This is an excellent lesson. The explanation of the tactics, and showing your calculations is hugely helpful.

@GMBenjaminBok

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Happy to hear this was helpful

Nice game! ...Nxd5 was instructive. I was always under the impression that I should recapture with the bishop to save a tempo. But I see now that after the trade on d5 ...Bf5 is very strong as it fights for control of more squares and also puts pressure on c2. Thanks!

@GMBenjaminBok

2 ай бұрын

Thank you! Happy to hear you found it instructive!

Great content! Thanks for sharing all your insights!

@GMBenjaminBok

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, my pleasure!

Amazing

@GMBenjaminBok

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

This is wonderfully instructive! But the Najdorf can be confusing. For example, at 0:55, Mr. Bok mentions that it's a mistake to play Nc6. However, in certain Najdorf setups, we _should_ play Nc6. For example, I recently played, as Black, a game that began 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.a4. Here I played 8...Be6, which isn't a bad move, but Stockfish says 8...Nc6 is best. So it's hard to understand how to choose between d7 and c6 for that knight in different Najdorf positions.

@GMBenjaminBok

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! The Najdorf truly is a strategically rich opening. Nc6 is generally not a good move in the Najdorf because of two reasons: 1) The knight does not have a good square to go to from c6. 2) Nd5 is often an annoying response from white as Nxd5 exd5 leads to a fork and Bxd5 exd5 gives white the bishop pair, and the knight on c6 has to move to an awkward square. However, Nc6 is a good move in the example you mention as the knight is headed to b4, since white weakened that square with the move 8.a4. Furthermore, 9.Nd5 is not a good move for white as it allows Nxe4. Had white's bishop been on g2, it would have been a completely different scenario. Hope that helps!

@jimhenderson6440

Жыл бұрын

@@GMBenjaminBok It is very interesting to hear what factors make that sort of position an exception to the rule. Beautiful explanation.

Great video Bok. Lot of calculation in this one.

@GMBenjaminBok

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad you liked it

Awesome content! Would love to see more of these if possible

@GMBenjaminBok

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! More videos are coming soon!

@megatruble22

Жыл бұрын

@@GMBenjaminBok looking forward to it

Upto now I don't know why one should not put that knight on c6 yet there is a pawn Even suporting it. Yet also in onr variation, it is put there.

@MrSupernova111

2 ай бұрын

Black's b-knight fights for control of the b6 square. Also, Nc6 can get hit by a trade on d5 as we saw in this game.

I feel pure horror from time to time when I watch GM playing against a strong player...GMs are nearly machines...