Shabalov vs. Akobian | 2003 | French Defense - GM Varuzhan Akobian - 2013.01.08

Chess Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian presents a 2003 game in which he employed the French Defense against former U.S. Champion Alexander Shabalov.

[@ard767]

There are people who just love teaching and GM Akobian is clearly one of them! He explains a lot of complex ideas, but also asks if the class knows "en passant." He makes sure everyone got the bishop ending too. Awesome!

[@samuelyoung8103]

"This is the first time my opponent resigned with two queens on the board." LMAO!

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

No fluff, no comedy, gets right into it with patient easy to understand explanations. Akobian is one of my favorite teaching Grandmasters. As for comedy in chess, I head on over to visit Ginger GM.

[@sayafkhan748]

Maybe you forgot someone even better.. GM Ben Finegold

[@kendall6699]

Varuzahan is awesome

[@anvb5a1]

Only 12 likes on this comment? :( He is, he is...

[@tejas4039]

anvb5a1 just made it 69

[@stephenwilber4109]

you are an excellent teacher. Providing the student with concepts is the best way to help us teach ourselves. You make very clear ideas which I can apply to all games. Thank you !!!

[@carlkligerman1981]

This is one of the best lessons on the French I’ve ever seen. Thank you, an excellent, instructive analysis, genuinely eye opening!

[@andrewmays3988]

What a wonderful grandmaster, teacher and human being. Thank you kind gentleman....you're putting jewels in your crown in heaven!!!!!😇

[@shivendra5754]

No need to argue on this... He's the best coach i've ever seen

[@tejas4039]

These lectures are invaluable. Thanks for the upload!

[@souvikmukherjee4383]

Explained each and everything!! Great lecturer

[@dikshantsavant1257]

Such nice explanation ! Thank you ! GM Varuzahan.

[@chris1412250789]

I love Akobian. He's awesome! Im rooting for him in the U.S championship!

[@AbdelhameedTantawy]

very instructive video, really helps me out of understanding the french defense and its variations...! wish you all the best ....thank you

[@Blueslicks321]

GM Akobian one of my favorite American GM! cool vid!

[@giovannik5223]

his armenian

[@cholyom2629]

Not everyone has a spirit of teaching. I like a person who makes his teachings in simple way to understand. Thanks GM Akobian, you are an excellent chess lecturer I have ever seen

[@tfewald01]

Absolutely terrific. Thanks! For me, the best part was when you showed how to choose among 3 pieces to capture with. Then you explained the reasoning behind so many moves. Do you always teach like this? If so, you just gained another fan. Again, thanks, so much! Great job!

[@Ardistan667]

What a crazy game. Super instructive and especially learning about the strengths and weaknesses of two queens on the board I found interesting.

[@syyhkyrotta]

Thank you for teaching!!

[@ravis8532]

Superbly well explained .....its just not French Defence ....but about a GM 's mind

[@fhadenal-mutairi3294]

Great lecture By Akobian.. thank you! ;)~

[@patricklubbers2885]

Mr akobian is the best teacher I have seen so far, he really doesnt shy away from challenging the audience to come up with very complex ideas. Really challenges you to think differently about chess. It really helped me win against much stronger opponents

[@flap84]

Awesome French Defense game! Thx for sharing!

[@sayafkhan748]

Great illustration. Loved the long-short diagonal idea in the same color Bishop endgame.

[@jeanmarc1821]

You are a good teacher. Video is instructive

[@MrCanadiandude1919]

I find this game so beautiful. I missed Re4 and thought Rae8 instead, i think both are winning but I haven't properly tested it. I may start playing this opening.

[@Belfor09]

Very nice game. I like when people just play chess, you know.. Not playing 50 moves from theory and then agree to a draw.

[@johnaffleck6572]

+Belfor09 Nice? it's spectacular. A fighting French ! Akobian is not well-enough appreciated; he's a real master. T he French, you know, is notoriously passive; but not t his one.

