@joebloggs396 He did. In the live replay in the Tata steel youtube channel he had less than 2 minutes left when he moved his queen to e3 instead of say d2.
Nxb3 is the easiest move to find. Of course the problem is actually checking all lines to justify it. But as I was watching, before you even asked, I thought "what if Nxb3 now?" and then you asked. :) Thanks again for the wonderful coverage Mr. King. P.S. In actual game I would have spent all my time trying to justify that move, and if it did not work, resign to my fate but still play it. :D
Nice game by Pragg. It's nice to see that even at the highest levels 0-0-0 although it may be more exciting isn't necessarily as safe. It has to be played very accurately, which is what I find even at my level. I was happy that THIS time, I instantly saw the tactic. I thought to myself "What a minute, Nxb3 looks crushing. What am I missing?" Poor Fabi, when that kind of stuff works you've made some mistakes. Look forward to the last two rounds. Thanks for covering them.
It is well known that Fabi is not a speedy player. He had less than a minute when he blundered that tactic. I find it very unfair for GM King to not mention this as Fabi would never in a million years miss such a basic tactic with sufficient time
Exciting game! Love your eloquent reviews Daniel. One of the best reviewers of Chess online. Love the hair, the strong nose, the calming voice, like a wise knight from the round table.
Eloquent, ya, also evocative: I mighty like the use of "haymaker" an Americanism meaning a powerful punch which puts me in mind of innumerable John Ford Westerns from before John Wayne went flat-out fash. Ah, nostalgia!
Although I like your your analysis chesswise, I think it is sometimes unfair of you to not mention all the surrounding factors that might have affected a certain style of play. 1. Fabiano was basically in a must win situation to have any chances of winning the tournament. That is why he was not entertaining any simplifications by trading queens. 2. His position was actually very balanced with chances for both sides until he made that 1 move blunder with Qe3, allowing Nxb2. I think it would be would be fair to show critical moments, not just the punishments 3. I find it also unfair to not mention to mention that Fabi had less than 1 minute when he made that blunder. So all in all, it was a very balanced game with chances for both sides, but this analysis may seem like Fabi was outplayed, especially to an untrained eye
Yes, Caruana blundered in time pressure, but why was he in time pressure? Because he had been put under sustained pressure for the whole game by Pragg. Indeed, objectively the position was balanced, but it was Pragg’s policy of going for the initiative that brought the win. Your point about Caruana avoiding the exchange of queens because he wanted to go for the win, I simply don’t buy. The endgame was his best chance to play for the win. Caruana misjudged the position and that, combined with Pragg’s bravery, explains the result of the game. I am not being unfair to Caruana, I’m just telling it how I saw it.
I'd like to mention Sagar Bhai's comment in Wijk Aan Zee 2025 tournament about Pragg, " Opponents doesn't even realising that they were losing against Pragg "...✌️😎👍
I love your videos but i am always distracted by the noise the mouse makes. Maybe try another position of the microphone, i also assume it doesn't sit in a spider but directly in the clip. With a spider you get at least rid of the rumbling noise.
Change of guard at the top. The new gen can only get stronger from here, while the old gen can only become weaker. The Carlsen Caruana Hikaru era is beginning to end.
this structure, QGD with opposite side castling, I think it is a really bad bet from White most of the time. The only good thing is that it is not as stereotypical as the f3-e4 plan with short castle
Then you should really appreciate Black's active opening idea with ...Bd6: I assume one of its main goals is to render White's setups with short castles fairly harmless, nudging him into opposite castles. 😉 - With objectivity cap on, the eval ought to be fairly similar to other variations, though.
@@Badbentham Bd6 is not a big deal. White needs to spend a move on h3, but that move is useful in the f3 e4 plan anyway, as it removes the constant Ng4 options after the exchange on e4. Black will eventually break that pesky pin by returning the bishop to e7 anyway, as on d6 it is vulnerable to the e5 advance
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one of those change of generations games
opposite side castling game is always fun to watch
I feel you needed to point out that Fabi blundered with Qe3 and there were other places he could have moved the queen to and the game was equal.
Did he have bad time pressure? Caruana in normal form would calculate better than this.
Indeed, objectively the position was equal but Caruana had been put under massive pressure for the whole game and was in time pressure.
@joebloggs396 He did. In the live replay in the Tata steel youtube channel he had less than 2 minutes left when he moved his queen to e3 instead of say d2.
Love when you show more QG games, more nuance, positional looks before attacks!
Thanks for the video Daniel, amazing game & presentation. A revers side castling in a QGD exchange variation? what a nice surprise.
Nxb3 is the easiest move to find. Of course the problem is actually checking all lines to justify it. But as I was watching, before you even asked, I thought "what if Nxb3 now?" and then you asked. :) Thanks again for the wonderful coverage Mr. King. P.S. In actual game I would have spent all my time trying to justify that move, and if it did not work, resign to my fate but still play it. :D
Black pawn on A3 suddenly transmogrified itself from Shield to Sword for White King.
