Want to be 1500 in chess? 

I just reached 1700, pls don't make me go back.

Before this video I was 1593. Now I'm 1548. Thanks Levy!!

53:00 This was amazing. Like, literally amazing, absolutely beautiful combination. And the fact that this ice is so fragile that you take the bishop by mistake and you're completely lost makes it even more beautiful. Thanks for this one!

It's the patience for me. The casual discussion of each move, the honesty, the curiosity, the willingness to be surprised... You give all of it time to breathe. Just downright soothing. Definitely my favorite series.

8/10 camera stare today. I like how you blended it nicely by transitioning into your opening without blinking.

i didn't know i could watch 1.5h of chess without getting bored

Started with 320 elo .. now at 977, glad I was introduced to chess last year. Thank you my friend debopam and you my man .. much love and blessings.

the ending of game 3 was beautiful. I actually thought "what if you push the pawn instead of taking the queen" but couldn't see the whole thing through, the fact that it is the top move with the double into discovered check was nutty

Won 12 out of my last 13 games and smoothly cruised to 1100 for the first time ever. Feeling like this is doable!

As a 1100 I loved this breakdown. It helps that you played moves that we would've played instead destroying your opponents in the opening and punishing every mistake. This would decrease the learning experience. So THANK YOU!

Gotham: Wanna be 1500? Me who's 1600: no

This video helped me immensely!!!! Explanations were clear and informative and the pace was excellent!! Tyvm!!

Slimshaney here, playing that first game gave me a TON of things to think about. I learned some concepts about relative value and tempo(you don't gain tempo attacking the queen with a queen when trading is good)I wouldn't have learned in ages. I see the Qxb7 line all the time, but after you played it against me(even if it wasn't optimal) you finally pushed me to analyze that position out a few more moves, and I made a few friends along the way. Thanks for the game today levy, happy new year.

I played chess drunk last night and somehow got my blitz rating from 850 to 970 playing the London and caro Kahn. Very easy to play.

I really appreciate how you didn't belittle your opponents moves or style and how you are very educational. Thanks for the lessons

I feel like Rd1 was at least worth a quick mention at 13:18. Pawn recaptures and promotes is a pretty common idea with a pawn one step from promotion and it even protects the pawn by pinning one attacking rook to the king.

I absolutely love how Levy deliberate makes bad moves to teach tactical awareness during the game- brilliant teaching nous, it is totally pointless for an IM to demolish a 1200 elo and Levy understands that. Best video thus far from Gotham Chess.

The ability to get into the mind of the beginner/intermediate player is what makes these 'How to win at chess' one of your best series. So cool that you can show us the best move in a position and yet play something worse because that's what a player that level would do!

Fantastic commentary, color and teaching. Sincerest thanks

31:35 this distinguished gentlemen decided to drink out of a vase. Most peculiar.

10:50 I'm kind of proud that when the bishop captured my immediate thought was Knight C5 30:00 it took me a minute to understand why Qf4 is a problem. at first glance it just looked like a hanging queen, so that's probably why he didn't see it either.

I literally put this at one of my goals for 2023, thanks Levi!

I just want to say a big thank you for your informative approach. I've always liked chess but I'm not very good at it (learned a little lately), and always eager to learn more. Keep it up!

31:30 Gotham why are you drink out a vase💀

Dear Gothamchess, During the pandemic I discovered your channel, and I was instantly hooked. I watched all your opening videos, progressed to the (hilarious) Guess the Elo and Win at Chess series, before discovering your recap videos and binging them. I followed your progress in OTB competitions back when you played, and discovered other chess creators through you. You re-awoke my childhood love of chess, and I catapulted to about 1600, a level at which was quite happy, despite the constant threat of hanging a piece on move six... I have played hundreds of games of the Caro-Kan, hundreds of the Vienna and dozens of Danish gambits, as well as several thousand games of everything in between. You are an excellent teacher and a fine commentator, and quite literally every day I would watch your daily video before I went to bed. It would be the constant in my life, no matter what country or situation I was in, your videos could always be a comforting balm to me, and for that I am very grateful. Many of your videos, especially GTE, I have watched several times. I have watched you change from house to house and haircut to haircut with amusement at your reaction, and seen the way that your channel has changed, from providing opening videos and "Win at Chess" to moving more towards entertainment. That decision, while slightly disappointing for me, has proved eminently sensible, and you have become both the largest chess youtuber and one of chess's most recognisable faces. Congratulations are unasked for and wholly irrelevant, yet I offer them to you nonetheless. But my personality can tend towards the obsessive, and I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that online chess is consuming too much of my time (as in, I can find myself spending hours playing rapid chess). Any attempt to rein it in would lead to recapitulation, and as such, I am giving it up for the New Year. Sadly, this means I must give you up too; your videos are far too compulsive, and they drive me towards chess. This merely means that you are exceedingly good at what you do, and I hope that you remain so. But thus this is the final video that I shall watch for a very long time. I have had such fun with you, and I hope that all that watch you can gain the same joy and laughter from you that I have. I wish you every good fortune into the future both personally and professionally, and I hop, when I come back to chess and RU-vid in the future, that I shall find you here waiting for me. It's been a blast, A C6 player forever.

