Chess forum by Grandmasters

Error in Scandinavian 6... Qf5

https://chessmood.com/course/10-crushing-the-scandinavian/episode/1003

At 46 seconds, Nb4 is played and the comment says it doesn't give anything because of O-O.

I prefer Qa4+ Nc6 d5 picking up the knight :) I guess this was overlooked.

Replies

Maybe the following thread could be pinned at the top of the page ------->

https://chessmood.com/forum/pro-members/mistakes-in-the-chessmood-videos-that-help-us

That way a new thread need not be created every time an error is spotted in a course.

Chess rules

What rule would you like to change in chess?

Replies

Engines are not allowed in chess prep. Just work and find plans with your teams. Now a days due to engines and cloud engines 2000s are finding novelties. It's good that they are finding new ideas but it's killing the beauty of this game. Now we only win if we memorize tons of lines but if we mess up we lose. Yes, I do not mean that chess is all about openings. There are still a lot things to learn in order to become a good chess professional but still due to engines and lines chess is all about memorization. 

I like the time of Capablanca in which we had to start thinking from move 5 or 6. It's fun to see. Yes, their openings had terrible issues but their middlegame  and endgame quality were superb. 

Now a days only magnus can do well in chess without openings but all other elite players only focus on their opening prep and rest they know well. 

I may be wrong but I just hate that due to computers the beauty of thinking in chess is dying. 

I think I know only 40% of them :D

NEW ARTICLE: Will You Laugh or They?

Replies

Nice motivating. I already started studying openings again because I faced so much trouble in move orders. 

Very inspiration article. I promise you sir I will be one of the 1%.

Thanks for the article love it !

Mind-blowing article sir.

thanks for the motivation you gave.we will surely crush our opponent in the near future easily and will hear the excuse' I am not in good shape'.

Thank you so much! My goal this year to reach my FIDE rapid rating 2000 points.  I'm working for it with yours courses, thank's. Best wishes from Vilnius, capital of Lithuania :) Stay calm and strong!

5 thumbs up for just this comment? Hmm...

Thank you for the article. 

The period of COVID reminds me of times when I was in charge of a startup company. While big companies had their workers take holidays in the summer, we would work hard all July and August and soon we would overtake them :)

In my club I and (to some degree) one other person are playing any matches, everyone else doesn't want to play online as it isn't the same for them. Thing is it's the same club that has been forever in the second division, and never made it to the first, even though it's been close a couple of times. If the social element is the main enjoyment (and to be fair for many it's an excuse to get away one or two nights a week), one can't be disappointed when promotion never happens.

Look at Tal

Let's not neglect to mention other "legendary talents" who were working on chess all day long; we all know their names: Tal (often studying 50 to 60 games a day!), Fischer studying all day and playing blitz all night, Kasparov whose intensity on training amazed Polgar, etc. Practically none of the champions we all consider the best, actually sat down on the sofa watching TV, letting the innate talent do the job for him. They were training hard all day. Some had coaches. They played chess all the time. I guess it's not a surprise to see their brains devote neurons, and creating synaptic connections especially dedicated to chess. 

Now, I feel like wow, 60 games study a day means he is studying more than 2 games in an hr? I think my maths is right or he is studying 6 games in an hr? 

My max ability to analize now a days is 10. I can analize 10 games a day.

