Attack Like AlphaZero: The Power of the King

UPDATE: Hey folks! Thank you for your kind words about my AlphaZero videos! I don't have new AZ videos on this channel but I have created something even bigger: an entire chess course (Attack like a machine!) highly influenced by AlphaZero's play, with the main chapter dedicated to AlphaZero's attacking chess! You can check out the preview video and find out more about the course here: www.chessable....
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Hey guys! I'm back with another AlphaZero lesson, this time about the power of the king -- in the endgame and middlegame. Wait, what?!
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Anna's previous AlphaZero videos:
~ AlphaZero's Attacking Chess: • AlphaZero's Attacking ...
~ AlphaZero's Positional Play (Exchange Sacrifice!): • AlphaZero's Positional...
~ AlphaZero Lesson 1, Opposite-Side Castling: • Attack Like AlphaZero:...
~ AlphaZero Lesson 2, Damaged Kingside: • Attack Like AlphaZero:...
How to Spot Tactical Motifs by IM Anna Rudolf: • How to Spot Tactical 📃...
For more information on DeepMind and AlphaZero visit: www.deepmind.com
Download link to AlphaZero's games at the bottom of the article: deepmind.com/b...
The game Anna selected is part of the 20-game collection she and other chess broadcasters received before the release of the PGN.
The new book on AlphaZero, Game Changer, by Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan: www.newinchess...
Read the academic paper in the Science Magazine: science.science...
The image in the thumbnail is courtesy of DeepMind.
***
My Twitch channel (with a very friendly and positive community!) is always there for you if you need a place to hang out and spend a pleasant time during these challenging times. I increased my stream volume to 5 days a week to help as much as I can -- You'll find me there on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with variety games and a wide range of social activities: / anna_chess
(The starting time of the streams is European time evening / late evening)
Merch store: streamlabs.com...
Stalk me on social media:
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~ Facebook page: / annarudolfchess
** Get my course, it's really good: www.annarudolf... **
Practise chess online: www.chess.com/... *

[@BotezLive]

I loved this analysis! Great game choice and clear explanations :)

[@neal3914]

Only 7 likes and no comments .. that’s strange

[@volty3454]

This was a year ago when they were significantly less famous

[@hal9000aa]

I only want to hear about AlphaZero from AlphaAnna! Interesting analysis!!

[@igni1503]

AlphaAnna LOL

[@austinhaynes6420]

Lasker: "When you see a good move, look for a better one."

[@kensteffen7298]

Anna, you are the AlphaZero of chess teachers/commentators/analysts !! Thank You !!

[@andongfu8326]

I am really loving this series on Alpha Zero.

[@mauritssteemers389]

me too

[@Ken.-]

From watching these videos, I've increased the number of games I've won. Through the genius of watching AlphaZero beat its opponents, I've learned one simple thing... Play lower rated opponents.

[@8923903910]

🤣🤣🤣 I was expecting something interesting.

[@tonyb9735]

"Don't ask me why. Ok, you can ask me why" lol :-D

[@quill444]

Anna, Your coverage of this particular game is an extremely well-thought-out lesson for players of such a wide range in ability. This is a superb tutorial of chess. Very good job! - j q t -

[@Brian31881]

Thank you for your enthusiastic and very clear explanations. I am really enjoying Alpha Zero reminding us humans about chess dynamics and that material isn't everything. Somewhere Alexander Alekhine, Rudolph Spielmann, and Mikhail Tal are smiling down on us.

[@madhavsanap6690]

Loved your comment

[@NotesFromKrautland]

8:50 "You don't want to play chess on autopilot, That's when you miss chances". Imagine people took that advice on how to live life. I swear, most people act as if thinking hurts.

[@miliaurora1038]

Love your analysis and explanations :)

[@penguinymous6570]

Thank you very much for the eye opener possibilities to playing chess in a different manner. I have just started playing chess again after a fifty year hiatus and I love being taught/shown how to think again.

[@SumNutOnU2b]

Penguin ymous similar here. I gave up chess about 25 years ago but this AlphaZero development has sparked my interest again.

[@Jakobos123]

Man, Anna is so informative while being likeable! Always looking forward to these!

[@johnaustin5471]

Anna, I enjoy your commentary the best of all that I have viewed! Excellent!! Thank you so much!!

[@PastTime777]

Great video. I played along with Droidfish. It didn't get most of these moves. Alpha zero had a >= 1.0 advantage most of the time and just kept improving. At the end it was >= 4.74. It's amazing how it puts the opponent in zugzwang.

