How to Diagnose Your Chess | The Amateurs Mind #31

A big talk about the dangers of misdiagnosing our shortcomings in chess. Please like, subscribe if you enjoyed this video. As always I welcome any feedback as to how I can improve my videos.
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[@joeperry42]

This is definitely a problem I have when I'm playing - when I play higher rated players online, there's not usually a lot of opportunity to discuss the game and it could be quite illuminating to see where I went wrong, much more so than looking at the best move by the computer. I remember a 1000 rated friend showing me a position (as black) where he needed to play knight f6 and castle - which the computer said was the third best move after moving two of his already developed pieces (all the top three moves were -.15 to -.2) and I said "You have to get your knight out and castle" and he told me "but the computer tells me to move my bishop again" - I mean, well done, you've moved a developed piece twice and gained .05 of a pawn in advantage, but you're still two moves away from castling and the position is opening up. Maybe stockfish has calculated that it can win the two tempi it needs to castle, but you'd better be sure you have too if you're going to leave making your king safe until the middle game. Stockfish has the benefit of 20 move calculation in every single position.

[@jW-zu6rw]

Awesome. You always find these topics that no other chess youtuber talks about but which are essential for beginners and intermediate players. Sadly it's still hard to see these mistakes in your own games though. And analysing by yourself often leads to the same results as using google to diagnose your headache.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

yup, this is a tough one to overcome.

[@imaphd3747]

I think i wouldn't be too wrong when i say you are the best communicator of chess. Using words to explain really complex and unnoticed/hard to explain concepts. And your content is very very high quality for people looking to improve like myself. We are very privileged to have you give such lessons for free and taking your time to share this valuable lessons. I can imagine how lucky we are right now, since the players of the past didn't get to watch lessons like this while laying in bed. Thank you again.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Thanks for your kind comments!

[@thaleshnag2597]

Good to hear you got back your voice !

[@noahz]

It seems most amateurs (like myself) need to focus more on eliminating disaster candidate moves, rather than "finding the best move" (like most puzzles etc focus on). Especially early in the game when there isn't a "immediately winning move!" Great video, if you posted Amateur's Mind daily I would watch daily

[@ChessCoachAndras]

You are right, this was the core message of my first how to get better at chess video

[@lc0597]

you have to be stubborn enough to try and make your desires work out, but realistic enough to understand that sometimes the position won't call for it

[@mendereseroglu8865]

You are great man thanks

[@mohamedbouabdellah2273]

I love the Dr House reference xD And as always a great video!

[@kavinkumar6354]

Wow,quick recovery!! Well done...I look forward to hearing your voice again! Awesome vid BTW

[@1982gonzocontroli]

Very nice video! I agree it's really hard to critically evaluate your mental processes from the inside of your head. However, it's also hard to find a coach that will analyze your games thoughtfully and holistically... I'm a candidate master and worked with 2-3 in my junior years, but they never really engaged in such assessment of my chess :( So now 10 years later I come back to chess. Looking with my adult eyes through my old games I'm like "wow, I played like a vegetable!". Almost always tried to exchange as many pieces as possible and outplay in the endgame... why did they never tell me???

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Chess coaching is another thing that is a lot harder than what it appears to be.

[@Chris-zf5jz]

What an eye opener..great lecture! 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@zorza8907]

really good work on the thumbnail

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Phunkyt is doing it for me .

[@wasi1355]

Being myself a beginner I cannot agree more on your assessment. I tried to analyze my own games with the computer but soon realized that beside the typical blunders I made (and still do) etc. I rarely understood the computer moves. Now I take lessons from a WGM and she opened a complete new universe for me on how to look at my chess game. I am still asking myself if I would enjoy it to be roasted by you on the moves I make, LOL. But it is a pleasure to listen and watch your commentary.

[@andrewmayo9400]

I'm a 1450 or so on lichess, and I practice a lot (like 2 classical games a day) with a guy who's about 2100. It's absolutely insane how often I just call positions totally wrong and he nails them. I cannot recomend enough to have other people who are better than you look at games with you to call out when you're not thinking correctly.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Smart !

[@stag6161]

Depends on how much they charge you

[@vladpetre5674]

Amazing video! This is exactly why a coach is needed (obviously not everyone can actually afford one). Now going to the example presented (first one) - how can anyone rated > 1000 play Ng5 and not calculate h6 in that position? I think that's where that player's problem started. Not only that he has a lack of dynamic evaluation or that he miscalculated or wrong mindset (these are also problems, but not as big).

