Good lesson here and to think before we go all-in on an attack. Thanks, Dr Can! Re Homework: I would push f4 against their queen... it forces the queen to leave defense of c7... note that the queen has only a few escape squares once it's attacked and it can't even counter-attack by retreating to g5 because the bishop on c1 has that covered... next, the knight is coming into c7 with a fork-check and will win a full rook and have b6 as an easy escape square for the rescue operation that follows...
Bar fight haha! I think in bar fight you need to retreat too sometimes. For example, if someone with a buddy comes with a broken chair in their hands running towards you, RETREAT! I am half kidding here. In physical fighting situations there are retreating manoeuvres too. Martial Arts: Kung Fu, Aikido, Fencing, etc. Except if your name is Bas Rutten, that would be a different story ;) Great video! And I want to say too: I like the new design of your YT videos! (You asked somewhere else, but I didn’t find the time to comment yet.) Position 1. I thought of just retreating the f4 Bishop. I didn't see any tactics. I almost decided 1.Nxf7 Kxf7 2. Bg6+. However, the King can retreat to e7 or even e6. The h8 Rook and the c6 Knight are defending the Queen. (Queen d8 is not hanging but overprotected instead.) Position 2. I didn't like Re8, I didn't see the purpose/plan. However, there's an escape plan if 1...Ka7 2.Qe6. And eh, you show that a bit further. Gotcha :) I didn’t think of …Nh4! Amazing try to distract the back rank defender of e1 haha! Anyway, I didn’t calculate much further so I didn’t see that coming. Unfortunately Ben resigned in that loosing position! I know, most likely a loss. But loosing positions are great to train defensive skills :) Position 3. fxe3 Because of the hanging d4 square! I didn’t think further, about the obvious attacking options of the semi open f file. I want that thought popping automatically in my mind too in these kind of positions! Oh, and when Ben took by the Rook and Black played Nd4. I would bring back my Queen to d1 to defend that hanging c2 pawn (forking square for the Knight). But if I knew my opponent would play f6, for sure I would have played Qh5 like Ben did haha! Homework: Scotch, love that opening! And I would have played f4. Why? The d7 pawn is hanging (and a great fork square for the Knight). And the Queen is hanging and can’t defend the f7 square if it doesn’t retreat (d6 square is unsafe for the Queen too). Black is in huge trouble. Thanks for this great YT episode!
I have something I think is very useful. I have a martial arts background. And I have no problem retreating. Sometimes during sparring I can see someone getting desperate, and they unleash a flurry of blows aimed toward me. And I know they are tired. I have 1000$ in the bank right now. So I don't engage with those blows, I just move back and they all hit air. Then when they are done, a simple kick or strike (We aren't hitting hard... just to learn as in chess) shows that I have total control. And I use this mindset in chess. Often I see people egoically can't retreat. Because their idea of attacking won't allow it. Often in chess its the same flurry of blows... but if I have 1000$ in the bank, I just wait for the blows to be over and then launch my own much more effective attack. I don't think of retreating as giving up, or losing, or losing ground. I think of it as 'flowing like water'. What you are talking about in this video is EXACTLY what Bruce Lee meant when he said 'flow like water'. You gotta be flexable. They launch these blows against me and I just flow around them, and take up the space where they leave behind. Then when they are done I'm actually even better! I let them become frustrated because I'm not engaging with their silly attacks. And it instills a sense of powerlessness in my opponents. So I actually consider retreating moves ATTACKING moves. Because usually I'm being more agressive then anyone knows. Its not always about going forward to win the games. So I really like this video. I haven't seen its equal anywhere. But its something I do inately without any problem. Due to my previous training. And it pays off in chess very well. I had a guy at a tournement say to me during the game 'you are really tough' because I was winning, and just calmly moved my pieces back until he had nothing left to throw at me, then just tightened my grip. Anyway, I feel like this mindset is very important in chess, and its not discussed anywere except this video.
I read your long post with a smile on my face. Thank you for taking your time and writing it. Bruce Lee analogy was accurate! Retreat does not show weakness!
