Chess forum by Grandmasters

Identifying Weaknesses

People say that to improve, you should work on your weaknesses, and to find those weaknesses, you should analyze your games.

I analyze my games, and I can see when a move that I played was bad, but often don't see why. As far as I've seen, engines aren't much help here unless the reason is tactical. How can I pinpoint my weaknesses if I don't understand my mistakes?

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Here’s how my journey has gone.

In the beginning my biggest issue was blundering pieces so my analysis was about deciding by it happened. I didn’t need an engine for that since the issue was in my process.

The second step was looking at missed tactics. You’ve already mentioned that the engine works there.

The third step was trying to see potential tactics. The engine works there by looking a earlier moves and seeing how they could leaded up to the tactic.

Then it got hard. What I’ve found is first I learn new things studying a course. The more I learn, the more often I can see where I went wrong. Finally I am able to see it on the board and change my play. For me this last part is a slow, incremental process. It’s not been linear at all, more like a roller coaster.

Dear Sarah,

It's usually very tough for a player to perfectly understand their own mistakes in the games. That's why people are having coaches - stronger players to point out what was wrong and why. However GM Avo has this article, at least helping on the topic about analyzing your own games - https://chessmood.com/blog/analyze-blitz-chess-games

Beginner GPA against g6 and e6

Sorry if this is posted already and I cannot find it. I really enjoy the GPA lines, but I have found that at my current level (15+10 rapid ~1500 chesscom) that my opponents very often go for an early e6, without having played d6. This is usually in response my playing Bc4. After 0-0 and d3 getting the usual set up, black generally plays d5 gaining a tempo on my bishop, and this seems like a really good position for black. 

Is there some general guidelines for this sort of line (outside just studying the higher level course?). I find with blacks pawns on e6 and g6 that the usual white f5 break isn't as effective. If there was a way to bait out the e6 move early than I would just develop my light squared bishop to b5 instead, but this doesn't seem possible to me.

Many thanks!

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Dear Patrick,

That Bc4 GP is an under 2000 simplified set-up. However, if you are constantly facing the right d5 setup and you are unhappy with those positions, in the advanced opening courses step by step openings for White, you will find much more concrete playing ideas for the White side.

Scotch Game Step-by-step h4 variation

Is there an alternative to the h4 move shown in the position below which was covered in the course.

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/4hVKv3UUdc/analysis
 

It is very hard to play and can’t even understand most of the arising position how much every I practice and analyze.

My stats in this variation -

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Dear Pawn Bishop,

There are some alternatives in that position - c4 is one of the main moves. 
Our h4 is uniqe and interesting, positions are also hard for Black. I have tried it in so many games myself. If you are playing it against strong opponents, some deeper engine work can be required on your side as well. It's impossible to include much more in the courses as then the materials will become 20-30h hours+ and will be super hard to learn. My advice is to check your games carefully and keep practicing. 
At a distance, it can be quite reasonable.
 

e4 g6

Hey all, in which section of the chessmood white openings this is covered? I think it’s called modern Defense. Have problems finding it.

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Hi Ulrich,

I seem to recall asking the same question a while ago.  I then found it when I went back through my notes - it is covered within the Pirc section. 🙂

Thank you for the answers, gonna check this section out!

Schlechter variation against French - analysis query

In the Schlechter variation against the French course, Section 4. 5….Nbd7, Sub-section 4.Nice Checkmate: Avetik says after 14. Qxf3 Nf8 that we play 15.Nh5 and Black's best move is to come back with 15…Nd7 (time 02:09) and defend f6 which then allows the spectacular 16.Qf6. However Stockfish says that instead of 15…Nd7 Black plays 15…Nf5 with equality - a move not considered in the video.  Instead of 15. Nh5, Stockfish gives the immediate 15. Qf6 with a winning advantage - this can transpose back to the line in the video after 15…Nd7 16 Nh5 but Black has other options. If the above is correct then perhaps you can consider this for any future revisions.

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VR Chess Rating Dive

Chesscom recently released MerlinChess for Oculus which lets one play with people on the Chesscom website with a virtual chessboard.  While still in early release, they have my favourite time control of 15+10 active and I have been playing on there for about two weeks.  The weird thing is, my brain does not work as well in VR.  For some reason, my chess is 100-150 rating points worse then on my 2D desktop.  Has anyone else experienced this, or can think of a reason for it?  Are parts of my brain too busy processing the visual information to help with calculation?

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Hey Groo,

The brain is a funny thing - fantastically powerful in some ways yet incredibly simple in others.  In particular, the brain likes patterns.  I suspect that, at the moment, the pattern recognition that you have developed in 2D hasn’t synced with your 3D play - that is, your brain sees them as different activities.  I’m sure that your brain will catch up shortly 😉

A discovery

Getting ready for first ever rating tournament.
Curiousity made me discover a few things…
From November 14-2024 to July 30-2025, ive raised 478 rapid rating.(lichess-1542)
April 14-2025 to August 2-2025, ive raised 288 blitz rating.(lichess-1613)
June 6-2024 to August 8-2025, ive raised 409 rapid rating.(chess.com-974)

I think i have shown some good growth in 2 years. Chessmood's opinion?

