Pin, annihilation or a bit of both?

What exactly do you call this tactic I used to scoop away the knight?

piedraven vs. GM_Kevin559 | Analysis - Chess.com

Replies

You played a remove the defender tactic (annihilation) and won a queen for a rook.

Better would have been to use the pin and played Qxd7 winning a full queen.

Interesting that there were 2 tactical motifs in place at the same time.

Congrats on the win!

1:1 question with Coach Avo

I am a lifetime essentials plan member and just finished a 1:1 with Coach Avo. He kindly sent me a link from you tube during our call regarding a topic surrounding time management and bank accounts and how much time you should allow for each move depending on what time control you are playing. I unfortunately can not find the link he sent me! 

It's possible he linked  material I would not be able to access as I am not a pro memeber, but I thought I could try and reach out, hopefully one of your team can ask Avo for me…once he wakes up from his major 12 hr marathon! 

Thanks again Avo for your time, great meeting you =)

Sincerely,

Nathan

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Hey, Nathan

Not sure by what you meant by YouTube but at chessmood we have this event - Webinar: How to manage time and don't be in Zeitnot - which tells you about time management and explain in format of bank account but it is only for pro members, maybe that was what coach was referring to but if it doesnt work check these out -

These are 2 great articles written by GM's - 

GM Igor Smirnov - Time Management in Chess: Tips and Tricks for Optimal Play

GM Daniel Naroditsky - The Art Of Time Management - Chess.com

Hope these will help, Pawn

Recent Player Problem

In recent days, the ChessMood Courses have become increasing unstable, sometimes loading every few seconds, sometimes the voice continues, but the screen freezes, sometimes even it shows an error message of something like: “Player Error! Send Error Log?"

Is anyone else having this problem. I'm pretty sure it's not my net because when I view videos on other websites everything is working okay.

Please investigate.

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WhiteMood

Hello!

What to do after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nxd4 5. Qxd4 Qf6 6. Qe3 Bb4+ ?

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I had the same problem so I switched to be3 line instead - https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/3gvjjKsKQa/analysis

explained in this video by GM Avetik - (5...Qf6)

Wow!

Congrats to GM Hovhannes Gabuzyan  on beating GM Nihal Sarin today!!

https://lichess.org/broadcast/karen-asrian-memorial-2025/rapid-2/COjyOJSp/iRWL2Qbt

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Its awesome only one game drawn rest all won!!!!!!!!!!!! letsss gooo!!!

how to play against this line in Accelerated Dragon

how to play against 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Nc6 bc6 7.Bc4 I already don't know here … when I play 7…d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.e5 de5 10.Qd8 Kd8 11.Re1 and white has some chances… 

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Hello!

I see you want to avoid complications and get the usual dragon setup.

After Bc4 (or if White plays Qf3 instead) I found a nice move Qc7!

The idea is that the queen indirectly protects e5. You can then continue Nf6, d6, 0-0 like usual.

If white plays Qf3 instead of Bc4, then again Qc7. If Bf4, then d6 and you develop like normal while preventing e5 moves.

Hope this helps!

Middlegame roadmap

Can you please make course on middlegame roadmap because I always got stuck in middlegame and don't know what to do and also I am very bad at middle game so tell me what should I need to do. Give me best plan and roadmap.

Replies

Check out 7Q questions in rating booster section

Chess Beginner

I am a chess beginner. I know basic chess moves. My Chess.com rating for rapid games is 850. Can “Rise of Champion” course help in crossing 1000 rating mark? And can I start with WhiteMood and Blookmood starter opening course, given that I know basic opening principles?

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Hey, Krishna

Openings arent that important and Rise Of Champions also has a section for openings just go through rise of champions finish it and then work through.

Use this studyplan created by GM Avetik -

Study Plan Below 1000

Ruy Lopez vs Scotch Game

I am 2000 ELO rapid on chess.com, and I am thinking about choosing between the Ruy Lopez mainline and the Scotch Game repertoire here on chessmood. Which would be better for not only my chess win rate but also my chess growth?

Replies

Hi Mr Park,

Yes Ruy Lopez is best!  But, do you have the time, are you young, and do you really want to study?  The scotch is good but as our friend Avo says it violates principles as it moves the night twice.  The ruy Lopez you develop and the main principal is pressure on e5.  The Ruy Lopez is a lot.  You have to know the schleimann, the Moller and Archangel and the open ruy.  Now there is a great book by Neil McDonald on the Ruy Lopez by Everyman but it's 300 to 400 pages.  Avo already made a full course on scot h for you.  You could learn both!  So if have time and are under 20 learn both.  If over 20 and have played some open positions try Ruy Lopez.  If over 40 stick to Scotch!  Note 6.d3 is a way to side step a lot of theory say 1.e4 e5 2.nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6.d3. Or you can play it on move 5 too.  But it's up to you.  Also buy Mastering the Ruy Lopez if you choose it as it will teach you pawn structure and where pieces should go!  That doesn't change just the variations.  good luck,

Marc
 

Nonone can reply you :) . It depands on many factors - your style, your age, time you have, your goals, what materials you already have (and how much money you can spent) etc.

