14:00 Sicilian defense by black ! 14:10 yes this is open sicilian ! And here the most common move for black (and the best one) is Nf6 attacking e4, and after Nc3 defending, then a6 is the Najdorf variation, or g6 is the dragon variation. But here black played a6 immediatelly. And every move except Nf6 (or e5 but it's not a great move either) allows you to play c4 immediatelly and get the Maroczy Bind structure ! It's usually very good in sicilians because you have great control over d5, a lot of space, a better control on the center etc. And it's quite difficult for black to do anything then ! Nc3 would be played next behind the pawn ! The idea of Nf6 1st for black is to provoque Nc3 and block c4 from happening ! But Nc3 is also very fine ! If you are more comfortable this way ! I guess you can just remember in open sicilians, if you have a chance to play c4 before Nc3 this might be a good idea to try it someday ! 14:17 If Nf6 instead this would have transposed to the Najdorf ! But e5 is played ! Here I did not consider Nf5 because Bxf5 and you surrender control of the center. BUT actually it's great because you still control d5 enough, with Bc4 is coming and black can never achieve d5 anyways ! And there is no good way to target f5 for black ! I'm also surprised but this is cool to know ! I think it's very specific here and Nf5 is not always great tho ! But here any knight move to a safe square is still fine ! 16:15 From here I think it's very important to understand that d6 is the main target as it's a backwards pawn ! You don't want black to play d5 without problem EVER. And you want to target d6 as much as you can. Also you never want your pawn blocking the d file (Nd5 Nxd5 exd5 would be bad for exemple) because then you block your attack on d6. Yes it's still backwards but you can't attack it anymore. And this is why Bg5 is very normal, and if h6, just Bxf6 ! When the knight is gone black loses control over d5 and it just becomes an amazing outpost for your knight !! Also if his bishop took back on f6, it must come back to defend d6 again ! So yes your next moves were all fine but don't be scared of Bg5 h6. It's great for you !! 16:23 Nd5 is fine here ! Bb3 was also possible ! If Qxf4, Nxe7+ Kh8 Qxe6 free pawn ! If Nxd5, Bxd5 is forced ! (exd5 would lose the bishop, and Qxd5 would lose to Be6 !) But even if it was possible exd5 must be avoided in these strucures to keep pressuring d6 ! 16:38 Here trading is okay BUT it opens the f file for him, and gives him more control over d5 (not an outpost anymore for your knight as there is a pawn controlling it) ! c4 (engine move) is kind of weird as it wants Bxd5 cxd5 but I guess there you have more space and his pieces are kind of weird. Not exactly sure tho. But Be3 or something ignoring this could be played. If Bxd5 then Qxd5 ! 16:45 The engine does not love this because after Bxg5 Nxg5 Qb6 black is targetting a few weak pawns, while making more threats. e6 is not too important when black is winning pawns in exchange and activating pieces (he will double rooks on the f file for exemple). 16:47 But Rxf3 is played and as you saw it's not best ! But that's just because they had better ! It's not that bad for them ! 17:01 yeah.. I mean taking e6 makes sense ! But after Qb6 black won back his pawn ! e6 is still weak even if you let it live for now 😂😂 Bh4 just defends f7 again and stays very solid ! 17:24 I mean the engine did not hate b4. Even after defending f2 instead it was tough to play in oy opinion ! 17:37 Rd8 is strong. Very annoying move ! It's always hard to play when your pieces are stuck: your bishop is pinned to your queen, your queen is tied down to defend your bishop but she also blocks the rook connection... But yes c4 would have been great to untangle !! c5 next and then you can move your queen and all your pieces are free again ! 18:26 Qd3 made sense tho ! Rd7 Bc5 is quite nice to only lose a pawn but free yourself ! Rd7 Rf1 was also possible (as you considered it during the game). 