99% of chess players learn chess wrong: here is how you actually improve

[@arthurwieczorek4894]

Eventually you find the perfect move, but you lose on time.

[@journeytograndmaster]

It's okay, next time you will find it faster!

[@R.Akerman-oz1tf]

@@journeytograndmaster @arthurwieczorek4894 didn't have Me in mind.

[@ramsespowell4560]

Story of my life 😂😂😂😂

[@TruthSurge]

I like to bong cloud every game so that way my expectations start off VERY low and if I win I go throw a massive party and invite all 2 of my friends.

[@journeytograndmaster]

so maybe it worth it to stop playing bong cloud? :)

[@Ireniicus]

I found the same answer as you after about 3 mins having gone through a very similar line of thought. +1 means you win a pawn and in a otherwise normal Knight endgame it would be very hard for a human of similar strength to hold.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Exactly!

[@StigPrice]

No. + 1 doesn't mean you win a pawn lol. It just means you've got a better developed knight and pawns... Best move is knight g5.

[@Ebobster]

Regardless of the computer’s evaluation, I would have chosen to enter the better knight endgame to exploit white’s queen side majority, rather than the rook endgame as rook endgames are sometime more difficult to win.

[@WastePlace]

I noticed that computer lines and moves can be super unintuitive at times, so sometimes it’s definitely better to enter the more human and practical middle/endgames that you understand the ideas of rather than trying to replicate computer play

[@journeytograndmaster]

Yeah, that is kind of my approach too. But to achieve the next level, we should evolve :)

[@XFlyingDutchmanX]

My solution was also going into the knight endgame. I saw Ng5 but thought after Qxe4 Nxe4 Rxd2 Rxd2 Nc6 it's not so clear that white is really better here. I also saw this Rxd8 Qxe4 Rxf8+ Kxf8 Rd8+ Ke7 Rxb8 line but after g5 h3 h5 it looks like white will loose the knight so I dismissed that rather fast. I found Qxc6 Nxc6 Rd6 interesting when Rc8 Nd4 Nxd4 R1xd4 Rb8 looks good for white with his way more active rooks. But of course black can play Rxd6 instead of Rc8 when Rxd6 Rc8 seems a better way for black to hold. Nice puzzle

[@journeytograndmaster]

Thanks!

[@MsaybOMayl]

Crazy how I'm bellow 1100 and was going with knight g5, it defends the queen, threatens checkmate and give a relative advantage after exchange. After watching the entire video (thank you by the way for sharing your thought process) when the book said knight g5 I felt flattered lol. Amazing video thank you

[@journeytograndmaster]

Nice! I am very proud of you! One thing though: Ng5 doesn't really create a checkmate threat since the queen is pinned.

[@ritaBelafonte]

maybe there are 2 lessons here??? (1) instead of direct QxQ, the move Ng5 forces Queen exchange while developing the N (2) better endgame ... the puzzle's initial question is: How to exchange Queens? (by 'intermezzo' development of a piece) for a better endgame? So, generally, as a beginning Learner/student of chess, i've noticed the (1) indirect approach to be the main factor in improving. And, for more advanced students (2) the better endgame is a more advanced calculation

[@journeytograndmaster]

Interesting approach but I am not sure you can generalize it like that. It's different every time, isn't it?

[@992ras]

This position is tricky but one thing missed is after queen takes queen if you are white you can play knight d4 and offer a knight trade and get it to a single rook and pawn end game vs a knight end game. If you get rook d1 to d6 there is two poisoned pawns which then can allow you to connect your king, rook and pawns to advance especially on the queen side of the board while the king side is to defend the king. One thing is your king is in bad position if earlier in the game you can move to g1 that would have given you a way better position remember when there is no bishop on the board you can use that against your opponent.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Rooks endgames are very tough to win, I would not go there if I have such a nice knight endgame alternative.

[@vlnow]

I only play bullet and blitz, as a beginner. I chose horse to g5, coz if in doubt push a knight. And the checkmate threat would eat up my opponents time working out wether to swap queen or not

[@journeytograndmaster]

Nice!

