Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Black Lion Defense!

[@TheChessGiant]

Trying to take your game to the next level? Check out PRIVATE LESSONS with Solomon! www.thechessgiant.com/lessons

[@HongwareeChannel]

Dude, people really doesn't deserve your videos about openings. I've seen a lot of instructionals, and the way you explain it, with the right pace and your minimalistic yet not vulgar presentation makes everything so enjoyable and you are THE BEST. You are the best school I could ever recommend to anyone starting in chess or trying to learn new things. I just love your openings videos. You deserve 1,000,000 views and subscribers, you really do. Thanks for the effort and for making chess more aprochable to all of us. Love, ton of love for ya, me mate.

[@TheChessGiant]

Much love brotha. Thank you man. Comments like this encourage me to keep going fr fr. Humbled by that and I'll continue to try and get better!

[@DrSergioValdez]

Second time I reviewed this.

[@chrisdubay4212]

You really need to publish your own course. Your one of the top 5 instructors out there! Good luck and ty for your work.

[@TheChessGiant]

Thank you Chris! Appreciate the kind words, truly humbled. Ya it's been fun doing this KZbin channel hopefully I can get better. I'm planning on making a few courses this year and hitting up Chessable so some fun possibilities there. Thanks for watching and wishing you a good week!

[@alancoe1002]

I play this often, but you're really helping with that Bxf7+ variation. Psychology is important when playing humans, and if you can weather that variation, it would freak those in crush mode when you don't curl up and croak out. It is a fairly simple system, but that's why I still use it, especially if I've been away from chess for a bit, and just want to get a decent middlegame. Thank you, Solomon.

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks Alan! I'm glad it was helpful for you! And ya, if we just play Qe8, Qg6, Qxg2 etc etc we gonna be in business! And ya it's fairly simple, but as you said that's nice sometimes. Be well.

[@Alexacavatina]

Very nice ideas ....your Channel is one of the best on you tube

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks for the kind words my friend 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol]

Eyy, finally found the time to leave a fat comment. Love the video. For the limited amount of resources you've had at the time of recording, you did great job of covering the most critical lines and scratching the surface of the main plans. I personally strongly disagree with your statement, that the black lion is single dimensional. I've been playing it for almost two years now and I still find a TON of room for experiments. This nbd7, nf8, ng6, nf4 is the main plan, but it's far from your only option and having only this on trick to work with, will almost certainly loose you some rating points. The lion in my opinion is just as flexible (if not more!) as any system type of opening such as london or king's indian. I kind of think that the middlegame positions you've shown aren't very illustrative especially for new players, who will base their plans and goals, but again, with limited resources (it's hard to look for lion games cuz they are often called different names and this annoys philidor players too) it's hard to actually find an illustrative middlegame in such a flexible and somewhat reactive system. As for some practical tips I'd like players to have: here is my experience or rather habits I've developed while playing almost exclusively lion for the past year (with short breaks, after getting tilted I took some time to calm myself down with gambits). This is correct more times than not (not always tho), but great to watch out for : - a5 is an amazing defensive resource since you want to stop b4, b5 from white breaking your pawn chain. If your opponent prepares b4 with a3, just push a4 and take *an crossaint*. Play this early if enemy's c pawn isn't blocked by the knight. - you will sometimes need to use your queenside rook as a defensive resource to gain yourself some tempi. I sometimes go as far as sacrificing it entirely (it's not gonna participate in my kingside assault, so it's disposable) to set whte 3 moves behind on the attack. Stockfish doesn't like me, but I don't like if either. Smd stockfish, I won that game. - if your opponent commits a lot of resources to defending the king, you can use your queenside rook to create some threats there instead and try to dislodge enemy pieces away from the defence. - g3 is not scary. ALWAYS sack the knight to the g pawn to take back with your own g pawn with check from the rook. If it's not check, then what are you doing? Always realize where to aim your guns before pulling the trigger. This takes some time to get used to, but you'll get the hang of it. - if your opponent blunders anything to the pin on the g file, the game is almost over, just look for what looks cool. I've had positions where I had 2 bishops for 2 rooks and stockfish said -5 despite me being down material so much. - in some positions you'll need to use your f pawn to prevent white's rook from coming to the 3rd rank. this is rare and occurs when you are forced to push your g pawn up ur opponent's face, but it does happen and it is important. - you cannot worry about being down material. Just realize your attack is strong. - your pawn structure will be worse in the endgame 9/10 times. Don't worry about that. The lion's pawn structure is suited to take way important squares from your opponent and most of the time immediate siplification is borderline impossible if you restrict enemy movements the right way. This will take practice, but you'll get the hang of it. - unlike Solomon, I am completely unafraid of this nh4, nf5 manouver. I make sure that I can safely get my knight to f4 and just take on f5 with the bishop. White's pawn on f5 will not be dangerous, because you haven't castled and it's undefended. This is not the case if you get your pawn to f4, where it will be the former g pawn defended by the e pawn eying nasty stuff against white's castled king. JUST KEEP THIS IN MIND IT'S *SUPER IMPORTANT*: if there is still tension in the center and you see enemy's knight come to f5 DO NOT PLAY NF8!!! Dxe5 dxe5 n g7 IS MATE!!! - you need different strategies for when the enemy fiancettos. If he fiancettos on the kingside, you'll need to leave your rook on h8 and preassure the h file instead of the g file. If he fiancettos on the queenside, pay close attention to how many times your e pawn is defended. I have more tips, but I completely ran outta time while writing this comment. I'll try to update it some time in the future. I've be recently gradually ditching my other openings to become somewhat of a lion specialist and I'm having a lot of success as well as fun pursuing that goal. This opening is not as easy as it looks and actually has a lot of theory behind it, so get ready to loose some rating points while you are training. I've easily lost like 200 rating just with this opening before it singlehandedly carried me to my peak. It requires a lot of feel for the position like in kia/kid so play it a lot, experiment and analyze.

