Chess forum by Grandmasters

Puzzles have better moves

I have been trying to use some of the puzzles for my own study.

In fact it was started from Bug Zone. 
Some puzzles I couldn’t calculate because I found better moves.

unfortunately the solution on the website are not correct. 
 This is one of those.

the chessmood.com solution is 

1. Rxb6 Qxb6
2. Nd5 Qc6
3. Ba4 Qxa4
4. Ne6+ Kh8
5. Qxh7+ Kxh7
6. Rh1#
   It is a mate in six but let’s review the answer. After Nd5 Queen can go to d8. 
   or even after Ba4 Queen can get exchanged with Night. It’s better than getting mated. 
7. Does anyone know why the puzzle answers are not the correct moves? It seems a bit of wishful thinking in calculation. 

Replies

Since we are looking at a puzzle, it is not possible for all the variations to be listed. Only 1 move for Black can be given. 

Then, your suggestion that there are better moves is a bit misleading. For example, if Black plays 2. … Qd8 as you suggest for an alternative line, then White will respond with 3. Ne7+ and Black has to give up the Queen to avoid a Mate-in-2.  After giving up the Queen, Black is completely losing.

When solving problems like this, I try to see the refutations of all the variations that can appear, BUT I understand that I have to give a good response to every move played by the computer.

Here is the the thing. After your lines, White is up a queen, the puzzle ends (White is ofc easily winning and from the perspective of the puzzle, it is no longer interesting). After Qxa4 let’s say, White still has to find the win. Qxa4 is the critical line and so that’s why it’s chosen (since white still has to demonstrate the win against these critical moves).

Hello everyone,

Guys, thanks for trying to provide the right explanations - I will try to summarize.
 

Dear Saeid, the thing is that in chess problems, if it's not a forcing checkmate, usually the goal is to reach a decisive advantage in the solution.
In this exact puzzle, to avoid a checkmate if Black sacrifices the Queen, the position is considered dead as they are down a queen.
For that reason, the puzzle is correct as the opponent either loses due to a lack of material or gets checkmated.
If you are enjoying puzzles where it's all forcing checkmates, there are lots of chess books that offer puzzles like mate in 1,2,3, and so on, and usually in that case, there are no escapes.

You would have been right if we said here White has a forcing checkmate, but in this puzzle, the side is trying to achieve a decisive advantage.

You are slightly misunderstanding how a chess puzzle works. Here are a few points which may help you -

• A puzzle is not required to give the strongest line for the opponent. For educational value, a puzzle usually gives the line which is most critical, or most illustrative. Your task is to find the strongest response to the moves the puzzle puts to you. This may involve calculating out a few variations.

• As has been pointed out, a puzzle does not have to result in checkmate. Most puzzles are about achieving a winning advantage, for instance through winning material, or checkmating the opponent. But sometimes, a puzzle can be about finding the only defence in a position, or the only move to equalise / save a draw. It is up to you to read the board, evaluate the position, and see what you are trying to achieve. In the example you give, if you find the right line you will either checkmate the enemy King, or win the Queen. Either way, this is a clear win for White.

• Checks are not the only kind of forcing move. In the example you give, Nd5 comes with tempo on the opponent's Queen. That is a forcing move since losing the Queen would inevitably result in a lost position for Black. It is something Black has to respond to, which is what is meant by a forcing move.

I don't love the Dutch - other options?

I have a hard time making the Dutch work, love the French but the Dutch inherently seems to carry more risk, and seems better suited for a player who has more of an attacking mindset.  

I'd like an opening that I can play against D4, where I can get a playable position to transition into the middle game with and feel like I have a solid foundation. I don't feel that with the Dutch. 

Looking for suggestions. 

Thank you, Charles

Replies

Hey Charles!

If you're looking for something more solid, you may enjoy the King's Indian. Personally, I haven't had much experience in it, so I can't offer any personal opinions, but it is considered my many to be one of the most solid defenses against d4. 💪

Happy Chessing!

Benko Gambit? For me it is not so risky as Dutch. It is for active players, but there is no king side attack. It is dynamic position where black dictates rules. Thou it is gambit line and some could be afraid of it.

I would not recommend King's Indian if you do not have attacking mindset. I believe Kint's Indian Defense is one of the most complex replyes on d4.

Hi Charles. 

I have also been considering moving away from the Dutch, or at least introducing another response to 1. d4 to my game. 

Whilst I do enjoy playing the Dutch, I've found my results are significantly less successful than when facing 1. e4, where I play the Accelerated Dragon Sicilian. 

