BLUNDERS! Lecture with GM Ben Finegold

Check out Ben's Chessable courses here! www.chessable.com/author/BenF... GM Ben Finegold discusses blunders in a variety of games. This lecture was recorded July 8, 2018 at CCSCATL in Roswell, Georgia.
Games Discussed:
Praggnanandhaa, R vs. So, Wesley
31st Leon Masters (2018)
Vallejo Pons, Francisco vs. Santos Latasa, Jaime
31st Leon Masters (2018)
Mr_Earl_Gray vs. CCSCATL
Chess.com (2018)
CCSCATL vs. ya_boy_Agent
Chess.com (2018)
TheSuperSaiyan vs. CCSCATL
Chess.com (2018)
CCSCATL vs. JohnnyBoyUSA
Chess.com (2018)
Benedikt Jonasson vs. Haukur Angantysson
Reykjavik (1984)
Ignatz von Popele vs. Georg Marco
Mante Carlo (1902)
Carlos Torre Repetto vs. Frank E Parker
New York (1924)
Originally posted on the CCSCATL channel, but moved here for channel consolidation.
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[@SevenTheJester]

I'm not gonna lie, the fact that a grandmaster blundered Rh8+ because he missed Rxe5, and *another* grandmaster resigned because he *also* missed Rxe5 makes me feel so much better about my game that I'll be talking about it for the next five years.

[@mauer1]

tbf that was the last minutes of like several hours of serious incredible high stakes chess in the last few days for them.

[@SevenTheJester]

@@mauer1 That is very true, and it's also a valid point. Still gonna be keeping this one in the tank, though. 😁🤣

[@emperorsascharoni9577]

​@@mauer1Basically the same as me on my second 5min blitz fighting for 5 Elo against an 800

[@elg7365]

Shut up

[@guillaumelagueyte1019]

They saw ghosts.

[@mitchellwilson5770]

This is one of the best chess lectures you will ever see, Ben is the only GM who will tell you this stuff

[@gamesafoot]

Truth hurts.

[@jensdanielsson6762]

1

[@huracan200173]

@@gamesafoot go Ben! but also stay there

[@_nemo174]

38:06 "My 1st wife ... so like in the 3rd round she resigned ... Are we married now? No." lol

[@robertork2505]

As someone who takes a lot of pride in playing dozens of good moves in a row just to blunder later on and feel insanely frustrated, this chess lecture is easily one of my favourites I've ever listened to

[@lollycopter]

I think having an overconfidence in calculation/visualisation/blindfold ability and not having the humility to double check after each move is played is a common reason for many of these type of blunders. Always burn clock!

[@MrDrummerboi182]

I live by this motto of never resign, I was playing a game and was down to only my king and was about to get mated, he had mate in 1 on the board. He missed it and pushed his pawn and stalemated me so, yeah never resign.

[@jamespurcell6627]

I’ve watched countless hours of chess videos on KZbin. This one tops them all.

[@jamesbell1613]

This is one of the videos I've seen today. 😂

[@andrzejwilk7316]

5:34 to the contrary, Ben. I had watched Germany-Brasil semifinal in 2014 and i was entertained the entire time.

[@e4jasperi]

schadenfreude is a thing of beauty if you are neutral.

[@mauer1]

is it 9 years already? damn

[@levyjr6857]

😢

[@EMDS04]

​@@mauer1damn I remember watching that game w my dad and uncle What a match

[@gmatsue84]

@@e4jasperi Me (brazilian) and my brazilian friends were having a blast, laughing the entire time about how f*cked up that was - we thought it would end 3 or 4-0 before the match because that Brazil team sucked, but nobody was prepared for what actually happened

[@samuellehman7796]

One of the best chess lectures ever

[@strangetobias1474]

This one is definitely going down as one of the lectures in history.

[@KvS1248]

I find humour so important in a teacher and Ben sure has that 😄

[@Fidtz]

came here to post this.

[@jongalt6837]

I mean, it's good, but the moral of the story is not resign.. and try to limit blunders.. I don't think that's life changing information..

[@pivotmaster9556]

@@jongalt6837 he talked about a bunch of stuff, most importatn thing you forgot to mention is dont lose concentration against lower rated players and people that are worse than you

[@methanbreather]

'you at home know nothing' That is disturbingly accurate. Has Ben seen me playing?

[@freefall9832]

My blunders, half-assed attacks leaving pieces hanging.

