Chess forum by Grandmasters

The courses are starting to help!

It's nice to see clear signs of improvement, and today I got a clear indication that the ChessMood courses are really helping me.

I played White against a Caro-Kann and followed the ChessMood variation pretty well (okay, I might have gotten creative on one or two moves!).  The attached image shows the position after my (White) 16th move.

At this point, I looked at the board and thought: “Wow. It's like I actually know what I'm doing”. And I can evaluate this position much better now than I've done in the past, thanks to the Silent Strategy course and some of the other courses.

What's not to like about White's position?  Killer bishop on d3, which is so much better than Black's horrible bishop which is completely blocked in by the pawns.  My knight on e5 is wonderfully placed, and much better than Black's knight. 

During the game I thought at this point that the evaluation would be around +1.5, which is pretty much what the engine says. But regardless of the evaluation, this position was fun to play!  I have lots of ideas about how to proceed, and Black struggles to find any good positions for his pieces.

I'm happy :D

Jeff

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Thank you for sharing this, Jeff.  I am hoping for similar results down the line.  

Thanks to my Silent Strategy lesson today about Weak Pawns, I see big red crosshairs over the backward pawn on a6 as well.

Dear Jeff!

Always great to hear about your growth and good results!
Waiting for more :D

Covering of games with the proposed opening of current super GM's

Dear team,

In the forum someone posted a game in the scotch (Bc5 line) lost by the current worldchampion against MVL. Just and idea - in line with the 100 classical games selection (attacking, strategic and endgames)- to comment on such top level games. Like you do in streaming with the proposed openings but covering some recent games. Again just an idea as not sure how many are interested as this might evidently relate more to the over 2000 ELO.

Keep up the good work and the mood.

Cheers, Edger

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Hi Edger! 

Thanks for you suggestion 😊
We will take an account it!

Borg defense? 1. e4 g5

Hey all, does Avo have a recommendation for white against 1. e4 g5?

I just faced it and managed to win, but am not seeing any videos about it in his Whitemood opening course. Am I missing anything?

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Realizing the name comes from the opposite of Grob, as it's a Grob from White's perspective :)
So I'm guessing the best moves are to just take the center with d4, then support w/ c3, like Avo showed for the Grob.

In the WhiteMood course, Section 21 ("Rubbish Moves") is something that you'll want to see if you haven't already. In particular, Section 3 of that course ("The best setup") gives Avo's preferred development plan if Black doesn't fight for the center.

Attacking a castled king

Hi all,

I often struggle with picking the right moves to break through an opponent's defensive line after they have castled.  In the game below it is white to play - black has just played 18 …Nh7 - what moves would you play and why?

(I'm not looking for a Stockfish says … type of answer but rather what your overall plan is in positions like this and how you implement the plan)

Thanks  😎

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/daily/807067212?tab=review&move=35

Replies

These are my first impressions of the position:
Clearly White is looking to create a big attack on the kingside. The Knight on e5 is fantastic, and a primary goal is to involve more pieces with Rdg1 and somehow transfer the Queen over. As White, I would be looking for a quick win.

The first move I would consider is gxh6, which was also your choice. It opens up Black's King. That is basically the only justification it needs. If Black responds with …g6 we can continue attacking with the move h5 and also consider Nxg6 in the future.

g6 also deserves consideration since it forces Black's hand. The threat is exf7+, so Black probably needs to capture the pawn immediately with fxg6. After 1.g6 fxg6 2.Nxg6 Qf7 followed by …Nf8, I don't see clearly how White is breaking through despite his initiative.

So I would play gxh6. You found this move and it worked perfectly and you played a flawless attack. Your 23.Bh2 in particular would never occur to me, but it's the best engine move. Nice win!

I cannot add much of value to what Jake already said. just a few things however from my perspective:

First, we can kind of tell that the g-file is going to be opened almost no matter what. The g-file is also preferable over the h-file. (Sometimes it is not because teh opponent can quickly play Kh8 and rg8 to challenge the file.)

