Ima cheat to inflate my rating so I get matched up against a strong player who's gonna crush me. Then Ima be salty and play hella slow after the game is over. ?!?!?!
@@jyrone3943 Yeah that sort of gross ratings inflation behavior between multiple accounts can get your account access revoked instantly. I bet it was within 30 minutes after John reported that loser.
@@viraldashboard7936 You sound like a fucking zitty teenager who still lives in his mom's basement. What made you think I was a woman in the first place? I fucking hate misogynists. If you have nothing interesting to say, stfu. End of story.
Totally agree. He has a calm and positive attitude when winning and losing, does not get angry and sees most things as learning opportunities.. I wish I could be like this when I play chess.
I agree. I was going to say something like "a good IM" but all IMs are good or else they aren't IMs. Glad some people saw this comment and agreed and liked it because being in Asia I watch videos on RUclips at weird hours sometimes relative to the west.
He has the ability to become a GM, but if you don't live in Europe or the NE United States or aren't freakishly talented, accumulating GM norms is a long and expensive process. Most grown men can't afford to take a week or two off of work, and fly to NYC or Paris or wherever to compete in a big tournament that offers the possibility of achieving a norm. This one of the reasons (but not the only reason) that people typically become IM's and GM's when they're very young.
I love the fact that this cheater was unmasked by his own poor sportsmanship: he forced John to wait so long that John eventually got around to checking out the guy's profile, and realized he's a cheater. Now all the "hard work" this guy did to inflate his rating will be erased--and all because he decided to make John wait! Poetic justice.
John probably would have realized either way. Just a few moves into the game and it was clear this wasn’t a 2000+ player, so I’m guessing John would have looked at his profile.
@@draheim90 Absolutely. Time-wasting aside, this guy played like a 700 rated rapid player, and I'm probably being kind there. John would have checked his profile regardless because of how poor their move selection was in the opening. I'm a beginner and even I could tell that he was making some dubious looking moves for someone his rating.
I'm surprised to hear that there are some people who consider these easy wins as not instructive. Every bit of thought process shared by John is instructive, and if people can't get something out of it then it is probably more their approach to learning chess than anything else. For instance, in the opening of this game - I was very interested to see how John wasn't at all worried about e5 and how he explained his ideas with the knight in the case of e5. I often don't play Nf6 myself because of the threat of e5 and I learned here that there are several ways to counter that which I hadn't considered previously.
I agree - I learned from the previous video on how those pesky Bxf7 moves operate in that line, having in part moved away e4 e5 as black to avoid them!
No I agree that for stronger players, John demolishing a weak player is nowhere near as instructive as his games against good players. They'll likely know more or less everything he mentions in the game, and it won't be worth a 25 minute watch. For weaker players, sure, there are plenty of principles to take away from this. But yes, John does a good job in making every game as instructive as he can.
John, I've been watching your videos since about the time I rediscovered chess at the time of the last world championship and I continue to watch much of what you post, mostly climing the ratings and classic chess. (Not so much interested in the fast games.) What I like is your manner of talking: Fluent, informed, friendly, casual, and enlightened, always on top of what's going on. I get a lot more out of this than I do from some grandmaster's analysis of a great classic game because I don't play at that level. Slowly but surely, almost by osmosis, I'm picking up insights that are helping me to play better, and I owe at least a part of that to watching your videos. I subscribe to other chess channels, but yours is the only one I watch with regularity. So keep up the good work, doing exactly what you've been doing.
I love the fact that you share instructive 15 mins games, so many streamers now just go full viking blitz or bullet all day, this is way more relaxing to watch and i can't get enough of your videos; probably watched them all twice by now!
As someone who's not particularly good at chess, but wants to improve, I find the lower rated games incredibly useful. Thank you John for breaking down your thought processes - - learning not just what but how you are thinking is invaluable.
Exactly. Lower rated players play other lower rated players. They play a different style chess. At our level it may even be less helpful to watch john play another IM or GM in which the first 20 moves are theory because we dont know that kind of opening theory and neither do our opponents lol.
Another comment wanting to say that ALL of your content is incredibly enjoyable and instructive/constructive/productive(even the blow outs), LOVING the daily uploads, it’s the perfect way to end my day and I look forward to them very much. Thanks for everything John!
I love your teaching style and already am learning a lot from you regarding the whys of a move, developing positional strength, and responding to threats without freaking out. Thanks man.
I still find watching masters convert an overwhelming advantage instructive. Just seeing how you limit your opponent's activity and finding the simplest path to checkmate is very insightful.
I take the view it's their clock time, so they can do what they want with it - play chess, or sulk. At least I can spend the time doing other stuff (unlike JB who's making a video of it).
Really happy to hear you are going to do your proudest accomplishments. That’s awesome!!! Was hoping you would do not just wins but draws in lost positions etc... would really help us understand the thought process of what you consider big accomplishments having a greater understanding of chess than us. Maybe even games you were proud of when you were younger and feel less strongly about now. Love your channel John, hope to see it get a lot more attention as you work towards the allusive GM title!
i don't play, but i found this presentation accessible and engaging, making me want to learn more must confess though, i was drawn by the clickbait title
Great job on this video john. Very entertaining as always and blasting these cheaters helps the community in my opinion. Great stuff, loving your constant stream of videos latelu. Im really grateful for that john, take care !
As usual, you set the bar high in terms of a classy response to uncouth behavior John. Thanks for providing such an excellent example of the highest standard of sportsmanship. Also, the learning opportunity was not lost because you kept your cool and made use of the other guy's wasted time. Bravo!
Indeed. Running through the game is the best way to make use of time if an opponent is running the clock down. A lot of players get extremely aggrieved by that type of behaviour that it has them avoiding 25-minute games, but I think that's ultimately destructive to one's own development. Just stay calm, cool, and collect your thoughts for the moves that have been played already before raging yourself about poor sportsmanship, etc. If it's a very early ragequit, then open up a new tab and do puzzles or something else while the clock runs down. There are always going to be timewasters in life, but being able to directly deal with them still provides ample opportunity for self-development.
Also John, when a channel is growing as fast as yours there's bound to be some criticism. Most of the people criticizing have never taught chess or had a youtube channel(like me) so take our feedback with a grain of salt, and definitely don't let it get to you, as there are so many people who appreciate every video you put out!
