I actually think it would be worthwhile to have a series on dubious openings and how to punish them. As a newer player, i constantly was running into the Damiano Defence as white at lower rankings online and eventually looked up on wikipedia that its basically completely refuted with the Damiano Gambit. For newer players that are tring to improve, that could be very helpful. If nothing else, having your channel be the only place to find a "How to punish X" video would be a great resource for people searching for it.

@HangingPawns

3 жыл бұрын

I am considering that.

@rosenpy7053

3 жыл бұрын

@@HangingPawns I think it is very interesting to explore unsound openings, and unsound move in common openings, because it is not straightforward how to refute most of them. Also, from a youtuber follower standpoint, it gets more views and lower rated player might enjoy more and learn to punish opponents very easily, which is something many beginners struggle to do. Thank you for your amazing job with your channel. My sincere compliments. PS. Very mice graphics ;) PSS. If you wanna have a game, my lichess nickname is RosenPy. I would enjoy to play against you. Anyone can try me :D

@g73hc3gsv3i

3 жыл бұрын

@@HangingPawns yes yes yes man...I requested you regarding that many times...please show how to punish the Fried fox, Englund, Polish, Grob, Borg, Bongcloud etc dubious annoying openings coz most of the time I just lose the game trying to launch a premature attack and in the end my opponent comes out with an extra piece. It's really frustrating to face these kind of nonsense opening moves. I lost around 200 rating points coz of this and my opponent just straightforward bullied me the in the whole game. Always after losing a game against such weird unsound opening moves I sometimes feel like I'd just quit chess. I just can't bear this horrible feeling.

@alexandereastwood1

3 жыл бұрын

At the same point, I think there is a lot to learn from dubious gambits to improve your chess tactics and attacking ideas. The Stafford gambit being one that comes to mind as it has a lot of attacking ideas I did not see before, along with the real power of fishing pole attacking ideas, and how to complicated positions when you are in the losing position to maximize your chances of getting back to equality or even getting a winning position.

@g73hc3gsv3i

3 жыл бұрын

@@alexandereastwood1 Buddy, Stafford is not that bad...you are trying to attack your opponent's king and there is nothing wrong with that. Do you know what is frustrating? Playing against nonsense flank pawn push(h4 g4) or f3 Kf2 (bong cloud) stuff what I hate the most. There is a guy in Lichess (username: SeventeenMinutes) who bullied me an entire night playing some nonsense openings like King's David Sicilian. And he always plays this stuff and gets away with it. After a long day, you want to have some fun playing chess and you face these sorts of stuff that completely makes you frustrated.

This is a man who has gone through hell with a gambit

Actually, I'm here to strengthen my latvian gambit

I never lose to the Latvian Gambit by playing 1.D4 ;)

@HangingPawns

3 жыл бұрын

Smart.:)

@ThatRaisinTho

3 жыл бұрын

Gross

@sjegannath6295

3 жыл бұрын

220 IQ move. But then you'll lose to the Albin counter gambit

@periodic98

3 жыл бұрын

hyper gamer What about those London players though

@michaelvanzyl9418

3 жыл бұрын

@@periodic98 I can always throw in Nf3 before c4 it I want to ;)

I can't wait to see some analysis of the games you play against your friend this evening! Win or lose, it will be interesting to see how your prep influenced the games.

@HangingPawns

3 жыл бұрын

Score against his latvian was 3-1. My flag fell in one game;D

7:07 - "Here's the move you should play."

This is the third video from you that I watch. I very much enjoy your presentation style. Thanks for showing me how to play the Latvian gambit better (as black).

probably this will be the time your friend decides to try another annoying unsound gambit XD

@blijebij

3 жыл бұрын

Precisely xD another 3 years headaches.

I could relate on a spiritual level when you said that a bad opening gave you a headache for years, Theres this guy in my club that plays the birds and i hate playing against it.

