Missing Tactics in Your Games? Watch this!

[@Luv2Boogie]

Good stuff coach. Radjabov would constantly and continuously say to himself, during his past streams, “where is the tactic” as soon as he’s out of the opening.. Every move.

[@arimorrison7816]

I used to really struggle with missing tactics in games, but since I started watching you, I’ve been looking for aggression and I have a good sense of what types of positions often have tactics. You have helped my chess immensely

[@Gamersquadtttta]

What’s ur elo

[@arimorrison7816]

about 1940 on lichess rapid@@Gamersquadtttta

[@RealityCheck1]

"Tune Your Chess Tactics Antenna" by Emmanuel Neiman seems to be the best book explaining how to detect tactics in all positions. Better than Dan Heisman's "seeds of tactics"

[@ChristianJWitte]

Thanks!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Thanks so much , appreciated!

[@OctavianIV]

Absolutely brilliant video. First class, as always. It's a great privilege to be able to watch these.

[@RobFraser]

This has been a struggle of mine for some time. Feeling I'm under analyzing in some positions and over analyzing in others. I deeply appreciate your emphasis on cardinal signs of tactics or imminent possibilities. I started with studying an opening and found your coaching advice help to focus on principles and understanding the themes, structures and ideas that occur regardless of move order.

[@manuelfranco1]

@ChessCoach Andras I have always wondered in classical games whether we should only go through the checks, captures, and threats checklist in positions where we recognize that there should be a tactic. I ask because I go through the checklist on every move, including positions where a tactic does not appear to be justified, and wonder if I am just handicapping my time management. Thanks for your thoughts.

[@bluefin.64]

Somehow we need to turn being alert for tactics from an idea into a habit. It needs to apply to defense, too, which I think is even harder for most of us. Thanks for another fun, interesting video. Take care of your voice.

[@robertrichard2322]

Absolutely, "is there a tactic here" must be the first thing asked when looking for a candidate move, first for me then for the opponent, only after confirming there isn't should other concepts be considered

[@HughMyronGains]

this is really resonating with me. it's so true. it's easy to get lazy and not even look for tactics anywhere but the most obvious positions.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Glad you found it useful!

[@HughMyronGains]

@@ChessCoachAndras you have some of the best and most useful chess content out there! thank you for all of your work!

[@jonshive5482]

As GM Huschenbeth says, "Tactics are the foundation of everything else." So true. Also true is that most people don't have the visualization or calculating skills necessary to master this aspect of the game. Mark Dvoretsky once noted that most players reach a particular plateau of ability from which they can never advance to scale the heights regardless of experience or study. Welcome to the human condition 🙂.

[@JamesRivers-t7n]

At 18:08 one could look at the variation of 1.....Q-h5 2. P-h3(forced) QxPch 3.PxQ B-B7ch would almost lead to mate except that White can now play 4.R-f3 interposing the check since the white queen is now protecting the R-F3. Thus if the queen is somehow diverted from the D1 and H5 diagonal the White rook will no longer have the protection of the queen and mate can be assured. Although no one can deny the talent of the player of the black pieces this little retro analysis can sometimes help one fine surprising combinations that might allude us mere mortals. In essence the queen was an overloaded piece that makes this combination possible.

[@battlescard213]

Absolutely fantastic!👍🏿

[@kylezo]

Andras I am obsessed with your accent, i know you're hungarian but you sound south african!!

[@czibor76]

Great lesson, Coach!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

@@czibor76 koszi!

[@ifixfridges7792]

Super useful, Coach! Thank you!

[@mikecantreed]

Last tactic is a good example of reciprocal thinking. “Mate threat doesn’t work…can I change something at the beginning of the line so that it does?”

[@joshuagillespie5940]

Super instructive video as always

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Hakabas01]

these days I just calculate in every position, as much as I can and as time allows. There are always tactics in places you don't even suspect them.

[@asdf14051]

watched this video last night, coming back to it now after thinking about it all day and thinking about games ive played recently, i realized im actually bad at tactics, even though i thought that was the strongest part of my game. thanks for bringing this to my attention, and im going to redirect the focus of my studying time

[@kugelblitzingularity304]

can you talk about how to deal with positions with multiple threats for both sides? e.g. 3 hanging pieces for white and 2 hanging pieces for black, not rushing to capture pieces in a pawn fork, etc. complex looking situations that usually just stops people from going into those variations

[@DanielSouza-rs6wo]

Always very instructive, Andras. Really good stuff!

[@MattduCouloir]

Best chess video I have seen in a while !

