The Scientific Game: Prevent Blunders by Seeking Counterevidence 

Wonderful, instructive video -- Thank You! The first position reminds me of a Greek (or Shakespearean) tragedy. Black thinks: "Look at that alignment on the d-file! Can I exploit it? Yes, I'm so clever! 1...Bxc5, and when White captures my B, my R slides to the d-file; voila!" But Black doesn't realize that by placing his B on the c-file, he creates an alignment problem for himself! The Greeks had a word for this faulty thought process caused by arrogance and lack of mental discipline: *hubris*. Over the centuries, the idea of "hubris" has morphed into "confirmation bias" -- but the Greeks got there first! 😉 On the homework puzzle, capturing with the pawn opens the f-file, demoting Black's f8 Rook from "safe" to "loose." White has the Zwischenzug move 2.Qxf8+. Black then captures the Q on f8, White captures the Q on h4, and White walks away with an extra Rook. OTOH, 1...Qxg4 threatens White's hanging Q on f4, and whether White retreats the Q or initiates a Q trade, Black walks away from the skirmish entering the endgame up a pawn.😢

🎉Another tactical concept explained beautifully. Homework, at first glance fxg4, Nxh4 Rxf4 looks as though we gain material but white has an in between move if fxg4, Qxf8 (forcing the recapture of the queen) so either Nxf8 or Kxf8 leaving Nxh4 thus we are down material, therefore Qxg4 is the option I would play here

Since you are working on a whole course, it would probably be a good idea to unbury the reference to the Popperian falsification process. Karl Popper's original, and strongest argument -- that ideas are being protected from scrutiny and are assumed to be true because there is evidence of their plausibility (e.g. Marxism), versus the deliberate attempt to prove the proferred ideas (or laws) wrong, which is essential to the scientific method -- is what you are referring to. I'd say something more about the process of falsification versus verification. There are lots of elements of science that have nothing immediately to do with what you are talking about -- like peer review or lab practices. (I am sure you are aware of the philosophical debates around Popper). What I admire here is the linking of our enthusiasm for our own moves in a game to the tendency to verify and not falsify, that combination of hope and adrenalin. You seem to be positing phases of blunder check, from simple vulnerabilities (my piece is unprotected) to refutation (if I do this X, this will go wrong that way). This seems to be a gear shift. I think.

Please release your blunder check course so I can give you my money! This is exactly what I need right now. I've thoroughly enjoyed your channel since I discovered it a few months ago. Thank you for all the great content.

The conceptual framework of chess is very important. For example, the concept of a mini-plan is a very useful tool that I found in your calculation course. Stategy would be too big a word, but something is clearly needed to cover this theme. You provide us with this concept, and many more. This is awesome!

I have one of your courses in Chessable, good stuff! I did scientific investigations in the role of confirmation bias in different scientific fields, especially on the history of evolutionary biology, primatology, and on paleoanthropology. For example confirmation bias prevented scientists to find apes able to swim. Yes, usually apes do not swim, and like humans, they lack the ability to swim instinctively. However, people simply assumed that they (contrary to humans) are unable to learn to swim. The problem is that apes are traditionally kept in zoos on islands surrounded by water moats. These moats were conceived to prevent apes to escape (apes can be very dangerous to humans, especially chimpanzees). And when they accidentally went to the water, they drowned. The source of the confirmation bias in this case was the effect of a very artificial environment on species that usually avoid bodily contact with water. As a swim instructor I knew that these moats were not a good environment for apes to interact with water in a safe way, so I did a PhD searching specifically environments were apes could theoretically learn to swim. And I found, not one ape, but several, not only able to swim, but also to submerge. This information you can find online (but probably not in Wikipedia, at least last time I didn’t find anything in English). Check for example the PhD “The use of convergence as a tool (etc) by Bender. I am looking forward to your next course on blunders, a topic which with not many courses in Chessable!

I love how you bring in confirmation bias into our chess thinking. How we tend to look for things that support our belief rather than look at the counter argument. Also, I had to laugh when you said Carlsen sees that in milliseconds. It’s so true. What took me at least 20-30 seconds, he would have recognized immediately. It’s crazy how good they are at seeing patterns and threats.

Thank you for another wonderful lesson Can. The falsification mindset might be the most important tool we have in chess! Loving your channel and videos, you're a great teacher.

Great video Dr. Can! Could you make a video on plan making and strategizing, like in the endgame? Thanks

Dr Can: I can't wait for your blunder check course. Still most my games are still lost tactically with blunders

This is great stuff. I'm sure that a lot of improvement happens through gaining experience and through gaining knowledge. But I also believe that subtle mindset shifts with large effects are possible through videos or courses such as yours. By the way, in English "seek" is a transitive verb, meaning pretty much the same as "look for" but no needing a "for" itself.

Beautiful how chess combines the scientific approach, emotion and psychology. I will never never never stop playing chess! And you show it loud and clear. Thank you Dr. Can! 😀👍 Interested in that blunder check course! For me, it's not hard to see and I love calculating. But in the spur of the moment I can drop pieces here and there. I did so today OTB with a lower rated player. I still won, but because of my blunder the game was much more interesting for both of us haha! Still, I rather not hang my pieces like that.

As usual, a wonderful lesson. Thank you.

Fantastic video Dr. Can!

I love your approach. It resonates with how I instinctively think through moves. I found interesting that the h5 or f5 pawn move, the f5 pawn move keeps your rook open for possible checkmate if knight moves and rook takesit on h file

another great video as usual, thanks

pxg4 allows QxR+ KxR, NxQ and black is further behind in material due to losing the exchange as well. So, QxN is the correct way.

