Akobian the greatest chess coach and teacher. He has a simple, direct and patient way to instruct that inspires anyone to become a better chess player. Congratulations! GM Akobian.
On the last endgame I already calculated it playing c7 immediately, so when he said you needed to play a waiting move first I got frustrated trying to find what option black would have to stop stalemate if you didn't play the waiting. But nope, it was completely pointless and the waiting move wasn't needed.
Slight error in Battis' third line: If 1.Kc7 b6 ( If 2.Kxb6 then ... Kb8 allows black to escape the box in the corner and now its mate in 22) 2.a4! Ka7 3.b3 h5 4.a5 bxa5 5.b6+ Ka6 6.b7 & various mates in 2. For Example 6... Kb5 7.b8Q+ 8. Ka6 b5#
I think that in the endgame with the stalemate Kc7 also works.I am pretty sure Kc8 or Kc7 or Kd7.All these 3 moves make draw.I don't understand the point of Kd7.Why not Kc7 straight away?
in the study Kc7 still works right? 1. Kc7 h5 2. Kb6 h4 3. Ka5 h3 4. b6 h2 5. b5 h1=Q 6. a4 and b4 is next no matter what white does. 1... Ka7 2. b6+ Ka8 3. a4 h5 4. a5 h4 5. a6 bxa6 6. b7+ Ka7 7. b8=Q 1... b6 2. Kxb6 h5 3. a4 h4 4. Kc7 h3 5. b6 h2 6. b7+ Ka7 7. b8=Q+ Ka6 8. Qa8 When he showed Kd7 I rechecked my calculations and Kd7 seems much harder to calculate.
More more more from GM Gru!!! Keep waiting for him to say: "And once the moon is mine, the world will give me whatever I want to get it back, and I will be the greatest villain of all time! That's what I'M talking 'bout exclam " Very Suspicious.
READ THIS, SAINT LOUIS: We amateurs never have equal or slightly better endgames. We have positions where one side is much better. Nevertheless it can end in all three results. Therefor it would be nice and much more helpful if you showed us how to win position where one side is much better. Even if one side has a piece more, its difficult to win for many of us. If i have a bishop, a rook and 4 pawns, and my opponent has a rook and 4 pawns, its not unusual for me to lose or draw it. Videos of totally basic planning in endgames where one side is much, much better would be super helpful! Thanks in advance! I love ur vids
Start by studying the most basic endgames, such as rook+king vs king, two bishops vs king, and knight and bishop vs king; this will help you learn some very basic patterns in the endgame and will often give you the opportunity to simplify into an endgame you are familiar with. Another good rule to follow is "when your behind in material trade pawns not pieces, and when you are up in material trade pieces, not pawns." This is because trading pawns complicates the position making it harder for the player that's ahead to keep their advantage and gives the player that's behind more opinions to stalemate or win back material. While trading pieces simplifies the position and makes it easier to push and promote pawns.You may also want to study tactics puzzles in a book or at sites like chesstempo to develop more pattern recognition so you don't blunder during a easy endgame.
If you lose endings where you're up a piece without any compensation for your opponent, that's not because of your lack of endgame technique, but because of one (or more) severe blunder(s). Accordingly, you should mainly work on your calculation / "blunder avoidance" rather than studying endgames. Unfortunately, there is no known method to stop blundering completely, but it usually gets less and little as your experience grows. ;)
Oh here is something else that might help. Play correspondence games, these will give you all the time you need to look over a position, so use it, prepare and write down a mental checklist to go through before making a move. For example: [ ] What is my opponents last move trying to accomplish or threatening? [ ] Is my king safe? [ ] What pawns and pieces are being attacked, are any of them hanging or being attacked more times than they are defended? [ ] Are any pieces pined or can be pined? What about overworked? [ ] What are my pieces attacking, is there any way I can win material, or simplify a position when ahead? [ ] Do I have any checks against my opponents king that also accomplishes a goal or creates a advantage? [ ] Are any of my pieces not accomplishing anything and how can I improve them? What about week squares I can use as outposts for my pieces? [ ] Can I put more pressure on my opponents pieces? [ ] What is the pawn structure like? Are there any doubled or backwards pawns, or passed pawns? Is there anyway I can create a passed pawn or weaken my opponents pawns? [ ] If I have a passed pawn how can I push it? If my opponent has a passed pawn how can I blockade it? [ ] What side of the board should I be playing on? There are plenty more, just add anything that you might overlook. Also analyse your games afterwards! If you blundered figure out why and how you can avoid making a similar mistake in the future.
I agree, playing correspondence is a great way to improve your chess nowadays. (And it's much easier to find opponents online for correspondence games than it is for regular long time controls.)
Typical Var lesson, he is a really awesome coach! Very Instructive, interesting and fun to watch as usual!
Akobian the greatest chess coach and teacher. He has a simple, direct and patient way to instruct that inspires anyone to become a better chess player. Congratulations! GM Akobian.
Thx for sharing this with us
More from Var please
Another amazing material from Var. More videos, please.
10:35 Suksuan? Where did you learn German?
Bokkie Darko Var, you are the best. Only check the German pronounciation of this term. Keep up the good work! I like your lessons very much!
C'mon! For me, Akobian's pronounciation of "Zugzwang" is always one of the highlights of his lectures. :D
32:52 Kc7 I think also forces draw as well as Kd7
Excellent lecture Var !!! Loved it !!
Great video. I love how that drawing puzzle combined both rook file self stalemate ideas and the famous Reti idea.