[@SevenTheJester]

Yeah, that's not good. You gotta make sure you're using whole-assed attacks. 😉😂 Edit: whole-assed attacks are not to be confused with ass-hole attacks. Completely different thing.

[@jorymil]

It's better than playing passively and blundering... I've been doing that of late.

[@FFadeaway]

Lmao yep

[@Dagfari]

How to win at chess: 1. Don't blunder 2. Don't resign 3. Don't lose

[@AkshaySinghJamwal]

I actually spat out my coffee at 10:25 because I laughed so hard.

[@huracan200173]

hahaha brain damage or something haha Ben is gold

[@Tx66]

Thanks for re-uploading my all-time favorite chess lecture. Ben is absolutely hilarious.

[@chrisdiscgolferson1815]

“That’s boring; that kid is going to get killed. I don’t care about that” -Benny F

[@adrianvega3032]

this man has an amazing way with words, what a good samaritan with good advice

[@electorofsaxony7646]

This is absolutely phenomenal stuff. Bravo Ben.

[@SolarPlayer]

I agree with the central premise of the lecture, but you also have to give me an opportunity. I try to blunder my queen whenever I can, but it's sometimes hard to find a good square for it. If you cooperate by developing your pieces and castling, together we can accomplish anything

[@thearm95]

Halfway through this I thought I'd take a break for a 30 min rapid game...went on to blunder my queen!

[@satisficingmoves2044]

This is my favorite lecture of all time.

[@monkeygrip2412]

You're a really good teacher and lecturer. I really enjoy your videos teaching Chess. Keep it up!!

[@1pwNz0mb13Z]

In my last game, my opponent resigned a winning position immediatly after blundering a queen. I was confused as to why untill i noticed i could take the free queen. I was too busy calculating a mated net 😅

[@thecrimsonking187]

You are an awesome teacher. It brings back memories of my favorite character from Scrubs and my boss in the compulsory social year that still existed back then.

[@flstudent2928]

Thanks Maestro Ben you are unique and generous

[@scaptal]

man, how I love Ben Finegolds lectures, useful and entertaining, as we'd say in dutch, "hij is een heerlijke droogkloot"

[@MarcFromBerryland]

Some years ago when this video was originally uploaded I watched it through and then my next chess session I won 17 consecutive games and I am a 900 player. That 17 game win streak probably had some luck involved and I was also probably a little more focused that day than usual but for sure it also had something to do with this lecture.

[@bullymaguire632]

What rating are you now?

[@MarcFromBerryland]

@@bullymaguire632 I just checked and I'm 1041 and 1438 on the 2 chess websites. I say "the 2 web sites" and not the actual names because KZbin always seems to block comments with website names in them but anyway I'm pretty sure you know what 2 websites they are.

[@verstraetenandre]

Finally, we discuss a subject which i am an expert of! \o/

[@reginaldd.paperstacks194]

Thanks this really helped

[@mynameischess230]

Best reupload ever

[@mozzikum]

Golden lecture for beginners!

[@stbauch1]

I really like, that there is an actual lecture with students. It makes the content far more relatable than Levy babbling for 20 minutes straight. This makes it relatable and the tempo is nice to learn the lesson. Apart from that, the lesson was really nice and I enjoyed it very much. I like how he keeps insulting his audience and is very sweet to his students. I look forward for more content of this kind.

[@peterbrown797]

Thanks!

[@lollycopter]

Fantastic lecture. I think one other sport that can come close to chess with critical blunders is speedskating - as per Steven Bradbury's 2002 Winter Olympics gold medal where his main strategy in the final was to hang back and wait for blunders. Snooker could also be like that on a per-frame basis where being in the lead doesn't matter if the opponent manages to really snooker you; except in snooker, a match is always decided out of multiple frames. So yeah, chess is quite unique with the type of intestinal fortitude it trains tournament players up for.

[@TheRicoCallao]

Amazing video. The best chess teacher in youtube

[@curtisfox1233]

About 35 years ago, my brother and I had a friend who was terrible at chess, but he loved to play, even though he lost every single game against us in an epic way. That is, all but one. He was obsessed with putting us in check, and 99% of the time it was a wasted move. However, my brother was so bored at beating him, he quit thinking about playing the game and just made random moves [could beat him spotting him two rooks and a queen, right]. Then he got beat a few moves into the game by two bishops, checkmating his king on the back rank. His opponent did not even see the checkmate, he just kept putting him in check, and my brother ignored the threat. Thank you for another one of your amazing lectures. I particularly enjoy your humor. Your lectures are very informative and fun to listen to and watch.