Replies

The importance is quality, not the number of games

~~~ Title- Motivation~~~

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Chigorin

Now I do feel that even though  I am 23. I also can be a GM. Thanks Jay for telling me about this.

Replies

Of course you can do that with your hard work!

Current course

What course are you watching currently? I've started our lovely and famous Scotch :) 

How many courses have you finished? 

Replies

I am gonna prepare to rewatch scandi again. Next tournament is Scandi one and I am scared how to play against Nf3 as black. I will watch to grasp ideas for both sides again. It will be nice revision for me. 

I only need to work on english openings in case of courses.

After that I only saw classical commented games and rest I have to watch. But due to my book works I am unable to work on chessmood new videos except openings one.

I am watching the French and Happy Pieces. I have finished all of Atisicilian, Petroff, CarroKan, Scotch Game,  Philidor, Accelerated dragon, commented classical games and crushing d4 sidelines. 

I am currently studying English with black and Commented Classical games. I have finished watching all black courses for the first time

Your Depth Barriers

How do you guys break depth barriers issues? At certain depth our visualization breaks and we can't see positional clearly in our mind. Here problems of depth barrier starts. 

For me: 

In case of positional stuffs with simple lines I can see 15 to 20 ply but if the positions are messier than it's hard to calculate positions after 8 or 9 ply. I mean if variations are full of branches.

So it will be interesting to know how much deeper you guys can clearly see.

Well, I am working on my problems and I am sure slowly but surely I will go to the next level 

Replies

It really depends on how much I push myself. I can visualize quite far ahead if I really wanted to (can play blindfold at reasonably good strength), but often times I'm just lazy and look wider instead of deeper and get into trouble. 

Amazing book on Maroczy Pawn Formation!

Well, as I posted many times in past that I like to learn pawn formations. So, here I am sharing a superb book which will be boom for all chessmood family members. Esepecially those who love Maroczy and Modern Maroczy Pawn formations can learn a lot from this book. I am working on it and it gave me a lot nice themetic ideas. Good thing is using those ideas we will do super well in our courses too. Pawn str. is the base of plans. Check out this book and learn Maroczy pawn formations in depth.

Note: I am just hoping to help those who like to work on pawn formations. I did not mean to say chessmood's content is not sharing those ideas. So, don't take me wrong. Thanks you.

Replies

Good find, thanks. Have ordered it.

There is a critical review here:

https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1575043526/6

Grace Alekhine~~~ WoW

Wow, she was so beautiful and the wife of Legendary Alekhine. 

Who is your fav. Female Chess Grandmaster and why?

Right now my fav. one is Judit and soon I am gonna work on her games.

Replies

I don't know much about her. Fourth wife according to Wikipedia. She stayed with him until his death. I wonder how she coped with his alcohol problems?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alekhine

How many children they have?

Bishop+ Rook vs Rook

How many of you guys know this endgame by heart? I know it's for advanced players but my intuition is saying to me so bad that I must learn this particular endgame. In past when I was beginner my intuition said same about learn bishop+knight vs lone king. And in the very next tournament I had to win with bishop and knight and my opponent who was 1400 said to me draw? I said no it's win. He said can you win? I said yes. I was unrated that time.

Replies

Would suggest looking at the games of GM Arkell to find examples (I expect there are some that made it into the db). He's an afficinado of this ending, as well as rook endings.

Learnt the ideas of Cochrane defense and now I remember the Philidor's winning formation too. Still need to play it through training to master both attack and defense but I am glad I am able to understand this advanced ending concept too.

Hi guys! 

If someone needs a help with this engdgame there is a chapter dedicated to it in J. Hawkins's book: From amatour to IM.  It is very well explaind and easy to understand...

Good luck! 

I learned this about 3-4 times. Every time I promised myself that I will remember but it didn't happen :D I think this kind of endings should be repeated often 

Do you agree with this statement.

Acc. to Var. Akobian- When Petrosian Attack it's Mate!!!

Replies

hello

can explain me---- " acc. to var?"

for me, he is a strategical player/positional player 

According to kramnik he was a tactical player with a highly developed sense of danger!

He meant that he attacked very rarely, but when he attacked, he was sure that he's going to mate. I think it's kinda true.

English Opening c4 c5, Nc3 g6, d4

My first correspondence game I have played against the English opening and I meet the following line.

1. c4 c5

2. Nc3 g6

3. d4 Bg7

4. d5

Looking at the move explorer , it looks like my best chances involve some play I don't understand. Not sure if I should be going here :) 

Replies

After 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. d4 why are you avoiding the obvious and natural 3...cxd4 which seems more in keeping with our repertoire. Sometimes I wonder whether some of you really pay attention to the course material and the key themes and ideas involved. :-)

Thanks for you answer, it does make sense , I could tell I'd ventured away from positions I understood! 

Strengths / Weaknesses

What are your Strengths / Weaknesses in chess? 

Replies

https://chessmood.com/forum/main-channel/share-your-chess-strengths-and-weaknesses

well I made this post and got some answers!