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Michal! Thanks for the moves and thoughts brotha - you bring up some great ideas. I just pinned this comment so that others can see it and respond if they'd like.

[@Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol]

@@TheChessGiant glad I could help. You are one of if not the best source for beginner/intermediate oprning theory, so I'll do anything I can to bring some improvements knowing that I'd recommend you specifically, if someone asked me about any opening really. I think, that the game I sent you for sga is very illustrative for the middlegame position you want to reach while playing the lion (especially players without opening theory knowledge, that will snap take the strong f4 knight and open the g file), because that is what more than half of my games looks like with this system. The positions you've shown are extremely interesting and fun to analyze by a little more experienced players such as myself, but I wouldn't give them as a backbone for a new sigma lion enjoyer to try to reach, as they adress white's position more than working towards main Jensen's plans (don't get me wrong, but you really need to get these main plans down to know what is even worth addressing as a sufficient threat) which is where my complaint comes from. I really love your content and I would be more than Happy to see you cover a different lines of the lion with the resources I gave you. Although you should probably upload the czech pirc vid first, because people are really eager tovsee that one. Can't blame them, it's the lion structure after all. I'm sure Rashid would agree.

[@GoSerano]

Thank you! This helped me a lot

[@Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol]

@@GoSerano Always happy to help! These are honestly just basics, you will actually have to play chess after executing the basic setup, but having all of the above embeded in my brain 99% of the time gets me into good positions where I have literally twice my oponent's time (I mostly play 5+3, but this happens in rapid as well). Just remember, that when your oponent decides to be confrontational in the opening, you will need to click refresh on your brain and just play chess. This can be somewhat avoided by manipulating your move order (especially in d4 openings), but I'd honestly recommend just playing around with this basic setup at first and deviating when you're comfortable with the nuances like important squares to cover, opening and closing certain diagonals based on the position etc. And my most important tip: always, I repeat, ALWAYS remember to have fun!!!

[@Factsnotfox]

As always, you uncover some variations I've never seen before. This is why your videos figure prominently in my openings library.

[@TheChessGiant]

Thank you Dennis! Glad there was some lines/variations that you can add to your repertoire! Czech Pirc getting worked on now!

[@mahaswingiri]

Superb video man i love your explanation very nice ideas...i am going to change my opening to black lion now... keep it up!!!

[@TheChessGiant]

You are very welcome my guy! Glad you liked it. You as well!