The new year speaks for itself

Best chess lesson I’ve ever had. It did not feel like 80 minute video. Awesome keep doing your thing. I am now subscribed with notifications on

Great video Levy. I don't usually write comments to videos but this time I felt compelled to because you give confidence to people like me who are not very high rated at chess but still enjoy playing . Even if we lose a lot! Good luck with the channel!

I had a 1800+ rating, but after watching this video I dropped 300 elo to 1500. Thank you Levy for this insightful video!

I just got to 1400. This is the perfect video

This is very helpful how you walk through your thinking so clearly and at a great pace.

this video is absolute legendary, I subscribed I love everything about this and your way of talking/explaining

Finally I can reach 1500! I've been trying for so long but every time I got close I gained 300 ELO again and got back to my normal rating. Thanks to this video I'm no longer stuck at 1800.

Me who just got 1500: He he he, everybody wants to be like me

extremely instructive. thank you!

49:12 is such a nice move that I would I’ve never thought of. Turned weak that pawn into a killer attacking move

I always really enjoy this style of video. It’s been said by other commenters, but the fact you try to play at the opponents level, and explain the difference in board vision and calculation at comparative levels, and the tactical ideas that stem from those differences - it’s super useful to me as a learner.

I love most of your content, but this kind of video is my absolute favorite. Thanks for all you do, and keep up the great work!

I love your whole game analysis it breaks down your interpretation

Yeah I agree with several of the other comments. You showing the better move yet playing the obvious moves is an outstanding instructive tool. Those moments alone are worth the time to watch these. Good job, Levy!

No d4 player has ever played the London against me at or below 1100. Every single game has been Queen's gambit.

1:15:35 Qxd4 is actually a blunder because Rxf1+ and queen takes when Raxf1...but it's easy to miss like how Keymer blundered his rook against Magnus a few days ago in the same manner

Great instructive video today! Loved it levy! Very clear thought process to absorb and learn from.

More of this! Really amazing content for us midrange trash players who are trying to improve

I enjoy the caustic and cynical Levy with funny voices, but I also enjoy the super chill Levy who patiently and eloquently explains the logic behind his chess moves with a whole bunch of valuable insight. Please don't stop making these videos!

Levy this is my absolute favorite content, please don't stop making these long form instructional videos like this for free. I want to buy a course but I'm struggling lately and just from watching your RU-vid this last couple years and casually playing 10 min games on my phone while watching TV my rating has gone from 600 to a bit over 1200. All from watching your content and playing like 5 games a day (that part is only the last like year). Now when I play chess on my phone I find myself pausing the show and being really focused on the game and unable to watch anything, so in a way you took away a casual hobby from me, now I can't watch TV anymore. But what I gained was an immense love and passion for the game of chess, and I'd rather be blundering my queen in a 10m rapid to watching some Netflix show anyday. Thank you Gothamchess. And have a wonderful 2023. Can't wait to see what it brings!

Dang, I remember when I started playing chess and this was one of the first video I watched. It took me a year and a half (been playing on and off due to school), but now I'm 1501 today :D Been watching your videos since December 2022 and my main openings are the Karo kann, kings Indian, and the london. Thanks for your teachings man 👍

This games are extremely instructive, as a beginner I feel like I'm learning in turbo speed. You are a great master and you really enjoy chess and that makes it even more entertaining to see. Good job man!

Honestly loved the video Levi! Even though Im very far off 1500 elo, I really enjoyed how you verbalized your thought process during these games. The ideas and questions you posed made so much sense yet I find it so hard to remember to pose them to myself in my games. I'd love to get more videos in this format once in a while to explore the deeper thought processes.

This vid helped me go from 1800 to 1500

1:01:20 You can crack you neck by lifting up the chin, placing your left hand, palm up, pointing west (left) making sure that the chin fits softly in-between the two bones at the bottom of the palm. With your right hand, place it on the left side of your head, a bit above the ear, making sure your arm is over your head like headphones. Then simply use your hands to turn your head so your chin turns anti-clockwise. Then repeat but with the opposite hands. Make sure you DON'T do it to hard or you will break you neck. Otherwise completely safe.

