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Thank you for posting these recent videos . Once again really nice explanations of these variations.

Thanks Simon. So helpful to have such a compact summary of some of the possibilities. Any chance of the equivalent analysis for the Caro-Kann defence? I see 1...c6 and my brain freezes

I'm only in the 700s ELO so looking for a few easy to remember moves. I'll try c3 then d4 in my next couple of games and see what happens. Thanks for the ideas. I'm sure better players will understand more than me.

Nicely done Simon. Good to see you are still making the videos.

Very nice game Simon. Good to see you back . How is the dog btw? Will he be making an appearance in the near future? 😊

Great to see another Caro Kann player in action. Daniel Varney used to play the fantasy variation against the Caro so I did go quite deep into it.

BTW the "three pieces for a Queen" line sort of shows what the idea behind Bc4 should be - to try and get e5-e6 in quickly and crush Black before the pubs open. IMO if white doesn't try to do that the bishop just becomes a target to be hit by Na5, b5 or d5. So Qe2 is logical but leaves the d pawn even weaker than usual, and in practice black doesn't go down the "three pieces" line very often anyway as whatever the machines say practice shows White's position is easier to play for humans - so instead of 6 ... Nxd4 it's normally recommended to play 6 ... Nd7 (fairly simple and at least equalising) or 6 ... Ng4 (more complicated but probably better for black). Bc4 variations in the pure Pirc aren't popular with GMs; in at least of a couple of my Pirc books Bc4 is relegated to the "Other Variations" chapter.

I have always had trouble against the Pirc, it annoys me!

Bxa2 was the major thing I missed OTB in the game. So obvious when the semi-conducting monster points it out. Otherwise 25 ... Qd7 was part of the plan to free the c5 advance so getting rid of an uncomfortable temporarily backward pawn, which I didn't want to do with the Q on c7 because of Nb5. After 25 ... Qd7 26. white-does-something c5 27. Nb5 Qxb5 28. Rxd5 Qf1+ is uncomfortable for white and drops a pawn. So I was initially worried about the pin down the d file but I probably spent more time on that move than any other to work it out. I also guess the machine wants b5 to stop c5. Funnily the threats down the d file eventually materialised, 32 ... Bf7 was because if an immediate Rd3 I suddenly realised white had Nf5+ which (wrongly) I panicked about. Finally I won't rise to your Pircist diatribes 🙃

Thanks Simon, we have had many good games over the years.

Thank you for the game Simon, and sorry it ended up like that. I was grovelling towards the end, I felt I was worse due to my weak pawn structure, despite the computer claiming the queen exchange was OK. I'm looking forward to our King of the Hill match, hope the the 5 days move time takes off the pressure. Good luck with your maths content. I like watching @numberphile videos and math puzzle videos from @MindYourDecisions.

Thanks for covering this one Simon. It seems Bc2 was the start of the downhill slide. Well played Simon . Thanks for playing.

Hi Simon - good to see you the other day with Chewwy. In the problem if black can get Qf3 in he is doing rather well ...

I am pretty happy as Black in our position, I have just wiggled the bishop out.

Nice microphone

Simon , agree our Englund Gambit game is a mess. Theory says white is considerably better which means that this Gambit is just nonsense . However it does throw up some interesting positions. Thanks for humouring me. 🙂

Are you able to play a daily correspondence game while playing other games? I thought it would be nice to play correspondence to those I have previously played, like a big family.

These videos are so instructive. They are a regular part of my day now. 🙂 Thanks Simon.

Dark secret of the Benoni: many endgames are won for black due to the q side majority. Often the more pieces, especially minor pieces, that come off the better black is.

First

Simon , moments after I offered the draw I asked myself why I didn't just play h4. It may have some potential ? I spent a long time looking at various moves but concluded that I couldn't find a win.

ncie

You play the Benoni against the KID 4 pawns and then about 3 games later say you won't play the Benoni because you don't understand it! I know consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds but at least give my aged mind 1/2 a chance to forget...

I am going to have to offer you a draw very soon Simon. The way to win is beyond me!!

Great fun. The bullet game I mean . ;-)

Simon I am a man of my word

Superb Bullet play from you Simon. Commentating at the same time is very impressive.