[@williamwelch1978]

Great Video Sir!

[@journeytograndmaster]

Thanks!

[@richardzaborsky1439]

i have question my chess trainer borrow me a chess book named How to become a deadly tactician what do you think do you read it or hear something good about it???

[@journeytograndmaster]

Sorry, never heard of it. There are so many books nowadays :(

[@richardzaborsky1439]

Nevermind ​@@journeytograndmaster

[@rickybobby600]

How about knight to g5? I feel like blacks knight would be less active amd white would keep control of the file

[@journeytograndmaster]

That's the correct solution :)

[@cemeterysundown4391]

My decision was to never get in these positions with either side. Sacrifice knights to keep your rooks and your queen. Block pawn advancement with a knight as directly as possible if the pawn is absolutely isolated. I would even go so far as to encourage you to keep your rooks and queen on your side of the board at all times in the game, from start to finish.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Interesting approach. May I ask what you are afraid of? :) I mean, we are playing chess, not boxing, no risk of getting punched in the face. Also, you learn so much if you go into a wild attack and lose.

[@msg63bretired82]

As a d class, I assumed exchanging rooks was the way to start, but failed to consider queen was hanging and therefore would trade queen for 2 rooks. I assumed immediate back rank mate. Your review was a lot deeper and I realized the importance of actually learning to imagine many different moves rather than daydream until I got tired of waiting then make a blunder. I am bad about gradually losing pawns as I use "play magnus" on my phone, and challenge him at 30 years old. 😊 I never win but do not want a game too easy. Liked and subbed thanks.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Thanks a lot for such an extensive comment!

[@msg63bretired82]

@@journeytograndmaster my pleasure thank you again! Sir maybe you would like the play magnus app too. Its very strong and beats other apps when i play them against each other.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Thanks. I think I have tried it in the past. I like to play against people more though :)

[@jamesdrebenstedt5532]

I chose Qc6 running out the same line as you did with black playing ...b5, then cb...ab, a4 with the outside passer. Perhaps I am not an IM because I completely missed the possibility of Q6...Rd2. I did consider Ng5 but thought having the Knight on e4 was not a big deal.

[@journeytograndmaster]

You still got quite a lot!

[@KlausToth]

Your portrait of Gotham on his road to GM is hilarious.

[@journeytograndmaster]

@@KlausToth could you please explain what you mean by that?

[@KlausToth]

it's a joke. levy has this "my road to grandmaster"-series on his channel. at second 00:10 you show him doing his KASPERL routine. friendly regards.

[@journeytograndmaster]

@@KlausToth now I get it! I just forgot that it was in this particular video :) Thanks!

[@KlausToth]

@@journeytograndmaster yes, there was no bad intention behind my comment. i just don't think that Levy, as nice he may be as a guy, will ever become GM. today's young grandmasters are 14, 15, 16 years young. Levy is thirty or so. and he's busy with a million things, too busy to fully concentrate on chess. i didn't want to be mean with my joke, but hard facts are hard facts.

[@journeytograndmaster]

it's all good, no problems. I think we both have a chance to get to GM. It's about priorities. Time that you can dedicate to it. 15-years old players can dedicate much more time to learning chess so they progress faster. Adults have to work as well to make it possible. I would argue though, that Levy has more freedom to do whatever he wants. But I hope I will get there one day :)

[@tomrose2086]

I very quickly chose exchanging queen and both rooks then playing Ne5 with an obvious advantage. My problem is that I did not see (look for?) all the other possibilities in the position, so I may have missed something much stronger. This happens a lot in my games and it is a real weakness. When I have found a move that I think is good I don't make the effort to probe more deeply ... even if I have a lot of time in hand.

