Middlegame Concepts To CRUSH Opponents

[@Subzero3-n7r]

Here's a quick summary: 1. Keep an eye out for weaknesses 2. Be patient; don't try to brute force it 3. Make threats, short or long term 4. Get familiar with specific openings by looking at top players or stockfish

[@PickleInfusedWithGreenCrystal]

ty

[@abelmundakakulath9555]

nobody asked for it

[@cyprus1005]

@@abelmundakakulath9555 i did ..with my mind

[@Subzero3-n7r]

​@@abelmundakakulath9555 yeah, but it's an easy copy and paste summary for people who want it :)

[@Subzero3-n7r]

@@PickleInfusedWithGreenCrystal yw

[@callmecarlul8904]

I would love lectures on midgame plans in particular openings, you could maybe even insert a GM game where certain plans get highlighted

[@shevekable]

I second this!

[@nguyentruongphu1383]

+1 this

[@TungstenWu]

absolutely, I would love to see one about the caro kann

[@callmecarlul8904]

@@TungstenWu Or even maybe more specifically the plans of the Exchange Variation, the Tal Variation, Bronstein variation etc. and slowly build out a video catalogue going over midgame plans for both sides for every opening variation.

[@philipeby5418]

Agreed

[@BobChess]

The middle-game is the most fascinating part of chess because it is a part when there are unique games. After I watch this video, my middle game will be more and more fascinating!

[@omnigodguy]

Imagine the middle game when you start with openings like the King's Gambit or the Advanced French

[@shreyaskumar9175]

Everybody gangsta until englund gambait middle game is to be played

[@yeahno3167]

​@Ben Prescott i play kings gambit 90% of the time and i love the middle games i get

[@yeahno3167]

​@Ben Prescott i play kings gambit 90% of the time and i love the middle games i get

[@OK-uf5ly]

​@@omnigodguy i playe king's gambit too but I like end games more I'm able to calculate very good at end

[@tominmo8865]

I had an Expert-level chess teacher for three years when I was first learning the game, who was very helpful to me. I watch some smart-aleck NYC guy who is very entertaining and also gives good instruction. I watch a Russian GM whose name sounds like vodka who is also a very good teacher. You beat them all. Your free content is head and shoulders above theirs in terms of clear explanation and covering areas that people actually need; this video being a good example. I always knew there was something missing in my understanding, and your lessons are filling that void nicely. So much of successful chess is seeing the board well, and then asking yourself the right questions, beyond king safety and the checks/captures/attacks checklist.

[@Ishbikes]

Yea, I went against a guy yesterday. We were both 1100-1200 elo. He says all he watches is gothamchess. I told him Gotham is good for entertainment, but *chessvibes* is the man if you actually want to get better. He never heard of *chessvibes* channel though

[@dannytran1587]

I’d suggest Daniel Naroditsky as well. He improved my rating from triple digits to 1500 in a few months. Very digestible manner for newer, experienced, and advanced players. They’re a GM too so they see the game in a different light than the rest of us.

[@tedsassi1993]

I love that you pause to let the viewer try and spot the moves themselves - I found that really fun and helpful!

[@lexycat]

You are by far my favourite Chess channel on the platform, thank you so much for making such helpful and fun content

[@ChessVibesOfficial]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@lexycat]

@@ChessVibesOfficial :D

[@AmadeMuse]

But we should wonder what their honest opinion on GothamChess is lol

[@robertakerman3570]

Ditto. Nels can relate.

[@unliving_ball_of_gas]

@@davidjames149 Because he's straight to the point and very concise. Doesn't mean that I don't watch channels like Levy. I watch Levy for entertainment, and Nelson for learning.

[@roblodocus2539]

I really need to focus on point 2. I often play aggressively once I’ve developed, completely forgetting to even consider playing patiently. I think subconsciously I’m worried I’m falling behind if I’m not moving forward. I’ve wrecked my own position this way so many times.

