My Top 5 Hippopotamus Defense Chess Games!

[@lorenzozorrer]

Joey is a beast! That is such a deep and emotional present. Congrats Solomon!

[@TheChessGiant]

He is! In more ways than one. And thanks man 🙏🏽

[@stolenhandle]

My personal experience with the Hippo is that I gain a sense of "control" over the game that I never felt I had with other openings and defenses I attempted. Getting to move 10, 12, or even 15 with a real solid sense of what's happening doesn't guarantee me a win, but it makes me feel like I can better assess the opponent's responses and I can begin looking for the tactical motifs that make the Hippo so much fun. It is more than an opening or defense. It's actually a strategy. And that's one of the hardest things to teach chess players. *My experiences and opinions are my own. Your ELO may vary.... Thank you so much for making this material available because playing chess with a strategy makes chess enjoyable again for me.

[@sweaterkev]

Great comment

[@TheChessGiant]

I'm glad to hear that the Hippo has made chess enjoyable for you, as it has done for me. I totally agree with feeling like I have control over a chess game. Many other openings (almost all of them) can fizzle out into something nobody has ever seen before in the first 5-10 moves. The Hippo, however, has so many similar themes and ideas and strategies, which really helps with not just the knowledge of the opening portion but the middlegame (especially) as well. Thanks for tuning into so many videos and leaving great thoughts. Appreciate you 🙏🏽🦛

[@SlashBurner]

Great video and awesome gift from your brother.

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks my guy, and yes it was! One of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received.

[@sweaterkev]

WHEEZE HONK!!!! Just thought I'd stop in to say hi. To the whole Hippo Army please read Solomons description of this vid. Never have I felt something so heart warming and truthful before going to try and destroy someone with your methods! Love ya brother. Hey what happens when I push f5 too soon? A Hippopota-mess!

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey what's up bro. Thanks for coming through and dropping a comment per usual. And a "Hippopota-mess" - I like that! 🦛🦛

[@hata6290]

bro is a beast irl and on the board 🥶

[@TheChessGiant]

Haha thank you brotha 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@michaelallport5816]

Thanks for all the fine work for us Hippo aficionados😊.

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks for tuning in!!! 🦛🙏🏽

[@zorrow1000]

… & by the way I am half Malawian, lots of hippos there so I just knew this had to be my opening, man, just had to be. If you can take it to 2200, and Hansen can take it to 2600 on his recent speedrun not to mention Nakamura playing it, it has to serve me well for the rest of my mad chess addiction, long May it continue😊

[@sweaterkev]

Amen brother!! You found the perfect channel to learn it

[@TheChessGiant]

Well there you go! And yep. The Hippo deserves more credit than it's given! You can go far with it. Keep it up!

[@TheChessGiant]

🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@davidbatchelder85]

first and last games were my favorites. First, coming full throttle and the last, slow strangle. Which I love about this opening.

[@rayflutemakerman6094]

Great strategy instruction Chess Giant. Onward!!

[@TheChessGiant]

Onward!!

[@davidbatchelder85]

that was nice and very thoughtful of your brother, great

[@OregonMikeH]

Hi YA Solomon, I really like that you left us the links to those games! Thank You Pal and best wishes your way for a Grand 2024. Mike.

[@dmr288]

Loving the hippo!

[@TheChessGiant]

Glad to hear it! Do you play the Hippopotamus Defense as both black and white?

[@TheVet414]

HUNGRY HIPPO!! ITS ALL I PLAY!! LOL!! DANG U ChessgiantSolomon!!

[@TheChessGiant]

LETS GOOOOOO!!!!!!

[@freddym223]

THANKS i purchased your coarse , and i've played thru these games and learned a lot. i'm trying to write down all the moves but it's very difficult even when i slow you down . wish i could find the moves written out somewhere . but if not it's worth the effort !

[@lorenzozorrer]

Is the course good?

[@freddym223]

@@lorenzozorrer i have been playing the hippo for 20 years with much success . i thought i knew all the tricks . i have many books on the hippo . but solomon showed me many tricks i didn't know . and his style of teaching is the best ive seen in my 65 years of serious chess.

[@lorenzozorrer]

@@freddym223 very nice... sadly cannot afford the course as it is quite expensive in my currency. But we play with what we get, ey?

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks for the kind words Freddy - I appreciate you! 🙏🏽

[@TheChessGiant]

Ah for sure Freddy! Email me that you want the game notation and I will email you the pgns to these games! Hope your liking the course - thanks for investing in it!

[@berthonynelson1410]

Absolutely great !!!

[@WayOfHaQodesh]

So, is there much difference with white hippo and black hippo? In black you say you tend to fianchetto the king side bishop. Do you always want to start with the king's side defence, and is this a strategic or tactical decision? Thanks heaps

[@WallySoto-yi8fz]

On the side career. Puppeteer!

[@WallySoto-yi8fz]

Muppets also!

[@FloatingSunfish]

Many thanks for sharing your top Hippo games so far, Solomon! As a former King's Indian, Pirc, and Catalan player (I prefer setup-based openings), I am simply in love with the Hippo and the positions it gets me. Much like the London and other unpopular openings of the past, I'm sure the Hippo will eventually get the respect it deserves. Here's to more instructive Hippo videos in the future! 💪🏿🦛

[@TheChessGiant]

I'm glad you enjoyed the games! I know you've already seen them all too which I appreciate! And ya I sure hope the Hippopotamus Defense eventually gets the respect it deserves... people still call it a bad opening/troll opening/timid opening etc etc. I just can't believe my ears when I hear it lol. And sure, I used to think the same thing - but I've obviously evolved in my views on the system through studies, games, and tournament experience + watching high level players lose to it over the years!

[@WallySoto-yi8fz]

Ladies & Gentlemen...The Gesticulator has arrived. My goodness! This is horrifying to watch! So, i just listen

[@RainerErhart-nd5xf]

🎉🎉🎉

[@mnm1273]

Nice video. Got a tad distracted by the bisexual lighting (not sure if it was intentional, just made me chuckle). I do wonder if I want to learn the hippo on the long run.

[@TheChessGiant]

lol no not intentional just colors

[@sweaterkev]

Wow if you get distracted by the "bisexual lighting" perhaps there's other things you should be wondering about. If you want a solid opening then Learn the Hippo!! Ain't no better Hippo player than Solomon to learn from

[@mnm1273]

@@sweaterkev "perhaps there's other things you should be wondering about" I have no clue what you're insinuating. What should I be wondering? I'm not bi if that's what you're asking.

[@BobbyFischer0000]

Hey man, what has been your biggest win with the hippo so far?

[@TheChessGiant]

Probably against the 2513 IM if we are talking about OTB chess, but online I've been multiple GMs with it.

[@dmr288]

Do you think you’ll always play the hippo?

[@TheChessGiant]

Of course! Although I'll be honest in that I'm not sure I'll play in competitive OTB classical tournaments in the future. They take time, energy, nerves, preparation, and a full weekend if not more. I'm kind of happy not playing at the moment.

[@RayT70]

Is your left eye okay?

[@TipsyFlipper]

Glad someone else asked this. Looks almost like a shiner but I can't tell. Don't drop your hands when you defend

[@RayT70]

​@TipsyFlipper Maybe it was from a basketball 😁

[@TipsyFlipper]

@@RayT70 he strikes me as a center, so maybe an errant elbow?

[@RayT70]

Could be. I remember back in the day watching Bill Laimbeer beat people up.

[@TipsyFlipper]

@@RayT70 hahaha brutal

[@davidbatchelder85]

what happened to your left eye, ?????