18:43 After all the trades, you are down 1 pawn on an endgame but pawns are completely symmetrical, their extra pawn is on e6 not doing much yet ! And you have a bishop VS knight imbalance ! 18:54 Here you should make a luft to avoid some backrank ideas. The problem with Rf8+ is that your a pawn is attacked ! And b5 does not work if they have Ra1+ (and then axb5). 19:25 so here Rxa3 is the move for black that wins a pawn as b5 does not work ! 19:29 but b6 was played. And you reacted way too fast !! You must trust your opponents a minimum 😂😂 You need to find a compromise between trusting your opponent a lot (and seeing ghosts / overthinking) and not trusting them at all (and blundering like this). This is not easy but just double check quickly if there is an obvious idea. And likely when a 1900 hangs something that obvious there is an idea ! But yes the endgame was interesting after Rc8 ! 20:38 it's not Rc7 it's just pawn c7 😂😂 21:28 Another game 🥳🥳🥳 21:43 4 knight scotch, main line ! The main move for white is Nxc6 bxc6 Bd3. The reason why white trades on c6 is because Bd3 immediatelly would block the defense and hangs the knight on d4 ! But Bg5 was played here ! 21:57 But this trade only helps you ! 22:05 Nd2 back or a3 is forced for white to defend this but it's already not great ! 22:08 Bxc3 is just completely game over. You only win a pawn + white can't castle anymore. But his king is way too exposed !! And it's not too hard to see.. I know Nxc6 is usually fine / great for white in this opening. BUT it's not because it's a known / common idea that it always works ! Don't tunnel vision on this ! BTW I also prefer dxc6 or bxc6 a lot more than Qxc6 ! Yes you double your pawns but you open your bishop, and open files for your rook so you can develop more quickly !! 23:02 Qd4 is better than Qd3 because the queen on d3 blocks his bishop ! Bd3 or Bc4 would be more active than Be2 (which was played in the game 23:25 here) 24:11 Re5 Rc5 is a funny manouver 😅😅 Sometimes it's great to physicly prevent castling, but sometimes it's better to just make threats and indirectly prevent castling ! Here Qb6 can be met with Qd4 and white will still be able to castle next or at least play Kf2 and avoid danger ! 25:12 So they castle ! But a pawn is a pawn ! Be careful to not get your queen trapped tho !! 25:48 Well done on playing Qb2 ! Not such an easy move in my opnion. I mean it is when you realise the danger and you did !! Rf2 was an immediate threat to trap your queen ! Among with many other moves that would end up still trapping it. 25:50 I woud have played a4 as white just threatening to trap your queen again 😂 but Rfb1 is fine ! 26:17 yes Rb4 is a nice thought ! a5 kicks the rook away but cuting of the queen like this is a great idea overall !! 26:59 Ba6 is the best move yep ! 27:15 c6 is also the best move I think 😅 together with d6 ! No idea why it says innacurate ! 27:24 Qe6 yeah just leads to an endgame where white dominates the open file ! Very tough to win ... The engine likes b5, queen back somewhere, and d5 !! Strike in the center by exploiting the pin on the e file ! 28:21 free pawn !!! 😂 ok d5 is also great ! 28:43 here white should have waited with like h3 or something. Because then if dxe4 (terrible move) Rdxe4 and you have 1 move to survive which is Red8 ! Very tricky ! But Rd1 allows dxe4 without problem for you ! 29:06 Qc8 here would have forced a queen trade ! 29:17 Be careful to not trade pawns too quickly ! It's still winning here but endgame up 1 pawn are not so easy to win !! 29:26 here if they played Rc1 you would have to convert that rook endgame up 1 pawn which is not always easy ! But Rd6 just loses a 2nd pawn ! And they resign ! GG !! 30:05 2000 blitz is way harder yep ! BUT the ratings get closer in rapid and blitz around 2000 ! The repartition is not the same so it's normal that below 2000 the rapid is higher than the blitz ! 30:21 See you there ! (On the next video or live stream !)
i’m new to chess and i’m really enjoying this series man keep it up
14:00 Sicilian defense by black !
