Exchange Variation of the Grünfeld Defense

[@HangingPawns]

Here's a great tool for learning openings: chessbook.com/hanging-pawns Chessbook allows you to import and practice your repertoire. It focuses on moves people actually play as well as your mistakes. Connect it to your lichess or chess com accounts to correct the biggest gaps in your repertoire!

[@bartomiejjeziorny5243]

20:26 "This is what most often will happen in your games" Me: *laughing in 1650 on lichess*

[@fathermartin9326]

The supplementary diagrams you use to show the pawn structures and further explain the ideas of the position are extremely useful, Stjepan, I really like the idea of using multiple prepared boards to thoroughly explain the ideas you are sharing. Thanks, as always

[@stuunger6585]

Yea this is just fantastic I cant emphasize how helpful it is and the video in general

[@hjijon]

Absolutely agree, this is your best video as far as I have watched

[@dkeisk]

This channel is sadly underrated. :( i love that you explain everything in a very calm way. Keep going :)

[@Sun-gs6hq]

Sidelines: 7:29 7. Bg5 8:58 7. Bb5+ 10:00 7. Qa4+ 11:16 7. Be3 13:12 7. Nf3 Modern Exchange 14:35 8. Be2 sideline 15:59 8. Bb5+ sideline 19:18 8. Rb1 sideline 23:04 7. Bc4 Classical Exchange 24:43 13. d5 rook exchange with Grünfeld Bishop

[@maximilianw9671]

I am just at 5:49 and this is already the best chess theory video I have ever seen.

[@raincatchfire]

19:00 7.Nf3 23:00 7.Bc4

[@tolyaph]

Excellent introduction on the exchange variation of the Grunfeld Defense. Thank you.

[@huhhhhhhhhhhj]

at 24:06 theres also a line with Bxf7! I looked at this line briefly, i would recommend that people should be careful of this too, If you know what youre doing you have good chances of equalizing, even though the engine says its +1 after Bxf7 in high depth, looking at some brief lines can get you a quick equalization, as a grünfeld player knowing this line is very useful, very venomous line!

[@snygarmeister]

Apart from the usual great aspects in your video, I love the fact you put in a succinct description/explanation in all your videos. This way I can fully focus on the video without being worried about taking notes (I just copy them in my note-taking systems for later reference). Also, avoids me from trying to "rote-learn" move orders. Keeps me zoned in on grasping the fundamentals which are always more important.

[@TheBandgeek014]

I loved this video. For some reason, I’m choosing the Grunfeld as my first step into the larger Chess world and it has been so great hearing and seeing this opening in action

[@alisteringlis1794]

I like the sound of the crickets.

[@justinbob1995]

Thank you for these videos! I started playing chess 1 month ago and your videos have helped me the most. There is a lot of information to remember in chess and you do a great job of presenting it in an organized way. Thank you for all the knowledge!

[@NelsenGChess]

says your comment was from 2 years ago. you’d only been playing for one month at the time of commenting, do you still play the grünfeld? how’s it working?

[@SaikatsChessChannel]

Really nice lecture. Found it really helpful. Thank you sir. Also, in a recent game of Anand vs Nepomniachtchi, FIDE Online Nations Cup 2020, Anand played 5. Bd2 Bg7, and then 6. e4 Nxc3 7. Bxc3 which solves the problem of White's d5 push, black outpost on c3 square (coz now b3 is possible) and deals with Black's uncontested g7 bishop. Now I know why did he play that.

[@tempo5606]

Keep making chess videos and strategy also openings thanks. Love it

[@Neovt1]

Thx so much, this videos realy helpme a lot

[@chichano047]

svaka čast Stjepane, odličan videmo

[@jamesreed4483]

Another excellent video, thank you. A line you did not cover but has given me some problems is 7.Bc4 where white eventually plays the pseudo sacrifice Bxf7+. I believe Karpov played it with some success against Kasparov. Any thoughts on this line? thanks.

[@divided_and_conquered1854]

This is excellent. Thank you. One thing to note about the position at 9:53 is that black is now vulnerable to the pawn/bishop fork by the white queen at A4. Thanks again HP!

[@divided_and_conquered1854]

One counter would be : if Qa4, you can go Bd2, taking the knight and threatening the rook. Cheers.

[@michaelfortunato1860]

Outstanding. Thanks!

[@noeasyanswerspodcast]

Really nice series. Would love to have pgns for all of this

[@vnm5740]

You should definitely try more of this- recording outdoors.

[@sarangbhatnagar]

"I am sorry about the children crying, well its all fine they are all young" -2021

[@thetransferaccount4586]

nice exchange variation

[@armandohauser6796]

I love your videos! They are incredibly inspiring. Since I know that you are kind of an expert in openings (especially opening preparation before a game..) I wondered how you learn and study openings and how you remember all the moves. Could you explain it? Because I always have problems with that. Armando

[@usssr1917]

play the opening 700 trillon times and u will remember it

[@shiloazriel3267]

I like he is going outside and explores out

[@KnightToD5]

The two main lines start at 13:10

[@indrasingthoke1508]

Love u man form india you r the best ...I saw your most of the videos

[@herojitsorokhaibam2928]

I like this openning

[@jeremiahagelavu5973]

Hi Stjepan. I'm a chess enthusiast from Papua New Guinea. I enjoy and learn from all your videos. I find them very instructive......I was wondering, in the mainline of the modern exchange (7. Nf3, 8.Rd1) variation why doesn' t white offer the trade of dark square Bishops on move 19? In other words, how is 19. Bf4 better than 19. Bd4?