For 2000 ELO I would go with scotch, more dynamic and opened positions. More direct, concrete play. Sometimes thou a bit messy, complicated (for both sides). Players with black could be less prepared against Scotch, as this is not the main stream opening nowadays, espacially, with h4. Thou if they are very well prepared there are some lines black can equalise easier, but then player should be really well prepared. 

It also depands on your playing style. I would say Ruy Lopez is more strategical and positional (not always) compared to Scotch. 

Thou Ruy Lopez is good for general chess understanding, manouvering, but it requires huge knowledge. There are typical Ruy Lopez structures with knight manouvres, however, there are also non-typical like Schleimann or some early d6 moves, or g6 from black. Additionally there are some Nge7 in different scenarios. So in general you have to study more. Your opponents would be prepared, because Ruy Lopez is more popular in all levels. If you have a) time b) you are young or you have a lot of time c) you have already bought some book / video courses  on Ruy Lopez or you have coach who is exper in this opening, you can also go with Ruy Lopez.

If you go with Ruy Lopez I really suggest start with 5.d3 or 7.d3 first as Marc Sicina has already suggested.

Dude, just follow chessmood openings when I started with chessmood I was also 2000 rapid chess.com and after 2 months of white and black openings I reached 2300.

Is that it?..

Today I reached 2000 rating in puzzles, i worked hard for it, to get better at them so i can implement them in real games. I just realized my number's 3. chess.com allows me to play only 3 puzzles a day and i could get them easily. Is it possible for me to get better at the actual games by just playing 2-4 games a day?…..

Replies

In most cases everyone is focusing on playing games. Because we like playing, don't we? :) If we speak honestly, many of us are playing 10ths of blitz games every day without analysing games. We do, because we want. Not because it is usefull for our chess.

As it is mentioned here in articles and videos, you have to analyse your games. If you play 2-4 games a day and analyse them, it is very good and it is definately enough. I would rather go to play 7-9 games every 2nd day (to match tournament's format because in most tournaments you have 7-9 games). And spent other time on somethign else (videos, books on endgames, middles games etc.). But it very depands on your level. Higher your level become, you have to spent more time on doing something else, not playing.

Btw, Chess.com is not the only website with puzzles - you can use lichess.org, chesstempo.com where you can solve puzzles unlimited. 

Hi! After seeing your post I went to check my puzzle rating on chess.com and from what i remember it was 3300 which dropped to 3100 but when i checked it showed that i am 2300 when in puzzle history it shows that i havent done puzzles for long time…. Did chess.com lower everyone's rating or what? Can anyone clarify?

Hey, Zaheem

I suggest you buy CT-Art 6 I bought it and use it and it has really good tactics and GM Avetik also recommends only 20 dollars but worth so much more and you can also do tactic ninja quizzes even though 2000 in puzzles is great improving all areas is important and doing a bit of tactics each day to keep sharp.

Thank you,

Question to Anti Sicilian d6 Course

Hi everyone, 

I have a question in this following variation of the anti sicilian with d6. 

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. O-O Nf6 7. d3 O-O 8. Qe1 e6 9. e5 Ne8 10. Be3

After white plays Ne8 you recommended the move Be3, but as far as i can see this is losing a piece after d5. If I analyse with engine it says i should give the bishop and take the c5 pawn. Although it says the position is roughly equal I cant see my compensation for giving the bishop for just a pawn( and maybe exchange if i take the rook on f8). 

In view of that, i am asking if it is better to play Bb5 right away after Ne8, so d5 doesnt come with tempo and after that to play Be3

Replies

Hey, Alex

The correct move is bb5 and there is a video in the advanced section of the course with more information on the move - 10.Bb5! - here the link

Benko 5.e3 line..

Hi,

in the advance section it is mentioned white needs to play 12. Bxb5 after 8..Bb7 9.e4 e6 10.Bc4 exd5 11.exd5 axb5 but what about 12….Nxb5!

what makes me worry about, it is saying Re8 is a mistake in the line 12.Bxb5 Re8..

Engines first move after 12. Nxb5 is Re8 with nearly +1 for white..