14:10 yes this is open sicilian !
And here the most common move for black (and the best one) is Nf6 attacking e4, and after Nc3 defending, then a6 is the Najdorf variation, or g6 is the dragon variation.
But here black played a6 immediatelly.
And every move except Nf6 (or e5 but it's not a great move either) allows you to play c4 immediatelly and get the Maroczy Bind structure !
It's usually very good in sicilians because you have great control over d5, a lot of space, a better control on the center etc. And it's quite difficult for black to do anything then !
Nc3 would be played next behind the pawn !
The idea of Nf6 1st for black is to provoque Nc3 and block c4 from happening !
But Nc3 is also very fine ! If you are more comfortable this way !
I guess you can just remember in open sicilians, if you have a chance to play c4 before Nc3 this might be a good idea to try it someday !
14:17 If Nf6 instead this would have transposed to the Najdorf !
But e5 is played !
Here I did not consider Nf5 because Bxf5 and you surrender control of the center.
BUT actually it's great because you still control d5 enough, with Bc4 is coming and black can never achieve d5 anyways !
And there is no good way to target f5 for black !
I'm also surprised but this is cool to know ! I think it's very specific here and Nf5 is not always great tho !
But here any knight move to a safe square is still fine !
16:15 From here I think it's very important to understand that d6 is the main target as it's a backwards pawn !
You don't want black to play d5 without problem EVER.
And you want to target d6 as much as you can.
Also you never want your pawn blocking the d file (Nd5 Nxd5 exd5 would be bad for exemple) because then you block your attack on d6. Yes it's still backwards but you can't attack it anymore.
And this is why Bg5 is very normal, and if h6, just Bxf6 !
When the knight is gone black loses control over d5 and it just becomes an amazing outpost for your knight !!
Also if his bishop took back on f6, it must come back to defend d6 again !
So yes your next moves were all fine but don't be scared of Bg5 h6. It's great for you !!
16:23 Nd5 is fine here ! Bb3 was also possible !
If Qxf4, Nxe7+ Kh8 Qxe6 free pawn !
If Nxd5, Bxd5 is forced ! (exd5 would lose the bishop, and Qxd5 would lose to Be6 !)
But even if it was possible exd5 must be avoided in these strucures to keep pressuring d6 !
16:38 Here trading is okay BUT it opens the f file for him, and gives him more control over d5 (not an outpost anymore for your knight as there is a pawn controlling it) !
c4 (engine move) is kind of weird as it wants Bxd5 cxd5 but I guess there you have more space and his pieces are kind of weird. Not exactly sure tho.
But Be3 or something ignoring this could be played. If Bxd5 then Qxd5 !
16:45 The engine does not love this because after Bxg5 Nxg5 Qb6 black is targetting a few weak pawns, while making more threats. e6 is not too important when black is winning pawns in exchange and activating pieces (he will double rooks on the f file for exemple).
16:47 But Rxf3 is played and as you saw it's not best ! But that's just because they had better ! It's not that bad for them !
17:01 yeah.. I mean taking e6 makes sense ! But after Qb6 black won back his pawn !
e6 is still weak even if you let it live for now 😂😂 Bh4 just defends f7 again and stays very solid !
17:24 I mean the engine did not hate b4. Even after defending f2 instead it was tough to play in oy opinion !
17:37 Rd8 is strong. Very annoying move ! It's always hard to play when your pieces are stuck: your bishop is pinned to your queen, your queen is tied down to defend your bishop but she also blocks the rook connection...
But yes c4 would have been great to untangle !! c5 next and then you can move your queen and all your pieces are free again !
18:26 Qd3 made sense tho !
Rd7 Bc5 is quite nice to only lose a pawn but free yourself !
Rd7 Rf1 was also possible (as you considered it during the game).
18:43 After all the trades, you are down 1 pawn on an endgame but pawns are completely symmetrical, their extra pawn is on e6 not doing much yet !