Honestly, when John was talking about normalizing games that aren't competitive from start to finish, it gave me a bit of hope. It's especially nice to see when John has frustrating sessions, not because I like to see someone suffer, but it's somewhat comforting to know that even masters have rough days.
You say that, but his comments sections are almost always devoid of criticism and full of praise. Honestly I don't think there's even a single thing to criticise about him.
Hey just wanted to let you know as someone who just stumbled into this video. I think you did an amazing job explaining everything. I haven't played chess in years but you immediately made the video very engaging.
Long time control + High rated opponents = extremely constructive Although this specific person was a fake but that's the approach that I personally think John needs to adopt to promote chess by helping us improve our game. Thank you Mr. Positive Attitude 👍
I had an opponent like this in an OTB game. I had a crushing attack against him, and by move 24 I was up a Queen, Bishop and a Pawn for a Rook. Yet, he sat for a good 5 - 10 minutes each move, and made me play out the game until checkmate. He was perfectly entitled to do this, there is no rule against this. He wasn't checkmated and he had time left, he had the right to play. However I couldn't help but feel it was done out of poor sportsmanship.
Classic time controls, I’d argue, are too long. Rapid, at minimum, should be the new standard. If Twitch has taught us anything is that people enjoy watching chess when the games time control is 10 or less.
@Charles Chuck I'm not for certain what that means, Mickey Mouse chess, but there's a reason sport has shot clocks and timers. Classic time control is just too long and makes the game boring. Also players play too well at that time control. The mistakes that are introduced in the faster time controls make the game interesting.
I agree with Charles. Blitz is all well and good. It is fun, and extremely entertaining. However chess is a game of the mind, so forcing a player to play a move out of instinct because of time pressure, removes all meaning from the game. Chess is a war game, you wouldn't make hasty decisions when planning out a battle in war, nor should you in chess. Besides, how can anyone claim to have outplayed an opponent, or get a sense of satisfaction, because their opponent made a mistake, that was out of time pressure? Plus quicker time controls make Chess a game that would be won off the board, even more than it already is. Simply because quicker time controls becoming the standard means, that you need to know pretty much every single trap, tactic and idea that exists in the game, as you don't have the time to work them put at the board. So you make a game about patience, skill, position, strategy and knowledge, into a completely random experience, because it is simply impossible to know everything possible in a chess game.
@@xgtete I understand where you guys are coming from. The fact is the game has gained a lot of popularity due to channels like Chessbrahs. Their faster time controls creates a level of excitement that is entirely missing in the slower time controls. I find the calculation part of the game the most boring. Computers calculate, humans use instinct just as much as thought. I don't think there's any right answer here and I respect your opinions. I just think the game would be better if it was faster.
If this was a tournament you can get the TD's attention and ask him to do something about it. They'll stop the game if it's a clear clear win and your opponent is abusing the clock.
That dude must have had dozens of accounts to get his rating that high without being immediately caught by analytical abuse bots. Though that 1 move resign thing seems ridiculous and should have been caught by them much sooner
Personally, I like the spread of opponent qualities, early mistakes, tough battles, etc.. None of us will ever play perfect chess and it's critical to learn what not to do as well as what to do. Frequently I catch things your lower rated opponents miss, but not always and it's good to learn without having to take the loss myself!
I think your viewers as a community appreciate your efforts in making the videos as instructive as possible. We do not take your regular uploads for granted but hope that you just keep it up forever!
Thank you John. Chess analysis channels rarely if ever show the abusers and the method and I'm very glad you reported him and his accounts. Doing so saves the rest of us from having to deal with the foolishness (and frustration that usually accompanies) of the abusers that way... so again, thank you. P.S. If you're ever of a mind to see the Little League World Series....Way back in time I lived in the area and have some good advice.
I really like this channel. As a strong club player, it is very refreshing hearing the commentary and the in depth analysis of the different plans in a position. This is exactly what is needed to bring a player to the next level. Thank you John.
Been watching GingerGM for awhile and your match with him came up and lead me here. I enjoy the stark contrast between your approaches. These 15-minute game videos are every bit as good as Simon's even if we aren't shoving anything up anyone's pipe and making them smoke it.
I played a 30 minute game the other day, blundered 7 times... my opponent blundered 5 times. Still instructive. Played a game smashed my opponent in 14 moves... still instructive. Look deeper into the easier wins and difficult losses, you'll always learn from them. Great video! 2nd video of yours that I've watched. Your approach to the games and way you explain them is fantastic for me. I Subscribed on the spot in this video lol :) cheers John
Don't know much about chess, also have no idea what this was doing in my recommended. That being said great vid, love watching these type of people getting crushed!
Defnitely my favourite chess channel on RUclips. Thank you for all the time and effort you spend on doing this. I really appreciate it. You make chess a gentleman's sport!
I find all your videos helpful. Helps me always ask why it's a good or bad position/move and it is swiftly answered by you either way. Thank you for your videos!!
Hey John, I'm pretty new to chess, but I wanted to say that I love your content and style. You have a calm demeanor and a real talent for communicating to your viewers. Thank you so much for all of this content you've made...I have a lot to learn, and I appreciate the tools you're providing.
I absolutely LOVE your videos. All of them, especially the ones that are different or quick or exotic. Also, your attitude is just too awesome. You're a wonderful person.
You and agadmator are hands down the two best chess youtubers out there. Agadmator for his game analysis (with interesting anecdotes) and you for your incredibly articulate and easy to follow instruction.
Personally, I still find good value in some of the "blowout" videos because of your good conversion technique. Converting an advantage is something I am sure all of us could do better and your attitude concerning relaxation in chess is also instructive! Also, Im surprised it has taken you this long to find one of these people haha. I feel like I run into time wasters every day 😅
Bad sports are unfortunately a plague in the online chess world, especially prevalent at lower rating levels. Watching your attitude in these situations has helped me remain calm and take the high road. Thanks as always John!
Oh yes, somebody I was playing resigned after I moved ahead and he was in time trouble anyway. He made himself feel better with a racial epithet, assuming for some reason that I am a 'ngr".
10:18 anothes solution : take.his knight with your queen. that way, you leave him with two pieces that are under attack. he has to move the rook, and then you take the bishop.
For what its worth, I'm sorry you got negative feedback from the bishop "sacrifice" game. I'm a novice player and found it incredibly helpful and enlightening.
I've only just gotten into chess but I love watching your videos. You have a very wholesome demeanour about you and I love how clearly you articulate your thoughts. Fantastic channel!
