Chess forum by Grandmasters

KFmood

Keep fighting mood (as a variant of slp)

Dear Cm family, i would name this one as “ keep fighting” even not in a good position the whole game; i succeed (or does my opponent help me) to fight back to slight inferior position, activate my bishop, and finally push my opponent to fault. https://lichess.org/g8P10VZ8/black#0

wish you all good end of year celebrations.

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Very nice one!

Opposite-colored bishop endgames are tricky sometimes, pawn quality is more important than the quantity in some occasions.

Happy new year :-)
 

How do I deal with the KIA

I have been playing against the KIA a lot lately and want to know how to play against it 1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4.d3

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I don't know terribly much about the KIA, but whenever I face something unknown, especially when White goes for Bg2, I will wait for E4, and play the closes Sicilian setup with e5 and Nge7.
I find it works well, we already know the ideas, etc.

The King's Indian Attack (KIA) can be tricky to face if you're not used to it. Here's a breakdown of how to approach it, focusing on the early moves you provided (1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d3):

Understanding the KIA:

White's idea in the KIA is to develop their pieces harmoniously, castle quickly, and then try to launch an attack on the kingside. They often aim for a central pawn break with e4 later on.  

Your Options as Black:

There are several good ways to play against the KIA. Here are a few common approaches:

   Classical Setup (…Bg7, …Nf6, …O-O, …d6, …e5): This is a solid and principled approach. Black develops naturally, controls the center, and prepares to challenge White's central control.
   Modern Setup (…Bg7, …Nf6, …O-O, …d6, …Nc6): Similar to the Classical setup, but Black keeps the option of playing ...e5 or ...e6 later, depending on White's moves.
   Early …d5: This immediately challenges White's control of the center. It can lead to sharp and tactical positions.

Specific Responses to 1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d3:

In this specific position, here's what you can consider:

   4...Bg7: This is a very common and solid move. Black develops their dark-squared bishop and prepares to castle.
   4...d6: This is also a good option. Black supports the center and prepares to develop their pieces further.

General Tips for Playing Against the KIA:

   Control the center: Don't let White dominate the center of the board. Try to establish your own presence there.
   Develop your pieces actively: Bring your pieces out to good squares where they can control important areas of the board.
   Be aware of White's kingside attack: White will often try to attack on the kingside, so make sure your king is safe and you have defensive resources.  

   Don't be afraid to play actively: Don't just passively defend. Look for opportunities to create counterplay and put pressure on White.

Example Line (Classical Setup):

   Nf3 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d3 Bg7 5. O-O Nf6 6. e4 O-O 7. Nc3 d6 8. a3 e5

This is a typical position arising from the KIA. Black has a solid setup and is ready to fight for the center.

Remember, the most important thing is to understand the basic ideas behind the KIA and choose a setup that you're comfortable with. Practice playing against it, and you'll become more confident in handling it.

How to Analyse Longer Games

Hi,

I was wondering if there would be an update as to how to analyse longer games - in https://chessmood.com/chess-study-plans/for-above-2000 section 4. Fixing it says that a future article will be written for analysing classical games. While the article is still yet to come, how what would you say is the best way to analyse slower games?

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H,mmmmmm just analyze it 

Analyzing longer games requires a structured approach to extract valuable insights. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you analyze classical games:
1. Preparation

   Choose a game that interests you, ideally with a similar opening or pawn structure to your own games.
   Set aside dedicated time for analysis, free from distractions.

2. Initial Review (10-15 minutes)

   Quickly review the game to get a sense of the overall flow and outcome.
   Take note of:
       Opening choices and pawn structures
       Key moments, such as attacks, counter-attacks, or transitions
       Endgame strategies

3. In-Depth Analysis (30-60 minutes)

   Focus on specific sections of the game, such as:
       Opening: Analyze move choices, pawn structures, and development.
       Middlegame: Examine strategic decisions, tactical opportunities, and pawn breaks.
       Endgame: Study the conversion of advantages, pawn promotion, and king activity.
   Use chess analysis tools, like engines or tablebases, to:
       Evaluate positions and moves
       Suggest alternative moves or plans
       Provide insight into strategic decisions

4. Pattern Recognition and Connection-Making

   Identify recurring patterns, such as:
       Pawn structures and associated plans
       Piece development and coordination
       Tactical motifs and combinations
   Connect the dots between different parts of the game, recognizing how decisions in one phase impact others.

