Chess forum by Grandmasters

Scotch game Bc5 linee

Today I have played my first scotch game over the board.  It was 15 min 10s increments practice game with a 2100 rating player. Game started with 1. E4 e5 2.nf3 nc6 3. D4 ed4 4. Nd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Qe2 0-0 8. Bg5 Nd4 9. Qd2 Nb3 10. ab3 h6 11. Be3, here my opponent played c6 after that I didn't played well.  What should my plan after 11. ..c6?

Replies

Shahinur, you just go 0-0-0. If he plays d5 at some point, it will be transposed to the course. 
If no, than what to? :) He just weakened his d7 pawn, d6 square. 
And you're going to play f3,g4 and checkmate him :) 

Hi, I just had yesterday a similar game with h6 an g5, because I do not retreat the Bishop to e3, that I am attaching, but as Avetik sensei said, you need to focus on the king side attack. Take a look at the game, you can find some useful ideas, I played like this many times lately. Best of luck.

Need an advice :)

I played only Slav Defence with black in my whole chess career but now it seems boring for me and I was looking for something new and more active opening after 1.d4.  I tried to learn Grunfeld Defence but there were many lines to remember. Today I finished watching the course Benko Gambit. So I want to hear your opinion about Benko Gambit :)   Do you play it with black? How it feels?

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Definitely you have to look at Benko gambit, it's great opening especially for blitz. 

Go on play it! Its a really successful opening! I saw the whole course when it was free and I started playing it! I have played only 10 or so games up till now With Benko and I won 8 (!) of those games with playing at least 4 Higher rated! My highest win with Benko was against a 2100+ in blitz! And I am sure you are higher rated then me so you can play it!

Hi Siranush,

For Blitz:

Benko Gambit is an excellent choice.

For Standard:

Nimzo + Ragozin or Nimzo + QID: Very Reliable 

When you play the Benko Gambit, in some variations, your choices with Black are very limited (Comparing to Nimzo Indian/Ragozin/Queen's Indian, where both White & Black have free hands to choose different variations). As a result, you need to learn much less if you go for the Benko Gambit. Benko Gambit is still alive. But it is not as reliable as Slav/Semi-Slav or Nimzo/QID/Ragozin/QGD for Standard games.

I would say it all comes down to your level and playstyle. If you are active and like pressurizing, even in cost of a pawn, go for it. 

I would say the Benko is more or less sound up to a strong IM level, where the white players start to know their stuff pretty deeply

Benko gambit is very strong opening and I think you can play it even against masters in low time controls. For longer time controls, it is also in my main repertoire against 1. d4, but I also play king's indian against stronger opponents.

I don't play the Benko, but if you need exciting openings, try the King's Indian Defence!

Hi @Siranush_Ghukasyan,

Before joining Chessmood, I had only played Slav with black and had the same issues as you. Slav is a solid and sound defense but can be a bit passive sometimes, although there are some more active lines like the b7 pawn sacrifice played by Ponomariov (I think it was Ponomariov) or the e5 gambit in some lines.

I thought about studying Nimzo/QID, but that requires a lot of work and since my time devoted to chess is limited I think it would be more effective to invest it in calculation, strategy or endgames than in learning another opening.

Then I joined Chessmood and watched the Benko Course and I loved it. Benko is the opposite to Slav! and it does not require a lot of effort to learn the main line and sidelines.

I recently began playing Benko in online blitz and rapid games and got good results from the very beginning. I have beaten 2000+ players in lichess in 30+0 games

I have not played Benko OTB yet, but I will let you know how it feels when I have the opportunity (I have played two official 25+5 OTB rapid games today for the first time since March in a match against another chess club. I won both games, but no Benko. I wanted to play Benko buy my opponent started with 1.e4, so Accelerated Dragon it was, and Catalan with white)

To the point,  I think Benko will be a nice effortless addition to your Slav Repertoire. You will have an additional weapon when you have to play for the win or simply you are in the mood of feeling the attack, being a pawn down. I am sure it is a very respectable weapon in blitz and rapid games.