[@jamarflash]

Oh how I wish I had a 60 sec conversation with this man about not blundering advice 💭

[@natekunnen7021]

These always give me some hope of getting back to 600 and then I blunder 10 matches in a row

[@shantymanshep]

Well then don’t blunder

[@sindrigujonsson6278]

As an Icelander I was gald to see the game between Benedikt (who I know) and Haukur (who I knew, but he passed away many years ago) starting at the 39th minute ish

[@zackarialundy]

Goddamn, why'd i get flamed in the first minute? 😂 He's right though, I'm not even playing rn and I've already blundered in my next game

[@SkyWayMan90]

I love Ben.

[@adam-wq9ew]

hundreds of weeks ago for us at home

[@sindrigujonsson6278]

Real talk!

[@aureliusfeynman485]

Is it a very encouraging sign if I see the moves he's asking? I have put chess away for many years since 13, scored 1400 at a local club back then. I just restarted playing and I realize that these chess puzzles are "moderate difficulty" for me. At any rate, thanks a lot for this lesson Mr Finegold

[@bradjones7835]

Yes - as long as you don't blunder.

[@jinjocat]

You can resign in Curling. Which may be why they often call it Chess On Ice!

[@linusmcginty1583]

“Sometimes when you win, you actually lose. Sometimes when you lose, you actually win. Sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie. And sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose.” - Gloria

[@askthepizzaguy]

At around 13 and a half minutes, or shortly before that, Ben says, paraphrasing "Now youre going to say that never happens and that was weird, except this is what this lecture is about so im gonna show you a million examples." Correct. That's why those million examples are there, because there's valuable lessons to be learned if you accept the fact that there is a valid lesson to be learned. If you dismiss it as not worthy of learning, you won't learn nothin' and you'll never get better. Learn from every game, every opponent, learn from people you've never played, learn from your teacher, learn from right examples, learn from bad examples, learn from brilliancies, learn from mistakes. Always learn, and if you forget, learn it again until you stop forgetting. Never don't learn. Always be learning. The only reason the world champions of chess are any good is because they're constantly studying each other and critically analyzing their own games, wins and losses alike. They never stop learning, and they reinforce stuff they already know with constant reminders. If you ever have an excuse not to learn something, your brain is lying to you. Tell that punk to shut up, and listen to your teacher.

[@itsonly9euros33]

Finally, relatable chess content.

[@evanm6739]

I don’t blunder because of Ben. Except for when I do

[@pedroaranha9921]

I was really expecting: "today we're going to talk about blundering and resigning. Don't do these. Thanks for watching the lecture"

[@CokeVoAYCE]

ben is a good chess teacher

[@pivotmaster9556]

hes a real dude

[@paulocosta8770]

just discovered your channel, great stuff, can you please share the software that you are using to review the games?

[@evanm6739]

There are more billionaires than Grandmasters in the world. Go Ben! Never play F6 like I did once in your stream. I’m new but Ben is my virtual coach lol

[@paulandaloro8514]

Everyone tries to make money, but not everyone is interested in chess.

[@loganmyall660]

Go Ben! And stay there

[@nathaniel5059]

I actually think the same "no blunders!" mentality applies to basketball. Look at the Boston Celtics in the past few years. They play brilliant basketball with great focus and execution, go up by 20 or 30, get comfortable, think they can win on auto-pilot without the same level of focus, and then they lose games. If you want to win in chess or basketball, stay locked in until the game is over!

[@johnanderson6690]

Change the words chess with life and this would be a lesson for all humanity to see.

