Creating Strategic Plans | Chess Middlegames

[@yehiamohammed2756]

Finally a channel to binge watch

[@HangingPawns]

Haha, thanks mate:)

[@gana7206]

Fax

[@Gamer-uf1kl]

The replies above are clearly bots and you should not be trying to hack your girlfriend's account anyway.

[@SP-bb2ni]

@@Gamer-uf1kl yes

[@michaelvanzyl9418]

While you may not be a titled player you express your views and understanding so clearly that it’s hard to believe so.

[@HangingPawns]

Thank you Michael. I'm trying my best. Your comments always keep me motivated:)

[@komfyk]

What's a tilted player

[@michaelvanzyl9418]

A player who has enough rating and norms will be able to apply to FIDE for a title... such as FIDE master, International Master, Grandmaster.

[@beloglavisup2]

@@komfyk GM, or IM

[@VerfRS]

​@Mike Jones You won't copy these tutorials piece by piece but learn the basic ideas so I don't see a problem

[@sgarg7588]

I can't believe all this valuable lectures are free of cost! You're doing a fantastic work..keep it up 👍

[@simongoff855]

Your videos are getting very good! Alot of people that learn chess are taught basic principle like castling, develope pieces, get a fair share of the center, dont move a piece twice...etc...but then they are not told what to do after that and they get stuck. They ask themselves "What do I do to get better"...And nobody can really tell them what to do. With your last couple of videos you are filling that gap for them. And also explaining it in a way that everybody understands...Very nice!!!

[@HangingPawns]

Cheers Simon! I appreciate that! I know that mid game videos are lacking on youtube because I've looked for them for the past two years. I hope mine can help at least a bit:)

[@dellh86]

Yeah. I find that there is a frustratingly low amount of videos and books about how to play chess for someone who already gets the basics but is not quite ready for serious tournaments yet. These videos challenge my ideas of chess without overwhelming me too much lol

[@ss9392]

That's but the sad reality. I too was taught the basics of the game but no one ever really told me what to do after that so it was not until many years later that I was able to teach myself chess on the next level by myself.

[@julianwilliams3721]

@@dellh86 that is exactly where i am. keep trying!

[@michaelvanzyl9418]

Having a bad plan is better than no plan at all - Chigorin. 2:25

[@HangingPawns]

Oh, riiiight. I couldn't remember who said that! Thanks

[@tamirpolyakov1122]

didn't Frank Marshall say that?

[@michaelvanzyl9418]

@@tamirpolyakov1122 I’m pretty sure it’s Chigorin, although I’m welcome to being proven otherwise

[@michaelvanzyl9418]

@@tamirpolyakov1122 google is rather confusing as a whole bunch of different people come up as being quoted saying the same thing.

[@dorusbrouwer5639]

Amazing lesson! Finally someone who clearly explains how to come up with a plan, and what chess players mean with pattern recognition.

[@naveediqbal9450]

Since i started watching your videos from last 4 to 5 days, But this video is the Most Best Video i have ever seen, really 100/100. You are the Best, Thumbs Up, Bravo Bravo !!!!

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks very much Naveed:) I'm very happy you like the video!

[@StigPrice]

You know, this is actually the best channel on youtube in regards to chess lessons.

[@stephenp20]

I've been learning and improving so much just by watching your videos. Thank you for passing on your knowledge and please continue to make awesome chess content.

[@HangingPawns]

Thank you for watching Stephen. Glad to help:)

[@nassimlecornet2676]

Thank you for this video. Honestly just tried to apply this mentality to my games and IMMEDIATELY saw improvements. Just absolutely demolished a 1500 opponent as a 1300, and this game felt like the best game I've ever played due to the amount of control I felt I had. Love your content man.

[@ThePedrolucas2000]

I started studying chess just a few months ago and those videos about middlegame are really useful! I feel I am improving day after day

[@HangingPawns]

Great to hear that the series is helpful, Pedro. Keep learning! And thanks:)

[@scowlistic]

This video is EXACTLY what I needed. The building metaphor is great, thanks man!

[@jaywaup]

Hanging pawns, Chess vibes, and Gothamchess have really helped me with my chess game!