It dosent make sense to give Black a tempo to try and decide what THEY want on the kingside, we would much rather have the final say. This basically leaves us with 2 moves, gxh6, and g6.

Usually I would be concerned about gxh6 and g6, it could sometimes be really hard to proceed there. However after Rdg1, the threat of h5 is basically unstoppable.

g6 also looks good, although i am not a fan of giving them the f-file for defence (After Nxe5, Bxe5) and the f6 square for the knight. Additionally the knight on g6 blocks the g-file, which means we will have to move it back to e5 (leading to previously mentioned).

I think you played great, gxh6 would also be my move, and I would also like to praise Bh2. It's definnetly not a move that occurs to me quickly as I am trying to attack! Usually I rush in these situations :)

Great game, and I hope to see it in the best games contest (if it isnt already)! 

French exchange variation

how to play 

1 e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5.white play Bb5 instead of Be2 or d3

Replies

Hello.

I consider the best move is 5. Bb5 due to it's the most aggressive way to be prepared against the natural 5. … Bg4

It looks like you have an extra tempo because you can castle in the next move (6. Qd3, with the intention of 7. Ne5 with a big pressure and 6. c4 - 7. cxd5 and 8. Nc3 and 9. Bg5, could be a nice plan).

Following and bumping. I also want to know this.

just develop the f8 bishop to d6, if white trades, all good, the c6 pawn can be defended with Ne7, and Bd7 if need be, and if white doesn't trade and castles, continue with Ne7,Be6 and castles. if c4, you can take and after d5 a6 Ba4 b5 dxc6 bxa4 O-O (Qxa4 Qe7+) the position is about equal according to the engine, although white scores 52% wins: 41% losses after c4, it is not very common below the 2200 level according to the lichess database, only being played in 4% of games. I am by no means a expert In the French, so I suggest doing a deeper analysis, Especially after c4. 

My headche in chess

Hi Coach, I have too much doubt related to expansion on queenside in chess, like when to expand on queenside, when to exploit opponent lack in development and the most frustating is when is the right time to attack in chess. looking forward to get answer of these questions very curiously.

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Okay so of course each question largely depends on position.

For example, you should (almost) never focus on queenside expansion when you arent developed.

For exploiting lack in development, you should always try to aim and use this. In a closed position you may not be able to, but in a semi-open or open position, the best way is to create threats and dont let your opponents pieces come into play.

As for when to expand on the queenside this largely depends on the position. usually when you choose a plan based on the features of a position, you will know when and if you want to gain space on the queenside. Same thing for when to attack.

These things will mostly come as you get better and intuition develops.

How do I use MoodCoins

How do I use MoodCoins. I know it says that it can be used to buy courses but I can't find the option.

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Hi there,

Try this:

1. Go to the Courses page and pick your course
2. Select the option “Or get lifetime access”
3. Select the option “Buy the course”
4. In the right-hand section titled “Choose your payment method” the last option will be MoodCoin.

Remember that $1 = 1,000 MoodCoin.  So, if the course costs $300 that is 300,000 MoodCoin.

Need to earn some more?  Details are here: https://chessmood.com/moodcoin

How to play as black after 1d4 e6 2c4 ...

Dear students, could someone give me a hint, where I find the video for this opening in the French Opening Course. Thank you very much.

Joachim 

Replies

The french only occurs after 1.e4 or 1.d4 2.e4. After 2.c4, the chessmood recommendation is 2…f5, the dutch defence. This is covered in sections 9-15 of the blackmood openings course.

hope this helps, Samuel

Daily puzzle multiple solutions

Today’s daily puzzle have more than 1 solution where Nf4+ Ke4 and white can also play Ne2 attacking the rook and also threatening Ng3+ if black tries Rh1. Black cannot stop h7 and h8(Q)

please correct me if I am wrong.

Replies

Hi Ishaan!
You're right!
Thanks for letting us know. 

 

Double solution in Daily Puzzle

Hello.

I report a second solution (which was taken as wrong).

