Chess forum by Grandmasters
ChessMood Family, Welcome to our Forum!
Dear friends, dear chess lover, welcome to our forum!
This is the first forum in the chess world, where your questions will be directly answered by Grandmasters!
In our chessmood family, we have cool members, who take value and help others as well the same time!
We will reward such cool people!
Ane time your answer to any questions gets 5 "likes", or "best answer" by any of our Grandmaster- you'll be rewarded with 1000 MoodCoins!
Let's keep constant growing!
Right Mood - Right Move!
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In chess during each game the player must be prepared psychologically. After chess training this is in the main place! Not right??
We must punish our opponents!
I was told by Coach I need to start punishing my opponents when they make bad moves in the opening. Do you think this is what he meant?
https://www.chess.com/live/game/3693413172
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Hehe)))
Punish harder bro)) The last move Qg5 was checkmate :D
2000-Master
What do you recommend for a 2000 USCF player to get to master level (2200 USCF)?
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Here are the 3 important steps!
1 Why you want that? Have a definite answer to that question. You should have a very strong answer!
2 Burning desire to do that!
3 Massive, determined action
3a- If you are a PRO Member- you have already a big advantage, you know the direction, you have mentors.
a1 Watch the courses, watch the streams and put in practice. Don't afraid to get out of the comfort zone. We grow only when we are not in the comfort zone!
a2 Explore chess books from chessmood.com/we-recommend
a3 Solve puzzles minimum of 30 minutes a day!
You'll see big progress in a few months!
3b- If you are not our PRO Member
b1- Find good sources to learn - Good FB groups, good youtube channels, if you can't afford to have a coach - find friends who can help you or you can grow helping each other.
The rest is the same. Explore chess books, solve puzzles. Of course, having a coach or mentor - is a big shortcut- but if you can't afford it - That's the way.
You will find good resources here: chessmood.com/we-recommend
A video link about how effectively explore chess books https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Tw1iNDfas&t=913s
Friends, and don't forget about the Right Mood! Right Mood generates Right Moves!
#SLP Winners never quit and quitters never win!
I had no business winning this game. It was just bad on my part...very bad... But we are not quitters here! Keep applying pressure and they run low on time trying to figure out what you are doing, even if you are doing nothing! #SLP!!
https://www.chess.com/live/game/3693357163
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Nice SLP!:)
How to win after your oppent blunders a piece on move 7
My oppent blundered his piece in the Evan's gambit accepted where after my advancement in the middle he out me in check with his dark square bishop. I block wih my bishop. He moves pawn to d4. I take his bishop. He takes with his knight. I take my queen out him in check and fork his knight. How do I win after this
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When a player is up in material, there are two easy methods to winning.
1. Trade all the pieces into a winning endgame
2. Start an attack because you have a bigger army
- It's also important to prevent opponent counterplay.
New course- d4 sidelines
Dear Freinds, dear PRO Members!
I saw that many of you have troubles when your opponent plays 1.d4 and then don't play c4 - allowing you to play your favorite Benko Gambit :)
So I started a video course about d4 sidelines, where I'll cover all systems for white.
The 1st section - Trompowsky attack is ready!
https://chessmood.com/course/crushing-d4-sidelines
Enjoy ♥
With best wishes,
GM Avetik
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I love this course! More variety against d4!!!
Happy Birthday, Raf!
Dear friends, dear PRO Members!
Today is the birthday of our PRO Member and our new team member Raf De Coninck!
Happy birthday, brother! I wish you lots of energy to realise all your chess and life dreams! :)
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Thank you! :-)
Botvinnik gambit semi-slav
I am thinking of switching my semi-slav with Black to the Botvinnik system. I made soem analysis of it recently and it looks sound enough. It is a risky opening but it gives complication to win. Let me know what u think guys :)
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It's interesting, but you should know lots of theory, and remember all of them!
And if your opponent has a very strong computer- you may be in danger :)
If you want to play, it's ok, but I think you should change on Slav because it's has a lot of ( potentially ) sharp positions if you are looking for it. If you are looking for attractive positions you can find them in Slav too. If you are looking for logical play, you can find it in Slav...
I experienced Botvinik's system/gambit ( whatever ) very rarely( they don't accept c4 pawn or they even dob't play semi slav, or play 2...dxc4 ), just as white, so I can't say anything to that.
The Botvinnik System is a very fun opening to play. As others have mentioned, it is very complicated and theoretical. In fact most lines in the Botvinnik system lasts for 30-40 moves. They tend to very tactical and complicated and one mistake is all you need to lose. It is also a very positionally rich opening to play.
If you want to play this opening, you might have to invest a lot of time learning all the theory and making sure that you remember it all.