On the last endgame I already calculated it playing c7 immediately, so when he said you needed to play a waiting move first I got frustrated trying to find what option black would have to stop stalemate if you didn't play the waiting. But nope, it was completely pointless and the waiting move wasn't needed.
8:47 Kf2 straight away its mate..
ops, my bad...
Thanks you very much, amazing video! GM akobian is the best!!
Slight error in Battis' third line:
If 1.Kc7 b6 ( If 2.Kxb6 then ... Kb8 allows black to escape the box in the corner and now its mate in 22) 2.a4! Ka7 3.b3 h5 4.a5 bxa5 5.b6+ Ka6 6.b7 & various mates in 2. For Example 6... Kb5 7.b8Q+ 8. Ka6 b5#
Thanks for pointing this out, I didn't bother calculating that line since kxb6 was already winning, but that is a much quicker option.
if b6 its mate in 5
8:30 - why dont
RXF1
and winning
Peri Feue cause...RxF1+. KxF1 ,NE3+ .KE2 you are down a rook
amazing work, great teacher!
very good explanations by akobian!
Best chess teacher!
he's look like topalov...
hurray akobian is back
I think that in the endgame with the stalemate Kc7 also works.I am pretty sure Kc8 or Kc7 or Kd7.All these 3 moves make draw.I don't understand the point of Kd7.Why not Kc7 straight away?
Give us more of Ben Finegold,enjoying his lectures and the best sense for humor *head shaking*
Danilo Pejovic Check out his yt channel
I fucking love Var. Such a great style of play and an amazing teacher as well!
Kf3 instead of Kg4
Wow! That was an amazing combination!
I always wonder if he's just drinking or kissing the bottle ...
exclaim*
Topalov staring at me all the time :D
in the study Kc7 still works right?
1. Kc7 h5 2. Kb6 h4 3. Ka5 h3 4. b6 h2 5. b5
h1=Q 6. a4 and b4 is next no matter what white does.
1... Ka7 2. b6+ Ka8 3. a4 h5 4.
a5 h4 5. a6 bxa6 6. b7+ Ka7 7. b8=Q
1... b6 2. Kxb6 h5 3. a4 h4 4. Kc7 h3 5.
b6 h2 6. b7+ Ka7 7. b8=Q+ Ka6 8. Qa8
When he showed Kd7 I rechecked my calculations and Kd7 seems much harder to calculate.
7:40 better knight wins :))
Topalov photobomb
EXCLAM O Biatch. :(
Var is the best
More more more from GM Gru!!!
Keep waiting for him to say:
"And once the moon is mine, the world will give me whatever I want to get it back, and I will be the greatest villain of all time! That's what I'M talking 'bout exclam "
Very Suspicious.
READ THIS, SAINT LOUIS:
We amateurs never have equal or slightly better endgames. We have positions where one side is much better. Nevertheless it can end in all three results.
Therefor it would be nice and much more helpful if you showed us how to win position where one side is much better. Even if one side has a piece more, its difficult to win for many of us.
If i have a bishop, a rook and 4 pawns, and my opponent has a rook and 4 pawns, its not unusual for me to lose or draw it.
Videos of totally basic planning in endgames where one side is much, much better would be super helpful!
Thanks in advance! I love ur vids
Trond-Arne Ausdal Even I want these type of videos too. GM's refer to it as "It's just a matter of technique" to win a winning position.
Start by studying the most basic endgames, such as rook+king vs king, two bishops vs king, and knight and bishop vs king; this will help you learn some very basic patterns in the endgame and will often give you the opportunity to simplify into an endgame you are familiar with. Another good rule to follow is "when your behind in material trade pawns not pieces, and when you are up in material trade pieces, not pawns." This is because trading pawns complicates the position making it harder for the player that's ahead to keep their advantage and gives the player that's behind more opinions to stalemate or win back material. While trading pieces simplifies the position and makes it easier to push and promote pawns.You may also want to study tactics puzzles in a book or at sites like chesstempo to develop more pattern recognition so you don't blunder during a easy endgame.
If you lose endings where you're up a piece without any compensation for your opponent, that's not because of your lack of endgame technique, but because of one (or more) severe blunder(s). Accordingly, you should mainly work on your calculation / "blunder avoidance" rather than studying endgames.
Unfortunately, there is no known method to stop blundering completely, but it usually gets less and little as your experience grows. ;)
Oh here is something else that might help. Play correspondence games, these will give you all the time you need to look over a position, so use it, prepare and write down a mental checklist to go through before making a move.
For example:
[ ] What is my opponents last move trying to accomplish or threatening?
[ ] Is my king safe?
[ ] What pawns and pieces are being attacked, are any of them hanging or being attacked more times than they are defended?
[ ] Are any pieces pined or can be pined? What about overworked?
[ ] What are my pieces attacking, is there any way I can win material, or simplify a position when ahead?
[ ] Do I have any checks against my opponents king that also accomplishes a goal or creates a advantage?
[ ] Are any of my pieces not accomplishing anything and how can I improve them? What about week squares I can use as outposts for my pieces?
[ ] Can I put more pressure on my opponents pieces?
[ ] What is the pawn structure like? Are there any doubled or backwards pawns, or passed pawns? Is there anyway I can create a passed pawn or weaken my opponents pawns?
[ ] If I have a passed pawn how can I push it? If my opponent has a passed pawn how can I blockade it?
[ ] What side of the board should I be playing on?
There are plenty more, just add anything that you might overlook. Also analyse your games afterwards! If you blundered figure out why and how you can avoid making a similar mistake in the future.
I agree, playing correspondence is a great way to improve your chess nowadays.
(And it's much easier to find opponents online for correspondence games than it is for regular long time controls.)