[@journeytograndmaster]

See a good move - look for a better one! :)

[@CheeserChess]

Hi pls tell what to think before every move in opening middle game and endgame

[@CheeserChess]

Like step by step also how to not forget

[@ZeroOneInfinity]

Seen as there are more chess posotions than atoms in the universe i dont think youd live long enough to finish his explanation

[@CheeserChess]

Like a general idea

[@XFlyingDutchmanX]

There is no one solution or quick way to think that will always make you find the good moves. Also it depends on your level of chess. Beginners for example must learn to notice opponents threats. So after every move the opponent does, you have to ask yourself "Is that move threatening something". When the answer is yes, look for a way to stop the threat. If the answer is no, you can go for your own plans. More advanved players do this check up in a few seconds and then go on thinking for more advanced stuff. So with no further information about your level of chess, what you are looking for (are you ready to train for some time, are you preparing for a tournament, do you just want some quick tips that help you little bit during the game) you can't expect a helpfull answer.

[@CheeserChess]

Thx bro.I just played a few games and got from 1400 to 1500!!

[@jamesjanney4440]

Whar about Knight to g5 to start. It creates a threat and protects the queen.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Watch the video till the end to know the answer :)

[@NinjaSquirreI]

You preach to look at all checks, captures, and threats. Beginners who try to follow that advice quickly discover that it is impossible to do that. There simply are too many, and lines go too deep. Furthermore, after only a few moves of trying to do this, a beginner's brain becomes exhausted. Lastly, most online players do not play games at classic time controls where there is time to look around a lot. Do that in rapid chess, and a beginner will lose every game on time.

[@journeytograndmaster]

In my view, it's actually the simplest (yet powerful) approach for beginners. Yes, it's slow in the beginning but it's okay. You still have to trust the process and with time it will become faster and faster. It's all of course just my opinion but works well for my students.

[@NinjaSquirreI]

@@journeytograndmaster Thank you for replying. Do you have students who are rated 800, and it works well for them?

[@niravapurv4578]

I love the calculating challenge, also because its not just a tactic puzle (with one correct only move) I also though of the Qxc6 variation with exhanging rooks and infiltrating with knight. Ng5 i did not calculate very deep, I could not see any benefits from it, so perhaps there is something there that exceeds my positional understanding.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Indeed, that was my feeling too :)

[@jonathonkiner7415]

I would've dropped the queen back to c2, then played Ng5, Qh2 for checkmate. But I'm in the 300 rating, so what do I know.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Thanks for sharing your idea! Unfortunately, your knight is pinned and can't move once you move your queen :(

[@pauliinuma]

What book did you use? Not sure if you mentioned it in the video

[@journeytograndmaster]

It's Grandmaster Preparation: Calculation from Jacob Aagaard.

[@pauliinuma]

@@journeytograndmaster thanks! I actually have that book and I heard it’s a great book. I also saw your interview with Aagard. That’s how I found your channel :). Thanks again for your response. I’m 2125 fide

[@journeytograndmaster]

you are welcome! Happy to have you in our amazing community :)

[@garethcole8295]

What’s the board you’re using

[@journeytograndmaster]

It's Chessnut Evo. The link and discount code "journeytograndmaster" are in the description :)

[@jant.8018]

After black goes h6, there is checkmate Qh7 right?

[@journeytograndmaster]

The queen is unfortunately pinned so it can't deliver the checkmate

[@집학살]

Should I analysis my blitz and bullet games? I don’t think I should do bullet because I mean come on it’s bullet but I’ve always wondering about blitz

[@journeytograndmaster]

It might make some sense. Especially, if it's 5 min or 3+2. I mean, analysis can never hurt you :)

[@craigrainey8621]

I didn't see you play rook D5 to start to set up the queen knight attack

[@journeytograndmaster]

But they will just take your rook with a pawn? Also attacking the queen

[@viciogamergd8061]

Ng5 is +1, Queen takes queen is +0.9 acording to stockfish (Edit) But then it says its +1.7 after Ng5 sequence :0 I guess its hard even for stockfish, not really a human puzzle

[@journeytograndmaster]

Yeah, quite confusing for sure

[@RetroRanger]

Great video and like many in the comment section, i also prefer to simplify chess and the knight endgame is way simpler then the engine moves :) you got my sub here! Thank you for bringing your thought process so clearly to the audience. The EVO seems a good device for doing this very easy OTB :)

[@journeytograndmaster]

Happy to hear it, thank you very much! :)

[@paulpaul1815]

Try the rook d4 line

[@journeytograndmaster]

On move 1? Black just takes on e4 and then the Rook on d1 unfortunately :(

[@iainbozfelt]

Very difficult position - putting it through an engine white wins a tricky end game in 66 moves!! Sorry too much for me!