I have no experience in 90+30 OTB games against strong players that know the theory well, specially the a4 line

I hope it helps

I don't wanna say too much. All I can say is Chessmood's repo gave me almost winning positions at level of 2100 on chess.com and lichess. I don't know your strength but I am sure you will get more elo points with Benko Gambit. It's seriously a tough opening to handle for white. I also suggest you to learn the pawn structure of Benko Gambit in depth by using any dvds or book. This will help you to understand how to coordinate the pieces in this opening and structure. My results with Benko Gambit is +ve. It's because I played Benko Gambit before Chessmood and I also like a6 slav (I forgot name). 

Good luck.

Jobava side line

Sir in the screenshot i added u had suggested to go short castle and white played be2 but what if he plays h4 and when we reply with h5 plays ne4 and converts to the previous line where we cant play bg4 and we have already commited castling unlike last lines ???

Replies

Sorry i meant ne5

Sharan, when White was playing h4 without Nf3, they were threatening h5 right away with the idea of sacrificing the exchange after Nh5 - Rh5! 
If the knight is on f3 and they play h4, we'll play c5 attacking the center and we'll be faster in the queenside. At some point, Qb6 is going to be very annoying. 

Queen vs Pawns, Part 1

Hello Champions! 
Today we've launched a new course - Queen vs Pawns.  
https://chessmood.com/course/endgame-queen-vs-pawns 

Before watching it, I'm offering you to test your knowledge. 

Let's go here is the first position. 
2 questions.
1. Do you know how to win it? 
2. Where should be White's King and Queen, when it's a draw even if it's White to move? 

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Chess variants

Do you think playing chess variants helps or hurts your abilities to play standard chess? Are there any variants you think are particularly helpful for improving your standard chess? I am thinking of, e.g., King of the Hill, 3 Check, Crazyhouse, Capablanca's Chess, and Glinski's Chess. Of course there is also Chess960, but that is much closer to standard chess.

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Steven, personally I don't play other variations. 
But chess 960 is useful for sure. 
Another question is - Is it the most effective? :) 
As was spoken in the article:  https://chessmood.com/blog/the-game-changer-question-in-chess

Anti-Sicilian Part-1 3. ... Qb6 line

After 1. e4 e5  2. Nc3  Nc6  3. Bb5  Qb6 how should we approach?

Replies

Tanmoy, 4.Nge2 and if a6, then 5.Bc6 Qc6 6.d4 cd 5.Nd4 winning many tempos. 

Anti Sicilian Part 2

After 9. ... e6 surprisingly my opponent resigned. Also engine shows +6 advantage for white. How can I win this position?

Replies

+6? :) Wow! :) 
Bg5 should be the move. After 10...Be7 11.Nd6 Kf8 12.Be7 Qe7 he's just in zugzwang. You can even play 13.a4 and I don't see a way how he can save the knight :) 

French 3.Bd3 c5

Is there a plan for a section in the advanced part on how to play the IQP positions arising from 3, Bd3 c5. I play these positions with Black (also after 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 c5) and are in general quite happy. With White I tend to get stuck at some point.  

Replies

Hey! 
Yeah, I'm going to record the adv. section and upload soon! 
In the next 10 days for sure. 
Especially I saw that Giri recommends c5 against 3.Bd3. 
I'll show the power of 5.c3 which he misses in his course. 

Modern Maroczy Bind. Section 4 - 9.0-0

Hi all, I recently had my first game in the Advanced Maroczy Bind OTB, and I won, but not because of my good play but my opponent bad play... Anyways, I wanted the ask the opinion since in this line after 9.0-0 - 0-0 10.Qd3 is the normal move, Avetik says: With the idea of playing Be3, Bd4. The minus of this move is that is on the route of our knight that should go to c5 or e5.

But my opponent played 10.Qd2, blocking his own bishop, this should be very bad, and I wanted to  proceed with a5 in order to play a4 and then continue with Be6 and the knight transfer to c5,

So after Qd2 I played a5 but then he played a4 stopping the pawn advance.

Here I have 2 questions.

After Qd2 when I connect Stockfish, it says that the position is 0.0, how should I proceed? Is there any way to punish the blockade of the Bc1?

