Gambit Rules in Chess 

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As one who is learning chess anew after 60 years old, I can affirm a person can improve greatly practically any age in life. I started playing competitive chess too late at about age 18 to become very exceptional but still got to about 2050 USCF (comparable to about 1950 FIDE) after about 8 years playing practically nothing but positional chess with nearly zero tactical ability by grinding opponents into dust. It was almost comical how I'd have to win a game 10 times to finally produce a real win but it worked well enough to place me somewhere in the top 2% of chess players at the time. Returning to chess decades later, I resolved to fix my tactical ineptitude by creating a whole new repertoire that relied on tactics. Although I won't touch puzzles and other recommended tactical training, what I'm doing at a relatively advanced age is working and am beating more than my share of opponents early, quickly and soundly although my tactical blindness still reoccurs from time to time and my Lichess rating is now up to about 1850 or so and still rising. Adults at any age can continue to learn either with good instruction or in my case lessons learned at an earlier age but reapplied differently later in life. And who knows, if one day I can figure out how to meld what I was capable of at a younger age with what I can do today, I don't know what I'll be able to achieve.

Grand Master Smirnov, you are a fantastic teacher and a fine example of a gentleman. I always enjoy your classes and have a world of respect for you and your teaching. Thank you.

it was really helpful , this video helps me understand better gm's moves.

These videos are the most helpful videos on chess I have come across and I've been to quite a few places. Not to say that other channels aren't good but the basic principles covered in these videos are so incredibly useful.

This video has proposes an interesting set of rules. I'd caution though... Every rule is made to be broken. A "rule" might be applied most of the time but learning a rule is only book study and knowledge. To gain wisdom, you will need to learn how and when to break the rule. Although that rule about exchanging developed pieces works for this example, I am reluctant to endorse that rule generally. Yes, gambit or not it is always inadvisable to trade a piece with more potential for a piece with less. But, I am always for trading off attacking pieces to ease the attacking pressure when I have less space or my piece is less valuable than the attacking piece. Additionally, when being attacked, generally the defending side has a disadvantage in space, so exchanging pieces should ease congestion. The last and perhaps most important consideration though is that if the attacker is offering an exchange in material, more than likely he has already prepared a continuation so be wary of such "gifts."

Thank you Igor! Always appreciate your educational videos!!

Very helpful

what makes you think that older people need a different method to improve? in any game i've ever played, the only thing i've noticed that holds back older players is that they tend to get into a comfort zone and play the same way every time, whereas younger players have more of a natural curiosity and drive to change up their play.

Great video.very instructive.Thanks a lot.

thanks for uploading, i learned a lot!

Omg really really great and educational chess Igor! Really REALLY learnt a lot from ur video, please do more of these!

Thanks a lot for the lesson.

Thanks for the video! It was a very instructive game.

I love ur way of explanations.. ...

Wow...nice video...thanks for uploading

Great tips, thanks.

Excellent instruction

thank you, great vid ..

You are so great! You can show an idea with simple worlds when others cannot.

Great video !!

Thanks very much !!

Thanks again!!

Very helpful video and it would many players who are willing to learn by self.

It is really a great video......tnx for the suggestions.

thanks alot

Awesome game!!

Thanks for the video.....

thanks for ur useful video thanks a lot

Your videos have connections with your other videos like to take is a mistake is connected with secrets of strong players....i have learned alot from this videos only! Tnx GM Igor Smirnov!

It was really helful, I like the way you are...go on

Black can play queen a5 with check and win the bishop on b5. Hope that helped.

Im very thankful to you to upload this amazing video. I have a doubt that how to defend and attack efficiently in chess? please make a video on it. 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😁😁😁😂😂😂😂😃😃😃😃😃

Nice video :)

Interesting, played mostly gambits for a few years never heard of those rules, might be worth having in mind during gameplay althougth I think I'm moderately succesfull already. Maybe it is about style but I wanted to get the light squared bishop which did not move involved already after d6 and in several more positions.

One of the best chess videos ever, thanks for the tips.... I like pinning the opponents pieces while staying active and beat the chess computer on level 10...now I have even more ammunition against the computer!!!

Bravo..

Hello Igor, thanks for your instructive lessons so far. But as for me I'd be greatful if you could provide the detailed information about the game examples you showed here in your videos as (and I am sure you'll agree) it is very helpful to repeat those games on the board and analyse them step by step. It'd be great if you could do that. Thanks again for the easy to understand videos here!

1500 I play both e4 and d4. Lover of gambit. Can you show some instructive way of approaching Blackmar dimers gambit. 1.d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 and now 3. e4. Thanks for this game with valuable advices.

I always play a closed position which is probably why I always thought gambits suck and why I suck when I tried to play a gambit

He's back!