[@journeytograndmaster]

@@iainbozfelt sorry about it. But you absolutely don't need to think like that about it :) It's about practical decisions and making it difficult for your opponent

[@ResearchReviewer]

I think I play too many puzzles

[@journeytograndmaster]

why do you think that?

[@ORy652]

wow, I am a 1200 elo and I found the Ng5 :D

[@journeytograndmaster]

Nice! What was your reasoning?

[@ORy652]

well I saw that the move would protect the queen and if they exchange it would also protect the rook after taking back on e4 and be overall more active.. and if for any reason they would move their queen somewhere I would have mate in one :D

[@journeytograndmaster]

Very good, well done :)

[@vladimirjuranic5621]

If this is a composition from a book that means it was written by a human and that means its not perfect. But also if a person writes a book they will want to push the limits and in this position it is pushing the limits of comfort. You like endgames and you see a way to a slightlly better position and comfort but the author don’t want to give you comfort because there is no learning from comfort. If you want to develop you need to put yourself in uncomfortable positions and play the positions and are hard and uncomortable for you. Now you are developing you skills.

[@journeytograndmaster]

I like your view on it, thanks. I would agree with you completely if the solution would discuss the knight endgame and explain why the best move is the better move. It would be very helpful.

[@wherestheoptoutoptionmfs]

Your first line analysis was awry. Black would've ended up with a rook from that exchange, not a knight. There'd be no reason for him to take with the rook first.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Could you please either specify the line or the time code?

[@derrickmarsh6136]

He explains it at 18:06. If Nxd8, then Rd6 and Black's queen side falls

[@audiofilo8249]

I really enjoy your lessons. They encourage to participate actively in the solving process instead of just watching the screen. Good Job!

[@journeytograndmaster]

Thank you very much! That is exactly my goal :)

[@johnkilgallon207]

Clickbait title with no useful content other than do chess puzzles.

[@journeytograndmaster]

Sorry that you feel that way. From my view, I did 100% exactly what the title says. Showed what to do to improve, how to do it the right way and even shared my thought process as a chess professional to make your training much more efficient. I recently went to a camp with Sam Shankland who did exactly the same, but it costed a lot of money. Yet, I was very satisfied with it as I could see his decision-making process and learn from it. Here, I do it completely for free. What did you expect to see instead?

[@tomrose2086]

Very unfait criticism. The video demonstrates how to think systematically in a tactical position

[@SaqibSiddiqi-vr4ye]

This video should have been 10 mins. And I suggest keeping the motivational lecture to once in the video please 😊

[@journeytograndmaster]

Why 10 minutes and what do you mean with "motivational lecture" ?

[@judgetoogood1033]

How in the world can you analyze your chess games, when you know nothing. 😂😂😂

[@journeytograndmaster]

@@judgetoogood1033 well, the best would be to analyze it with your coach. If you don't have one though - engine tells you the right one move and you try to understand why you haven't played it/have played the wrong one. With the time you identify the patterns and stop make such mistakes. This way step by step you improve.

[@BelowAverageChess]

You can also have a list of the chess principles next to you and you compare/match the engine moves with the list of principles. I have noticed, for me, to understand what Stockfish says is good, will usually be in the massive list of principles in chess.

[@journeytograndmaster]

@@BelowAverageChess absolutely!

[@BelowAverageChess]

@@journeytograndmaster Love the video btws. Saved it to a playlist.

[@journeytograndmaster]

@@BelowAverageChess thank you! :)