Hey. Just wanted to let you know that I think you are doing an absolutely fantastic job here. The way you explain things is sheer class. I can really see the Daniel Naroditsky influence in terms of the extremely clear and logical way you explain your ideas. He is my absolute favourite teacher of chess. In terms of your understanding you appear to be able to reach a far higher rating than 2000. All in all however you are right up there with the best in terms of your communication of ideas. You are an absolute joy to follow. I wish you every success with your own improvement and also your channel. Well done 🙏👍
Hey man I really do appreciate the kind words. I was absolutely inspired by Danya and felt like I could be a Danya for lower rated players trying to get closer to that 2000 goal. I hope you continue to enjoy the videos and hopefully I can keep climbing that rating. I love making these videos and knowing people genuinely benefit from watching them. Thank you mate
Love your commentary and game walkthrough. You bring a very articulate but simple to understand way of thinking about the game. Keep it up, appreciate it brotha
Wow. Learned so much from your thought process. I've had that exact position, getting squeezed on the queen side in the advance caro... Very instructional on how to think it through, work with limited space, use the queen to blockade and not get overrun. Cheers 💪
Glad it was useful mate and hopefully, you will find my many other Caro videos equally useful :) These kinds of positions can be tough to figure out the best plans in because of the lack of space and sometimes misguided desire to just trade everything
A very instructive game for me! I mention the stubborn defense of the c-file and the maneuvers to activate the knight on the king side (reaching e4 finally) which impressed me the most. Just a note: at 9:33, Qd3 not only unpinned the queen, but threatened Nxd5 too. It's a tactics worth being aware when your knight is on f5 .
mmm I didn't notice that, tbh I often overlook those tactics so shame on me, good spot! Yeah I love positions like in this game where I can constrict my opponent and crush any counterplay - I just enjoy positions like that so much!
@ChessCenturion Funnily enough, in an earlier video you have spotted the exact same tactics (sacrificing on d5 to get the f5 knight) which I missed then... 🙂. This game is remarkable also by the fact that your opponent did not make an apparent blunder, but you slowly took the initiative.
Great game from you, and I would say white played very well for their rating. Of course the computer had superior insight into the most precise ways to convert but I was thinking about exactly the same moves as you the whole time. Imo it's a good rule of thumb not to create chaos in these positional advanced variation positions by sacrificing two pieces for a rook to get a couple of passed pawns because you're giving your opponent an opportunity to outplay you when you could just slowly squeeze like you did in the game.
Yeah white did have a good game but tbf, the rapid rating ladder is incredibly underrated in general. Yeah I agree with that, definitely comes down to preferred playstyle in some ways but I just didn't wanna give him a single chance, obviously the computer will see something subjectively scary like the open f file and just not care but we have to play like humans imo. How's chess been since you were last active on the channel bro?
At 38:36 after Rc3 Threat RxN after Qb2 RxN, when after the exchanges I believe black has a winning ending, with Re2, or maybe Ra2. In analysis white can still hold out for a few moves after a2 with g5 with a mt threat hg h6 threating mt again but then Kh6 and it is over.
@ChessCenturion Well, white takes your knight too. The line goes Qb1 Rc3 Qb2 RXN QXR RXQ RXQ then Ra2 followed RxP but white gets the b pawn but blacks rook is better and black should win.
Interesting game. For your game plan of getting the knight to e4 you mention that the only access is g5 but interestingly later you picked up that the e5 pawn was tactically pinned. So you could have routed your knight to e4 via f6 instead.
Great game. Many of your opponents just play too fast and you use your time very well. Being a OTB classical tournament player will give you that kind of discipline and advantage
@ChessCenturion No, the 2000 World Open was my last OTB chess. Had a good paying job with weekends off, so I could afford to travel and play. Florida had great chess tournaments. Now I just play a little online, do mostly puzzles and watch good content like your channel.
Another great video man. I’m currently 1400 elo but a bit rusty because I came back after a long break a month ago or so and I’ve noticed my tactics and general thought process is very disorganised/slower. Do you think switching from 10+0 to 15+10 time control would help? Obviously along with doing lots of puzzles. Never tried any other time control ever lol
Yeah I would suggest playing with increment in general if you're trying to improve - even like a 5+3 - puzzles are always helpful too of course. It's like working out when you take a break and get back into it imo, you'll get back to where you were very fast
This was an extremely sharp game, I’m 1000 elo, and have very much difficulty with sharp games, but I have a lot of processing power potential, how do you think I can get better with positions like this, and out think my opponent like you did against the white pieces?
