How to Convert a Winning Advantage in Chess: Top Mistakes to Avoid

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00:00 Introduction
02:06 How To Convert With Two Extra Knights?
05:12 A Beautiful Tactic
06:23 Pawn Endgame Knowledge
07:45 The Outside Passed Pawn
09:24 'Candidate First' Principle
14:50 Chasing After Random Pawns
16:42 Transition into a Winning Pawn Ending
19:36 Playing Passively in Winning Positions
23:56 Need For Accurate Calculation
27:05 My Chess Crimes in Converting Advantages
29:51 Formulating a Winning Plan
36:48 Homework Position
Converting a winning position is one of the most challenging aspects of chess. In this video, I highlight common mistakes that often lead to failure in turning a winning advantage into a victory. We will discuss several key pitfalls, including:
Complicating instead of simplifying in a winning position
Relaxing and becoming complacent
Lacking crucial endgame pattern knowledge
Playing passively when ahead
Poor calculation skills
I will illustrate these concepts with concrete and instructive examples. I also share an instructive game of my own where I failed to convert an advantage by rushing and entering a difficult pawn endgame. We also discuss what good practices look like when converting an advantage.
Do you also face similar challenges in converting an advantage? Share your experiences and feedback by commenting on this video!

[@Lukas_E.]

40 minutes chess lesson? Yes please!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for having patience to watch a 40-minute lesson in this day and age.

[@eschiedler]

homework spoiler - no engine Black threatens mate in two. If white allows Nf3 in this position, then Rh2# is unstoppable. White must prevent Nf3 or find some other forcing move. h6 by white threatens Ra8#. h6 Kg8 Rg7+ Kf8 and white runs out of checks and tempo moves. h6 Kg8 Ra8+ Kf7 Be8+ Ke7 Bh5 thus the bishop defends the f3 square against Nf3. It is a very difficult line to find because any other moves out of order are tempting but do not work. An interesting line that prevents checkmate is Bf1 Nf3 Bg2 Rc1+ Bf1 Rxf1+ Kg2 Nd2 is tempting due to the passed pawns for white but it is far too passive and risky.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Excellent as always! You followed the right thought process and gave yourself several candidates that parry their devastating threat.

[@brainfellow5140]

Re: Homework - Following two themes from your earlier videos: 1) Ditch the pawn on b2, can't really defend it well anyways 2) "If I don't make a move" black will go Nf3 and threaten mate Rh2 on the next move, no way to defense this. So white needs to not give black this time. I'd probably start with h6 - threaten back rank mate. Keep putting pressure on black and keep them confined on the back rank. Try to get a passer on either g or h file.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Beautiful! Seeing ...Nf3 threat is more than half the solution! 1. h6 Kg8 2. Rc8+ Kf7 3. Be8+ followed by Bh5! stops ...Nf3 and White gets a winning position.

[@risingmojofilter]

Homework: If it weren't for weak king safety, we'd have an easy game winning with our outside passed pawn, but black is threatening mate in 2 starting with Nf3. Defending the f3 square is not easy for us. The bishop needs two moves minimum to guard it. We can try Bf2, but black responds Nf3, Bg2, Rc1#. Defending f3 by dropping the bishop back does not seem possible. But what if we could put our bishop on h5? That would guard the square. We go h6, threatening mate-in-1. Black is forced to go Kg8, then Ra8+, Kf7, Be8+, Ke7, then Bh5 guarding the f3 square. From here our king is safe from Nf3, black's only serious and immediate threat, and we can start calculating the best way to get our pawns down the board. Not totally convinced this isn't a chess crime, but it's the only way I could figure out how to prevent Nf3.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Excellent, excellent! I loved the thought process. You followed the correct order (look at their threat first).

[@michaelf8221]

I feel like one of the most impressive skills of better players is their ability to complicate seemingly "easy" wins. I always respect a player who never resigns and fights until the bitter end, always seeking to throw a spanner in the works.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Resourcefulness is a huge thing indeed. And strong players offer great resistance.

