How to Beat Amateurs at Chess: 15 Highly Instructive Rapid Games

In this video, I play a bunch of entertaining and instructive rapid chess games in the lichess.org Rapid Shield Arena while explaining my thoughts and strategies. This was originally live-streamed on Twitch on December, 8th 2022. Timestamps below!
Watch live: / imrosen
Merch: shop.imrosen.com/
0:00 oh no my opponent
0:30 Petrov Defense gets CRAZY
9:43 Crushing the French or Alekhine Defense???
14:50 Highly Strategic Nimzo Indian Defense
29:45 Caro Kann CRUSHED
39:00 Facing the Rossolimo
55:30 AGGRESSIVE Scandinavian Defense
1:11:40 OH NO MY OPPONENT AGAIN
1:12:05 Budapest Gambit 11-Move Miniature
1:15:36 Playing Like Magnus Carlsen?! (Tricky English vs Slav)
1:26:10 Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit leads to funny tactic
1:36:25 Facing the Alapin Sicilian
1:55:00 Boden Kieseritzky Gambit
2:14:00 Ponziani Opening leads to near SMOTHERED MATE
2:19:05 CRUSHING a TROLL Opening
2:22:30 ahhhh
2:23:00 SUPER AGGRESSIVE FINALE (vs Caro Kann)
Final Tournament Standings: lichess.org/tournament/sW2SofRv
SUPPORT MY WORK:
♙♙Subscribe on Twitch: / imrosen
♙♙Support: www.paypal.me/ericrosenchess
SPECIAL OFFERS!
♙♙ChessUp Smart Board: Use coupon code ROSEN to save 10% at checkout: bryghtlabs.com/?ref=Rosen
♙♙ Uproot Teas: Try out their amazing selection of whole leaf tea and get 10% off your entire order. Go to uprootteas.com/discount/ERIC10 and use the code ERIC10 at checkout.
SAVE MONEY AND IMPROVE YOUR GAME:
♙♙Chess.com Premium Membership--try it free for 7 days: go.chess.com/imrosen
♙♙Limitless Chess: Get video lessons from great instructors, including me! Use the code ROSEN to save 10% www.limitlesschess.com/
♙♙ Master the London: Get 50% off my 8-hour video London Opening video course: www.ichess.net/sale/8020-tact...
Sign up for my newsletter: mailchi.mp/d6e6ca1a42a1/imros...
Visit my Amazon store for chess books, tea and more: www.amazon.com/shop/ericrosen
Chess book recommendations: imrosen.com/book-recommendati...
Disclaimer: Some links in the description are affiliate links and I may receive a commission on purchases made through these links. Thank you for supporting my content!
Send Me Fan Mail:
Eric Rosen
4579 Laclede Ave. # 205
St. Louis, MO 63108
♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙
MAIN CHANNEL: / rosenchess
ERIC ROSEN CLIPS: / ericrosenclips
ERIC ROSEN EXTRA: / ericrosenextra
TWITCH: / imrosen
WEBSITE: www.imrosen.com
DISCORD: bit.ly/2KTDlBK
TWITTER: bit.ly/2sFmNqa
INSTAGRAM: bit.ly/2HspaBa
LICHESS: lichess.org/@/ericrosen
CHESS.COM: www.chess.com/member/imrosen
♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙♙
#chess #ericrosen

[@billsmith8397]

Thank you for existing, Eric ❤

[@scottishrob7119]

Get on ur knees

[@volodyadykun6490]

He created us all

[@lolcoiby]

in

[@BlazeSLK]

Existing is the strongest move in this position

[@Dr._Bo]

🙏🏽

[@Overhemd]

2.5 hours of Eric? My day just got a whole lot better

[@XstonedmonkeyzX]

what about AFTER the video ends?

[@jadexsolaris6916]

@@XstonedmonkeyzXreplay it!!

[@josecarranza4207]

the memory he has is just amazing, how he remembers what he played vs. X, what he was playing for oppening at different times in his life, honestly I cant remember what I played 3 games ago.

[@brett6468]

Ah! This should be good. Eric is a first rate Chess instructor.

[@syafon]

Two Rosen trophies in one move should be an own Rosen trophy! You brought me back to chess, and even better Duck Chess! You are a huge inspiration for so many people around me! I live in Austria, so that tells you a bit about your influence around the globe. Thanks for existing! :)

[@grantgreenberg2457]

Two Rosen trophies in one move is a paradox because then you would have three trophies in one move :)

[@melle7505]

@@grantgreenberg2457getting 3 Rosen trophies should be an own Rosen trophy!

