Homework position: wow, what a subtle situation. At first glace, it looks like the problem with Kg5 is Rxg2+, but before this video I would have been satisfied that Kxh5 was a satisfactory answer, and thus I would have played Kg5 with confidence. But of course, I would have missed ...f4!, and black gets a passer by force. I am adding all possible pawn moves to my blunder check list. Luckily there usually aren't that many, so the process should be quick. But the trick is to MAKE yourself look at them. Thanks for a great lesson!
I started playing chess 1 year ago and just found your channel 2 months ago. I have gained 200-300 Elo after implementing your positional ideas in my games. Top educational chess content on RU-vid!
I am extremely happy to read your comment, thank you so much for your kind words. Really happy that the channel is actually helping people rather than selling b.s.
@@Dr.CansClinic You haven't tried to sell anything. I rarely give credit where it's due. You're nothing but helpful and generous, and you have live with that. If he keeps watching this channel and practicing, he'll get better. Half of that is your fault. You're an enabler. I hope you can sleep at night.
Thank you so much for your video. So many channels merely go through the standard moves and variations but do not show you what to look at, what to consider. You have done a great job and intend to watch all of your videos.
So motivating! That is the ethos of my channel - I am doing my best to help people improve. You would make me happy if you watch all the videos and share the channel with your chess friends 🙏
Conspiracy theorists don't understand that about scientists. A big part of the job is trying to prove ideas wrong. Side note, why is understanding tempo harder than calculus problems?
@@Mikejones011990 So well said! Tempo can be tricky indeed to understand like the concept of time has been for philosophers. Please check out my recent Chessable course on evaluating material, quality and time.
@@Mikejones011990 Yesterday's conspiracy theorist, proven right today. That's just a label to smear anyone who doesn't agree with you. And the biggest part of a scientist's job is getting a grant, by whatever means necessary.
FYI, I was able to vizualize all the puzzles and solve them all in a reasonable time. They were very good examples because they are not simple beginner ones of hanging pieces nor super-advanced ones such as multi-move traps.
Don't forget to check for surprising pawn moves during the blunder check! I will remember that. In the homework position, I first looked at 1.Kg3. Here Black has two obvious candidates 1..Re2 and 1..Ra2. After 1..Re2, I don't think white has anything better than to repeat moves with 2.Kf4 Rf2+ with a draw, and after 1..Ra2 we get into a pawn race after 2.Rg5 Rxa4 3.Rxf5+ Kc4 which maybe favours White. So, the blunder must 1.Kg5, but why? Since this move allows the trade of the last piece, as you said in an earlier video, that an exact evaluation of the resulting pawn endgame is necessary. I first looked at 1..Rxg2 2.Kxh5, creating a passed pawn, 2..Rxg6 3.Kxg6. At first, I thought this was winning but then I noticed that White's king is behind the Black pawns, thus the pawn break 3..f4 wins for Black. An improvement in this variation is 2.Kxf5 and White wins. Here I wondered where the blunder was, and it took a while to realise that this improvement wasn't enough, because Black can play ..f4 immediately and win. So, 1.Kg5 is a blunder due to 1..f4 and black wins. I think the positions in this video, with the exception of the homework position, was simpler than usual. But I think this is a strengh not a weakness. The difficulty lies in doing it during a real game. By the way, I bought your latest course and upgraded the chess crimes course.
Such a beautiful comment! Thanks for your excellent analysis of the hw position! Yes, I also wanted to get beginners on the board today, as it is such a fundamental process that they must be aware of. Thank you so much for purchasing my latest course, really appreciate it! Please ask me anything along the way!
Gopher-Holing! (There are Old Gophers and there are Bold Gophers, but there are no Old, Bold Gophers.) The prudent gopher sticks his head out of his hole and takes a careful look around before emerging fully. The on-line chessic equivalent: left-click your mouse and make your intended move, but DO NOT RELEASE yet. Look around, and release only if the new position looks safe. Otherwise just move it back. Interestingly, if you watch Eric Rosen playing on YT, you will often see him making little test feints of candidate moves he is considering.
Well said! I like the analogy! You stick your head and take a careful look before leaving. Perhaps the gopher may go back to their hole, but you cannot take your moves back in chess!