[@todesque]

Another absolutely superb video. Thank you, Andras! (Best chess channel, in my opinion.)

[@musicsdarkangel]

This is very well said by Andras. He's a great teacher.

[@holgerkummel8828]

Thanks, I like your style to explain, happy new year 2022! 🥂

[@marcofrey2903]

Great idea here, and warning call to self learners. However, I do think there are ways, absent a coach or friend, to analyze our own games by thinking like our own coach. I've taken pains to "learn how to learn" so to speak and I try to have a coach voice inside asking me if I followed principles, seized the initiative, etc. Of course, what I'm applying is what I ALREADY know. But that does go a long way. What I find interesting about learning chess is that I know more than I follow through on. And so, when analyzing with a quiet mind outside the time control, I often find where I went astray.

[@maxshing4265]

yea you are right. of course we can learn by ourselves, playing a lot of games , gaining experience on it, but it is rather slow and inaccurate method. (with wrong conclusion). I try many times, using stockfish to analyze my own lost game and I can tell you at least few moves engine said it is mistake, dropping the evaluation -1 to -3 and i can't really tell you what's wrong with my move, why engine suggesting another move. With coach you can improve faster but every player still need to make effort on it.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Agreed. Did you happen to see my video about how to use engines ?

[@maxshing4265]

@@ChessCoachAndras yea sure, but honestly not everything i can understand and even explaining to myself why just with the engine. that's why I agreed with you that if it is affordable, have a coach is the best way to improve.

[@harshgujrati5257]

Awesome video sir! Will keep adding values to my chess

[@joelra3702]

Your point about not going deep enough in calculations or assuming that things are a certain way when calculating is very relevant for me. Just yesterday I spent about 5 minutes on one move, calculating this sequence threatening mate in one, but allowing his queen to infiltrate with check supported by a bishop parked right next to my king. Essentially it looked scary and I assumed that allowing that would be bad, and due to that assumption I didn't notice/even bother calculating that he didn't have any more follow-up checks!!

[@gregp.4358]

Big thank you!

[@jhudk2d]

Thank you, that's awesome

[@NidusFormicarum]

People don't have time helping me out unless I pay them. Although one player actually did offer me help, but he is rated 100 points below me. The problem with coaches is that they so often only tell you what is going on chesswise, but completely ignores to put everything together and discuss what might lie behind the misstakes and how to avoid making the same misstake the next time. Just stating why a particular move is bad or why another is to be preffered is so often just not helpful at all. Sometimes the anwear might be as simple as "you are exhausted" - "you need some sleep" and/or "you need to take care of yourself better" or "try to breath calmly when you feel you are getting too nervous or too excited" etc.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

you are right, but often coaches don't have enough info to recognise these things, especially with online coaching!

[@NidusFormicarum]

@@ChessCoachAndras Yes, often it's hard even for club mates to see. Before my last game I lost 10 out of 12 games, but at least I won my last game so let's see how I'll do in december.

[@ocean3749]

3 things that are more important material unless its your king, 1. King safety 2. Development 3rd is The initiative/Attack 4th is material

[@buddythompson5284]

Extra credit for the "Louisville" mention! 😁

[@tyrelljeffries2527]

Really liked the video, but Coach, in the Winawer black goes Bb5 before developing the other knight and in the Guico Piano 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 is met by Ng5 leading to black having a perfectly playable position albeit with his knight on the rim after 4....d5 5. pxp Na5 in which case wouldn't 3...Bc5 have been a more comfortable continuation for black?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

There are zillion exceptions to this rule . Sadly They don’t nullify it. This why chess is hard.

[@tyrelljeffries2527]

@@ChessCoachAndras Next video in amateur's mind series: When to develop Bishops before knights lol!

[@lawrencesayshi]

Absolutely brilliant as always. Incredible lesson, I learned a lot!

[@kavinkumar6354]

My mindset is attack,attack,attack.If it fails,I learn.If it is successful,I win.

[@MarianChicu]

I should've learned a lot then, since I only attack, never defend :D. But it's so sloow..

[@Chessdrummer83]

good work legend as per usual

[@dougholtby3035]

also a coach can say moves are ok , when i thought they might be bad....i was amazed...a coach says...no you are fighting , that is good.....ect.

