The only problem I have with the Dragon is that NO ONE plays the open/main line Sicilian lines under 1500 ELO - most common thing I get by far is people who just pre-move the Italian (where it makes more sense to go with e6 to make Bc4 look silly and go with Taimanov-style plans from there).
Flashback. When I was learning chess (at 9) the sicilian was the first opening I learned. And it was thought badly to me. Part of the reason why I quit. This is so much better Alex! Thanks.
@@AlexBanzea Just started learning it this week, having a blast! first few days was the worst, i cant even grasp it. I guess sicilian hyper/dragon just grows as you try to play with it thanks for the video too mate, learned a lot
The haircut joke was spot on. Didn't even realize it until you said it. Don't worry, I looked like I was 5 years old until I was 35. You are going to age well.
The main reason why I love these videos despite them been over 40 minuets long is because of the explanations which helps me compare what I play vs what I should play.
I've been desperately searching for an a video that helps me understand the Sicilian. This is perfect! You are quick, concise and explain things clearly. I've been getting my butt kicked and have trouble castling in time, then finding myself in cramped positions, but I'll keep working on it.
I used to play the Dragon with just some idea of the structure and it would still be effective at the beginner levels because of the surprise element of: "wait...Black can attack me back?"
Alex, it's not related but I want you to know you are such a great guy. Your videos are fun to watch and you have superior skill of sharing chess knowledge. Thank you for doing what you are doing. Greetings from Poland my brother! 👏🥇
Just stumbled on your channel. I love how you describe your thought process and possible moves. You helped me understand this position in a way that no other teacher has. I look forward to checking out the rest of your videos. Thank you!
The dragon, kings Indian and the pirc are all similar in setup. If you play one you should know all because it will make you very strong in that department
Thank you so much. As an avid dragon player, my problem was always to find the time to get the second bishop involved and because of this I would often suffer in the later stages. You are an excellent coach because you dont teach lines, but ideas. This video taught me to build up the pawn structure just a bit differently, and never had a problem with the second bishop since.
Top 5 openings for blacks versus E4 : 1- Caro-Kann 2- Caro Kann 3- Caro Kann 4- Caro Kann 5- Sicilian Thanks Alex for your great videos, always very interesting and useful !
I agree to cover this one more. Your videos are great and cover a lot. I have to watch them a couple times and practice but it’s really helped my game.
Good to see your ad on Champion Chess Tour! That should be excellent for your courses and your channel! You got your foot in the door, keep pushing and we'll be seeing you playing with the big dogs soon!
Are you planning to cover this opening like Caro kann cause this looks very interesting... Anyways love your content have been watching and learning from you since almost 8 months
Excuse me, at 18:50, what is the purpose of white’s move Bb3? I am completely missing the point of that move that you are saying to be very standard, can you enlighten me? Thank you!
Just wait...I can already see it now. I'm playing in a tournament to get my final IM norm, making me the oldest player to ever do so, and when they interview me and ask me about the game, where Hans would say "chess speaks for itself," I'm gonna say "Well, the game really came down to that d5 pawn break (16:23)...which I played, obviously, because Alex Banzea told me to." It's gonna be legend-...wait for it...-dary.
Thank you for saying what you said about the main lines and the problem with the fact that at lower elo your opponents almost never play main lines or anything anywhere near the best move outside of move 2 or 3 lol. Typically on free courses I see at most, responses to 2 or 3 of the best moves and it is completely useless when your opponents hardly ever play best moves
love your videos and learn a lot from you. I play the jobava london because of you but would you ever do a video on the best ways to counter that system, i get you cover most counters in your videos and i lose plenty when it gets down to pure chess but is there a really solid counter against it?
question, what is the most terrible looking opening that’s really dangerous and nobody sees it until it’s too late. Like a really rare one that would be totally underestimated?
the Alekhine defense is the highest winrate opening against E4 by far in the elo ranges of around 1500-2200. Often just brushed of as bad, but if white doesnt know what they are doing they are (evidently) screwed.
Re Game 2, 8… d5 has been around a long time. There’s a lot of interesting moves there. Besides d5, another interesting, also not often played move, is e6.