My choice is going to be a simple classical d4, d5 game and then go for an approach with e6, Nf6, Be7 / Bd6, 0-0. This probably fits the bill nicely in terms of getting the solid foundation and playable position for the middle game that you are looking for.

Openings like the Benko, the Dutch and the KID are more complex and sharp, and can require more study. I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping it simple. It's a case of what suits you and your game. What helps me also is that I'm mainly a 1. d4 player with the White pieces so I'm familiar with a lot of these structures.

In my last over the board game against 1. d4 (I knew my opponent and he plays the London) I opened with d5 then Nf6, e6, Bd6 and got a perfectly fine position out of the opening. I went on to win, so its a successful start at least.

Best of luck to you!

Silent Startegy - 7Q - Scale Method

Dear, Coach Gabu

I am going to work on Silent Startegy - 7Q - Scale Method which one should I start with and follow up that will be the most effective.

Thank you so much!

pawnbishop,

Replies

Hey there,

Please follow the order as we have it on the website - more or less the point is to qauire knowledge with the other courses, to be able to understand the 7Q method. 

2300 - 2400

Dear, Coach Gabu

Based on all of your amazing chess experience and knowledge what courses do you think will be the most helpful to go from 2300 to 2400 apart from openings In general.

Thank you so much

Pawnbishop,

Replies

Hey there,

The courses of middlegame mastery section.
300 commented games.
In Grandmaster mind.
As well endgame mastery section - for the endgames.
 

Question about London System 5.h3 and 6.Bc4.

Hi Chessmood family I have a question about black against London System 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d6 5.h3 O-O I faced this move 6.Bc4 (I think it's not mentioned in the course). Should we still continue with the course move 6...Nc6 ? Because if 7.O-O Ne4 now White can play 8.Bd5 hitting both Ne4 and Nc6. Then 9…dxe5 10.Bh2 and White threatens Bxc6 damaging our pawn structure and also weakening our pawn on e5.

Thanks,,

Alex

Replies

Dear Alex,

Bc4 is not a dangerous move - but now Ne4 isn't optimal as you have mentioned.
There are really many ways how to play there for Black. 
I like c5 with an idea of Nc6 - and sometimes playing with d5, sometimes trading on d4. 

I can't tell more concretely because White has 100 options, but c5 is a decent way to continue the game.

Good luck :-)))

French advance with 5.Bd3 Bb5 6.Be3

What is the best response when White plays both Bd3 and Be3? I traded light-squared bishops as I had prepared, but I wasn't sure what to do after that, given that …c5 does not appear to work due to the other bishop.

(While I won the game, that's more a matter of SLP in time trouble in which I somehow managed to get a passed pawn and promote it. I had eight seconds left at move 39 when I threw away the knight.)

Replies

Hi Andrew

I'm not sure the plan of Bb4+ is what I would play. Black has exchanged off his problem bishop but has fallen behind in development. I would look at developing your knight to e7 then f5 then getting the other knight to d7 and playing for the c5 break. In your game white gained time chasing the bishop and white  gained  space all over the board and should have won (does 44 Qa3+ win?).

Hi Andrew,

In this position one of the options is no play Ne7 - and after trading on d3, getting the Knight to f5. 
That will often help to play c5 as now the Bishop is attacked.
Also before c5 you can play with Nd7 at first to prepare it.

Help with acceleerated dragon!

I need help with the accelerated dragon after white castles queen side. I have reviewed the whole course but I could not find in the course what to do when white castles queenside. Is there a section I may have overlooked where we see what to do as black when white castles queenside? 

Here is a game where I got crushed. 

https://lichess.org/NNjrs4q7/black

Replies

Hi here's my two cents you need to get in with the queenside counterplay as soon as possible. It's opposite-sides castling so as our GMs always say who attacks first wins. We can't give White a free hand to attack in the kingside.

So 11…e6 instead of Nd7-b6 is more practical because with e6 we have a clear plan. This is to support the d5 pawn and the knight stays on d7 to support c6-c5 pawn push to stake your claim on the centre. Then Rb8, Qa5 etc to start our queenside attack. If we manage to seize the initiative there's even the possibility of f7-f6 to break open the center and activate our powerful Bg7.

It's not so important to get the Bc8 out at this time, the bishop on f5 just becomes a target for White's pawn storm, there's always h4-h5 and g4 coming, h7-h5 is probably also a wrong move we don't want to advance pawns in the side where the opponent is stronger if we can help it. In the game the kingside got blown open without getting any counterplay at all. Nd7-b6 although still playable just gets in the way of our queenside pieces, and the c5 square remains a hole so we can't advance.