QGA Qe2!
Hi Avetik i took a look at QGA with 7 Qe2 ; i like the line a lot. Would u recommend the bishop go on d3 or b3? i saw a game by Spassky with Bb3 this looks interesting. tx for the advice :)
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Hey Jony! I am glad you liked it!
Bd3!
"Taimanovish" sideline against the 2.Nc3 Sicilian
Hello coaches, hello everyone :-)
I am fascinated by our coaches’ repertoire recommendation 2.Nc3 against the Sicilian. But I have a question that’s been burning in my mind for about two decades now :-)
Before I became a ChessMoods PRO member, I was never too worried about facing 2.Nc3 as black in the Sicilian, because I had/have sort of my own little – and rare – pet line that I had a lot of confidence in (and in fact still do – so maybe the CM team can change my view after all these years). I never really fully knew for sure whether I was right, but then again I never really much cared about what white should play. After all, my reasoning was… it’s white’s problem!
Well, now that I’m seriously considering to play this as white, I guess you might say that it has finally become my problem too! ;-)
The line is this: 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Na5!?
I realise that a good number of you – especially those who’ve never seen this before – may scoff at this ridiculous, tempo-losing, knight-edging move. I know I did too when I first saw it. However, let me try to defend the logic behind it.
Compare this variation from the Open Sicilian:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.0-0 b5 8.Be3 Bb7 9.f4 Na5. This is the Taimanov/Paulsen/Kan Sicilian (okay, it’s a bit of a sideline and other ways of playing are considered better, but then again I think even the great Taimanov himself sometimes played his system with Na5).
Now look at this:
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Na5 4.Nf3 a6 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 b5 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bb7 9.Be3 Qc7. The result is the same position with an extra move for black. So, even though the first variation (above) was maybe not the best line for black in this system, the fact that he has an extra move in an otherwise generally quite well-reputed opening makes me rather uncertain that this is the way for white to go.
And of course I do realise that these are just sample lines and by no means “The One Truth” ;-). Maybe there is a specific move order somewhere to punish black’s idea, but so far I haven’t found it yet and my general feeling is that white has to either play this line a tempo down or else restrain himself with d2-d3. That makes me feel a bit uneasy ;-).
At any rate, my results with this line have always been quite good with black (although it must be said that the instances where I faced 2.Nc3 and 3.Bb5 have been few and far between – which is another very good reason to play it!)
So then…To Avetik and friends, of course you already know all the things that I have written above – and much more too – so maybe you can shed some light on this? I would be very interested to hear the experts’ opinion on this little line that I have always found interesting, but the soundness of which I have never been able to (dis)prove…
Thank you for sparing the time to plough through this long post!
Kind regards
Raf
P.S. By the way, I will of course never consider playing like this against the Rossolimo, because after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Na5? 4.c3, black is just sitting at the wrong side of a very bad Alapin! ;-)
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Hey Raf!
Thank you for an interesting question and in details explaining your thoughts, so others can also see the depth of the question.
3...Na5 is an interesting move, you explaining clearly ideas of that.
It has some minuses and the biggest problem is 4.d4!
Nowadays there is a very trendy line. 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4!!? cd 4.Qd4 Nc6 5. Qd2! With idea b3,Bb2,0-0-0.
Many 2700+ GMs has played, Carlsen too.
After 3...Na5 4.d4 is working much stronger! cd 4.Qd4 now if Nc6 5.Qa4 and black have a problem with development.
4...a6 is probably better but 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Qe3 or 5.Be2 Nc6 6.Qd2 and b3,Bb2 (which I like more), white gain dangerous initiative, due to big advantage in development.
There are other ways too against 3...Na5 but I think 4.d4 is the strongest way for white, and because of that 3...Na5 is not a popular move.
1-1 blitz games against GM Hovhannisyan Robert (ELO 2640!)
Dear Friends, Dear PRO Members!
Today we have a super guest- GM Robert Hovhannisyan (FIDE Rating 2640!)
He will play 1-1 blitz games with our PRO Members!
https://chessmood.com/event/1-1-blitz-games-with-gm-hovhannisyan-2
See you in 1 hour!
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5th october?
There’s a mistake. It saids it starts in 148 days
Study Plan
I am not sure about my study plan. Whatever I try, it falls fast because of non-planning. Please give me advice about the study plan. Info ( about me ): 1542 FIDE rating, love to attack, best in openings, good in the middlegame, weak in endgame. Plays 1. d4 as white and 1... c5 on 1.e4, 1...Nf6 on 1.d4 as black. I am better in open positions than in closed, but it's fairly good too. Please help!