Hey man, im 900, i climbed to 1000 than lost a bit offocus and elo, but i climbed from stuck 850 too 1000 in few days before, i playd ponziani and your opening (maybe not totally like you ) and i have to say it s kind of magical for me , the week i climbed i had like 49 % winrate on the ponziani ... and between 70 and 75 % winning on your opening, too be true i tryed hard much more to learn all the ponziani tricks but i can t remember all the variation and i feel like i kind of trick myself more with it than i trick oponnents, but on this opening i just play always the same maybe 10 moves in a different order and i have good weapon pointed on weaknesses that can be revealed very fast, and if not i have a good game something to exploit to take advantage or at least be equal after 10-15 moves and play and interesting game, so thanks a lot ! (and it feel unstoppable sometimes way below 1700)
Btw i play C5 even after 1D4, my knight C6 blocking the pawn after and i play my moves starting by e6 letting them play with this pawn on c5 trying to protect this even if i don t care that much, and this is working at my elo
@@jefftaylor1186 You said you did the same thing when I said I meet 1.e4 c5 with 2.c4, which is what was played in this video, so we’re having a disconnect here. I guess by “same thing” you mean you play the Botvinik system?
I'ma give him the benefit of the doubt and say he probably always viewed the bishops as male, hence bro's, and realized to late what it did to the metaphor.
@Alexbanzea Which opening you suggest me to climb up ? I'm now at 800+ elo Against E4 caro kann lead me to bad position in endgame, kind a drawish game. Suggest me two or three openings against E4 for black ? And other is for white I think vienna is fine for me, but i can't adjusted to caro kann for black, i watched your every videos of caro, but its not suitable. Suggest me for black and white both to push upto 1500 elo in rapid. Thank you
with an elo of 800 i would suggest as black against e4 the traxler attack and as white you should learn the ponziani. And if you play as black against everything else than e4 -play nimzovic indian.
seems odd to say opening is unstoppable but you seemed to really struggle until the beginning of the endgame. All these openings.... too many variations to try and remember. I just watch to see how many different opinions people have.
@@AlexBanzea -- nah that's the Gurgenidze Variation in the Caro (but transposing from a non-Caro move order), in the acc. dragon it's: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6 Which is neat, because it creates some quirks and can easily catch off-guard a White player who's just calmly playing their usual and predictable Maroczy setup. At least somewhat addresses the main practical problem of the acc. dragon: that while it is extremely easy to learn for Black, the same is true for White. Whereas the Gurgenidze creates a few extra questions White might not immediately know the answer to.
@@roknovak4155 not a huge fan of that because the endgames are not really fun(believe there’s an old Kasparov squeeze that’s still relevant). I only like 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cd 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Be3 Qb6!? (The uzbeks really push this line and they are the biggest experts) of course…asuming you are fine with a quick draw after 7.Nb3 Qd8 8.Nd4
@@AlexBanzea Man plays the (hyper)accelerated dragon, then complains about bad endgames. *shaking my head* 😛 White's pushing a little something in the line you play too though. e.g. Ponkratov-Vakhidov 2021. (I'll stop nerd-spamming now)
Sicilian only works vs 1.e4, it could be alternative if you want something a little more dynamic. So you still need the KID or something else vs 1.d4 & 1.c4/1.Nf3
@@AlexBanzea omg dude -look it up. They have different names for a reason. Transposing at different points allows for different lines… as IM sure you know 😳
"usually beginners would freak out here, kinda looking for a mate. Like, you know, you see a naked girl in your life and you don't know how to approach it..."
The only problem I have with the Dragon is that NO ONE plays the open/main line Sicilian lines under 1500 ELO - most common thing I get by far is people who just pre-move the Italian (where it makes more sense to go with e6 to make Bc4 look silly and go with Taimanov-style plans from there).
I get that a lot too at 1300 but I just play e6 b5 and I have a great win rate against it
Where are these people!? Play the Scandi and pick up a Bishop!
Also noticed that, I’m at high 1600s and I only really started seeing Sicilians at 1500+, now it’s common practice
Generally you can always play g6-Bg7-Nc6-e6-Nge7-short castle-d6/d5 with a good position (when they don’t play open Sicilian)
Yea but u can play the accelerate anyway
"We're going to be playing aggressive, despite the fact I just got a haircut and look like a five year old" - Brilliant.
"Naked girl for the first time" is in one of Alex's courses with strategic approach
Flashback. When I was learning chess (at 9) the sicilian was the first opening I learned. And it was thought badly to me. Part of the reason why I quit. This is so much better Alex! Thanks.
Funny thing, my first sicilian was Dragon, but because I didn't really get it, I switched to Najdorf and played it for 10 years lol.
@@AlexBanzea Just started learning it this week, having a blast!
first few days was the worst, i cant even grasp it.