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Honestly as much as you have improved, I think its just better for the rating to only be an estimated measure of your performance, rather than using as a measure to see if you have improved or not. You can just ask and see for yourself if you think you have improved based on the skills you have learned and those skills affecting the playstyle greatly I guess, this part is just only my opinion, as I have been trying to detach myself from rating and focusing only on improving. There are some chessmood blogs based on detaching your rating if you want to read it, and if you think you would benefit from that.

Logging out from all devices

Hi,

The website is saying that i am logged in on 4 devices while I am logged in only 2. There doesn't seem to be a way to logout from all devices from the account. How do i do this? If not, it is an issue as my account could be accessed by hackers…Pls guide

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Hey! 😊
I’ve logged you out from all devices just to be safe.

If you're still seeing something weird, I’d recommend changing your password — just in case.
And of course, if this keeps happening, feel free to write here anytime. We’ll help right away!

New article: Endgame roadmap: 9 strategies on how to play chess endgames

“I lose almost every equal endgame.” 

“I’ve already read 6 books about endgames, but it doesn’t help much...” said a chess improver to GM Avetik.
 

They wanted to improve their endgame, but something wasn’t working. 
 

In today’s article, you’re going to discover:

?Why they were struggling to improve at endgames.

?Why and how GM Avetik created the endgame compass. 

?How the endgame compass can help you think in endgames.
 

3 weeks after ‘using’ this compass, the chess improver touched their dream rating!?
 

At the same time, as promised, we’ve also added all the sections to our Endgame Roadmap course.
 

And after you read the article and watch the course, you’ll never say, “I don’t know what to do in endgames.”
 

Read the article here?

https://chessmood.com/blog/chess-endgame-strategies
 

And watch the full course here?
https://chessmood.com/course/chess-endgame-roadmap

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The Endgame Roadmap sounds pretty much like the course An Endgame Expert by GM Smirnov. I don't want to post a direct link to avoid accusations of promoting other sites but it should be easy enough to find and compare the ideas.

Hi, I am enjoying the course and learning a lot. I have a question. In the section on creating passed pawns you give an ending from one of your games that won a prize. Who was the opponent and in which event?. I would like to look at the complete game if possible. Chessmood has already helped me to improve my play. Thank you

Hi,
I'm a free user of chessmood. I read this article andwatched the unlocked pieces of the course. its what i needed. I often get advantage in the opening, then in the middle game with my coach! but i always screw up in the endgame. Pawn up still lose. i believe this course it making a difference. im still screwing up in endgames, but slowly slowly im reducing my mistakes

“What the f…”

This course turned me happy and angry at the same time. Happy to learn sth new and angry about other coaches with whom I have worked before. I also read dozens of endgame books,  but such a simple advice: In the endgame, we place our pieces to attack weak pawns…, I never got before. And I remember dozens of games where I placed my pieces acc. to middlegame “rules”….Now, I understand what has been my mistake. 

And this course is full of “What the f… ” moments for me :-).

So I'm very happy to improve and apply this knowledge in the next tournament.

👍

Thanks! So useful Avetik and the course helps even more! Thanks!

anything here specifically to help with visualization

I am looking for a structured way to work on better board visualization  - any suggestions

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U can try visualate short games and solve tactics bt with no piece move till calc ends 

That’s explained in one of the sections of the Calclman course - good luck 🫡

I did something recently,
1. Look at the board and all possible moves for white and black on starting positions(real board)
2. Close your eyes and dictate few moves with a partner
3. Play for a while with eyes closed(ask friend to go easy a bit)
4. Do the same but ask your friend to go full brain
5. Test in an actual game(eyes open_calculate moves by closing your eyes)
6. After few games-eyes open or close full board is greatly visible!
Try it!

Thanks all

French Attack Exchange Variation: How do you deal with 4.Bf4 reply from White?

Hi everyone, regarding the BlackMood Opening – the French “Attack” (Exchange Variation), I faced 4.Bf4 in one of my games. Should I still go for 4...Nc6 followed by 5...Bd6, and not worry about whether the dark-squared bishops get exchanged?

Since the dark-squared bishop is usually considered my “good” bishop in the French, I didn’t really want to trade it. In that game, my opponent developed their dark-squared bishop to f4, controlling the d6 square. So instead of playing ...Bd6, I played ...Be7, which felt very passive—but at least I kept the bishop.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you =)

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I faced this very move a few days ago.  It was really annoying!  I tried keeping the dark-squared bishop and managed to drive the white bishop back eventually.  However, I ended up in a really awkward position and ended up losing.  I'm only a 1550 player, so would love to hear what strong players have to say about this, but I think, next time, I will just trade the bishop.  That bishop on f4 hijacked my game.

