The BEST First 4 Moves for the Hippopotamus Defense Player!!

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[@TheChessGiant]

My 6+ Hour Hippo Course! thechessgiant.gumroad.com/l/hippopotamusdefensecourse

[@david.2987]

you should make a video about how to determine which move to play after the entire hippo setup is completed. sometimes the engine say c5, f5, O-O, g5, b5, e5, or d5 most of the time, and i think it would be incredibly helpful, at least for me to know in which types of positions those specific moves are strong, and maybe the plans following them. keep up the good work bro, really appreciate all the videos you’re putting out❤

[@ZZuluZ]

Yes agreed!!

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey David, love this!!! Will definitely have to make a video on this! Thanks for sharing and glad you enjoyed the video.

[@danieljohnson270]

Ditto!

[@mikejay9838]

Thank you for all your excellent videos on this opening! I have posted about this elsewhere on another video but since it is so important, I have to disagree with e6 being the required move. The rule is (as defined by Pafu) that whenever you see a knight and a bishop in the field on opposite sides, where the bishop is targeting a central square (like c4 or f4), the move that must be played is h6 or a6 (the side where the knight is). This is because after e6, (and once Black's appropriate knight is developed) White can bring the knight to b5 and then sacrifice either the knight or bishop on e6, retaking with the remaining piece and smashing our position for the entire game. h6/a6 prevents this. If White still wants to sac the bishop on f7, let him! The knight isn't coming in and a proper defense for Black is more than available and with precise play, Black reaches the end of the middlegame, ahead.

[@TheChessGiant]

Firstly, you got it Mike! Thanks for tuning in for the Hippopotamus Defense content. And also things for sharing these great thoughts. And this is very true what you're saying here... without Nbd7 being played, Bxf7+ is simply a big mistake for white! So, ya moves like h6 or a6 work!

[@FloatingSunfish]

Excellent tips for fellow Hippo players out there! I'd personally love to see more instructive Hippo games, whether from famous players or yours. You could never have too much content on this underrated opening!

[@TheChessGiant]

Got it! And thanks!

[@gionoluck2474]

I second that 😉

[@hi9313]

Just found your channel and you playing the hippo- perfect. I hope to see you rank NM with it some day !

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey! Welcome brotha, and thanks man ya the Hippo is a great option and it would be fun to break 2200 with it.

[@michaelallport5816]

Like this move order. At times, the prophylactic A/H file moves are helpful against certain intrusions, and add to the confusion of some beginning/intermediate players. Take care, Solomon. Be well.

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Michael, totally! Good thoughts. Glad you enjoyed.

[@michaelallport5816]

@@TheChessGiant Hi Solomon. Good to hear from you. Hope all is running smooth and fine for you and all your loved ones.

[@gradiusR]

thanks a lot!!! it would be very helpful a video with the best 4 moves after the base hippopotamus setup !!Gradiusr

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it! And cool thanks for the idea!

[@tominmo8865]

Good clarification, thanks!

[@davidbatchelder85]

I just ran into this, then I see this. Wow, mind reader, ha. I am trying to get to Elo 2000, have quit a ways to travel. Just really started to focus and study. Your videos are fab.

[@tristanlanoix6811]

more hippo rounds/speed runs, more instructionals, especially after completed: where to make the breaks or to take up space relative to where the enemy knights/bishops are placed to go on the offensive against passive players. Thanks for getting me into the hippo!!!

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Tristan! Sweet sounds good, thanks! These are great ideas.

[@steven_tanyt]

Finally found a play style I really like and you have such a high quality production, thumbnails and delivery. Instant sub and loads of likes. 😎❤️

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Steven! Thanks a ton brotha. Welcome to the fam. Let me know if you ever have any chess related questions or chess videos you'd want to see. Here to help!

[@gboundrapa]

I love that the hippo is back!

[@TheChessGiant]

Yessir!!

[@jasonwolfe2991]

Very helpful

[@TheChessGiant]

Glad you got something out of this Jason!

[@ronaldnickelson2130]

Hippo course highly recommended!

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks Ronald! Hope you've been well.

[@watcharakanitthabut]

thank you for the order of openning

[@TheChessGiant]

You're welcome!

[@WalterReade]

I got burned a few times in blitz games with white's bishop on c4. This is very helpful, thanks!

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it Walter!

[@stephencindrich6787]

Nasty shot with Bxf7+!

[@TheChessGiant]

Absolutely killer move from the white side!

[@darensweeney5925]

Video idea: Challenge the Botez sisters to a 3 game match. You play Andrea once, Alex once, and then they play you a game of HORSE. ))))))

[@TheChessGiant]

I like this!! That would be fun haha

[@jamesreed4483]

I am interested in your thoughts about 1...b6. I have been playing that and find that both of the 3 pawn centers are not much of a problem. Against these two variations I do NOT enter into a Hippo but instead end up in semi Hippos that are rather decent. The rest of the time I can just play for a normal Hippo. I am sure you have looked at this. Any thoughts? Have you done a video on this? I enjoy your videos and wish you were getting more views but who knows, maybe some day. Thanks.

[@MrInalbert]

first b6 and Bb7 allows the naselwaus gambit xD

[@jamesreed4483]

@@MrInalbert unsound meets unsound, lol. i have never seen this but admit it is not easy to find the best moves. thanks.