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You should make a study plan around solving tactics, going through classical games and playing/analyzing games.
Hey Slobo!
Somehow we can't get in touch and can't make a 1-1 call, during which I give directions, study plan to all our members.
Please message me on my personal e-mail, which you have, we'll try to have a call.
Before that study our courses- you'll like it, especially when you love attacking chess.
About studying endgame part you'll get directions here: https://chessmood.com/we-recommend
Nc3 in front of the pawn or behind it?
Hello Chessmood Family,
Is it better to play Nc3 after you have advanced the pawn as a general rule? Obviously not in the anti-sicilian but in other lines? I know the nf3 has a special relationship with castle kingside, so I understand the logic behind playing nf3 and blocking the f pawn. But I find in other lines, that advancing the C pawn before playing nc3 gives me more space and dominance near the centre. Let me know your thoughts, thank you :)
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It depends on what you play. For example if you play 1.d4, White often wants to play 2.c4 followed by Nc3. However when you play 1.e4, playing c4 can create weaknesses in your position especially the d4-square.
Nice answer from Kevin!
Bobby, I had the same thoughts when I just started to play chess.
I realized that it's better to play c4 then Nc3 always, so eventually my first move was always 1.c4 :)
Kevin gave a nice answer!
I am a hardcore 1.d4 player and like that, I will advise you to play it behind pawn if you played 1.d4, but 1.d4 d5 2. Nc3 ( Veresov's system/opening ) isn't bad for white, whatever, white has more chances for the initiative. For example, let's take this moves ( showing examples for 1.d4 ):
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 ( 2...dxc4 3. Nc3 again, because of that knight blocking b5 square ) 3. Nc3
OR
1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nc6 ( 2... g6 3. e4!? that's the main threat for initiative ) 3. Bg5 e6 4. e4!?
Examples for 1. e4:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 ( for calmer variation you should play 4. Nc3 ) 4... Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bc4+ 7. Nc3
note: this is for f4 pawn you mentioned too.
1.e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6 ( this tempo-jackpot example, I showed because of movment of both f4 and c4 pawns )
4. e5 Nd5 5. c4 Nb4 6. d4 Be7 7. Nc3
When we're talking about black pieces, just Sicilian is enough to explain everything:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 ( I play this changed order of moves, it all goes to the same position after ) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 ( that's it! )
Now?! You see how complex and flexible that question was?! Everything is different from opening to opening, from variation to variation,..
French , Sicilian or something else
Sir , what to do with this opening move order ?
1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 *
Someone can sidestep both my French and Sicilian preparation with your recommendation .
Can you suggest something quickly ?
Opponent plays both french and Siclian I guess .
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Just d5, and black will get a very bad version of benoni :)
Some questions about Benko gambit...
Hello chessmood family !
I post a pgn file about videos course of Benko gambit. Thanks for your remarks.
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Hello Mr. Pascual!
1st- After 2.Bf4 many moves are possible, Kg7. Kf8 (trying to bring him to d7, Ra3 is also fine).
The fight is on the 2 sides, so bishop is doing a better job, but in current position black rook is doing better than white one, he is more active, attacking pawn on a2, and blocking him... Because of that the position is around equal.
2nd and 3rd, you are absolutely right! In the 2nd I didn't noticed Rf2!
And in the 3rd I blundered Re1, Rf4 was best!
Thank you!
French game Question
I recently had a French game , there was little bit difference between the line you showed in Video
https://chessmood.com/course/french-defence/episode/131
If you get chance can you please look into the game and update the pgn file with your comments , I wrote some of the things I thought in the annotation , want to find out what I have missed or could have been improved .
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Hey Bhabatosh!
A very nice game!
Na3, Nb5 very logical.
I'll make a video and upload in advance course soon, I have a feeling that 5.c3 instead of 5.Nf3 is the best :)
Webinar - Time Management
Dear Friends, dear PRO Members!
On the 17th of May, we'll have a webinar about the topic you have requested - Time Managment.
Take your seats and send me your questions clicking the below.
https://chessmood.com/event/webinar-time-management
Right Mood - Right Move
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#SLP version 3.1416
Clearly I need to stop giving away material for free. I would rather convert winning positions instead of saving losing ones. However, saving some of them when they happen is a good thing!
https://www.chess.com/live/game/3701567895
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Webinar-Workshop on the topic Time Management
Dear Friends, Dear PRO Members! In less than 2 hours we start a super interesting Webinar-workshop about the topic you have requested - Time Management This is the training that you should not miss! See you soon!
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I guess I get into a lot of lost positions LOL #SLP
Saved another one!
https://www.chess.com/live/game/3717054637