~~Guess the Opening and share Assessment~~

It's black to move here. What's your assessment about this position. Plans for both sides and which colour you choose for playing. 

Here, I choose white because it's my fav. opening after chessmood's Grand Prix.

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It's the c3 sicilian:

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. dxc5 Qxd1 7. Kxd1

White is better, and will play b4 against e5 and try to hold on to the pawn, with Kc2, Kb2/b3 then a3. Maybe also Bb5. Sometimes b4 b5 as well and start a pawn storm.

Black's plan is to either castle or play Rd8, get the pieces out and attack b4, c3 and f2 as well as a the king.

While White is better, it's difficult because Black can get active and find good squares for the pieces.

The best dxc5 variation for Black is with Nf6 and Bg4, then after e5 b4 e4 h3 Bh5 g4, Black takes on g4 with the knight (hence Nf6 not Nc6) and has a passed h-pawn as counterplay and is slightly better.

I will share my opinion after watching the course:)

Evaluate this Position

Here it's white to move. What you think about this position. Who is better and why?

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Let's see.. White is a pawn down and has a weak pawn structure. The pair of bishops is not active yet. Black's main problem on the other hand is development of the kingside and the weak queenside (pawn on a7, c7 square). This is compensated by the monster knight on d4 threatening both f3 and c2.

White needs to stop Black from developing further to stay in the game. This means that White's focus should be on the queenside, creating counter-threats. White also needs to find a way to meet Black's current threats.

Let's look at candidate moves here. 1.Bb5+ Nxb5 (1...Kd8 2.0-0 and White has an edge in development) and Black loses a pawn or has to advance with his king. 1...Nc6 2.Be3 also seems about equal .

1.Bd3 Nxf3+ 2. Kf1 0-0-0 3.Be4 also deserves consideration. However, Black need not go for the f3 pawn in the second line as he is already a pawn up. So 1.Bd3 e5 or 1.Bd3 Nf6 can be considered. There seem to be better alternatives.

1.Nb5 is another move that needs to be considered as 1...Nc2+ 2.Kd1 Rc8 3.Nxa7 seems about equal after 3...Rc5 4.b4.

After all this, it can be concluded that this position is about equal after 1.Nb5 or 1.Bb5.

I definitely prefer white, but if we slow down then black will be fine. 

NEW ARTICLE: Mistakes Are Not Failures

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Excellent article/blog. There is a long debated question as to whether "kids be taught how to fail".Growth mindset encourages to let failure happen as then the process of learning starts.

Wow!

1. Some of the ideas which you posted in the blog are superb and I am already following them. For example whenever I learn any new concept I try to apply them in practice so fast. No matter it's winning or losing or draw I just apply the concepts so my brain will recognize them in the right time. 

2. I do not know where I read that but I think if anyone wanna become successful in any field then the best thing to do is to copy what the successful people of that field did, There is no need to invent new ideas. Yes, learning and then trying is different things. But just follow the path which top people did and one day you will achieve whatever you wants to do. Some say why copy ?  So the answer is when we born we learn language from our parents and that time our brain is copying new words. If it's hindi he will learn hindi and if it's english then he will learn english. Same in life. Copying elite will improve your skills in any filed.

3. I also loved the word coach told me, Abhi if you wanna become 2000 then follow those who achieved 2000 and if you wanna become a GM then follow GMs. I felt so funny when after some time coach told me that he saw a 1500 teaching how to become a Grandmaster hehehe.

4. Yes, about comfort zone, I am fully happy that my mindset is changed to universal from positional. When I joined chessmood I wanted to become a positional player. But when I started studying openings it turned me into an attacking player too. I do not know but following streams and webinars turned me into an attacker and coach also told me that abhi you are now playing very aggressive chess. I also wanna mention that I do follow lessons of Var. Akobian and as you all know he is a positional player but whenever he got any positions in which timing  is everything then he play for timings. That time he never think of quiet moves but he play what board wants him to play. Due to chessmood and his lessons my mindset turned into a universal player. A player who play the position. If it's static then play slow chess is ok but if it's dynamic then timing  is key. So I am already out of my comfort zone.

5.  Yes, I must admit that I am scared to make mistakes but only those mistakes which are like playing like a melon., If I am applying a new concept in my game then I never feel scared of losing game.