5. Reflection and Application

   Reflect on what you've learned and how you can apply it to your own games.
   Update your chess knowledge and strategies accordingly.

6. Review and Iteration

   Periodically review the game to reinforce your understanding and identify new insights.
   Iterate on your analysis, refining your thoughts and incorporating new knowledge.

By following this structured approach, you'll be able to effectively analyze longer games and extract valuable lessons to improve your chess skills.

IMPROVE!!

how do i improve this?

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Well, you could start by making your query less vague!  :-p

Seriously though, what is your question?  Did you mean to post a link to a game?

I don't know, but the answer is probably to practice tactics haha

Improvement Strategies
To enhance your chess skills and avoid similar mistakes, focus on the following areas:
1. Analyze Your Games

   Review your games, especially losses, to identify mistakes and patterns.
   Use chess analysis tools or work with a coach to gain deeper insights.

2. Endgame Skills

   Study basic endgames, such as king and pawn versus king and pawn.
   Practice converting advantages into wins.

3. Strategic Understanding

   Learn about pawn structures, piece placement, and controlling key squares.
   Study master games to develop your strategic thinking.

4. Tactical Awareness

   Practice tactics regularly using tools like (link unavailable), Lichess, or Tactics Arena.
   Focus on common motifs, such as pins, forks, and skewers.

5. Time Management

   Practice playing with a clock to improve your time management skills.
   Focus on making efficient decisions during the game.

6. Study Chess Fundamentals

   Review chess basics, such as openings, middlegame strategies, and endgames.
   Study chess books, videos, or online courses to deepen your understanding.

7.Join a Chess Community

Participate in online chess forums, social media groups, or local chess clubs.

Engage with other players to learn from their experiences and gain new insights.

8.Set Goals and Track Progress

Set specific, achievable goals, such as improving your rating or mastering a particular opening.
Track your progress, celebrate your successes, and adjust your strategy as needed.

By focusing on these areas, you'll be well on your way to improving your chess skills and becoming a more formidable opponent.

Revise

Hi  im going through ur course   but i am not able to revise as ur video is good but it has not pdf, so that i can review it latter, this leads to loss of tactical idea which u thaught.   What should i do

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French Attack vs Bishop's Opening

1.e4 e6
2. Bc4  ….?
 

is there a section on this variation in Blackmood openings ?

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Help! how and where import pgn

hi guys, I really want to do my homework about chessmood openings with black, i downloaded the pgn but if i try tu upload it on lichess it upload only the first “game” and without any annotations, what can i do? help me please

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Try using Chessbase

Copy and paste it somewhere else. Then, copy each PGN individually and paste it into Lichess. I had a similar issue with something else, and I discovered that Lichess only imports the first PGN. Hope that helped.

1. You can use ChessBase Reader that is for free, however, you cannot edit files there, only see existing PGNs.

2. ChessBase is actually standart, thou it is not free

3. There exists some free sources also, but not so nice as chessbase - Arena for instance.

4. I also use Lichess. Sometimes it doesn't upload full PGN, sometimes it does. Probably, if PGN is with many comments, then it sometimes fail. In this case I do it manually - I open PGN in some text editor and upload games manually.

This programm could help.

https://encroissant.org/

New article: Why Being Amateur Might Be Better Than Being Grandmaster

Did you know being an amateur chess player has its perks? 
While pros face enormous stress, you can play for pure joy, experiment freely, and avoid the pressure of results. 💪

Learn how to embrace your journey, use your hidden advantages, and enjoy the game without limits. 🏆

Read the full article here:
https://chessmood.com/blog/benefits-amateur-vs-professional-chess

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The future of chess courses

I think it will be useless to record videos, because AI will generate them (maybe using Avetik's face and voice, or anyone else, i would try to take lesson from AI generated version of Mia Wallace).

The interface of the courses will include a tool that works with a device that measures brain waves (everybody will have one). This way the digital teacher will receive a feedback and constantly adapt his teaching technique and pace to achieve the brain waves that are are optimal for learning.