[@stephenloft835]

Hi Solomon! Great video, especially the beginning odd moves. For me the minute white plays a4, I play a5 then develop accordingly so white doesn’t gain any more space on the Q side. Also, I play Nf8 before g5. at 8:36 when black goes g5 white can play Be3. If white plays Re1next after black plays Nf8 white can take dxe5 and after dxe5 white plays Nxe5 and black takes Qxe5 with white Bd4 next. Black moves Qc7 white goes e6 and black is in trouble. Playing Nf8 first you have the flexibility to then keep the g pawn on g7 and put the N on g6. Excellent video! I play the Caro Kann exclusively for e4 but this defense is to much fun not to play it often. Thx for the info Solomon

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Stephen! Thanks for the thoughts on the move order - ya a lot of people go with Nf8 first and this makes a ton of sense. Definitely keeps some options open which is great. Thanks for watching and the thoughtful reply. Be well brotha.

[@Ronin760]

Great video! I sense this opening can complement the Pirc Defense and give me another option while I book up on the Pirc. Similarity in the opening phase looks like there are options to transpose. Practical sting. Hard to explain, but I feel that this actually answers some questions I face in the Pirc. I will give this a go. Thanks again! Well done!

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Frank! Thank you man, glad you enjoyed the video. And ya, knowing ideas from the Black Lion/Pirc/Philidor never hurts because they all borrow ideas from each other. I actually just made a video on the Czech Pirc (should release sometime this week) in which there's an option to transpose into the Black Lion - never hurts from a practical standpoint to have those options open.

[@danno1800]

You explained that really really well! Thanks - much appreciated…

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks Dan! Glad you enjoyed it! It's a fun opening black which can lead to some great attacking games.

[@s.m.j.tayebi]

Thank you Solomon! Always Interesting Clips!

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it brotha. Glad you liked the video and nice choice by playing the Black Lion. Keep it up!

[@TipsyFlipper]

This is my favorite coverage so far. I love trying Black Lion (sucker for animal names) but I lose a lot usually from my opponent taking mid like with f4 and castles with RfE1 and all the swaps are losing. I am going to watch this again... Thank you. I love bourbon is what I am trying to say

[@TheChessGiant]

Glad you enjoyed it Dwight! Ya animal named chess openings are always fun, what's crazy is I still have so many more to go before I am done haha. And ya the Black Lion is fun but a move like f4 obviously puts a dent into our game plan. We can still be totally okay we just have to shift our focus a little bit.

[@suspiciousnerdwithligma6855]

Pretty great opening. Excited for the S2 of subscriber game analysis. I mean, how the most solid positions become the fiercest attacks just blows my mind.

[@TheChessGiant]

Ya it's a fun one! And right man, it all looks calm and quiet until that h6/g5/Nf4 idea while potentially putting a rook on the g-file and blasting it open - fun stuff. Next SGA video Wednesday!

[@CalebJNelson]

I used to be in a now disbanded infantry battalion called the Black Lions. So this is rather interesting.

[@TheChessGiant]

Oh wow. Looks like this just came around full circle for you haha.

[@briandwi2504]

Just come across your channel. This is a really detailed and helpful video. Time to hit the subscribe button!

[@TheChessGiant]

Ayy thank you Brian. Glad you enjoyed it, and welcome!!

[@jonshive5482]

Been in similar positions as Black after White's Bxf7+ and then Nxc7 but simply resigned without playing it out. Thanks for giving yet another example of how in chess, as in life, appearances can be deceptive and why continuing the fight is usually the best policy.

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it! I like how you compared chess and life there. So true!

[@geethuvarghese9103]

Wow! U covered it! Thx! ❤ Nh4 was my biggest concern..

[@TheChessGiant]

Glad you enjoyed it brotha!!

[@REKKnives]

I've been playing a variation of this over the past few days after GM Igor smirnov posted it the other day... Love the lines you cover here though! Thanks Solomon 👊🤙

[@TheChessGiant]

Nice! I didn't know that he made a video on it recently - ya it's definitely fun as well as simple to play too. Be well brotha.

[@allencallahan1478]

Superb analysis. Kudos, and many thanks!

[@TheChessGiant]

Thank you Allen, glad you enjoyed it! Wishing you a good week!

[@robertgonsalves1966]

Wonderful explanation of yet another opening. Thanks..

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it brotha! Thanks for watching.

[@PriveGitaarles]

Thanks for this video Solomon, great fireworks!

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it!

[@ermwhattheskibidi123]

Fire video my g. Keep up the great content!

[@TheChessGiant]

Thank you Bob! Appreciate you man

[@robertplant6592]

Looks like a Philidor line. Good defense.

[@TheChessGiant]

Yessir! Simple but effective plan.

