How to Calculate in Chess? [Find Tactics in Your Games]

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

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[@ujanacharya3525]

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[@EmmanuelLee1691]

Tukoh tukoh taka tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata tukoh tukoh taka tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata tukoh tukoh taka tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata tukoh tukoh taka tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata tukoh tu tata

[@alexlex5792]

The link doesn't work

[@NalanArumugam]

THANKS SIR🙏♟

[@ReflectionOcean]

- Evaluate the material balance to understand the position's urgency (start: 0:52). - List candidate moves before deep calculation to stay organized (start: 1:18). - Focus on enemy territory and consider forcing moves first (start: 1:48). - Calculate variations until the end of the forcing line for accurate outcomes (start: 5:03). - Prioritize moves using positional understanding to simplify calculation (start: 6:30). - Keep the opponent's king restricted to develop your attack (start: 10:17). - Reorder moves to make identified tactical motifs work (start: 13:00).

[@sebasforest963]

I love this: pause the video, try to solve the puzzle and then get coached through it. You do it really well, please make more of these!

[@mannydeveraturda3276]

GM Igor Smirnov is by far the best chess coach I have ever encountered. Thanks for the effort, sir. Keep up the good work!

[@harper626]

Really like Igor's way of explaining chess. He does an excellent job.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thanks Paul!

[@Faustusful]

i agree i tryed watch hikaru and well i dont deny he is chess genius but.. in his coach videos he speak so fast.. he change topics.. and you basicly after 1 min have no clue whats going on.. for intermedium player.. its impossible to understand. While here.. everything is clear

[@ncerttopicsbyaarav5663]

@@Faustusful you are right

[@scalygoose5577]

Took me a while, but I believe the winning continuation is 1.Nc7+ Qxc7 2.Bxf7+ Kxf7 3.Qd5+ Ke8 5.Qe6+ Be7 6.Qxe7#

[@PedrinhoCruzeirense]

Nc7+ wins by force. But the beautiest move is 1.Qd5!! It threatens mate on f7 and black can't play 1 ... Qxd5, because of 2 Nc7 mate!! So, the only move for black is to play 1 ... Nxg5 (defending f7), but then white captures the black queen (not mentioning the poor juicy rook at a8). If I was on this position as white, I would prefer this line, even after seeing the Nc7 mate line, just for fun and beauty.

[@jenishajackrit9546]

I see that after all ur moves King can go to e8 @pedrinho paquiderme ans is correct one

[@C0RY.M]

@@jenishajackrit9546 Scaly Goose is correct. My original thought was 1. Nc7+ Qxc7 2. Qd5. From here, I didn't see a way for black to defend against checkmate, but then I realized they could block the black diagonal with f6.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Well done!

[@KYYYYG]

Lmao, this one is actually what i've calculated

[@laurivaara3177]

Sacrificing the white queen on d5 is the way to go. If the black queen captures, knight to c7 is a check mate. If the white queen is not captured, queen to f7 is a check mate.

[@kevinhodgson2990]

I wouldn't call it a sacrifice since the d5 queen is protected by the bishop. Excellent move creating 2 checkmating threats. However black can just give up his queen and take the g5 bishop. So you have 1. Qd5 Nxg5 2. Qxc6 Rb8 3. Nc7+ Kd8. A winning advantage for sure but I don't see a quick finish. I think 1. Nc7+ gets the job done in 6 moves.

[@eddiescherer]

NxB and the game goes on. It´s a beatiful move, but not mate.

[@GJAkuo]

Queen d5 is met with Knight captures g5 and the game goes on. Mate is out of sight.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

► Chapters 00:00 How to calculate in chess? [5 tips] 00:28 Example-1 00:51 Tip-1: Evaluate material 01:17 How to find candidate moves in a position? 04:09 Example-2 05:00 Tip-2: Calculate till the end of the forcing line 05:39 Example-3 (this is how Grandmasters think) 06:28 Tip-3: Use your positional understanding 09:18 How to improve your positional understanding? 09:59 Example-4 10:11 Tip-4: Don't let your opponent's king escape 11:57 Example-5 12:57 Tip-5: Try to make tactics work somehow 13:52 Test your calculation skills with this puzzle

[@reyhananiz5099]

3:33 Just wanted to point out that Nxg3 leads to Qxh7 mate, so it can be eliminated that way too

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

@@reyhananiz5099 That's right!