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If by “future” you mean 50 years from now, I agree with you that it would be great. 

I suspect a more likely change in the next 5-10 years will be you just provide the text (and some extension for displaying moves on a chess board). AI can then render Avetik teaching you it as if he recorded himself, on your machine so no big downloads. Or maybe you'd want some model presenting it instead at the flip of config - yeah nice course, but I wasn't paying attention to the moves!

Regarding Benko and Countering the English

I have watched the "countering the english" course and the benko gambit course. And in the benko after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4. Sir avetik says that it is covered in the english course deeply, but i couldn't find it, can anyonetell me which chapter it is in?

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It is in the maroczy course

https://chessmood.com/course/maroczy-bind

If they play with e4 then this is covered in section 1, or if they play with g3 then this is covered in section 2

Hope this helps, Samuel 

Misgake in Video Must-Know Endgame Theor

Must-Know Endgame Theory → Section 11 → 5. Knight + 2 pawns vs Bishop

Almost at the end of the video when GM describes how to win two separated pawns + knight against bishop, there is mistake.  

Timing: about 2min 45sec, after white moves e5, it is draw. Black can go  Kf5 and blocks everything. It is draw, is not it? 

While in video it says it is winning position.

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Taking a break from chess, not sure when I'll be back

Dear ChessMood Family,

I hope this message finds you all well.  I need to take a break from chess, and I’m unsure when I’ll be able to return.

Right now, I’m facing significant challenges in my financial and career situation, as well as difficulties in my living environment. These hardships require my full attention and energy, as I work to build a more stable foundation for my future.

Chess has been a source of joy, growth, and inspiration for me, and being part of the ChessMood family has been a very rewarding experience. I have grown as a person tremendously since joining and I really appreciate how chess has helped me develop my mind, my ability to learn skills, and also develop emotional control and self-mastery. 

Thank you all for being such a positive and supportive community. Thank you to GM Avetik, GM Gabuzyan, and the rest of the ChessMood team for your guidance. 
-Tyler

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All the best to you, Tyler !!!

Dear Tyler,

I am happy to know you, and I was always excited to hear about your chess growth!

Wishing you all the best in all your beginnings, and stay strong during your tough periods!

All the best brother💪

Champions

Is there a way to download the courses my membership will end soon and I really need them 

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no. it's illegal

Don't you think we all would do that…
Also, why would memberships even exist then if the courses can be downloaded..

It is a bit strange to ask it in official forum :D. If there would be such an option,  then everyone would do that and noone would buy the courses. Have not you thought about it? 

As I cannot afford these courses anymore for the whole year, I've decided to have some 1-2 months periods per year reserved for ChessMood. During these I would work on courses extensively, including, creating my own PGNs (especially for opening parts) with comments. 

french attack with 4.c3

Yesterday against my sparring partner he played 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bd7 4. c3 a6 5. Nf3 Bb5 and this was the position.
what about our plan here? because after Bxf1 we can't go for c5.
Any suggestion? 

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I play the Sicilin not the French, but here are my thoughts.

Bxf1 we will play anyway. No use in delaying, especially when we stop White from castling (and thus kind of win a tempo that White will spend on g3and Kg2 instead of 0-0.)

After that, we can play a5, attacking B4. From there, you will probably continue with regular French strategy, f6 and B6 c5

0-0-0 against Dutch

In the Blackmood course Avetik gives some situations where 0-0-0 against the Dutch doesn't work, pointing out that the f3 knight drops off in many cases when white plays g4. But yesterday I played a game where my opponent was able to castle and play g4 anyway, with the knight sacrifice turning out to be sound (I suspect by accident: Nxd2 seemed to surprise him). I thought I'd post it here as a warning that attacking with h3-g4 can be strong if we take and open the h file for white: https://lichess.org/study/5X7cIYlN/0et9Cv0a

Sure the computer shows I get advantage by ignoring the sacrifice and attacking on the queenside, but I underestimated white's resources and took the knight. Luckily my opponent played 16.Rdf1? instead of 16.d5 which would have given him a clear advantage, and after that I played a nice game.

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Model Games

Hi. In every opening you suggest you put model games. What to do with them, put them in the opening files or just watch them?

