90% of players quit the Caro-Kann because of this

Caro-Kann course: www.chessable.com/the-caro-ka...
London System course: www.chessable.com/alex-banzea...
00:00 Intro
00:52 Game 1
16:37 Game 2
32:27 Game 3
Get my free course ✍️
www.chessable.com/short-sweet...
Live on 🔴:
/ alexbanzea
Follow me on 👀:
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[@AlexBanzea]

Caro-Kann course on sale: www.chessable.com/the-caro-kann-simplified/course/171080/

[@CKozub11]

Buy it. NOW! You will thank me.

[@CheckmateSurvivor]

The game of chess is becoming obsolete. I have created my own 11x11 chess variant. Please watch my latest video for some insane chess openings.

[@benvanasse3397]

I did and I concur @@CKozub11

[@scottdurkee3833]

@@benvanasse3397 does your little brain come up with its own thoughts?

[@Willeinhelm]

My first course I bought on chessable. Supporting you as well 👍

[@joelabraham6834]

I would be so mad if someone waited til they had 5 seconds left. Then suddenly destroyed me lol

[@aesaehttr]

(Magnus adjusting pieces until the last 5 seconds)

[@nadirqg]

He will feel better when he knows that his opponent's rating on his main account is 2665

[@drbinglederry9785]

1:50 “Probably that’s why you’re hard-stuck at 1000.” Damn, I felt that. 😂😂

[@fatlossformen]

I WAS ABOUT TO SAY. The audacity to tell it like it is.

[@jongler9775]

Your understanding of the beginner's mind is second to none.

[@gomtv5383]

Love the visualisation of alternative lines as you explain them.

[@theherk]

I’m confused by it. Generally while playing, this sort of visualization is done via highlights and arrows. This is actually having an engine up during play, isn’t it? I suppose since it is a training account the opponents rating isn’t actually at stake though.

[@gomtv5383]

@@theherk no my guy, it's edited in.

[@theherk]

@@gomtv5383 oh I’m probably just dumb, but since his mouse stopped moving in the main game window and the voice description coincided so precisely with the overlay, I must have been mistaken.

[@prakasavigraha6104]

Good tuition once again Alex. Much appreciated.

[@Narratick]

Second game has 2 "en passant" and a Knight promotion.. pretty entertaining! I love your vids, I just wish you'd post content more often! :p (especially jobava and caro-kann games)

[@AiR1DaN]

Good call. More jobava!

[@jayeeduran7227]

thank u so much for this caro kann repertoire coach ❤❤

[@Rydmore22]

Just pulled the trigger on the chess able course. Love this channel.

[@mirricano]

Just bought the course! I really appreciate your content and happy to take advantage of the discount!!!

[@someguyontheinternet7628]

Guys.....buy the caro course full vid. You will slaughter any e4 player below 1200 blitz. Slaughter effortlessly.

[@pathofmelee6746]

Even below 2000, don't worry lol

[@BloontoniumWizard]

@@pathofmelee6746Even after 2000, don’t worry lol

[@BloontoniumWizard]

@@pathofmelee6746I play it at 2000 it is a profit

[@astronemir]

After 1800 you shouldn’t only play the simplified version.

[@kitsune090]

1200? This is your start rating... why would you study an opening to beat people as bad as you or worse? It's unnecessary... a waste of time.

[@user-fo7xs3kz6u]

perfect!!! exactly what advice I needed

[@erichobbs4042]

So excited for the Jobava interview 😊

[@TheDendra7]

Glad to see you're pumping out more of your trademark content that helped me reach 2000. Nice, detailed commentary, complemented with sharp editing, all an improving player has to do is take notes. Cheers for all the content you produce, I'm sure it will help many more people improve their chess game.

[@pathofmelee6746]

I play the caro from 1000-1100 when i came back to chess, now I reached 2000ish, but i don't like to play online anymore, sometimes in tournament games i beat 2200-2300 (online rating) players, the caro is really good to learn every skill in chess, lately I don't enjoy it as much because my opponents know a lot of theory and i don't get any chances for a win, maybe i need to know more than them or something but hey i will definitely play it again at the right moment or when I'm tired

[@douglasgoulding6860]

What do you play with black now?

[@pathofmelee6746]

@@douglasgoulding6860 still caro kan 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@pathofmelee6746]

@@douglasgoulding6860 but seriously, I try Alekhine lol

[@yzfool6639]

That's my observation too. Against sound play, the Caro is one of the few main openings against 1.e4 where you don't get an attacking position. White gets plenty though.