This was really nice tempo...and very good explanation

Levy, this is gold for many of us. No question this is helping a whole lot of people.

Love this video. Awesome that you are not always playing the best move for educational purposes. Really appreciated. Moved up 200 points up to 1200 lately with at 70% win rate with black with the Caro Kann, crazy! Happy New Year, keep it up 🙌

With all the comedy that levy has been adding into his recent videos, i sometime forget Levy is really this instructive and a good teacher.

Dude that queen sac in the end of game 3 was so cool. At least to my 1000 rapid elo game sense it seemed brilliant.

I started playing during the pandemic at around 850 level. After discovering your channel I managed to hit 1000 in 2020 1100 in 2021 and now 1200 in 2022. My goal for 2023 is 1300. Thanks for making this video Levy :)

thanks so much levy for always posting this amazing content

I just loved the 2nd match about how you beated the player with time though u were a piece down

Very nice instructive format. Thank you! Happy New Year!!

This was such a calm and educating video. Absolutely loved it! Keep it up Levy!

This is the year that I reach this goal, thank you for always being serious and rational as well as funny in your vids levy!

38:08 Black knight to f2 forkbomb

I realize this series takes a lot of time to make and it can be frustrating trying to organize opponents for it. How to win at chess is my favorite series and I appreciate all the hard work!

Hey GothamChess, you've gotten me into chess after years of not caring. I've even had a couple good wins (even tho I'm 300 lel) but still. Thanks for giving me a new hobby to learn

It's even instructive to a 1900, nice. Love that the internet's fave chess coach happens to be a beast of a chess player

Personally as a chess and ASMR fan I must say this is my top rated GC video. It has a huge amount of knowledge and in the same it works as a ASMR if I'm sleepy .

Death stare before Levi realizes that the camera started is a classic. No one can replicate this perfectly as Levi can.

These videos are the best ! It's a shame they don't get as many views as others

I watched the entire video and it was very helpful and entertaining. Thanks, Levy!

Not a fan of your style normally (feels over-the top, but I get it's for YT engagement), but clicked this in my feed. I love you walking through the thought process and keeping in mind what players at lower levels are likely to see, and how to proceed with that level of vision. One of the bigger positives of this approach is you have multiple instructive moments each game rather than winning at the first sign of a winning tactic. Nice video.

Happy New Year Levy! Thanks for all the great chess lessons and content.

Me as a 1900 player, of course I will say yes and also it works! I lose 400 elos in just an hour.

Levy, I especially enjoyed your comments about time management.

More of this please

I realize the vast majority of your viewers are probably a couple of light years ahead of me and may prefer other formats, but this kind of video helps me far more than any recap can. Thank you so much!

i like these....the thought process on both sides of the board

Amazing channel, Levy. Very clear and easy for real beginners like myself. Thank you for the outstanding work!

This video is fantastic. Thank you for making these videos, this style is my favorite.

just hit 600 😁😁 nearly there!!

This was a great video! Learned a lot as a 800! Thanks Levy! 💚

Watching this on 1st January 2024 at 12:05 am 😂

interesting I've ever done any formal chess training but I also gravitated to the Carro Khan opening as black didn't know the name until recently though.

Got to 1280 a couple of months ago and have plateaued a bit. Videos like these help push every ELO I can get! Thanks Levy!

Happy New Year, Levy

Got from 700 to 1300 in just over a year thanks to you and others, thanks Levy 😁🙌

Very informative loved the explanations.

My first move of 2023 was c6 after studying the caro course this holiday. naturally after move 3 opponent already had us out of course recommendations. Got the win though so we take those!!

Woohoo, my favorite series! Thanks for taking the time to make this!

15:56 which ever direction the kid goes💀

The hanging duck defense :D

you could really feel the sweat pouring off your opponents head in the last 3 minutes of game 2 haha

I reached 1600 last month thanks to your openings and tips . I play e4 as white . I play caro and dutch .Thank you Gotham .

1:07:06 (White Bishop to B5): it likely would not have made much of a difference, and maybe delayed things, but I would have considered moving it to D7 with the intention of moving it to E6. If allowed to execute, and paired with a move or two from the white knight on C3, it would have been interesting. Although you'd likely repel such an attack with ease.

"Disprespected their horsy" 😂

i stuck at 800 elo my last 10 games is completely trash 2 wins 8 losses

Look Levy you may not be the best player out there, but you are definetly the best teacher

This was your best chess lesson to date!!! Thank you!!!😅

important to remember in blitz time management is half the battle -- 1052 opponent was instamoving and clearly missing simple effective moves.

I love the return of Levy staring into our souls at the start of the video