[@Shellback13202]

Invaluable advice as usual. Chess is so hard to learn, especially on your own. There is just so much to take on. But this kind of practical advice really helps learning to be more effective. And honestly, getting a chess coach is so easy and doesn't have to be expensive. I have a two hour lesson a week at a 7$/hr rate. With a titled coach. Anyone that really wants to improve would benefit greatly. Like the video says, knowing why a move was wrong can be very subtle and hard to see.

[@defqqq]

seriously seven an hour??? most titled players charge at least 10x that. Where do you find them?

[@Shellback13202]

@@defqqq it looks like my reply isn't showing up so I'll post it again: here's a link to the lichess coach's page lichess.org/coach There's a pretty big range of coaches and rates, you just have to decide what level of coach you're looking for vs. what you want to spend. Definitely helpful though, especially going over tournament games.

[@defqqq]

@@Shellback13202 cool, thanks

[@donbroccoli4274]

gosh when you explain that Andras it all sounds totally logic. How on earth does one reach the point of understanding of the game so that he can actually apply it in an own game??

[@user-zj2ff6cf6o]

Hi Andras! F**king AWESOME and truelly wisdom - LOOK AT AGRESSIVE AND ATTACKING MOVES FIRST

[@romo7598]

Love your videos!!!

[@Mozar2020]

Your content is “top notch.” Your videos always make me go “Wow,” this is such “high level” “legendary” stuff. As appreciation for your content, I purchased all your courses on Chessable, and haven’t been disappointed. The new thumbnails should help getting new subscriber’s. Thank you, for all you do! Thank you, for reducing the mouse clicking sound. Sometimes it was distracting in your earlier (still amazing) videos.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Thanks mate, very much appreciate it!

[@analogblues]

Incredible video. It's really helpful to see how you analyze games from lower-rated players. I noticed in a comment below that you're fully booked as a coach right now. Great news for you, bad news for me! Ha ha. Nonetheless, I hope to have you as a coach someday. Meanwhile, I'll be watching all your videos and studying your Chessables courses. Thank you for the amazing content, Andras!

[@bustersbrain]

With your personal approach to the center, develpment, King safety, tactics, and your experience with adult improvers specifically, would you recommend an annotated games collection of Capablanca over Alekhine or Morphy? I know that everyone finds their style as they go along, but you made an interesting statement in your beginner book recommendations about first games collections shaping players. If you were forced to.... which would you recommend a group of random adult improvers to read first?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Most definitely alekhine

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

In that first position my first thought (maybe the wrong one) is that the black queen is almost trapped. Bg5 leaves only f5 or g6 as safe squares, both of which could be covered if my LS bishop was on C2. If my opponent was around my level I'd be tempted to play Bc2 setting up the trap because I think the most natural/obvious move for black in this position is probably castles, or maybe c5 to free up their own LS bishop. I'm also curious as to why Ng5 is even an obvious candidate move. Yes, it's a forward moving attack, but h6 easily chases the knight away, and even if it doesn't... what then? Not like the knight is immediately accomplishing much by being there, and at first glance it just seems to be blocking our DS bishop's diagonal.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Ng5 immediately threatens With Ne4. You are right that Bc2 is tempting but sadly c5 then. 2. Bg5 seems bad on account of Bxf3!

[@slowslav6653]

i have a question i m rated 2000 fide i agree on all chess principles but in my opinion i don t see any reason that it should be important to develop knights before bishops i ve heard it also very often but i don t get it . What is the reason

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Because many times you don’t know where the bishops will stand best before the knights are developed.

[@joeperry42]

Also - Andras - are you currently taking students? How can I get in touch?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

No, fully booked, sorry

[@joeperry1188]

Sorry to hear that, but also glad to hear your content is yielding a full diary!!

[@noahz]

How about roasting I mean reviewing your subscriber's games? Rather than rando blog posts from the internet ;)

[@bustersbrain]

Guess I'll have to make do with your "Center" and "Development" Chessable courses for now. I suspect it's what our first 10 or 20 lessons would have focused on. .... If you gave up bathing and stopping at intersections you would probably have time for one more student........

[@DaydreamVacations]

At around a seven minute mark, you mentioned he needs to focus on learning how to retain the initiative even at the cost of materials. As a 49-year-old adult improver, do you have a book or course recommendation to learn and study initiative?

[@chessforfunonly1586]

Can't Black castle long in the first example? After Rook e1, Queen h4, Bishop a3 "trapping the king in the centre"

[@markkusiipola]

I have read somewhere games of Alekhine are good model games for seeing active dynamic play. I this correct and/or are there other players which are good for studying active play?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Alekhine , Tal, Spassky bronstein kasparov

[@PrasannaKumar-sx4ys]

@@ChessCoachAndras Can you recommend any books/material to study Spassky's Games?