[@thelucidmind2876]

@@melle7505 Three Rosen trophies in one move is a paradox because then you would have four trophies in one move :)

[@pieTone]

I wonder how many people he influenced here in Romania

[@DDHDTV]

Didn't expect to see a fellow Austrian here!

[@SinjonM]

My favorite moment was when you played the ponziani opening! I'm only rated 1000 in blitz and 1200 in rapid, but I've been watching your videos for over 2 years. For the last few months, that's consistently been my opening, and I never knew that was the name of it. I'm glad I finally know now! I love your videos Eric, you're so wholesome!Keep up the great work! I'll be there watching always!

[@12newangels]

Nice, Good luck 👍

[@newsbuster292]

I am watching a lot of your content to learn how you approach these games. Or simply put, learning how to think like you. I played a talent last week, a 15-year old who only started playing chess 10 months ago but who already is better than most players at my chess club. He put me under a lot of pressure early on, but after I forced him to exchange queens I was able to change the dynamic and ultimately beat him. Very proud of that. When we analyzed the game together I noticed he approached it very different than me, and he memorized all his moves, and mine, while I was struggling to keep up looking at my notes to see what I played. 😂I am sure he will be well above 2000 rated in a couple years.

[@andrewmays3988]

Eric Rosen, you are a gentle scholar and kind gentleman. Thank you sir for your patient tutorials!!😇

[@jasonTL]

"Oh No My Opponent" had me rolling. So simple and so witty. Most importantly, a fun jab without being disrespectful.

[@hansgruber9093]

This was super instructive Eric, thanks! Really great to hear your full thought process over a longer time frame, blitz sometimes can be a bit of a muddle for lower rated players like myself. Please do more in future!

[@jarrodanderson2124]

I love the heart monitor idea Eric because I'm trying so hard to calm myself while playing. This game wipes me out!

[@shlomo8448]

Thanks Eric! I'm learning so much from these longer game videos.

[@chuckdecker3765]

MORE like this on KZbin please! 10min, instructional, slow where I can follow along with your logic is great!!!

[@kurosakiichigo7475]

Wow eric, this is one of your best videos thank you so much for uploading some instructive chess. I learned a lot from this video

[@blueguitarist]

Long time format videos are maximum comfy, sounds like a great upload

[@sprcow]

Sad that opponent didn't know any of the Petrov theory against Bc5. I play 3.d4 against the Petrov and was hoping to see how Eric fights the main line!

[@davidrose7938]

Watched all 2 1/2 hours, opened my eyes to see more of what’s going on. Thank you!

[@KessaWitdaFro]

Replaying 14:02 on loop just to feel something 🥲

[@200elochess]

Thanks to you I can't stop listening to it🙂

[@XIIchiron78]

>be ~1500 >"How to beat amateurs at chess" >Perfect, I never know how to punish weird moves >The amateurs are 1700 >Cry Edit: in all seriousness this was actually a good video, it points out some of the stuff I also do that can exploited

[@owenchessmood6761]

Thanks for this instructive video!

[@gyrgrls]

LOL! "Now I can start munching. This knight is hungry". 🤣

[@Teunslang1999]

very relaxing content, love this stuff

[@seanhunter111]

Thanks for everything you do. This is yet another great vid. The game white vs Caro Kann is missing a chapter marking at around 29m45s (between nimzo and rossolimo)

[@davidgodfrey880]

Eric - thanks for the content. Liked the Ponzioni game. Enjoyed this type of video.

[@anond2015]

You're pretty good at this chess thing. I know it's impossible to technically "master," but I bet you could compete "internationally."

[@AdamBittner]

Very enjoyable, thanks Eric!

[@jonnozomboid2649]

Great instructional videos. Gutted you didn't get your smothered mate after the disco. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from East of England.

[@Quentin687]

I love building model airplanes

[@seanlindholm7094]

Facts.

[@KironKabir]

Get your Airfix on

[@chullupa]

Everyone has a hobby everyone has skeletons in the closet

[@Yea___]

@@chullupa oh no

[@gyrgrls]

@@chullupa ouch

[@mikebaker2436]

Me: Eating lunch and watching Eric. Co-worker walks in. Co-worker: "Is that Bob Ross?"

[@mikebaker2436]

What milestone is needed to get an actual Bob Ross parody vid out of Eric? 🤔🤣🙃

[@bartvansliedregt5482]

Always love the videos Eric. Thanks for being your great self

[@brooklynkayak]

These rapid tournaments always make for great instruction. I always get something out of them.