[@timwoods3173]

Thank you

[@TheChessGiant]

You're very welcome Tim! More chess opening content on the way!

[@skyeruddell3196]

Let me know if you release any chess merch.

[@TheChessGiant]

Of course! I got to talk to my mom about some ideas that I have - she makes the coolest stuff.

[@people0n]

Thanks

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it!

[@people0n]

@@TheChessGiant Yep

[@danno1800]

Thanks for this! Much appreciated…

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it brotha! The Black Lion Defense is a fun one!

[@hazhirhiwa461]

Very aggressive lines, thanks a great master ❤️

[@TheChessGiant]

Thank you Hazhir! Wishing you a good week!

[@GAMBITug]

I am watching it several times 😃

[@TheChessGiant]

Happy to hear you find it helpful! ❤️🙏🏽

[@brianv.8055]

Hello Solomon. May I suggest you include the moves of the opening in the thumbnail? One like 1. e4 d6, that helps in a way to know what style of game it is and if it might be interesting or suitable for each player.

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Brian! Ya that's an idea I think would work well with a number of openings - thanks for the tip. Always helpful! Wishing you a good weekend.

[@NapoleonGARDENINGTV]

Thanks, now I remember it again.

[@TheChessGiant]

Yessir!

[@TeeGar]

The lion does NOT sleep tonite! Thanks for this, awesome as usual.

[@TheChessGiant]

No sir!! And thanks brotha!

[@ymarnl]

In tha variant Bxf7 , white can first play d4xe5, and after d6xe5 , Bxf7 its a whole different ball game. Maybe after Kxf7, Ng5+ Kg6!?

[@TheChessGiant]

Can you send me a timestamp so I know exactly where you're talking about? Thanks!! Solomon

[@GAMBITug]

I play this game, for both White and black, it's really entertaining

[@TheChessGiant]

That's great! Ya people forget that you can have a White Lion Attack as well!

[@shoumyajitroy5102]

hi Chess Giant...can you suggest how to deal with White's 2nd move f4? an early reply would be greatly appreciated...thank u

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey! If they pay this, they may be looking to transpose into the Austrian Attack. And if they do play the Austrian... we simply have to jump off of the Black Lion train. This is one of the reasons I call the Black Lion Defense one dimensional. However, black is still completely okay! Here's my video on how to play against the Austrian Attack. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hovHgHhtacR2pNk

[@SuperQBoi]

I'm just getting back into Chess. I used to be a very good player in HighSchool (Went to State for it, placed 3rd). Back than I had gotten a Chess book from my grandma that had many opening moves in it and I fell in love with one I used all the time, but can't remember the name of it. To the best of my recollection, it involved stacking your bishops atop of each other above the King (might've been atop the Queen, I can't remember) Any ideas to what opening this was?

[@dogloves5536]

maybe Jerome Gambit

[@SuperQBoi]

@@dogloves5536No, if I remember correctly as white you'd get the bishops stacked on top of the King on e2 & e3. Might of been a black opening and maybe it was stacked on queen i can't remember.

[@TheChessGiant]

Was it the Leonardis Variation/Clam Opening? (I think it has two different names). It's when you go e4 and then d3 against e5 followed by Nf3, c3 stacking those bishops putting a queen on c2 etc etc.

[@SuperQBoi]

@@TheChessGiant That sounds like what I used to open. I just didn't remember what it was called, wish I still had the book it was published in the 90's before the internet so it had GM openings and puzzles. I used to love that opening because I favoured and valued my bishops more than the Knights (which I'd often swap for theirs in a heartbeat) when I played, and it set them up nicely for attacks.

[@brandonjackson4169]

Great video! I want to start playing black lion, I just have questions. What if my opponent doesn't castle at all or even castles queen side? Is the black lion still viable in these situations?

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Brandon, this is a great question. And this question is why I consider the Black Lion Defense "single-dimensional." For it to work the way it's supposed to, white has to castle kingside. If they don't, the knight d7-f8-g6-f4 idea simply loses some of its punch. Now, if this does happen, we can still maneuver our knight to an active spot, but a lot of the force simply isn't there anymore. Still playable, but by playing the Black Lion the player is hoping for a king targeted on the kingside. Hope this helps!

[@brandonjackson4169]

@@TheChessGiant yes this helps a lot, thank you so much for replying

[@TheChessGiant]

@@brandonjackson4169 Cool glad to hear man, and of course!