[@Remi-B-Goode]

Great vid, all clear and very well explained. thank you very much IM Rudolf for sharing these explanations (+the fun)

[@stevesidare2493]

Positional advantage leading to attacking advantage > material advantage. Entertaining and educational!

[@zoomlenz]

I recently came back to chess. I have been watching your vids endlessly!!! Already trying to make A0 type moves!!

[@kh2freek]

*wife gives birth* *holding newborn baby* "Anna has a new AlphaZero video out?" *drop newborn baby*

[@danfg7215]

It’s all good. The baby fell on all fours, crawled straight to the nearest screen, and watched Anna’s video. 👶 👍

[@kh2freek]

@@johnvonhorn2942 I think you'll find that you were the one that went too far

[@nischay4760]

That baby was me. Thanks for the ADHD and autism, dad.

[@Basilisk4119]

@@danfg7215 Then played us lot at chess and won 😎

[@lytehaus4686]

Plot twist: Anna dives from an unseen location and catches the baby.

[@ShivamMishra-td3jz]

Why aren't more such content? I really love these and request Anna to continue more on this series...

[@lendoggy2]

Not fussed about the chess but I think I'm in love with Anna!

[@samirfejzic1864]

Educative, fun and charming (as always). Congatulation Ana! A great video... 😊

[@brianduynguyen]

Thanks for these amazing videos Anna. Would love some LeelaChessZero vs. Stockfish games (especially given that it finally beat Stockfish in TCEC).

[@parhamfathi.hafshejani4271]

it doesn't matter to the pieces but at the end, it wins, that's so awesome

[@brianodonnell9126]

Love these Alpha Zero games, and I also like your fun analysis. 😊You are the best teacher of chess I think. You make it fun and interesting . Thanks 😀love xx Brian

[@hmd7oceans]

Fantastic lesson. Your videos are changing my game! You are so clear and nice to listen to.

[@EbonysBlaze]

I was hoping to see a new alpha episode for such a long time, thank you Anna

[@marcovillar364]

Wow! This is a masterpiece, both the game and your explanations. How AlphaZero is a master eliminating the opponent’s pieces through the positional game sofocating blacks pieces until Stockfish dies from asfixia due to strangulation.

[@samiraljubory6223]

Anna please more alpha zero games (with out TCEC opening book)

[@eddygiron2390]

Damn, I need to see that episode 2 ASAP... ! And since I just subscribed, I've noticed I have a 4th one available..... I'm going to need some popcorn.

[@barrywebber100]

All seems so logical when you explain everything Anna. To know it would work out well in the endgame takes good chess knowledge and experience. Thanks for posting.

[@gregaizi]

You are the best chess teacher that I know. I subscribed to many good ones. You are the best, most talented. Thanks a lot. Thanks to you I love AlphaZero. I think it plays totally new 3-dimensional chess as opposed to old 2-D Nimzowitsch style. Please, continue this journey to the depts of AlphaZero plays.

[@trixi_9]

Just got back into chess, this was very helpful. Thank you

[@jeanpaulfelix4095]

Fantastic instructor chess video. The best I have ever seen.

[@ZyTelevan]

I've been missing your chess streams :(

[@BohemianKitsch]

LOVE your chess analysis! informative AND fun! can't believe i only just found your channel!

[@Basilisk4119]

I love these videos. It's like traversing deep space - you always discover something new. I've watched enough Sci-Fi to know! 😎

[@BlagomirDao]

Anna, your accent is adorable. About g2:f3 move - I read about such moves in Siegbert Tarrasch book, I believe it called "Die moderne Schachpartie" (1916). Alpha Zero reminds me of Sultan Khan.

[@angelthman1659]

Excellent and funny analysis. Would love to see more.

[@whateverybodyknowswebuiltt3785]

Really like the lecture about dont auto capture. Good analyzes

[@igni1503]

OMG what an amazing game, and what and amazing job job Anna is doing explaining this. "Its a Monster" (the Bishop on f6). Indeed it is, and so are you, Anna! Thx and Love

[@jenserikbech]

You are the best Alpha Zero interpretator! Thanks for the lesson.

[@radicalrick9587]

Gosh, I love you, Anna, I love when someone realized the best Chess Instructor are now AI(Artificial Intelligent)and except it, and goes on from there. You have listened to your fans and chosen to teach us through the best Chess instructor in the Universe, not Stockfish, not Komodo, not Houdini, not, etc.., But AlphaZero! Who has now beat/crush them all (human or computers) handly. Thank You, Master(Anna Rudolf), for teaching us from the Best(AlphaZero) in the Universe.