[@mannynunez1481]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🏁 Resigning and Blundering* - Understanding the concept of resigning and blundering in chess. - Resigning and blundering are common occurrences in chess games. - Resigning often happens when a player realizes they are in an irrecoverable position, while blunders occur when players make serious mistakes in their moves. 01:02 *🧠 Chess Psychology and Game Evaluation* - The importance of evaluating positions and not solely relying on player ratings. - Demonstrating how players at any level can make mistakes or blunders, affecting the outcome of the game. - Understanding that winning in chess often results from capitalizing on opponent blunders rather than solely playing superior moves. 07:38 *⏳ Time Management in Chess* - Highlighting the critical role of time management, especially in blitz games. - Explaining the consequences of time trouble, leading to suboptimal moves or even blunders. - Emphasizing the significance of not resigning prematurely, especially in fast-paced games, where opponents may make errors under time pressure. 20:21 *🏠 Avoiding Blunders in Chess* - Making a blunder in chess can ruin an otherwise strong game. - The frustration of losing due to a blunder can be compared to building a house only for it to collapse with one misplaced nail. - High-level players often win not just by playing perfectly, but by capitalizing on their opponent's mistakes. 22:31 *🏁 Exploiting Opponent's Mistakes* - Even in equal positions, one side often has more practical chances to win. - Relaxing prematurely in chess can lead to blunders, even in seemingly easy positions. - Maintaining focus throughout the game is crucial to avoid falling victim to unexpected blunders. 26:12 *🎖️ Identifying Winning Moves* - Sometimes, players miss winning moves due to time pressure or tunnel vision. - Recognizing mating threats and forcing moves can lead to decisive advantages. - Being aware of all potential threats on the board, even in Blitz games, is essential for maximizing winning chances. 31:06 *🤷‍♂️ Handling Resignation in Chess* - Resigning in chess is often seen as conceding defeat, but it can also be considered insulting in certain contexts. - Not resigning can be a strategic choice, especially when playing against stronger opponents who may make mistakes. - Understanding when to resign and when to play on can impact a player's reputation and competitive success. 38:58 *📜 Learning from Famous Examples* - Analyzing famous chess games can provide valuable insights into tactical and strategic principles. - Even strong players can overlook winning opportunities, leading to surprising outcomes. - Resigning prematurely, especially in winning positions, can result in missed opportunities for a comeback. 40:57 *🏆 Chess blunders and missed opportunities* - Examples of chess blunders from historical games. - Importance of not resigning prematurely in winning positions. - Highlighting common mistakes and overlooked winning moves. 46:14 *🏞️ Simultaneous exhibition game blunder* - Explanation of a simultaneous exhibition game scenario. - Analysis of a blunder that led to resignation in a winning position. - Demonstrating a winning move overlooked by the player. 51:01 *🎾 Drawing opportunities and resigning prematurely* - Discussion on drawing opportunities in chess. - Illustration of a game where a drawing move was overlooked. - Emphasizing the importance of not resigning hastily and seeking chances for a draw. Made with HARPA AI

[@serrie85]

Finally a chess lecture about a subject where I know to be good in.

[@rainerausdemspring3584]

I have a complete book about games resigned in a won position. Resigning is possible in boxing - throw the towel. Of course, Ignatz von Popele must be Popiel! And Marco - famous editor of the Wiener Schachzeitung - was not "one of the top 100 players in the world" - around 1905 he was one of the top 10 players in the world.

[@Apfelstrudl]

Thanks for the clarification!

[@paulflood2709]

These days The Patriots vs a high school team might be pretty competitive

[@LympyDownunder]

I blundered by watching this vid years after the theory changed and Ben is well ....

[@jonrwert]

GM Finegold is very uncompromising in his analysis and instruction. I'm an amateur player but have a had a few encounters with some excellent teachers, like Mitch Fitzko, and I appreciate the direct/harsh instruction. It really comes down to that in any endeavor, scientific analysis, uncompromising approach.

[@Typhlosion56]

Not asleep yet Ben, give me a few more minutes though

[@martinr113]

You would love lead climbing, there also you can be the best in the world, but one little mix-up like a foot slipping or a hold being worse than you expected, you fall, and you just don't win, end of story. You don't even have a hope that the wall will blunder too and let you back into the game

[@imeaniguess.6963]

56:08 I felt that. 🤕

[@Deucely]

I already blundered the resign.

[@TommyLikeTom]

Man I was just playing a 1700 opponent and I was winning decisively and I lost everything after one blunder, I hung mate in 2

[@BenHyle]

There are a lot of people who would pay to watch Mike Tyson fistfight a teenager. Like, a lot, and a lot of money, just to see that kid get absolutely beaten to a bloody pulp.

[@joeymurdazalotmore6355]

I'd pay per view to see that

[@attilazsoldos2420]

Thats very suspicious guys... 🤨

[@snookslayer4559]

I'm only 1700, but years of chess videos taught me solid openings, tactics, and getting big early advantages... only to blunder it away. Very frustrating. Not from giving away pieces, but from sub-par moves killing my advantage to zero, or worse. Ben's advice "don't blunder".?. Ok, I'll try to remember that.

