Homework position: After White's move 1.Qf3, the N on e4, which had been safe (attacked zero times, defended once) is now "loose" (i.e., attacked once, defended once). White can remove the defender by 2.g4 Bg6 3.Nxg6 fxg6, and voila, that poor N on e4 is now hanging (attacked once, defended zero times), and White gobbles it up with 4.Qxe4. Is this the correct solution? It's fascinating to watch the hapless N's safety status transition from safe, to loose, to hanging, to captured in a simple forcing three-move combination. For me, that elevator is more like an escalator (or a rickety staircase! ), but at least I'm going up!

@Dr.CansClinic

10 күн бұрын

I just love this comment ❤ Insight per character ratio is extremely extremely high! Safety status is a great term!

@ibiwisi

10 күн бұрын

@@Dr.CansClinic Haha -- If only I could figure out how to monetize my high ipc rating! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement; it means a lot to me. 👍

@indigochild2.098

4 күн бұрын

the question was what should black play buddy

I can hardly wait for your next course to be released. All of your previous courses are great! IMO, you are the best teacher of middlegame principles on the Internet...keep up the great work!

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

That is so very motivating to hear ❤️

@ibiwisi

11 күн бұрын

Totally agree, @kennethgatto1032. As I said in a comment to an earlier video, I think @Dr.CansClinic's videos have the highest ipm (insights per minute) of all the KZread chess content out there! (And yes, I invented that metric. 😅)

@Dr.CansClinic

11 күн бұрын

@@ibiwisi I love this metric! I will show off against other chess youtubers who have hundreds of thousands of subscribers that I am unbeatable in this important metric! 😂

Very interesting, this psychological analysis of the thougt processes.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

I find it very interesting too - hope people can gain awareness on those issues after watching this one.

Thank you, Dr Can. Whenever I see a nasty discovery looming, I try to remember it. This doesn't always work. As far as the homework is concerned - Black is at a disadvantage, as White's Bishops and Queen are aiming at the Kingside, and his Knight is in our territory. We can advance or retreat to respond. ... Nf6 This is a tame move, and the squares g4 or d5 afterwards aren't very potent. It traps the Bishop on e7 as well. No. ... Bg5 The Queenside is locked out to our dark square Bishop, thanks to White's pawn chain. White's Bishop on c1 will fall one way or another. We would like our Queen to land on g5 to threaten Nd2 or Qd2+ at some point. He might counterattack with g4, but we can play Bg6 if we don't have a tempo. ... f6 The Knight is really annoying, but not worth the effort yet. No. After all of that, Bg5, because we break White's attack.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Love your analysis! Great that you saw g4 as a big threat. Black has several good moves, once they identify the threat (that is the reason identifying threats should be done at the very beginning of the calculation process). I also like ...h6, giving an escape square to the bishop on h7. 1...Bg5 may allow g4 anyways and it becomes a mess.

Thank you so much for these videos! These are so much more helpful than all the videos about openings.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Glad you like them! Fixing thought process issues is extremely important for fundamentals.

Good Evening...he's exactly on point I've lost games and positions because of this, to hear it verbally made me a better player TODAY...now I will be aware....I've also invested in another one of your courses...Thank you for the knowledge...

@Dr.CansClinic

Күн бұрын

I am so happy to hear your kind feedback. And thank you so much for studying another course of mine! ☺️ Which course is it?

After g4, black loses either B or N.

@Dr.CansClinic

11 күн бұрын

Good!

In the homework position white is threatening to kick and then capture the defender of the e4 knight.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Excellent!

Part of the psychological process is the inability to pull away from the dynamics of the game in progress, you get caught up in the excitement of the back and forth as it happens. Some of this (speaking personally) is a disappointment in having to break the rhythm of that movement of the game, and having to stop and think. It seems like going against the flow of things, the grain. It requires a reframing of a definition of the game away from the dynamics of move versus move, over to the things you are talking of -- where you are required to step back, look, etc, break the hold of the immediate. (Integrating the "step back" into one's definition of the game seems to be the critical "step forward".)

@Dr.CansClinic

11 күн бұрын

So well said Peter! So much so, is that I consider quoting you in my upcoming course on blunder-check ☺️

@peterintoronto6472

10 күн бұрын

@@Dr.CansClinic Flattering, feel free!

@peterintoronto6472

6 күн бұрын

@@Dr.CansClinic It would be worth exploring the idea of "momentum" -- attacks and momentary triumphs are seductive, you want to surf on the energy, use your supposed momentum to push forward forcefully against doubt.

Nf6 to prevent entrapment of Bishop. leading to losing the N on e4

@Dr.CansClinic

11 күн бұрын

Thank you!