[@BBeowulf]

⁠​⁠@@yzfool6639I guess it depends on your style of play. I find caro kann very easy compared to most openings and beat most people pretty easy with it because every move feels natural to me. I used to play Sicilian dragon and it’s variations for e4 but I never felt that comfortable with it and my game as black immediately improved when I switched.

[@NumberNinjaDave]

Your channel is superb. Keep it up, man 🎉

[@jefftaylor1186]

If I quit the Caro-Kann because of the hillbilly attack(like in the thumbnail), I’d be missing out on free wins. I have to check my game archive, but I’m 99% sure I’ve NEVER lost against it

[@kaybee2286]

How do you usually respond to the hillbilly? It’s so annoying!! I try to trap the bishop usually but it doesn’t always work. Edit: after d5 is played I mean. I usually go a5 threatening the bishop right away.

[@michaelflaherty3202]

just play d5 and continue on like normal. you can't trap the bishop but you gain a move threatening it.

[@jefftaylor1186]

@@kaybee2286 You just develop with tempo attacking the bishop. Worst case scenario is Bg5+ happens and you have to trade bishops.

[@BobCliffe]

Great video Alex, thanks!

[@dennymac850]

Hey Alex, today's vid was great. Love the wooden spoon! The new one is nice, but the original big ass spoon is the best. Nothing better than laughing while learning. Great delivery buddy. And the Caro holds up against Stockfish! Lol, awesome. Thanks for the laughs & the videos keep em comin

[@iloveyou-cd1kv]

Man i don't know how to thank you i started following you when i was 200elo and now a month later I'm close to a 1000!!

[@mathfril]

This what have been looking for, since Queen Side Caro-Kann..thank you 🙇‍♂️☺️

[@frankvanbussel4226]

Thanks for the supply of more Caro kann video’s

[@dropsadominik9923]

Hey, that wooden spoon from Budapest really caught me by surprise! Currently watching this video from Budapest. Great work, keep it up! 😁

[@AlexBanzea]

make sure to visit the city more than I did!

[@vairpalefroi]

Nice format of the video when you explain your online gameplay!

[@HCW2855HCW]

Love to hear you are not dumping us - at least not yet! HA! Really love the Jobava Caro Shows!

[@theherk]

How do you add the overlay board in the top right? Is it just switching to a scene with another window or is it added as a composite in post, because your mouse moves off the main game window and the movements match your calculation perfectly. Genuinely curious how you accomplish that. Anyway, great video as always. I'll be sure to forget everything immediately as usual.

[@camicees]

I left this channel to focus on playing CK a lot more and now im back it all makes sense.

[@AlexBanzea]

How is it going?

[@tahmeedchowdhury0007]

Congrats on 69k subscribers Alex!

[@screwtude2647]

Thanks again Banzea!

[@tomaszgrabski6661]

Ouu man, awesome channel. Great explanations. And I love your accent :-D Im so lucky that I found this video today at 1 am xD I should find it before.... Who knows, maybe now is the best time for my next chess steps. I bet i will watch all of Your videos. Excellent job, You gained a new fan. Regards from Poland \m/

[@AlexBanzea]

Big d energy

[@Relisoc]

I used to like not castling in the caro, pushing my h and g pawns and going for a mating attack. I swear that has to still be good in some lines but it mostly stopped being good for me at 1400ish

[@petercofrancesco9812]

You might have gotten stockedfished in the last game 19 best moves... The temptation to beat the teacher is irresistible

[@user-ch8yc2un1v]

I absolutely love the wooden spoon idea. I need this for my games.

[@crazycanuckerrant]

So what's the idea? if u r bad you get the wooden spoon? That sort of discipline is my generation stuff in Canada. I guess Alex's mom was old school.

[@ChristianSoschner]

Excellent points

[@sliceserve234]

the back rank joke made the video. i also enjoy when you look with the engine after the games and your mistakes are revealed, you do not accept that they were mistakes. somehow all the really strong players are this way.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I give away my entire repertoire, which is flawless through around move 20 and 25 pages (maybe 12-15 lines to remember). Openings are ridiculously overcomplicated by people who sell crap courses to players who'll never amount to anything.

[@shashikanthb9249]

I'm ur big fan Alex thank u so much for helping us ❤️❤️

[@Master_of_Chess_Shorts]

I love the Caro-Kann, still going to play it.

[@lgaynor1]

There is nothing sweeter than getting checkmated on the back rank when you were crushing your opponent. Ha!! Thank you Alex for that and the wooden spoon.

[@AlexBanzea]

Do that one more time and I’ll have to reveal the name haha

[@kamilzdun7542]

12:17 I got jumpscared by loud music on headphones xD Great video as always, Alex. Do you have any plans for showing how to play QGD from the black perspective? It would be great to see how you play d4 d5 positions as black in the next speedrun.