Is there a line i am missing or is this a hole in the 5.e3 advanced line? Looks like black needs to know exactly what to do not loosing after some more moves. 

Thank you for help.

Replies

Dear Fred,

I was trying to compare your question with the course to understand which position you are asking about. Could you please post it, or send a link to the video for the timing, so I can better advise?

Thanks!

VEDIO

The videos are playing in fast forward mode

Replies

Hey Madison,

Does your issue still exist?
Just in case, I have redirected your inquiry to our technical team.

Hi Madison, thanks for letting us know!

It sounds like the playback speed might have accidentally been set to a higher speed. On the video player, you should see a settings icon (usually a gear or sliders). If you click that, you can change the speed back to 'Normal'.

Sometimes the player remembers the last speed used. If you change it to 'Normal' but the next video still plays at 2x speed, try this trick:

Change the speed to 1.5x.

Then change it back to 'Normal'.

That usually resets it for all future videos. Let us know if that works!

Playing simplified blackmood french against b3 Bb2

I have been playing the blackmood openings and have been really enjoying them so thank you. 

I wanted to ask about the b3 Bb2 reply for white. I have actually faced this reply more than any other reply in over the board games at my local club (1400 -1600 classical ECF) . It would be really useful to understand the ideas / plans arising after this.

Thanks

Replies

Did you check section 20 of Blackmood openings?
 https://chessmood.com/course/blackmood-openings/episode/6177

Oopsie poopsie

I completely admit this was luck, but it was worth not rage quitting and hitting the resign button haha

Replies

ChessMood videos on multiple computers in house?

I just re-joined ChessMood. 

Will the ChessMood website allow me to also get the training videos, etc on my ThinkPad laptop as well as my PC?

Thanks.

Brian 

“It is easier to fool the people than to convince the people they have been fooled.”  -M Twain

Replies

Yes, most chess training websites, including ChessMood, offer their content in a way that's accessible across multiple devices. You should be able to access the training videos and other resources on both your ThinkPad laptop and your PC, as long as you can log in with your account credentials on each device.

MoodCoin

Hi ChessMood family!

I have a question about the ‘Moodcoin’. The MoodCoin page says “You can earn MoodCoins and spend them on buying courses”, but I don't see any options to spend them on course pages or my dashboard.​ Do I need Pro membership, or is it in a specific section? How exactly do I redeem them? 

Thanks!

Replies

Hi Jioh, thank you for being part of the ChessMood family!

You've actually spotted a great detail. The reason you don't see the option to buy courses with MoodCoins is likely because you already have an active subscription (or gift membership) that gives you access to all the courses.

When you have access, the 'Buy with MoodCoins' button disappears because you don't need to buy what you already have! If your access ever expires, that button will reappear, and you'll be able to use your MoodCoins then.

Hope that clarifies it!

New success story: Through War and Struggle to World Amateur Champion!

Imagine living through war with missile strikes all around you.

Yet, you find the time to study chess and become the World Amateur Champion in your category.

This isn’t a movie — it’s a true story of our student surviving a war and overcoming unthinkable situations!

Read her full story here:
https://chessmood.com/success-stories/anastasiia-osadchuk

Replies

Blessings to Anastasiia and all her fellow Ukrainians. To survive in such brutal wartime conditions is commendable, but to thrive is absolutely amazing and inspiring. 

Hallelujah! Thank you for sharing this inspiring story. Thank you Anastasila for being an example of life. I hope that the best part of the year that is ending is the worst part of the year that is beginning. Many blessings from Córdoba, Argentina. 

Алілуя! Дякуємо, що поділилися цією надихаючою історією. Дякую Анастасіло за приклад життя. Я сподіваюся, що найпрекрасніше в році, який закінчується, це найгірше в році, який починається. Багато благословень із Кордови, Аргентина.

Strong story… huge congratulations to you Anastasiia. Wishing you to keep good mood and strong will to endure to final victories.

Opened my eyes to the harsh reality of war. To live through such harsh times and still be a champion is truly inspiring! Congratulations Anastasiia. I hope there's peace soon.

Wow! I can't even improve my chess when I have so many opportunities! 

What an inspiration - well done Anastasiia.  And may all your projects be just as successful - you are showing us all how to keep going in adversity and never stop pushing forwards.  An attitude that will be helping with your chess moves of course as well !  I wish you all the very best in everything that you do.

Well done Anastasiia! A really inspirational story!

Good luck for all your future tournaments!

PS I've been to Rhodes too, it's a really nice place

Hi from my (privileged 69 years old) retirement cross country skiing vacation in the dolomites. 

