► Chapters 00:00 Most Underrated Chess Opening 00:36 Bird's Opening 1.f4 02:51 White's strong fianchettoed bishop 05:30 Winning position in 11 moves 07:47 Line-2 transposing to mainline 08:36 Line-3: Black plays Nc6 without c5 10:33 Important Queen maneuver 12:51 Can you find the mate in one?
Just thought I would give a quick thanks for showing 1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6. Every book I have seen on Bird's Opening (four of them) only covers 2... g6, which is what Masters play, but we club players see 2... Nc6 most of the time. I looked through about 8 videos on Bird's Opening until I finally found yours. Thank you for taking us into account!
It is good practice to start by considering the King's escape squares. It is obvious that White's Knight, Bishop and Queen cannot cover c7, which leaves only one option.
I hope you can cover how on Bird, the higher level opponent usually starts with e5 against - so you get f4xed, d6, exd6, Bxd6, and I reply with Nf3...they'll usually push h pawn or Ne7 to attack the weakened side.
I first took this opening seriously after reading about the classic Lasker-Bauer game in 1899 with the double bishop sacrifice. In that one, though, Lasker did something weird - he developed his light square bishop on d3 in front of the d-pawn. It doesn't look like Lasker should have gotten away with the way he developed (I generally didn't when I tried replicating it). Nonetheless, I do like the opening and plan to look more closely at this variation you recommend. I have a general aversion to playing an early Bb5 because I like having the light square bishop around to aim at the enemy kingside, but this video makes me want to look further. What do you do if Black fianchettoes their dark square bishop though?
I thought at 12:17, black can somewhat hold the position by not playing Qxg3, but instead Bd6 counter attacking the queen and avoiding the knight check taking the bishop. Then e5 by white, and Nh5 by black attacking the queen, however white can use the e5 pawn then taking bishop and queen. But then, stockfish said instead of Nh5, just do hxg6, and black only loses one minor piece, but it's +9 for white anyway.
How about if black move the pawn to e5 instead just after f4 opening? If any moves goes wrong this can entirely destroy white's position early, right ? In any way black should try free the queen as well as bishop to attack on the dark squares on white king's side. In this way this opening is difficult to play
I find it just now, over a year after the video is released, but it is brutal, huge success. I've always had problems winning with white(with black is easier for me), but this openning is very good, the other players just dont know what to do.
Tried this opening twice against 1500 rated computer, and it easily exposed the weaknesses in the pawn structure with its’ knights and queen. Namely the pawns at e3 and c2.
I've been playing the Bird opening almost exclusively as white and it got me from low 700's to 900 which I just cracked the other day. It's certainly starting to become more difficult against higher level players.
@@mrnelgin Dunno if this might help but look on the Sturm Gambit in the Bird, from what i see you can get good attacking chances and there's only one hard path for black to keep the extra pawn, otherwise he, for example loses even a rook so yeah. The Bird is the underdog, along with English the last flanks worth playing (Grob maybe but on blitz and bullets) cause they can shock and skip all the theory of the mainstream openings like Ruy Lopez, Italian, etc. Which for you is a huge advantage
And what if black plays g6 and early Bg7? White cannot play the same set-up, one option is 3.e4 c5, transposing into Grand Prix attack, but not sure if white is better.
@@stevedotg3965 its looks easy when you are start looking after the squares to cover... We can't move our knight and bishop ; still, have to cover b7, c6 diagonal and c7 square too... Hence, the only possiblity is En-passant...
@@alphonsus5887 white's "e5" pawn capturing the "d5" pawn by the rule of En-passant { a special power given to a 5th rank pawn while the opponent pawn passing it's capturing square without giving any opportunity← straight 2 square moves- the 1st move of a pawn and crossing over } Now white can capture that d5 pawn and put the white pawn in its crossed over capturing square (d6) → hence the Queen's eye will open through the diagonal and pawn covers the "f7" square ; knight and bishop covered all other squares. Hence, checkmate in 1 👌
So there you can go into a line called the Thomas gambit. Just go d3 and ignore blacks pawn on d4. If the opponent takes on d3, develop the light square bishop like normal, and if they take the second pawn on d2 you take back with the knight. You're a pawn down in this position, but black is super underdeveloped, you have open d and e files for your rooks. The engine gives it about +2 for white
Thanks a lot for this video! The bird was the first opening I played (but stopped because of my coach 10 years ago xD) maybe I'll give it another try now! The one thing that worries me a bit about the bird is the Froms Gambit. Does someone has some tips for it?