A little late to the party, but I'd play f4 to distract the Queen from protecting c7. I have the opposite problem. I tend to miss opportunities to counter attack. That's in spite of the fact that I watch lots of GM Smirnov videos telling me to always go forward. 😁 Your content is fantastic. Thank you for sharing it!
The nice thing about the higher rated puzzles... maybe 2200 and above on lichess at least is that there are 3 candidates usually to find some counter attack... (its unfortunate that we know the enemy has blundered somehow) bit at least we need to disprove the other 2.
Homework: f4 kicks out the queen from the defense of the c7 pawn and we will be able to land the fork on the next move. Interestingly enough, I never had this problem at 1000 elo. I always preferred to play solidly and retreat my pieces, even in situations where there would have been a good counterattacking option. And I missed a lot of good potential counterattacking moves by my opponents! (but also refuted plenty of them because my first instinct was always "hold on a second, there's at least a 50% chance this blunders material" lol). It seems like Ben has a very different playing style
Great episode and one that I'm very guilty of, you nailed it by saying to retreat is a defeat! I have to say i imeadiately asked the question in all the examples, do I need to move the attacked piece or is there a better move rather than just retreating and reorganising! Homework, it's the same thing for me here too and Im automatically drawn to f4, attacking a higher value piece than my knight but also removing the guard of the c7 pawn by doing so, maybe that's the key to how I should look at counter attacking, always have a worth while follow up that will give an advantage 🤔
homework spoiler - no engine (edit for move typo) In the Scotch Game, when black moves the queen twice so early in development to the center of the board (twice in the 1st 5 moves!), it is vulnerable to traps. From the homework position f4 Qf6 Nxc7+ Kd8 Nxa8 Qh4+ g3 and black can resign. Black has to give up the queen or retreat it and all other threats by black are covered, f4 Bb4+ c3 etc. If white retreats the knight to c3, black has easy development Nf6 d6 then bishops and another queen move and black is doing well.
i opened Dr. Can's Fan Club on Lichess and Ben would be a great asset to have , everyone is welcome and i'm open for suggestions what kind of game and when you wanna play , let's spread the Doc's legacy !
You said 1000 rated players suffer from this, but I'm 1750 and constantly make this mistake! My brain is always looking for highlight reel moves, even when they aren't there, and I often lose because of it.
Ah, there's your floor right? Dr. Can's Chess Elevator course raises your floor. It helped me a lot to get the stuff out that was pulling me down during games I played very well. A lot of great moves and then one that is really bad. Anyway, it's great you know what is keeping you from getting even better in chess.
I get too aggressive at times. I want to feel like I out aced my opponent by making more threats. Trying to overwhelm them is the intent. But certain times I go overboard and it backfires on me. It's not as much as appearing weak is that if I retreat, I feel like I'm going to give up the initiative and my threats that's keeping my opponent on his toes I also feel like my opponent will make a threatening move that will devastate me if I let off the pedal You got to be careful that you don't set up your opponent to be able to pounce on you if you don't keep your attacks coming I guess you got to be strategic how your going to retreat and not play into your opponents hands by where you move to when retreating
Another great lesson. I am focusing on playing nice sound moves, trying to keep control, win an exchange or a pawn or 2, exchange and get into an endgame that I don't mess up. This approach has reduced my blunders enormously. No scintillating Queen sacs though! Homework. I can't see anything in this, I would retreat the knight to c3. If I tried to fork on c7 the Queen would take me. PS can you hide the first comment as it puts me off! Cheers!
I'll be honest the number of times my students make one of these "fake" bigger threats without calculating 3 ply deep and seeing the clear refutation... It's a constant struggle
Homework question: f4 forces the queen away, then Nc7 forks the king and a rook. Black loses castling rights and a rook. Castling queenside is a viable option if white is uncomfortable with the location of the f pawn, especially as black's king can no longer castle.
I had to pull out of my first tournament due to being sick. I got a bye on game 1, same 2 was a 3 1/2 hour 52 move marathon that I lost after being in a winning position. The 3rd was a draw which was offered to me after 21 moves (previous game I was offered a draw also. Is this how Indian kids are being taught to play these days?), I somehow got half a point for one of my missed games. I ended up with a USCF rating of 931. Not bad for 1 game.