Thanks for the great article I am following all the guidelines well. Thanks for wonderful lessons and courses.

Excellent article . As rightly pointed out , fear of mistakes forces one to be stagnant - not willing to try new things . That forces us to remain in our comfort zone and makes us think that anything out of it will invite mistakes . We feel that Mistakes are the worst thing that can happen to us and that we should  do everything possible to avoid it. 

My problem is closely related to the one discussed - fear of failure. I deal with my mistakes objectively , trying to learn from them. But the thought that my image before others will be shattered (if I lose to my opponent ) is one reason contributing to it. There are many who have the same problem. I have noticed a phenomenon in my place - players who start coaching stop playing tournaments . I am not speaking of busy coaches who do not have time . I strongly believe that they cannot think of the students coming across their defeats in games - fear of failure again  !  I would like you to have an article on it. I think only if the perspective on what one should expect from playing a game should change .

Thank you for the excellent articles.

I don't know my chess style and my likings are variable. I admire Carlsen. But my play cannot be determined. I have won a 25 move game and next I round I won a long complicated positional struggle. Previously I was a good endgame player, my style was to attack the pawns and exchange pieces. But after studying the book 'Attack with Mikhail Tal' I developed a good feeling of an attack but my endgame skills are nearly vanished. Can anyone tell me how to deal this?

I read in a book once to reframe failure as results you didn't want. My own take is if those 'results' help you go on and achieve, then perhaps they were results you needed but weren't looking for.

There are plenty of motivational books that will recount Edison's light bulb, Colonel Sanders attempt to sell his chicken recipe, and so on, who succeeded by keeping on going despite many failures and probably discouragement for those around.

Other similar advice is be prepared to fail, but fail fast and adapt (that is once you've identified something isn't working and learned from it, try something slightly different and see how that affects things - giving up and doing something different puts you back at square one again). Trying the same thing harder and doubling the effort when effort wasn't the problem is like the fly trying to get through the window.

The investor or gambler's advice about not putting in more than you can lose (that is having reserves to fight another day, rather than an all-in, moonshot, home run attempt) and the mindset opportunities will present themselves again another time.

Playing the long-game rather than a short term view of that one mistake.

9 rules

In this 9 rules blog,i can't understand that what are you trying to say?

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It depends on the time control

Caro Kann Opening

You keep on missing Nxd4 in this video: https://chessmood.com/course/caro-kann-defence/episode/702

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when exactly?

That's true Kevin! 
My bad... :) 

Questions, possible suggestions

I have two questions and not sure where I should put this.

1. Can we have it to where "My courses" are listed on the start up page? 

2. Is there a forum we can post our games for discussion?

Thanks!

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Hey Jesse! 

You can add it to favorites and then click the love heart on the main page to get there faster.

Rossolimo part 23 Black's Kingside execute with Bh3

Hello friends! At the very end of the line with Bh3 followed by Qg3 and h3 check and then Ng3, if white responds with Qf3 and we trade into endgame with Qf1 and Be5, how much advantage does black realistically have? I was uncertain since white's pawn chain from a2 to e4 will be intact for the most part and all 3 pieces on c1,b1 and a1 can develop very quickly so :p

P.S. after Be5 it will be 7 vs 5, so black will be only up 2 pawns and not 3 .

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Hey! 
Please, post questions with screenshots or with the exact link. 
It's very tough to answer like this. 

P.S 
If you're a PRO Member, please put the question on the "PRO Members" channel, so they are 100% answered. 
In the main channel, we may miss questions. 

Today's puzzle of the day 11-2-20

Hi all,

I enjoyed today's puzzle of the day and found the solution.   But was wondering if after 1. Na6, Black could defend better with 1...Bf1.   If White takes the bishop then it seems to me that after 2. Bxf1 g2, White's best would be to take the pawn and give a stalemate.  But after 1...Bf1 White can play 2. Bf3 instead of taking the bishop on f1.   Now 2...g2 loses to 3. Kc7.  But Black can try 2...Be2!  with the same idea of giving up the bishop and pushing the g-pawn, when White does not have time to set up a mating net.  So it seems after 1..Bf1, 2. Bf3 Be2, White should play 3. Bh1!  Now there is no way to give up the bishop, except to play 3...Bxa6 and after 4. Kc7 White eventually gives mate on b7.   Does this make sense to others?   Thanks in advance - Sarathi  

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Nice observation. You are righ, and Bh1 is a wonderful move.