@@Factsnotfox That's what I do. Of course, there's always the possibility that they'll go "I'm the one playing the gambit, dammit!" and play the Falkbeer.
@@mikekeenan8450 Chess Giant recently did a video on From's Gambit that made me reconsider, and now I'm thinking about playing Bird's Opening and HOPING someone plays From's Gambit.
I know i'm late on the party but i wouldn't bother about it. f4 itself is a huge niche and people who learn things like From's Gambit is even more rare. And besides From is a double edged sword, either your opponent can start a massive attack, or you can switch the blade to him there's a huge chance both of you won't know what to do
Dear Igor. you mention about not playing this opening against eg Carlson. so how would he for example play against this opening so that it would not be a 'good' opening? Thanks so much. PS of course, i only watch for your cat. :-)
@@DanielRegir It is not that it does not work it is the fact with good knowledge of the opening black can equalize, which at master level is not what you want as white, thats why the ruy lopez is so strong at master level even when black knows everything it is very difficult to equalize due to 1: center control 2: white having targets 3: whites piece activity. So 1 F4 might lead to agressive attacking positions it wont lead to black having distinct weaknesses down the road with perfect play while white might have a weak e3 pawn or e1-h4 diagonol and 2 G6 by black trying to play bg7 can counteract your bishop on b2 so it just won't lead to the long lasting ideas and pressure of a different opening. (Sorry for the yapping)
ok, I get you bro, the answer to this puzzle is simple but tricky one, . . . The last move by black was pawn, so in order to mate in 1 move you have to take it by pawn(pass pawn move) . now the black king is check by White Queen by checkmate. thank me later 😇
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Teacher that was the set I was using: the colle System from part 1 and I got myself a certificate + medal 🏅 and my school, a trophy 🏆
Thanks teacher
Its better if you describe what are the best moves by opponent too. "Black will usually go there" wont say much.
► Chapters
00:00 Most Underrated Chess Opening
00:36 Bird's Opening 1.f4
02:51 White's strong fianchettoed bishop
05:30 Winning position in 11 moves
07:47 Line-2 transposing to mainline
08:36 Line-3: Black plays Nc6 without c5
10:33 Important Queen maneuver
12:51 Can you find the mate in one?
Just thought I would give a quick thanks for showing 1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6. Every book I have seen on Bird's Opening (four of them) only covers 2... g6, which is what Masters play, but we club players see 2... Nc6 most of the time. I looked through about 8 videos on Bird's Opening until I finally found yours. Thank you for taking us into account!
Assuming that black’s previous move was …d4 (extremely unlikely at this stage of the game), then the solution to the puzzle is en passant. Good one.
Make that …d5. I was looking at the board upside down.
Great move
this has to be the solution but not knowing the previous move makes this kind of cheap
That is a clever solution. I couldn't figure that out. Why is that cheap?
It is good practice to start by considering the King's escape squares. It is obvious that White's Knight, Bishop and Queen cannot cover c7, which leaves only one option.
Only en-passant capture to d6 allows checkmate in 1. I don't see another possibility.
I hope you can cover how on Bird, the higher level opponent usually starts with e5 against - so you get f4xed, d6, exd6, Bxd6, and I reply with Nf3...they'll usually push h pawn or Ne7 to attack the weakened side.
I first took this opening seriously after reading about the classic Lasker-Bauer game in 1899 with the double bishop sacrifice. In that one, though, Lasker did something weird - he developed his light square bishop on d3 in front of the d-pawn. It doesn't look like Lasker should have gotten away with the way he developed (I generally didn't when I tried replicating it).
Nonetheless, I do like the opening and plan to look more closely at this variation you recommend. I have a general aversion to playing an early Bb5 because I like having the light square bishop around to aim at the enemy kingside, but this video makes me want to look further.
What do you do if Black fianchettoes their dark square bishop though?
Thanks again Igor for another gem !!! Keep up the great work.