[@FilmCo-ut4ck]

Great video, Coach! Great advice!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Appreciate it!

[@rotatingmind]

It seems we need to develop some intuition when to look for tactics. I am following IM Nelson Lopez (aka ChessVibes), and when he is playing games, he would let us participate in his thought process. At some point he would say "that seems like there are tactics available now", and he will look for it, and sometimes even finds something. That's amazing, and possibly the right approach to look for tactics (when you have shorter time controls).

[@gregp.4358]

Important lesson. Thanks!

[@timperry3198]

I watched this video & would you believe that the exact pin you used as an example (Bb5 pinning Q on c6, where if Qxb5, Nxc7 forking Q and K) came up in a game I played later the same day? Great video. That’s a pin I’ll remember!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Epic stuff, glad the vid helped!

[@indrachess]

Hello coach! I followed your 1. d4 recommendations and played a couple of games, sticking to your 'activity over material' principle. They went really well and were of good quality (acc. to stockfish, at least). I think you'll find it content worthy, please tell where I can send it?

[@kyrollousashraf5374]

The coach gave 1.d4 recommendations!!!??? Where??? I play 1.d4 and I would LOVE hear his recommendations.... Can you share the link of that video(s)?

[@asdf14051]

@@kyrollousashraf5374 chessable

[@ClemensAdolphs]

@@kyrollousashraf5374 Coach has a course on chessable, a beginner 1.d4 repertoire. He also has a 1.e4 repertoire as well as repertoires for black against 1.e4 and 1.d4. They're all fantastic courses founded in the chess principles.

[@philistineau]

GG. Thanks for coming. Love it.

[@tomas-wi8dy]

Good lesson again! Thank you!

[@newstatejim]

This was really good, thanks Andras 👍

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Glad you liked it!

[@chimbiepaladin4629]

Best vid ever. Soo useful. And gets me excited about chess

[@d_15745]

My favorite chess KZbinr! Better than those Botez sisters

[@santodagostino6896]

A brilliant lesson, with the very high instructional and inspirational values that are typical for IM Toth.

[@TheFrenkel]

How about pattern recognition books / collections? And specific recommendations?

[@dm_nimbus]

"If your instinct is not Bb5 in less than two seconds" It wasn't, but I don't feel sad about that. I feel excited that I know I have something to work on!

[@bonnie_rose]

This was great! Thanks for making this video!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@southernrun9048]

Great video. Thanks

[@gavinjones8543]

Great video Andras! I had an idea while watching: a video showing multiple positions that may or may not have tactics At All. Perhaps another way to increase tactic recognition. Just thought i would share, if useful to you. .

[@milosjovanovic4218]

Great video and the theme! Really interested to hear your thoughts on think like a super gm boom…

[@kurtozan251]

Great vid! Thx for the fun content

[@pdomckenzie]

Nice video. I was reminded of the classic Rotlewi-Rubinstein in relation to your last example. Definite similarities and I think anyone who has studied that game would have a good chance of finding Rxc2.

[@PranitSuman]

I used to be a master at tactics at about when I was 1500, now I am a weak 1900 constantly missing tactics which I would have had spotted back when I was 1500

[@RedGaming23]

Great stuff. Love the truck analogy. Iv used looking when crossing the road analogy with kids before to teach them not to place pieces on dangerous squares but I think the way you presented it was more powerful and one I will also use for more advanced students when they say they didn’t see any tactics 👍🏻

[@kylezo]

"whats theworst that can happen if you assume there's always a tactic" i lose on time by move 6 because i cant stop looking for moves that don't exist since everyone in my club is way better than me

[@zarinekhan8705]

Did u look...? legendary boss....

[@PranavKarve81]

I've noticed that I struggle with tactics that involve waiting, or a threat that the opponent cannot stop. For example I spent a long time looking at Rxd3 in the last position but didn't even think of Rxc2 to pull the queen away from d1-h5. Similarly in the position before that I saw Re7 but rejected Qxg5 cause it didnt by itself attack anything. Completely failed to understand that Balck can't stop upcoming threats. Is there a way to improve this aspect?

[@Alzareon]

I think a natural way to find Rxc2 here is to first calculate 1... Qh5 2. h3 Qxh3 3. g2 Bb7+ and notice that it doesn't work, because the rook and queen are both covering f3. Then an obvious next question is whether you can remove one of those defenders by capture/chasing away/deflection. I did see the problem with the queen and rook covering f3, but spent a long time looking in other directions. Something more is needed than just going through all checks/capture/threats that guides you towards the right moves. Otherwise, the calculational load becomes too much.

