Thanks man, really appreciate the encouragement! Will continue making videos, honestly at the moment I feel that they're okay but can be better - but I really like the idea of trying to improve and strike a good balance of educational and engaging, so it's a fun challenge to see how that goes :)
What a great video! I also would like to thank you for the earlier ones on the French Advance. Here is a two-part question please. In the early line with 5...exd6 and 7...Bf5, the move 11.Bf4 presses the c7 square after ...d5. However, after 11...Re8 12.Qd2 d5 13.c5 Nc4 14.Bxc4 dxc4 15.Nb5 as shown, which looks like the "payoff" move, I am curious as to why (1) Black still does not have the annoying ...Bd3 anchored by the c4 pawn, both counter-attacking White's rook and cutting off support of the key d4 pawn, which is now lost. (2) Furthermore, if Black chooses to defend with 15...Re7 as in the line shown, it is true that one move after 16.d5 would be 16...Rd7 pinning the pawn, but down at my humble level it seems more likely Black would simply hop 16...Ne5 blocking the Bf4 and inviting White to trade away his pieces. What is the answer?
Hey Robert, good question! 4.Bc4 is a tricky line, so definitely one worth playing against the right opponent to mix things up. However, objectively speaking it's not so great if Black knows exactly what they're doing. The right play would be 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 dxe5 6.Qh5 e6 7.dxe5 a5 when after both 8.a3 and 8.a4 Black is going to be at least equal if not a little better. This setup with our queen on h5 is just not so strong against best defense.
In the analysis of the d5 recommendation at 24:30: after Ne5 Nxe5 Bxe5 Bh6, Black doesn't have to move his rook immediately, as there is also Bxc3. Then if White plays Bxf8, Black has Bxb2, when the rook on a1 is trapped. Playing bxc3 instead of Bxf8 probably makes more sense, but that means Black got to play the Bxc3 move White was trying to avoid in the video.
Hey. Yeah, you're right that I didn't talk about ...Bxc3, and correct that the line for White there is bxc3. White would be happy with this since the reason for playing Rc1 is because we want to try play b2-b3 to defend the c4 pawn, and our knight on c3 would be hanging without or rook protecting it. If we can get a fair exchange we're happy to let Black damage our pawn structure on the queenside in exchange for better attacking chances along the dark squares on the kingside. The other line you mention I'm not sure that I know which exact moment you're speaking about, but yes in general no matter what Black does exactly the main plan is to take on f5 and go for compensation. Kudos on thinking actively about all the different possibilities at every turn, that's the best way to learn. Unfortunately in these videos to make sure that they don't get too long I will sometimes skip some possibility for Black, hopefully that doesn't take too much away from the videos, hard to get the balance right sometimes!
Excellent
Great content thanks man this really helped me to beat Players who play the Alekhine as their main opening
Dude, your content is incredible. Very well explained and thorough. Please keep the content coming!
Super excited about this series! Thank you so much man. Keep grinding and you’ll grow. Trust the process
Thanks man, really appreciate the encouragement! Will continue making videos, honestly at the moment I feel that they're okay but can be better - but I really like the idea of trying to improve and strike a good balance of educational and engaging, so it's a fun challenge to see how that goes :)
I follow most of your content with chessfactor over the years and I am glad to find your channel now. Thank you for the amazing content
Brilliant! I hope you do more youtube videos in the future! Cheers!
Why you are not uploaded new videos. Please do
Thank you for the great content. I tried to play this opening as a black side and won the match quickly with the taking c4 pawn :D
Good to hear! I'm glad to hear the video was helpful from the other side too :)
Hi Astaneh! I loved your old videos, any particular reason you unlisted them all?
Never really studied anything against this opening, will note and comment on how these lines fare against Alekhine players I face
great to see you back on youtube Astaneh. Do you also do coaching?
Hey Makhubu, thanks! Not doing coaching right now, though I might take a small number (4-5 students) in the future
Great lesson. Thank you
Nice ... very informative
Would it be possible to put a lichess study or a pgn in the description?
Thank you, interesting.
Thx Alex very instructiev 😊
Can you please do a video on the petroff for white
Yeah, if and when I get back to making videos, the Petroff makes a lot of sense to do one on!
What a great video! I also would like to thank you for the earlier ones on the French Advance. Here is a two-part question please. In the early line with 5...exd6 and 7...Bf5, the move 11.Bf4 presses the c7 square after ...d5. However, after 11...Re8 12.Qd2 d5 13.c5 Nc4 14.Bxc4 dxc4 15.Nb5 as shown, which looks like the "payoff" move, I am curious as to why (1) Black still does not have the annoying ...Bd3 anchored by the c4 pawn, both counter-attacking White's rook and cutting off support of the key d4 pawn, which is now lost. (2) Furthermore, if Black chooses to defend with 15...Re7 as in the line shown, it is true that one move after 16.d5 would be 16...Rd7 pinning the pawn, but down at my humble level it seems more likely Black would simply hop 16...Ne5 blocking the Bf4 and inviting White to trade away his pieces. What is the answer?
Won't a chess engine answer these questions better than any human? These are middlegame issues.
An excellent video
5 exd6 cxd6 6:06
5 exd6 exd7 17:40
This was very interesting! Since you recommend c4, does this mean that Bc4 is just a worse move, or just harder to play?
Hey Robert, good question! 4.Bc4 is a tricky line, so definitely one worth playing against the right opponent to mix things up. However, objectively speaking it's not so great if Black knows exactly what they're doing. The right play would be 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 dxe5 6.Qh5 e6 7.dxe5 a5 when after both 8.a3 and 8.a4 Black is going to be at least equal if not a little better. This setup with our queen on h5 is just not so strong against best defense.
The return of the chess cowboy!
Isn't the end position a draw?
volume stinks
Yeah, unfortunately I had the mic on low setting. I think it's okay on the vids after this one :/
In the analysis of the d5 recommendation at 24:30: after Ne5 Nxe5 Bxe5 Bh6, Black doesn't have to move his rook immediately, as there is also Bxc3. Then if White plays Bxf8, Black has Bxb2, when the rook on a1 is trapped. Playing bxc3 instead of Bxf8 probably makes more sense, but that means Black got to play the Bxc3 move White was trying to avoid in the video.
Hey. Yeah, you're right that I didn't talk about ...Bxc3, and correct that the line for White there is bxc3. White would be happy with this since the reason for playing Rc1 is because we want to try play b2-b3 to defend the c4 pawn, and our knight on c3 would be hanging without or rook protecting it. If we can get a fair exchange we're happy to let Black damage our pawn structure on the queenside in exchange for better attacking chances along the dark squares on the kingside.
The other line you mention I'm not sure that I know which exact moment you're speaking about, but yes in general no matter what Black does exactly the main plan is to take on f5 and go for compensation. Kudos on thinking actively about all the different possibilities at every turn, that's the best way to learn. Unfortunately in these videos to make sure that they don't get too long I will sometimes skip some possibility for Black, hopefully that doesn't take too much away from the videos, hard to get the balance right sometimes!
@@alexastaneh Sorry, you covered Na5 in the video. I deleted that part in my original comment, but you are too fast! 😀
@@zanti4132 hahah, yeah just at the computer right now :)