I guess sicilian hyper/dragon just grows as you try to play with it
thanks for the video too mate, learned a lot
The haircut joke was spot on. Didn't even realize it until you said it. Don't worry, I looked like I was 5 years old until I was 35. You are going to age well.
4:09 🤨
The main reason why I love these videos despite them been over 40 minuets long is because of the explanations which helps me compare what I play vs what I should play.
So happy you're finally covering this. If you cover the dragon in as much depth as the London or Caro I'lll be so happy!!
I just used your caro-kann opening trap against the fantasy variation and won in 7 moves!!! That pushed me onto the leaderboards 🤩
I've been desperately searching for an a video that helps me understand the Sicilian. This is perfect! You are quick, concise and explain things clearly. I've been getting my butt kicked and have trouble castling in time, then finding myself in cramped positions, but I'll keep working on it.
There is a detailed video by someone else too
Search Sicilian opening and it's a whole playlist
Levy: “Don’t play the Sicilian if you are below 2000
Alex: “And I took that personally“
I used to play the Dragon with just some idea of the structure and it would still be effective at the beginner levels because of the surprise element of: "wait...Black can attack me back?"
Thanks!
thank you! too kind
Subscribe to my second channel: th-cam.com/channels/g-GZX87CRP5o4qzXvvcl-Q.html
I guess @ "accuracy" better; that's the extent of My expertise. TYSM 4 the vids.
Alex, it's not related but I want you to know you are such a great guy. Your videos are fun to watch and you have superior skill of sharing chess knowledge. Thank you for doing what you are doing. Greetings from Poland my brother! 👏🥇
Just stumbled on your channel. I love how you describe your thought process and possible moves. You helped me understand this position in a way that no other teacher has. I look forward to checking out the rest of your videos. Thank you!
Whenever Alex presents an opening: yeah this really works if you are in [insert bracket containing 99% of the playerbase] 🤣
don't expose me! haha
"We're gonna double-up on the bubble-up!" lmao
ben finegold saying
The dragon, kings Indian and the pirc are all similar in setup. If you play one you should know all because it will make you very strong in that department
When I’m in a changing video title competition and my opponent is Alex Banzea 😨😨😨
Thank you so much. As an avid dragon player, my problem was always to find the time to get the second bishop involved and because of this I would often suffer in the later stages. You are an excellent coach because you dont teach lines, but ideas. This video taught me to build up the pawn structure just a bit differently, and never had a problem with the second bishop since.
Top 5 openings for blacks versus E4 :
1- Caro-Kann
2- Caro Kann
3- Caro Kann
4- Caro Kann
5- Sicilian
Thanks Alex for your great videos, always very interesting and useful !
4:08 Big black CENTER yeah ok I get it
I agree to cover this one more. Your videos are great and cover a lot. I have to watch them a couple times and practice but it’s really helped my game.
Good to see your ad on Champion Chess Tour! That should be excellent for your courses and your channel! You got your foot in the door, keep pushing and we'll be seeing you playing with the big dogs soon!
Really? Now I have to watch the full broadcast haha, thank you!
Are you planning to cover this opening like Caro kann cause this looks very interesting...
Anyways love your content have been watching and learning from you since almost 8 months
if you guys really like it...yes!
Do it now.....@@AlexBanzea
please do it
Excuse me, at 18:50, what is the purpose of white’s move Bb3? I am completely missing the point of that move that you are saying to be very standard, can you enlighten me? Thank you!
it's to avoid Nxe4-d5 ideas, good question!
Please make more videos on the (hyper)accelerated dragon. I really enjoyed this video and learned a lot from it.
Thank you, This is a nice overview which helps me a lot.
d7-d5 against the white construct with Bc4 and Bb3 is a very interesting novelty, and I'm impatient to try it
Love your videos. My favourite chess videos on YT. Keep up the excellent work! ❤
That was a quality lesson, I feel like a learnt a lot. I always suspected Alapin players had no friends ;)
Just wait...I can already see it now.
I'm playing in a tournament to get my final IM norm, making me the oldest player to ever do so, and when they interview me and ask me about the game, where Hans would say "chess speaks for itself," I'm gonna say "Well, the game really came down to that d5 pawn break (16:23)...which I played, obviously, because Alex Banzea told me to."
It's gonna be legend-...wait for it...-dary.
I find you so wholesome and relaxing ❤️
The hyperaccelerated dragon is unstoppable even belown 2100 elo.