I haven't quite faced it but maybe go equal. change both bishops. Give knight some duty. Im not high rated but just an opinion

Bd6 looks good followed by Qxd6 and 0-0. In some lines you can go for Qb4+ forking and winning a pawn. Also Re1 If white allows can be really annoying. Gl

New Feature: BugZone is Live!

Champions, 

The BugZone feature is live!
It’s a place where your mistakes live... until fixed.

You solve a training exercise and miss it? Goes to BugZone.

You fail a puzzle in a quiz? Goes to BugZone.

You click the hint button while solving? Yep, BugZone.

We collect all your mistakes in one place. 

Sounds cool? 
One more thing. 

Then, when you come back and solve it correctly, it doesn’t go to “Fixed.”

It goes to “Corrected.”

And if you solve it a third time (you can do it only after 72 hours!), then it finally moves to “Fixed!”

Cool?
Now the coolest part! 

Our AI Coach will soon be able to see where you struggle and where you shine.

It’ll use that info to build your personalized study plan.

Not yet... but very soon. 

Love it? 

Here is the link:
https://chessmood.com/profile/ai-coach/bugzone   
 

Play around with the feature. 
And if you have any requests or find a bug, please post them here.  
 

Ah, and keep in mind that we start collecting your Bugs from this moment. 
So if you go there and see 0 bugs, don’t be surprised.

You’re not perfect, haha :)
 

With best wishes and love,

GM Avetik♥️ (or Avo, as my friends call me)

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I have been using this feature lately and it's really helpful. I normally keep a list of mistakes from Tactics Ninja Training Level 1 &2 and revisit a day later. I can still revisit but no longer need to keep track of the problems missed. And then a delay and retest is very helpful to make sure I get the concept. Im also using this for chess mood opening quizzes. Thanks for this!

Is this a "Lifeline" or a different kind of tactic?

Hello Chessmood - I was able to execute a nice tactic in my recent game getting back into the game from a lost position. Avetik, would you call this an example of the lifeline?

https://lichess.org/jpttz7Wy/black#42

Move 21. … Rxd5!

Removing the defender of the enemy queen and at the same time adding a defender to my hanging queen AND at the same time capturing material!

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Not completly sure, but I thought in lifeline tactics, both pieces are hanging, and then one of those hanging pieces comes to defend the another hanging piece (and then they arent both hanging I think..? I am not so sure, I will need to review my notes on that). For example, if the rook was hanging and the queen. Also your queen is defended, theirs isn't after you capture their knight, so its not a lifeline tactic for you because its not hanging. I just feel like its more of they blundered a piece, thinking the Queen is defended by the knight that is defended by a pawn and bishop, and it is, but for you to capture has a much greater threat of taking the free queen, so they can't ever recapture the Knight. And then later if they decide to trade off the queens, you just win a minor because rook can just take back. So basically with a much greater threat, it doesn't matter how many defenders the knight has as they just can't ever use these defenders unless if their queen was defended by another piece.

To me, this looks more like a simple remove the defender theme. Of course the rook protecting the queen is also highly important, but i do not know if there is a specific name for it. It does happen very often though, maybe we should come up with one ;)

Chess.com time control

For me personally I enjoy to play blitz 3+2 but get in a habit of overplaying and playing bad games but when i play rapid I get bored quick what do you guys best recommend for chess improvement?

Replies

If you get bored playing how can you really improve ? Try to first enjoy the process of thinking about chess positions, about what your opponent plan is, what your plan is, finding good moves, finding positionnal advantages and weaknesses and then you can improve. You can not do this in a hurry !

I think chessmood has good articles about mental state playing chess (i mean, it's called chessmood), you should check those out. 

Hey Jerry, 

Read these 3 articles. They will help you organise your playing sessions in a productive way.

https://chessmood.com/blog/what-chess-time-control-to-choose
https://chessmood.com/blog/golden-method-to-increase-rating-in-chess

https://chessmood.com/blog/analyze-blitz-chess-games

Good luck! 