In this video you had thoughts towards content that may not be as relevant. I wanted to say, that I watch all your videos. I LOVE hearing your inner monologue while you play. I like to hear your thoughts as you play. It's very instructional! You're my favorite Chess Coach as of now. Watching your videos with a short mention to Mr. Finegold has made be a better chess player. - I remember a long, long time ago buying all of the Romans Lab videos. He's a chess genius, but I can understand you better. Thank you and RUclips for giving me free lessons from a chess master I highly admire for free!
Pardon my French ... but what an idi ... eeeeh ... WHAT ON EARTH is "rating", if you don't know how to play? He's obviously not completely new to the game, but he should just enjoy some nice battles against the 12 to 1800's like I do. Your exposure of such a ... fill in the blanks ... is ABSOLUTELY in place! And yes: As mentioned below, your attitude towards people in the chess world is outstanding, and this is JUST as instructive as any chessgame!
I agree with your comments about the Bfx7 video, John. Everyone will have their opinions. You produce enough content that there should be no real complaints. Plus you do an analysis at the end, so regardless what happens it is instructive(and or entertaining).
at around 7:30 when he says his opponent is making "strange, disjointed, and downright bad moves" it's near creepy how logically John thinks. -- The "Strange" seems to refer to the opening where he pulled the queen out to d4 rather than going for that gambit. the "disjointed" I think refers to playing h4 after castling, and the "downright bad" refers to the Nc3 blunder.
P p Yep... RUclips these days is getting overrun with entitled little pricks. If something is not 100% what they’re looking for, they complain as if the world revolves around them. They used to annoy me until I realised that someday, somewhere in the real world they’ll eventually mouth off to the wrong person, forgetting they’re not at a keyboard - and get punched in their idiot faces 😉 Oops, sorry about that little rant guys ✌️
Great video John. I have 3 questions: 1) Who has the time to make new accounts for the sole purpose of artificially increasing their internet chess rating? Who has the time to play for 8 minutes or whatever, get a dead lost position, and then wait 14 minutes playing a move every 5 minutes to not time out? 2) What is the point of doing that? If he's 1300 strength, he's going to lose 100% of the time against IMs, FMs, and A and B players until he gets to ~1300 3) If you were live streaming this game, do you think you would have waited out the 14 minutes or would you have just drawn/resigned the game just to get another one so you don't lose all of your viewers waiting for this jerk to resign or play to mate?
I personally don’t watch your stuff for instructional value. I’ve given up trying to get better. I watch because I find it entertaining. I like the one sided beat downs.
Hey, so I'm certainly not an expert by any means, but it seems like john missed an easy chance to get the guys queen very early (2:07). His knight was two moves away from a split between king, queen, and rook, and i dont see any easy way they could have stopped it in one move. Was that a missed opportunity or am I the one missing something?
You know in terms of instructive content, i have commonly found that the most instructive moves for myself were the moves that you did not heavily remark upon. For instance, in this video you talked a bit about that h4 move; however the most instructive thing for me was Qb6. I really loved that move because you developed the queen, set up the tactic with the bishop, and prevented your opponent from developing his bishop by putting pressure on b2. Like, the queen and bishop plan is what won the game aside from your opponent's poor moves.
@@stratocaster922 well, i didnt say i was knowledgeable about anything. I think thats perhaps something youve assumed. As for your question however, in my original comment i noted that there was a difference in how instructive the video was from my own perspective and Johns perspective. This means, to me, that the extent to which a video is instructive is dependent on the individuals own chess development. So, for a completely new chess player the entire video would be a gold mine of information whereas to a grandmaster, this video is probably not instructive whatsoever. Hopefully that answers the question
As others have said in the comments, I enjoy all the videos, including blow outs. It’s nice to see that you still treat the game the same way, and don’t suddenly start seeing red or start playing incredibly lackadaisically. This is something I know I have struggled with in the past and trying to drill your mindset into my own is helping in that regard.
It's just sad to see people trying to cheat the system. You literally don't get a single thing for a high rating outside of a personal feeling of accomplishment. Play normally. Enjoy a good game for what it is and play fair.
I really don't agree with the guys who say "I didn't get anything from a video". In the book studying chess made easy, Andrew soltis says "Every diagram is a lesson ". Just like that there is always something to takeaway from the games of lower rated players. Am i right John?
All of those unfair cheaters should be banned permanently at once. And ur attitude even towards such an annoying person just shows how sensible of a person are you. Thanks for the content, we learn from each and every video you post john! :)
I agree, please keep the variety of games. There is a lot of value in variety, and you post so often it's a matter of a day or two before people can move on to the next video if they don't like a particular one.
question: for your 6th move at 2:22 why did you not c6-b4 to threaten a queen fork at b4-c2? it seemed like the obvious move for my playstyle...then again i havent played chess since highschool
The reason why didnt go to b4 with his horse is because the white queen or white horse would be able to take his horse easily without sacrificing a piece. Pretty much a blunder
Someone made me wait when I had mate in one so I made him wait then shamed him in the chat before I struck the final blow 😂 Thanks John, no need for you to apologise for anything
I wonder (and this is just speculation) if they do this so they can practice against higher rated opponents. It's not a good excuse, they are still slimy individuals.
I've had opponents play maybe a few moves then let the clock run out hoping I'd resign. Usually I don't and just watch a game being played or do something else while the clock runs down and take the win by time.
@@ChessWithMouselip I have no I idea. They could be hoping that the person is impatient. I could be over thinking it. They could just struggle at finding a move.
I had this happen to me yesterday in a game, on move 5. Didn't understand why they were taking so long. They ended up resigning after about 15 minutes of letting the clock run down. Don't know why people do this.
Every thought process you have is instructive regardless of how tense or strategic the game is. Granted I'm only 750 rated, so hearing how you think of the game and basic processes and tactics really help me.
He didn't pre-move, and even if he had if white played Rb1 then black playing Rxf8 wouldn't have been a legal move and therefore the pre-move would have been cancelled.
It's called pre-moving. It's actually his opponent's turn to move, but he expects his knight to get taken, so what he is doing is preemptively moving the bishop to take back that square.