A great game to look at would be Morphy - McConnell, 1848. A 12 year old Morphy completely refutes his opponent's poor play... Until Nf5?? when he counterattacks black's queens while his own rook is loose. After Qb4+ black could have won the game immediately.
@@Dr.CansClinic Thank you for the link Dr. Can. And thanks Michaelf8221! That is an amazing game. That Rook lift does have an amazing impact on every other piece. Saved for checking it out again later.
1) Looked at Nxf7 but runs out of steam. Attacking forces too thin. Bishops impotent, N on g5 is too valuable. Retreat. 2) Re8+ Ka7 - now what??? Run away. 3) Use pawn, get that q to c1 Homework) I'm at work, so not trying 100% but I really want his Queen on e6, or at least not defending c7. I want Nxc7+ f4 if c5 Be3 If he has any brains, he won't leave the Q in that pocket Thank you again, Dr Can!
Homework: f4, and then Cxc7+ and win the exchange (or give 2 pieces for their queen if Dxb5).
Thanks for sharing your knowledge to us
Nice work! Thank you for interacting.
Good lesson here and to think before we go all-in on an attack. Thanks, Dr Can!
Re Homework:
I would push f4 against their queen... it forces the queen to leave defense of c7... note that the queen has only a few escape squares once it's attacked and it can't even counter-attack by retreating to g5 because the bishop on c1 has that covered... next, the knight is coming into c7 with a fork-check and will win a full rook and have b6 as an easy escape square for the rescue operation that follows...
Excellent answer, thanks for the interaction!
Bar fight haha! I think in bar fight you need to retreat too sometimes. For example, if someone with a buddy comes with a broken chair in their hands running towards you, RETREAT! I am half kidding here. In physical fighting situations there are retreating manoeuvres too. Martial Arts: Kung Fu, Aikido, Fencing, etc. Except if your name is Bas Rutten, that would be a different story ;)
Great video! And I want to say too: I like the new design of your YT videos! (You asked somewhere else, but I didn’t find the time to comment yet.)
Position 1.
I thought of just retreating the f4 Bishop. I didn't see any tactics. I almost decided 1.Nxf7 Kxf7 2. Bg6+. However, the King can retreat to e7 or even e6. The h8 Rook and the c6 Knight are defending the Queen. (Queen d8 is not hanging but overprotected instead.)
Position 2.
I didn't like Re8, I didn't see the purpose/plan. However, there's an escape plan if 1...Ka7 2.Qe6. And eh, you show that a bit further. Gotcha :) I didn’t think of …Nh4! Amazing try to distract the back rank defender of e1 haha! Anyway, I didn’t calculate much further so I didn’t see that coming. Unfortunately Ben resigned in that loosing position! I know, most likely a loss. But loosing positions are great to train defensive skills :)
Position 3.
fxe3 Because of the hanging d4 square! I didn’t think further, about the obvious attacking options of the semi open f file. I want that thought popping automatically in my mind too in these kind of positions! Oh, and when Ben took by the Rook and Black played Nd4. I would bring back my Queen to d1 to defend that hanging c2 pawn (forking square for the Knight). But if I knew my opponent would play f6, for sure I would have played Qh5 like Ben did haha!
Homework:
Scotch, love that opening! And I would have played f4. Why? The d7 pawn is hanging (and a great fork square for the Knight). And the Queen is hanging and can’t defend the f7 square if it doesn’t retreat (d6 square is unsafe for the Queen too). Black is in huge trouble.
Thanks for this great YT episode!
A very important concept: overtraining of tactical puzzles. Now avoiding it is justifiable. A great service to the chess improvers community!
I have seen many players with gigantic puzzle ratings with much lower playing strength.
A common attitude when we are amateurs,I played like that at a time I hated to retreat a piece,💯👏 great video
Thank you so much for leaving a comment :) My pleasure.
Oh bro your content is so underrated. U r so beneficial. I never miss any vedio of u.
Thank you so much 😀 I would really appreciate if you share the channel too.