[@moniquecameron9767]

Am I understanding correctly tha a player should only ever review games with a coach and never alone?

[@inner_zen_peace]

Great videos...i hope my opponent doesnt see this

[@RedGaming23]

Great examples. So under-rated! @chesscoachandras what advice would you give to a 1500-1600 rated rapid player (chess.com) regarding opening choice? Do you think it’s best to only play one opening like d4 only and go deep into that theory, or to learn as many openings as possible (excluding pet openings) and learn the basic themes and structures of each? I know you don’t like a mindless system like London or colle played mechanically but I don’t think Iv heard which openings for white you like to teach students once they get beyond beginner. Does e4 just have too many replies from black to prepare for?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

d4 e4 are all good. As a d4 player you should learn d4 followed by c4 proper openings .

[@outposter7281]

Another Great Video! I‘m guilty as charged, because I would not have played Ne4! So how/what should I (2000 Blitz on Lichess) train/study to overcome this problem?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Perhaps study players who played very dynamically, alekhine , tal , keres, Spassky , and kasparov

[@avikdatta]

Also could not he have gone kh1 instead hitting both the pieces or am I missing something? Another great session Andras thank u... Can u pls suggest books on initiative?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Jansa’s dynamics of chess strategy has a lot of good examples although the book was not written about initiative

[@avikdatta]

@ChessCoach Andras umm I m an 1800 on lichess..u think I can go for that book? I remember u said it was for 2000 and above... also I thought it was otb rating...which I don't have...

[@markkusiipola]

if you are on your own, without any help from stronger player, there are no hope for real improvement? Maybe giving up chess is a more wise thing to do, and do something more productive with your time?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

No, definitely don't do that. There is hope for improvement, it will just be slower, that's all.

[@Paul-ew3yq]

great as always. One comment -- in the first example, what's wrong with 1. Bg5 followed by 1... Qg6 and 2. Re1? Not that the other line is bad, it just seems like a no brainer, bringing all the boys to the party. When you started off the video I thought you were going to talk about black's horribly misplaced pieces, not white's!

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Nothing wrong with it.

[@NidusFormicarum]

Also, I get more really good positions on the board - often winning positions - when I lose game after game. When I win game after game my positions are usually utterly lost. How can that be? Anyone having any idea?

[@connormonday]

I’ve never had a coach, but I would have thought that if I was sending them a game, they would want to see what conclusions I came to on my own so they can know I did the work and also maybe zero in on how I can analyze my own games better. Is this standard etiquette that you should only send raw pgns to coaches?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

I recommend you watch the video again. The message is that you need to check your conclusions with someone. NOt that you should not have one.

[@ericthomas8147]

We weaker players don't know how to turn dynamic features in a position into a win. We do know how to turn a material advantage into a win (trade pieces to an endgame). What advice might you give us to build up our experience in the former, especially when our calculation skill still leaves much to be desired?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Study the older greats (morphy- Alekhine , Keres etc) they will help you a lot

[@imaphd3747]

I would like to know how much you charge to have a game looked at? I have this game i won but still feel like i could have done better. My rating when i was playing the game was 1350 (underrated🕵). I'm 2200+ lichess now, as i haven't played a single game otb in over 2 years.

[@UrnestHemingouey]

This whole thing sounded like a huge humblebrag xD

[@EmilioFerrucci]

why not Qh5 instead of moving the knight, and then if black castles short you can play Ne4 because the Q defends h2

[@geoffreygeorge999]

what to do if you dont have money for a coach?

[@ChessCoachAndras]

you need to accept that certain things may be harder. It is not the end of the world though!

[@geoffreygeorge999]

@@ChessCoachAndras So what should I do?

[@NidusFormicarum]

Adding: You know something is seriously wrong when you have lost 4 out of your last 6 games to players rated several houndred rating points below you. Then you start doubting yourself: What is going on with me? Am I getting insane? My ELO for classical chess is 1876, by the way.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Cant possibly tell without seeing your games.

[@NidusFormicarum]

@@ChessCoachAndras We can fix that.:D

[@penguinb4u]

you look like the villain from the movie matrix.

[@ChessCoachAndras]

Yea, heard this one a fair few times . I guess it’s still better than looking like Jabba the hutt..😉

[@sebastianapolo8515]

hahah Cypher