Why is a4 not played normally in these kind of positions? because it leaves b3 free I suppose, but this really hinders our advance on the Queenside...

Thanks in advance and best regards to everyone reading this question!! 

Replies

Hey Ed! 
Well, white always tries to avoid a4 move. 
As in many variations they need to keep the plan a3,b4. 
Also a4 weakens the b3 pawn, and the knight on c5 would be a monster. (no b4 anymore).  

After Qd2?! I think10...a6 would be interesting to, trying to play b5 using different tactics. 

scilian grandprix move order

hi all,  i have been encountoring e4 c5 nc6 bb5 g6?! whats the correct move order to punish black and if i takes on c6  it seems black seems to get c4 pawn push somwhere and ba6.

Replies

Hi Ash

My understanding; it is always best Bxc6 - as bxc6 giving Black bad pawn structure (weak c5-pawn) and also stops Black's attack of Rb8 with b5-pawn push. If Black plays Ba6, you can neutralise this with b3 as your d3 and b3 then cover any Black c4 pawn push. Likewise if Black pushes c4 before you have played b3, then push d3-d4; this then locks in the Ba6 keeping it's scope limited.

1.e4 c5. 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. f4  OR 4... dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6.Be3 aiming for c5-pawn with plan Qd2 and O-O-O

Hope this helps

Ash good question! 
Will add in the adv. section. 
I play f4,Nf3. 
And d3 only when he plays Nf6. 

The Greatest Classical Endgames

Hello champions! 

I'm thrilled to announce that we started to record a new course - Instructional Classical Endgames. 
It will be in the same format as was "Commented Classical Games" and the "Attacking Classical games" which I'm recording now too. 

In the initial plan, it's going to be 100 games, but it may be more. 

I noticed that many of you had problems playing endgames or hate when the queens are not on the board anymore. 
This course will be the medicine and I believe it will become your favorite course soon. 

​​​​​Enjoy it. 
The first game is uploaded - a masterclass by Rubinstein.  

Replies

Fantastic! I love studying Classics. It will be the perfect complement to the Theoretical Endgames Course that was born recently

I am eager to learn Endgames from Capablanca and Avetik ;-)

Prophylaxis in attack - Interactive lesson, 25.08

Hey Champions! Here is the link to the lesson "Prophylaxis in attack"

https://lichess.org/study/8LqrmqH2
Would love to see your takeaways in the comments. 

Replies

my most important takeaway from the stream:

the three golden rules what's my opponent's idea, my opponent's plan and next move

The golden question ask to myself what opponent is thinking? what move he want to play?

When it is not needed badly do not play move like Kb1 or Kh1.

When there is no force checkmate ask yourself how can opponent avoid checkmate?

1. golden qn on what my opponent is planning to do

2. making effective moves than just useful moves

sir how am i supposed to access ur lichess study ? it is coming as private study not accessablee

Anti Sicilian part 5 pgn

Hello Chessmood friends

My name is Marc , from Uruguay, about 1500 FIDE player, 55 years old, learn to play as a kid , but started to learn , play and train recently, after grow up 3 sons .

 I am moving from 1.d4 (London and company) to 1.e4,after many years without playing it.

On the weekend  I play about 30 games , while watching openings videos from Avetik, and following pgn, to catch ideas, results are promising.

 Unfortunately I cannot find anti-sicilian part 5 , pgn file , I am searching in the wrong place ?

Best Regards

Marc 

Replies

Hi Marc

Our coach did not make a starter pgn for Anti-Sicilian with Nc3!? Part 5. Not every course has a pgn. I make them myself :-)

Sincerly Kim Skaanning

Hey Marc! 
Sorry, my bad. 
Will add it this week. 

Accelerated Dragon section 2, clip 6 8. Nb3

Maestro Avetik, here you comment that the position is an English opening with a tempo down for Black. I don't understand that, there's a white pawn still on c2. Or did you mean an English opening with colors reversed? Could you please explain this, because I am not very familiar with the English opening.

Replies

Hey Ramon! 
Yeah, I mean the 2nd. 
And as I said earlier, now we're re-recording the course, adding all the missing or changing the confusing stuff. 