I have something I think is very useful. I have a martial arts background. And I have no problem retreating. Sometimes during sparring I can see someone getting desperate, and they unleash a flurry of blows aimed toward me. And I know they are tired. I have 1000$ in the bank right now. So I don't engage with those blows, I just move back and they all hit air. Then when they are done, a simple kick or strike (We aren't hitting hard... just to learn as in chess) shows that I have total control. And I use this mindset in chess. Often I see people egoically can't retreat. Because their idea of attacking won't allow it. Often in chess its the same flurry of blows... but if I have 1000$ in the bank, I just wait for the blows to be over and then launch my own much more effective attack. I don't think of retreating as giving up, or losing, or losing ground. I think of it as 'flowing like water'. What you are talking about in this video is EXACTLY what Bruce Lee meant when he said 'flow like water'. You gotta be flexable. They launch these blows against me and I just flow around them, and take up the space where they leave behind. Then when they are done I'm actually even better! I let them become frustrated because I'm not engaging with their silly attacks. And it instills a sense of powerlessness in my opponents. So I actually consider retreating moves ATTACKING moves. Because usually I'm being more agressive then anyone knows. Its not always about going forward to win the games. So I really like this video. I haven't seen its equal anywhere. But its something I do inately without any problem. Due to my previous training. And it pays off in chess very well. I had a guy at a tournement say to me during the game 'you are really tough' because I was winning, and just calmly moved my pieces back until he had nothing left to throw at me, then just tightened my grip. Anyway, I feel like this mindset is very important in chess, and its not discussed anywere except this video.
I read your long post with a smile on my face. Thank you for taking your time and writing it. Bruce Lee analogy was accurate! Retreat does not show weakness!
A little late to the party, but I'd play f4 to distract the Queen from protecting c7. I have the opposite problem. I tend to miss opportunities to counter attack. That's in spite of the fact that I watch lots of GM Smirnov videos telling me to always go forward. 😁 Your content is fantastic. Thank you for sharing it!
Excellent answer! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. People differ on this one indeed!
The nice thing about the higher rated puzzles... maybe 2200 and above on lichess at least is that there are 3 candidates usually to find some counter attack... (its unfortunate that we know the enemy has blundered somehow) bit at least we need to disprove the other 2.
Homework: f4 kicks out the queen from the defense of the c7 pawn and we will be able to land the fork on the next move.
Interestingly enough, I never had this problem at 1000 elo. I always preferred to play solidly and retreat my pieces, even in situations where there would have been a good counterattacking option. And I missed a lot of good potential counterattacking moves by my opponents! (but also refuted plenty of them because my first instinct was always "hold on a second, there's at least a 50% chance this blunders material" lol). It seems like Ben has a very different playing style
Excellent answer! I hear you, I have several students having the opposite problem too.
Great episode and one that I'm very guilty of, you nailed it by saying to retreat is a defeat!
I have to say i imeadiately asked the question in all the examples, do I need to move the attacked piece or is there a better move rather than just retreating and reorganising!
Homework, it's the same thing for me here too and Im automatically drawn to f4, attacking a higher value piece than my knight but also removing the guard of the c7 pawn by doing so, maybe that's the key to how I should look at counter attacking, always have a worth while follow up that will give an advantage 🤔
Thank you Gary! f4! is an excellent answer! This time counterattack is the best as their queen is tied down to c7.
homework spoiler - no engine (edit for move typo)
In the Scotch Game, when black moves the queen twice so early in development to the center of the board (twice in the 1st 5 moves!), it is vulnerable to traps.
From the homework position f4 Qf6 Nxc7+ Kd8 Nxa8 Qh4+ g3 and black can resign.
Black has to give up the queen or retreat it and all other threats by black are covered, f4 Bb4+ c3 etc.
If white retreats the knight to c3, black has easy development Nf6 d6 then bishops and another queen move and black is doing well.
Excellent as always! Thank you for your detailed thoughts.
About homework, i think, a counterattack: f2-f4, pressing the queen and aiming for the fork with the knight Nc7+
Excellent!
i opened Dr. Can's Fan Club on Lichess and Ben would be a great asset to have , everyone is welcome and i'm open for suggestions what kind of game and when you wanna play , let's spread the Doc's legacy !