Really nice upload,positions i think we get in our games all the time that require some fine tuning,i wish you had the book versions of your work for my shelf....with extra content.Brilliant channel,my go to for chess coaching...
@@Dr.CansClinic Yes!,of course...You always ask people to check before executing their calculations that theres no swchishenzug or inbetween move to counter it or leave you in a bad position with a possible counter attack like a fork or pin.Dr can,a realistic time for your najdorf? end of the year maybe? There will be someone on release saying this line or that line is missing,you will have to update it not long after im guessing.Really can't wait for that...i have been heavily watching GM Matthew Saddlers channel and reading his books,wow their great...Leela is my fav engine,just like it.Its english repertoire is crazy....So ive been putting a repertoire together in a private chessable and physical book i tested it out yesterday... 1. c4 e5 { A20 English Opening: King's English Variation } 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nd4 5. e3 Nc6 6. Qc2 Bb4 7. Nge2 d6 8. h3 g6 9. a3 Bf5 10. Qb3 Bxc3 11. Nxc3 Qd7 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. cxd5 Na5 14. Qb4 b6 15. e4 c5 16. Qc3 Be6 17. dxe6 Qxe6 18. b4 Nb3 19. Rb1 Nxc1 20. Rxc1 cxb4 21. Qc6+ Ke7 22. axb4 Rac8 23. Qb7+ Qd7 24. Qxd7+ Kxd7 25. Ke2 Ra8 26. b5 a5 27. bxa6 Rxa6 28. Rc2 Rb8 29. Rhc1 Ke6 30. h4 b5 31. Bh3+ Kf6 32. Rc7 b4 33. g4 b3 34. g5+ Kg7 35. Be6 b2 36. Rxf7+ Kg8 37. Rb7+ Kf8 38. Rxb8+ Ke7 39. Rxb2 Kxe6 40. Rcb1 Ra4 41. f3 d5 42. d3 dxe4 43. dxe4 Ra6 44. Rb6+ Rxb6 45. Rxb6+ Kd7 46. Kd3 Kc7 47. Rf6 { Black resigns. } 1-0
When I started playing recently, I found "checks, captures, threats" fine, but limited. A mnemonic to cover some of the other advice I was getting was: "cctv" -- which stands for "checks, captures, threats, viewpoint of the opponent; and because "cctv' is the name for surveillance cameras, ending with a quick overall board surveillance to reduce tunnel vision. Cute, but helpful. Goes a little beyond blunders, but can still be pretty helpful.
That’s a must in chess, you gotta see all your opponent plans to execute yours. On lichess you can flip a board while you play, so you play from top to bottom if you get me. It’s a great way to practice seeing opponents plans and ideas
Dr Can, thank you! As always, great topic! Re: Homework The white rook is holding the position together for white by limiting the black king and staring at a6 pawn to gobble it anytime. Moving to g5 would allow black Rxg2+ and which ever side white king steps, a trade of rooks will happen Rxg6 and then the black king is freed up once white's key defender is removed. Moving to g3 would seem to keep pressure on black rook and protect g2, black can move Re2 threatening Rxe3 but black king can go back to f4 to cover e3. f4 is an excellent spot for the king, if black goes Ra1 threatening Rxa4, white can gobble a6 and be behind the a5 pawn. So based on these thoughts I would move Kg3.
Thank you so much for taking your time and writing! Kg3 is indeed the best move, but why exactly Kg5 is a blunder? Perhaps you are missing a pawn move by Black there? ☺️
Ok I think i see the comtinuation... after trade of rooks, black can go f4 to undermine e3, and black pawn on e4 will become a passed pawn, but white king is out of position to stop it...
@@Dr.CansClinic I don't see it... I thought f4 might be something for black, but I think white king has that covered with pawn on e3... perhaps you can discuss briefly in the next video? I made the correct choice Kg3 felt more aggressive and closer to the action, but not understanding entirely why the other choice loses.
@@brainfellow5140 the pawn on e3 covers the f4-square, but then Black's e4-pawn becomes unstoppable after exf4 ...e3! Black creates an unstoppable passed pawn as a result of ...f4.