Sorry what do you mean by processing power? To get better at these kind of games it definitely helps to literally just watch TH-cam videos of people explaining their thoughts (not just a self-plug, people like hanging pawns and Naroditsky are great at this too) as well as analysing your own games and seeing why the computer wants what it wants. It's tricky to understand sharp positional games (which I would class this as) but it can be done
@ChessCenturion Thank you man, also I'm going to be watching you to learn about sharp games and their strategies, you explain it best, you are very well articulate and entertaining, by processing power, I mean I have great potential to becoming skilled at sharp games but it will require countless hours and experience
@ChessCenturion I am a similar OTB rating as you. Find your games really interesting and instructive. We think a little differently especially candidate moves so great to get someone else's perspective.
Dude that's the same with literally any opening, don't be put off my complications but understand the ideas behind the complications to make it more simple for you
@ChessCenturion Stjepan (Hanging Pawns) made a video a couple of days ago where he showed the refutation, you probably know it already but i think he explained it very well so there may be a couple of things you don't already know there
Have you ever faced the endgame offer e4 c6 nf3 d5 d3? This is the line I have been playing successfully for months, tricking black into an objectively worse endgame with little counterplay, despite seeming totally equal. Good game though👍
Yeah I've faced it loads surprisingly, I used to accept and hated my life so now I just play e5 and try to punish white for d3 by taking a massive centre
Bro Gotham is fun dont get me wrong, But I really like your style of teaching and you taking us through each move ; giving your thoughts out loud. I learn a few layers deeper with your content. Thanks for posting and teaching us
@ Against the 'classical' Caro Kann I just play the mainline. e4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3 dxe4* Nxe4* Bf5 Ng3 Bg6 h4. You know the deal. However, against e4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3 dxe4* Nxe4* Nf6, I play an unusual move which is Qd3. The majority of players play Nxe4 Qxe4 Nd7 Nf3 Nf6 Qf4 Bg4, which may look natural, but after Ne5 Bh5 Qh4, white is doing really well. I've never really gotten a bad position from that line.
Mmmm yeah those strange moves after Nf6 can be quite good for white as I never really knew how to deal with them, hence looking more into the Gurgenidze system
Caro Kann is unstoppable only because people are much less familiar with it. Give it one more decade and people will know how to destroy it. Scilian defense started in the 1500s. Caro Kann started in the 1800s.
@ChessCenturion Bobby Fischer once said chess is all about memories. If you have a better memory and are more prepared than your opponents in playing an opening, you are more likely to win the game. Something like music is also about pattern and memory. So, the younger you learn it while your memory is still very good, the better you will be in chess and music. Sicilian is a much older opening and is much more analyzed, so naturally people know more about its "patterns".
😒 yet another player advocating this opening over a Sicilian, when the Sicilian is a much stronger response to 1.e4... The Caro-Kann is a TOUGH opening to master. (If not THE toughest). After 1...c6, White has 21 good moves that they can play... Of those nine "bad moves", 5 of them are playable for White (the last playable move is the bong cloud). How in the world do you expect to master a defense, when White can play ANYTHING and maintain an advantage over you because they can lead you down 1 of MANY sharp tactical lines that you won't be prepared for. At least, the Sicilian can make White back pedal because they'll have to choose their poison and you get to be in the driverseat dictating what you want out of White's position. And depending on which Sicilian you want to play, chances are White isn't going to know what you're up to..
I disagree. White can adopt tonnes of setups against the Caro Kann and the Sicilian but i think the Caro is way more simple for black to play compared to the Sicilian
@ChessCenturion I agree that the Caro-Kann is simpler to learn because there are many open and closed sicilians to choose from. However, that is one of the benefits that Caro-Kann doesn't have: more speciation. Caro-Kann mainline theory doesn't cover nearly a fraction of the posibilities that exist after 1...c6. It covers the heavy hitters like 2. d4, 2. Nf3, etc. But there are several novelty choices that haven't been explored all too much by human masters. (I've seen one played before in an OTB tournament and it completely devastated the CK player because the move wasn't in their theory but it was strong move).
@ChessCenturion I play the Nimzo Sicilian because it has only 4 variations (unless they play the alapin, Smith-morra, or they're dumb enough to play the Bowdler attack). But my best defense by far is 1...c6... I'm 1900 and I have a 52% winrate as Black after 2.d4 But that's because I don't play any mainline CK theory. I transpose into 1 of 4 other defenses that I know benefit from c6 and I get into my defense and hold it long enough for white to make a wrong move, and I punish them. my overall point, CK suffers from early deviation from theory, but benefits from the fact that that CK theory exists because if you initiate the deviation, your opponent will be confused. Sicilians don't have this weakness because you can play anything you want and not be at White's mercy.