Hi John. Climbing the rating ladder it is totally awesome. I am a brazilian beginner, playing regularly just two months ago. Recently i have increased from 544 to over 750 in 8 days on chess.com. But but since then I have been stagnant on blitz. Meanwhile i have increased consistently on Tatics Rating, approaching to 1000. I expected this to be reflected in my blitz rating, but that is not the case. People always say that beginners should practice tactics, but I'm afraid that's not enough. What can I do? Aside keep doing tactics. Thanks again, your channel is very inspirational to young players like me.
I'm extremely lost on what just happened, what was that move around 8:30 where he takes the white pawn and then makes a second move to cannibalize his knight with a bishop???
I feel it's very insulting to you for some crybaby viewers to complain about content when they are getting it all for free. That is an excellent life lesson: Those who are used to getting things for free feel entitled to complain about everything. As a viewer who really appreciates what you bring to the table, I have made inquiries about hiring you as a coach. In addition to your fabulous work I also wanted to give back.
Very very rarely, even when he encounters a cheater, is that part of the title John puts out. Even before watching the video, I'm morbidly curious what this player did to get normally calm John to call him out.
I was honestly also shocked by the title. John always has a high tolerance for the many terrible people out there. He gave us time to listen to John talk random things😁
@@tomscott904 He's so classy that he's defended one player that beat him in a CTRL video for YEARS, and goes back and makes references that player as a legitimate case of winning against him. In another recent video he lost in... John even talks about improvements to a player's lines and explicitly states he doesn't believe the player was cheating. With all that in mind, when I saw the title of this vid... I was like.... "oooooooooo this player dun messed up."
I still found this useful. Particularly the lesson about not automatically removing the rook from danger when attacked by the bishop. I often blunder when making 'automatic' moves, when I often overlook better ones.
Slowster when playing online, „pre-moving“ is saving much time. You give the computer the input -> your next move, and when your opponent moves ( here taking the knight with the white knight), the bishop recaptires immediately. Thus you do not lose time by moving the mouse
I'm guessing this guy's rating is about 1300. He lost nine and won one against a 1600. I'm 1600/1700 myself, and think that's about the score I could get against a 1300. I kinda understand why he cheating on the rating, if he wanted the opportunity to play some really good players and get some experience. It's still a douche move, but I could understand how he benefits from it. But then he really showed his true colours when he didn't show respect and resign in a lost position, just wasting time like that. That really shows he's _not even_ about cheating his way to get to play good players and challenge himself, he's just a poorly developed person with an ego problem who can't tell right from wrong.
Before the account was closed on May 21 for violating the Fair Play Policy, Egor1991Lipetsk won a game against a 2023 (blitz, due to time pressure). www.chess.com/live/game/3716990231?username=egor1991lipetsk
@@geometricart7851 indeed. like minecraft servers. 99 people working for days, dedicated to making a pretty world with nice houses. then one bored grieving child comes and destroys every single house in ten min with cheat codes.
Thank the user for doing this! That way, you play a low rated player, which is very instructive as you can point out classic mistakes, but without the downside of having to beat a honest low rated player!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how John is a low key savage sometimes. Like a disappointed dad. Not mad just disappointed.
the disappointed dad, that's so perfect lol
Like my dad
Ima cheat to inflate my rating so I get matched up against a strong player who's gonna crush me. Then Ima be salty and play hella slow after the game is over. ?!?!?!
@@jyrone3943 Yeah that sort of gross ratings inflation behavior between multiple accounts can get your account access revoked instantly. I bet it was within 30 minutes after John reported that loser.
Yeah I do the same thing. It's good fun especially against titled women with really crap titles. They give women's titles away!
@@martinet1985 Sounding like a womans title holder a little hurt in the butt!!
@@somfmagician sounds like you're mad because women title holders are better than you
@@viraldashboard7936 You sound like a fucking zitty teenager who still lives in his mom's basement. What made you think I was a woman in the first place? I fucking hate misogynists. If you have nothing interesting to say, stfu. End of story.
John I admire your attitude towards life. You're a good man. Most wholesome personality in the chess community
Much appreciated, James. Cheers.
such a nice comment..
Agreed!
Totally agree. He has a calm and positive attitude when winning and losing, does not get angry and sees most things as learning opportunities.. I wish I could be like this when I play chess.
I think the chess community has other people who are equally wholesome. But yeah, John is a great guy, very friendly and positive :)
In terms of rating class, an IM; in terms of classiness, good sportsmanship, and a positive attitude, beyond a Super GM.
John is of GM strength anyway
@@ym276 In blitz definitely. He is doing very well against strong GMs. But not in clasicall chess. anyway strong IM for sure
I agree. I was going to say something like "a good IM" but all IMs are good or else they aren't IMs. Glad some people saw this comment and agreed and liked it because being in Asia I watch videos on RUclips at weird hours sometimes relative to the west.
He has the ability to become a GM, but if you don't live in Europe or the NE United States or aren't freakishly talented, accumulating GM norms is a long and expensive process. Most grown men can't afford to take a week or two off of work, and fly to NYC or Paris or wherever to compete in a big tournament that offers the possibility of achieving a norm. This one of the reasons (but not the only reason) that people typically become IM's and GM's when they're very young.
Yeah i dont think those qualities necesserely improve while looking up the ranks
Mis-titled. Climbing the Rating Ladder (1100)
Mike Garner more like (970)
More like 850.
More like 600
More like 0 since he is prob banned now
More like "ladder".
I love the fact that this cheater was unmasked by his own poor sportsmanship: he forced John to wait so long that John eventually got around to checking out the guy's profile, and realized he's a cheater.
Now all the "hard work" this guy did to inflate his rating will be erased--and all because he decided to make John wait! Poetic justice.
John probably would have realized either way. Just a few moves into the game and it was clear this wasn’t a 2000+ player, so I’m guessing John would have looked at his profile.
@@draheim90 Absolutely. Time-wasting aside, this guy played like a 700 rated rapid player, and I'm probably being kind there. John would have checked his profile regardless because of how poor their move selection was in the opening. I'm a beginner and even I could tell that he was making some dubious looking moves for someone his rating.
I'm surprised to hear that there are some people who consider these easy wins as not instructive. Every bit of thought process shared by John is instructive, and if people can't get something out of it then it is probably more their approach to learning chess than anything else. For instance, in the opening of this game - I was very interested to see how John wasn't at all worried about e5 and how he explained his ideas with the knight in the case of e5. I often don't play Nf6 myself because of the threat of e5 and I learned here that there are several ways to counter that which I hadn't considered previously.