[@joshuaorourke1976]

Yup all great channels

[@sadiquebadar8146]

Thanks a lot sir for your effort towards making a complete theory of chess course. Will always be thankful to you. You people are an inspiration to us. An angel that helps those who cant afford to buy or even who are pursuing chess as a hobby. Buying a course for it makes the interest go down because of the pressure to do it absolutely completely. Thanks again.❤❤❤

[@NowshadMonishi]

You have a talent for making even the complex ideas easier to learn. Your chess videos are one of the best on KZbin. Wish you all the best.

[@chicoassmaster4293]

The perfect medicine at the perfect time. A masterful piece of chess pedagogy. Watch this fellow's videos with great focus. Every minute is packed with great & practical advice. Salute. Blow some smoke in the atmosphere!

[@aleksandarorlic4486]

Dear Stjepan! I think this is my first comment ever on YT, but I just wanted to share my thoughts. For me, an amateur chess player, who definitelly loves chess much more than chess loves him, this is the most useful chess material I laid my hands on. You are systematic, structured and clear in your videos, and you do it with so much charisma, that you simply inspire. I wish you all the success you can have and I don't have any doubts that you will reach your chess goals, probably sooner than you expect. The fact you are not only getting better and better yourself, but also pulling such a big chess crowd along the way, makes your journey even more special! Once more congrats man and a huge THANK YOU!

[@HangingPawns]

Hvala ti!

[@mauriceboyle6923]

Another first class tutorial. Thanks again.

[@HangingPawns]

No problem Maurice:)

[@mightypensword]

your middle game videos are the best. Another video you could make (which might be too simple for you) is how to recognize a good piece vs a bad piece. Good players always talk about good and ridiculous pieces, but it's not so obvious for us laymen. A strong knight on a weak square is obvious, but a good bishop? a good rook? where to put the rook? Anyway, love all your vids. In fact, your last few middle game vids were so good that I couldn't even comment to say how much i loved them ;)

[@HangingPawns]

Hmm. Recognizing whether a piece is good or bad might be a great video. Thanks! I'll make one most likely. Cheers:)

[@loeksnokes3658]

I love these videos. Thank you. A minor improvement/simple point: when turning your majority on the queenside into a passed pawn it is usually better to lead with the outside passed pawn (e.g., @10:55 better to lead with a4 before b4). If you lead with the wrong pawn your potential passer becomes a backwards pawn. E.g., if b4 first and the opponent plays b5 it is much harder to get the passed a-pawn, because now it is a backwards pawn and you might need to gambit something to get a passed pawn.

[@b3hindu301]

Overwhelming it may be, but this is something I wont find boring any time. Onto the next video

[@rozajagieeo5552]

After watching your video I made a promise to myself that I'd try to play according to some plan even if I feel it's not the best one instead of calculating every single move. It turned out it's not only that I play better - I've never enjoyed a game of chess like this before, thanks !

[@thefleetfarmer1815]

You absolutely have the most relevant chess content on KZbin, actually useful…AMAZING

[@VeseliDzo]

one of the best videos i saw about middlegame and creating a plan. tnx !

[@Moorddeus]

Honestly thanks!! Love the middlegame videos! Could you maybe do a (little) series about pawn play during middlegame? Something in the line of your key squares/pawn breakthrough you already did a video on. You could base them on the great book " small steps to giant improvement, pawn play book"

[@HangingPawns]

Hello Arne! No problem;) Thanks or the suggestion. I will do 10-20 videos concerning pawns in the middlegame within this series. I will check out that book too.

[@Zaneninja077]

I always watch your videos before a game and it’s acc rlly efficient

[@robertlaw4330]

Thanks. Really good channel.

[@freudianblunder]

You have no idea how helpful this was! Brilliant stuff. Thank you!

[@threethrushes]

Having adopted the London System as my opening of choice for white, I use heuristics for working out which plans I will go for in the middle game. London has a number of different traps, and, depending on the moves made I can either activate or move on to secondary, or third plans. Obviously, I am often beaten because for whatever reason, I can be taken out of theory pretty quickly, but there is so much satisfaction in having simple plans and simply executing. There is also massive information asymmetry, because my opponents are never going to be as well-versed in the various lines as black, as I am in white. Anyhow, this was a great video, and I will analyse more middle games from London System.