1. Ng4+ Ke4

2. Ne2 Rf1 / Rh1 loses due to Ng3+. Otherwise, h pawn promotes immediately.

Thank you so much.

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How to train calculation?

How do you train calculation. Besides doing puzzles.

ps I don't mean without puzzles but is there anything else I can do?

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I read somewhere on lichens that the one of the best types of puzzles you can do to improve calculation are actually pawn endgames. This is because instead of something like mate in 5 or so, it only takes 5 moves for checkmate, whereas pawn endgame puzzles take much more moves to solve and require a lot more foresight. (I haven't actually tested it, so don't quote me on it)

another good idea that I'm going to start doing is the woodpecker method (solving a series of puzzles, then doing them again in a couple days) with the chess mood test sections.

I stumbled across this website a few months back. It's a twist on normal puzzles, where a few provided moves must be visualized before the puzzles start. Whether this helps is entirely dependent on your abilities, but it may be worth a try to practice calculation.
https://listudy.org/en/blind-tactics

https://chessmood.com/chess-study-plans

There are tips for each level about what your calculation training should focus on (mainly tactics until a certain level, then a bit of calculation once you reach a certain one) with a list of books, courses to watch here, etc. 

Shout-out to Gabu!

Dear Gabuzyan,

I want to thank you for the thoughtfulness you showed for me during the event earlier today. You took a moment to tell me that you noticed that recently my comments in the chat during the events showed improvement.

Wow! It is really encouraging to get this feedback from you. I feel that I am getting stronger, but getting your assessment that this is true is just fantastic.

You and Avo are a wonderful team and make this a very special place for all of us. There are other people that are great at chess, but both of you are not only great chess players, but you deal with people with great respect and always have words of encouragement.

And all the ChessMood members who show up for the events are rooting for each other. Just fantastic!

Thanks again.

Looking forward to avoiding squats,

Jeff

Replies

Dear Jeff,

Thank you so much for your kindest words!
I appreciate it a lot, this is the best way to end my day - decided to check the forum before going to sleep!

Good luck, my friend :-)

stone wall advice

[Event "2025 1st National Qualifier: Mario Merritt vs Druva Sookraj NQ1 2025"]
[Result "*"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "A13"]
[Opening "English Opening: Agincourt Defense"]
[StudyName "2025 1st National Qualifier"]
[ChapterName "Mario Merritt vs Druva Sookraj NQ1 2025"]
[UTCDate "2025.05.05"]
[UTCTime "08:20:20"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Druveonecanobe"]
[ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/gum1PeBN/Vo8hTz2D"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 d5 5. O-O Bd6 6. Nc3 c6 7. d3 O-O 8. Qc2 Bd7 9. e4 e5 10. exd5 cxd5 11. cxd5 Na6 12. a3 Rc8 13. Nd2 b5 14. b4 Qb6 15. Bb2 Rc7 16. Rac1 Rfc8 17. Qb1 g5 18. Ne2 g4 19. Qa1 Rc2 20. Rcd1 Qc7 21. Nc1 h6 22. Rfe1 Kf7 23. Ncb3 Rxb2 24. Qxb2 Qb8 25. Na5 f4 26. Be4 f3 27. Nc6 Bxc6 28. dxc6 Rc7 29. Qb3+ Kg7 30. Qe6 Re7 31. Qf5 Nxe4 32. Nxe4 Rf7 33. Qxg4+ Kh8 34. Qe6 *

played a strong positional player. I would appreciate any advice on the best approach here.

Replies

Dear Druva,

We are not analyzing student's games in the forum, however if you have a question about any particular position happened from the opening - may be middlegame setup, I would love to help - please just put the position and the question :-) 

Daily Puzzle

Todays daily puzzle has a mistake. There is also a second solution at the second move whether you can play Kb7 before Ne7 on the third move.

Replies

Thanks for letting us know!

struggling in Blitz Seeking Advice!