I agree - I learned from the previous video on how those pesky Bxf7 moves operate in that line, having in part moved away e4 e5 as black to avoid them!
Exact same for me!
Manshu Verma I learned a ton from that last video because I suck just as bad as his last opponent so I learned a lot of what not to do 👍
No I agree that for stronger players, John demolishing a weak player is nowhere near as instructive as his games against good players. They'll likely know more or less everything he mentions in the game, and it won't be worth a 25 minute watch. For weaker players, sure, there are plenty of principles to take away from this. But yes, John does a good job in making every game as instructive as he can.
I know right! I would never had the balls to play Nf6 due to e5 possibility. And there are constantly moves that I'm surprised about.
As a lower rated player, seeing and understanding blunders is something like 80% of my instructional value. Thank you for posting!
I literally gained 100 rank just noticing my own blunders.
Im low rated so...
John, I've been watching your videos since about the time I rediscovered chess at the time of the last world championship and I continue to watch much of what you post, mostly climing the ratings and classic chess. (Not so much interested in the fast games.) What I like is your manner of talking: Fluent, informed, friendly, casual, and enlightened, always on top of what's going on. I get a lot more out of this than I do from some grandmaster's analysis of a great classic game because I don't play at that level. Slowly but surely, almost by osmosis, I'm picking up insights that are helping me to play better, and I owe at least a part of that to watching your videos. I subscribe to other chess channels, but yours is the only one I watch with regularity. So keep up the good work, doing exactly what you've been doing.
Loved the premier episode of the new RUclips series: John Bartholomew, Chess Detective
All righty then!
It was the Bishop, on the h-file, with a skewer.
@@dpayO2 I think you meant, "All knighty then!" ;-)
I love the fact that you share instructive 15 mins games, so many streamers now just go full viking blitz or bullet all day, this is way more relaxing to watch and i can't get enough of your videos; probably watched them all twice by now!
As someone who's not particularly good at chess, but wants to improve, I find the lower rated games incredibly useful. Thank you John for breaking down your thought processes - - learning not just what but how you are thinking is invaluable.
Exactly. Lower rated players play other lower rated players. They play a different style chess. At our level it may even be less helpful to watch john play another IM or GM in which the first 20 moves are theory because we dont know that kind of opening theory and neither do our opponents lol.
Another comment wanting to say that ALL of your content is incredibly enjoyable and instructive/constructive/productive(even the blow outs), LOVING the daily uploads, it’s the perfect way to end my day and I look forward to them very much. Thanks for everything John!
I love your teaching style and already am learning a lot from you regarding the whys of a move, developing positional strength, and responding to threats without freaking out. Thanks man.
I still find watching masters convert an overwhelming advantage instructive. Just seeing how you limit your opponent's activity and finding the simplest path to checkmate is very insightful.
On the bright side, we got two “Hey guys, this is John 🖐” for the price of one video
I really do hate when players do this. Its one of the most spiteful, petty and useless things you can do when playing chess online.
very common too
Welcome to the Internet, you must be new. I will be your guide.
That's actually why I rarely play longer games online.
I take the view it's their clock time, so they can do what they want with it - play chess, or sulk.
At least I can spend the time doing other stuff (unlike JB who's making a video of it).
What does rating abuser mean what do they do?
Really happy to hear you are going to do your proudest accomplishments. That’s awesome!!! Was hoping you would do not just wins but draws in lost positions etc... would really help us understand the thought process of what you consider big accomplishments having a greater understanding of chess than us. Maybe even games you were proud of when you were younger and feel less strongly about now. Love your channel John, hope to see it get a lot more attention as you work towards the allusive GM title!
"So.... obviously... don't do anything this player did. Anyways..." LOLOL
i don't play, but i found this presentation accessible and engaging, making me want to learn more
must confess though, i was drawn by the clickbait title
Great job on this video john. Very entertaining as always and blasting these cheaters helps the community in my opinion. Great stuff, loving your constant stream of videos latelu. Im really grateful for that john, take care !
As usual, you set the bar high in terms of a classy response to uncouth behavior John. Thanks for providing such an excellent example of the highest standard of sportsmanship. Also, the learning opportunity was not lost because you kept your cool and made use of the other guy's wasted time. Bravo!
He needs just slightly more tea for opponents like that though.
@@StevenStJohn-kj9eb Pint mugs are available, if you look in the right places. I have two.
Indeed. Running through the game is the best way to make use of time if an opponent is running the clock down. A lot of players get extremely aggrieved by that type of behaviour that it has them avoiding 25-minute games, but I think that's ultimately destructive to one's own development. Just stay calm, cool, and collect your thoughts for the moves that have been played already before raging yourself about poor sportsmanship, etc. If it's a very early ragequit, then open up a new tab and do puzzles or something else while the clock runs down. There are always going to be timewasters in life, but being able to directly deal with them still provides ample opportunity for self-development.
Thank you for posting. Who tf has so much time on their hands for seemingly zero upside? Truly baffling.
Also John, when a channel is growing as fast as yours there's bound to be some criticism. Most of the people criticizing have never taught chess or had a youtube channel(like me) so take our feedback with a grain of salt, and definitely don't let it get to you, as there are so many people who appreciate every video you put out!
Honestly, when John was talking about normalizing games that aren't competitive from start to finish, it gave me a bit of hope. It's especially nice to see when John has frustrating sessions, not because I like to see someone suffer, but it's somewhat comforting to know that even masters have rough days.
You say that, but his comments sections are almost always devoid of criticism and full of praise. Honestly I don't think there's even a single thing to criticise about him.
@@alephnull4044 I agree; the overwhelming majority of his comments are positive.
@@gcollins1992 Maybe, but even super GMs have frustrating, rough days. It's a part of chess.
Hey just wanted to let you know as someone who just stumbled into this video. I think you did an amazing job explaining everything. I haven't played chess in years but you immediately made the video very engaging.
Long time control + High rated opponents = extremely constructive
Although this specific person was a fake but that's the approach that I personally think John needs to adopt to promote chess by helping us improve our game. Thank you Mr. Positive Attitude 👍
I had an opponent like this in an OTB game. I had a crushing attack against him, and by move 24 I was up a Queen, Bishop and a Pawn for a Rook. Yet, he sat for a good 5 - 10 minutes each move, and made me play out the game until checkmate. He was perfectly entitled to do this, there is no rule against this. He wasn't checkmated and he had time left, he had the right to play. However I couldn't help but feel it was done out of poor sportsmanship.