@samhatts5601

3 жыл бұрын

The bird is essentially the dutch with white so i reccomend looking at stjepans dutch series

@g73hc3gsv3i

3 жыл бұрын

Dude, seems like you haven't faced the real stuff yet...I got bullied the entire night by this guy (username: SeventeenMinutes) on lichess by some weird f3 Kf2 bong cloud stuff, King's David Sicilian, etc and worse openings I didn't know even existed. And the thing is that he always plays these openings in blitz and always gets away with it. You can't even imagine what I felt after losing

@stevenodonoghue6856

3 жыл бұрын

@@g73hc3gsv3i if you lose to them they aren't nonsese.

@g73hc3gsv3i

3 жыл бұрын

@@stevenodonoghue6856 I'm not saying the people who played these moves are nonsense... I'm saying f2 Kf3-these are nonsense.

@siraf1234

3 жыл бұрын

@@samhatts5601 Yes but i play the staunton gambit, that does not work with black and im not too fond of the other variations on the black side.

I know this video is old, but im hoping for a respond anyway. As a latvian gambit player myself i find that although many players say the opening is straight up refuted very few players i have actually played against - close to none have actually refuted the opening. Not to say i dont lose games in the opening, but thats mostly cause im getting outplayed in fine positions or straight up blunder. I would suggest it as a great weapon if you want a sharp game

@emmanuelgoldstein1033

Жыл бұрын

Savielly Tartakower once said that bad openings get better the worse their reputation is and the underlying rationale behind your observation leads me to agree. A lot of people don't see value in learning positions in bad openings (by computer standards) because nobody would bother to play them or they believe they refute themselves. They don't. It is this mentality that makes them playable on a human level - even more so when people view the choice of opening as an insult or irritation. You play the opponent in conjunction with the board - something that gets easily forgotten in a computer-dominated age and something not everybody is prepared for. Humans and their preferences are things computers will probably never fully grasp which will always leave a space for psychological play. Which is exactly why I love dubious stuff! (Also because the positions tend to be exciting!)

Your videos have been very helpful. Also you have great thumbnails. Thank you for bringing us high quality content. Keep up the good work!

aahh I play the Latvian and I got excited for a moment when I saw you uploaded a video on it... Then I saw it was a refutation:(

@ElieElKhoury19

3 жыл бұрын

Hahahahahah rip

Love these videos - really useful - thank you

Did you play it this evening in the end? How did it go? :)

@HangingPawns

3 жыл бұрын

3 wins and my flag fell once. So 3-1 against the latvian!

@ViacheslavShkirskiy

3 жыл бұрын

@@HangingPawns not bad, thanks for the video! I will try it when having a chance

@theinacircleoftheancientpu492

3 жыл бұрын

Cool was gonna ask. Congrats.

Enjoyed this video. Many years ago, I chocked against the Latvian at my local club. I do much better now, but only recently started studying it while working through the games of Greco (warning: some of the games in the database credited to him do not appear in his manuscripts).

Can you make a video on the Rèti and openings that go with it like King's Indian Attack

Great video. At 11:43, my favorite way to play with white is f3, but both f3 and bc4 appear to be winning.

Thanks Tomic can you please cover Breuer variation of carokann

Intelligent suggestions, but the planned position at 13:10 is only +0.5 at depth 31. 10...Nh5 11.Be3 exf3 Stockfish 14 0.46 (depth 31) 12.Rg1 Qf7 13.gxf3 Nd7 ... I think you'll find that 7. f3 or 7. Ne3 will be more attractive alternatives. I played many, many LGs by post in the 1970s and 1980s, and the engines confirm what was discovered back then through experience. I hope that you will report one day on how well you did with your LG friend.

Nice video as always

Thank you for talking about this. I always get psyched-out by the Latvian, like it's a personal insult.

im glad the move that i always use against this gambit is considered the best one! i used to think its too hasty and daring but i still kept playing it cuz of that check threat.