[@jeremyscott491]

Funny, sharp and utterly entertaining. Love this. Keep it up

[@voiceofben7338]

Just subscribed! you're voice is so welcoming it feels like I'm discussing chess with a friend :)

[@samsibbens8164]

At 10:20 I did guess the pawn. I think a lot of people underestimate the king's fighting ability. There are no bishops left after that one is taken out, and the Queen can't immediately put AlphaZero in check. I'm a casual player (although maybe I'm slowly becoming more than a casual player, since I'm watching videos like this) and I think there may be an advantage in not having a lot of experience when it comes to keeping an open mind.

[@jovenjamestorrejos270]

I like how alpha zero plays and the way it takes the g file open to iniatiate an attack on black's king. Now I tried it out in my games and it went well thanks Ana and I don't want to blame you for that reason.

[@unapologetic4859]

In all of the Alphazero games the end game is Stockfish crowding their king with their pieces. Just as Alphazero intended.

[@bobajaj4224]

if you noticed A0- only moved the pawn in front of the king after getting rid of the opponent's bishops. opened files were not a problem but the diagonals.

[@elpollolocoman119]

Oh common ! like your commentaries on alpha zero, better then the rest of the gm's. Sad that you stopped, I really enjoy watching your observations, and listening to your commentaries on them, please up load more, I am very interested in this, especially as a 2v2 chess player! HAHAHAHHA!

[@hernancontreras9717]

Thank you Anna, good explanation!

[@AnnaRudolfChess]

UPDATE: Hey folks! Thank you for your kind words about my AlphaZero videos! I don't have new AZ videos on this channel but I have created something even bigger: an entire chess course (Attack like a machine!) highly influenced by AlphaZero's play, with the main chapter dedicated to AlphaZero's attacking chess. You can check out the preview video and find out more about the course here: www.chessable.com/anna-1

[@NestanSvensk]

I wonder, have we seen an increase in the popularity of the English after AlphaZeros rise to fame? Regardless, very nice video. You make everything seem easy and obvious, which is the trademark for any great teacher.

[@simonaceto6805]

All your videos on aloha zero are amazing

[@benconover72]

Gorgeous analysis.

[@abeljijimathew4809]

Great video Anna i don't really understand much about chess yet but these videos are definitely helping ^^

[@arpanmukherjee961]

Anna: See the power of the King!!!👑👑👑👑🤴🤴🤴🤴 Abish Mathew: First time? 😂😂

[@jasoncruz4993]

Thanks for the content Anna, great tutorial! Alpha Zero could solve the worlds problems

[@FlourensDelannoy]

One of the greatest and most beautyfull games i ever sow, i am supprise no other comentators pik it to show at least far as i know

[@michaelburgansky6609]

Love these videos! Great Analysis Anna

[@ttadeo79]

Can you do all of the alpha zero games? You can explain it better than others. We are looking forward to it. Your alphazero videos has a lot of views.

[@shaytal100]

Great game! Thx Anna!

[@emanueleperdoncin8921]

You are a Great Teacher!

[@GNU_Linux_for_good]

02:50 Oh, please! There's one - and only *one* good move here: of course you sacrifice the queen on d4. Can't you see that beautiful diagonal *d4-a7* for little bishop? 11:00 but *Garry* would have seen that.. Anna=my favorite chess commentator.

[@Laezar1]

9:20 I was actually thinking taking with the pawn since it means two less move for your knight to threaten that good position you pointed out earlier! I'm generally pretty bad at chess cause I have trouble seeing a lot of things, and I'm in particular really bad at spotting checkmates which doesn't help xD (I can draw with two queen vs a single king that's how bad I am with checkmates o/), but I think I'm pretty good with general positionning and tempo ideas, things like favoring move that leave you with the initiative, or favoring move that strengthen your position. That's probably cause I mostly play ccg (card games like magic) where those ideas are rather important so I translate them well to chess. So I actually have a lot of fun watching alphazero games cause it's like, what I wish I could do when playing chess without the dumb blunders xD

[@Wolfinator234]

One of AZ's favourite attacking setups is having an open file and an open diagonal onto the enemy king

[@matijaslat2100]

im jumping right in!!!

[@ShaunSedice]

In his discussion of the Najdorf GM Naiditsch shows the game Anish Giri versus Maxime Vachier-Lagrave where MVL has an isolated h-pawn, double isolated f-pawns, an isolated d-pawn and his only two connected pawns are on a6 and b5. MVL won an amazing game. Watching this game allowed me to immediately see the gxf3 capture. I had a harder time with Nxd4. Old habits of keeping pawns connected and in the center haven't died just yet. Maybe because I realize it's going to be at least another week of study before I play like MVL.

