Be aware of Weak Squares | Part I | Chess Strategy | Chess Middlegame | IM Alex Astaneh | 2D

[@richardmonastyrski3650]

Really enjoy your videos, clear and concise explanations of so many different aspects of this mesmerising game. You deserve far more views.

[@thehierophant1314]

This is probably one of the greatest lessons I have ever learned from Chess. Played online the last ten games and have made higher rating players confused and baffled, I could see their weak squares and it was like open season. It has also helped me with insight and understanding how to move the pieces within pawn structures with swift efficiency, and also opened my mind to various different ways and opportunities I was not able to see. Not knowing this was my biggest blind spot.

[@guilhermemoura4379]

Great video, best chess instructor on the internet!

[@hermanodejesus7264]

Great lesson. Thanks a lot.

[@mauricesmashley1360]

needed this!!

[@slshree1103]

and bro I have started watching your videos regularly and see consistent improvement thank you for everything.

[@briandwi2504]

Deep stuff. Thanks for this!

[@niffrig]

I think the original videos with the actual board were harder to follow without paying attention but the depth of the content was amazing.

[@kevinwalden4288]

your videos are awesome man, really hope this channel comes back! You're a great teacher and have an amazing voice!

[@alexastaneh]

Hey Kevin. I'm not sure if/when there'll be more videos on this channel, but I'm back to posting some regular content at my personal channel (Alex Astaneh). Maybe see you there, and glad you have enjoyed these vids!

[@slshree1103]

20:25 Bro, even though the rook falls, you have Rh3+ Kg8 and Rh8# so why should white worry, he can force a resignation or a checkmate and continue his work.

[@stanislavhadzhiev187]

No, you don't. Rh3+ Bxh3

[@amit_Rai97]

Mi profesor de ajedrez favorito😊

[@humungous09]

Great instructor. Does this instructor have any dedicated website or YT channel?

[@EternalSilverDragon]

Yes, the website is in the video description. www.chessfactor.com

[@alexastaneh]

I've just recently restarted posting content on my KZbin channel 'Astaneh Chess' :)

[@hawzhinomer1845]

I really like the board and arrows, which site is this? or it is an app?

[@osamayousry5480]

Where are IM. ALEX streaming

[@noobson4297]

still waiting for the next video :)

[@satsat1590]

on 6:00 I thought in, after Qe6, Qf6, Qxf6, xf6, Ke8, Rxb5, xb5, Rxa8 with check, Kd7 and then Rxg8 having an rook advantage and after this sequence pressurizing+taking the pawns

[@vis9916]

This is demonstrative, but too complex for a beginner. Like the last video in this series, there should have been a series of simple puzzles which a beginner can solve with a hint and enough time.

[@ytube777]

Tactic IX - Set No. 3 in Basic Tactics - Part II does not make sense.

[@stevejwilliams]

These videos are much less engaging now there's only a chess board to look at. :(

[@loveboat]

The corresponding exercises for this video are terrible. Take "Weak Squares III" for example. It's some sort of obsessive hunt after the e5-square, to the point of "forcing" (which in my eyes in not even close to a force, but still) a pawn to move so it no longer defends it, and then moving the knight there. Why? What's so special about that square? Never explained in the videos or the exercise text. The text, in fact, just says: "White is clearly better". Oh, yeah... clearly...

[@keithgoddard4192]

I found these exercises quite tricky.... but NOT because they are "terrible". Hanging pieces or undefended pieces are obvious and easy to identify, but the issue of weak squares, and how a square or two can weaken a position, is quite subtle. Much harder to identify these, and much harder to see how moves can revolve around weak squares. I would imagine most beginners will struggle with this. Still, the video explained the concept very well indeed... I think it's something that requires a lot of practice to see weaknesses, and learn how to exploit them, in game.

[@harjeet-music]

The exercises are not terrible. They actually illustrate the concept pretty well. The idea behind these is not to find a tactical combination that wins you the game, but to use your moves to subtly mould the position in your favour. If you only make moves that pose simple threats, you're never going to have an opportunity to create an edge unless your opponent blunders. In the example you quoted, white is very happy to land knight on e5 because from there it dominates the entire board, controlling many essential squares, and it is also virtually impossible to get rid of. Even if the black somehow manoeuvres his own knight to contest it, taking is outright stupid because it creates a potentially dangerous passed pawn. And if black does nothing, we can immediately get an advantage. From the final position, if it was white to move again, imagine 1. c4 dxc4 2. Qxc4+ Kh8 3. Nf7+ Rxf7 4. Qxf7. You are an exchange up, you have more active pieces, you control the open e-file with your rook, and after a trade of queens you scoop up the c pawn with your bishop. Sure, there's still a lot of play, especially on amateur level, but white should have no trouble winning the endgame with careful play; he's up 3 points of material at the end after all, and black doesn't have any clear counter-play. I know that seeing all this from a distance is tough, but the truth is, we don't always need to. If we follow certain principles, keeping our position solid, our pieces coordinated, and finding slow improving moves as this one, opportunities are going to present themselves, as we're slowly building up pressure on our opponent. Also, if understanding some exercises is tuff for you, try to put the position into a chess engine and see available lines. This way you can explore and consider things that you missed about the position; it might give you a clue at why some moves are good or bad, possible or impossible. Hope that makes things clear :)

[@loveboat]

@@harjeet-music Imagine if the video had explained what a weak square is.

[@iamzsdawgy]

Theres no clear cut one definition of a weak square, certain squares can be weak for a multitude of reasons, but the video does clearly give examples of weak squares and highlights why they are weak. This is something that is more intuitive than anything, but not terribly complex. If you can list many reasons as to why a square is weak then it is likely a weak square :)