[@soakedbearrd]

+John Affleck I dont think the french is passive at all, caro cann is passive. the french is more counter attack/positional. its attack is based mostly on tempo, but if white manages to survive the first 8 moves without a disadvantage, chances are black game is cramped.

[@iamenah3467]

Oh how I love Jesus

[@prashanthnakka7362]

Superb teaching sir...! A fan from India to ur teaching.

[@Biogsguy]

Great game, thanks for sharing

[@JudgeHolden13]

Highly educational thank you

[@13shepi]

The video editor seems to have cut out some of his analysis on the resignation. There is a major threat of Qb6+ Kf1 (Qf2 Rc1+ is mating) Qb1+ Qad1 (Qe1 Rc1) (Kf2 Rc2) (Qdd1 Rc1) Qxd1 Qxd1 d2 and black cannot stop Rc1, which clearly wins white's queen, leaving black up a rook without any compensation. If black defends against this with a quiet move like h3, then Rc2 is quite strong.

[@tivrfoa]

It's sad that he didn't show the winning sequence of his game. Maybe a7 Qb6+, Kf8 Qb1+, Qd1 Qxd1+, Qxd1 d2, Ke2 Ra8

[@h3arty]

Very nice. I really like Akobian. Good ideas on the bishop endgame; I hadn't considered the long to short diagonal and how to work with them to win. Something I look forward to practicing.

[@theobeulakker3492]

easy to listen to too nice man

[@mikehartl8665]

SO instructive!!!

[@lucaschamorro165]

gracias por contestar amigo john.lo entiendo bastante bien al maestro akobian igualmente y me encanta como enseña. saludos desde Argentina

[@ling6701]

Very interesting thank you

[@davidstubbs8896]

There is simply nothing that can replace experience in chess. In all of my years, I do not think I've ever had king and pawn against lone king with bishops of the same color. It is , yet another reason why our modern, internet, times are so rich for chess: any of us can play countless games against countless opponents online , without enduring others schedules or bragging rights. Also, it is great to have these videos from GMs available on just about any topic or sitation so handy. What did we ever do without KZbin? People under 35 don't even know what I'm talking about.

[@XieQiu]

great game and analysis

[@Ekamber1]

Excellent video on French Defence and Same Color Bishop Ending

[@tsSUn626]

brilliant!

[@thejarg0n]

great video; great game

[@shamikyareddy934]

2003 French defence game very exlent sir

[@pierluigischiavo4556]

Amazing player and instructor

[@hassansahir8227]

Very good idea thank u

[@Magikookeven]

Nice lecture sir

[@johanerojohan2935]

Extravaganza Tempo, Hi I am from Indonesia, Medan City, North Sumatera. Nice Lecture Grand Master Akobian

[@Idontunderstandchess]

interesting game. I also liked how he explained it with the knight that wants to move to d4 instead of just saying take to the centre

[@isavin1730]

Those bishop and pawn endings were awesome.

[@DimitrisAndreou]

At 49:15, it's important to note that white's Bc5 wasn't just a "losing a tempo" move -- it has to go exactly on c5, otherwise black bishop would go to Bd6, where the winning technique doesn't work (it only works with the black bishop is on g3, f4 or e5)

[@theobeulakker3492]

Great stuff indeed

[@kebecois71]

i love akobian, great teacher

[@TizenSaver]

your videos can turn a novice into a Grandmaster....thanks a lot...

[@sorgulayanbirbeyin]

Greeting from Ding Liren's 7. Game on World Championship,french defense 😊

[@missjessgem]

as a career French Defence player, I love this video. I like the French Defence because most players are booked-up in the classical e4;e5 lines and the e4;c5 Sicilian lines but most are not familiar with the French and can easily make a mistake. Also, if your opponent opens with d4, you can still play e6 and hopefully transpose into a Nimzo-Indian/Queens Indian or, even better, make your opponent flinch and play e4 on move 2 and get them out of their comfortable d4 theory.