[@elmerfrejoles98]

@3:53 AZ, simply moves back its Q parallel to bishops for added protection. Also it's planning to move knight to h4 or g5 in the near future. So yeah the typical human player moves is to chase down black's light bishop and exchange with a knight. AZ doesn't care much about ranks on pieces, but only active pieces ready for attacks or sacrifices anytime for positional and strategic advantage to win the game.

[@christopherhenderson7138]

i love chess and i love your commentary keep up the good work !

[@johnosborn235]

Wonderful! So exciting ! Thank you so much, John (basil)

[@jimlang7461]

Love your analysis and enthusiasm but even more than that, when you talk about game strategy for example: 'Do not automatically retake without thinking. Do not play chess on autopilot.' Such great and needed advice. And of course much more pleasant to look at than, for example, a Ben Finegold video.

[@DiegoRiedemann]

thx for share! really interesting this AlphaZero Saga!

[@NP-Channel]

Excellent video, and by watching this, I think I know who can play like Alpha Zero and maybe stand a chance against it. That's Vassily Ivanchuk on a nice and wild day.

[@etkaiser]

Anna, at 2:48, are you subtly trolling Alex by saying that Qd4 (which would be the Botez Gambit) isn't a good move? ;)

[@fabiotellez6192]

Gambit Accepted

[@terrak7609]

Look at this beast in the corner........Ouch, one second i thought she can see me !

[@matijaslat2100]

rofl

[@mathedguy]

I loved your lesson. Thanks

[@abhideepsingh4484]

great analysis!

[@rudy041981]

Yay!!!!

[@rulinggodsidly3217]

N i thought u we're great at regular speed,man 2x is just a delight! You're so cool Anna.

[@stargazer2042]

Humans see the activity looks good. Stockfish sees that material is even for many moves to come.

[@przemysawkrygier5342]

So emotional comment :) I love it. Great job Anna.

[@mastrake]

Thanks very much! I do think that I would play gxf3 in the key position as the powerful dark-squared bishop would inspire dreams of checkmate at g7.

[@philhardy18]

This a great series Anna

[@chomiksyryjski]

More AlphaZero games, please!

[@SseriousGgamer3]

29:34. When a bishop is worth more than 2 rooks, meanwhile my bishops are worth 2 licks and a slap

[@davidhalliday616]

Love that “rook g8 to g6 is a great plan”

[@TheShadowblast123]

8:07 "the move would be" Me: gxf3 "Nxf3 without thinking" Me: but black has no attack and that wastes a tempo if we're trying to play Nc6 "first lesson of the day, you should never re-capture without thinking" Me: I am one with the machine.

[@j.lahtinen7525]

Yes! I was thinking "no human would make this move" - wait now.... am I an android? 😱 I am pretty aggressive (and often reckless) in attacking, and for me gxf3 would have been an immediately obvious move - a half opened rank aiming at black's king position, with potential to really pile it on... yes please!

[@TheShadowblast123]

@@j.lahtinen7525 I would also like to say I would still play knight takes, because I would somehow give black a way to attack in this position :C

[@j.lahtinen7525]

@@TheShadowblast123 Did I mention my tendency to be a bit reckless? 😁

[@twisted5576]

We need more match analysis videos!

[@n20games52]

Such interesting game play.

[@joecaves6235]

Stockfish: rook = 5 Alpha zero: bishop =(3 or 7)

[@petersmith1844]

Steinitz would have been impressed - he felt the king should have more attacking potential in the middlegame, but he could never quite make it work convincingly.

[@richardbates2825]

I absolutely ADORE this woman!

[@Christoff070]

It's nice analysis but none of us will ever play like AlphaZero. I'd like to hear you discuss more about how we can incorporate his style into human games.

[@playerunknown3234]

the doubling pawns by alpha zero at kingside is justified , he can bring queen back to checkmate position and if black defneds with pawn , he can tempoopponents queen and get a monster knight , i would have done the same and then even we get a new open file to the black queen

[@kamilkamiloglu13]

nice and clear explanation.. thanks.

[@godwingeorge9344]

I love the way you narrative..

[@akilanaki5248]

uff finally the wait is over

[@jerry9634]

At 16:20 I have an interesting suggestion. Why not 1. Qe2? Threatening Qxh5+! leading to mate. Kh7 loses the queen. Maybe Rh8 is an option, but still 2. Qxh5+ gxh5 3. Rh6+ Kg8 4. Rxh8#. Or if 2. Qxh5+ Kg8 (best defence) 3. Qxh8+ Kxh8 4. Rxg6+ Kh7 leads to mate. After 4. Rxg6+ white should play 4 ... f6 5. Bxf6+ picks up the queen and several pawns.

[@eljavanee9966]

this is a great video on chess