Hope this helps thanks.

Alex

Dear Henry,

In the given game instead of 11…Nb6? - I would advise e6 - to defend on d5. That will allow you to push the c pawn - get space and create threats.

As well with the open b file you would have decent attacking chances. Sometimes you might play f6 to blow up on e5 and open your Bishop for the attack!

Thanks for helping, Alex!

Helpp

How to increase fide rating when you only play 2-3 tournaments in a year

Replies

play your online games seriosuly trust me 

Sparring Partner

Hi I'm looking for a sparring partner 1600chess.com, 1500 Fide. I want to improve my game and rating. Someone around southeast asia would be best because less timezone issues, but I am fine with anyone from anywhere.

Replies

Hey there,

Here we have a special thread for searching sparring partners - https://chessmood.com/forum/main-channel/studysparring-partner-1362

Good luck :-) 

Accelerated Dragon question

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O 8.
Bb3 Re8 9. h3 *

Got a couple of time this variation when white does not play f3 but h3 on move 9 and after black's Re8 and e6 they castle short. Often I find myself in a passive isolated pawn scenario after a standard d5 push by black. Do you have any suggestions - (perhaps d6 and not e6 ? but what if white plays Qd2 and play with the long castle….)

Replies

Hi against 9.h3 we can switch to d6 (instead of e6)?

When White plays h3 he wants to slow it down and also stops Ng4 amongst other things.

But since our rook is now on e8, Be3-h6 we're not forced to trade bishops and can play Bh8.
If White plays Qd2 and castles long we immediately play Na5 to target the important Bb3.

If White castles short we play Na5 also.

Alex

WhiteMood

Why don't the Step-by-Step WhiteMood Main Course not have quizzes and trainings like the Simplified WhiteMood does. I am not finishing an entire section/course in one sitting, so reviewing my PGN with Chesstempo created unnecessary problems. 

That's why I find the quizzes and trainings very helpful. However, the Main Course doesn't have them. I really wish that it did.

Replies

They do have however overview quizzes. These cover topics from the entire course, and I find it sufficient as a quiz and review.

Opening problem

I have played the Blackmood openings for a while now. If found out that that almost every game where my opponent gives me problems in the dutch defense Stonewall by putting there knight on e5 then playing f3-e4 and killing my positionally. I want to learn the Step by Step openings but I still want to play by beloved french against e4. What shoud I do?

Replies

Hi,

You have requested several times the information about the advanced courses, and we mentioned we are considering to have them, but can't mention yet the exact dates.
If you are willing to learn French and Dutch on the more advanced levels, definitely, there are good courses by some other authors on the internet as well.

Thank you.

Stonewall Dutch where White plays early Lf4 restricting us playing Ld6

Dear Chessmood Family,

by playing the Stonewall Dutch I've faced an early Lf4 for some times now where I couldn't find an antidote yet, so I want to ask the Chessmood Family how to encounter it. It was not playing often in the database but the engine loves this idea for white with +0,8 already. So I would like to have some tips or plans playing against it.

For example: 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Sf3 Sf6 4.g3 d5 5. Sc3 c6 and now not 6.Lg2 as usual but 6.Lf4! (best engine move) restricting us playing 6…Ld6 as we don't want to change the dark square bishop. If I continue with normal Le7 and 0-0, white will play e3 and h4 and not even Lg2 then but Le2, Dc2 Kf1 and Kg2. When I saw this idea for white I was impressed and it restricts me from playing an attacking Dutch Stonewall. So I hope some of you guys have much experience and can help me. Thank you so much in advance!

Replies

peak Performance

Hey guys, 

im struggling with peforming well during my chess games some games I have a beautfiul attack and play like a 1600+ but in other games I lose my mind and blunder. Do you guys have any suggestions for making sure I peform at my peak thanks.

Replies

You might get some value out of regularly playing arenas and not just single games. Not all the time, but it's a good way of building mental stamina.

You're right 

1300 rapid! Yeah!

Replies

how to play against sicilian defense?

After 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nf3 e6 5.0-0 a6 Bd3 Nxf3+! recommended by GM Gabuzuan in the Sicilian sidelines course. How to play for white?