[@briandwi2504]

Your lessons are excellent. I bought two of your courses on Chessable and am benefiting from the careful 3 ply thinking in your calculation course. I am scoring between 80 and 90 percent, which is the sweet spot in learning too. Many thanks!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am so glad to hear it, thank you! I seriously created those courses to help my own students too. Sweet spot of desirable difficulty is what we want, great!

[@Kasperrkuijpers]

Thank you for this great video. I was looking for a forced win in the homework position, but I couldn't find one, and with the threat of the Nf3 - Rh2 mate in 2 by black it is clear that we cannot give black any tempos. h6 seems the most natural first move as it threatens mate in 1, so h6 Kg8, followed by Ra8 Kf7 Be8+ Kd6 Bh5, now our bishop prevents Nf3 and we threaten either Ra7+ followed by Rxh7, or Rh8 followed by Rxh7+, after which our g and h pawns are just too strong. I've looked at other options to prevent mate, like Kg1 to move away from the corner, but after Kg1 Nf3+ Kf1 black can take the g or d pawn (I guess Nxg5 first, and than coming back for the d pawn) which looks unpleasant for white. I would not have found this in an online blitz or rapid game, I might have found it in a OTB game I think it is very likely I would have lost this with white (at 2000 FIDE level)

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Excellent answer, thank you so much! I lost it with White too in an online rapid game :)

[@timm439]

33:12 a5 isn’t the only winning move - a6 is equally as good. Double checked with stockfish

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Yes, but the idea of a6 is also to follow ...b5 axb5 with ...a5! and the a-pawn is unstoppable :)

[@tonynorriss379]

Looking at this position, the advantages for white are obviously the past pawns on the queenside, the fact that white has a bishop verses a knight, and that the pawns are split on either side which tends to favour the bishop. Also, the advanced pawn on e5, and the weak black pawn on e6. If e6 were to fall, then I think there would be too much for black to handle. Black's advantage is that the white pawns on d4 and e5 are on black squares which means they can't be defended by the bishop. Hence, black can take those at will. Also, black has a passed pawn on f5 which white needs to guard against. The position of the black rook and knight is supportive of that pawn advancing. I think the white bishop needs to stay where it is at the moment, due to the possibility of a black passed pawn after d4 falls. The bishop, in that position also guards the e8 square, which is a potential square for a white pawn to queen, and can potentially move to guard the a8 square as another queening square. And to guard the f1 square to prevent a promotion there. That leaves the white rook free to roam, and capture on e5, creating another passed pawn, and removing the protection from the other two black pawns. This would mean that white would have another passed pawn that black needs to mind, and that the white rook can assist the bishop should it become necessary to capture one of black's pawns that potentially could queen. I don't think there is a mate threat for black in this position, or that black can easily get a perpetual. So, white should use that sort of attack to improve the position of it's king.

[@shawnnevalainen1337]

You have to be more concrete. If black can play Nf3, white will be checkmated by Rh2. White can prevent Nf3 by getting the B to h5, which could be accomplished by first playing h6. Black has to then play Kg8 to avoid mate, and maybe you can see the rest.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you, but we are facing a very annoying threat of ...Nf3! This is the reason we should always start calculating by asking what the opponent wants to do ☺️

[@tonynorriss379]

@@Dr.CansClinic Thanks. I should have seen that, especially considering I have just done you course on the opponents move.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@tonynorriss379 Don't worry. I have also missed that threat in the actual game :)

[@fishnets007]

Excellent video, I've made many of these mistakes. Especially passive positions.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you!