And you have a bishop VS knight imbalance !
18:54 Here you should make a luft to avoid some backrank ideas.
The problem with Rf8+ is that your a pawn is attacked ! And b5 does not work if they have Ra1+ (and then axb5).
19:25 so here Rxa3 is the move for black that wins a pawn as b5 does not work !
19:29 but b6 was played. And you reacted way too fast !!
You must trust your opponents a minimum 😂😂
You need to find a compromise between trusting your opponent a lot (and seeing ghosts / overthinking) and not trusting them at all (and blundering like this).
This is not easy but just double check quickly if there is an obvious idea. And likely when a 1900 hangs something that obvious there is an idea !
But yes the endgame was interesting after Rc8 !
20:38 it's not Rc7 it's just pawn c7 😂😂
21:28 Another game 🥳🥳🥳
21:43 4 knight scotch, main line !
The main move for white is Nxc6 bxc6 Bd3. The reason why white trades on c6 is because Bd3 immediatelly would block the defense and hangs the knight on d4 !
But Bg5 was played here !
21:57 But this trade only helps you !
22:05 Nd2 back or a3 is forced for white to defend this but it's already not great !
22:08 Bxc3 is just completely game over. You only win a pawn + white can't castle anymore. But his king is way too exposed !!
And it's not too hard to see..
I know Nxc6 is usually fine / great for white in this opening. BUT it's not because it's a known / common idea that it always works ! Don't tunnel vision on this !
BTW I also prefer dxc6 or bxc6 a lot more than Qxc6 ! Yes you double your pawns but you open your bishop, and open files for your rook so you can develop more quickly !!
23:02 Qd4 is better than Qd3 because the queen on d3 blocks his bishop ! Bd3 or Bc4 would be more active than Be2 (which was played in the game 23:25 here)
24:11 Re5 Rc5 is a funny manouver 😅😅
Sometimes it's great to physicly prevent castling, but sometimes it's better to just make threats and indirectly prevent castling !
Here Qb6 can be met with Qd4 and white will still be able to castle next or at least play Kf2 and avoid danger !
25:12 So they castle ! But a pawn is a pawn ! Be careful to not get your queen trapped tho !!
25:48 Well done on playing Qb2 ! Not such an easy move in my opnion. I mean it is when you realise the danger and you did !!
Rf2 was an immediate threat to trap your queen ! Among with many other moves that would end up still trapping it.
25:50 I woud have played a4 as white just threatening to trap your queen again 😂 but Rfb1 is fine !
26:17 yes Rb4 is a nice thought ! a5 kicks the rook away but cuting of the queen like this is a great idea overall !!
26:59 Ba6 is the best move yep !
27:15 c6 is also the best move I think 😅 together with d6 ! No idea why it says innacurate !
27:24 Qe6 yeah just leads to an endgame where white dominates the open file ! Very tough to win ...
The engine likes b5, queen back somewhere, and d5 !! Strike in the center by exploiting the pin on the e file !
28:21 free pawn !!! 😂 ok d5 is also great !
28:43 here white should have waited with like h3 or something.
Because then if dxe4 (terrible move) Rdxe4 and you have 1 move to survive which is Red8 ! Very tricky !
But Rd1 allows dxe4 without problem for you !
29:06 Qc8 here would have forced a queen trade !
29:17 Be careful to not trade pawns too quickly ! It's still winning here but endgame up 1 pawn are not so easy to win !!
29:26 here if they played Rc1 you would have to convert that rook endgame up 1 pawn which is not always easy !
But Rd6 just loses a 2nd pawn !
And they resign ! GG !!
30:05 2000 blitz is way harder yep !
BUT the ratings get closer in rapid and blitz around 2000 ! The repartition is not the same so it's normal that below 2000 the rapid is higher than the blitz !
30:21 See you there ! (On the next video or live stream !)
Day 81
54,5/81
+51 -23 =7
+63% -28% =9%