[@justsomeboyprobablydressed9579]

Thanks for the great video! Solution to final puzzle: 1.Nc7+ Qxc7 2.Bxf7+ Kxf7 3.Qd5+ Ke8 4.Qe6+ Be7 5.Qxe7# I used all your tips to solve it! (I hope I'm correct.)

[@MyBiPolarBearMax]

This is excellent. I made the mistake of seeing the motif but not finding a way for it to work. I kept seeing ways to gain material advantage but didnt combine the knight sac WITH the bishop sac to find mate.

[@subramanianponniah1238]

1) Qd5 threatening Qxf7#. If QxQd5 2) Nc7#

[@justsomeboyprobablydressed9579]

@@subramanianponniah1238 Very good! That works too, but it takes longer to win (look for White's move to keep from getting mated immediately). Notice in the sequence I gave, every move by Black is forced (one move on each turn). It's a forced mate-in-5.

[@cikonianiggra1415]

@@subramanianponniah1238 But after NxBg5 there is not check mate, you must play Qxc6 and the play is going on for some time.

[@maryhanisch9979]

Yes, in the puzzle, every move is forced. I love it!

[@tim9497]

Yes solved first one. 2nd Bishop sacrifice followed by Queen check and Knight follow up. Great stuff.

[@jimkyle8008]

The solution to the puzzle at the end of the video is as follows: 1.Nc7+ Qxc7; 2.Bxf7+ Kxf7; 3.Qd5+ Ke8; 4.Qe6+ Be7; 5. Qxe7 mate. I'm happy to say that I solved all the problems quickly. I must be getting better. Thanks, Igor.

[@shimi3065]

There are some truly amazing chess teachers on youtube, but I find my chess improves the msot when watching your videos.

[@judemorales4U]

I learn a lot from this channel and it is the BEST teaching channel on YT. Thanks Igor!

[@Wasiq-x8e]

The solution of the last puzzle can be 1.Qh5 threatening mate, if blackplays g6 then 2.fxg6 any pawn of black captures(f or h pawn)3. Bf7 is mate since rook supports the bishop. I am not sure about the answer, if any one finds it please reply me.

[@BobChess]

This is so useful for practicing puzzle! I solve tactical puzzles easily but the positional puzzles are very hard to be solved, so this video is worth to watch!

[@ChristianMeyer-Lehnert]

Of all the chess training videos I have seen, yours are by far the best! Your advice is simple, universally applicable and super powerful. I cannot overstate how helpful this is, even on my level of ~1800 FIDE!

[@thedspenguin]

on the second puzzle I calculated every variation, as you teach, and Black can defend (doesn't need to take the bishop with the pawn), meaning it's not necessarily mate.

[@smithyq6335]

Final position is interesting. Looks like a Sicilian, Sozin variation where Black has played ...b4 to chase away the Nc3 and then grab on e4. The solution is quite fun: 1.Nc7+! (forcing move, King cannot move) Qxc7 2.Bxf7+! (forcing move, again only one reply) Kxf7 3.Qd5#. Interestingly, I think Black saw this. In the diagram, the last move was Qc7-c6, trying to cover d5. It looks like Black could just take the knight with ...axb5, but that would allow Bxf7+ and Qd5# immediately. So Black saw the threat and tried to stop it, but 1.Nc7+! pulls the Queen away from d5 immediately. Must have been very satisfying to play as White!

[@simontang2944]

I like it! Think it needs to continue 3... Ke8 (only square to get out of check), 4.Qe6+ Be7 5. Qxe7#

[@smithyq6335]

@@simontang2944 Nice. Thanks for the correction, I somehow completely missed that Ke8 was possible!

