is done due to long masterminds with the best Grandmasters and best coaches in the world. 

One of my favorite openings for black against 1.d4 is kings indian alhthough it is not included in chessmood openings.

Petroff trap

Hey coach, this was what I was mentioning in the chat about a trap in the Petroff when black plays 3...Ne4. IM Rosen put out this video about a year ago and I ran across it in a training game.  Basically black is hoping that white plays Bf4 to hold on to his extra pawn and then black plays g5/f5 and wins material pretty quickly. White still holds the advantage if played correctly and doesn't play Bf4, but it seemed very sharp over the board, especially in a faster time control (30+10).  Anyway, here is the video link if interested!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v89vJ6GWVBc

Replies

Hey Matt! 
A cool question.  
I checked it and Eric's videos too. 
Quite decent stuff. 
I am not sure if Bf4 is the best. I had in my files 10.Nb5, which also gives white a big advantage in the endgame. 
I will check it out more carefully with the cloud engine and will upload it in the advanced course. 

Hey Champions! 
The advanced section about 3...Ne4 is ready. 

Game of the Month and Weekly Chess.com tournament

I'm having a little problem with the Game of the Month and how winners are selected as well as the seeming bias to blitz games. For the last two months, at least, a highly rated player playing with a 3 minute time control has won the contest.  If this is the criteria, then I see little point in submitting my own games for consideration.  What chance do I have against players rated 700 points stronger than me, and I don't play 3 minute games?

I sort of have the same beef with the weekly tournament on Chess.com. I don't like 3 minute blitz and what chance, realistically, do have against the competition that shows up on a weekly basis? 

Replies

Hi Jeffrey! 
Unfortunately, right now we have only this competition. 
As there are just 5 places, of course not everyone can win :( 
If in future we come up with other competitions, we will let you know! 

pgn file saved from opening video sections

Hi everyone - I have saved down several of the pgn files that are helpfully provided in each section, and I'm busy building them out.  But I can't find any way in ChessBase to delete the opening words "Dear Chessmood PRO Member! Here you have a draft file...."

I would never want to delete any of GM Avetik's words of wisdom... except these ones!  Any idea how to do so?  Any other ChessBase user got any tips?

Nigel

Replies

Hey Nigel! 
You just double click on the text and delete that :) 
By the way, download the last file, Petroff PGN + Homework. You will love it. 

Scotch Line with 8.h4 f6 9.Rh3 fxe5

My engine said that black is better after the simple xe5 and I don't know what to do after xe5 Lg5 Sf6 Re3 0-0-0. Also if they go in the position after 14.bxa7 Kb7 imidiatly and not Qb4 I would love if you could help me out in this position.

Replies

What is your real name Flo?
You should play 9.c4 Ba6 and then Rh3 

The Best Games of March and the Prizes

Hello ChessMood Family! 
Welcome to the Best Games of March contest.
Under this post, we invite you to post your best games that you will play in March. 

The Prize fund is 650K Moodcoins which is equal to 650$.  

The 1st prize  - 200k
The 2nd prize -150k
The 3rd prize-  120k
The 4th prize - 100k
The 5th prize - 75k

The winners of the February are:
1 - Fahad Rahman
2 - Justin Chen
3- Hasmik Kochinyan 

Good luck with your games and keep the Right Mood! 
#ChessMood
#Right Mood - Right Move 

Replies

My first game of March 2020, played on 2nd March.  I got great position in opening then mess up in middlegame but still I won.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4553087562

This kinds of games teach me a lot like

1. Never become excited during you play. 

2. Be focused.

3. Do not care too much about your mistakes during you play. Do not blame yourself during you play.

4. After the game then check your mistakes and learn from them,

I will do my best for the next games.

https://lichess.org/vUGqDEAcKR0K

Anti-Sicilian is very aggressive, especially against less prepare opponent.

I decided to try out Lichess for a little while and had a great game! 

I can say finally I played well. I allowed bad pawn formations because I need his bishop pair and pressure on f7 and a lot 

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4556979646

What you think of this game?

Bishop pair classic? Joking.

When you know ChessMood openings, some games end very quickly! The game was over before I was out of my opening prep! 13 moves, and a checkmate vs the Scandinavian! 