~~Share your chess strengths and weaknesses~~

I am good looking so I bother my chess opponent by my look- Abhi Yadv

My strength is positional play and slowly I am also becoming an attacker too.

My weaknesses is calculation and visualization abilities and I can't play blindfold even if I want too. So I am working on my weaknesses. 

Replies

My strength is my fast attack, and my exchange sacrifices to open my opponent's king. I can also play very patiently and cautiously, waiting for my opponents to show me their cards at first. My weakness is deep positional undersating, long calculations and visualisation. 

I think my strength is my tactical vision because I solved puzzles too much since I'm playing chess

And my weakness is definitely  openings, but now I improve them with ChessMood :) 

Do you agree with this statement.

Acc. to Var. Akobian- When Petrosian Attack it's Mate!!!

Replies

But he was not an attacking player

You have to answer :)

Would you take the risk of playing completely new opening in a very important tournament / game?

Replies

Obviously no !

Well, I can!!! I think if my middlegames and endgames will be okay then I can be able to play anything. Openings are important but they are not everything. It works in below 2400 sections.

Absolutely.

If the match up I have dictates I have a better chance to winning against my current opponent, then I will play the new opening.

That being said, I am not going to sit at the board and suddenly say, "Hey! I know I am an 1.e4 player, but just for fun, lets play 1.b3!"

That isnt going to happen hahahahaha

@WIM_Susanna_Gaboyan

Re: Would you take the risk of playing completely new opening in a very important tournament / game?

It would depend on how well I had prepared the Opening or specific line and also on my opponent's style, temperament and predictability. Bobby Fischer shocked Spassky with 1.d4, a move he had never used before, in one of his Wch games and won brilliantly against Spassky's favorite Tartakower Defence of the QGD. Spassky should have smelt a rat, but I guess he was supremely confident or was just too curious to see what Fischer had up his sleeve. 

I really like to play new things, even I have several stories when I went to bed, then before sleep like  Beth Harmon started thinking in my head what I am gonna play the next day, then in the morning I checked 10-15 minutes and played, such games there were the most successful games for me, I have very good results with this preparation lol.

I remember once it was the last round I had to play with higher rated player than me and I wanted to win so badly, I was d4 player I checked his repertoire and I saw that he plays KID, against which I didn't like to play at all. Then I went to bed and started to think what I am gonna play against 1...Nf6 then I was ok I am gonna play 2.Nc3. I had no idea about this move at all, and the next day I checked it for 15 minutes then went to a game. I remember I won very nice game. I have a lot of this kind of stories and mostly I succeeded. 

I've risked once and it didn't have a happy ending :) So, maybe not

A must-know plan in the Scandinavian Defense

What's the standard plan in the Scandinavian pawn structure? White to move. The full game with the comments, you can watch in the link below, if you are a PRO Member. https://chessmood.com/course/classical-attacking-games/episode/2079

Replies

Zen Mode on Lichess- Boom for my Chess

How many of you think that hiding chess ratings will improve your playing results. I am stuck to a barrier and I am trying to break it. Recently I tried a new thing which I heard from my strong friend and training partner Jay. I thought to hide opponent's ratings so I can play a game of chess without knowing my opponent's ratings. Guess what happened?  

I started to winning a lot games and my SLP also became super well. In the bottom I shared some of my games.

Attack

https://lichess.org/A3LsZ6qn7ABX

SLP:

https://lichess.org/j1osvJeBcvT6

Attack:

https://lichess.org/A3LsZ6qn7ABX

Crushed a 2200 positionally

https://lichess.org/rv4O3mUvyMxk

Win against 2200+

https://lichess.org/2t4aTqNLgrWZ

Crushed a 2200+ again

https://lichess.org/uFJjECl5LONU

Missed mate but nice king hunt I think

Yes, I do not say I played superb chess but I am starting to play without any fear. I do not have a lot experience so I it annoy me when I see ratings. Esepcially online. Offline I never felt fear because I have a lot time to think. 

So, what's your approach guys to play online chess?

Now my goal is to break this 2300 level. I am trying to keep my elo to 2200 but it goes down and then back to 2200 then down. Slo up down is going on here but Zen Mode is superb

Replies

Wow nice, and nice idea, I liked it, how you do it?

Another victim of Zen Mode

https://lichess.org/72O6zC7AWlGX

I agree Abhi. Zen Mode is really good. I've tried it and it helps me focus on the position in front of me instead of the opponent or their rating. 

Thanks for the idea. Really nice, it also prepares you to play OTB games against higher rated players without fear.

Can you record your streamings Chessmoodteam in Bundesliga for later

Hello everyone!

Could you record your streaming for later? I would really appreciate to watch the tournement later i case I can t watch it live!

Replies

Oh, you can see all the recordings of every stream in the event section. Just go there and you will find all recordings. But yeah I also can't see recordings of this particular event. Sorry.

~~~ Your assessment please ~~~~

Here it's white to move. How will you continue here. Once questions will be answered then i will share the book name and game number too.  Kindly don't use engines or books and if you know the name of players then keep it secret. Just share your assessment and plans.

Replies

A queentrady, followed by pushing the a pawn looks promising at the first sight

1. Nxh6 Rxh6 2. a5 Rc8 3. a6 Rc7 4. Ra1 supporting the passed pawn.