[@HangingPawns]

Yeah, Gerhard, the London is a very rich opening. You can, however, as you mentioned already, get a huge advantage over your opponent by studying theory and middlegame patterns. I found that most people think that the London is a "no theory" opening and that you just play chess which makes it even easier to win outright.

[@brandonbarker7817]

Incredible content. This is a REAL chess coach!

[@majdsahmarany3091]

Do I love this channel? Definitely. Am i gonna binge watch it all? Hell yaaaa

[@bobwesley4634]

I really enjoyed this video. We see so much openings and endings on YT but for me as a 1300 rating player, it's much harder to know what to do when I reach middle positions then when I am starting a game or when there is few pieces left and it becomes easier to spot the good moves. Thank you ! Subscribed !

[@RebelTemptations]

I have been watching your online lessons for the last couple of days, outstanding info and analysis! Thank you for the awesome tips. I wish you a happy chess career ahead!

[@gusleffers9265]

Literally saved my games. I would get past the opening and have no idea what to do, especially on black since I play King’s Indian. Continually watching this video and reviewing your opening series has elevated my games so much. Thank you.

[@ryanwilson9299]

This was very helpful, well explained, and gave me a foundation for thinking during the game. I’m new to chess and have been struggling with making the connection between developing in the opening and activating my developed pieces in the middle game. Thank you.

[@davidewing3024]

This is incredibly helpful! I immediately started a new document entitled 'Chess Advice -- Plans'!

[@kilwap147]

Thank you so much! I found a few of your videos recently, and I have really enjoyed them. I've been wanting to increase my middlegame and strategies, and this really helped with that. I look forward to watching more of your videos in the future!

[@gana7206]

This is easily the best chess instruction in youtube. And ive seen a lot.

[@milanzivkovic9907]

Your channel is great and I like it because you explain systematically, in detail and you give good and simple examples. I have only one little suggestion. You should give links to your other videos when you name some video. It is easier to us to click on a link than to browse your channel. Keep on this way. Greetings!

[@codingtraps]

Brother your channel.. Is the no.1 on KZbin for learning purposes... Your video editing and sequences are commendable for that matter!!! Love from india♥️♥️♥️

[@HangingPawns]

Thank you Saagar! I really appreciate the support and the kind words!

[@doge0fwaRR]

Another great video, looking forward to seeing you become a GM =).

[@shonl8460]

At 15:20 you can take the bishop. Black gets doubled pawns, then you can play Qb3 forking the e6 pawn and b7 pawn. Black would have to play Qc8 then you could play Ng5 and target the e6 pawn

[@gusramirez5647]

#1 black does defend however and gains an open file for his rook #2 Black gains another pawn in the center which makes his eventual d5 break stronger #3 Black also now has a pawn covering the f5 square, one of the best squares for white's knight

[@telorceplok8812]

You have visually pleasing thumbnail Auditory pleasing accent And comprehensive video I like ❤️

[@kingsleyafuzobugwu5233]

I love these videos. My favorite chess channel on KZbin.

[@siddharthpathare2]

Every beginner must subscribe this channel.really every content is well organized and well explained.

[@philrobichaud3063]

Thank you so much! There are hundreds of Opening videos on KZbin, but so few dealing with how to handle the Midgame...

[@jakubsprega6935]

Your insights are priceless. So informative, well-structured - brilliant!. Thank you!

[@HangingPawns]

Thank you Jakub:)

[@Vale-ui3os]

This was a brilliant video. Thank you!

[@tank.4496]

Love the thumbnail, I know exactly how he feels lol. Great informative tutorial btw,thank you.

[@odzeradocm-a158]

okej great! For the first time I understood that negative plans is bed, but its okej and very important

[@leonardogiulianelli5462]

Thank you for all the great contents you make for us, super useful and instructive. One of the best (if not the best) channels about chess on yt❤️

[@eduardofonseca8114]

It helps a lot! Thank you for a very clear and straightforward explanation!

[@HangingPawns]

Glad it helps, Eduardo! No problem!

[@sripathisurendar8210]

thank you sir. I have watched your whole middlegame video series and i have gone from 1100 to 1600

[@Beasting_with_Big]

You have a gift for teaching... it is very much appreciated...

[@henningstorhaug7918]

Thanks for all the nice and useful content. Well presented!