Classic time controls, I’d argue, are too long. Rapid, at minimum, should be the new standard. If Twitch has taught us anything is that people enjoy watching chess when the games time control is 10 or less.
@Charles Chuck I'm not for certain what that means, Mickey Mouse chess, but there's a reason sport has shot clocks and timers. Classic time control is just too long and makes the game boring. Also players play too well at that time control. The mistakes that are introduced in the faster time controls make the game interesting.
I agree with Charles. Blitz is all well and good. It is fun, and extremely entertaining. However chess is a game of the mind, so forcing a player to play a move out of instinct because of time pressure, removes all meaning from the game. Chess is a war game, you wouldn't make hasty decisions when planning out a battle in war, nor should you in chess. Besides, how can anyone claim to have outplayed an opponent, or get a sense of satisfaction, because their opponent made a mistake, that was out of time pressure? Plus quicker time controls make Chess a game that would be won off the board, even more than it already is. Simply because quicker time controls becoming the standard means, that you need to know pretty much every single trap, tactic and idea that exists in the game, as you don't have the time to work them put at the board. So you make a game about patience, skill, position, strategy and knowledge, into a completely random experience, because it is simply impossible to know everything possible in a chess game.
@@xgtete I understand where you guys are coming from. The fact is the game has gained a lot of popularity due to channels like Chessbrahs. Their faster time controls creates a level of excitement that is entirely missing in the slower time controls. I find the calculation part of the game the most boring. Computers calculate, humans use instinct just as much as thought.
I don't think there's any right answer here and I respect your opinions. I just think the game would be better if it was faster.
If this was a tournament you can get the TD's attention and ask him to do something about it. They'll stop the game if it's a clear clear win and your opponent is abusing the clock.
At 21:58
That has got to be the interruption of the century.
Good effort on catching a rating abuser. Still an instructive video nonetheless!
I love it when people have already posted your thoughts
I feel kinda bad for him, look at his profile picture, it's not ironic or anything. Just sad.
That dude must have had dozens of accounts to get his rating that high without being immediately caught by analytical abuse bots. Though that 1 move resign thing seems ridiculous and should have been caught by them much sooner
Personally, I like the spread of opponent qualities, early mistakes, tough battles, etc.. None of us will ever play perfect chess and it's critical to learn what not to do as well as what to do. Frequently I catch things your lower rated opponents miss, but not always and it's good to learn without having to take the loss myself!
sometimes the wins are just the guy whom makes the last fatal mistake...
I think your viewers as a community appreciate your efforts in making the videos as instructive as possible. We do not take your regular uploads for granted but hope that you just keep it up forever!
Thank you John. Chess analysis channels rarely if ever show the abusers and the method and I'm very glad you reported him and his accounts. Doing so saves the rest of us from having to deal with the foolishness (and frustration that usually accompanies) of the abusers that way... so again, thank you. P.S. If you're ever of a mind to see the Little League World Series....Way back in time I lived in the area and have some good advice.
I really like this channel. As a strong club player, it is very refreshing hearing the commentary and the in depth analysis of the different plans in a position. This is exactly what is needed to bring a player to the next level. Thank you John.
Love the commitment to the content creation , much appreciated and thanks for such interesting and colourful content 🙏❤
Been watching GingerGM for awhile and your match with him came up and lead me here. I enjoy the stark contrast between your approaches. These 15-minute game videos are every bit as good as Simon's even if we aren't shoving anything up anyone's pipe and making them smoke it.
Or pushing Harry.
I played a 30 minute game the other day, blundered 7 times... my opponent blundered 5 times. Still instructive. Played a game smashed my opponent in 14 moves... still instructive. Look deeper into the easier wins and difficult losses, you'll always learn from them. Great video! 2nd video of yours that I've watched. Your approach to the games and way you explain them is fantastic for me. I Subscribed on the spot in this video lol :) cheers John
Don't know much about chess, also have no idea what this was doing in my recommended. That being said great vid, love watching these type of people getting crushed!
Defnitely my favourite chess channel on RUclips. Thank you for all the time and effort you spend on doing this. I really appreciate it. You make chess a gentleman's sport!
I find all your videos helpful. Helps me always ask why it's a good or bad position/move and it is swiftly answered by you either way. Thank you for your videos!!
EXPOSED. good work John
Hey John, I'm pretty new to chess, but I wanted to say that I love your content and style. You have a calm demeanor and a real talent for communicating to your viewers. Thank you so much for all of this content you've made...I have a lot to learn, and I appreciate the tools you're providing.
I absolutely LOVE your videos. All of them, especially the ones that are different or quick or exotic. Also, your attitude is just too awesome. You're a wonderful person.
You and agadmator are hands down the two best chess youtubers out there. Agadmator for his game analysis (with interesting anecdotes) and you for your incredibly articulate and easy to follow instruction.
Personally, I still find good value in some of the "blowout" videos because of your good conversion technique. Converting an advantage is something I am sure all of us could do better and your attitude concerning relaxation in chess is also instructive!
Also, Im surprised it has taken you this long to find one of these people haha. I feel like I run into time wasters every day 😅
John is high rated and in that level mist people have some respect for the game and their opponent so they don't do this
Are your videos laced with drugs? I'm still addicted to these rapid videos, keep it up john!
coffee and tea
@@sub-harmonik Only from Starbucks!
I feel the same way! But it’s probably the drugs I took...
You should have seen me in 2017. I watched hundreds of John's videos. It was like my Netflix.
@@TheChefCain I know that was the case for me when I was burning through scores of his videos back in 2017, lol.
Bad sports are unfortunately a plague in the online chess world, especially prevalent at lower rating levels. Watching your attitude in these situations has helped me remain calm and take the high road. Thanks as always John!
Oh yes, somebody I was playing resigned after I moved ahead and he was in time trouble anyway. He made himself feel better with a racial epithet, assuming for some reason that I am a 'ngr".
10:18
anothes solution : take.his knight with your queen. that way, you leave him with two pieces that are under attack. he has to move the rook, and then you take the bishop.
Your Sicilian games have helped me improve my defense so much. Thank you! One of the best teachers on the platform.
You are a great educator. When I watch you play chess, I feel like I am actually learning something. Thank you very much! :)
For what its worth, I'm sorry you got negative feedback from the bishop "sacrifice" game. I'm a novice player and found it incredibly helpful and enlightening.
