I have seen a lot of videos on chess. But most of them focus on gambits and their defences and pre planned moves that we have to memorize in order to get benefitted. But you are just amazing in giving many vital tips to become a better chess player.
Totally agree. I have a horrible memory, so the last thing I want to do is memorize a bunch of lines, but the fundamentals in these videos are awesome, and very well explained!
Nelson, I've watched your videos for 5 or 6 days now and Holy dear do I ever see a difference in my games. The way you explain chess is so simple and easy to remember 1% at a time. Control the open file, when not to castle, so much prime material you're putting out. Thank you, keep up the amazing efforts they will pay off.
Excellent video, I just want to point out that "Best offense is a good defense" is not a saying. The actual saying is the one you said. Thanks for the lessons, as always you explain them very well.
5:00 this was exactly my problem. At times i am up a piece but still got this situation where i become completely clueless. Thank you sir from the bottom of my heart for making this video!
When in doubt, trade! Maybe you won't gain anything on the trade but when I am stuck for what to do next, that's usually because my position is cramped.
I would agree with the top comment. Most chess channels do help, but you are the guy that helps push that guy stuck between 1500-1700 into the 2000 range. It is the little tips that can be learned now instead of grasping them years later from 100s of lost games.
The best defense is a good offense! So true! I've been on both ends of that one. We often forget that checks are forcing moves so it doesn't matter how good the other side's threat is. If they can't execute on it, they can't ever win.
Tip 5. I’ve won so many games just being aggressive from mid to end game. Sometimes I lose a lot of pieces on the process but win with significantly less material captured.
Yeah this would be really cool. I tend to win games based on positional advantages, but nowadays I rarely win games by attacking the king, cause my opponents tend to be well defended.
0:59 before watching your video, I learned this on my own, I noticed sometimes is not very good to castle to either side if I’ll be running into an attack if I castle in that direction, the point of castling is to protect your king not get it into trouble and also to give a good use to that rook in the corner also if my opponent castles first Sometimes I decide not to castle because my rook in that corner is stronger as it is straight in the direction of my opponent’s king why castling if my rook is already in a good position to attack eventually great video!! as always 😌
You winning against a bunch of really weak players doesn’t substantiate that. If you played people of at least your strength you’d realize you have to defend entirely first before you can counter attack. Petrosian would prevent even superb attackers like Spassky from getting him first and then counter attack. Defense ==> counter attack. Unless you want to get checkmated first and then counter attack, since you’d prefer to skip defense altogether.
Great teacher. Great videos. You might want to mention that pawns are the only pieces which can’t move backwards. Thus, the holes you mentioned, plus they cannot retreat to defend. Thank you.
I think in sports the saying stay the same, a good defense is a good offense, not the other way around, but I get the point! I subbed recently btw I like ur content, easy to digest, useful and to the point, I alrdy imporved 150points on my score from 700-850
Just so taken back by the continuity diversity and detail presented in your effort filled productions. Superb work that is Greatly Appreciated. Thanking You much and wishing speedy growth as i recommend and share these videos with others. .... Mike.
These videos are very helpful. I was able to defeat an opponent that was several hundred points higher than me. I play around 1500+ or so, so I am grateful to learn new things when I can. Opponent was about 2200 so I am pretty pumped about that
If I have a question about a specific point that I am concerned about, I use Google and do a search and one of your videos usually popups in the result of the search. Then I find the advices I was looking for in theses videos. Thanks again, very helpful!
Wow im so glad you randomly pop'd in my suggestion. Good job man i love your videos. I improved a lot lately and i know for a fact its because i've found your videos on youtube. Keep up the good work i love it.
I'd love to see you make a video on tactics similar to your very useful video on checkmates. In contract bridge there are standard ways to handle a suit, likewise in chess there are standard patterns that come up again and again and there are standard tactics to deal with them, without blundering!
I’d add two more: 1) look at your opponent’s bishops. If they’ve only got one, try to make it so any pawn weaknesses (holes) are on the opposite color! 2) ALWAYS, ALWAYS watch out whenever your opponent’s queen and a knight (or - worse - two) are on the same side (queenside or kingside) as your king! Queens and knights are absolutely DEADLY against a lone king!! Even against a king well defended can fall to a smothered mate, and a lone, exposed king stands no chance. I can’t tell you how many games have been lost due to a queen & knight combo! I suspect a whole book could be written about queen and knight tactics. I also can’t count the number of times I’ve won a game with a queen and knight. It’s for this reason that I’d much rather have a bishop and knight than the bishop pair, if I’ve still got my queen.
Alpha Zero is a great example of the "best defense is a good offense". Its whole game is based on attack, so much so, that when it has to defend, it prefers to go for complications and create counterplay. AZ will even sacrifice material to achieve these complications rather than defend passively. I think its therefore a signal to us humans, that this perhaps is the best approach to defending but of course chess is a contextual game, so nothing is set in stone.
