Good idea! I'll make sure to create one

I figured it might get a laugh out of someone. But mainly, I'm just lazy and didn't bother editing 😅

It's my actual Blitz rating, although I'm 2000 rapid

Yeah, my opponent was very kind to me this game 😅

Glad to hear!

Yeah I misjudge my position quite often. One thing I need to work on. Glad you hear you liked it!

Every loss is an opportunity to learn. It took me a while to really get into that mindset, but once I did I just started to enjoy the game a lot more. I'm sure you can get used to online play too. I'd say just give it a go, as you can always stop when you don't like it!

Thanks a lot! Really appreciate the support. Funnily enough it's the other way around for me, as I barely play over the board chess.

I think he just plays Re1 and wins my pawn. I don't see how I would win a rook there 😅

Indeed. What can I say, Alex Banzea is a good salesman. I'm guessing you know the guy as well 🙂

@chessopeningtraps lol yep...I have followed his content closely for years. I made my own interactive caro Kann course off his ideas, on lichess. If you are ever interested shoot me a message or friend request on lichess and I'll send you an invite to the study. I'd be curious to get your input and see what you think

Thanks! And I appreciate your kindness. Even though it's just a comment, these things fuel me with new energy!

That's why 'sac' is between quotation marks. It's just a blunder of course. I'm good at those.

@chessopeningtraps Yep. I had caught that. Just joining you for the ride. 😉

It's weird how I can sometimes overlook something so obvious, yet find other stuff that's really advanced. For me, it's mostly a case of tunnel vision. Just being so focused on one thing that I'm blind to other possibilities. But that's how we learn, I suppose 🤷.

@@chessopeningtraps To be fair, I think you were probably relieved after fighting a lost position until your opponent blundered. I would have easily crumbled there.

I sure was 😬.

Good to hear you like it. Definitely gives me the energy to keep going 😀. Also, feel free to give me suggestions for improvement any time. Feedback is always welcome.

It came with a bag of potato chips. But in all seriousness, I think you're highly overestimating the 1700 level. This is just how we play. I'm at 2000 rapid and even there it's still blunder galore 🙄

That would be a nice trap indeed. But it's not a forced line, so it may just end up with me losing a knight (like I did in the game anyway, haha)

Yeah, amongst other moves. I just completely missed that somehow (as did my opponent, apparently)

Yeah there were multiple moves to save the queen. We both had a brain fart I guess. Check the last part of the video to see when I realized this.

@@chessopeningtraps I didn't get to the end either but I've already spotted Qf7 saves the Queen

I'd say that up to about 900 ELO it's more important to learn basic opening principles than an actual opening. The reason is that your opponents probably don't know openings as well, so there's no point in knowing theory 20 moves deep if your opponent plays something different on move 3. Having said that, I do think the Caro-Kann can be a good first opening to learn. Basic principles can be applied very well and it's a solid opening overall (even at the master level). If you want to learn it now, I'd stick to learning the basic ideas on the different variations instead of memorizing theory. Once your rating increases, you can build from there.

Yeah, there's no scholar's mate there. You just develop your pieces and continue the game like normal. There are no quick wins there.

I reached 1500 without books but I think if you read a book it will be easy to cross 1700 (I THINK) For 1500 learn 2 openings for white (systematic and one gambit) in my case it was London(and I hate it )😅 and kings gambit and another systematic opening for black in my case it was hippo lost to many points playing kings indian Then puzzles I'll also recommend watching the mid game playlist by hanging pawns

I got all the way to 2000 rapid without any books. KZbin has always been my go to. And of course practice, game analysis and puzzles.

@@chessopeningtraps broo can you be my coach or guide maybe mentor I really want to skyrocket my elo My goal is 1700 to 1900 for this year

I don't have time for any active coaching right now, but you're always welcome to ask for specific advice on something. Just message me on chess.com and I'll try to respond as soon as I can

The pawn storm is definitely playable as well. In fact, in bullet, I still prefer that variation. The thing is that if black plays accurately, that variation ends up in an equal position, whereas the Nf3 lines keep a slight edge for white. Once my rating increased, more and more people started defending well against the pawn storm. But it's still a very tricky variation, so if it still works well for you, there's no need to change your approach

He didnt see the pawn was pinned

Yeah, I missed that indeed. Saw it while analyzing afterward. I tend to be too focused on one thing and then forget about other possibilities. But hey, it's a nice takeaway from this game at least.

@@chessopeningtraps Something similar happened to me. I was in a Friday night tournament. My game was running late, so there were about a dozen or so people standing around and watching my game who had already finished. I thought I had good attacking chances, but I just couldn't put it to bed and lost. On Monday morning, I was getting ready for work, not even thinking about chess, and a part of my brain said "You had a queen sack for a mate". With toothpaste in my mouth, I ran into the other room, got out my chess board and scorecard, and replayed the game. Sure enough, I had the mate. I showed it to my opponent the following Friday night, but I felt real stupid because some or most of those players standing around would have seen it. My opponent did not. This was several years before chess computers got good enough to analyze a game afterwards. The lesson learned is: "Always check your checks on every move. Always (except maybe some fast bullet times).". Edit: I forgot to mention, Bobby Fisher once missed a mate in one or two on the board, but I do not know which game it was.

I miss that type of stuff too, and while I'm playing a game I'll sense that there's a great move I'm missing and wonder if I'm mentally challenged while analyzing 😂 spectating is 20/20 ggs's​@@chessopeningtraps

Yeah, it seems like people either love or hate him. I think I'll put him on leave for a while. If that works well, I may even fire him. Don't tell him, though. The poor guy is very sensitive 🤫

Don't worry, that happens to everyone. It can help to take a little break or change something. Try a different time control, for instance. You'll probably come back stronger

@@chessopeningtraps thanks alot, the advice helped and now I've been winning more matches, also I'm low elo but I would like to play u

You're always welcome to challenge me when I'm online. I do have a busy schedule, though . So, no promises 🙈

Either that, or he's back from a long break. This is implemented because there's a bigger uncertainty in someone's real rating in those cases. It's actually not part of the ELO system but implemented on top of that by chess.com. And I think it makes a lot of sense. The math behind this is quite interesting as well. 🤓

👋

Basic opening principles don't always apply. The opening I played here (including the early attack) is actually all theory. If you want, you can try Naroditsky's Jobava London course to see why

@@chessopeningtraps Yes but by not applying basic opening principles you got wiped out. You can be 100 per cent certain that if you do not prevent it, the bishop will pin your knight. You can be 100 per cent certain that opponent's knight will occupy the outpost if it is not guarded. You can be 100 per cent certain that if a defending piece is overloaded, opponent will launch multiple threats. JL can be rock solid but you have to interconnect the pieces very precisely. And if you don't you get the pawn fork.

It's just the best way to play in this line, backed by multiple GMs and the engine. I didn't come up with it either. The threats you are referring to are not really threats, as our own threats come quicker. In fact, black will get completely crushed if they try to go for that, ignoring our threats.