Started to play chess again some 6 years ago with being close to retirement. Found luckily chessmood some 3 years ago and  also a lifetime membership.   Well in addition to finding everything so great with chessmood, i read your inspiring story. Of course, being antiwar since my youth in Hamburg Germany I feel with all those suffering ridiculous open and hidden wars all around the planet .. and well being kind of powerless,  at least chessmood give a global united family feeling and an idealistic hope for ending all wars. I wish you all the best and peace .. michael  

Congratulations1

NEW ARTICLE: The Most Effective Way to Create Chess PGN Files

Replies

Nice article, I am glad I always like to make pgn files of my own. That's why in the first 15 days of chessmood pro membership I made my all pgn files but due to time issues I started learning them in march hehehe. I like to learn ideas and then variations and then play!!!

Thanks for the lessons. No matter you or anyone give me pgn files of whole comments but I wont remember it but when i make my own files I remember most of the ideas!. This is what I did always and I will do hehehe. My thoughts are simple about it. When we write our brain eyes hand works at the same time. On the other hand when we see a new pgn by others then only our hand and eyes work and brain thinks like oh I have it and I can check it anytime and focus flew away!

Great article and I have bookmarked it also.

To be honest when studying opening theory before (mainly from a book) I didnt do anything like this process.

Since joining chessmood I have taken the approach you outlined and worked out my own lines in pgn. I think its important to do this as often at lower levels you face some random moves. You can add them to the pgn (if not obvious outright blunders) and continue with the main plans you outlined.

I haven't got through all of the scotch (my first course) but the lines i have put into pgn and then practiced. I actually remember them almost exactly and if I dont quite (wrong move order or something) then the plan is clear to me still.

Nice article. I tend to write my ideas and plans for each openings I'm studying. Now I know why I forget some important lines.

Μy Antisicilian pgn files are separated in the 5 sections whereas in my Scotch pgn file I cover even the advanced lines vartiation per variation, and I also have to scroll down twice (or even 3 times in Scotch) as much as the material which appears in the beginning. So, I think they are maybe even a little bigger that the usual in my 1800 online level. I learned a lot from this article on the whole.

I love it! I have started to make the pgn file on my own, starting a week ago, and the reason is ChessMood article Memorizing Variations! Thanks Grandmaster Avetik a lot for helping me, I will never forget it! 

P/S: Are there anyway to buy PRO without money?

Thank you maestro for this one.

This reminds me of some discussion among fellow pro-members regarding the use of chessable, the platform that advertises the use of spaced learning software designed to reinforce move/lines memorization. I used chessable for some time, but not anymore. Not because I think it's bad, but because I think it (1) essentially fosters laziness, one of the chess student's worst habits, and (2) its effectivess depends on the quality of the author's instruction and the lines that he gives anyway.

So, thank you for reminding us of your approach which I believe is just spot on: there are no real shortcuts, and every chess student has to put in his or her own effort.  

To be honest, I really struggle to follow the advise.

When creating my pgn-files I do not wish to memorize the lines as good and effective as possible only. Also, I want to create a reference that I can use to check my games and to prepare for my opponents. Therefore, I need to make sure, that the relevant content of the course is transferred correctly into the pdf.

Or to put it in other words: I do not take the risk to omit relevant lines or the note them incorrectly. 

Another reason, I do not completely follow the advise, is that with my limited amount of study time, I wanted to gain a first and general understanding of the lines/ideas or to be more precise of all openings of the ChessMood repertoire. The reason is that watching our coaches use these openings is more effective after having got this basic understanding from the courses.

That is why I accept that after completing a section/an opening I sometimes have to confess that I hardly got a good understanding (and consequently did not memorize the lines very well). On the other hand, ideas/lines do come up when I see the line in practice.

This post elucidates how much data that players at every level should store.

Over the years I've summed it up as, "The most important chess opening book you will ever read is the one you write."

I'm going to recommend that every Chess Openings Wizard user read this post.

 - Mike

Let's say I have a great pgn file I've been making from the white mood Scotch pgn file (let's call this the Scotch Repertoire file) . Now let's say I've played 10 Scotch games online and I downloaded them and have the pgn for those games. How can I compare my games to the Scotch Repertoire file to see where I made mistakes (or to add new variations to the Scotch Repertoire file). I hope my question makes sense. Thank you!

Hello chess mood community

What Sites shall we use to create the pgn files ?

Hello, what is the application you are using? 🙂

Disappointingly this forum has no answers to people's questions so is not active.

Blergh. I'm tilted. Hard to get that stupid Kasparov quote outta my head right now.

I'm a circus puppet and should stick to having children, according to him.

Is there some way I can send him a poo in the post lol

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