[@csugabo85]

KZbin live would be way more convenient for me for sure, definitely vote for you to go through with youtube streaming

[@EpiDot52]

That Boden game near the end was exceptional. So interesting too. That could've got its own video.

[@thehybridrider976]

the second last game was my favourite. You went beast mode on that guy and destroyed him quickly

[@ChessWithDach]

Your videos are inspirations to me 💯. Thanks for making chess contents

[@bergmoench]

0:18 Oh no my opponent. =D Thats all I need!

[@solidcents2761]

ERICCCC!!!! Thanks for the long vid!!

[@mattlambert3118]

Dude, you just made me hang my queen when you were talking about falling back down, getting up again, and thinking it was a song because I got all distracted and excited thinking you were referencing Rancid's "Fall Back Down". Super big letdown when it turned out you were talking about Chumbawamba. It's not like Tubthumping is a bad song, but it made me really happily surprised for those few seconds I thought you listened to Rancid even if it was a song from one of their poppiest albums. People I meet now are always surprised when they find out that deep down in my core I'm still the grimy punk rocker I was in my late teens and early 20s. I could see that being the case with you, too.

[@kevinmckay1389]

Eric: thats definitely a trap you fall for once and learn your lesson. Me: that’s where your wrong

[@davidconnolly3340]

Excellent video Eric

[@VeritasAlienari]

Great content, good sir. Very instructive.

[@grahamsmith5780]

I watched to the end. Interesting commentary thanks.

[@jefftaylor1186]

One of the main rules I learned really early on and I still follow to this day is “if you can attack a knight with a middle pawn in the first 10 moves, you should just do it“.

[@lukeevans8119]

Already watched this VOD on twitch but I'll watch it here again happily ...can never have too much Eric "wholesome" Rosen in my life

[@bargrimironshield2397]

Brilliant!

[@nickmoore5105]

This is a lovely video to fall asleep to

[@EpiDot52]

I love this type of content.

[@lanceareadbhar]

I loved the game at 14:50 as those are the games I almost always lose because I don't know what to do when both sides have a knight, two rooks, and most, in this case all, of the pawns on the board.

[@Doomted90]

1:14:15 had a game end just like this one recently. I even premoved the knight so they should have known something was up... still left the queen hanging and promptly resigns when I take it

[@disinformationworld9378]

Brilliant games

[@DavidfromMichigan]

Eric! Love this guy! Beast mode 20foe!

[@dalevigil]

Love the stafford and boden k gambits

[@simonnguyen692]

the mate pattern you used in the nimzo could’ve happened by sacrificing the b pawn when white was moving around one rook

[@anthonypassarelli5534]

Most of your "oh no" moments I took seriously

[@bikedoc59]

Thanks!

[@neo85ish]

Thank you thank you

[@stanleymyrick4068]

Thanks

[@dylanbarriero3383]

Great video

[@michaelmassaro4375]

Fun to watch I think your opponents are over anxious they’re making a lot of mistakes and bad moves they must be nervous feeling the pressure against you on you tube I like your casual style enjoyable like the game of Chess itself

[@michaelmassaro4375]

I thought his opponent could have made better moves for sure in the game he got checkmated with queen and knight

[@TheMosayat]

Disco pork was a ridiculously awesome idea

[@rhoddryice5412]

I would definitely have played the first game as well as Eric.

[@krestwoodb]

I used to live in st louis. Thats cool.

[@borhenlakhoua2625]

Hello Eric, I don't see you play the Bishop opening much, do you know why? And how to analyse a game on Lechess on your profile or else ? is there a video to explain that ? please, thank you.

[@kaidannies]

@Eric Rosen 1:04:56 ... do you have an "oh no my queen" moment with 14. .. exd3 15. bxc5 dxe2 into a fork where he either gives the queen back or loses the rook back there?

[@herrwolle316]

I am a big Fan of 10 min games. Please more.

[@veri745]

1:02:40 knight can get to g6 via b8->d7->f6->h4

[@nepal5043]

So soothing

[@michaelmassaro4375]

Good game pawn checkmate with the Rook third game I believe was kind of a pacif game as you say not too much doubt about the outcome at any point

[@stvia]

58:07 didn't white have knight takes e5 or am I missing something (after bxe2, Qxe2, Qxe5, Qxe5, Nxe5 there is Re1)

[@lukecamp4902]

My fav moment was your opening joke

[@rileymiller6002]

At 30:55, did Eric have checkmate in 2 if knight to g6, pawn takes queen g6 checkmate. And if pawn doesn’t take them wins a rook? Or am I missing something?