[@garysturgess6757]

I found the immediate 1 Bd5 which traps and wins the queen, but of course checkmate is stronger. :)

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

it was an insightful analysis of the preceding moves!

[@smithyq6335]

@@GMIgorSmirnov I tried re-creating the game based on those hints. Looks like White offered a piece with 12.f5!?, which Black tried to decline with the "safe" 12...e5, which allows the 13.Nb5!! shot. After 13...Qc6, we reach the puzzle position: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Bc4 b5 8. Bb3 Nbd7 9. O-O Qc7 10. f4 b4 11. Na4 Nxe4 12. f5 e5 13. Nb5 Qc6 The move order might not be right, but we reach the puzzle position.

[@ailius1520]

3:31 - White's continuation is QH7 checkmate if that knight is moved.

[@Bratte898]

1. Nc7, QxC7 (forced) 2. Bxf7, kxf7 (forced) 3. Qd5+, ke8 (forced) 4. Qe6#

[@desmyt67]

Missing one move, 4. ...Be7 and then 5. Qe7#

[@Bratte898]

@@desmyt67 You're right. Thank you.

[@mitchellhutchinson4134]

Wow this immediately opened up my game. I applied your vision and logic and discipline of patiences and am constantly beating players I constantly lost to. Many thanks MRH

[@tak9163]

I felt really proud seeing the solution for the puzzle immediately! Nc7, Queen has to take, Bxf7, king has to take, Qd5 check, Ke8, Qe6, Be7, Qxd7#!😊

[@harsharoyal5927]

Mm took me 3 mins to find 😅

[@pemrograman-cepat3393]

Wow thanks Sir. It is my answer: 1. Nc7+ Qxc7 2. Qd5 Rb8 3. Qxf7# 1-0

[@mikestock969]

Awesome timing of this video 👌👍😊 Truly appreciate your help.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

🙏

[@andrehbarakat2809]

Thank you so much for this lesson GM Igor

[@amcds2867]

Last puzzle: Knight check - Queen takes, Bishop check - King takes, Queen check on D5, Queen checkmate on E6.

[@ShaddyJerome-sw4yi]

the 2nd puzzle took me a mins cus if black don't take my bishop I don't see a mate... Wait here's my move Bxh6-gxh6 Nf6+Kh8 if black move is Kg7 then Ne1+ win a queen on c7. Qe4!! unstoppable mate in h7. My 2nd calculation is if black don't take gxh6 maybe I play Qb7 to Qa6. My answer is white win a pawn on h6

[@KurtvonLaven0]

13:53 Nc7+ forces Qxc7, then Bxf7+ forces Kxf7, then Qd5+ forces Ke8, Qe6+ forces Be7, allowing Qxe7#.

[@rabenklang7]

13:35 Qe2 Kc1 Bf4 Ba3 prevents instant checkmate, but Bxg3 trades Qeen for Bishop, but you can get a Rook for the Bishop Bxe7, so the piece difference is Roock + Pawn against Qeen.

[@AliEgemenB]

Just discovered your channel and I've been watching it for couple of days. Tomorrow I have local tournment that I'm looking forward to. As a 1200 player I will try and beat 1600s there. İt's probably unlikely but thanks to your incredible commentary and videos I feel like atleast I can try. Thanks ^^

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Best of luck!

[@AliEgemenB]

@calencrawford2195 I got 5th place 3/5 wins No medal but it ok 😁

[@ChessJourneyman]

Fairly easy and straightforward examples with a clearcut one viable line worth calculating.

[@raselju]

You are the best chess coach ever! Thanks for your continual efforts that help millions of chess players over the world.

[@harbard642]

I must say... Most effective teacher on KZbin... For sure

[@josephswanzy3539]

This is one of the best chess channels ever. Thanks a bunch. More videos please

[@rajindersinghkhurana3105]

GM Igor ...I have been regularly watching your channel and truly appreciate the learning that I have been able to get and improve my games...I am around 1550 rating and this video is awesome. Thanks

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Happy to know about your improvement!