For me the problem of usual puzzles is that I know that I should find something. I don't know whether you have this in mind or not but my suggestion would be to also incorporate a fair amount of puzzles to your course, where there is no threat and the player can continue with his move normally. That would help to mimick a real game a little bit more I think :) Also thanks for the video. I'm trying to make the threat check a habit for myself so this reinforced the importance of doing this. And also the idea to use it to prepare traps for the opponent - it didn't occure to me before 😁

@Dr.CansClinic

5 күн бұрын

Thank you! I even made a video about mixing positional and tactical puzzles, and my calculation course as well as seeing the threats course have such mixed puzzles. I will incorporate mixed practice into my next course too.

In the last puzzle white can now play g4 forcing the black bishop to g6 where it is threatened by the white knight. So perhaps play h7 make a hole for the bishop but white still has attack after that.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Love it!

homework spoiler - no engine If black makes a passive move, such as developing a piece, Qc7, then white will play b4 Bg6 Nxg6 hxg6 Qxe4 Or b4 Ng5 Bxg5 Bxg5 gxf5 White will be up a piece and black will have no compensation.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Thank you so much as always!

So true. I had a game today where my queen was threatened, I moved it back and it just so happened to form a battery on the king. My opponent thought for 15 seconds and played his advance... allowing mate in 1. Lol. It was fun. I feel that sloooow games are required to automatize the process. I've been loving them lately.

@Dr.CansClinic

12 күн бұрын

Thank you so much for the feedback! Yes, slow games are very important to fix these basic processes and makem them automatic.

I really like your videos more and more recently! In this one, definitely, the concept that blunders often happen when the other side makes a reactionary move like a recapture or a retreat is very prevalent in many games. Problems were a bit too easy this time though, compared to earlier videos:)

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Glad you like them! So motivating! This course will target 600-1200 ELO, so it is no surprise the exercises were on the easier side for you ☺️

Such a fun crucial video. Homework answer. Threat is on the loose horsey on e4. ...g4, take the bish. Take the knight. H6 would do it.

@Dr.CansClinic

12 күн бұрын

Excellent answer!

Dr Can, thank you for the video as always very instructive! Re: Homework: "if I don't make a move", white will push g4, threatening black bishop (attacking the sole defender of the black knight) and if bishop drops back, white will do Nxg6 forking rook and other black bishop forcing a recapture, and on the recapture either hxg6 or fxg6, white queen picks up the knight with Qxe4, winning a piece. Bringing the bishop back to g6 proactively will not work because knight will just capture as described above and white will win the black knight as described above. Bringing the black queen Qd5 to defend the knight will also not work because white will push c4 and when white queen retreats, then they will proceed with the g4 plan described above because it will now be their turn! So it seems black best defensive options are to move the knight away to g5, d6 or f6. Clearly it cannot stay where it is or it will soon be chopped... for free.

@Dr.CansClinic

12 күн бұрын

Thank you so very much for your excellent observations! 1...h6 is also a good move, giving the h7-square to the bishop on f5.

9:01 - I found that move for all the wrong reasons. You said problems on recapture, so I saw white Bishop could threaten our Queen on g5 supported by their Knight, so I had the same answer: our bishop to e7.

@Dr.CansClinic

9 күн бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. Bg5 was already present in that first position, but after their recapture (Qxd3), Ng5 became more relevant to hit h7 with two pieces.

@paulgaither

9 күн бұрын

@@Dr.CansClinic - I just recently got to 1097 online playing rapid [15|10] games. I still feel so traumatized by my blunders that I constantly play to conservatively/ defensively to even my own detriment. Especially as black, where we start on the defense, though the stats say I win as black far more than as white. I think that's because slow down and look for their blunders and possible forks and just let them collapse and be aggressive.

@Dr.CansClinic

9 күн бұрын

@@paulgaither Good that you are breaking the 1100 barrier. Have you checked my video on how to reach 1200 ELO? :) Even the mere action of slowing down will have great effect on reducing blunders! More on that later on in my videos and courses!

@paulgaither

9 күн бұрын

@Dr.CansClinic - This is my first video, but it won't be my last. :)

Candidate moves are ... Ng5, ...f6 and ... Nd6. ( ... Bf6 2 g4 doesn't work.) Too lazy to notate my thought process, but I am leaning towards ... Nd6 (allowing ... Be4.)

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Thank you! Most importantly, you spotted the g4 threat!