[@GaryWalters-tk2lp]

Lovely episode, and I have to say im guilty of over thinking the position when I'm ahead in material or activety! I guess we all want those beautiful finishes but keeping it simple as youve just show works well in these type of positions... Homework, my initial thoughts are that I see that both kings are restricted via the rooks but white has the two free running pawn on the queen side and black has a passer on the f file, so if we could exchange the minor pieces then white would easily promote but that looks easier said than done, black can also threaten a few checks but I think eventually runs out of options so I don't see this as dangerous, therefore I either push the pawns on the queen side, eventually forcing black to give up one of his minor pieces or start with the more aggressive move h6, I like h6 threatening the mate in one forcing black to make a choice, if black brings his rook back to c8 then we've achieve much more activety black becomes passive and Bd7 then looks very menacing as we threaten Bxe6 and I think we can force the exchange of our bishop and rook for blacks rook on g8 allowing our queen side pawn/s to promote easily... If blacks plays Kg8 then Rg7+ followed by Bd7 with a similar outcome (even if black then pins our bishop to our rook with Rc7, we still play Bxe6 allowing the trade of rooks) by forcing the piece exchange on g8 and then where free to advance the queen side pawns, if I could see a simpler way of exchanging the pieces then I'd go for that but I can't so that would be my approach even though blacks knight could jump around and possibly create another passer for black after capturing on d4 I don't think he can promote before we can. it will interesting to see other people's approach on this position and to see if I'm missing something obvious 😊

[@GaryWalters-tk2lp]

I wonder if ive got this completely wrong and all I need to do is push a5! Rxb2 Rb7 and then just push the a pawn until it reaches a7, then Rb8+ and black can not stop us promoting!!!

[@scipio84-q8l]

That was my first thought too, but how do you avoid blacks threat of knight f3 and rook h2 mate 😮 so 1 h6 Kg8 and then I cannot find a mate or a way to exchange pieces 2 Rg7 Kf8 3 Rxh7 Nf3 4 Rh8+ Ke7 and the King escapes...

[@scipio84-q8l]

a5 Nf3 a6 Rh2++

[@GaryWalters-tk2lp]

​​@@scipio84-q8lwell spotted 👍

[@GaryWalters-tk2lp]

​​@@scipio84-q8lcould white play possibly more forcing by h6 kg8, Ra8+ Kf7, Be8+ Ke7 or Kf8, Bh5 protecting against Nf3 (I'd missed blacks mating threat completely) and then try and take advantage? Maybe g6

[@JuanManuelBarreneche]

Great video (as always). Found the right idea (getting the bishop to h5 to avoid the mate threat caused by Nf5) but the wrong excecution (started with ra8+?? instead of h6!)

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! Finding the ..Nf3! threat was more than half the solution :)

[@Roberto-bd9fq]

in the first position white could play Nxd4. In the last game possibly open with Qg5+ followed by f4, though it probably leads to a similar position. Though Kf2 is fine I suppose.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you, your moves are reasonable too!

[@Roberto-bd9fq]

@@Dr.CansClinic Thanks. In both cases though your moves are more straightforward. I did see cutting off the king though as it is a standard idea, taking the third rank. Well-played game too bad you allowed a draw.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@Roberto-bd9fq 🙏

[@TheChingChongSlayer]

At this point youre my lord and savior. First time i hit 50 puzzle rush today. I feel i understand positional game better and its thanks to your videos

[@Dr.CansClinic]

So humbled to hear this lovely feedback 🙏❤️

[@timm439]

I’d go h6 threatening Ra8 mate if the rook doesn’t block first. Those two moves are faster than black’s mate in two. When rook blocks, go Bd7 to threaten it, and this should allow a trade of rooks followed by an and b pushing to queen.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! 1 h6! is a good start. But Black will go ...Kg8. What then?

[@tvens1]

Thanks, Dr.Can, from all the chess youtubers I believe I have gained the most from watching your videos.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That is so amazing to hear, thank you so much for the feedback!

[@user-nl7wn3ud7v]

Very nice ❤ h6 Bd7 be6+ Ra8+ Rc8

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! 1 h6! is good, but they will go ..Kg8 and their intention is to mate us in two moves with ...Nf3!