3...cxb4 is probably better. If 4.a3 e5, and if 4.d4 then 4...e6. Black is fine. Gambits are never really dangerous when you know how to respond. Seems to be true for almost everything in life.

Another rule, if you are under gambit is “Do not attack, unless you develop as well as your oponent”

Best chess teacher

GM Smirnov, I really like your videos on uncommon openings and I sometimes use them myself. What would you say about the advice of some leading players that lower rated players should play main lines so that they will not be forced into positions in which they have no experience if they get to high enough a level that unfamiliar and tricky stops working? I myself find that I don't want to play too many gambits (key word being too many) besides ones like Benko/Volga gambit or maybe Schliemann gambit because I want to learn how to play patiently while also knowing how to complicate the position "artificially" when objectively losing or wanting to play like a child on the playground.

отличное видео! классный акцент... сразу так и не скажешь, что русский) все понятно розтолковал, мне понравилось, все понятно)) Удачи тебе в твоих последующих видео)

Hello Igor, I notice you said to be a high titled chess player, you should start at a young age. Would you say 17 years old is an good or bad age to be starting if you aspire to be high ranking in the chess community?

...what about in 11:11 play Bb5? its developing move and you make his king exposed (If Bd7 than Qxd5). Is it wrong... am I missing something?

What online chess game are they playing? I know there are several.

at 8:29 when you say Bb4+ is not a good choice because of Ncc3 threatening the g7 pawn and Qa4+ forking king and the bishop, what about if black replies Qa5? now they are threatening winning a piece since g7 cannot be taken now and the move f6 follow by e5 seems very dangerous

Thank you for this extremely useful video. I have a question that maybe sounds stupid for a grandmaster: Do the rules you describe in the video only work when you play gambits (or against them) or can they also be used successfully in normal openings? For example: Is it good to develop pieces while also creating threats in normal openings?

At the 3 minute mark after White plays d5 threatening the knight at c6 what would the correct move be ? , ...if Nc6-e5 is a mistake? Is Nc6-a5 correct? . It seems that the knight is decentralised there. Decentralising pieces also is generally a violation of opening play. Nc6-b4? looses to Qa4 check apparently. Perhaps Blacks d6 was inferior to e6. Comments?

BiG Thanks To Remote Chess Academy. . this is helping me to understanding the chess game in deep

at 19.44 knight b6 was good

How many types of Gambits are available to play against higher rated opponents..

GM Smirnov's advice is usually very practical, but here he falls into the common pedagogical trap of trying to apply a rule to an unsuitable example: "Don't trade your active pieces when you're behind in development." (His criticism of 7...Ne5) He doesn't mention that the best move for Black is the undeveloping 7...Nb8. I think the problem with 7...Ne5 is that Black has to make the ugly move 9...f6 to hold the pawn on e5 after 7...Ne5 8 Nxe5 de 9 Bb2 weakening the light squares. Even best slip.

Instead of K to e6 why not knight to d6 attaching the Queen and probably surviving longer?

perhaps Nd2 instead of Nc3?

can someone explain why this is a gambit? i dont understand the name... great video though

Did Remote Chess Academy sub to his own video?

On development + attack rule: why is this a good rule for gambits, and not in development in general?

8:01: Why didn't black play f6? It can defend its e5 pawn. So why wasn't that played?

Why not f6 protecting? O_O

7.00 f7-f6 i think this is the best move

the first rule of gambits is that there are no rules

Suppose your father is the adult intermediate player, how should he go about improving? I am in my mid 60s, it' not so simple now.

😊

Thanks for these excellent videos. You are improving my chess game considerably.

What is that accent? It sounds like a dutch person trying to sound like a southern u.s. american :)

So, How old is Dennis? I missed it. Did you say?

the channels name is Igor Smirnov i cant see RCA anywhere sorry... not the most frindly comment i know but why not check the board properly before askin stupid questions its easier for all of us

I've learned aot from you

А есть на русском ?

На русском сделай !будет больше зрителей )

look at the board are u blind???

Daniel, that would be possible, but White wants to keep pieces on the board to attack, and play in gambit style. For example, after 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Qxd5 Bxb5 13.Qxb5+ Qd7 White has only a slight edge as Black managed to change some pieces his king is not under immediate attack anymore. Hope that helps. Thanks Manuel | Student Support Officer

Please note that RCA is a place for friendly communication. Any impolite comments will be removed. Thanks Manuel | Student Support Officer

“Do it in Russian! There will be more viewers” The comment was translated to English by computer. In the future, please, use English language so that everybody can understand you. Thanks! Manuel | Student Support Officer

Wow...nice video...thanks for uploading