Thank you for saying what you said about the main lines and the problem with the fact that at lower elo your opponents almost never play main lines or anything anywhere near the best move outside of move 2 or 3 lol. Typically on free courses I see at most, responses to 2 or 3 of the best moves and it is completely useless when your opponents hardly ever play best moves
Thank you very much Alex I was looking for some theory of this line.
At last, sicilian from Alex. Thank You!!!
Hi Alex, At 42:13 I liked 5.... e6 with the idea of Ne7, and d5. What do you think of that plan? Thanks!
Been waiting(hoping) for this... Thank you Alex!
Here for the funny chess man
Have caro for 1.e4, what do you recommend for 1.d4?
love your videos and learn a lot from you. I play the jobava london because of you but would you ever do a video on the best ways to counter that system, i get you cover most counters in your videos and i lose plenty when it gets down to pure chess but is there a really solid counter against it?
question, what is the most terrible looking opening that’s really dangerous and nobody sees it until it’s too late. Like a really rare one that would be totally underestimated?
the Alekhine defense is the highest winrate opening against E4 by far in the elo ranges of around 1500-2200. Often just brushed of as bad, but if white doesnt know what they are doing they are (evidently) screwed.
You’re the guy on the Belenkaya channel! Man that game was awesome !
Re Game 2, 8… d5 has been around a long time. There’s a lot of interesting moves there. Besides d5, another interesting, also not often played move, is e6.
Much love and support bro Banzea! Now em gonna implement this opening along with my main Taimanov from Aman Hamton: the Chessbrah extraordinaire/
The Dragon is an interesting try for Black, but can we please get more coverage of the London systems?
Only on my passes 🙈🤳
BBC 😂😂clever. The jokes are always A1!
Hey man, im 900, i climbed to 1000 than lost a bit offocus and elo, but i climbed from stuck 850 too 1000 in few days before, i playd ponziani and your opening (maybe not totally like you ) and i have to say it s kind of magical for me , the week i climbed i had like 49 % winrate on the ponziani ... and between 70 and 75 % winning on your opening, too be true i tryed hard much more to learn all the ponziani tricks but i can t remember all the variation and i feel like i kind of trick myself more with it than i trick oponnents, but on this opening i just play always the same maybe 10 moves in a different order and i have good weapon pointed on weaknesses that can be revealed very fast, and if not i have a good game something to exploit to take advantage or at least be equal after 10-15 moves and play and interesting game, so thanks a lot ! (and it feel unstoppable sometimes way below 1700)
Btw i play C5 even after 1D4, my knight C6 blocking the pawn after and i play my moves starting by e6 letting them play with this pawn on c5 trying to protect this even if i don t care that much, and this is working at my elo
Can u pls make a video about the taimanov for black? Really love ur in depth analysis and vibes :)
In case he takes the D pawn with the queen, what do you do after that, with the G pawn already to G6?
I’ve broken 1000 elo with Karo and London.. I am ready for this upcoming Vienna and Dragon speed run and/or course for 2024.
Your explanation is the best, keep going ❤
This time i am done with my Homework so now your Video is Not procrastination, it's a pleasure ❤
Can we please have a play list on this opening
You look at least nine years old with that sharp haircut.
Plz make videos on The Accelerated Dragon.
Thanks Alex!
Best teacher I watched your Jobava and got addicted
I’ve used the 2.c4 move as a way to go to the Botvinik English set up. It’s an interesting move order, as it leads to a bane Black isn’t expecting.
I do the same thing. I’ll even do it against 1…c6 doing the “accelerated panov” and then just doing the Botvinnik English system
@@jefftaylor1186 I do it against 1… e5 as well. Do you do that too? Against 1…c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 is interesting, as 3…de 4.Ng5 is tricky.
@@ewallt well if I see 1…e5, I probably already went 1.c4. I don’t play 1.e4
@@jefftaylor1186 You said you did the same thing when I said I meet 1.e4 c5 with 2.c4, which is what was played in this video, so we’re having a disconnect here. I guess by “same thing” you mean you play the Botvinik system?
@@ewallt
Yeah, I guess lol
did alex make a speedrun in this opening? and is it better than the caro?
Anyway you can do a video on how to play 1.d4,b6???
What are the differences in accelerated dragon vs regular dragon games? Seems identical to me
I explained in the video! Castling long is no longer great for white vs accelerated
Alex, love all the jobava videos! I keep going back to this one though, I wish you showed us more d5 sicilians! Please re-visit this if you can 🥺
Thank you awesome!!!
More videos please like you did for the Caro Kann!
Thanks!