I thought at 12:17, black can somewhat hold the position by not playing Qxg3, but instead Bd6 counter attacking the queen and avoiding the knight check taking the bishop. Then e5 by white, and Nh5 by black attacking the queen, however white can use the e5 pawn then taking bishop and queen. But then, stockfish said instead of Nh5, just do hxg6, and black only loses one minor piece, but it's +9 for white anyway.
The answer of the puzzle is en passant d takes E5 and check mate via queen
Can you go over the immediate E4 response from black and the best follow up moves for white?
Great video! If you have the time, it would be great to make some videos about the Scotch, which I think is a very underrated opening as well
Thanks for the suggestion. We will make a note of it.
this is really an underrated opening. Its pretty much dutch defense in reverse and up a tempo
Mr Igor, this opening is really underated, I've been using it and the result is amazing
Is it exd5 e.p. ?
Yeah i think that's the only answer
Wow, that's devious.
*YES IT IS!*
How about if black move the pawn to e5 instead just after f4 opening? If any moves goes wrong this can entirely destroy white's position early, right ? In any way black should try free the queen as well as bishop to attack on the dark squares on white king's side. In this way this opening is difficult to play
I find it just now, over a year after the video is released, but it is brutal, huge success. I've always had problems winning with white(with black is easier for me), but this openning is very good, the other players just dont know what to do.
Tried this opening twice against 1500 rated computer, and it easily exposed the weaknesses in the pawn structure with its’ knights and queen. Namely the pawns at e3 and c2.
I've been playing the Bird opening almost exclusively as white and it got me from low 700's to 900 which I just cracked the other day. It's certainly starting to become more difficult against higher level players.
@@mrnelgin Dunno if this might help but look on the Sturm Gambit in the Bird, from what i see you can get good attacking chances and there's only one hard path for black to keep the extra pawn, otherwise he, for example loses even a rook so yeah. The Bird is the underdog, along with English the last flanks worth playing (Grob maybe but on blitz and bullets) cause they can shock and skip all the theory of the mainstream openings like Ruy Lopez, Italian, etc. Which for you is a huge advantage
And what if black plays g6 and early Bg7? White cannot play the same set-up, one option is 3.e4 c5, transposing into Grand Prix attack, but not sure if white is better.
Thanks again Igor - you have been on fire lately!
*En-passant* to kill the opponent King is always pleasure 👌
Hard to see because we did not see the black pawn's move just before this one.
@@stevedotg3965 its looks easy when you are start looking after the squares to cover... We can't move our knight and bishop ; still, have to cover b7, c6 diagonal and c7 square too...
Hence, the only possiblity is En-passant...
No way, I could have sworn there was no mate in 1
@@alphonsus5887 white's "e5" pawn capturing the "d5" pawn by the rule of En-passant { a special power given to a 5th rank pawn while the opponent pawn passing it's capturing square without giving any opportunity← straight 2 square moves- the 1st move of a pawn and crossing over }
Now white can capture that d5 pawn and put the white pawn in its crossed over capturing square (d6) → hence the Queen's eye will open through the diagonal and pawn covers the "f7" square ; knight and bishop covered all other squares. Hence, checkmate in 1 👌
What should our plan be when our opponent pushes his pawn to d4 blocking our b2 bishop?
you send him this video and tell him to play over. otherwise you play chess and come up with a new plan.
So there you can go into a line called the Thomas gambit. Just go d3 and ignore blacks pawn on d4. If the opponent takes on d3, develop the light square bishop like normal, and if they take the second pawn on d2 you take back with the knight.
You're a pawn down in this position, but black is super underdeveloped, you have open d and e files for your rooks. The engine gives it about +2 for white
black f6, against Ben Finegold :-), early move f6, seems crucial for black after opening f4 by white
Thank you 🙏 I need this GM...
Long well 🙏
Thank you Igor!
Best Bird's Opening video!
Brilliant as always. Thanks mate 🙂
For years I only play this opening when white
That would be great. Right now I'm playing french defence
Pawn e5 to d6 enpasant
what app are you using?
Thanks a lot for this video! The bird was the first opening I played (but stopped because of my coach 10 years ago xD) maybe I'll give it another try now!
The one thing that worries me a bit about the bird is the Froms Gambit. Does someone has some tips for it?
You can always transpose into the Kings Gambit with e4.