I'm hoping some of you experienced blitz players can offer some insights. I'm currently around 2200 on Chess.com in rapid, but my blitz rating is stuck around 1800. I know a rating difference exists for most players, but a 400-point gap feels quite large.
I'm not the biggest fan of blitz, to be honest, but I recognize its importance, especially for tournament play. I'm looking for advice on how to  improve my blitz skills.
Is this a common experience for players with a decent rapid rating?
I'm also wondering about the best approach to improve. Should I focus on playing more solid and avoiding risky lines in blitz? Or should I dedicate more time to tactical training specifically for faster time controls? Any specific drills or resources you've found helpful for blitz would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

Replies

Hello!

I am currently 2200 in blitz, so here are some tips for you:

First, I find that playing tactical during blitz is far more effective than positional play. If you struggle playing tactically, I would recommend you go play some 1+0 games for a half or full hour a couple times this week. Just sacrifice whenever, and play only for tactics! And of course ignore rating completely (drop 100 points if you must, you know youve gotten better when you start to easily regain them).This helped me a lot when I started more positional.

Second, try to keep the initiative in blitz. Make threats, put pressure, etc. Attacking openings would go great with this.

Other than that, I would reccomend the bullet thing again if you feel like you play too slow (ideally you would also want to put time pressure on your opponent: even if there Is increment!) and just playing blitz. Only you can find out what works best for you!

Hope this helps!

BIG MISTAKE IN CHESSMOOD SCANDINAVIAN COURSE?

Hello dear friends and Chessmood Grandmaster Team, the following line is given in the Scandinavian course under “3. Bg4” section.

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Be2 Nc6 5. h3 Bh5 6. d4 O-O-O 7. c4 Qd7 8. d5

However, stockfish thinks that 8.d5? is a mistake/inaccuracy which only gives +0.5 for white, and the right move is 8.g4!(not given in the course) which gives +1.2 for white and gives the line 8.g4 Bg6 9.d5

Could one of the Grandmasters please explain why 8.d5 was given in the course and not 8.g4 

Thank you very much!

Replies

 A big mistake would be to recommend a bad/very poor move. Here, you have a stable advantage after 8. d5 which scores around 60% in the online database without weakening your king's safety and the need to be accurate for the whole game.

Choosing the second-best move which is more practical is often a better option than going for the first engine line which will require strong play until the last move by the human player. 

I hope one of the GM will provide you with an answer, but I wanted to help based on what I know about Chessmood's philosophy in the opening! :)

Did we really need a title that is all in capital letters and says “Big mistake”?!

Could you not simply have said “Seeking understanding of move 8 in the Scandanavian course”?  That way, if somebody else has a similar query they can do a search and your post will come up 🙂  Just a thought …

Query about Endgame Roadmap Course

Hello chessmoodians , 

I am a fide 1600 rated player .Is the endgame roadmap course going to help me with endgame strategy? 

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I saw the course rating is 2100 .but my online rating is more than that .so I am confused if I should go with the course or not .

Dear Ar Ray,

The endgame roadmap is a decent step-by-step explanation of general strategies in the endgame.
Apart from rating, it also matters how good or bad your endgame skills are.
For a 1600-rated FIDE player, I think it will be a good idea to strengthen your endgame foundation.

OTB Norm and ELO tournament

Hi guys, for anyone interested, there are 2 tournaments (GM/IM/FM groups) in Ha Long and Hanoi, Vietnam this June. There are a few spots available left in each groups. 
It's a great tournament for norm seekers/people who wants to improve their rating in Asia, as not many norm tournaments are available there.
Registered players: (all groups): https://chess-results.com/tnr1135384.aspx?lan=1
(Regulations below)
Thank you!
P.S: There are also an GM/IM norm tournament in Hanoi after this tournament. Same organizer, you could ask the organizers for more details.

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Too Expensive! ! ! !

I have only ONE question?…WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE??

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Uptick in spam :/

I’ve noticed some annoying spam lately (porn, betting, some poe2-like nonsense, …).

I’m wondering if there is anything we can do to help to target quickly and remove these people.

Is there a way to flag spam?

thx.

Replies

You can use Duckduckgo to block tracking/cookies