You are too kind :)
You said 1000 rated players suffer from this, but I'm 1750 and constantly make this mistake! My brain is always looking for highlight reel moves, even when they aren't there, and I often lose because of it.
Thanks for the feedback! Do you mainly train on puzzles?
What you think about CT Art 4.0? It does give you counter attack scenarios!
They should have puzzles where you need to retreat. I guess. Just a thought
Ah, there's your floor right? Dr. Can's Chess Elevator course raises your floor. It helped me a lot to get the stuff out that was pulling me down during games I played very well. A lot of great moves and then one that is really bad. Anyway, it's great you know what is keeping you from getting even better in chess.
I get too aggressive at times. I want to feel like I out aced my opponent by making more threats. Trying to overwhelm them is the intent. But certain times I go overboard and it backfires on me.
It's not as much as appearing weak is that if I retreat, I feel like I'm going to give up the initiative and my threats that's keeping my opponent on his toes
I also feel like my opponent will make a threatening move that will devastate me if I let off the pedal
You got to be careful that you don't set up your opponent to be able to pounce on you if you don't keep your attacks coming
I guess you got to be strategic how your going to retreat and not play into your opponents hands by where you move to when retreating
Beautiful feedback, I hear you!
Another great lesson. I am focusing on playing nice sound moves, trying to keep control, win an exchange or a pawn or 2, exchange and get into an endgame that I don't mess up. This approach has reduced my blunders enormously. No scintillating Queen sacs though!
Homework.
I can't see anything in this, I would retreat the knight to c3. If I tried to fork on c7 the Queen would take me.
PS can you hide the first comment as it puts me off!
Cheers!
Thank you for your kind words. I did not know I could hide the first comment. I will have a look into this.
I'll be honest the number of times my students make one of these "fake" bigger threats without calculating 3 ply deep and seeing the clear refutation... It's a constant struggle
Glad that you can relate :)
Homework question: f4 forces the queen away, then Nc7 forks the king and a rook. Black loses castling rights and a rook. Castling queenside is a viable option if white is uncomfortable with the location of the f pawn, especially as black's king can no longer castle.
Great work!
I had to pull out of my first tournament due to being sick. I got a bye on game 1, same 2 was a 3 1/2 hour 52 move marathon that I lost after being in a winning position. The 3rd was a draw which was offered to me after 21 moves (previous game I was offered a draw also. Is this how Indian kids are being taught to play these days?), I somehow got half a point for one of my missed games. I ended up with a USCF rating of 931. Not bad for 1 game.
Feedback in the replies would be super for those who aced the homework😏
Don’t need to hurry and spoil it for others :)
A great game to look at would be Morphy - McConnell, 1848. A 12 year old Morphy completely refutes his opponent's poor play... Until Nf5?? when he counterattacks black's queens while his own rook is loose. After Qb4+ black could have won the game immediately.
Thanks for bringing it up! Here is the game: www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266654&kpage=2#kibitzing
@@Dr.CansClinic Thank you for the link Dr. Can. And thanks Michaelf8221! That is an amazing game. That Rook lift does have an amazing impact on every other piece. Saved for checking it out again later.
f4 distracting the Queen from the control of c7 square and make the fork Nxc7.
Excellent!
What about Qe6, around 9:33, instead of moving the bishop to attach the queen.
I talk about it on 08:33.
Attack with pawn (f4)
Great job!
F4 and take on c7
Great job!
1) Looked at Nxf7 but runs out of steam. Attacking forces too thin. Bishops impotent, N on g5 is too valuable. Retreat.
2) Re8+ Ka7 - now what??? Run away.
3) Use pawn, get that q to c1
Homework) I'm at work, so not trying 100% but I really want his Queen on e6, or at least not defending c7. I want Nxc7+
f4 if c5
Be3 If he has any brains, he won't leave the Q in that pocket
Thank you again, Dr Can!
Excellent work, thank you for answering all questions!
@@Dr.CansClinic Thank you, teacher.
I really hate opening up f4 like that, but I have more tempos that a Germen Drogerie.
F4
Great!