It is true that you risk creating weaknesses by pushing a pawn near your king, but chess is not always that simple. It can create an escape route for your king. It is a long time since I have fallen victim to a back rank mate, for example, as I have learned to anticipate them and push a pawn to escape.
7:46 whenever I have an opportunity like this I always try to check and check several times even when they try to attack one of my strong pieces or even my queen as long as Im checking their king im basically controlling the game and eventually they start making mistakes while trying to evade the check and I start taking their pieces little by little always being careful not to stop checking cause if I do then they will have an opportunity to counter lol
4:23 Why is exchanging pieces good? If you're materially down, exchanging exacerbates that; if you're materially up, why are you defending rather than attacking? What's more, exchanging opens more lines for the remaining pieces.
The best defense is a good offense is actually the standard idiom, and the inversion is the rare form, best offense is a good defense, which isn't so applicable to anything really. So if you are attacking the opponent must defend and this reduces their ability to attack you.
I love when opponents castle early. Queen and rook attack coming soon after I give away pawn in front. The term in sports. Is the best DEFENSE is a good Offense. U had it backwards. Universal. Sports or chess. Attacking is the objective
Fantastic videos!! Question.. isn’t f4/f5 weakening of the diagonal? In the example e6 was defended but otherwise it feels like a weakening move in many situations, no?
Great question, Paul. You are correct that it can be a weakening move, but a lot of times even if your king comes under fire from that diagonal, you can simply move to the corner with Kh1 or Kh8 and you're totally fine. The only time that isn't the case is when a knight can follow up on f7, then you might have some trouble. But in a lot of situations, the benefits of the f4/f5 move greatly outweigh the possible danger along that diagonal. Hope that helps!
I might add, from my experience, you do want to be careful about playing f5 after playing h6 for instance. It doesn't have all the same benefits of the squares being controlled.
There is a saying that the best offense is a good defense? In football it is always said that "sometimes the offense is the best defense" - meaning if you can keep the ball close to the enemy goal there will be less attacks on your own goal.
I have seen a lot of videos on chess. But most of them focus on gambits and their defences and pre planned moves that we have to memorize in order to get benefitted. But you are just amazing in giving many vital tips to become a better chess player.
Totally agree. I have a horrible memory, so the last thing I want to do is memorize a bunch of lines, but the fundamentals in these videos are awesome, and very well explained!
@@sammarks9146
You would do well with setup-based openings like London System then
Yes. Definitely good content
@@dustinjames1268 (took note of that) hehe
@@sammarks9146 The Guideline Defense, our best opening. ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)
I like how the first nine tips are legitimately good things to know and put to practice, and the tenth is basically "get good, son".
Nelson, I've watched your videos for 5 or 6 days now and Holy dear do I ever see a difference in my games. The way you explain chess is so simple and easy to remember 1% at a time. Control the open file, when not to castle, so much prime material you're putting out. Thank you, keep up the amazing efforts they will pay off.
Great to hear!
Same here a huge spike in my game since I started watching your videos
@@davidbice9009.
Excellent video, I just want to point out that "Best offense is a good defense" is not a saying. The actual saying is the one you said. Thanks for the lessons, as always you explain them very well.
After knight to d4 best move is b5, that wins queen after qd1 and kxf3
5:00 this was exactly my problem. At times i am up a piece but still got this situation where i become completely clueless. Thank you sir from the bottom of my heart for making this video!
When in doubt, trade! Maybe you won't gain anything on the trade but when I am stuck for what to do next, that's usually because my position is cramped.
You’re a fantastic teacher Nelson!
Appreciate it, Conner!
Agreed :)
Agreed :)
I agree.
He breaks chess down to it's simplest elements.
So easy to understand and apply.
I concur
I would agree with the top comment. Most chess channels do help, but you are the guy that helps push that guy stuck between 1500-1700 into the 2000 range. It is the little tips that can be learned now instead of grasping them years later from 100s of lost games.
This dude's chess content can't stay hidden much longer. Incredible work, thank you sir.
The best defense is a good offense! So true! I've been on both ends of that one. We often forget that checks are forcing moves so it doesn't matter how good the other side's threat is. If they can't execute on it, they can't ever win.
That's right! Nice badge btw 👍
I have often "castled into it". This is the first chess commentary I have encountered that actually assesses the problem.
The fact that he rarely words like "King's Indian" or "Sicilian Defense" to explain basic strategies is why I keep watching these videos.
That's because you should never mess with a Sicilian when death is on the line.
Tip 5. I’ve won so many games just being aggressive from mid to end game. Sometimes I lose a lot of pieces on the process but win with significantly less material captured.
I have a tip for your next video, do a video about how to activate pieces, what's their best squares and what are their tasks
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll add it to my list of potential upcoming videos!