[@Siderite]

How about an opening pawn scale? Like a chess arpeggio or something. You play a4 first game, when b4, then c4 and so on until h4. Of course, when you get White.

[@Krell54]

Fabulous Pontianak.

[@Joe-zu7lx]

Love rapid!

[@nicserbo2689]

happy holidays

[@MSMNBC]

@ 30:37 as soon as black moved the knight, I would have shoved my horse onto G6; because at my level (1200), I can see a lot of people snatching my knight just to be mated by my queen.

[@RedGaming23]

Can you turn off alerts on the recording for KZbin? Not so chilled video with them going off so loudly.

[@GirlGeekLovesStampin]

In that last game with Larshusum why didn’t you consider fxe5?

[@user-sw2pg1xv4l]

MORE LIKE THIS

[@lukeelkins6870]

Ahh just in time to watch while I go to sleep

[@chullupa]

Watch Eric Rosen at night and Gotham during the day

[@haptictv]

@@chullupa NEW CRAZY STRATEGY BREAKS CHESS IN ONE MOVE CHESS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME- Gotham's title for the first game.

[@rawkurface]

@@haptictv With a picture of Hikaru Moke Carlsen in the thumbnail.

[@somnathchakrabarty3462]

43:43 was n't there N×e5...If bishop takes queen then N×c6 attacking queen and also double attack on the bishop on Be7...I know u wud get 2 pieces for queen but the attack looks promising.

[@bradburns491]

Eric do you tutor? I am in House Springs, MO.

[@trial8358]

Live stream on KZbin is a great idea

[@rohitranjan2767]

At 30:45 , how about the crazy move knight E6?

[@josepherhardt164]

How to beat amateurs at chess: Bring along a cudgel. :)

[@pauldearhouse8309]

1:20:27 oh no my castling rights 😆 ...where will this madness end? Oh no my queenside majority oh no my time advantage

[@veri745]

44:56 Bg5 looks good to me. Any reason that doesn't work to deflect the rook?

[@roberttheis3832]

I was thinking the same thing 😅 Haven‘t checked it with an engine, but I‘m pretty sure it wins material by force

[@antimatter2417]

Thought the same, and it's the engine's best move

[@cognitiveclipss]

52:19 better move for black instead of Qf5 was Qg4 (mate in 8) eric missed this

[@carlbonell]

I found the game beginning @39:08 to be one of the most instructive I've seen, and I think that I watched it just at the right time... For, as a total beginner at chess, (2 months), I have, thus far, been playing puzzles and watching a few random longer games per day, and, when I watch a video, normally, I watch it very passively, and go into a daze where I'm just seeing the whole position and not trying to think about any moves. But today, after watching the game at @39:08, I can say that something came on like a lightbulb Eureka moment, and I saw so much beauty in the game, plus Eric's commentary started to make more sense. Really an inspiring game for me! Ps, It's astounding to me how difficult super GM games are to follow. Except when the positions are simplified but even then, I find their games hurt my head!! Mikhail Tal is a very interesting player! Sorry I had a lot to say but ultimately, thank you Eric for the lessons in this video

[@inf0phreak]

It's curious how 17... Bg5! wasn't on Eric's radar at all in the Rossolimo game (45:00 ish). Kick the rook away from e3, then take f3 and White should be toast since he's a pawn down and his king is super weak.

[@TheKawww]

Eric the goat 🐐 also quack

[@joe2mercs]

I always like starting chess games because even against the best players you can keep up with them for at least three moves, unless it’s E4, oh no! LOL

[@EvertfromNederland]

1:11:22 Woooow, Was that an actual pop culture reference from Eric Rosen?

[@ComtedeMonteC]

The first few games I cannot believe the opponents played like 500 rated players.

[@bradburns491]

What does berzerking mean . I see it cuts your time in half but what else does it do. Why is it beneficial to do?

[@glooper]

More tourney points

[@glooper]

So if you’re low in ranking and it’s slightly late in the tourney you can gain some extra positions

[@gundarsmiks4889]

Rosen is gonna become a GM. Easy peasy.

[@barrettludwig4677]

Live streams on KZbin might be the move I hardly ever watch twitch bc ads

[@MrMichopoku]

At 44:34 why not play Bg5 to put more pressure on the rook?

[@MrMichopoku]

nevermind he saw it next move

[@laxoholic23]

had me at Disco Pork

[@kevinmccooey6291]

What's wrong with him 😂.. I've discovered a disco pork...so random..I love watching him work..💪...Rosen the assassin