Simon , what is ,or who is Horde Coach ?

General I will only play the Albin counter gambit in Blitz, we are probably going for a Queens Gambit declined.

Thanks for the match Simon, I will take a good look tomorrow at the analysis.

13.c5!? does creat an odd impression. I guess it fixes black with a blockaded weakness on d5 and claims the pawn on c5 supported by the f2 bishop is a strength.

I think our game will be a draw. Happy to keep plugging away at it.

Simon , just going back through our game and it seems to me that your 17. Be3 was inaccurate. I was fortunate that you allowed me to play a position that occurs in the Sicilian ,my choice of defence against 1.e4 . 😊 Would 17. Nd5 have been better for white ?

Some very instructive games going on here Simon . Thanks for posting all of your thoughts on these various positions. Very helpful listening to your thought processes.

The material imbalance in our game is interesting Simon. Thinking of offering you a draw as I have a feeling your B pair will come out on top.

Thanks for the game Simon. I’ve been learning so much from watching your daily videos. Feels like I had a big advantage by watching your videos and getting ideas from you on what my next move could/should be. I also spent at least an hour on every move! Lastly I hadn’t realised that you can access the players database during the opening to see which moves have the best outcomes! I learned so much. Thank you :)

Ian's list of things to remember in the Fiancetto Pirc, Ruy Lopez structure: 1) after a4 knight to b4 2) Bc8-e6-c5-a6 3) d4 as a primary pawn break is more important than usual in the Pirc

The reason Lichess keeps going back to the same game is it goes to the game you have least time left, not the game which you haven't moved in longest

I guess it comes down to this: can white attack d6 twice? If so, can black defend it with the knight? If so can the knight be kept stable or can one of the white rooks disrupt it? If it can't be kept stable then can it create some counterplay against the white king or pawns? And perhaps could the black king defend d6? It seems to me that there is quite a lot left in this.

At 3:49 could you play Rd8 and shuffle the king between g8 and g7; Would it had been a fortress?

Hi Simon, In the game you are sacking the exchange to go into a rook endgame wouldn't Rd1 have been a better way of doing it? You worry about Ba4 but if you are exchange saccing then Bxf5+ Nxf5 exf5 Bxd1 Rxd1 is surely a better version, the black king is cutoff from the pawn wedge and if Rg2 then Rd2 as you planned in the line you played, but the black king is on c8 now, so you are a tempo up. But I have just woken up so I may be hallucinating! Ian

Good advice for getting out of the Bullet habit Simon. Thank you.

See Simon - you too have your psychic moments:) But I agree, while there is nothing wrong with 3 Bd3 against the Pirc, Nc3 is the move to play if you are going for an advantage out of the opening. Now I have 8 preprogrammed lines in the Pirc game (so not much psychic power), which will you chose, or will you avoid them?

Just for reference I am watching most videos but I don’t normally watch it until after I have played my move.

@4:04 you are getting back rank mated there with Ra1, no?

Dear Ian, 1. a5 is the best place to start at in my opinion as it gets rid of the « rook shuffle ». The rook shuffle is something I even beat stockfish 8 with. Ultimately you will have to study less opening theory. I will play this « not good » (1. a5) a6 move to demonstrate the mechanics of horde chess :). Horde Coach

Hi Simon, Yes, I was screaming Bf4 at the screen :) The reason white doesn't play 8 Qe2 against the Taylor Defence is it wastes a tempo after 8 ... Bg4 9 h3 Bxf3 10 Qxf3 as the queen takes two moves to get to f3, and Black can transpose into a number of other variations a tempo up - bad for white in a gambit system! Hence white has to find a useful "waiting" move, and 8 Bf4 has been found to be best by test. Other moves are 8 b4, which is dangerous but dubious if black knows what they are doing, and 8 Be3 which is simpler than the other bishop move, but probably not quite enough to hold equality, Ian

3:30 am ????? Great series Simon. Certainly learning a thing or two from your commentary.

In the Bayonet Attack game I agree you shouldn't have took - Black is slightly cramped, why give him/her more squares? Ian "Benini Player" Bush

Great series Simon