[@SigurdBraathen]

The last puzzle was hard. I finally landed on Nc7+ - (forced) Qxc7 Bxf7+ - (forced) Kxf7 Qd5+ - (forced) Ke8 Qe6+ - (forced) Be7 Qxe7++

[@SweetSwissCheese]

In the tip 4 puzzle, what is the continuation if after 1. Qg6, black goes 1. ... Rf7? Something like 2. Bxg7 Ke7 3. Ng8+ Ke8 I don't see anything other than a repition?

[@iankemp1131]

Of course a key point is that these positions don't arise by accident. You will have had to plan and work towards them, otherwise they won't happen. Even grandmaster Spielmann said of world champion Alekhine, "I can see the final combinations as well as he can ... but I can't get into the same positions". In the first example, Black will have been positioning his R, Q and B over previous moves to prepare the winning combination.

[@MattArseno]

This is an excellent video, thank you! And I was able to get the last one! (thanks to your video on the King's gambit --> you mentioned a similar bishop sacrifice). VERY satisfying! thank you!

[@richardhislop-harvestthena4882]

GM this lesson has and your others has seriously helped me out! Just recently had a game I won and played 90.9% accuracy which blew me away! That is amazing for me and I don't do that every game but that just shows that I'm making good progess! Thanks GM!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Awesome to hear that from you!

[@Steve-cv7qv]

Igor, I am 1050 USCF OTB player. Also 58 years old. If I get this right it this video really helped me. My answer is these are all forcing moves unless I missed something. 1. Bxf7+, Kxf7 2. Qh5+, g6 3. fxg6+ Kg8 4. gxh7+ Rxh7 (king cannot take h7 because Q is on H5) 5. Qf7# The Rook blocked the Kings escape to h7? Is this right?

[@brendasullivan7553]

Your videos are becoming more and more instructive! Thank you!,

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad you like them!

[@lordscuzz]

For the third scenario I see a number of lines: One is 1. Nh7 Kxh7 2. Rxh5+ Kg8 3. Qh6… at this point I don’t see any way for black to escape mate on Qh7 supported by Rook or Bishop. Though admittedly Kxh7 is a blunder here… Another is 1. Rxh5 g6xh5 2. Ne6+ - if black moves king back to either g8 or h8 or captures knight with bishop, mate is unavoidable after next queen check. If black captures with the pawn, then its a short chase along the 8th rank. EDIT: I’m happy that I found the right line, but it took way too much calculating/overthinking positions, which takes up time and spends a lot of mental energy in game. Noted for future games! Thanks.

[@sahilmore7342]

Have to say !! Amazing masterclass have improved a lot on tactical side !

[@susymay7831]

Hidden gem channel! ❤

[@thiagoserafini4215]

14:02 I calculated 1. Bxf7+ Kxf7 only move. 2. Qh5+, if they block with the pawn they're worse, but if they play 2... Kg9 black's better. So i changed the order of moves. 1. Qh5, it's a checkmate treat, black can only block with 1... g6 2. Bxf7+ Kxf7 only move and 3. fxg6 and white seems to be winning... I think. The bad think is after 1. Qh5, they can block your dark square bishop with Ne or Ndf6, making breathing room for his king.

[@bloodngore-3436]

man you are an amazing teacher

[@cikonianiggra1415]

Generelly every your video is valuable - inclusively also this one. You are a clever man.

[@tgwti]

1. Kc7+ Qxc7, 2. Bxf7+ Kxf7 3. Qd5+ Ke8 4. Qe6+ Be7 5. Qxe7#

[@Paulieinspiration]

My dad was a great pool player he was a shark in the Bronx. Making over 300 balls in strait pool without missing once. Once he told me a good player doesn't have to make hard shots he makes every shot easy. I thought of him when you were talking about positional chess.