"Now hes gone"

Thanks alot for the video

Also, I play King's Gambit as White and Lavtian Gambit as Black on a regular basis, and I must say that your analysis is by no means a refutation to the Latvian. Despite the engine showing +1 with best play from both sides, in a practical game, Black is by no means worse, and IMO even better because of active pieces. It's like with Modern Benoni for Black (which I also play): the engine always shows +1 for White, but in fact it's not the case. :)

Thank you so much for this :)

You forgot the Mayet Attack! The Latvian Gambit doesn't have a 'true' refutation since it only ALMOST loses by force, so I suggest the Mayet since there is only one line. Here's the "barely holdable endgame" line: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Bc4 fxe4 4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. d4 Qxg2 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Bf7+ Kd8 8. Bxg6 Qxh1+ 9. Ke2 Qxc1 10. Nf7+ Ke8 11. Nxh8+ hxg6 12. Qxg6+ Kd8 13. Nf7+ Ke7 14. Nc3 Qxc2+ 15. Ke1 d6 16. Nd5+ Kd7 17. Qxg8 e3 18. fxe3 Be7 19. Ng5 Na6 20. Qe6+ Kc6 21. Nxe7+ Kb6 22. Qb3+ Qxb3 23. axb3 Nb4 24. Nxc8+ Rxc8 25. Ke2 Rh8 26. Rh1 Rh4 27. Kf3 Kb5 28. Kg3 Rh6 Literally EVERY single move is forced for black after Bc4 except for 4...Qg5, but if they don't go for this then they'll just end up with worse versions of the positions you're going for (i.e. probably-forced-loss). And even if they know 28 moves of theory, then they just get to suffer for 28 more in an almost indefensible endgame. You've been tortured by the Latvian; torture them back! One sequence to know by heart is: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Bc4 fxe4 4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. d4 Qxg2 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Bf7+ Kd8 8. Bxg6 Qxh1+ 9. Ke2 c6 Black is getting checkmated, but it's TOUGH. Learn 9...c6 by heart and you're good to go.

@richardward2519

Жыл бұрын

Not sure how practical it is to memorize such long lines, especially given how infrequently one sees the Latvian. What Stjepan shows is simple enough. In any case, stockfish gives 18...Na6 as an improvement for black in your line, continuing to a tablebase draw which looks a bit tricky for black but by no means undefendable: 18...Na6 19.Qxf8 Qxb2 20.Rd1 Kc6 21.Ne7+ Kb5 22.Nxc8 Ka5 23.Nd8 Qc3+ 24.Kf1 Ka4 25.Qf5 Nb4 26.Nxb7 Nc2 27.Rd3 Qe1+ 28.Kg2 Rxc8 29.Qd7+ c6 30.Qxc8 Qe2+ 31.Kg3 Qxd3 32.Qxc6+ Kb4 33.Qxd6+ Kc3 34.Qf4 Nxe3 35.Nc5 Qxd4 36.Qxd4+ Kxd4

@john11inchlhb40

Жыл бұрын

@@richardward2519 I'd still wanna see it in this video, as it's a well-known line and is sometimes referred to as a refutation. It's also a very spectacular one! Anyway, imo it's way more practical to memorize just a few tight but crazy lines than a bunch of tame, but more nebulous, soup. Just throw it into your training, it doesn't take much time. Especially since there's this common losing blunder 9...c6 that you can exploit. Then you can be "well-trained" to meet the Latvian instead of going in with just a small handful of motifs or the first couple of moves. Also I don't have 18...Na6 as an improvement; in my training (not that I actually train it this deep, though my rep database is very fleshed out haha) it's listed as *worse* with main line 19. Qxf8 Qxb2□ 20. Rd1 Kc6□ 21. Ne7+ Kb6 (or, transpositionally, Kb5)□ 22. Nxc8+ Ka5□ 23. Nd8 Qc3+□ 24. Kf1 Ka4□ 25. Qf5 Nb4□ 26. Nxb7 Nc2□ 27. Rd3 Qe1+□ 28. Kg2 Rxc8□ 29. Qd7+ c6□ 30. Qxc8 Qe2+□ 31. Kg3 Qxd3□ 32. Qxc6+ Kb4□ 33. Qxd6+ Kc3□ for white stably up three pawns. You think it's holdable? Here □ means it's an only-move for black. I have 23...Qg2 as losing on deep analysis and still subjecting black to only-moves well into the 30's, though my engine is reading it off as holding at lower depths atm. Like I said in the first place an engine can play this and allegedly survive, but if I only need to know a few lines to drag black through this nightmare into such a nigh-unholdable endgame, I don't know how you can say it's not the better method!