@@Factsnotfox That's what I do. Of course, there's always the possibility that they'll go "I'm the one playing the gambit, dammit!" and play the Falkbeer.
@@mikekeenan8450 Chess Giant recently did a video on From's Gambit that made me reconsider, and now I'm thinking about playing Bird's Opening and HOPING someone plays From's Gambit.
I know i'm late on the party but i wouldn't bother about it. f4 itself is a huge niche and people who learn things like From's Gambit is even more rare. And besides From is a double edged sword, either your opponent can start a massive attack, or you can switch the blade to him there's a huge chance both of you won't know what to do
Empassa with pawn discovered check from queen and check mate.
Dear Igor. you mention about not playing this opening against eg Carlson. so how would he for example play against this opening so that it would not be a 'good' opening? Thanks so much. PS of course, i only watch for your cat. :-)
Its a Enpassant Mate
yeah someone played this against me and i had zero idea what to do
The cat in the background just isn't that interested in the Bird's Opening, but might be more interested in real actual birds.
unfortunately, i got in a lot of troubles trying this and lost the game after a hot battle, are you coaching Igor ? i need a trainer.
puzzle: e:d6 checkmate, assuming black's last move was pawn to d5. otherwise i see nothing
This puzzle of the day: a chess miracle.
Which moves should we beware of, to know that the opponent knows strong theory?
so why is the white square bishop useless again? i don't get it
Nice moves.
No one plays knight c6 I keep running into bishop g4
Do you have an underrated chess opening for black??
Thanks for the suggestion. Here is one video about opening for Black when White plays e4.
th-cam.com/video/e8oy6HBdvqg/w-d-xo.html
You can also check my playlist, collection of good openings for black:
th-cam.com/play/PLZzq1Iy3nEg6icOzzOmZnUv1GCeeku6IQ.html
Why doesnt it work on grand Master Level?
Because you dont control the center on move 1?
But why does fiancetto work
@@DanielRegir It is not that it does not work it is the fact with good knowledge of the opening black can equalize, which at master level is not what you want as white, thats why the ruy lopez is so strong at master level even when black knows everything it is very difficult to equalize due to 1: center control 2: white having targets 3: whites piece activity. So 1 F4 might lead to agressive attacking positions it wont lead to black having distinct weaknesses down the road with perfect play while white might have a weak e3 pawn or e1-h4 diagonol and 2 G6 by black trying to play bg7 can counteract your bishop on b2 so it just won't lead to the long lasting ideas and pressure of a different opening. (Sorry for the yapping)
@@Patrick-lo3xp thanx mate
So it's reversed dutch?😅
i would think that most people would play Nf3, not Nc3
Love this channel even though I can never remember anything once I play 🤣
I want to join your classes
It is great that you are interested to learn from Igor. You can find the free masterclass from Igor here
chess-teacher.net/improve-chess-instantly/
Next dutch defense
Bd7+,king takes,queen takes d5+
The Cat is not fussed about the Bird
chess is about ideas and you did not cover what to do if black plays a6 to prevent Bb5.
The Cat ❤
Is that the cat's special place? It does not ever move. Are you sure it is not a stuffed cat?
it DOES move! :-) and sometimes it is not there.
Only move to checkmate is en passant.
ok,
I get you bro,
the answer to this puzzle is simple but tricky one,
.
.
.
The last move by black was pawn,
so in order to mate in 1 move you have to take it by pawn(pass pawn move) .
now the black king is check by White Queen by checkmate.
thank me later 😇
Nvm its pawn en peasants the d5 pawn
en passant is the only likely mate here
Your cat is cute
I can't afford your chess course* can you provide me for free one or two of your paid course?
We have a lot of free resources. You can find them here.
chess-teacher.com/rca-freebies/
e*d6 #
Answer to your puzzle, white Queen takes black pawn, rest all squares are covered and therefore checkmate.
@Ben Chan it's the bishop check to black king on D7 which the black king takes and then the white Queen takes black pawn.
@@anilchakravorty8054Even then its not a CHECKMATE, as the king has many safe squares to go to. Anyway, the puzzle was to mate in one move!!
@Ben Chan That is the problem I had with the Queen takes black Pawn move.
No that is not correct. The answer is : exd6 enpassant
sorry i can't focus cuz i love cats more than chess and can't handle the urge to pet that cat 😢❤