[@soakedbearrd]

yeah french along with alekine are my favorite black defenses due to the reasons u listed. For d4 I usually play nimzo or scand

[@joshclinton5402]

what about the exchange variation though. I've stopped playing the French because scrubs use it to try and get a draw.

[@chessguy1993]

Josh Clinton there are lines to unbalance the position in the exchange french, but if you want something simple you can play 3... qxd5. and after 4. Nc3 qa5 5.bd2 c6 you've transposed into the Scandinavian, which at least avoids the symmetry of the exchange.

[@joaolucasbraga4642]

The fact your oponent opens with 1.d4 doesnt mean he cant play against the french defense. He may play the french itself with black, so he may be very confortable playing it with white also. But yes, you can transpose to the french, and although your oponent may be well prepared, you will also be. It's always a good idea transposing the game into one of your pet defenses/systems.

[@pethiasmusunka9940]

Good lessons, make a video on rook and king vs queen and king endgame

[@karunaskariah1465]

When g6 after queen check, which side does black castle on?

[@Jazeraene]

very nice indeed GM V Akobian

[@jonmichaelplotner3132]

So does the King- Bishop end game comes into play into this game or no. Seems I was left hanging

[@sebipop2620]

Can anyone tell me what is the name of the beggining/ending music please?

[@adrianacristinatrif4766]

at minute 52 and 41 seconds after the bishop check from d8 what if I play king a7, what would be the continuation GM Akobian ?

[@alexanderdurig4474]

Master class!

[@anzsai]

Gm akobian just showed how chess can be a very beautiful game

[@KeenanTan]

Definitely one of thebetter videos

[@WillToWinvlog]

Great video! I'm all about the french.

[@VikasVerma-gc8sr]

I feel teaching style of Akobian sir is more interesting than Yasser Sir. No doubt Yasser sir is also a great teacher. But personally Akobian sir is the one I like the most. Huge respect for both these guys as I am learning from both of them.

[@karnam7444]

At 33:00, you could have lined up the two rooks at E file. I tried all the combinations and it leads to faster checkmate.

[@anvb5a1]

I'll have to calculate this but giving him a chance to try to promote a pawn doesn't look like a safe idea at frist glance.

[@petes5034]

instead of Qf6, why not Qc7?

[@hilbertp]

Disclaimer: I'm a beginner an this question might be very stupid. When he does the end game situation at 37:18, isn't the Black King set check by the White Pawn?

[@bunderbah]

+hilbertp No because the black king is behind the pawn.white pawn goes through 8th rank.

[@larrykam1]

The sound from your participant's question could hardly be heard. Please do repeat his question before you answer his question. Thank you..

[@mikhaelm]

very good

[@dizzl8763]

Cant you take the c6 knight with the bishop and then push the d5 pawn to open up the diagonal and attack the rook and pawn?

[@mohamedshafi6340]

engaging 54 min, awsm section. by the way, somebody explain me y iz it a bad move at 21:10 to place rock on d8 t protect bishop, even if white a5 move, black could move rock a8 to b8 to attack the queen.

[@eliodelsette5048]

Could you explain why the 'light square bishop' is so badly rated? Is this only with the French Defence? Thank you heartily for your excellent lessons, giving me hours of pure enjoyment every day.

[@Spasskij]

its in the french, since black has his bishop trapped behind a light squared pawn chain with 1.e6 and 2.d5. Therefore you try to exchange it for whites bishop if possible.

[@MrChasseur12]

For the last exercice isn't Ba5 faster ? Black king can't move so for example Bg3 then Bf2 with the same idea. Works everywhere the black bishop goes !

[@lucaschamorro165]

amigos para cuando los subtítulos? soy de Argentina y me encantan sus vídeos pero no entiendo al 100% el ingles

[@johnaffleck6572]

+Lucas Chamorro El senor Akobian no se habla cien porciento "Ingles"; ye-ye. Asi, no te sientes solo; you tambien no le entiende todo, y Ingles es me Lengua Nativa !

[@SBob-df2ls]

27:26 Why not cxb5, forking the bishop and knight?