It amazes me the dynamic play top players get out of standard positions like a QGD.
Or how Caruana got lost so early in a standard opening. Unbelievable he took 19 minutes to decide to castle queen side.
Nice game by Pragg. It's nice to see that even at the highest levels 0-0-0 although it may be more exciting isn't necessarily as safe. It has to be played very accurately, which is what I find even at my level.
I was happy that THIS time, I instantly saw the tactic. I thought to myself "What a minute, Nxb3 looks crushing. What am I missing?" Poor Fabi, when that kind of stuff works you've made some mistakes.
Look forward to the last two rounds. Thanks for covering them.
It is well known that Fabi is not a speedy player. He had less than a minute when he blundered that tactic. I find it very unfair for GM King to not mention this as Fabi would never in a million years miss such a basic tactic with sufficient time
Castling queen side is often safe, dont make judgements like this in chess
Great video.
Exciting game! Love your eloquent reviews Daniel. One of the best reviewers of Chess online. Love the hair, the strong nose, the calming voice, like a wise knight from the round table.
Eloquent, ya, also evocative: I mighty like the use of "haymaker" an Americanism meaning a powerful punch which puts me in mind of innumerable John Ford Westerns from before John Wayne went flat-out fash. Ah, nostalgia!
Ty DK!
We need to find a way to talk you into writing a book about the QGD.
I finally guessed the move! I saw it right away, so it must've been easy.
Oh man I was not sharp today, I totally missed on that pause/drink position !
Looks so simple
Although I like your your analysis chesswise, I think it is sometimes unfair of you to not mention all the surrounding factors that might have affected a certain style of play.
1. Fabiano was basically in a must win situation to have any chances of winning the tournament. That is why he was not entertaining any simplifications by trading queens.
2. His position was actually very balanced with chances for both sides until he made that 1 move blunder with Qe3, allowing Nxb2. I think it would be would be fair to show critical moments, not just the punishments
3. I find it also unfair to not mention to mention that Fabi had less than 1 minute when he made that blunder.
So all in all, it was a very balanced game with chances for both sides, but this analysis may seem like Fabi was outplayed, especially to an untrained eye
Yes, Caruana blundered in time pressure, but why was he in time pressure? Because he had been put under sustained pressure for the whole game by Pragg. Indeed, objectively the position was balanced, but it was Pragg’s policy of going for the initiative that brought the win. Your point about Caruana avoiding the exchange of queens because he wanted to go for the win, I simply don’t buy. The endgame was his best chance to play for the win. Caruana misjudged the position and that, combined with Pragg’s bravery, explains the result of the game. I am not being unfair to Caruana, I’m just telling it how I saw it.
if you are planning a long castling, why move h3? This is a useless move
I'd like to mention Sagar Bhai's comment in Wijk Aan Zee 2025 tournament about Pragg,
" Opponents doesn't even realising that they were losing against Pragg "...✌️😎👍
Pragg ❤❤❤
I love your videos but i am always distracted by the noise the mouse makes. Maybe try another position of the microphone, i also assume it doesn't sit in a spider but directly in the clip. With a spider you get at least rid of the rumbling noise.
Nice
Change of guard at the top. The new gen can only get stronger from here, while the old gen can only become weaker.
The Carlsen Caruana Hikaru era is beginning to end.
The old man needs to update his database.
Every American schoolboy knows that 6. Bd6 is the Kassa Korley variation.
I think you will find, if you consult your database, that 6…Bd6 was played a long time before Kassa.
@ Alas, it is not who played the variation first but who plays it best.
@@GGanymede does not matter anyway as Bd6 variation is unusual. And what's in a name ?
So, you know how to view the database! Congratulations! Btw, where do you store your GM title?
@GGanymede like in the Marshall variation of the Spanish?
this structure, QGD with opposite side castling, I think it is a really bad bet from White most of the time. The only good thing is that it is not as stereotypical as the f3-e4 plan with short castle
Then you should really appreciate Black's active opening idea with ...Bd6: I assume one of its main goals is to render White's setups with short castles fairly harmless, nudging him into opposite castles. 😉 - With objectivity cap on, the eval ought to be fairly similar to other variations, though.
@@Badbentham Bd6 is not a big deal. White needs to spend a move on h3, but that move is useful in the f3 e4 plan anyway, as it removes the constant Ng4 options after the exchange on e4. Black will eventually break that pesky pin by returning the bishop to e7 anyway, as on d6 it is vulnerable to the e5 advance
Fabi went down inflame.
That's too drafty at Tata
Indain players are like the soviets now. They have all the best players
And that's make carlsen the (Fischer)
doesn't that make Nodirbek the Fischer
caruana is a very boring player,i never watch his games much
LOL