[@zetacrucis681]

Amazing how two top players can both be blind to a rook on a mostly empty board 9:20

[@jacklondon8385]

what is you opinion on blitz chess? I know it can be fun but does it improve your chess? Is it a valuable training tool?

[@guaranagaucho3071]

It’s fun if you have solid opening theory knowledge. But no, it’s not a valuable training tool. You need to get better at chess to be good at blitz, not vice versa.

[@andrewpickup3697]

OMG I played a 3+2 blitz right after this, blundered my queen, said f*&% it, I going to stalemate this guy, and bingo, got a draw! Then the next game the guy has me dead in his sights, I played a distraction move...and he resigned! I looked at the chess engine and I still can't figure out why. Since then, I refuse to resign, and have pulled draws out of a number of absolute fire sales to prevent losses and am getting better in general and creeping up the (my admittedly terrible) blitz rankings. I must say, the pure joy of a stalemate against a higher ranked opponent who should have me done is almost better than a checkmate. Of course, the wins are nice, but when it is clear when the ship is sinking, I try to set up a stalemate if I can't find a "ha, you idiot, checkmate" and it is surprisingly possible in blitz.

[@NidusFormicarum]

This is very true; however, it doesn't tkaes into account what lies behind blunders. The reason you blunder is so often that you already had a terrible position, or had very little time on the clock, didn't understand the opening etc. So while it is true, it is also a bit superficial and not the whole story.

[@edwardp7725]

"You at home know nothing as usual" I know Ben ... I know... :(

[@love.flower.chainsaw]

I thought he was throwing shade at Nakamura until I read the description

[@jefftaylor1186]

I made the 2nd biggest blunder you can make in chess today. I offered a draw in a winning(+6.0) position. Luckily my opponent declined and he blundered a rook and resigned.

[@rizka7945]

At 52:30 you could be even funnier and put three bishops on the board!

[@Hemant95035]

Sir meri 1700 rating h , 2000 krni g kese kru?

[@Heroball299]

It's also really frustrating when you mouse slip

[@goda743]

"For you guys, weeks later!" No kídding xd

[@mesielepush2124]

First!!! Also, so much GMFinegold this passed months, most be xmas year :D

[@speedchessbattles4047]

I got some games on my channel where I beat some titled players. Beat a 2500 FM and a 2500 IM in bullet. And I'm only 1900.

[@RichGregg100]

That's good

[@DanielDugovic]

At USATN I relaxed against then-NM Rosen at the end of a long day, so he won. The truth hurts!

[@dontcensormebro3217]

"Wesley So the best player in the US besides Caruana". Finegold haaaaaaaaaaaates Hikaru, lmao.

[@shamslife9182]

You are a chess GM , but Why are you not a super grandmother? ❤😮

[@fernandofabbri637]

Some players find offensive when their opponents don´t resign in a much worse position.

[@suezuccati304]

We call those "players who are afraid of losing"

[@7waytruthlife]

Summary: Don't mess up Don't give up

[@wcydiiwii]

10:27 lmao fucking lost it

[@happyprince4261]

"You watch NBA cause you are brain damage"😂😂😂😂.

[@RishabhSharma10225]

Rawrrrr... also etc.

[@Now_Roxas]

My dad just sent this to my at 11

[@abdallahtarek7003]

so i got that i shouldn't resign but how to stop making 6 blunders a game

[@woah5333]

I made the same mistake at 700s with 2 minutes on the clock😂and I drew the game I could've won

[@debasishraychawdhuri]

"Who plays very well, but blunders a lot" - like Alex Botez.

[@gibraltar5059]

Those at home, they're blundering watching it... I'm not even making moves and they are blundering! 😂 Just 30 seconds into and I'm crying [like a grandmaster] of laughter! When you are not in a mood or need someone to roast you for "blundering" wherever, just watch Ben's lectures! I started following those lectures because of chess, but got addicted to his unique style of lecturing and humor filled with a dose of sarcasm!

[@madhavsanap6690]

Drugs

[@asdf_asdf948]

Was wesley so really better than nakamura in 2018?

[@coughwheezeexplode]

you had me at "new england patriots"

[@cowboyespacial6167]

Ben i love you

[@hobit7585]

Ah this is why I humiliate people between 1800 and 2100 at the internet by making 5 queens , they never resign

[@kevinhurzeler9705]

10:25 😂

[@MrCupidd]

I’m watching Ben Finegold now is that wrong 😮

[@alfredopina1213]

Ben pls I can only handle so much abuse 😭

[@EpicVideoMaster11]

37:43 lol