Taking on f1 is also working. After g2 white gives check Nc7 then take Bg2. Bishop+Knight is winning. Do you know how to mate with bishop and knight?

Wow!!! 

Tactics/attacking course suggestion

Often these courses have positions to solve, but they also make you lazy in that to make a winning attack, often you need to find something forcing such as a check, sacrifice a queen, etc and it just works. Thus sometimes the solver isn't really looking at all the oppenents options. In a real game, some of the combinations and attacks fail against best, or even reasonable defence.

A chess club which I used to belong to had a number of puzzles where sometimes the tactics/combination/attack didn't work. It was your job to find a winning line if one, or if the move that looked winning didn't work, to say why. This avoids lazy calculation. Perhaps a such a course should have some examples that follow this idea?

(Also given some of the openings Scotch, Caro-Kann and Sicilian's middlegames are often summarised as 'throw everything at the king', knowing when to attack, determining whether it works, and what to do instead when it doesn't work is important, particularly in longer time controls against better players).

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Nice suggestion

David, nice suggestion! 
In the courses "Tactical Mastery" and "Calculation", which we're preparing, often there will be obvious move, which in reality doesn't work. 
So you have to be alert :) 

g3 Maroczy Bind and English Opening.

Hello, I have questions regarding Maroczy Bind and English courses. In Maroczy Bind course after 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3, GM Avetik shows Nf6 as a response. However, the English course recommends black to play 2 ...g6, as the most flexible move. I am creating a consistent c4 repertoire, but this got me a little bit confused. Of course everything leads to traspositions, but as you know move order is extremely important in chess. 

1) Are you planning somehow to unify these openings? 

2) Is g3 section of the English, which transposes to g3 Maroczy, going to redirect to these course or it will consist of another ideas for black?

3) What do you finally recommend to play? g6 or Nf6?

Thanks for all the answers and good day to everyone reading this!

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I’m pretty sure that the new, current recommendation by chessmood ist to play 2…g6 rather than 2…Nf6, as 2…g6 is much more flexible and allows the option of a later e5 and then Nge7 (depending on how White plays). The 2…Nf6 continuation in the Maroczy course is from Febr. 2019 and outdated and will most likely be replaced by 2…g6 at some point, as it would take away from Black the option to play a later e5 (because then the N on f6 would be misplaced!)

Hey! 
In Maroczy course, I didn't pay attention on the move order. 
But as Gabuzyan showed in his course - we're playing with 2...g6, which is the most flexible one. 

How Chessmood affected me

It's a little embarrassing for me to go into details, but I just want to say...

That phone call with GM (or Jim I think) Avetik really got to me. It is really amazing how that short call affected me much more than any articles or stuff on the internet, even if their quality is good :)

I experienced, for the 2nd time in my life, how powerful an influence a chess mentor could be... (1st was IM Alexandru Manea)

Now I've been working on chess more than I ever have! (Although, I confess not exactly as Jim(?) prescribed...)

I'm gonna break some serious boundaries in my life!!!

Have a nice day, everyone!

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Thanks for the message, it was a pleasure to read, wish you good luck :)

Same in my case, he is the first person who motivated me to work well in chess. My besties do motivated me but they were not Grandmaster. They were just hoping to see me win but I was losing and losing but after I joined chessmood I feel improved daily. Daily I am installing something in my brain and also trying to apply them . Before chessmood I had a dream of becoming 2000 and I thought I won't achieve it because I found no right mentors and I found no useful resources. But once I met coach he not only motivated me well but also his contents made me super nice.

Great, Inguh! 

Classics?

How many classics you watched in the past one year? 

Watched is not mean you and lappy and pop-corn. But focused on video and grasped concepts well.

How many classics you analyzed with your training partners this year?

How many hours you guys spent on one game analysis?

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Now I watch classics from our lovely ChessMood. Recently I was watching Capablanca's games, but I did't finished it

Great move!