[@HangingPawns]

No problem! And thanks:)

[@xexorz]

You are my new favorite chess channel, thank you! Constructive criticism: please check your mic gain, audio is low. Best content!

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks George:) Thought the sound was fine now:S I'll check it out

[@fatihbatal]

Great videos! Giving ideas and teaching principles! Most of the time he gives details that I usually wonder about! I love this channel by heart!

[@skeptorr]

I think the only thing missing in this video are more examples for plans and how they can turn out, so showing longer play would be great!

[@HangingPawns]

That's true, but I didn't want the video to take an hour. You can find many games of mine on the channel. In them I try to talk of plans more than of moves and lines.

[@davidwestwood6850]

@@HangingPawns Another example of taking cognitive load into account in planning your videos. Awesome!

[@davidwestwood6850]

Brilliancy in chess instruction.

[@tyrelljeffries2527]

Another excellent video, however seeing as each plan is unique to a particular opening I think i would be useful to make a video of each opening with their respective plans e.g. openings whose chief plan to gain space includes the following: the four pawn attack, the Yugaslav attack etc etc...

[@playerx-s4v]

I'm having a tournament and I played the Caro kann and I won.☺

[@danno1800]

Mr.GapyPlays way to go!

[@HangingPawns]

Bravo!!!! 1...c6 0-1 ;D

[@longball756]

In the spirit of Mikhail Tal

[@nerokota]

Best opening :)

[@merriweathercommenter1931]

If you progress in the ranks with the cargo you should study the tal variation, it’s very scary as black, so try to find the theory!

[@moonwarrior1227]

As Im moving to 1500+ the middle game is getting more and more important so thanks for the video!(chess.com rating)

[@reybarreto7979]

I enjoyed your video. You covered a lot of ground but it was all practical stuff and it was easy to follow.

[@catthomas3097]

This really helped me and I just played a great game! I had clear movement, I had a precise plan and I was smooth, I did blunder my queen... but my opponent didn't see it either so I won. (I found out I blundered my queen after the analysis but I did have time trouble and no clear move it was an endgame)

[@alvinbolor9366]

After I watch this video . I learn so much that I'm craving for playing chess against any opponent ..thank you for teaching .

[@Home-kj7wm]

Thank you very much. You do great. I appreciate all you do . All your stuff is thorough. I wish you all the best and I hope that you go very very far or high in your chess ratings and in your life,

[@alstonjames2726]

Truly solid video. Keep it coming!!

[@wx_life2000]

Hi, I am a beginner chess player who has been playing for one month. I have been watching chess videos ever since, and then I discovered your video yesterday. Thank you so much for your video! It is very informative and helpful, especially for a beginner like me, and I could see you have put a lot of effort into making it. =)

[@crazyboysince1998]

I loved playing chess for about 6 months then it just got too frustrating and making me so angry all the time that it's not fun anymore. Tbh I only play cause it's addictive if I could go back in time I would've never started playing. Your videos helped me a lot tho when I enjoyed the game so thank you for that

[@vipinviswanathan7763]

I am a fan of your videos. You have a good teaching skill.

[@Blenbkuqi]

That was very useful. Thanks for posting videos. Go like this

[@HangingPawns]

Happy to hear it was useful!

[@Blenbkuqi]

@@HangingPawns can you make a video about king Indian please?

[@nicolasjalon9063]

You are an incredibly good teacher thank you so much

[@mariogilligan841]

Very good teacher! Thanks a lot!

[@seandoc-chesschamp]

Great video! Really interesting, Thanks.

[@PianoJoe822]

Love the content, you're a great teacher!

[@Vincent-qp8vd]

Your videos are getting very good! sir thank you.

[@darthkurpan]

This is gold. Keep it up

[@kingcuano668]

Thanks so much for this❤

[@Blueking_Bg]

There is a amazing game between tigran petrosian vs Wolfgang unzicker in hamburg. 1-0,Tigran petrosian shifted his king from Kb1 to A2 square in the middle game were Wolfgang couldn't do anything about it as is position is just cramped. It was a super game as petrosian played defencive from queen side of his board . So ,he shifts his king from Kb1 to A2 and started pawnstorm on kingside of the board were Wolfgang's king is stuck.