[@scottp9247]

That is my major issue aswell

[@squarestar5134]

Absolutely! Please do make a series that analyses midgame ideas. I play the Queen's gambit a lot and typically just trade pieces after the opening because I don't have any midgame plans

[@domthebeast6423]

That’s a huge problem I have too

[@philipeby5418]

Yes

[@yeahmans]

I do whatever I want cause im a dumbass and i dont study shit

[@jemand8462]

I hate pets Players like you lol

[@rippedkun]

Literally my problem

[@Lol98-wk18]

“What now?” I always find my self asking this question after the opening 😩

[@deadringer-cultofdeathratt8813]

Same 🗿

[@SCLEDONFF]

Can we play a game ?

[@ChukwuemekaOji]

Bring your pieces to squares they do better.

[@arturgajewskiphotog]

Being patient is one of the best tips I have heard in a long time. Once I started looking at the board and forgetting about time, I started playing better. Hence I line to play 30 minute rapids.

[@EdMcF1]

The main point to remember about chess is that it is perfectly organised at the start, and every move increases the 'entropy' (chaos) in the game. Managing the chaos so that it works to your advantage is what the game is actually about, keeping your opponent's position more chaotic than yours is the key.

[@starrahul9717]

science student?

[@pdcx]

I like this entropy model

[@Termsandconditions1234]

Wow thanks for the insights

[@AwaisKhan-mh6cd]

You must fun to talk to ❤

[@allenbro9900]

chaos is the ladduh

[@thales7438]

Nelson reminds me of my elementary school history teacher; he made things interesting using the rhythm of his voice and his hands, no rush, patience to weave a story or a particular idea. It's a gift.

[@chemquests]

This was great. There’s so much on openings but a middle game review is a rare gem. It’s the most complicated part of the game where it can fall apart.

[@dannytran1587]

Hey Nelson, I usually come to your videos for guides and tips. There are great takeaways from this video, but tip 1-2 seemed more geared towards beginners. If you’re facing 2000 rated players, they are not going to blunder a trapped bishop or get their queen pinned like that. Tip #2 of being patient can only work for so long. These 2 tips made it seem like you just expect us to wait for our opponent to blunder, which is not a good way of looking at it imo. Your last 2 tips were the best. I agree with the long-term threats since short-term threats don’t do much (A4 as suggested in the video can really hurt you down the line, so rushing to make a 2 move threat would be creating bad habits. I absolutely agree that pons are based on the openings, however. A suggestion I would’ve wanted you to talk about (highly recommended Daniel Naroditsky’s middlegame tips videos) is piece placement. The idea of where we should get our bishops, knights, rooks, queens, etc. Knights want outposts, bishops want open diagonals, rooks want open files. Naroditsky says that if you could pick up any piece of your choice and place it wherever you want on the board, where would you put it? That’s kind of the idea I wish you would’ve spoken about, because many people who follow these 4 tips you’ve given still have 0 clue where to move their pieces. They just know pawn breaks will open up their pieces (such as f4 recommend in the video). As always, I’ll forever be a supporter of your content. Please let me know what you think.

[@jasonhe5578]

Wow my instinct was screaming Qb3 and it turned out to be a mistake

[@setablazee3570]

A good rule of thumb for noticing weaknesses it to re-analyze the board after a pawn moves 👍

[@fullofitray]

Once again, another great video! You are a great coach/teacher! You explain everything so well and it's easy to understand! I saw someone comment that it may be easier for you to make a poll and see what openings we play most often. Then you can base your content off that. Thank you!!!

[@user-cj8bh3eo2p]

Thanks!

[@ChessVibesOfficial]

Thanks, William!

[@Cinephile..]

11:00: this is the problem I face ; I am so convinced of my plan that I forget that the opponent has already set all the pieces to give a quick checkmate

[@moniqueheubel8970]

I really love the way you get to the main ideas and concepts in chess. Sometimes I am too detailed and miss the main ideas. I would love to grasp the main ideas behind the Catalan and the Kings Indian Defense to a broader understanding. I have been working on these during the pandemic and have great success with them, but I am still learning.

[@JFGames365]

You are my favorite chess youtuber, and I will tell you why. I'm sorry for being a bit harsh to some of the other guys, but you speak in a normal calm voice. No over excitement or 1930's radio-broadcaster voice that people for some reason think they have to use when speaking in a video. You also explain things very clearly. Good job. Thank you.

