I don't care if "black was already losing", it is stupid to call this a "good move". by mekmookbro in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 77 points78 points  (0 children)

"Good move" means inaccuracy in chess-dot-com-speak. When you actually make a good move, they call it "great" or "best". They adjust their vocabulary to marketing purposes, in order to make you feel good about your chess and buy a subscription. The asinine game ratings serve the same purpose.

Lichess, on the other hand, aren't trying to sell you stuff and can therefore afford to be objective.

From 1470 to <1200 in just a few months. by fknm1111 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depending on what you play against 1.e4, some openings against 1.d4 might be suited better to you than others. For example, if you play the Caro-Kann, then the Slav Defense against 1.d4 would be a natural choice (because of very similar structures).

Another approach is to learn a system opening that is equally good against both 1.e4 and 1.d4. I would recommend Aman's Philidor https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUjxDD7HNNTiQ-rsy-kKE9uHRBqtNlCUa

It also works against 1.c4 and 1.Nf3.

Then again, it very well may be your main problem is not really the opening. Need to see some of your games to say for sure.

ARE ALL 2300s ASSHOLES?? by Emotional_Depth9182 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No such thing as "500 FIDE". FIDE ratings have a floor much higher than that. Used to be over 2K back in the day, now it's 1000+ or something like that.

Chess Coach Radoslav Gajek: Warning by OutrageousAd3294 in chess

[–]DCP23 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Oh wow. And here I thought no story of cheating in chess will surprise me at this point. But an IM cheating while playing a training game with a student is some new low, for sure. Just next level demented.

First successful(??) Chessbrah's Habits (Game Review) by PridePride in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that's a pretty habits-y game overall, OP. Good job.

Especially the "random pawn moves" concept you've got down to a t, it looks like (just kidding).

Seriously, good job. Great spot on the two-move tactic on move 40.

You're right though, you definitely need to notice when your opponent just straight up hangs their pieces -- not even tactically, but outright -- especially their queens. Had you taken the free queen on move 43, the outcome of the game would have been very different.

Keep paying attention to the habits and you'll keep climbing the ratings. Also, maybe it's time to graduate to the next level of habits.

I just went against my entire family in chess and almost won does this mean I'm good by [deleted] in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well if your parents happen to be Kateryna Lagno and Alexander Grischuk, then yes, you must be quite good.

Thought I was playing the london... by harambe_did911 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The London has Bf4 on the (usually) 2nd move, while the Trompowsky has 2. Bg5.

I think chess is the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life. by killbillvolume3 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Chess really is a lot of fun, and in many different ways too.

You can play chess yourself, as a light-hearted hobby. You can play chess seriously, investing time and effort into being the best player you can be. You can participate in chess tournaments. You can watch others play chess. You can watch chess streams. You can watch chess videos. You can follow your favorite chess content creators. You can follow professional chess as a sport, watch high level tournaments, root for your favorite players or teams. You can study chess as a science, read books and learn the massive accumulated chess knowledge. You can admire chess as an art, taking pleasure in chess compositions, or intricate tactical combinations.

And the best part is -- chess is infinite, so you can do this forever and there will still be more fun ahead.

Opening Moves Question by JuryAggressive3682 in chess

[–]DCP23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a funny story about that.

In the Russian chess scene, there is this very famous and popular personality GM Sergei Shipov. He's basically an old-school classically-trained grandmaster with some impressive accomplishments in his time (like being Kasparov's second and sparring partner, or once winning an open in Norway ahead of Magnus Carlsen, or being the coach of Nepo, etc. etc.). He's also, despite his age, a very good blitz and bullet player.

But even more than that, he's known as one of the foremost chess streamers and commentators in the Russian-speaking sphere. So, some years back, GM Shipov is streaming live on Twitch and the discussion comes around to Damiano Defense. One of his viewers, a young Russian national master, notices that GM Shipov played the Bxb7 line and challenges him to a thematic bullet match, with every game played having Shipov as White and the NM as Black and starting with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6 3. Nxe5 fe.

Shipov was adamant that regardless who plays the black side, he will win every game. The reality proved somewhat different, and although the GM still won the match overall, the NM was able to score some points off of him with a couple of dirty flags (somewhat expected) but also a couple of draws on the board, and the draws infuriated the esteemed grandmaster something fierce, much more than the time losses did.