[@phidybee3334]

Funny enough I stumbled on this opening from stockfish analysis and I haven't even played your bring the knight back kingside attack yet but still had great success with it, so maybe it's less 1 dimensional than you think, great vid btw 🤘🤘✅

[@TheChessGiant]

Nice! Good to hear that, and keep up the good work!

[@phidybee3334]

Thanks ye iim loving it, defo improving but defo helps to have constructive vids like yours to watch so please keep em coming ❤️🤘

[@TheChessGiant]

@@phidybee3334 Yessir!

[@TipsyFlipper]

i am back... I can't shake this one. I know it might not be the most sound but i LOVE the ideas. The GingerGM did videos on this and I think your take is different. I want to be good with it because well.. BLACK LION is amazing name. I feel like it loses tempi but at the same time it mounts pressure that, if ignored, will overwhelm. I can't avoid this name!

[@TheChessGiant]

Happy you're back! Ya my take is definitely a little different on this opening. Strong, but narrow in possibility and idea in my opinion. But, great idea and great name as you said!

[@TipsyFlipper]

@@TheChessGiant I can't believe how bad I have become over my time off and how good everyone else has become. 1000 might be a lofty goal for now. I want to rock the vienna and the vienna gambit but my memory is suffering

[@peterdarby1445]

After Nh5 can black play Nxe4 with a discovered attack on the knight?

[@TheChessGiant]

Can you send a timestamp so I know exactly where in the video you're talking about? Thanks!

[@kentbriangalleros6659]

Philidor variation

[@vZephyr]

11:00 If Knf5, does black have Knxe4 as a response?

[@TheChessGiant]

Great question! So ya in that case Bxf5 is black's best option followed by a move like Nfd7 - just keeping the position solid and eyeing Nb6 ideas. That pawn on f5 is doubled and can become a weakness later on but only if we don't let it become a strength. We got to keep our pawn structure solid, keep developing and we should be in business.

[@plywoodcarjohnson5412]

I started to develop the queen much earlier. I have played this a thousand times. If this is onedimensional I would like to know 1,5 dimensional.

[@TheChessGiant]

Nice! I like that idea, keep it up!

[@johnquach9925]

The name is awesome.

[@BobbyFischer0000]

If white plays the Austrian attack, are you just stuck playing the pirc defense now? Thank you

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Sherlock, pretty much! This is why I call the Black Lion Defense one dimensional. It only works if white plays with a classical setup and castles kingside. If white castles queenside or goes for Austrian, there goes your Black Lion. The Black Lion could also be reached through the 1. ...e5 (might have a better chance) but even with this you gotta worry about white going into a Danish Gambit or King's Gambit and yet again no Black Lion. Really just a nice additional option on top of that Pirc Defense/Philidor Defense setup.

[@The_baller353]

8:05

[@vandammesque]

RAWR

[@TheChessGiant]

hahaha

[@nikhilr4525]

Woah this blew up!

[@TheChessGiant]

It did! I was honestly surprised how many views it got haha

[@ravendon]

Fee on kett oh

[@TheChessGiant]

This is how I am pronouncing it now!

[@jeffersonthomas1269]

fgd7 f6d7 f6d7 f6d7 f6d7 f6d7 Queen kisses the Bad Boy Knight b. wHILE THE gOOD kNIGHT GsKIRMISHES? Knight g. I want to play with my dark square Bishop outside of my pawn chain, that still the Dog? I mean Lion, Black Lion? Because the bAD bOY IS A LYON DOWN AT THE qUEENS FEET? Knight b.

[@TheChessGiant]

Woah.

[@justbusiness8402]

this seems very much like a troll video...people should not play this

[@edmondzeldin7036]

Why should people not play it?

[@joepinho3480]

I actually play this and for 1600 (my rating) and below this is perfectly playable for sure. I don't know above that.

[@TheChessGiant]

Might not work super well against Magnus Carlsen or Garry Kasparov because the plan is very straightforward. But even then, if white does, we have a playable game! And let's be honest, how many of us are playing guys at that level? Not many. It's a super fun system for black and I highly recommend trying it out!

[@TheChessGiant]

That's awesome! It's playable after this too! I just don't think it would do much to a GM player... but even then... okay a GM player stops the knight to f4 maneuver and we still have a playable middlegame. The Black Lion is sound!

[@johnpost460]

Can you talk a Little slower?