[@stevehill2570]

Fantastic video! I’ve known these concepts for a while but have failed to follow through on them more times than I care to admit. Seeing real examples with various solid or sub-par moves from a hypothetical opponent is invaluable.

[@happyhornet1000]

It's a very good point about the opening matching the middlegame plans. So many players simply learn opening moves by rote and don't understand why the moves are played. It's more important to understand the 'why' than the 'what', when thinking of what move to play in the opening.

[@raghavaramanr1657]

Hey Nelson!! I am not sure if many people notice it, but the thumbnails which you are making recently, are really appealing!! Love how you use a different character or something, to even change some of the older ones Appreciate that!

[@ChessVibesOfficial]

Glad you like them!

[@jeremyglass4283]

4:58 not sure if you were hinting at this when you said "It looks like the bishop is trapped" but in case you weren't, black can get out of it with b5, danger levels. (e5 doesn't work because then dxe5 and both of blacks bishops are hanging.)

[@AdvayRajoria]

Bishop takes and white is just up a pawn still a great position imo ( i havent calculated just glance so i might be wrong).

[@ЮліяМаксимович-ъ4ш]

If you do start the series, please make an analysys on the London opening midgame plans! I usually get a pretty decent position from the opening, but don't really know how to convert the advantage in a clever way

[@dailychessyy]

Thanks, I increased 50 lichess rating by using these techniques !!

[@tiletapper4ever]

15:40 yes, we would love the idea of this becoming a series of videos. This video was really helpful, because midgame is a tough part of the game, and you explained neatly the tactics. Personally, I'd love queen's gambit to be explained next, if we agree on keeping this up. :)

[@kr0znik]

yes please. plans in certain openings would be interesting

[@Spenserifically]

Very helpful and clear video I hope you will do more videos on openings and the plans/patterns applicable to them, I'm a big fan of your channel thank you

[@ThatGuateKid]

A series on the openings and the ideas would be amazing! Your channel got me into chess since you are able to present information very well and are clearly very knowledgeable.

[@veronicasmith2131]

This truly is my favorite chess channel! Thank you so much!

[@altonbrek]

Brilliant! Thank you for your patient unfolding of the middle game plan and the wonderful suggestions for improvements.

[@gosukiwi]

Awesome video! Opening middlegame ideas would surely be great, most opening videos are just discussing lines and very rarely they throw a few middlegame ideas out in the air but it's like, they spend 20 minutes in the opening and the last 2 minutes before the video ends on a few ideas.

[@Chris_Traynor]

Ooh that series on the plans within a specific opening would be great 👍🏻

[@hmm9705]

I would love if you could make that series analyzing openings. If its possible using your idea: You can analyze how you should play certain openings by showing the plans of the same GM playing the same opening multiple times or even different GMs playing it and seeing what their plans would've been. Thank you so much and it would be so helpful if you can do that.

[@bgamercc6589]

Definitely an opening series! When watching top games, sometimes they drop how opening ____ is aggressive or opening ____ is passive, etc. would love to fully understand why

[@hangonhangon433]

you sir is very helpful and this ideas are gold for us who cannot afford coaching

[@javiermijares]

Very keen on videos that explore different openings in detail!

[@E8kristianvnossen]

Great tips, i imediately started playing brilliant moves

[@E8kristianvnossen]

not sarcasm

[@VinayKumarT1302]

😂

[@nguyentruongphu1383]

You can extend the fourth plan and try to cover middle game plans for some other popular openings as well. Great video like always!

[@RichardNebenfuhr]

Awesome video!!!! Thanks for the pauses to get us to look for stuff!!!

[@patricksegura1810]

im down to start that series of openings! What a great idea nelson

[@garydirkse9900]

Great teaching and I think that you mentioned before, look for overworked defenders. Occasionally a queen or rook will be defending several other pieces. Plans to make said queen move via trades may lead to adventure, fun, disaster or incremental advantage.