[@toriasygramul7128]

QD5 and its mate by Nc7 or Qf7: with Be7 just leading to Qf7:+ Kd8 Qe7: mate

[@yashaswipaniniroy]

11:34 Black king can be saved by playing Rf7 instead of playing Ndxe5

[@sumitvishwakarma1075]

another tip from a learner : - initially play classical games and think at your best then slowly you'll be able to think faster

[@zsombororovec645]

The last puzzle is a forced chackmate in 5, starting with Knight to c7+, followed by Bishop takes f7, then coming with the queen in the middle and delievering the chackmate.

[@frankbeerbaum5593]

Qd5 leads to a forcing win: if QxQd5, Nc7#, if nxg5 Qxc6 and black is down significant material and looses!

[@fredtaylor9792]

Great information! Love the way you explain it. Also, after doing a lot of puzzles the last few days, I figured out that first position checkmate in about 10 seconds. Puzzles aren't everyone's cup of tea but they really get you in the right mindset... my humble opinion.

[@andyisyoda]

Fantastic chess video. ❤

[@jaibajaj]

Love your simple yet great technique

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thanks so much 😊

[@arinjayajain1179]

1.Qh5,g6 2.fxg6,fxg6 3.Bf7#

[@sanjitvyas3043]

Awesome video! My solution to the puzzle would be 1.Qd5 threatening checkmate at f7 and if Black captures Qxd5 then 2.Nc7#. Only way to prevent checkmate is to play Nxg4 which will win us the Black Queen Qxc6 again threatening Nc7# checkmate.

[@PedrinhoCruzeirense]

I found that one. And as I said on my previous post (as an answer to the first post), I prefer this line (Qd5) over the forced mate (Nc7+ etc), just because it is waaayyy more FUN and BEAUTIFUL than mate... lol

[@sanjitvyas3043]

@@PedrinhoCruzeirense fr

[@eddiescherer]

If Nxg4 you won´t check mate with Nc7. You lost your bishop. The game goes on, without a queen.

[@tunaficiency]

Got all of them right great video

[@walterbrownstone8017]

Great great video. Good tempo.

[@pokerchannel6991]

I see: nice! : 1. calculate the attacks. 2. look for the candidates. 3. use your positional understanding (ie for example, don't activate their pieces, or give them room) to simplify the task. Nice!

[@oluwaseundurojaiye1870]

Thanks Igor.

[@ManosErikosKlapsakis]

1 more with Horse F3 . 2 options. take with soldier, or retreat the king. both can be chekmated. one in 3 moves second with 10-12

[@samgreatclasher3798]

Answer of the last question Is knight c7 queen takes knight bishop f7 king takes bishop and then queen d5 is a totally forcing check mate

[@psybranet]

This man is an effective teacher

[@andrewandsueniemeyer6958]

I agree Qd5 leads to a forced mate, and the Nc7+ works I think Qh5 is also good, although a violation of the video. Checks are covered by the knight on a4, g6 results in a recapture allowing bxf7#

[@pranabbera6168]

Sacrifice the knight Nc7. Queen has to take it to prevent checkmate Qxc7. Next Qd5. Black can't prevent checkmate. Qxf7#

[@samgreatclasher3798]

Answer of the first position in Rook f1 and then queen g2 mate

[@themind1401]

Very instructive video thank you.

[@HARSH-dz6pe]

Qh5 ( going to check mate with f7)black Plays g6 then gx6 , black plays fx6 and Qgx6 Only 3 moves to win 🙂

[@eddiescherer]

Qd5 is a nice move but won´t lead to mate. Nxg4 protects the f7 square. But you would get the queen.

[@HARSH-dz6pe]

​@@eddieschererya your right what is your opinion

[@Rhyson-ev8ce]

1.Qd5-Qxd5 2.Nxd5#

[@KurtvonLaven0]

4:10 Bxh6 is devastating, because accepting the sacrifice with xh6 leads to Nf6+, forcing Kh8, and there is no way to stop Qe4 ... Qh7#. Black should therefore decline the sacrifice, but remains down a pawn, and has a terrible position.