This is a very useful topic. I have blundered my Queen many times without seeing all the moves by the opponent. Thank you for your observation and presentation.
Great content as always. I cannot count the times I have made a move and in the split second I did it, I realised it was a blunder! Time-pressure and impatience are often the reason, especially if you don't like your position and you have already mentally given up.
Another nice video sir Enjoying your videos Solution for Homework: Don't forget to check for surprising pawn moves during the blunder check! I will remember that. In the homework position, I first looked at 1.Kg3. Here Black has two obvious candidates 1..Re2 and 1..Ra2. After 1..Re2, I don't think white has anything better than to repeat moves with 2.Kf4 Rf2+ with a draw, and after 1..Ra2 we get into a pawn race after 2.Rg5 Rxa4 3.Rxf5+ Kc4 which maybe favours White. So, the blunder must 1.Kg5, but why? Since this move allows the trade of the last piece, as you said in an earlier video, that an exact evaluation of the resulting pawn endgame is necessary. I first looked at 1..Rxg2 2.Kxh5, creating a passed pawn, 2..Rxg6 3.Kxg6. At first, I thought this was winning but then I noticed that White's king is behind the Black pawns, thus the pawn break 3..f4 wins for Black. An improvement in this variation is 2.Kxf5 and White wins. Here I wondered where the blunder was, and it took a while to realise that this improvement wasn't enough, because Black can play ..f4 immediately and win. So, 1.Kg5 is a blunder due to 1..f4 and black wins. 1. Kg3 Re2(or)Ra2- Which leads to the pawn race as mentioned above, Re2 helps wshite to repeat & take a draw. Draw is as follows: 1. ... Re2, 2. Kf4 Rf2+, 3. Kg3( 1/2 - 1/2) Pawn race is as follows: 1. ... Ra2, 2. Rg5 Rxa4, 3. Rxf5 & the game continues which gives black an advatage. 1. Kg5?? as it allows to capture the pawn on g2 & trade the rook while black king starts moving via c4.
homework spoiler - no engine In an equal rook endgame, white will try to take advantage of having the next move to improve their king with concrete, precise play. Kg5 f4 exf4 Rxg2+ Kxh5 Rxg6 Kxg6 e3 and e-pawn will promote. Kg5 f4 Rf6 fxe3 Rxf2 exf2 and f-pawn will promote. White loses after Kg5. Alternatively, Kg3 is better. After Kg3, f4+ or Rxg2+ or Rf3+ will all lose the black rook and gain black nothing. Kg3 Re2 Rg5 Rxe3+ Kf2 Kxd4 Rxf5 and white is solid. Kg3 Ra2 Rf6 Rxa4 Rxf5+ Kc4 Rxh5 Ra3 Kf4 Ra2 g3 Rh2 Rxa5 and white has gained two connected passed outside pawns and will win. There is also a trap to be avoided after Kg3 Kg3 Re2 Rxa6 Rxe2+ Kf4 Kxd4 Rxa5 Re2 Rxf4 Rf2+ Kg5 Rxf5 Kxf5 e3 and black wins. But with proper technique Kg3 is the best move for white.
And as you get better at chess and learn those patterns and chunks, your vision will change and the eyes of a patzer will turn into the eye of a tiger!
I am a master of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I did well at "Choose between this move or that", but am terrible at it when playing. My puzzle-solving brain goes on standby three moves into the opening, and that's a huge problem. :\
I hear you... My Chessable course will be published by late July to help fix this issue. We will raise our floor and work on crucial things that are underrepresented in puzzles.
I haven't heard that Blumenfeld quote before, but I like some of the positions you show. I give a lot of similar positions to my students where a very tempting move is available, but in fact a blunder - I think these sorts of puzzles are very valuable in an age where there is an over-abundance of computer generated tactics.
Thanks for your feedback Sam! I am considering to create a course on blunder check, given its huge importance and the lack of sufficient resources. There are some computer generated blunder check puzzles out there, but they are artificial. I am just thinking about the overall architecture of the course. Would love to hear. your feedback on it, given you are also a chess coach!