[@simoleppanen120]

Thanks very useful! Videos on opening ideas sound very interesting. 👍

[@v_iancu]

4:23 move pawn to d4, and after a pawn exchange bishop jas to flee and maybe you can fork the knight and the bishop with an unblocked queen as a backup or pin the c6 knight to the rook

[@SureRox]

The thing about letting your opponents make mistakes was a great help

[@srikkanthank]

Whenever I get into closed positions, i get impatient, sac some piece and think I simplified it but end up in worse situation

[@makarelsardines8457]

PLEASE MAKE THAT SERIES I NEED THAT BADLY

[@Thatguy-md5ve]

Great video as always, after watching this I played 2 games with 0 inaccuracies, 0 blunders and 0 misses, and the middlegame was the deciding factor!

[@sihargreaves]

Good stuff Nelson. Been playing chess after watching your speedrun series and have already absorbed a few of these concepts by osmosis. Now I feel like it's more my fault for losing a game for not seeing something and not what my opponent does.

[@colescalisthenics]

Thank you Nelson, believe it or not, I have decent opening plays and counters and a really good/decent end game but I am always stuck trying to figure what move will benefit me the most in the middle-game

[@alexslayerking]

I would absolutely love a series on plans by opening! For white: Italian game, Danish fancy. For black: caro kann!

[@philipsaoud244]

The reason that plans are specific to certain openings usually comes down to one characteristic. Pawn structure. That's a huge consideration when forming a middle game strategy.

[@tominmo8865]

1. Look for weaknesses. 2. Be patient! Make quiet developing moves. 3. Make threats. 4. Plans are usually specific to certain openings.

[@hughpenner5051]

At 6:18, instead of h3, why not Bxe5, fxe5, Qb3 forking the pawns, Qc8 (only move to defend both), then Bxf6 damaging kingside structure?

[@funnyperson4016]

I like it but one thing about that weakness if black moves the queen is if black ends up moving the queen back to defend it’s not really a problem. You don’t have to take the knight right away. So h3 is still a move preventing the knight from going anywhere and then you can think about tucking the knight to h2, pushing the pawn to g4 or g3 then f4 and at any time if black starts creating threat of counter attack you can still take the knight and if black wants to move his queen back so that it’s pinned now you threaten to push your pawns and reinforce them so you set up sort of an ability to push your pawn to kick away the knight and then maybe a if protected by a pawn or if you swing the other knight over on the king side, a discovered attack on the queen, your pawn advance gets the rooks involved and you can attack both the center and kingside and get your queen involved immediately after the bishop finally takes the knight This is the idea of “maintaining tension” when you have a fork or a threat rather than take it right away look for otherways to build other pressures and threats. Of course taking the knight is still an option but as a rule… when you find a good move look for a better one.

[@Liam_The_Great]

I would love a series discussing opening ideas!

[@bloxy9996]

𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: You play martin but you have to go in piece value order when playing each move. Pawn > Knight > Bishop > Rook > Queen > King If you have none of that piece you skip it. If you are in check you can move any piece.

[@helpmeplsplz]

Maybe if you are in check and you can’t block with the piece that you’re supposed to move, you lose the game.

[@OpGaming-hm2pw]

Sir please make a full series on some or all the lines of top openings for both white and black.. We would be happy for those.............

[@ManusMagus]

It's fascinating how many people will say things like your mid game plan depends on the opening. And I'm sure there are deep theory books that explain these plans, but oftentimes the lessons that are easy to find do not actually talk about the evolution of the mid game from the opening other than just a brief mention of this concept

[@msolec2000]

That's interesting. On that last point, though, an earlier question (I don't know if you covered that) is how to pick openings (I saw a video of yours on how to study them), and things like how many openings do you need and things like that. :P

[@dorsan8491]

Please make the series!!!

[@hydrarl3869]

any new players looking for a fun line, instead of d3 at about 1:00 d4 is fun and tactical, basically giving up a pawn for a good attack

[@iladshyanchess]

Wow this is the most helpful chess video on the platform. Your tips are always easy to follow and makes a player simply better. Thank you for making all this content free.

[@ChessVibesOfficial]

Glad it helped!

[@mannyweinhaus9975]

Reaaaaaaally want to hear some D4 / queens gambit stuff as well as the middle game for the Caro.