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4557212133

I never crushed any 1800+ player in rapid on chess.com in my entire life. But now because of chessmood I am not only winning against 1800+ players but also crushing them positionally or sometimes with attacking skills. Here in the bottom I played as black. I was scared to face an almost 1900 player but I kept thinking of Bobby Fischer which I normally do whenever i feel scared of tensed. He is like an inspiration for me. So opening was fine for me,Now in the bottom some of my thoughts about the moves so it will be easier for mentors to understand my weaknesses because I am follow 50% study plan on classics. Due to time issues I only watch classics and makes training base on them and I play.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4560751570

..14 Rxb2 I thought a lot because in the end of line I knew i will have to give up my lovely bishop but I do not saw any compensation from his side. 

...17 I think c5 was an important move. Fixing his weaknesses on c4 and later I can use them by Ba6 Nb6  and if allowed Rb4-Qa4. Another thing is important to notice that no matter how white will place his pieces, he will only get three defenders of light squares and I can get four attackers. But later I allowed some counterplay I think but it's a different story.

..19 Qb6 a simple trick, if he takes Qxb6 Nxb6 and he can't play a4-a5 bec of Ba6 Bxc4,

20. I do not like his Qa3. I was thinking of Qb3 follow by Rab1 and fight for the file.

..20 I think here Bb7 was a bit passive by me allowing Ba5 but I am not super sure. 

..21 I played Qc6 to gain a useful tempo against by using his weak pawns,

24. Rab1 is too late I think here because now I will get his bishop pair advantage and it give me relief and I can use the a pawn as long term target and I will also play b6- b5 to trade off my bad pawn for his bad one too but in the resulting position I will get passed pawn.

..28 He is just one tempo behind and I have b5 hehehe.

I knew after Rb5 position is so tough for him to hold. Principle of two weaknesses I tried to use. Targeting the pawn on e4 and a2 and good thing for me is that both pawns are on light squares hehe.

..30 Qa4 eyeing on d1 and e4 square

..31  I did not saw any concrete way to win. I saw Rb1+ Kf2 then what. Here is my problem . Sometimes tough to win a winning position  but he resigned.

If anyone fully read this one then kindly share my mistakes so I will learn from them . Especially in case of Rxb2. Was it sound and about c5 and about Bb7 in the end allowing Ba5 from his side.

Any suggestion will be boom for my game!

https://chess.com/live/game/4550914846

https://lichess.org/Z1zIhEaA523p

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4567574836

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4570359712

blitz fun GP

My again GP win. This time it's classical game. Missed a lot tactics but rn I do not expect my game as tactically sound. Because no time to study like I am supposed to do. In future I will.  But still cool and aggressive game and variations will be amazing if u analise it.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4572448551

Check out this #chess game: LovePP vs Abhi_Mary_1997 - https://chess.com/live/game/4576153941

My victory first time ever against 1900+ in 15/10 time control on chess.com

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4576200200

Philidor Defense Exchange variation/

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4576095223

I shouldnt have allowed my opponent to exchange queens, but then he probably shouldnt have allowed me to isolate his bishop either! Once his bishop was out of play, the rest was easy :)

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4544149995

played another 15/10.

Concepts:

1. Power of bishop pair.

2. Central control.

3. Passive black pieces.

Black missed pawn levers against the structure and he played e5 in wrong time.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4589214960

Thanks chessmood for bishop pair concepts.

This was a fun Scotch miniature that I played! 

https://lichess.org/ppFZGG9AVliC

I love playing this line of the sicilian, especially when you destroy your opponent like in that game (I'm white)

My miniature against the french. 

Here was me trying out what I've learned against the French today! 

The more I played this Queen trade line the more I found that people face so much problems on c7 square hehehe.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4610581471

Not with my real account but training account.

In the end chessmood bishops crushed him like a melon.

Scotch piece sac in blitz chess.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4613192286

My win on Lichess against the English Opening.  Waiting for GMs to tackle this opening for us.  In this game I opted to approach the English as if I were playing against the Sicilian.

https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/game/?p=bVEU17fEMi9K6zZMfuobklwfbYD0tOrkKcZOwy+vFnDr1gID5d7ae03pPHRyRzbK

Grand Prix attack.This game is very interesting for me.Because it contains a combination with queen sacrifice.