[@HangingPawns]

Hmm. Ok, I haven't seen it I think. I'll check it out.

[@Spectatorica]

It certainly helps!

[@HangingPawns]

Thank you my favorite viewer!

[@BruinChang]

I like your explanations and the style.

[@gabrielvilchesalves6406]

Your work is awesome!

[@paxkalconsuegra4181]

Excellent video!

[@Enpassantful]

Best chess video ever.

[@ChamindaKumara-g5t]

Really helpful thanks❤❤❤

[@emilejuniorada6670]

Those Magnus and Hikaru guys are better are playing but you’re the best at teaching🙏🏽❤️

[@user-chessdaf67]

you forgot the plan 6 and 11.Very nice video!!!

[@darshtrivedi9806]

11:33 first a4 and to prevent b5 then if black plays kf8 by or deve loping king is possible for white

[@davidwestwood6850]

Excellent. A beautiful explication of positive and negative plans. ;-) Do you have other experience in teaching / communication? Your video lectures are so well organized and clear., they're delightful. The must require considerable planning thought, yet flow so naturally.

[@HangingPawns]

I have experience in speaking and in sales, not in teaching. Perhaps that helps:) Thanks for the wonderful feedback and the continual support Sir!

[@yosefcohen483]

Thank you very much. Very good video.

[@antoninatgerauteur9306]

That was great, thanks !

[@jujubean9063]

"A plan is better than no plan, but a bad plan is still bad." - Me, Aug 26, 2020 You have to have an understanding of the philosophy of chess to develop good plans. Studying games helps as well, but the philosophy of chess is absolutely necessary. I suggest My System by Nimzowitsch but there are a number of books that will suffice here. The philosophy of chess will help you to find the best plans with relative ease. Then, when you study games, you will have a framework in which to store the plans you find. Otherwise you are grasping in the dark at ideas you barely understand. The philosophy of chess is the framework in which plans are given relative value to each other. If you struggle finding plans, and you have already read a number of strategy books, then I would suggest you reread them as you didn't truly learn from them. This time, read them with an open mind and really try to challenge your perception of the game. In addition, when you play a game with longer time controls, you absolutely must take your time evaluating the position in front of you. When you evaluate the position, plans begin to appear. As you evaluate deeper, some plans are discarded while others surface. Calculate what you can and then consider everything you know about the philosophy of chess before deciding on your move. I don't really use the word "plan" though in my little chess world. I prefer the word "purpose". Plan can be confusing as I think most people envision a plan yielding fruit, which in the case of chess for the amateur is either material or checkmate. The word "purpose" is much more concise in my opinion as I don't think simply improving a piece is a "plan" really, but there is "purpose" behind it. Doing a full attack or something like that is more like a plan in my mind. It is a minor thing, but words can really tie up your mind and I just think the word "purpose" is much more accurate and far less confusing. I don't know if you read these but I love that you are as serious about chess as I am. You definitely have a future in chess. If nothing else, you will be a great teacher. Keep up the hard work and thanks for providing your content for free.

[@gamerdio2503]

Did you really just quote yourself

[@Mishengo]

Well I enjoyed this one, watching From Zambia

[@lefthookrighthand4093]

Excellent!

[@jasonshaye3567]

anyone else loving the intro music?

[@binus55]

bro with the chess hype growing in this lockdown...you are a eyeopner to students like me who are wasting their valuable time playing chess.

[@jallatinas5008]

Thank you very much 🎉

[@mspeachpeach5651]

When discussing Q-knight moving over to K-side to cover f5. Why not: Nb1-d2, Nf3-h4, Nd2-f3; just 3-moves ? Is it because one Knight lands on h4? BTW, I find your videos very enjoyable and educational. And, I like your accent; no 'bad thoughts' from me!

[@Thaum1el]

In lieu with example 1: could another plan be to make an opponent's piece worse? It could be part of a negative plan, but couldn't ruining one of the opponent's strong pieces be a goal in itself? Or is to passive a plan and a waste of time?

[@JohnCooper1]

Hi Stejpan-in Example 4 you suggest exchanging the white-squared Bishops, but doesn't Black need to keep that Bishop to protect the weakened white squares created by the pawn structure (as explained in another video)? Thanks.

[@narayan243]

Thank you for this