Really good idea !
Thanks for these top tips to defend Nelson..Defence is often neglected in chess so this is most welcome..How about your 10 top tips to attack now ?
You got it! I'll add it to the list of potential upcoming videos! Thanks for the suggestion!
Yeah this would be really cool.
I tend to win games based on positional advantages, but nowadays I rarely win games by attacking the king, cause my opponents tend to be well defended.
You’re clear, concise and accurate. Definitely subscribing. Keep up the great work. Fantastic content 💯👌
Welcome aboard!
0:59 before watching your video, I learned this on my own, I noticed sometimes is not very good to castle to either side if I’ll be running into an attack if I castle in that direction, the point of castling is to protect your king not get it into trouble and also to give a good use to that rook in the corner
also if my opponent castles first Sometimes I decide not to castle because my rook in that corner is stronger as it is straight in the direction of my opponent’s king why castling if my rook is already in a good position to attack eventually
great video!! as always 😌
Whenever I'm stuck in a dilemma, your video comes in at exactly the right time to help work through that particular dilemma 😂
Thank you Sir, I always thought that F pawn was a weakness for king side castling. But now I have learned a new thing today.
You are a fantastic teacher! My 8 year old boy is learning from your videos. You simplify it so everyone can under
Reject defence, embrace aggressive counterplay
You winning against a bunch of really weak players doesn’t substantiate that. If you played people of at least your strength you’d realize you have to defend entirely first before you can counter attack. Petrosian would prevent even superb attackers like Spassky from getting him first and then counter attack. Defense ==> counter attack. Unless you want to get checkmated first and then counter attack, since you’d prefer to skip defense altogether.
@@amosdraak3536 strong defence is a strong offence
@@iialceusii9841 Yes
Honestly counterattack is good but difficult to find like sacrifice
Great teacher. Great videos. You might want to mention that pawns are the only pieces which can’t move backwards. Thus, the holes you mentioned, plus they cannot retreat to defend. Thank you.
Im addicted to your videos. U are the best chess coach. I now play to understand instead of only memorizing
Love your calm and succinct style of teaching.
I think in sports the saying stay the same, a good defense is a good offense, not the other way around, but I get the point! I subbed recently btw I like ur content, easy to digest, useful and to the point, I alrdy imporved 150points on my score from 700-850
"Sports or football". 🤔🤔🤔😆 Great video as usual 👍
Lol didn't catch that =P
Just so taken back by the continuity diversity and detail presented in your effort filled productions. Superb work that is Greatly Appreciated. Thanking You much and wishing speedy growth as i recommend and share these videos with others. .... Mike.
Many thanks!
These videos are very helpful. I was able to defeat an opponent that was several hundred points higher than me. I play around 1500+ or so, so I am grateful to learn new things when I can. Opponent was about 2200 so I am pretty pumped about that
Nice work!
If I have a question about a specific point that I am concerned about, I use Google and do a search and one of your videos usually popups in the result of the search. Then I find the advices I was looking for in theses videos. Thanks again, very helpful!
Wow im so glad you randomly pop'd in my suggestion. Good job man i love your videos. I improved a lot lately and i know for a fact its because i've found your videos on youtube.
Keep up the good work i love it.
I love the general technique videos on this channel. Informative and very clear.
The best video about defense that I saw in my life by far.
After seeing it many many times in the engine in post game analysis, the f pawn move can be really nice.
That was useful. I've not seen anything specific to defending the King before. Nice calm voice and very well explained, as usual.
I'd love to see you make a video on tactics similar to your very useful video on checkmates. In contract bridge there are standard ways to handle a suit, likewise in chess there are standard patterns that come up again and again and there are standard tactics to deal with them, without blundering!
Thank you!
I’d add two more:
1) look at your opponent’s bishops. If they’ve only got one, try to make it so any pawn weaknesses (holes) are on the opposite color!
2) ALWAYS, ALWAYS watch out whenever your opponent’s queen and a knight (or - worse - two) are on the same side (queenside or kingside) as your king! Queens and knights are absolutely DEADLY against a lone king!! Even against a king well defended can fall to a smothered mate, and a lone, exposed king stands no chance. I can’t tell you how many games have been lost due to a queen & knight combo! I suspect a whole book could be written about queen and knight tactics. I also can’t count the number of times I’ve won a game with a queen and knight. It’s for this reason that I’d much rather have a bishop and knight than the bishop pair, if I’ve still got my queen.
Excellent explanations! Clear and concise.
Best chess teacher on RUclips in my opinion
Nice video. Though the quote "The best offense is a good defense" is not a thing ;) It has always been "The best defense is a good offense".
Good examples!
Nelson! I’ve been looking for you forever. That’s exactly the type of info I needed. Thanks!!!