@richardward2519

Жыл бұрын

@@john11inchlhb40 Yes, it is spectacular. I suppose its practicality depends on whether you are comfortable with having to remember a few very deep lines or not -- white also has only moves to keep the advantage. If you are confident you can remember it all and are a good endgame player, it makes sense. Interestingly, the Lichess database does have one game that follows the line to move 25, so clearly some people are learning this. Re 18...Na6, I think you're right. Stockfish likes it at a low depth (I think I was looking at it at depth 30 or so), and I just went with 34.Qf4 at the end, which stockfish also likes but which leads to a tablebase draw. Better is 34.Qc7+, which looks like it might be a forced win for white. Looking into it a bit more, 20.Qf7 is maybe better than 20.Qe6+: you get basically the same endgame but without the doubled pawns and black has a bishop instead of a knight.

10:00 Thanks for a Bishop and Knight! i guess, you still struggle against this training opening? :)

I need an update. Did you beat your friend when you met with him after this video? Thank you for the video, very informative!!!

@ 10:01 why doesn't black just play QxB?

Breyer

@keithbradley4367

3 жыл бұрын

Stjepan at last the Latvian Gambit! The young boy in my book plays this and defeats the school bully.

@HangingPawns

3 жыл бұрын

I think I remember you saying that:D Horrible opening though. Ps. now that the vaccine seems close, start planning a trip to Zagreb!

@keithbradley4367

3 жыл бұрын

@@HangingPawns Visit to Zagreb for sure.

The best thing nobody know how to refute it in online games because little to none who play it

Very nice video

how did it go with Steven? Did you refute the Latvian gambit in his face? :)

Could you maybe analize the sicilian jalalabad ?

I've been studying this a little bit myself. There is no doubt that white's best move is 3.Nxe5. Stockfish agrees. However, it's not so clear that black's response of 3...Nf6 is any kind of mistake. You say that this move gets black into all kinds of trouble. You say that 3...Qf6 is black's best move. After letting Stockfish (version 14) calculate to a depth of 42, it comes up with 3...Nf6 (+2.04) and 3...Qf6 (+2.09). That difference may be negligible but it certainly doesn't seem that 3...Nf6 is any kind of mistake. In fact, it may actually be the best move. It may be true that 3...Qf6 is easier for a human to play - I don't know. Some computer moves are like that. Basically, it seems those two moves are equal. But the Latvian Gambit, on the whole, is definitely inferior - just as you say.

Hey stejpan I have a quick question I want to improve while playing with black In your opinion what are the best defences against d4 and best defences against e4?

@HangingPawns

3 жыл бұрын

Caro-Kann, Semi-Slav

@2d00r

3 жыл бұрын

@@HangingPawns thanks for your reply. I now know what series I'll be watching on your chanel Btw you are doing a great job helping a lot of people improve in chess, myself included

14:40 Summary

one of my favs (:

Would you like to do how to refuted Stafford Gambit?

@oxey_

3 жыл бұрын

I'd recommend watching some of Eric Rosen's videos, it's from blacks perspective, but he highlights mistakes by white that black can take advantage of. If you look at those mistakes and don't make them (easier said then done, i know :p), you should probably be in a decent spot

@paulc7162

3 жыл бұрын

@@oxey_ But its not showing the line white should play, just mistakes, I saw that films, but its often shows, when white do this(mistake), then you play this and checkmate etc. I hope you understand me