Really enjoy this video particularly position 5 just shows how something so right can end up going SOoooooo wrong 😮 over looking a pawn move,one of biggest blunders 😢is overlooking the unexpected knight fork,it can really shock 😮 great advice on looking away from the for a while from the board,I realise this as a painter when you look away form the painting and come back the next day you tend to notice overlooks stuff that can improve 🎉great idea to look away from the board a minute or two🎉
Thank you for your kind feedback! Indeed, some blunders are so brutal in refuting a move that looks very good on the surface. Nice to see the connections with painting! ☺️
I hear you. In the actual game, stress levels usually rise and fight & flight responses may kick in. It is good that you gain awareness of this issue, as it is the first step for the cure!
This! I am trying hard to remember that I'm playing a game and there's no actual threat to my life, but it's hard not to think I'm actually being attacked.
Great video! I also wonder if higher level player use more peripheral vision when looking at the board? Do they even look at individual pieces or squares? I believe I read somewhere (terrible citation I know) that grandmasters tend to focus on the intersections of the squares as opposed to the center of the square which leads me to believe they may be using peripheral vision to Take in more of the board and not getting fixated on a certain piece (tunnel vision).
Thank you so much! And a great comment! Yes, experts seem to be using peripheral vision by mostly focusing on the intersections between squares. Here is a recent article on this: www.journalofexpertise.org/articles/volume6_issue1/JoE_6_1_deWinter_etal.pdf I think the original article was published by Bilalic, Gobet and others.
Great video....apart from your advice, another thing i learned from this video is that i need to play longer time formats. Though i found the right solutions for all the positions you showed but i am sure when im playing a '3+0' or '5+0' game (which i do mostly), i would blunder in half of these positions. Also in position 2, after bishop takes b3, is queen a7 check also winning or d7 is the only move for white?
Thank you so much! Yes, slow games are a must to help internalize this process. Qa7 would allow ...Kg6, and the d-pawn will be stopped I think. The queen on d4 was excellent in supporting that pawn, hence d7 is preferable! ☺️
Ha, this really works. I didn't see any problem with the first example, then looked at my cat, looked around the room, and back at the board only then seeing the backspanker!
I have long experience in blundering in winning positions. This excellent video highlighted pawn blunders, a particularly difficult topic for me. I actually missed the homework problem. The threat is pushing f4. I thought it was swinging the rook to a2 and grabbing a pawn. Thanks Can.
AimChess has a Blunder Preventer with this exact idea. Very good and frustrating (because it's much harder than puzzles). Many winning ideas in position 5...
I missed the 5th position exactly for the reasons you mention in this video. For me, kg5 doesnt feel too good after f4, so i'd say thats the blunder. Great video, new sub :)
What is a blunder? We use the term, but without much definition. Mostly we think of it as something I do by myself. There is a Japanese term, suki. It refers to a situation where, for example, two samurai are fighting to the death. In the course of the fight, they battle back and forth, thrusting and parrying, matching each other’s dynamics. But, suppose in his mind, one player suddenly realizes that a wrong move could get him killed. This causes a stutter or a gap to open up in the flow, and it is at that moment that the opponent drives through to actually create the death that the samurai was afraid of. The blunderer breaks the flow. Suki refers to this, and also sometimes is referred to as a kind of glue or stickiness that hampers the flow. That is one kind of blundering. A blunder can cause such an opening for the opponent to enter. The blunder creates an opportunity for the opponent (which they can fail to take advantage of, of course). Obviously there are levels: a piece suddenly vulnerable; a misplaced piece; a failure to grasp the nature of the opening or the threat; etc. This puts us into the constant perspective of the opponent: what we are giving to our opponent to test out. Is this the way forward for what the board is telling us? One related way of playing is to see the opponent as a generator of threats that need to be met (this is where puzzles can be misleading - the opponent is just hurling threats at you one after the other). This is the battleground metaphor, everywhere in chessspeak. Another way of playing is to think of the other player as initiating a dance move to which I am to reply. The dancefloor metaphor. I blunder when I lose the rhythm of the unfolding dance. Perhaps we are looking at a beautiful draw as a victory for both players.