Fantastic video 🎉 really enjoyed 👏👏💯 so many times our blunders come from an emotive state, where we feel that everything is under control and we are holding a won position 🤔 then haste takes over and then boom we blunder😔i think however a process of retraining, ourselves from a different approach an perspective, to embrace the scientific approach,as the only way🤔

Hey Can! Chris your student here - Taking with the pawn fxg4 allows Qxf8 losing your rook, the recapture gives you their queen but then they have Nxh4 and in the end you're down a rook, whereas taking with the queen allows an even queen exchange

Great Video as always, in 15:45 min you tell us the answer for the homework position 😅 the issue with pawn takes g4 is Qxf8 Desperado sacrifice and then take our Queen back. Those blunders are the main reasons for my loses, it is very hard to see all the tactics for the opponent. Especially the more complex tactics are easy to miss

the super basic statement "chess is a 2-player game" is all you need to know seems simple and irrelevant right? well, not at all. many many beginners and even intermediates just play their own game but forget that there's a person on the other side. truly realizing this helps so much

Good video. Recognizing your opponent's resources is always important. For the homework, the piece has to be taken with the queen (Qxg4). Taking with the pawn (fxg4) allows Qxf8+ and white emerge up a lot of material. A question I have unrelated to the video is if there is research on the effects of mental fatigue on chess playing ability. Personally, I know my playing ability drops dramatically if I'm mentally fatigued. Should fatigue management be a part of tournament preparation? Should I try to peak for a tournament the same way a powerlifter peaks for a competition?

The earlier examples required paying attention to key squares (which you have brilliantly covered before). The board always has pawns and pieces AND key squares (at least, up until usually the late endgame). Everyone knows the key squares before white's first move...right? Right? New key squares will then manifest thereafter. While other ones drop off. Be a scientist...absolutely! But also be an accountant. A competent accountant. As such, you simply don't fail to account for all 3 of those things at all times. Yes, it can be a challenge as a beginner to just figure out how pieces coordinate in unison...creating patterns that can then be leaned on as shorthand. Thereafter, comes the task of learning how to maximally use your pawns to add potency to your piece play and overall game. Finally, comes the ability to integrate the continual tracking of key squares...how to create them and leverage them in terms of all the things they offer (which isn't just a mate threat). So much to do. Or to believe not. That somehow the game will just decide one day to let loose its secrets. Surely just playing a bunch of rapid+ games will provide a path to competency? As if quantity itself might serve as a means of magically bringing about quality play. Board games are supposed to be fun though. So, can't blame anyone who might shove their fingers in their ears whenever work gets mentioned. But aside from some rare talents, that's what it takes. Work. And a lot of it. But...at least it's not a crazy lot. I mean...I guess such an approach is doable...all Bobby Fischer like. But whenever I hear crazy hard work and scientist...I'm reminded of the discover of blue light LEDs. Check out Veritasium's channel for that epic episode: "Why it was almost impossible to make blue LEDs."

Thanks Dr. Can! Great video, very instructive as always. 👍 Question on Position #1: what was the best move? I saw candidates Be7 or a5 as candidates, leaning more towards Be7, as this will free up the rook... In Position #3 - I immediately discounted h5, not because of the blunder (which I didn't see at first admittedly), but because I didn't want to clog the h-file for a queen-rook battery, f5 jumped out immediately as it attacks pinned piece, backed up by the rook, and keeps the h-file battery plan alive. Re: Homework - Must take with the queen: Qxg4. If fxg4, white will throw in a "desperado" in-between move Qxf8+ forcing recapture, and they will then pick up black queen with Nxh4 and they will be up a full rook!

Very useful, and I will consider looking at your course when completed.Love and peace. Tim

i didn’t even notice the basic tactic. i might be too junior for this video

@05:55 is the best move for Black then ...Be7 so as to make room for Black's Rook to join the party? @16:35 the move ...h5 weakens the ...h6-square by blocking the Queen's access (protection) to that square, whereas ...f5 does not weaken the ...h6-square nor the ...f6-square, and in fact it brings another defender to ...f6. Based on that, I might boil this down to choosing the move that weakens fewer squares, or at least the move that doesn't weaken a square that White currently attacks. The move ...f5 weakens ...g6 and the ...e6-Rook, but they are currently not attacked by White, whereas both ...h6 and ...f6 are currently attacked by White.

All of the positions contain the theme of counterattack! I’m looking forward to the course. Counterattacks are very common reasons that tactical ideas fail in my real games. Bring on the course!

Excellent video. Helpful as always. The Knight on f3 is threatening to take Black's Queen so taking with the pawn is a big blunder. 1.. Qxg4 2 Qxg4 fxg4 is fine.

Dr Can's beauty.

I think your blunder check course will be very useful for me and alot of others. I definitely need help getting better at this! Will you be targeting a wide rating range (if not, what rating range will the course be targeted at?)

Excellent lesson. Thank you

Thanks Dr. Can. I guess in the Old Day's Janowski was known as : "The Blunder Guy" for Losing a Lot of Won Positions ?! ("Dizziness Due to Success" as Nimzo used to say.) Jim Canada

HW: look for in-between check😉

HW: Take with the queen because of PxN QxR! KxQ then NxQ and black is lost.

If only I’d applied this type of analysis before my first two marriages.

what is the significance of the ravens in your back ground

can do the same to you with their rook. good questions, what do they want and what can they do after we move. OH, there we go.

What is the answer of position 1 master ,you don't mention it ,I think ....Kb1/ Kd1 Sir

I like your vids alot, but your short videos are hard to watch, because the board is always cut off left, right and top. Not sure if I am the only one having this problem!