Hey. Just wanted to let you know that I think you are doing an absolutely fantastic job here. The way you explain things is sheer class. I can really see the Daniel Naroditsky influence in terms of the extremely clear and logical way you explain your ideas. He is my absolute favourite teacher of chess. In terms of your understanding you appear to be able to reach a far higher rating than 2000. All in all however you are right up there with the best in terms of your communication of ideas. You are an absolute joy to follow. I wish you every success with your own improvement and also your channel. Well done 🙏👍
Hey man I really do appreciate the kind words. I was absolutely inspired by Danya and felt like I could be a Danya for lower rated players trying to get closer to that 2000 goal. I hope you continue to enjoy the videos and hopefully I can keep climbing that rating. I love making these videos and knowing people genuinely benefit from watching them. Thank you mate
17...Na7 was a losing mistake, Bxa3 was the best move. Knights should almost never go backwards!
Well it wasn't losing though, Bxa3 makes sense but it's hard to justify even with winning the 2 pawns
Your commentary was extremely helpful! Getting your knight to e4 was an idea I would never have thought of, awesome content
Thanks man, Ne4 wasn't necessarily the only plan but felt like a pretty unstoppable long term idea. Hope you learned a lot!
Love your commentary and game walkthrough. You bring a very articulate but simple to understand way of thinking about the game. Keep it up, appreciate it brotha
Thanks man, hope you can continue learning from my videos :)
Wow. Learned so much from your thought process. I've had that exact position, getting squeezed on the queen side in the advance caro... Very instructional on how to think it through, work with limited space, use the queen to blockade and not get overrun.
Cheers 💪
Glad it was useful mate and hopefully, you will find my many other Caro videos equally useful :) These kinds of positions can be tough to figure out the best plans in because of the lack of space and sometimes misguided desire to just trade everything
Solid video, you talking the whole time helps a lot. I learned so much already
Awesome bro! Make sure you check out the previous videos too :)
A very instructive game for me! I mention the stubborn defense of the c-file and the maneuvers to activate the knight on the king side (reaching e4 finally) which impressed me the most. Just a note: at 9:33, Qd3 not only unpinned the queen, but threatened Nxd5 too. It's a tactics worth being aware when your knight is on f5 .
mmm I didn't notice that, tbh I often overlook those tactics so shame on me, good spot! Yeah I love positions like in this game where I can constrict my opponent and crush any counterplay - I just enjoy positions like that so much!
@ChessCenturion Funnily enough, in an earlier video you have spotted the exact same tactics (sacrificing on d5 to get the f5 knight) which I missed then... 🙂. This game is remarkable also by the fact that your opponent did not make an apparent blunder, but you slowly took the initiative.
Yeah I like that about the Caro, you can slowly outplay your opponents positionally with little risk which definitely suits my playstyle
Nice game! I was waiting for that Qc4-e2 idea in the game review. Counterattack!
Yeah I think I get a bit too tunnel visioned sometimes - working on it!
This is an amazing video, love it, excited to watch more in the future
Thanks mate, make sure you check out the previous episodes if you're new to the channel!
@ChessCenturion Definitely am!
Really enjoyed watching and getting your thoughts on each move. Thanks
Love to hear it man, plenty more where that came from!
Great game from you, and I would say white played very well for their rating. Of course the computer had superior insight into the most precise ways to convert but I was thinking about exactly the same moves as you the whole time. Imo it's a good rule of thumb not to create chaos in these positional advanced variation positions by sacrificing two pieces for a rook to get a couple of passed pawns because you're giving your opponent an opportunity to outplay you when you could just slowly squeeze like you did in the game.
Yeah white did have a good game but tbf, the rapid rating ladder is incredibly underrated in general. Yeah I agree with that, definitely comes down to preferred playstyle in some ways but I just didn't wanna give him a single chance, obviously the computer will see something subjectively scary like the open f file and just not care but we have to play like humans imo. How's chess been since you were last active on the channel bro?
@ChessCenturion it's actually been quite good! Currently at my rapid rating peak because I've been on a roll recently
Hell yeah man, great to have u back
Good to see another Caro Kann video.
You finding much success with the Caro?
@ChessCenturion If my opponent cooperates it does prove effective.
By cooperates you mean?
@ChessCenturion If I want to play the Caro Kann and an f3 gambit is used welll what can I do.
Yeah I get u, you kinda have to accept it mostly
At 38:36 after Rc3 Threat RxN after Qb2 RxN, when after the exchanges I believe black has a winning ending, with Re2, or maybe Ra2.