I saw f4 move.And I calculated it.When I saw I was winning I played Qxd6 and I won with a nice attack.

I am so happy that I know now a lot classical games and patterns. Especially my strength is to play typcial pawn levers. Here is a great example of my first game ever against a player of 2400 chess.com. I was tired that time but still played in chessmood tournament. Lost 3 in a row then I paired with this man and I thought let's try KID now and guess what? He entered into the line which I studied in 2 classical games shown by chessmood middlegame course. I remembered typical pawn maneuver and ideas especially g4 without h5 after knight on c3 moved. I tried to play fast because he was strong and I got losing position but due to pressure he missed simple Bg3 nd I gave me winning position and later I lost on time.

Happy thing for me was that due to kasparov game I played this line well in blitz.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4624503321

Played cool Benko gambit and in time pressure had bad position.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4634322671

I just played this game a moment ago. I play the Black side of a Scotch Classical against Komodo11 engine and I have rarely played 1.e4 e5 as Black. It finished with a nice bishop pair mate for me and I know 1.e4 e5 is not the Chess Mood preferred opening repertoire but sometimes it is nice to play something different and I think if we learn Scotch as White ChessMood opening, we can learn Scotch better if we play it with Black also?

Crushed like a melon.

Bg7 mistake d6 was essential.

Lessons from chessmood and streams.

https://lichess.org/N8SN4Bn0tH13

I do not know I am gonna win any prize or not but I am satisfied with my every single game. I only remember ideas for now of every chessmood openings but I need to work on move orders and soon I am gonna work on them. But even a player of 2000 is not able to handle ideas which I learnt here. So I think once i will study openings in depth + classical games then I think in just few months I can achieve 2400 on chess.com 

Here is my today's best game and full of mistakes but final touch was great from my side.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4643210036

Here is the game I played recently in Inter Bank Chess Championship 2020. My opponent's rating was 1600 Fide an mine was 1900 Fide and the time control is 30+10.

I chose the game due to two themes,

1. Domination of Knight over Bishop

2. Isolating a piece(Like Winter-Capablanca :)) 

Hope you all like the game 

is that super cool I must also try as a starter I really loved the scotch game and the classical games

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4651128402

Only i used plans forgot variations but still cool and aggressive game with chessmood openings.

Especially used his dark squares weaknesses.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4624500853

A Benko effort...hoping to see the Coach's comments on this one.Personally, Bb2 on move 28 would have been a knockout.

About this game:

-Psychological battle

-Powerful attack against White king.

Match situation:

-Round 5 of the national youth under 14. Board 1-FM De Silva LMST vs Ahangama Senuka Aswin. De Silva was the best player of this event,starting rank 1,former youth champion(last year), a FM. Aswin (me)1494 rated player well known for his agressive style of play.

De Silva and I each of us well.At the moment every other players were on my side. They were so desperate to beat De Silva because they were sick of him being 1st every year.

Mindset before the game:

-De Silva-Feeling the pressure.Very negative at the moment,try to make the position static.

-Aswin-nothing to lose(underdog) ,no pressure,try to make the position dynamic.

Before the game I taught to myself "this is a game two humans.There's no such thing called ratings or titles. My plan is to stab his heart(king) in the game, play the moves quickly, make him feel the pressure.

https://lichess.org/analysis/standar1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6

5. f3 b5 6. Qd2 Bb7 7. h4 h6 8. g4 Nd7

9. Bg2 c5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. O-O-O b4 12. Nd5 b3

13. axb3 Bxd5 14. Qxd5 Qa5 15. Kb1 Bxb2 16. Kxb2 Na4+

17. Ka3 Nc5+ 18. Kb2 Na4+d#37

White -FM De Silva L.M.S.T

ELO-2024

Black-Ahangama Senuka Aswin

ELO-1494

result-1/2-1/2

tournement-National Youth under 14

Date-28/12/2019

round-5.1

https://lichess.org/FEBlXIPZf9Bw

Opposite colour bishops. Initiative matters.