I've only just gotten into chess but I love watching your videos. You have a very wholesome demeanour about you and I love how clearly you articulate your thoughts. Fantastic channel!
In this video you had thoughts towards content that may not be as relevant. I wanted to say, that I watch all your videos. I LOVE hearing your inner monologue while you play. I like to hear your thoughts as you play. It's very instructional! You're my favorite Chess Coach as of now. Watching your videos with a short mention to Mr. Finegold has made be a better chess player. - I remember a long, long time ago buying all of the Romans Lab videos. He's a chess genius, but I can understand you better.
Thank you and RUclips for giving me free lessons from a chess master I highly admire for free!
Pardon my French ... but what an idi ... eeeeh ... WHAT ON EARTH is "rating", if you don't know how to play?
He's obviously not completely new to the game, but he should just enjoy some nice battles against the 12 to 1800's like I do.
Your exposure of such a ... fill in the blanks ... is ABSOLUTELY in place!
And yes: As mentioned below, your attitude towards people in the chess world is outstanding, and this is JUST as instructive as any chessgame!
I agree with your comments about the Bfx7 video, John. Everyone will have their opinions. You produce enough content that there should be no real complaints. Plus you do an analysis at the end, so regardless what happens it is instructive(and or entertaining).
at around 7:30 when he says his opponent is making "strange, disjointed, and downright bad moves" it's near creepy how logically John thinks. -- The "Strange" seems to refer to the opening where he pulled the queen out to d4 rather than going for that gambit. the "disjointed" I think refers to playing h4 after castling, and the "downright bad" refers to the Nc3 blunder.
For those who complain anything of videos in this channel, you are more than welcome to find a chess private tutor and pay $65/hr.
Has been the case with almost all the tutorials in RUclips..
P p Yep... RUclips these days is getting overrun with entitled little pricks.
If something is not 100% what they’re looking for, they complain as if the world revolves around them.
They used to annoy me until I realised that someday, somewhere in the real world they’ll eventually mouth off to the wrong person, forgetting they’re not at a keyboard - and get punched in their idiot faces 😉
Oops, sorry about that little rant guys ✌️
Kevin Lee I am going to assume you’re not Kevin Lee, the MMA fighter 🤔
Great video John. I have 3 questions:
1) Who has the time to make new accounts for the sole purpose of artificially increasing their internet chess rating? Who has the time to play for 8 minutes or whatever, get a dead lost position, and then wait 14 minutes playing a move every 5 minutes to not time out?
2) What is the point of doing that? If he's 1300 strength, he's going to lose 100% of the time against IMs, FMs, and A and B players until he gets to ~1300
3) If you were live streaming this game, do you think you would have waited out the 14 minutes or would you have just drawn/resigned the game just to get another one so you don't lose all of your viewers waiting for this jerk to resign or play to mate?
I'm not John but I have a definitive answer: stupidity.
I personally don’t watch your stuff for instructional value. I’ve given up trying to get better. I watch because I find it entertaining. I like the one sided beat downs.
Hey, so I'm certainly not an expert by any means, but it seems like john missed an easy chance to get the guys queen very early (2:07). His knight was two moves away from a split between king, queen, and rook, and i dont see any easy way they could have stopped it in one move. Was that a missed opportunity or am I the one missing something?
You know in terms of instructive content, i have commonly found that the most instructive moves for myself were the moves that you did not heavily remark upon. For instance, in this video you talked a bit about that h4 move; however the most instructive thing for me was Qb6. I really loved that move because you developed the queen, set up the tactic with the bishop, and prevented your opponent from developing his bishop by putting pressure on b2. Like, the queen and bishop plan is what won the game aside from your opponent's poor moves.
Chazz McKinney if you’re so knowledgeable about it, how instructive to you could it have been?
@@stratocaster922 well, i didnt say i was knowledgeable about anything. I think thats perhaps something youve assumed. As for your question however, in my original comment i noted that there was a difference in how instructive the video was from my own perspective and Johns perspective. This means, to me, that the extent to which a video is instructive is dependent on the individuals own chess development. So, for a completely new chess player the entire video would be a gold mine of information whereas to a grandmaster, this video is probably not instructive whatsoever. Hopefully that answers the question
As others have said in the comments, I enjoy all the videos, including blow outs. It’s nice to see that you still treat the game the same way, and don’t suddenly start seeing red or start playing incredibly lackadaisically. This is something I know I have struggled with in the past and trying to drill your mindset into my own is helping in that regard.
What happened at 8:32? Knight takes pawn then bishop moves to where the knight was?
24:00
I love how John comes back like
"Hey guys, this is John...!"
Meanwhile he is annihilating white.
Just
This out of context would be hilarious.
It's just sad to see people trying to cheat the system. You literally don't get a single thing for a high rating outside of a personal feeling of accomplishment. Play normally. Enjoy a good game for what it is and play fair.
Welcome to Russia.
World's biggest cheats in politics, sport, healthcare, education, public services, chess, and every sphere of human activity.
@@threethrushes sounds like you just lost to a Russian. Are you mad?
@@thecore69 Transparency International. Perception of Corruption Index.
Educate yourself. You know you want to!
@@threethrushes just shutup point Dexter
@David JR Safe-space, precious snowflake. How sweet!
I really don't agree with the guys who say "I didn't get anything from a video". In the book studying chess made easy, Andrew soltis says "Every diagram is a lesson ". Just like that there is always something to takeaway from the games of lower rated players. Am i right John?
i love the climbing the rating ladder there really instructive on how to punish bad moves for one , thanks for the lessons
All of those unfair cheaters should be banned permanently at once. And ur attitude even towards such an annoying person just shows how sensible of a person are you. Thanks for the content, we learn from each and every video you post john! :)
I wonder if studying chess wouldn't be a more productive use of this guy's time.
Hopefully my opponent and not me 😅
I agree, please keep the variety of games. There is a lot of value in variety, and you post so often it's a matter of a day or two before people can move on to the next video if they don't like a particular one.
question: for your 6th move at 2:22 why did you not c6-b4 to threaten a queen fork at b4-c2? it seemed like the obvious move for my playstyle...then again i havent played chess since highschool
The reason why didnt go to b4 with his horse is because the white queen or white horse would be able to take his horse easily without sacrificing a piece. Pretty much a blunder
Someone made me wait when I had mate in one so I made him wait then shamed him in the chat before I struck the final blow 😂
Thanks John, no need for you to apologise for anything
Always a shame to play an opponent like this. I wonder why they bother doing it.