In analysis white can still hold out for a few moves after a2 with g5 with a mt threat hg h6 threating mt again but then Kh6 and it is over.
I suppose if I move the knight than that threat is very strong since I'll be up a piece at the end of the line - very nice spot!
@ChessCenturion Well, white takes your knight too. The line goes Qb1 Rc3 Qb2 RXN QXR RXQ RXQ then Ra2 followed RxP but white gets the b pawn but blacks rook is better and black should win.
Roberto always with the incredibly interesting and informative comments 😎😎
Interesting game. For your game plan of getting the knight to e4 you mention that the only access is g5 but interestingly later you picked up that the e5 pawn was tactically pinned. So you could have routed your knight to e4 via f6 instead.
Yeah I did tunnel vision a little bit on that tbf - may have been quicker but tbf I don't think time was too much of an issue
Great video. But where is this B Free square you kept mentioning? Lol
Hahaha well if it's free u might as well grab it right
Great game. Many of your opponents just play too fast and you use your time very well. Being a OTB classical tournament player will give you that kind of discipline and advantage
Yeah OTB chess definitely helps with it, and controlling your emotions when you mess up (or trying to lol), have you tried much OTB chess?
@ChessCenturion Played in plenty of tournaments back in the 80s and 90s . Rated around 1800. Even got to meet Tony Miles .
Damn that's really cool, do you play any OTB nowadays? Wondering if things have changed that much
@ChessCenturion No, the 2000 World Open was my last OTB chess. Had a good paying job with weekends off, so I could afford to travel and play. Florida had great chess tournaments. Now I just play a little online, do mostly puzzles and watch good content like your channel.
Live poker is what I play mostly now.
Another great video man. I’m currently 1400 elo but a bit rusty because I came back after a long break a month ago or so and I’ve noticed my tactics and general thought process is very disorganised/slower. Do you think switching from 10+0 to 15+10 time control would help? Obviously along with doing lots of puzzles. Never tried any other time control ever lol
Yeah I would suggest playing with increment in general if you're trying to improve - even like a 5+3 - puzzles are always helpful too of course. It's like working out when you take a break and get back into it imo, you'll get back to where you were very fast
Just a friendly advice: Consider moving the mic out of the frame of your camera. It might fit to podcast/radio content but not for youtube
Do you think it matters particularly? I just like keeping it close to my mouth to make sure the audio is good
im 1600 rapid also and you explain your thoughts exactly along my wavelength
Awesome bro, I hope I'm able to provide some insights that you didn't see too?
ALIEN GAMBIT BONJOUR EDITION
Nahhhhh Alien Gambit overrated
This was an extremely sharp game, I’m 1000 elo, and have very much difficulty with sharp games, but I have a lot of processing power potential, how do you think I can get better with positions like this, and out think my opponent like you did against the white pieces?
Sorry what do you mean by processing power? To get better at these kind of games it definitely helps to literally just watch TH-cam videos of people explaining their thoughts (not just a self-plug, people like hanging pawns and Naroditsky are great at this too) as well as analysing your own games and seeing why the computer wants what it wants. It's tricky to understand sharp positional games (which I would class this as) but it can be done
@ChessCenturion Thank you man, also I'm going to be watching you to learn about sharp games and their strategies, you explain it best, you are very well articulate and entertaining, by processing power, I mean I have great potential to becoming skilled at sharp games but it will require countless hours and experience
Okay I get you, I think you just need to expose yourself to more chess games, openings, ideas and patterns etc in that case
At 13 minutes rc1 is a blunder due to nxe3 rxc4 nxc4
Ahhh I didn't even spot that originally, great find!
@ChessCenturion I am a similar OTB rating as you. Find your games really interesting and instructive. We think a little differently especially candidate moves so great to get someone else's perspective.
What happened to yr centurionspeedrun acc bro?
Idk if you're in the Discord but I explained it better there
After seeing this video i will Never ever play karo kann again. Looks so complex
Dude that's the same with literally any opening, don't be put off my complications but understand the ideas behind the complications to make it more simple for you
Do u know about the alien gambit?
Of course bro, it's annoying af
@ChessCenturion Stjepan (Hanging Pawns) made a video a couple of days ago where he showed the refutation, you probably know it already but i think he explained it very well so there may be a couple of things you don't already know there
that's actually on my watch list. I love Stepjan and have actually reached out to him about a potential collab. Always recommend his channel!