[@PranavKarve81]

@@Alzareon thanks, I think this is a good tip, but the problem is I immediately ruled out Qh5 for being too slow😂💀

[@ClemensAdolphs]

@@PranavKarve81 To that last comment I can remember advice from Andras about calculation, and only stopping with your calculation when you've come to an objective evaluation. Don't break off calculation based on a subjective feeling like "...but then Rd8 look scary" or whatever.

[@JamesRivers-t7n]

one idea to get from the last position that you alluded to is that many combinations almost work but you need a diversion so that one takes advantage of one of the protecting pieces in the position because it is overloaded. I confess I didn't see it right away but at least I understand how one can deduce the combination more freely! @@Alzareon

[@asdf14051]

theres a hungarian named andras in your thumbnail that isnt you!? :0

[@mazin5584]

It's a meme

[@asdf14051]

@@mazin5584 im aware

[@AGILISFPV]

Interesting 😮😮 I realize first I need to drill basic puzzles. Perhaps I should spend more time on puzzle rush.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Puzzle rush is a very suboptimal way to drill basic tactics. something like the checkmate pattern manual on chessable would be much much better.

[@AGILISFPV]

@ChessCoachAndras Thats great to know thank you so much!

[@WHAT-gm1xm]

Hey man I am stuck in 1200 elo in rapid blitz bullet but my puzzle rating is 2200+ I practice daily but stuck in same rating how to improve

[@rensblom8855]

Great video! But this is only about tactics from your own pov, and I think what's holding me back most is missing tactics (often very simple ones) from my opponent. Do you have any advice on that?

[@umut9507]

Solve more puzzles and improve your pattern recognition.

[@TheFrenkel]

What’s the best way to improve pattern recognition? Are there specific resources you can recommend? Is it long hours of tactics / puzzle rush? And specific collections that are good to work on again and again?

[@umut9507]

As a 2000 rapid rated Lichess player, I believe any reputable tactics books including high number of puzzles are the best and must for starting training. I think these books include most commonly used / basic patterns that every chess player should know. Examples: Igor Shukhin's Chess Camp Series, Sergey Ivaschenko's Chess School series. After you are familiar with the basic patterns then sharpen yourself with free, unlimited online puzzles. I think puzzle rushes do not provide balanced portfolio of basic patterns, rather they are random tactics provided based on their difficulty level. They are second step and your routine daily dose of chess training.

[@nickburggraaf3977]

A wise coach once said: "You need to have the desire to find the ultimate truth!" Which includes finding the best moves for your opponent.

[@umut9507]

I think this concept is reverse thinking rather than believing. In most of the tactics users think like "what can I do with my pieces?" Reverse thinking is what are the options of opponent king? When you observe there are no so much options of the opponent king then you start to think how you can get advantage of the trapped king. The examples given in the video are knight & bishop mate and queen & rook / queen & bishop battery mate pattern. Before believing and optimism about your intuition you need to have razor sharp mate pattern recognition, then reverse thinking. Just believing/optimism and random what-if analysis is a waste of time.

[@petrovai1986]

Why did you close your Lichess account?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

I became a dotcom contracted streamer and creator .

[@arthurwieczorek4894]

No, no, no. You ran off from that first example too fast. The first thing you should see is that your knight is hanging. You should be looking for options to save it or trade it. THEN, before you have picked a specific saving move you should give the board a general look. There you might see the 'line sickness' of black's queen and king, and that such a pin would save the knight. The first thing you will see about that situation is that the pin-1 square is lose, is not a power point. The bishop, which was ready, could/would be captured, the knight saved. Oh, the king is on the cusp---and so would the queen be, if she took the bishop; which she would have to. And the power point is free. A cap--fork. Yes. All this in seconds.

[@AlexAlekhine_]

Boomshki !!!

[@DaydreamVacations]

Great video. An excellent addition to the book that really helped me this past year. I know you love chess books. This one you might find is great for your students 1200 to 1800. Tune Your Chess Tactics Antenna By Emmanuel Neimann Thank you for all your great KZbin and Chessable content!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Thanks mate, will check out the book!

[@screamingliner]

This book was a huge (HUGE) help for me to spot tactics in games. It teaches you when to look for tactics in a very clear and understandable way.

[@CornerPost-m7w]

can you use a real game example, not these chess puzzle setup. there is huge difference to it.

[@jamunagopal837]

Andras likely looks like anish

[@simonhinkel4086]

'move first think later': if you don't see the basic theme instantly you most likely wont figure it out.