[@liyabonamoss5700]

(1)Qd5 threatening mate on f7 and double attack on queen and skewer on rook (1)..Qxd5;(2)Nc7# And other moves looses to mate threat on f7 square

[@JetBomb12]

Nc7+, queen takes, Bf7+, king takes, queen d5 mate. Cool puzzle!

[@jimkyle8008]

Actually it isn't, because Black then plays Ke8. You are on the right lines. There is a mate, but you haven't calculated far enough!

[@AravindhanM-t7z]

Underrated channel

[@CaptainAndy99]

Great video, thank you very much.

[@unclejoker9975]

At 13:35 WQe3 looks like it would buy enough time for the King to find the back door and pray for a black mistake.

[@McLKeith]

I am lazy too. Calculating all the moved makes my head spin. Great video.

[@eddiescherer]

There is a forcing line with Nc7+ QxN Bxf7+ Kxff7 Qd5+ Ke1 Qe3++... but your line is much more beautiful! Unfortunately it doesn´t lead to mate if NxB, but it would be a beautiful win nevertheless.

[@ericst-laurent1194]

I think i find,a nice tactic of deviation of the queen!

[@prateeksalunkhe9111]

My answer to the puzzle 1.Nc7+ Qxc7 2. Bxf7+ Kfx7 3. Qd5+ Ke8 4. Qe6+ Be7 5. Qe7#

[@vivektulja4516]

Very good video. Thank you, Igor. My two most favorite players are Tal and Ivanchuk. What I find most amazing about them is that they see a winning combination in moves that on the surface look like losers. And I always wonder how do they do it. Maybe that's what genius is all about!

[@TimothyZhou0]

"I'm lazy, I don't want to think" omg I relate, I relate...

[@MarkHolmes-wt6dp]

Qd5+ if queen takes checkmate with kc7.

[@mrchess9908]

Kc7, Qc7 Bf7, kingf7 Qd5 checkmate

[@cabilingdaveson0911]

Knight to C7 bishop to F7 check queen to D5 check queen to E6 checkmate

[@lukastux3024]

Great lecture. Very practical.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Many thanks!

[@lwandomasoka]

Always enjoyed RCA sessions! as for the puzzle , Qd5 wins for White

[@BA-tx1cn]

love remote chess academy hank you Igor!

[@commandercoolomkarmaralapp4622]

Final Puzzle Solution: 1. Qd4 Qxd4 2. Nx3#. else 2. Qxf7#

[@justsomeboyprobablydressed9579]

You mean 1.Qd5 etc., which is indeed winning, but it's not a mate-in-two. After 1.Qd5, Black can give up his queen with 1...Nxg5 2.Qxc6 (after 2.Qxf7+ Black has Kd8) and White will win easily. But there is actually a mate-in-5 in the starting position beginning with 1.Nc7+. So, it seems this puzzle has at least two winning solutions.

[@agpaok0704]

bishop takes f7, king takes and then with queen h5 is check-mate whatever he does. if he block with the pawn we just take it and mate with the rook in the back rank. I am not sure if it is correct, because this is what I saw at first glance.

[@khynlao3533]

King can go to g8 and be "safe". Look up, other comments already explained what I found

[@Phiphi119]

Mr.Igor, I really want to improve in chess and I want to buy your course. However, I am still young and I don’t have that much money yet. Is there any way to extend the deadline?

[@RomelTVGuide]

I learned a lot of idea for better chess player, thank you for these..

[@gamingwithme2424]

dude.. in the 1st example after Nxg3.. Qxg3 isnt forced because it is not a check and therefore Qxh7 will be mate

[@richardneat.thenomadicchef7951]

Nb5 -C7 #. Q x C7. B x F7. K x F7. Q - D5 #. K -E8. Q-E6 checkmate

[@yingguang4513]

B-d5, Qxd5 N-c7+

[@peterrenkel6498]

In the first puzzle, I considered all three alternatives, and for the third one with the rook I din't find the checkmate. Then I tried doing something more complicated and got stuck.

[@Jaguar_Uche]

1. Qxh5 + Pxg6 2. Pxg6 + Pxg6 3. Qxg6 mate