Alpha Zero is a great example of the "best defense is a good offense". Its whole game is based on attack, so much so, that when it has to defend, it prefers to go for complications and create counterplay. AZ will even sacrifice material to achieve these complications rather than defend passively. I think its therefore a signal to us humans, that this perhaps is the best approach to defending but of course chess is a contextual game, so nothing is set in stone.
It is true that you risk creating weaknesses by pushing a pawn near your king, but chess is not always that simple. It can create an escape route for your king. It is a long time since I have fallen victim to a back rank mate, for example, as I have learned to anticipate them and push a pawn to escape.
I really liked the idea to use opponent's pawn as a shield for king.
Thank you. For me you are doing most valuable chess lesson videos among all these famous chess youtubers for all playes at my level (
Thanks a lot Szymon for the kind words, it means a lot!
the best tutor vid on youtube for beginners. good form, Chess Vibes.
op thanks for your tips thanks a lot best youtuber in world
Thanks mate, all ur videos been so helpful. Ur my favourite chess you tubers. Keep up the good advice.
Thanks 💓
That’s an extremely helpful video. Thank you for putting it together
6:29 I've actually heard just that - "the best defense is offense."
7:46 whenever I have an opportunity like this I always try to check and check several times even when they try to attack one of my strong pieces or even my queen as long as Im checking their king im basically controlling the game and eventually they start making mistakes while trying to evade the check and I start taking their pieces little by little always being careful not to stop checking cause if I do then they will have an opportunity to counter lol
This channel is criminally underrated.
Very helpful video
Great video this would have saved me a lot of stress, great job
TRUST ME, YOUR CHANEL WILL GROW
4:23 Why is exchanging pieces good? If you're materially down, exchanging exacerbates that; if you're materially up, why are you defending rather than attacking? What's more, exchanging opens more lines for the remaining pieces.
Thank you Nelson 🙏 much appreciated
#9 is awesome.
The best defense is a good offense is actually the standard idiom, and the inversion is the rare form, best offense is a good defense, which isn't so applicable to anything really. So if you are attacking the opponent must defend and this reduces their ability to attack you.
Wow. Amazing advice. Thank you.
Great tips
Your vids r very informative. Thank you for taking the time.
When you are attacked on the kingside many times it is time to open the center.
You have the best content out there thank you ❤
Always useful information thanks Chess Dude!
This guy is amazing. Well done keep it going 💯
This literately is the best chess channel in the world
Great videos! Straight-forward and easy to follow
Thanks for sharing your great video with amazing tips which I plan to use.
This is the best chess channel, period.
Excellent very very instructional.
Tip 9 is great! I would never think that way before.
Very useful tips, thank you!!
This is gold thanks
Nelson is simply the BEST!
3:32 the point behind this move is...
me- its cool!
to go Qe4 and trade queens
Top tipology , nice one fella ✋
2:20 Whites 5th move in Tip #2. I can't see the problem with Qb5 check, winning the Bishop.
Great video👏🏽
i just flip the board when when they flank my king. Cant lose with no board hahahaha. great quick vid.
I love when opponents castle early. Queen and rook attack coming soon after I give away pawn in front. The term in sports. Is the best DEFENSE is a good Offense. U had it backwards. Universal. Sports or chess. Attacking is the objective
That was a beautiful offense there ✊ I want a Tshirt that says the best defense is a good offense lol. Great video!
A good Chess for explain to make depense.Thanks
This is top stuff. Thanks! Subbed.
Thanks!
Fantastic videos!! Question.. isn’t f4/f5 weakening of the diagonal? In the example e6 was defended but otherwise it feels like a weakening move in many situations, no?
Great question, Paul. You are correct that it can be a weakening move, but a lot of times even if your king comes under fire from that diagonal, you can simply move to the corner with Kh1 or Kh8 and you're totally fine. The only time that isn't the case is when a knight can follow up on f7, then you might have some trouble. But in a lot of situations, the benefits of the f4/f5 move greatly outweigh the possible danger along that diagonal. Hope that helps!
I might add, from my experience, you do want to be careful about playing f5 after playing h6 for instance. It doesn't have all the same benefits of the squares being controlled.
Outstanding Host Demeanor by the way.
Excellent video!!! Thanks for all the tips.
You bet!
thank you soo much for this
This guy is good.
Excellent basic defense tips.
Very useful tips coach
I needed this!
you are a fantastic chess youtube and keep it up
Dota 2 has purge..We have this guy..Thanks mate!
You just brought back some memories from my college days with that comment!
your videos are awesome ty
Yes sir you missed something , that is when u r king is attacked bring knights around your king , this is also said by Lasker .
This is a GEM!
There is a saying that the best offense is a good defense?
In football it is always said that "sometimes the offense is the best defense" - meaning if you can keep the ball close to the enemy goal there will be less attacks on your own goal.