Chessmood concepts.

https://www.chess.com/live/game/4661538410?username=jagdishchandrachess

 I am white.

https://lichess.org/ZgATUW5NiOoM

20 mins left. Played a cool scandi game.

Hello ChessMood Family! 
Thank you for all your games. 
It's very cool to see how you are improving. 

Here we go...

The 5th place goes to David Hackinyan, for his strong attack on the kingside. 
The 4th place goes to Jay Garrison for miniature in Scandinavian, when he won in 13 moves :) 
The 3rd place goes to Fahad Rahman, for his GP attack. 
The 2nd place goes to Magnum2019, for his great positional game. 
The 1st place goes to Abhi Yadav, for his scotch game, when he sacrificed a piece, starting the attack with h4, Bg5!  

Congratulations! The Prizes will be sent to your accounts. 
See you in the "Best Games of April" contest 

Thanks for the support and congrats to all winners.

Thanks Chess Mood & GM Avetik Grigoryan.

Congratulations to all winners and also to all entrants. All good games here..

Right Mood Right Move COGRO! ;-)

maroczy questions

Hi GM Avetik,

Replies

Hey! 
You are right, Nc2 is the biggest challenge of Maroczy Bind. 
It's still playable but Black should play very precisely. 
We recommend Modern Maroczy course for 2200+ players. 
Check it out. 

Candidates are canceled... What do you think?

Hey Champions????
 What do you think about canceling the candidates?

Replies

It shouldn't have been held in the first place. Difficult for the players and their families to focus when the pandemic is all across. Feel especially for Teimour for he did voice his protest and there is no way FIDE can compensate for his loss.

I think it's safe for players. Especially now later ding will may be come back from his loses too.

Only 101 points rating increase...

Today my opponent at chess.com resigned our second 3 day match and my rating only increased by 101 points!

I posted a couple of months ago when I won my first match against this opponent and my rating improved by around 200 points. If only my 5 minute blitz rating would increase at this rate.....

Replies

Great keep it up.

Arianne Caoili passes away at 33 (Levon Aronian's Wife)

Levon Aronian’s wife Arianne Caoili has tragically died at the age of just 33 after a car accident in Yerevan two weeks ago. Initial reports suggested that her condition, while serious, had stabilized, but on Monday Levon shared the terrible news that his wife had passed away. He paid tribute to an “intelligent, hard working and joyous person that lived a beautiful life”.

Rest in Peace.

Replies

Sad to hear that. 

1.d4...2.c4 repertoire as White

How about doing White 1.d4 ... 2.c4 repertoire.

Replies

I play the catalan against Nimzowitch  defense where I have scored pretty well,Averbakh variation or h3 system which I use some time to time as a suprise for my opponent, Qc2 variation and 4.e4!? as a suprise line against benko, fianchetto variatio agaist benoni,4.Bg5 against Grunfeld, 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 and e4 or h4 aproach line against Dutch. I also have answers for lines such as Owens,Budapest,Albin gambit where I have  lines played by GM's but not popular in club level. I learned all these openings by my coach FM Prasnna Kurukulasuriya some are my decisions. What do you think about this dynamic repertoire. Leave a like if you like it.

I suggest GM Avetik to do 1.d4 openings such as these .

Thanks to Avetik sir!!

Replies

ChessMood also helped me in my game.Really after having 2 years with chess i have finally founded the best site and best coaches on chessmood of my life.

najdorf

i was studying your 2 lines versus the Najdorf 6 Be2 and 6 h3

Is it possible to let stay the video s on chessmood? with the remark that the first time there will no new variations be pblished soon

Replies

Hey Franck.
Unfortunately in that case, we will get 100 questions, where are the other parts... 
If you have concrete questions, Gabuzyan will answer them.

Question on Scotch Game 4...Bc5

In the line of 4...Bc5, after 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Qe2, i have faced the move 7...a5, which is a bit tricky move order, can I know which continuation is better for White? 

Replies

Hey Koek! 
Yeah, a5 is in an interesting move. Offered by Kasparov and then he taught it to Nakamura and MVL. 
You play a4 here and transpose to our main lines and advanced sections.