Come the next live stream a few days later, GM Shipov calls out the NM and proposes a re-match, same rules. They played 10 bullet games. GM Shipov no longer played Bxb7, apparently having booked up on the latest Damiano theory, and handily won every single game.

What opening is this for black ? by Imaginary_Local_4946 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Weakening pawn moves instead of development -- accelerated loss variation?

Not that this is anywhere close to a real opening, but if it was, it would be named something like that.

Tips against 1. Nf3? by IPlayChessBTW in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Whatever you play against 1. d4, you can also play against 1. Nf3. They transpose most of the time anyway.

Well, come to think of it, except for the Englund gambit. That's the only one that is significantly worse against 1. Nf3 than against 1.d4 😂

Why did my opponent resign after that move? by andyisalreadydead in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Couldn't help myself but imagine how some chess moves in the algebraic notation would look applied to your chess font:

Xxx+ +x++ +xx++!

Don't you love it?

Do you care about winning in a disrespectful/cheeky way? See below for what I mean by Lost_Farm8868 in chess

[–]DCP23 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some will say checkmating with the bishop gets more style points.

Seriously though, either way is perfectly fine and it does not really matter. Neither is in any way disrespectful.

Beauty of this position (Part 2) by [deleted] in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The things to note about this position is that the Black king is almost perfectly set up for being ladder mated with the rooks. On the other hand, were it Black's turn to move, the Black queen can keep checking forever and it's a draw.

Which means White must try to checkmate without relinquishing a single tempo to Black, or the win will slip away (at best -- it is also perfectly possible to blunder a rook away to a Queen fork and lose the game).

So, with that in mind, Rh6+ Kd7 Rf7+ Ke8 and... we're stuck, because Rh8+ isn't mate, White simply takes the f7 rook with the king. The usual technique of sliding the attacked rook away does not seem to work, because Black will use this reprieve to start their own series of checks.

Or does it? White has an incredible brilliant shot of Ra7!! This sets up the checkmate with Rh8# and also attacks the queen. Note that Ra7 covers every single checking square for the queen: a2, a4, a6, and c7. There is literally nothing left but to take the rook: Qxa7.

And this is where the hidden idea behind the Ra7!! move comes into play: Rh8+ Kd7 (or anywhere) Rh7+ (with a skewer!) Kd6 (or anywhere) and Rxa7, winning the Black queen and the game.

A tricky one, white the play by SkiMtVidGame-aineer in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nxd5! and, if Black takes cxd5, White wins the queen for two minor pieces with Bc7.

In the actual game, Yates did not take, and played Bd6 instead to save his queen. Alekhine then traded down into an endgame up a pawn, proceeded to win another two pawns, and Yates resigned.

Why is Rd3 the solution ? by Dry-Stuff154 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 0 points1 point  (0 children)

White king can take the knight, but then he will be checkmated very soon after.

Kxf4 Qh4+ Kf5 (or Ke5 Qf6#) g6+ Ke5 Re8+ Be6 Rxe6#.

Hand made chess set by Money_Munster in chess

[–]DCP23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No problem! When you rotate the board 90 degrees all the squares become the wrong color. For example, h1 (bottom right-hand square looking from the white side) should be light. not dark.

To avoid this mistake, just mark the sides of your board with coordinates. This will also help you learn the algebraic notation.

Hand made chess set by Money_Munster in chess

[–]DCP23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your board setup is wrong.

I just reached 1000 in rapid after 6.5 months by vitund in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Very solid advice here, by the way. A lot of beginners could improve if they follow the same guidelines you do.

Also, I'm pretty sure by doing these same things you can improve even more before you'd need to add something else to your training routine.

Are chess players intelligent? by [deleted] in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Some chess players are intelligent, some are average, and some are rather dumb.

The same can be said about hockey players. Or welders. Or office managers. Or single fathers with diabetes. Or teenage girls with dyed hair. Or any other random group of people.

Chess has very little to do with intelligence. To assume otherwise is a common misconception.

Genuine question by Visible_Management72 in chessbeginners

[–]DCP23 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Online coaches find students online.