Replies

Hi Eli,

I will show a position here from the Black's course - but that is also a good way to play for White that will eventually lead to an interesting and playable position for both sides.

https://chessmood.com/course/crushing-all-the-sidelines-of-sicilian/episode/2580

In the position below, White plays with f4 - and if Bxf4, then Rxf4 leads to a very decent advantage for White.
So Black has to play with Bd4+ Kh1 and now play b6. After that, White trades the Bisops with the Nd1 move, and the resulting middlegame is what we offer to play for both sides.

I need an advice :) Should we hire her? :)

In ChessMood all our new employees should also pass a test - survive 15 moves against Grandmaster ?

Lily survived 12 moves, shall we do an exception for her? ?

Replies

That's a very open question. I think that would depend on the way she played. Did she show initiative? Did she dare take a risk? Was she inventive or passive? Sometimes you can read someones character a little from the way he/she plays.

Maybe you publish the game, so members can judge for themselves.

Giving another chance is appreciated....as we all make mistake....so let her try again...and see if she could survive....?

Did she show the right mood while playing? Did she keep the right mood while losing? If she did then make the exception! 

However, if she threw the king at you when she lost, what would she do if you didnt hire her? Better think long and hard about this :)

You should have let her play white

I think we should

everyone deserves a second chance :)

Maybe another try for her! If she played genuinely badly then no but if she blundered something in an equal position then yes.

Does it mean that anyone that survives 15 moves against a GM is hired?😂 Are there tryouts

maybe yes if she mostly made good moves

🤣Well, Lily is the best! We were very lucky to be able to work together! Thanks God that Avetik did not follow our hiring policy in this case!!! 😅

Yes

if this is real it's actually a stupid and also mean test. ok, i get if you like everyone to be at least that litte bit into chess to survive till middlegame  but debating that here looks like putting at some kind of job pillory in the community. 

maybe i'm just slow on uptaking some banter or whatever joke. point it out to me and my moral pointer finger :x 

Lily's great lol. Very warm and positive person. Good thing you hired her.

Sure you should do it

Yes

While Lily's performance against a Grandmaster is undoubtedly impressive, it's crucial to consider the overall qualifications and fit for the position. A chess match, though challenging, is just one aspect of an employee's capabilities. Perhaps a more comprehensive evaluation, including interviews, skills assessments, and references, would provide a clearer picture of Lily's potential as an employee.

It's also worth considering the precedent this decision would set. If exceptions are made for specific candidates, it could weaken the integrity of the hiring process. On the other hand, losing a potentially talented employee due to a rigid policy might be detrimental to the company.

Ultimately, the decision should be based on a careful weighing of Lily's performance, the company's needs, and the long-term implications

I think you should

Yesss

Chess tournament mindset

I’m in a big tournament right now and I’m doing horrible with a score of ¼, ( tournament is 11 rounds). The past 2 games I just felt like wanting to get the game over as fast as possible and not being able to put in my full effort. How can I change my mindset and bring back the momentum?

Replies

Hey Alex

The situation is common and happened to me as well multiple times - the feeling that you hate the game and want to quit.
I really advise doing something crazy, extraordinary, that would change your mood. ( I partied a few times badly, but it had a positive influence on my mood and helped me to change)

We are all different, so different ideas on how to change the mood; however, I can tell you for sure that if staying in the same emotional state, it will very likely continue to be a struggle.

Change your mood with some unusual brain-shaking actions - that's a good chance to restart!

Good luck!

Daily Puzzle Issues

Today's Daily Puzzle has 2 correct answers.

Rd4 Bc2+

Kf6 e2

Rd5=

Rd4 Bc2+

Kh6 e2

Rd5 e1=Q

Re5+ Qxe5 Stalemate.

Please fix this issue.

Replies

I also found both. Haven’t entered my answer yet. Which one does the system accept?

Thank you!

Implemetation of chess knowledge.

I have recently  found myself asking the same question for the seemingly millionth time: is there any technique/plan on how to make myself implement at least 80% of all the knowledge at the right moment in a right way? It is not hard for me to guess the correct move in one of the classical games, while solving tactics or positional excercises, to apply all the methods while analysing games of modern masters. However when I start playing, my mind seems to cut out all the knowldege, all the techniques fade away and I miss even the most basic of tactics. This does not seem to be something connected with pressure, as i feel calm and composed, as well as focus, as there is quite plenty of it throughout the game from my side.

Thanks in advance.

Replies

Dear Andrew,

This is a common thing in chess, and while training, we are seeing more than during the games.
For every player to be able to apply more og the knowledge, it's a repetitive cycle of learning - playing/practicing - fixing and repeating the cycle.
With every game and every revision of mistakes, we are getting closer to the ability to apply more of our knowledge.