"He is stuck like step bro." 💀
😂😂
I'ma give him the benefit of the doubt and say he probably always viewed the bishops as male, hence bro's, and realized to late what it did to the metaphor.
The subtle difference between the accelerated and the hyper accelerated is 2.g6 is the hyper accelerated and 2. Nc6 is the accelerated.
Hi Alex, are you going to publish a dragon course? :D
I've been hoping for a dragon video
You are a Legend!
Where's all the D4 openings for black
Great Video ❤ much luv
@Alexbanzea
Which opening you suggest me to climb up ?
I'm now at 800+ elo
Against E4 caro kann lead me to bad position in endgame, kind a drawish game.
Suggest me two or three openings against E4 for black ?
And other is for white
I think vienna is fine for me, but i can't adjusted to caro kann for black, i watched your every videos of caro, but its not suitable.
Suggest me for black and white both to push upto 1500 elo in rapid. Thank you
with an elo of 800 i would suggest as black against e4 the traxler attack and as white you should learn the ponziani. And if you play as black against everything else than e4 -play nimzovic indian.
Wow,I was waiting for this,my beloved acc dragon
seems odd to say opening is unstoppable but you seemed to really struggle until the beginning of the endgame. All these openings.... too many variations to try and remember. I just watch to see how many different opinions people have.
Did the "5 years old" mention a "naked girl" and "how to approach it" to mate"?
This truly, the age of wonders! 🤔
Please do another video like this! Maybe even a rating climb please! Thank you! 👍
You need to teach the kids the Gurgenidze Variation of the Accelerated Dragon for extra trickiness (and soundness) points! :)
What’s that like? I knew the gurgenidze as 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6
@@AlexBanzea -- nah that's the Gurgenidze Variation in the Caro (but transposing from a non-Caro move order), in the acc. dragon it's: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6
Which is neat, because it creates some quirks and can easily catch off-guard a White player who's just calmly playing their usual and predictable Maroczy setup. At least somewhat addresses the main practical problem of the acc. dragon: that while it is extremely easy to learn for Black, the same is true for White. Whereas the Gurgenidze creates a few extra questions White might not immediately know the answer to.
@@roknovak4155 not a huge fan of that because the endgames are not really fun(believe there’s an old Kasparov squeeze that’s still relevant). I only like 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cd 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Be3 Qb6!? (The uzbeks really push this line and they are the biggest experts) of course…asuming you are fine with a quick draw after 7.Nb3 Qd8 8.Nd4
@@AlexBanzea Man plays the (hyper)accelerated dragon, then complains about bad endgames. *shaking my head* 😛
White's pushing a little something in the line you play too though. e.g. Ponkratov-Vakhidov 2021. (I'll stop nerd-spamming now)
@@roknovak4155 it is, but at least you don’t need to remember 1000 moves to survive 😂🙈
Alex the TH-cam GOAT is back! Would you recommend dragon Sicilian over KID & karo? At my level probably doesn't matter hah anyways, Thank you!
Sicilian only works vs 1.e4, it could be alternative if you want something a little more dynamic. So you still need the KID or something else vs 1.d4 & 1.c4/1.Nf3
big banzea back on the case
Would love to see more games in this opening 😎
Whats BBC?
Here we go Alex Banzea to second channnel transfer confirmed
Do some Italian with white as well!
Stuck like a step bro?? AYO 26:40
Want more videos on this opening
bro i'm playing Carokann i'm not learning a new opening against e4
Do we have more dragon a channel?
Isn’t e4 c5 Nf3 g6 the Hyperaccelerated Dragon?
What's the accelerated then? hmmmmm
The accelerated dragon is 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6
@@davidsandrock7826 what’s the difference? It’s not like you ever delay nc6 avoiding the transposition
@@AlexBanzea omg dude -look it up. They have different names for a reason. Transposing at different points allows for different lines… as IM sure you know 😳
@@AlexBanzea Dragon : Accelerated Dragon : Hyperaccelerated Dragon - different names for a reason
"usually beginners would freak out here, kinda looking for a mate. Like, you know, you see a naked girl in your life and you don't know how to approach it..."
BBC that sounds like this is my game from now on :D
Would love yo see you play Danya as black against the Alapin...hes a pretty big proponent of it.
Great content
"like seeing a naked girl for the first time" You Alex are the most entertaining on Chess Tuber !
How come I am still a 700 while I get 75 accuracy?
Can you please make more videos on AD plz? love ur content
Please, more videos about Sicilian Dragon.
4:13 💀