[@riwaaraafat4254]

great video as usual 💜

[@Dr.CansClinic]

❤️

[@fredgandolfi2356]

After h6 kg8, there is the line with bf1 nf3 bg2 rc1 bf1 rf1 kg2 wins the knight and i would expect the white king to deal with the black passer while the white passers give advantage. There is also the line where the bishop goes to h5 that covers f3 and sort of helps with the black passer and gets out of the way of the white q side pawn advance. However in a tournament under time pressure i would not choose this second line because i don't trust what the black knight and rook could do to my king. I prefer the rook and pawn endgame. Interesting. Btw you are my favorite chess channel and i am aware of several, on and off i follow four from which i actually learn, in two languages. Yours is the best.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your motivating words about the channel. I am really happy that you find it beneficial. I am doing it for chess improvement :) Great that you found the Bh5! idea to stop ...Nf3. But are you sure your first idea wins their knight? What if they go ...Nd2 after Kg2 and defend their rook on f1 while saving the knight?

[@fredgandolfi2356]

​@@Dr.CansClinic Nd2 would be utterly depressing LOL. so bh5 line it is then :-)

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@fredgandolfi2356 That's it :)

[@user-ot8bb3ng7o]

A spectacular 🎉 video I can relate to many of those errors that actually go under the radar, particularly breathing a sigh of relief when achieving a winning position, which erroneously gives a false sense of security 🤪 at the end we scream "how did THIS happen 😢a great video that relates to every game 💯💯👏👏

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback as always ❤️

[@mathwrest6508]

Hi Dr. Can, it said to trade pieces when on advantage but why also there is teaching not to trade queens when you are the one attacking? seems confusing

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Hi! Chess is full of tradeoffs indeed. It depends on the context. If you believe you will convert easier by attacking against the weak king, then you should avoid the queen trade, even when up material. But if you see you are transitioning to an easily winning pawn ending after the queen trade, you should definitely enter it! :)

[@owaisabdulmoeed7644]

Dr Can, the position where you messed up, why is a5 the only winning move? It looks like a6 wins with 1…a6 2. Kg4 b5 3. axb5 a5. While I’m typing this I realize that the immediate a5 takes one move less but this also seems to be winning.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That is right, 1...a6 also wins, if and only if you follow it with b5 + a5. So the idea is the same in fact:)

[@chesslover8829]

Another great episode! I have a question. Should a novice chess player (1300 elo) play complex openings like the King's Indian Defense or the open Sicilian as White? Thank you so much!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you dear chess lover :) I think your question deserves a future video, I am writing it down to my video idea list :)

[@LounoirRecords]

the true way to win a won game is by stalemating the king i'm kinda a professional in that :D

[@Dr.CansClinic]

:)

[@davidnelson4960]

Yes! Show me the beef!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Have you enjoyed the beef? ☺️

[@mikkelhansen3714]

Homework has to be Kg1 as Nf3 threatens and unstoppable Arabian mate:))

[@mikkelhansen3714]

Also no draw for black after Kg1 (often one side can force a 3-move repetition in situations like these

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Great that you saw ...Nf3 Arabian mate pattern. Kg1 is good enough. There is also h6 Kg8 Ra8+ Kf7 Be8+ followed by Bh5, covering the f3-square.

[@user-gg6df4xr3i]

How many games have we lost in a winning a position? What we need is a chess course in physical book form (Quality Chess)....If not,dont use your engines and write down your ideas and go with one then compare.Thanks doc....

[@Dr.CansClinic]

My pleasure!

[@KikanKikan-wb1wr]

I thought in 28.00 my chess crime black 1......., Qg5 2.Kh1,h3 3.Ng3,Qxe3 I Think white still better ,Sir

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your comment! ...Qg5 may not be a chess crime actually :)