Thanks for the honest feedback! And yes, while playing it, your working memory will probably be updated on that open file and the presence of the enemy rook.
Nice, did not know that! Can it explain why he rarely blundered? USCF still allows it - it would be nice to compare the blunder rates of players having this habit with those who do not.
In the homework position, after Kg3, I couldnt figure how to defend the e pawn after Re2, so i spent a long time trying to refute Kg5, f4. Then i came back to Kg3, and realized i could just go back with my king.
Yes, I did and have fallen for material grabs, stupidly, greed. But since I have been watching your great videos I have become better and enjoying chess now. Realizing it is a learning process. The pattern of thinking. Do the same process over and over. Become habit forming. Nice pawn move to block the queen check and protect the knight. That is an aspect of protecting discovered after the move. I will be mindful of that aspect of the game. Yes, some moves look good on the surface, as the ocean sometimes seems. But under the surface, very large (dangers lurk). I view blunders like this. Great job May Jesus bless you in all you do, for I enjoy your teachings. You are a talented instructor , again great job.
8:50 I made the right move but I saw the wrong punish. I thought blacks position looked unpleasant after Nxe6 f7xe6 Qxe6 Kd8 Rd1 and completely missed the simple f5. I also missed that Rd1 hangs a rook with check but 0-0-0 accomplishes the same thing without hanging a rook.
Thank you for your feedback! Interesting that you missed the pawn move f4-f5. Perhaps a good checklist question could be, can my piece to be moved be attacked on its new square?
Awareness is the first step for the cure. You should check out my course "The Chess Elevator" to tackle this issue. I am now working on a blunder-check course too!
Is King h8 also good for the first example? deny light square bishop who is buried on other side, rook can't pin on g, h5 won't hit ur pawn since open file for white rook or a weakened pawn structure depending on exchange order. Just let them blunder and save pawn since position is so much better. Good idea, or no? New to chess so i wanna know if it's bad or too passive.
Oh, the pawn push is about creating king space to allow the pawn take to be safe. On closer inspection i can see it progressing checkmate. I adore defensive roles/tactics in games, so I overlooked the value of opening the file by taking the pawn. Thank you. :)
Also... I'm doing this for fun, but I want your opinion. I've been doing a carro kann adjacent opening for white. My idea is d4, c3, and potentially e4 if i can greed, develop ability to castle asap, close pawn pyramid while thwarting inevitable early queen attacks and scholars mate attempts since im around 800. I'm not good so I mess up, but sometimes i get a legit fortress at center thanks to turn advantage. Got the idea noticing how C-Kann can get surprisingly aggressive. Is this possible to climb with? Is there an opening already like this?
tunnel vision, is the root of all evil! there are many great channels that teach how to play, with tips and tricks and everything but I believe this is the only one that teaches how to "think"
Thank you so much for your motivating words! That is the main function of this channel in fact. I made a video about tunnel vision some months ago. I am posting it here in case you missed it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-boJX4UraXGw.html
Ah, my one disappointment is that you didn’t play "Eye of the Tiger" [theme song from Rocky III] as intro music to underscore the "eye of the patzer" theme! 😅
I think it's very beneficial for beginners to play through an entire game and really kick the habit of resigning. Even if you're not going to win you can learn a lot
@@Dr.CansClinicIt's annoying when they wait until they've lost to start thinking. I've had opponents blitz their way out of all their pieces in rapid games. I had 6 queens + most of my pieces vs none of his. I guess he was praying for stalemate, but sometimes resigning is the right move. Pretty much have to play 10+0 if I care about my time.
Good video. Good advice to look away for like 10 seconds and then look afresh. Only criticism is could you not say “God” all the time. To some of us it is bothersome because we don’t want to be taking the Lord’s Name in vain. It’s good for you too, you won’t be guilty of it. All the best, keep up the good work.
This video could be subtitled, "Revenge of the Marshmallow"! What a great video lesson. Everybody talks about doing a blunder check before making a move; but I haven't seen any resource that so clearly demonstrates the thought process required to do it. And the focus on looking for your opponent's _pawn_ moves is particularly helpful, because it's so easy to underestimate the power of those little critters! Thanks again for your wonderful content, @DrCansClinic.