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Dear Eliya,

I would recommend watching them and remembering the ideas. If something is very concrete and justified as the best engine line can also be in the file.

The point of model games to show how we play the middlegames or punish opponents mistakes 😄

Looking for a Training Partner

Here are the specifications. You don't have to meet all of them, but please meet at least a few of them or come close.

I am in the 500-600 rating range (550-650 Chess.com and 1370-1435 Lichess) and am looking for a dedicated training partner to spar and practice with during the "Chess and Free Time" blocks in my schedule, which I’ve attached for reference. Please note that I am in the CST time zone. Ideally, my partner should be engaging in chess-related activities at least 6 days a week and spending a minimum of 30 minutes on chess most days. Reliability is extremely important to me—I need someone who won’t cancel on agreed sessions. Like me, my partner should have the goal of improving as quickly as possible. I lean towards aggressive play, so I would prefer a training partner who has a more positional style. This contrast will allow us to learn from each other. Together, we can analyze our games, drill openings to identify weaknesses in our repertoires, and practice the algorithm's recommended by ChessDojo. If you meet most of these criteria or are a few rating points lower or higher, feel free to reach out—I’d still be happy to consider partnering with you. Just make sure you can play in those UTC time blocks.

I've been looking for one since late September. I did get one, but they kept not showing up and didn't seem too dedicated.

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Hi Vihaan,

You may have more luck posting this in the dedicated thread for finding study partners:

https://chessmood.com/forum/main-channel/studysparring-partner-1362

Is there options to buy individual courses?

Like say I just wanted to buy whitemood and blackmood opening courses. Or is there only membership options?

Thanks for your answers.

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There is normally an option to buy individual courses.  However, at the moment, there is free access to all courses as a ‘Thanksgiving Gift’ from the ChessMood team.  Give it a few more days (until the 20th, I think) and the purchase options should return.

Notes on a R v. B Endgame

I am sharing some notes from a rapid game, focusing on decisions I made in a position where I had bishop and 2 pawns vs. a rook. It seems to me I made a critical mistake forcing trades which ruined my advantage.

The entire game is here: https://www.chess.com/game/live/127542012937

In the first position below I played 22… Qc3. I considered that I had a large advantage, and my plan was to push forward with my central pawns. That would open my king position slightly and give opportunities for white's rooks to become active to create threats in combination with the queen. So I forced a queen exchange, thinking this would reduce white's counterplay, but keep my advantage.

A few moves later the second position appeared after white's 24.Rb3. I allowed the exchange of rooks, with the same thought process as before. However, I eventually discovered that my advantage was completely gone after this decision.

The rest of the game was a long battle of maneuvers, with both sides playing more or less accurately. The game ended in a draw on move 70.

Of course I was unhappy that I let such an advantage slip, but I really didn't understand what I had done wrong. So I turned to the ChessMood endgame courses to look at the lessons on R vs. B. I was surprised to see that the rook still draws easily against bishop and 2 pawns in most normal situations. The third diagram is a position from the course where even with a distant king, white to move draws.

So going back to the first and second diagrams, the lesson I am taking is with a bishop and 2 pawns against a rook, I should still keep more material on the board to make use of my pawn advantage. Exchanging material allowed white to activate his king for the defense. Keeping the queen and rooks on the board would make it harder for white to organize a blockade, so my pawn majority could ultimately advance.

ChessMood coaches: am I drawing the right conclusion?

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Dear James,

We discussed this one during our 1-1 call. If you still have questions please let me know 🙂

Veresov Attack

After the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. Lg5 d5 3. Nc3 there is a transposition to the Veresov Attack, which usually appears after 1. d4 d5 2. Sc3 Sf6 3. Lg5. This seems not to be covered in the Chessmood Repertoire.

What to do? 

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Dear Alan,

We might have re-recorded some of the d4 sidelines in the future, at this exact moment the Veresov is not yet covered.
If you take a look at the image I added the beginning moves which I think are super solid for Black, as well as one of the top lines for the engine.

In the given position Black is going to 0-0 Play with c5 and maybe b6. Since White's Knight is on c3 they are not able to use the c pawn for the fight in the center, and that's why Black's position is absolutely great.