[@amfulger]

For a while back he was recommending the Slav defense seen as a reverse London. There is also a recent video where he plays the King's Indian against all non-e4 openings. Yes, I know, it's not a d4 d5.

[@planezero]

Hi Alex, how is it going with the Jobava course?

[@nickknight8065]

The "back ranked" joke was just top shelf. 😂😂😂

[@JarnoToivonen]

Hello Alex. Have been watching your videos a lot. Love´em. Consentrated on the Caro-Kann defence for black. Haven´t played a while but today, OMG. First I draw, but the next. WOW. Won by 95,8 accuracy just using your methods. The game played itself. Did not have to think much 😂. Took a picture of the analysis and gonna frame it and put it up on a wall 😃 Anyways, thanks a lot.

[@JarnoToivonen]

My elo is 800-900 in rapid.

[@jampubharadwaj9374]

This guy is good. His instruction is good for an advanced player as well.

[@gsmith7015]

At my 1400/1500 blitz level I do well with the hillbilly wayward queen thingy against the caro kann. If they know what they're doing I just end up a pawn down and underdeveloped but in general, people dont.

[@teenspirit1]

As a person perpetually stuck at 600, whenever I watch a video from this channel, subsequently I get a very nice satisfying win in online chess. But it doesn't carry over to the next game and the genius is gone.

[@santiagomorales9129]

if you can watch a lecture like this one paying good attention you'll be 1000 soon

[@snortingnesquik3470]

Hi Alex. Do you think you could put together a video on ways for Black to reliably transpose 1. d4 into Caro Kann positions?

[@AlexBanzea]

It's impossible, but if you want something simple, take a look here: kzbin.info/aero/PLy7vABK_JsyPeE-Bivc113GOjuD-hR02s

[@therealMolochko]

Hi Alex, this is my first video of yours I've seen, very good content. Love the explanations. I have a question. In game 2 at 28:10 did you not see 28...Kd4 for the rook fork or is there something I don't see that's not to like about that move?

[@AlexBanzea]

That’s what I played for initiallly, but realised there was Rxf6+ (and I was like, whooops)

[@therealMolochko]

@@AlexBanzea Thanks for the response! I understand the explanations get less detailed as time gets short and now re-watching that moment I can see your thinking now. Of course the fork doesn't work! Thanks again for explaining. I'll keep watching your channel!

[@simonprovencher6007]

do you know when the jobava course should come out? cant wait!

[@greenlineexpress8213]

6:45 Alex: "Funny Move" Engine: "Brilliant Move"😂😂

[@joerokcz]

How do you behave so calm with even 1sec in your hand😂😂😂😂

[@jayeeduran7227]

coach Can u plsss make a another video for slav defense? and counter the london system?

[@slimpwarrior]

My favorite type of video!

[@bikedoc59]

Thanks!

[@tootsfelomino4015]

the first game is 🤯

[@drgoose3880]

Did the account get reported? The game seemed to just be an 1800 rapid who knew his f4 caro and fairly quiet over all. Look at his time usage, it's not super clear. Anyway, great vid. I love the long caro climbs .its great to see the lines I try to play go past the opening and see the endgame squeeze.

[@marionmoreno6293]

Thank u sir my name is marlon moreno from phillipines im always watching ur vedio my game was improve the caro khann

[@HarijsHelvigs]

I finally remembered what he remainded me of- remember those aliens in Tim Allen movie Galaxy Quest?

[@37metalgearsolid]

Kramnik on the last game: Hmm ok, 92-92% accuracy. Very interesting. Game very clear to me. Let's do the procedure.

[@daboyez8138]

Yes more Caro-Kann videos!!

[@CarlosMorales-er3rj]

Hi i am from spain I have a question Before I played the expensive kann although now I play the French defense. I like solid gameplay. My question is what could I play against 1.c4 and 1.d4 without entering the Slavic or King's Indian defense? Maybe that's why I stopped practicing Caro Kann thank you.

[@janzabransky7789]

Do you ever stream? I followed you on twitch and you are never live. Anyway, good video as always (didn't see it yet).

[@AlexBanzea]

I stream KZbin sometimes (who knows when the twitch comeback will be? :P)

[@FrancescoCarucci]

Dude, you are good at this. Funny and instructive :)

[@technomusicchannel1]

i stuck on 1500 in rapid for months ... how to go trough that ?

[@marcuscook5211]

Bro wins with 4 seconds on the clock on a regular basis

[@davidb6016]

Hey Alex, Do you have anything in the works for Black against 1. d4? Something to complement the CK?