Quiz to classical commented games

Hi Chessmood family!I would like to suggest its possible that we can have the answer in each puzzle given? 

Replies

Rod, what do you mean? 

Attack Against Caro-Kann

Dear GM Avetik sir,

I have a question in the following variation.

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bxf3 10.Nxf3 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.O-O O-O 13.Rae1 Rab8

How to continue? ...because now our idea of Bxh7 or Nxg4 is no more and Black's minority attack ...b5-b4 is coming fast.

Note:- In your course 12...Rab8 is discussed in Section 2. But the difference is in that variation, Black has not traded his Bishop with f3-Knight.

Please guide... 

Replies

Hey Jay! 
You play 14.Ne5! with idea f4. 
And now if Black goes 14...b5 you take 15.Bb5! 
I offer you try to see the difference between this line and when there was a Bg4. 
Why we can take here 15.Bb5 and before we couldn't? :) 

Trampowsky line after our Bc7, Qd6 plan in Nge2 variation

Sir, what should be black's plan after g3 by white to protect the h2 square?
I've faced this move very often and couldn't think of an effective plan to break the weakened king-side pawn structure, sometimes I sacrificed the knight on g3, it worked half of the time.

Replies

Vanshaj, g3 is weakening too much. You can push h5,h4 as well. 

I won using the Latvian gambit

Eu ganhei usando o gambito letão 

[Evento "Jogo rápido avaliado"] [Site "https://lichess.org/6rMn8gwg"] [Data "2020.08.29"] [Branco "AmandaKetley"] [Black "MagicIrair"] [Resultado "0-1"] [UTCDate "2020.08.29"] [UTCTime "00:15:56"] [WhiteElo "1881"] [BlackElo "1749"] [WhiteRatingDiff "-8"] [BlackRatingDiff "+10"] [Variante "Padrão"] [TimeControl "900 + 10"] [ECO "C40"] [Abrindo "Gambito da Letônia: Defesa Fraser"] [Rescisão "Normal"] [Anotador "lichess.org"] 1. e4 e5 2. Cf3 f5 3. Cxe5 Cc6 {C40 Gambito letão: Defesa Fraser} 4. Qh5 + g6 5. Cxg6 Cf6 6. Qxf5 d6 7. Qg5 Tg8 8. Bd3 Rxg6 9. Qe3 Bh6 10. f4 Cg4 11. Qf3 Nd4 12. Qf1 Qe7 13. Nc3 Be6 14. f5 Nxf5 15. Qe2 Nd4 16. Qf1 OOO 17. Kd1 Rf8 18. Qg1 Nf2 + 19. Re1 Nxd3 + 20. cxd3 Nf3 + 21. gxf3 Rxg1 + 22. Rxg1 Qh4 + 23. Kd1 Qx2 24. Tf1 Bh3 25. Te1 Txf3 {Branco desiste. } 0-1

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Unusual chess puzzle (99% player don't know this)

In this puzzle white have king and 3 pawns and black have only king. You have to arrange position which is forced draw. Following are certain conditions for this puzzles.

1-Arranged position will be white to play
2-White will play for win
3-No double or triple pawns are allowed (for e.g. a2,a3 or b5,b6,b7)

post your answers here
Answer will be published tomarrow on same forum

If you cant wait to see answer then you can see the answer here - bit.ly/3gEE48N

Replies

I can imagine that this puzzle is very hard to solve manually, but the result is quite interesting. I brute-force checked all the possible KPPPvK setups from a tablebase with a script and there are 4 different solutions, but due to symmetry there are essentially only 2. Furthermore the pawn structure is the same in both, only the position of the Black kings is different. Here are the FEN codes:

8/8/6Pk/4P3/8/7P/8/7K w - - 0 1
8/8/kP6/3P4/8/P7/8/K7 w - - 0 1
8/6k1/6P1/4P3/8/7P/8/7K w - - 0 1
8/1k6/1P6/3P4/8/P7/8/K7 w - - 0 1

What is the puzzles answer?

Below are some puzzles... Solve them...Both are white to play

Replies

1.Simply Play Rg5 and win

2.Rg8+ and bring the Knight to 1st rank and win.