24:55 This point on waiting for your opponent to make their next move is something very important I need to learn. I have lost so many games like this where the opponent just starts off by moving a bunch of pawns and not developing their pieces, and getting into awkward checks with their king traversing across the board. I'm usually thinking I need to capitalise on the fact that their pieces aren't developed, but it usually results in me sacrificing/losing a piece and then the game slowly turns around in their favour. Waiting for them to make a non-ideal move makes much more sense than just trying to rush in on a complicated arrangement. Very good point Also, I totally called that the person in the previous video was a cheater. Their moves were way too perfect for a 1200 player
Opening the center against offbeat pawn Openings helps. Not sure what's more annoying those players or the ones the have memorized lines trying to pin your queen to the king.
Great video, GingerGM, thank you. [I'm rated 1700+ but it's still fun to watch, besides, 'keeping the tension instead of locking the pawn structure' isn't 1300+, so, always good to hear from a GM during an actual game - the real deal, unlike theories - which may or may not work].
Simon, love this content. You talk a lot about finding an opening and sticking to it. I find this difficult when playing out of black as the opponent dictates the opening. Do you have a course that addresses this?
If I play as black I can get the Caro kann 95% of the time. E4 and D4 are the most common openings, so just find a response to that. The French Caro-kann The Dutch These are all very easy to play as black because they often are a response to White's most common moves.
In the first game a lot of players above 2k criticize the stonewall for both sides. They tend to think that it has a rather planless middle game and too much of a system whereas the other side has clear lines to counter it and that there are far better options. Obviously people in general have biased views of openings that aren’t necessarily sincere or true thought. Would be curious to hear other people’s thoughts
If you are using any Dutch setup you are looking to play aggressively. It's risky and I don't see it played often at higher levels. Simon shows that it is viable though. But he is a mad man lol
Can someone explain to me why the doubled pawns on 10:15 are bad for the opponent, but at 29:15 the doubled pawns are good for Simon? I mean I understand why they are good for Simon but why so bad in the other case? Thanks!
Because on 29:15 he has the choice to attack the center with an E4 push. The doubled pawn then acts as a defender of the e pawn where as the doubled pawns on 10:15 didn’t have such use! Cheers!
That last game was so instructive. I would have taken on b5 in a heartbeat and said, no worries, I can follow up with a4 to support the knight, but as you say, why allow his bishop to get active at all? Thanks for the great content