[@AA-pk6fo]

Englund gambit works nicely

[@AlexBanzea]

kzbin.info/aero/PLy7vABK_JsyPeE-Bivc113GOjuD-hR02s

[@KenpachiRyuk]

I played a 1. E4 C6 2. D4 D5 3. C4 DXE4 It transposed into a slav defense: diemer gambit which I had no clue what that was. Do I need to study some slav opening just in case?

[@1Baza22]

Good educational video, after game 3 I have to say that I have played at 90+% a few times especially after watching your content, and I'm low rated elo, does that mean I'm suspicious. Or maybe lower elo is just catching up now? with all these videos like your ones out there, it is certainly helping players that take it in (me included). However like me, I can play perfect games and then get a 40% accuracy because I miss things like a mate in 1 for 5-6 moves of the game, or just get cheesed by players, because we don't expect those types of moves lol.

[@thepoofication]

At 28:00 why not exchange the bishop and the knight (his rook is moved to a bad square imo)? Great instructive video as always

[@AlexBanzea]

That was better, but I thought I’m winning the rook (forgot taking on f6 comes with check) 🤦‍♂️

[@thepoofication]

@@AlexBanzea Thought so, thanks!

[@walterbrownstone8017]

When I play 1500 level players I mostly lose on time because they never give up even after they lose the queen!

[@grad83]

uraaa clip nouu

[@ghost7ii692]

great vid!

[@zainmalik7214]

Please Make a video about what to do with D4 opening? I always abort 🤣

[@unforgettable1233]

Love your videos

[@evhwolfgang2003]

I chortled... "I'm stupid okay? Don't follow me." - Alex Banzea

[@Dolfski]

Yes more videos!!

[@satwikdhiman516]

At 16:25 what if rook c1 takes and if black rook takes then rook b8 mate or not?

[@thesilent9946]

Can you make a video about how to increase blitz Rank to be Like Rapid ?

[@everythinginfullspectrum8625]

I got a feeling that last one was a pro on, playing against Caro-kann... or maybe, just maybe he just played the game of his/her life...🙃

[@ironmind_hq]

bro just casually talking as his time is ticking and he's in check and playing a blitz game 😂

[@christiancamilosalazar5539]

The last opponent was too suspicious.😢

[@njstone9]

Alex! You keep talking about your "upcoming" Jobava course! When is it coming? Please, I beg you - let me buy it soon!

[@calmarcalmar]

good - especially eith 1.5 faster video-speed

[@kaidoChess]

Last dude seemed sus.. I looked at his account

[@thesilent9946]

Can you make a video about the Exchange Variation?

[@AlexBanzea]

This is it! Also check out the video mentioned at the end

[@ujvarig74]

Hungary mentioned, wahoo😎

[@luckymagudulela5395]

The last "paid actor" really gave you a run for your money🤣🤣🤣

[@samcook1116]

Is Qa5+ a move at 3:23 ?

[@user-mv2zw4cw7i]

New to chess. What software are you using?

[@AlexBanzea]

Chess.com

[@pablo4451]

alex vids so good

[@jasonwolfe2991]

Ok, I have a way to help myself remember this rule, but I'm gonna needs some green paint.

[@jayeeduran7227]

coach what is the best opening against d4? slav or king's Indian defense?

[@AlexBanzea]

kzbin.info/aero/PLy7vABK_JsyPeE-Bivc113GOjuD-hR02s

[@itsiqbalgaming]

Hahah nice magic trick Alex his queen disappeared 😂😂😂

[@user-db8jd2lc2e]

👍thanks for the vid and nice informative games

[@companyjoe]

You nailed the voice in my head! 5. h3!! ... and black resigns.

[@kimpo2490]

In the situation at 3:15 in the video. Why is Qa5+ and then Qxb5 not the best alternative?

[@jasonkay6370]

White can simply move out his knight to simultaneously block the check and guard the bishop. If the queen captures the bishop, the knight is no longer pinned to the king and can capture the queen.

[@Mike-mm4mx]

after nb2 then a5xa4 why didn't the white knight simply take the rook on c4 instead of a3xb4? have I missed something?

[@saga995]

I'm around 1500 and I also have sometimes such a good games, especially if I know some variation well (partially thanks to your courses 😅). I can sometimes beat colleagues who are 2k, but statistically I lose 90%. I know it's still a "monkey" level, but it's not that someone cheats if he plays a perfect game 🙂

[@FloydMaxwell]

The last two players were suspect. Especially the last one.

[@R.Akerman-oz1tf]

There are anomalies, then there is suspicion. Yes, quite questionable.

[@pramodkumarnarayanan9520]

In second game..Alex U missed taking the bishop when he played f4...😅😅😅

[@AlexBanzea]

it was defended, but yeah it was better haha