[@jeremiahagelavu5973]

*8.Rb1 not 8.Rd1

[@mohamedderghal9013]

Great work thank you sir!

[@spiralfireball8663]

25:07 My instinct was right. Bh6 wins the exchange. That's why f6 was played. It's not to stop e5 I guess.

[@javiacedo3679]

Thank you for the video.

[@calapp]

I think you should mention the line with Bd2 after the exchange, I find it pretty annoying for black. Apart from that really nice video!

[@boredash4020]

why does no one ever cover 5.bd2? it's point is after 6e4 nxc3, to play bxe3 so that c5 is met with d5 forcing an exchange of the grunfeld bishop

[@mark47109]

how much elo do you have ?

[@jaroslavpors6559]

Nice video! But i think exchange grunfeld is a dead draw because of deep theory. Every agressive variations or sac. don't lead to an iniciative because every variations ended up in a dead draw endgame so the main line I think can't be play because black can always draw you so you should be more agressive and don't give black huge counterplay against d4. I think the best way is something like russian taimanov stockholm or very modern h4 variations or as you say f3 antigrunfeld but in top GM games f3 after d5 is not as good or simply going into sämisch. Thank you for this video and good luck!

[@matzan1232]

Jaroslav Porš h4 is a stupid move in the grünfeld in many line. One of the best way of playing against the grünfeld is to forced endgame that withe can achieved after Nf3.

[@jaroslavpors6559]

@@matzan1232 yes but in some lines it is very strong sometimes it is engine choice e.g. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.h4!? main is Bh4 but h4 is very agressive and black us ok this is true but he has no counterplay in best c6 move or grunfeld gambit 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.h4!? This is choice of many strong GM and again best is c6 but where is counterplay? White is ok and have free hands in his plan and if endgame happened then ok h4 is a strange move but I am white I have an tempo so ok the endgame is equal

[@matzan1232]

After h4?!Black can just play Cxc3 followed by c5 and blacks seems to me to have gotten everything he wanted for a grünfeld. If you play h4 with the intention of playing h5 the knight on f3 annoys enormously the queen and your attack. If you want to play h4 I advise you rather.1d4, Cf6 2c4, g6 and h4!?,this forces blacks to enter into a different pattern (Benoni, benko etc. with the inclusion of h4 Which is very weakening and by any mean aggressive) if they play d5?! after cxd5 Cxd5 and e4 or h5 is to the advantage of white.

[@peepeepoopoothe3rd]

Matzan 123 Wang hao actually played h4 in the candidates

[@flpsnk4848]

Great stuff. I was wondering, my instinct was to play 12... b6 after Qxa2 and 0-0 line and fianchetto the bishop to b7. How valid is that?

[@radrichiie]

It used to be a valid line, but recently Bg4 is almost exclusively played. It's kind of been proven that Bg4 equalizes for black and the other lines just don't. Of course at a lower level anything can equalize, but why not play the best move?

[@JepStr99]

Nice!

[@algs5483]

24:05 is bxf7 check then fxg4 bad for white? If so, why?

[@wyattgouldthorpe1880]

Did you cover 5. Bd2 in any of your videos?

[@Blueshamrock1]

What if white goes e5 blocking blacks bishop?

[@ryaghnaramansanthosh3140]

Hi mate, I think you can do book reviews or you can explain some important chapters/position from a book. It will improve our vast knowledge. What do think?😇

[@keithsamuek8268]

very cool

[@Martin-qb2mw]

Very nice

[@mahmoudgamil8286]

Can u make a Video for English opening?

[@ALF8892]

I have studied the Exchange Grunfeld for hundreds of hours and I still don't know what is going on. The Benko Gambit is another one that is very complex

[@ALF8892]

At 25:14 I have never seen Kh1, but I have seen Qd4, Nd4, and Rb1

[@hyppolite4333]

Nice video ! Will you do a grob opening theory ?

[@Zain-nc1ww]

24:10 why shouldn't white just take on f7?

[@andrew6069]

Shakh Mamedyarov scored a crushing 27 move victory vs MVL in the final of the Riga Grand Prix 2019 with 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Qa3!?

[@oisinoc8533]

Never trade

[@agambatra1003]

If white plays d5 after Bb5+ than Bxc3 forking the king and rook

[@blablabla4090]

15:52

[@saiswaroop5495]

50th!

[@surveersingh2552]

6k views?

[@Sun-gs6hq]

13:10

[@blades9152]

According to stockfish Nc5 is bad and losing

[@siraf1234]

Black isnt forced to play Bg4 in the main line, there are countless other moves and i think that you showed the worst one.

[@miksu.8553]

I play Bg4 in the main line, too and never had much problems. What would be a better move?

[@siraf1234]

@@miksu.8553 Bg4 leads to a well known draw. Im not an engine so i dont know what move is better out of the alternatives but there is Bd7, b6 Na5 off the top of my head. Edit: There is also Qc7

[@miksu.8553]

@@siraf1234 I just thought that you meant to say that Bg4 is bad (in terms of giving black a bad position). Sorry. I think that the main line is pretty drawish but if white wants to avoids the draw there a many nice lines that can be chosen. Have a nice day!

[@miksu.8553]

@@siraf1234 The problem I have is that my book about the Grünfeld is not up to date, it's from 1986 so I wonder if there are any free sources to "update" my lines. Do you know any or a good book?

[@siraf1234]

@@miksu.8553 Yeah its not that i think the line is terrible, for some people a draw might be an awesome result with best play but i always like playing for the win.

[@AB-he8fe]

First !

[@dr.manishrajmundhra3369]

second

[@mixaqi2122]

смотрю здесь, потому что на русском ютубе одни чертовы капиталисты