Calling the Caro brilliant compared to the Sicilian being a blunder is absolutely WILD
Or maybe it's absolutely BRILLIANT
Have you ever faced the endgame offer e4 c6 nf3 d5 d3? This is the line I have been playing successfully for months, tricking black into an objectively worse endgame with little counterplay, despite seeming totally equal. Good game though👍
Yeah I've faced it loads surprisingly, I used to accept and hated my life so now I just play e5 and try to punish white for d3 by taking a massive centre
Rip to the speedrun account! Heard anything about the appeal yet?
Nope nothing yet, kinda sucks but we march on with the Caro account XD
GothamChess wishes he was you
Haha whys that
Bro Gotham is fun dont get me wrong, But I really like your style of teaching and you taking us through each move ; giving your thoughts out loud. I learn a few layers deeper with your content. Thanks for posting and teaching us
Thanks man I really appreciate that, I hope you keep enjoying my new content!
I have a 63% winrate against Caro Kann lol. In 160 games btw
Damn what do you use against it?
@ Against the 'classical' Caro Kann I just play the mainline. e4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3 dxe4* Nxe4* Bf5 Ng3 Bg6 h4. You know the deal.
However, against e4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3 dxe4* Nxe4* Nf6, I play an unusual move which is Qd3. The majority of players play Nxe4 Qxe4 Nd7 Nf3 Nf6 Qf4 Bg4, which may look natural, but after Ne5 Bh5 Qh4, white is doing really well. I've never really gotten a bad position from that line.
Mmmm yeah those strange moves after Nf6 can be quite good for white as I never really knew how to deal with them, hence looking more into the Gurgenidze system
@@YesPlatinumyou mean exd4 not d5
@@cordialement4383 Sorry I meant dxe4 yeah and Nxe4
I'll beat you with the Polish opening
hahaha I hate that stuff
It's IDEA ... not IDEAR
Damn almost like nobody knew what I was saying because of it
Caro Kann is unstoppable only because people are much less familiar with it. Give it one more decade and people will know how to destroy it. Scilian defense started in the 1500s. Caro Kann started in the 1800s.
I don't think it's that simple to be honest mate
@ChessCenturion Bobby Fischer once said chess is all about memories. If you have a better memory and are more prepared than your opponents in playing an opening, you are more likely to win the game. Something like music is also about pattern and memory. So, the younger you learn it while your memory is still very good, the better you will be in chess and music. Sicilian is a much older opening and is much more analyzed, so naturally people know more about its "patterns".
Yeah that is true but that's assuming the viability at super high levels of chess
😒 yet another player advocating this opening over a Sicilian, when the Sicilian is a much stronger response to 1.e4... The Caro-Kann is a TOUGH opening to master. (If not THE toughest). After 1...c6, White has 21 good moves that they can play... Of those nine "bad moves", 5 of them are playable for White (the last playable move is the bong cloud). How in the world do you expect to master a defense, when White can play ANYTHING and maintain an advantage over you because they can lead you down 1 of MANY sharp tactical lines that you won't be prepared for. At least, the Sicilian can make White back pedal because they'll have to choose their poison and you get to be in the driverseat dictating what you want out of White's position. And depending on which Sicilian you want to play, chances are White isn't going to know what you're up to..
I disagree. White can adopt tonnes of setups against the Caro Kann and the Sicilian but i think the Caro is way more simple for black to play compared to the Sicilian
@ChessCenturion I agree that the Caro-Kann is simpler to learn because there are many open and closed sicilians to choose from. However, that is one of the benefits that Caro-Kann doesn't have: more speciation. Caro-Kann mainline theory doesn't cover nearly a fraction of the posibilities that exist after 1...c6. It covers the heavy hitters like 2. d4, 2. Nf3, etc. But there are several novelty choices that haven't been explored all too much by human masters. (I've seen one played before in an OTB tournament and it completely devastated the CK player because the move wasn't in their theory but it was strong move).
@ChessCenturion I play the Nimzo Sicilian because it has only 4 variations (unless they play the alapin, Smith-morra, or they're dumb enough to play the Bowdler attack). But my best defense by far is 1...c6... I'm 1900 and I have a 52% winrate as Black after 2.d4 But that's because I don't play any mainline CK theory. I transpose into 1 of 4 other defenses that I know benefit from c6 and I get into my defense and hold it long enough for white to make a wrong move, and I punish them.
my overall point, CK suffers from early deviation from theory, but benefits from the fact that that CK theory exists because if you initiate the deviation, your opponent will be confused. Sicilians don't have this weakness because you can play anything you want and not be at White's mercy.
Dude Sicilian is a stronger response when your rating is 2600 plus, relax and play Caro in the mean time
Openings are way less important below GM level than most people think