I wonder (and this is just speculation) if they do this so they can practice against higher rated opponents. It's not a good excuse, they are still slimy individuals.
I've had opponents play maybe a few moves then let the clock run out hoping I'd resign. Usually I don't and just watch a game being played or do something else while the clock runs down and take the win by time.
Why do you think an opponent would expect you to resign when they run their clock down?
@@ChessWithMouselip I have no I idea. They could be hoping that the person is impatient. I could be over thinking it. They could just struggle at finding a move.
@@AndrewInmanartist I think they are just poor sports who do not know how to lose gracefully. :-)
I had this happen to me yesterday in a game, on move 5. Didn't understand why they were taking so long. They ended up resigning after about 15 minutes of letting the clock run down. Don't know why people do this.
Kerwyn SkyX19 no reason to resign...you have the whole internet to entertain you while you wait!
I like how John refers to taking pieces as "transactions" Stone cold John. Love it.
Love the series man! My goal is to watch at least one of these per day. Very educational thanks for the video!
Every thought process you have is instructive regardless of how tense or strategic the game is. Granted I'm only 750 rated, so hearing how you think of the game and basic processes and tactics really help me.
This is very instructive. Please continue these kinds of videos.
Isn't it risky to premove on 10:14? What if white played Rb1?
He didn't pre-move, and even if he had if white played Rb1 then black playing Rxf8 wouldn't have been a legal move and therefore the pre-move would have been cancelled.
what the hell happened on 8:33 ???
I love your videos, whatever happens in the game. Thanks so much for making them!
Very interesting. Your commentary is clear and very instructive. If only I could have you talking in my head when I play my chess games! :-)
I just wanted to speak up and say I support your content!
Lmao that was hilarious how John was ending the video and the opponent made a move. This guy is my absolute favorite! Cannot believe he isn't married!
John,I am a nothing player from Ireland,love your teaching ,please show Mason Attack.Love.
Whoever be the opponent, whether instructive or not, I am always a fan of John!!!
At 8:32 I don’t understand how you can move your bishop and knight to the same position in one move - can someone please explain?
It's called pre-moving. It's actually his opponent's turn to move, but he expects his knight to get taken, so what he is doing is preemptively moving the bishop to take back that square.
I absolutely love your videos John. I learn so much. Thank you for posting them !
Hi John. Climbing the rating ladder it is totally awesome. I am a brazilian beginner, playing regularly just two months ago. Recently i have increased from 544 to over 750 in 8 days on chess.com. But but since then I have been stagnant on blitz. Meanwhile i have increased consistently on Tatics Rating, approaching to 1000. I expected this to be reflected in my blitz rating, but that is not the case. People always say that beginners should practice tactics, but I'm afraid that's not enough. What can I do? Aside keep doing tactics. Thanks again, your channel is very inspirational to young players like me.
I'm extremely lost on what just happened, what was that move around 8:30 where he takes the white pawn and then makes a second move to cannibalize his knight with a bishop???
Yeah this confused me too. Can someone explain?
I feel it's very insulting to you for some crybaby viewers to complain about content when they are getting it all for free. That is an excellent life lesson: Those who are used to getting things for free feel entitled to complain about everything. As a viewer who really appreciates what you bring to the table, I have made inquiries about hiring you as a coach. In addition to your fabulous work I also wanted to give back.
At 15:11 why white didn`t resign? He was kinda looking for a draw🤔
Very very rarely, even when he encounters a cheater, is that part of the title John puts out. Even before watching the video, I'm morbidly curious what this player did to get normally calm John to call him out.
I clicked immediately for the same reason. I'm gonna crack open a cold one for this vid and buckle up for a ride
I was honestly also shocked by the title. John always has a high tolerance for the many terrible people out there. He gave us time to listen to John talk random things😁
@@tomscott904 He's so classy that he's defended one player that beat him in a CTRL video for YEARS, and goes back and makes references that player as a legitimate case of winning against him. In another recent video he lost in... John even talks about improvements to a player's lines and explicitly states he doesn't believe the player was cheating. With all that in mind, when I saw the title of this vid... I was like.... "oooooooooo this player dun messed up."
gcollins1992 I agree the Toki one is super sketchy. He destroyed him the first game and the 2nd half of game 2 the guy got mad skills out of thin air😂
gcollins1992 Plus John is the Ned Flanders of chessaroono 😂😂 cool guy!
tnx for sharing... players who jst stop moving like this have always been a mystery to me
I still found this useful. Particularly the lesson about not automatically removing the rook from danger when attacked by the bishop. I often blunder when making 'automatic' moves, when I often overlook better ones.
What was that move at 8:35? Takes with the knight, then replaces with the bishop?
Slowster when playing online, „pre-moving“ is saving much time. You give the computer the input -> your next move, and when your opponent moves ( here taking the knight with the white knight), the bishop recaptires immediately. Thus you do not lose time by moving the mouse
I have never seen any of your videos before but that was some really clear explanations!
I'm guessing this guy's rating is about 1300. He lost nine and won one against a 1600. I'm 1600/1700 myself, and think that's about the score I could get against a 1300.
I kinda understand why he cheating on the rating, if he wanted the opportunity to play some really good players and get some experience. It's still a douche move, but I could understand how he benefits from it. But then he really showed his true colours when he didn't show respect and resign in a lost position, just wasting time like that. That really shows he's _not even_ about cheating his way to get to play good players and challenge himself, he's just a poorly developed person with an ego problem who can't tell right from wrong.
Before the account was closed on May 21 for violating the Fair Play Policy, Egor1991Lipetsk won a game against a 2023 (blitz, due to time pressure). www.chess.com/live/game/3716990231?username=egor1991lipetsk
Only takes 1 to ruin it for the rest.
@@geometricart7851 indeed. like minecraft servers. 99 people working for days, dedicated to making a pretty world with nice houses. then one bored grieving child comes and destroys every single house in ten min with cheat codes.
Thank the user for doing this! That way, you play a low rated player, which is very instructive as you can point out classic mistakes, but without the downside of having to beat a honest low rated player!
I loved the video. Thank you for sharing and reporting these people scamming the system
You have good character and your videos are well worth the time! You don't get too serious, and that's probably your best Ace on the table.