[@ex8800]

The opening he said was the piassimo variation which was push the queens pawn 1 square

[@melwinsgovind4377]

Bro Can you make a video of different types of openings, It will be very helpful and also beneficial for your channel because no one ever posted that content

[@joeldick6871]

At the beginning of the video, when you said "one way or the other", I couldn't help but think "I'm gonna getcha!" from the Blondie song!

[@Chuck_N0rris]

I am busy climbing the ranks atm. Just done clearing 1700. Now it is starting to get though. People usually dont make obvious blunders anymore. You have to study the position to spot them.

[@bobvedder2451]

Thanks, your thought process is interesting, and I'm sure if i incorporate some of hour ideas into my games, i won't do so poorly. lol.

[@christopherheckman7957]

I saw both Bxf6 (followed by Nh4) and Na5. 9:20 This is one of the Noah's Ark Traps. [I recently watched the video "8 ways to trap pieces"]

[@Flancc]

I always get a good start but then always blunder at middlegames. This video really helps me out alot

[@robertmclean4953]

I would love to hear about some mid game concepts for the Vienna, been learning for past 2 weeks

[@JustAnotherCommenter]

Chess, but every 10 moves, one of your pieces is downgraded randomly. Queen - Rook - Bishop - Knight - Pawn. Your king is obviously not involved.

[@v_iancu]

7:06 fork the queen and the bishop with knight on a5

[@Matthews_Dintwe]

This is for me, I usually don't know what to do after developing pieces

[@elz50]

you're awesome man I'd also love it if you'd make an opening plan series. that would be so helpful

[@petergreen5337]

Beautiful lesson and demonstration.Thank you

[@benbatt21]

What do you do when you’re playing an opening and the opponents opening or defense is a completely opposite spectrum setup ?

[@Road2Med]

Great vid, love your work!🎉

[@ChessVibesOfficial]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@odinakauduma-stupendousmat749]

I love this Nelson. Thanks for teaching these concepts

[@lindaocean6858]

great teacher !!

[@McLKeith]

These videos have a different perspective than the other chess sites. I’ve only discovered this site yesterday and already I have learned a lot.

[@serinversionista]

In this position I see Bxe6; f7xe6 and Qb3 attacking the 2 undefended pawns in b7 and e6; then if black defends both pawns with Qc8, then follows the plan of taking the knigth by Bxf6 and attack the black King afterwards

[@archiewoosung5062]

Perhaps #1 could be summarised by saying that when the opponent moves, ask yourself what was that piece (or pawn) doing before & what is it doing now?

[@v_iancu]

2:21 answer: he lines up a battery with the bishop

[@brentinjapan]

Much appreciated. And yes, opening specific strategies videos would be great.

[@serhatt]

You are king of teaching chess! Here you drop this! 👑

[@bloodblade9782]

thanks. This was one of my favorite videos yet

[@belonyjefferson2802]

Sometimes i forget my piece after a capture or i forget the move i planned

[@anassorbestiak]

This video ia Golden, a masterful class on simplicity and solidity.

[@vishy]

I really enjoy this guy’s videos - explains things clearly and to the point. Quality

[@kianushmaleki]

Nice video. Thanks. Id love to see a video series about plans in different openings.

[@ReconRat3]

Nice middle game overview. Thanks!

[@Overkill9991]

I think a major part of any middle game is realizing your opponent made a mistake and then punishing that mistake they have made. If you never punish mistakes then your will never win a game. That is one of the things I love about chess

[@naandamuyawa3314]

We need a video on the London system and it’s different variations

[@dalykmiha6221]

Yes do a series about a specific openings I'll watch all of them

[@apgstr]

Big thanks for the recent sound volume calibration by the way 🎧👌🙏

[@ChessVibesOfficial]

Hey thanks for noticing that! $40 mic --> $250 mic

[@hildebrand142]

i nodded happily throughout, but what i was really thinking the whole time was: "man, i'll bet some smart but inexperienced junior player is going to go beserk at just how helpful these kinds of chess insights actually are. it's like, them taking one step forward toward being part of this worldwide community of interest.