I would have moved my queen to C4 attacking f7 pawn and checkmate after you capture the pawn on E5, you can also threaten the white bishop with your bishop after C4 and the knight on E5. The answer is no you should move your queen also this is why you don’t need to get your queen out so fast you actually start to lose advantage when you keep having to move your queen form being captured, you also end up with poor positional tactics because you don’t get to open up your piece for defense and attacking. The best way to trap a queen is to just develop your pieces which you can take control of the center of the board and stop their development while also taken all the space for the queen to move they will end up putting their queen in bad spot one great way is to force a queen trade you really see if they are that aggressive and either their fine losing their queen or they are scared to lose their queen. If they want take then I force the trade. I don’t need a queen to win also with the development you get its most likely you will end up with past pawn and get your queen back. C4 also allows you to get your queen back to better positional place

@Dr.CansClinic

10 күн бұрын

Which moment in the video are you referring into?

@992ras

10 күн бұрын

@@Dr.CansClinic yes the intro

@Dr.CansClinic

10 күн бұрын

@@992ras Yes, Qc4 looks reasonable.

Hi Dr. Can. For the home work, white is threatening g4 and Nxg6 to capture the defend of e4 Knight. So I think h6 is better for black to provide a shelter for light square Bishop. Thanks!

@twentyrothmans7308

13 күн бұрын

Cool idea. I came back to the homework after a few hours, and did not see that move. In my suggested line, I let him play Nxg6 , because fxg6 exposes the Rook on f8. But your move would boost my suggested Bg5 very nicely. I'm just very wary with those Bishops and the Queen staring into my Kingside. The other downside is that he can castle, and g1 is a fortress. The Doctor's birdie will tell us the correct line, in time.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Sounds excellent. Great that you saw the g4 threat! As without seeing it, we have a huge chance of blundering here.

I’d swear you are looking at my games as hitting exactly the errors I make. Tunnel vision and not asking what changed in the positions. Will be a good course I’m sure

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Thank you so much for the feedback. It is a very common issue indeed, speaking from personal experience working with beginner players.

Pawn recaptures give new files or diagonals. I will jot this down in my Tal's book. Thank you Prof.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

My pleasure! Blunders happen frequently when pawn recapture possibilities are there.

Enjoyed this episode, homework position I see two threats following Qf3 and they are Bd3 attacking the knight twice and g4, how to deal with thus from Blacks perspective I'm not sure but I'm looking at Nd6 as the option I'd choose, it certainly stops g4 due to Be4 skewering the white queen and rook, it also leaves the option for f6 to push the white knight out of our territory, I also like the look of Bg5 counter attacking before white plays either move which would iliminate the dark square threat around our king but this one ive found very difficult to come up with a solid defence against the threats

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Thank you so much! And excellent that. you spotted the threat - that is more than half of the solution usually!

In the Caro Kann, very often in bullet or Blitz games I let my Bishop get attacked by pawns, opponent thinks I'm just reacting. But in reality I am positioning my Bishop to a direct checkmate threat. Very similar to the position at 10:32 - A lot of people fall for it. But then again, when someone does something like that to me, I very sadly also fail to see it very often. The homework: took me a while! But I believe it's g4 Bg6 Nxg6, removing the defender of the black knight. So black should play something like h6 to give the Bishop a square.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Excellent answer! It is indeed a very common theme, surprising I have not seen it mentioned elsewhere in chess literature...

In the homework position, if it was white to move, g4 seems very strong. Bg6 is the only move that protects the loose e4 knight, but after Nxg6 hxg6 Qxe4 white should be winning. Perhaps Nf6 immediately is good for black.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Excellent that you spotted the threat and avoided the blunder.

In the homework position i think the threat is g4 and maybe trap the bishop or take the bishop on g6 and destroy the pawns in front of the black king. But i also calculate after Nxg6, fxg6 the Queen is attacked by the rook on f8, so i am not sure if g4 is the main threat or maybe i am missing something here

@justsomeboyprobablydressed9579

13 күн бұрын

What you are missing is that after g4 Bg6 Nxg6 fxg6, White has Qxe4. (White has removed the defender of the e4-knight.) So, your instincts were correct--g4 is the threat. It fits nicely with the theme of this video, because after White's last move, you have to ask yourself "what has changed, what is the threat?" White's last move unblocked his g-pawn. It wasn't just a defensive move, saving the queen, it was a subtle offensive move too.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Excellent breakdown, thanks!

Position 4 after g4 allows us to take on c1 with a rook and then take a knight with a queen, I would say it is still very playable at least!

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Oops, you just blundered a mate! Can you see it?

To be honest I don't see a threat, but I am not that good anyways.

@BlunderBunny

13 күн бұрын

I think g4 traps Black’s bishop.

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

Can you see how White can remove the defender of the knight on e4?

The legend with another video

@Dr.CansClinic

13 күн бұрын

🙏❤️