Black to move and win! 

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Ng3 simple, but a super unusual way to win. But it's so disgusting that my mind can't remember the player's name. I can remember positions which I saw in past.

Intuition vs Calculation

How much percent of intuition do you use while playing?

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Well after I joined chessmood coach toldme  the importance of learning classics. I did more than 800 classics study in past 8 months so I felt so improved and my intuition is developed too. So in xase of online if I do not mess up in openings then I find best moves most of the time.

In case of calculation. I am working on it with @Jay_Garrison. He is telling me how much I am improving so I am slowly but surely becoming good in calculation. 

maybe about 70% :D 

Anti-Sicilian Part 2

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Black is going to continue with c4 and get clear equality or favourable positions for him, this position has'nt been discussed in the courses, what should white play here.

Ι recommend firstly to play e5, locking up the centre, and then completing the development with O-O and close the "d" file as well if needed. It would be also good to fianchetto the dark squared Bishop if black plays O-O.

~~ Pawn Str. Training effect ~~

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Chess Quotes

Share your favorite :) 

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Chess is Life - Bobby Fischer.

The reason I follow this one is because I have only 2 besties from US and one real life friend. I am different personality!

It's also my favorite, I use it in some of my social pages :)

But as you already wrote it. I'll share this one.

Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine. ~Rudolf Spielmann.

“Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do” - Tartakower

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat" — Sun Tzu

“You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ~ Mikhail Tal

Against Smith-Morra Gambit

How can I take advantage against Sicilian Smith-Morra Gambit as black?

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The simplist way is 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 and transpose to Sicilian Alapin variation as given in the Anti Sicilian course or you could meet 3.c3 by pushing past with 3...d3, lastly you could accept the pawn but this allows White an initiative and gives him what he wants, having said that I like accepting and then adopting a fianchetto setup which fits perfectly with our Acc Dragon Rep. If you decide on the latter route they are some concrete lines you need to know to avoid early traps, but once you do I think Black is fine, in fact I think the fianchetto line against the Morra is underated.

"Mayhem in the Morra" deviates from the annotated game with 11.Qd2 Nf5 12.Rad1, and offers responses to 12..Qf6, 12..Na5 and 12..Re8.  It doesn't matter at my level, but I thought I add this to answer the comment that Esserman's book doesn't help here. :-)

Funny story- Funny my Life

I wanted to share two funny story about my life. I know it's chess forum but I can make you laugh may be. 

First one: My Brilliant English!!!

So, it was last year of my school, I was new in chess. I learnt ok there are two chess moves e4 and d4 and they are good but had no idea why hehhe. I started playing it. Then my friend told me about Vishy Anand. I said oh one day I will beat him  hehehe. He said he is world champ and I was like huh I can't beat him then. Next day he said you can see videos on chess games on Youtube and I said my internet speed is 3kbps. Then I texted another friend and asked him to download a video on chess for me. He download the video which I am going to share in the bottom.

The video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ItLX-q3_I

When I was watching this video I was so irritated. It's not because of the openings or middlegame. But it's because of the name. I thought who is this guy " Queen's Gambit Accepted Alexi Shirov" and how can anyone write so long name in Score sheets. I thought may be they write like QGAA Shirov. Another thing which bother me was variations. The commentator was sharing variations and my poor knowledge of english called it takeback and I felt like wtf they both are doing. They call them world class players but on every move they are doing takebacks. Next day, I met my friend and asked him, who is this " Queen's Gambit Accepted Alexi Shirov" once he heard this he started laughing on me and said hey Queen's Gambit Accepted is an opening and Alexi  Shirov is a player's name. I said ok and next thing I asked to him was about why they are moving pieces back on every move. Then he again laughed and said hey they are showing variations which both players may considered during the game. After I saw him laughing on me I started to find more ways to improve my english and now I am able to speak like native and I can confuse a lot non natives by my accent. 

Damm I forgot the second story. For now enjoy this funny story. 

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NEW ARTICLE: How to Practice with Your Training/Sparring Partner (Part 3)

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Wow, coach you gave me super ideas. I tired SLP training in past but I will do it now daily. I am super happy that I have training partners for study!Thanks for your lessons.

Excellent Article !!