French attack , advance var. Bd7 Be2

I played a slow game online today and my opponent had white and played very well . I know I made a mistake at move 17 … by taking on e5 but I am trying to figure out if Be2 has to be played differently than usual … a friend of mine showed me a different move order from an another game . I will add a link for my game and the game he shared to me . https://www.chess.com/game/live/141526047966?move=0
 

[Event "Zadar op-A 17th"]

[Site "Zadar"]

[Date "2010.12.15"]

[Round "5"]

[White "Tomazini, Zan"]

[Black "Drazic, Sinisa"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "B28"]

[WhiteElo "2257"]

[BlackElo "2524"]

[Annotator "Win10"]

[PlyCount "74"]

[EventDate "2010.12.12"]

[EventType "swiss"]

[EventRounds "9"]

[EventCountry "CRO"]

[SourceTitle "CBM 139 Extra"]

[Source "ChessBase"]

[SourceDate "2011.01.05"]

[SourceVersion "1"]

[SourceVersionDate "2011.01.05"]

[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Bd7 5. Nf3 a6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb5 8. Bxb5+

(8. Nc3 Bxe2 9. Qxe2 {back to familiar scheme}) 8... axb5 {Black allowed the

doubling of his b-pawn, but it is not even clear if that/^s a disadvantage.

Black. Black will soon move the pawn to b4, gaining space and also fixing a2

as a weakness} 9. O-O b4 $1 10. Nbd2 Nc6 11. Re1 Nge7 12. Nf1 Nf5 13. Ne3 Nxe3

14. Bxe3 Be7 15. g3 {In the next stage of the game, White tries to build up an

attacking position on the kingside, which, however, doesn/^t turn out to be

dangerous enough.} O-O (15... h6 16. Z0 Qb6 17. Z0 Kd7 18. Z0 Ra6 19. Z0 Rha8 {

is even better plan for black}) 16. h4 Ra6 {Black prepares to put pressure on

White/^s a-pawn by doubling or potentially even tripling heavy pieces on the

a-file. Note that Black only has this plan available because he allowed his

b-pawn to be doubled.} 17. Ng5 Qb6 18. Qh5 h6 19. Nf3 Rfa8 {Now Black wins

that pawn, while White doesn/^t have anything real on the kingside.} 20. Nh2

Rxa2 21. Rxa2 Rxa2 22. Ng4 Qa6 23. Bxh6 (23. Nf6+ Bxf6 (23... gxf6 $2 24. Qg4+

Kf8 25. Bxh6+ Ke8 26. Qg8+ Kd7 27. exf6) 24. exf6 Qd3 25. fxg7 Rxb2 26. Bxh6 (

26. Qxh6 Qh7 27. Ra1 Rb1+ 28. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 29. Kh2 Qh7) 26... Rb1 27. Bc1 Qh7) (

23. Nxh6+ gxh6 24. Bxh6 Qd3 25. Re3 Qg6) 23... g6 24. Nf6+ Bxf6 25. Qf3 Be7 26.

h5 Ra1 27. Bc1 Nxd4 28. Qg4 Rxc1 29. Rxc1 Ne2+ 30. Kh2 Nxc1 31. hxg6 Qe2 32.

gxf7+ Kxf7 33. Qf4+ Kg7 34. Qxc1 Qxf2+ 35. Kh3 Qf5+ 36. Kh2 Qxe5 37. Qd1 Bd6

0-1

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Dear Denis,

This game was played with around 2200 online player, who applied some concrete ideas, and as you remember in general Blackmood is for U2000 players. However instead of immediately calturing on e2 it is possible to start with Nge7. That prevent the c4 idea that happened in a game. 

Scotch Gambit

This is probably a question which has been asked before (if so, sorry) but what does the ChessMood family think of the Scotch Gambit as white? Is it covered anywhere in the courses?!

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Hey David,

We are not offering that opening in our repertoire. 
I personally find it as an interesting variation thought.

 

NEW ARTICLE: Transitioning to a Favorable Pawn Endgame

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White wins certainly.

Good article and yes, White will win. If the Black King goes and captures a5, by that time White will play d5! followed by f5 and e6, creating a passed pawn. The Black king cannot get into the square of the e-pawn.

I think White will win after Qd3

Very instructive article & Qd3+leads to win 

White Wins.  For example:

1.Qd3+ Qxd3  2.cxd3 Kc6  3.d4 Kb5 

(3...Kd5  4.Kc3 Ke4  5.Kc4 Kxf4  6.Kb5 Ke4  7.Ka6 Kxd4  8.Kxa7 Kxe5  9.Kb6 f5  10.a6 f4  11.a7 f3  12.a8=Q f2  13.Qa1+ White Wins)

4.d5 exd5 
(4...Kc5 5.d6 Kc6  6.Kc3 Kd7  7.Kb4 Kc6  8.Kc4 Kd7  9.Kc5 Kd8  10.Kb5 Kc8  11.Ka6 Kb8  12.d7 Kc7  13.Kxa7 White Wins)

5.f5 Kc6  

(5...Kc5  6.f6 d4  7.e6 Kd6  8.exf7 White Wins)

6.Kc3 Kd7  7.Kd4 Kc6  8.f6 a6  

(8...Kd7  9.Kxd5 a6  10.Kc5 Kc7  11.e6 White Wins) 

9.e6 White Wins.