[@aminos24]

34:28 what about Qe5 defending b8 and threatening Re1+ or Re2 followed by Re1+ depending on what white does

[@caelidhg6261]

One criticism of these presentations. I wish they would mike the participants. I would like to hear their answers...

[@marcwagnolio6536]

at 18:33 what is wrong with taking the black pawn with the white knight on A4?

[@marcwagnolio6536]

+marc wagnolio nvm I see it the bishop is obviously protecting that pawn

[@k1ngmop]

bishop f8 ;)

[@coderAsif]

After Qb3 at 20:37, is it wrong for black to defend d7 Bishop with Ne5?

[@soakedbearrd]

f4, which allows white to gain a tempo on a move he was going to do anyway. even if f4 isnt played, qb7 puts pressure on rook on a8 and bishop (rxNe5). Ne5 isnt a good move

[@filip14528]

Why not Kxf6 at 29.30? Looks winning to me.

[@uppuluribharath]

at 8:40 wouldnt taking with pawn makes light square bishop ..a bad one??

[@maxharlan2565]

+Bharath Kumar Temporarily yep, but central control matters more often

[@soakedbearrd]

Ok my question is on 35:18 why not, instead of re8, play qd6 preventing queening altogether? If Qb4, then re8.

[@chongkokkeong]

yes i have the same question,, is Qd6 possible too? but Akobian said Re8 was the only move???

[@keithgiven4317]

when hes talking about playing qb7 at about 22 mins, I could only think QUEENSIDE CASTLE!!!!

[@alikooti7368]

Akobian, the best teacher

[@thehound1712]

I don't get something. At 5:03 he says before placing the dark bishop on b5, he takes the pawn on d4. But question is WHY? Why not place the dark bishop on b5 immediately?

[@soakedbearrd]

because after Bb5, dxc5, Qxc5, 0-0 (or Be3). So by playing cxd4 it keeps the queen on b6 putting pressure on b2.

[@thehound1712]

First I want to thank you for replying! And yes what you say is true, BUT, he doesn't have to retake with Qxc5, he can just instead retake with Bfxc5. That way the Queen will still be on b6 right? I fail to see why this line is bad.

[@soakedbearrd]

+Between Heaven And Hell this is true, maybe its not bad but I guess he wants to keep pressure on d4

[@ahsan400]

while white was promoting the passed pawn, I was just wondering whether you could play Qf6-Qe5 rather than playing Re8?

[@adrianacristinatrif4766]

you cannot play Qf6 because I take with the rook at f8 and then promote

[@muhammadzia5738]

in19:09 what if he took by knight black pawn?

[@1hit2hitown]

Anybody can explain why white did not play b7 earlier?

[@jasperhalsey8574]

This is definitely one of Akobian’s best games. I think a lot of players would prefer White’s position after …Kf7

[@striker045]

cant believe ive never seen en passant before

[@pierluigischiavo4556]

Will be great q vs r

[@smiejzelsoniziomale4857]

Genius study

[@ven569]

his voice is satisfying

[@nettlerikote3788]

In 30:39 why whites instead of capture bishop e6 goes with the pawn to b7, treating the rock and the possibility to crown the pawn ?

[@1hit2hitown]

+Nettle Rik Ote I was wondering same thing i dont know why

[@soakedbearrd]

because pawn gets attacked by rook after rb8. Basically whites only chance is to connect his two pass pawns, b7 undermines that

[@jasperhalsey8574]

9:25 my favorite move of the game is f5!

[@1471emre]

At 23:15 how can you defend g4, it will be trouble for black.

[@mrgoldie109]

Endgame 30:54 if pieces are equal, generally, he ,with the most pawns, wins. Start making a sucker bet. RE: “pawns are the soul of chess”, even in the French.

[@soufrk]

36:34 Unbelievable !!!

[@andrew6069]

The bishop moves in this game are hilarious: f8 bishop to e7 then d8 then c7 then b6, c8 bishop to d7, then c8, then d7 again, then e6