@euhype802

3 жыл бұрын

Daniel Naroditsky did a great video on this already

@john11inchlhb40

3 жыл бұрын

@@paulc7162 I haven't checked the Naroditsky video, but the system I play is really good. I almost never lose (maybe like 1/5 or less) and I'm only 1900, so even at my chaotic rating range it's just really tough to crack. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. h3 to stop Ng4 Black has two set-ups against this formation, one involving a lot of queen action and the other involving h5 and a piece sac on g4 (neither work); black should always short-castle, because we're gonna long-castle and if they also long-castle then they won't get to pawn-storm us and they'll never get compensation. White's general plan is just to consolidate with d3, Bd2 or Be3 (depending on if they play Bb4 threatening to double our pawns, in which case we'll play Bd2), Qf3, Be2 or g4-Bg2, O-O-O and sometimes a3. Black's trick is to make a battery with Bc5+Qd4 hitting out f2 pawn, so that's why you play Qf3. So they make the battery and you play Qf3 for example, and then they go after your c3 knight. That's when you play Bd2- DON'T let them double your queenside pawns. Your long-term plan is to play for d4, or go on the kingside with either f3-g4 and just be the tortoise, or g4+f4 and attack. Usually you can do either, but my personal suggestion is to storm on the kingside. If black does play O-O-O then d4 is more viable; if they don't, then it can get you in trouble if their attack on your queenside is successful. You'll wish you had a more solid structure to shelter your king, who might have to go on a little walk! You can also go for a hyper-accurate Qe2 instead of Qf3, anticipating g4+Bg2. But some additional complications can arise from this set-up; I don't remember EXACTLY, but I think some Nd1 maneuver is involved, and they can just barrel c5-c4 at you after putting a rook on e-file so it's a bit more dangerous if you don't learn precise move orders. It's slightly, slightly better than Qf3 lines (because you are eventually going to want to play f3 or f4), so I suggest Qf3 as a practical matter. Against the h5 lines, you always go Qf3 anyway, so it's less to learn. Black shouldn't take your knight with their bishop, but if they do then consider playing O-O instead of O-O-O and just milking a pawn-up+bishop pair advantage. Your b-pawn is well-protected at that point. Either way, let them castle first so you know where they're going. You wouldn't want them taking the knight, then you short-castle, and then they long-castle. That could be more aggravation than necessary. The other set-up involves black sacrificing a piece on g4 to deflect your queen away from the defense of f2. That's easy: Just accept the piece, let them give you the check on f2 and play Kd1. You'll be totally fine. It almost never happens, you have to mess up your move order a little bit to allow this, but if they go for it then don't worry. Just accept the piece. A good trick if they play the Bc5+Qd4 battery is that once you play Qf3/e2, if they don't immediately play Bb4 then you can play Be3, hit the queen and snag their bishop. One more pair of pieces down . . . My other 'tips' would be don't drop your a-pawn by accident, and if they play h5-h4 + O-O then don't get stressed about not being able to play g4; just finish your consolidation and then methodically go after the pawn with your queen afterwards, or go Rg1+g3. Don't go for a 'quick' d4 either, because sometimes you'll need shelter for your king from the rooks. Also, your queen belongs in the center or king-side, not defending on your queenside; be willing to walk your king to the center if their attack starts getting too fierce. Your knight shouldn't stray too far from the defense, tho (especially, don't O-O-O, move your knight and allow Qa2). Kb1 is often a waste of time in this opening, especially if their darksquare bishop is gone.

No haha, won many games with it. Great video as always though

Hello, Hanging Pawns. I just wanna say something in Russian: "Дух Святый нáйдет на тя, и сила Вышняго осенит тя!" Thank you for your attention.

So...why would anyone play this as black??

I never faced the latvian gambit in my life but I still knew it existed and I found the move which was the best (Nxe5 with the idea of Qh5) sometimes u don't need to rely on theory so much that u can't do anything on ur own and let me tell you my fide rating is 1156😁😁

Latvian Gambit is invincible!!

@milankotevski1663

3 жыл бұрын

It's more like losing by force.

@psychwolf7590

3 жыл бұрын

@@milankotevski1663 Beauty of gambits is that almost nobody knows the forcing lines ;)

I have beaten better players with it (and with the Elephant!), and that's why it still exists. Learn how to beat it, BUT can you remember what to do in the hurly burly of blitz and bullet? Maybe. I think the trick is to use it as you would a hand grenade you found in the basement. Rarely, always knowing that it might be a dud. But even a dud can give you an edge. If used rarely.

Sorry, but your valution 2. f5 ?? is absurd ! The position after 9. 0-0-0 (12.52) is absolutely playable for Black - particulary with some experiences. Please try it in some games with a prepared friend or a computer. You will get some nasty surprises !!