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey! Ya b6 also works, I think it can be a little hard to develop the kingside sometimes if we play b6 right away but I've done it plenty of times myself and it usually works out just fine. Nice thing there too is that you can go into a regular Owen's Defense if you like the variation white played into.

[@simonsmith3030]

I prefer the b6 Hippo against an 1e4 player. From a white perspective, he must play c4 or f4. 1e4 players usually prefer the f4 push BUT against 1e4 b6, White's best development involves an early Nf3. So if Black begins with 1...b6 Owens Defence, White must play c4 at some point; a move 1e4 players are often uncomfortable with...

[@jamesreed4483]

Thanks. Makes sense.@@simonsmith3030

[@matthewpaw5362]

It would be good for you to explore the best options against the Hippo. I've found computer lines, which seem quite human, taking the Hippo apart. Could you go through the best opponent replies and which lines the Hippo player should take against them?

[@TheChessGiant]

Great idea Matthew thanks for this!!!

[@matthewpaw5362]

@@TheChessGiant I’ve had a lot of trouble when white plays both c4 AND a4, so b5 for us won’t work to close down the position! Your vids have been very helpful, but I’m definitely struggling to play to hippo at the more advanced levels!

[@1bra_lpm540]

Very good video, I would like a video about the McDonell attack😊

[@TheChessGiant]

Thanks! And thanks for sending in this chess opening recommendation!

[@sylverista3505]

Cool thanks 🙏👍

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it! 🦛🦛

[@craigebailey5318]

Against the London and Averbach

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Craige, great ideas!

[@jamesross5328]

Great Thx

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it James! The Hippo Defense is OP!

[@darrylkassle361]

Btw hippo content I'd like to see- Common errors between 1000- 1500 Elo. Assume most of the viewed are lower rates players. Even just best way to set up in response to the most common white opening moves against the hippo. Just like here you showed the best 4 moves however IF that bishop comes out beware. Something like that

[@TheChessGiant]

Sounds good thanks for the idea!🦛🦛 🦛 🦛

[@darrylkassle361]

@@TheChessGiant or even the 10 most common ideas / concepts/ plans even tactics you should know when playing the hippo. Even show your losing games and how you could of rectified things. Just an idea.

[@matthewharris3131]

Very helpful, thanks. What if white starts with b3, intending Bb2? You can't follow the order you suggest, obviously. What do you do instead? Thanks

[@TheChessGiant]

Great question Matthew! In that case I would probably go for b6/Bb7/e6/d6/Nbd7/Ne7.... and at any point g6 is an option if white plays d4 at some point in there. It's hard if they never do though.... as two Hippos cannot play against one another. But, you could have two Pseudo-Hippos or even (as black) play a move like e5 at some point to free up g6 and Bg7. Hope this helps! Thanks, Solomon 🦛🦛🦛🦛

[@idkwhattoputasmyhandle01]

Hey, can you do the ruy lopez opening? It's a very interesting opening that I'm hoping to learn more about.

[@TheChessGiant]

I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for this chess opening recommendation!

[@jz7459]

Can you show what to do against c4 and against b3,Bb2 ?

[@TheChessGiant]

c4 our gameplan doesn't change! The usual 1. ...g6 2. ...Bg7 3. ...d6 works fantstic. However, against 1. b3, the full Hippopotamus Defense simply isn't possible unless they play Nc3 or d4 or something that blocks the bishop's reign.

[@TipsyFlipper]

Nice short and important hippo video thanks. You are back in the bunker looking all anonymous . Let us know with code if you need a rescue

[@TheChessGiant]

You got it Dwight. And ya haha, thanks for reaching out I'll give you the code if needed!

[@johnybalohny]

How to proceed after the set up is complete. I have my super-defense structure set up, the opponent is limited on moves, and it's time to start a forward push to get their king, but I have such a hard time picking the first moves of the mid-game. Do I push g or b pawns and get a knight behind it? Or push out the c or f pawn to attack the center that way? I think I may have seen suggested moving one of the center pawns again too. I don't feel like I ever see any strong routes forward if I get a classical set-up from my opponent. I've been recently trying moving g or b pawn again on their castling side, moving the knight behind it, and attempting to pawn storm their king, but am often finding myself stuck without many easy pawn moves forward, and often having to start defending before I can open their king. Moving pawn f7-f5 used to be my go-to, but then I frequently found my king getting attacking through that diagonal that was now open. How are you deciding what to do after the opening has been set up?

[@TheChessGiant]

GREAT idea Johny! Thanks for sharing this. Will definitely have to make a video on the pawn breaks that black has and how to choose one.

[@elperro3683]

How do you address an early attack by either white’s d- or e-pawn to the fifth rank?

[@TheChessGiant]

Here is a video covering one of those two questions! I also cover it in my Hippopotamus Defense Course but here is Hippopotamus Defense Theory Part 2 which covers what to do against an early e4/d4/e5! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqLPl5pjd91gl5I

[@adamblomquist5581]

Would you recommend this opening for a ~1090 player? Or stick with the Pirc?

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Adam, I definitely think that the Hippo is worth trying out! Maybe in one of our lessons we can talk about it a little bit and see if you like it. At the end of the day though, you have to just play whatever opening you enjoy playing.

[@darensweeney5925]

What should we do if White plays 3 .e5, or even 2. d5? The center pawns are trying to preempt my center pawn set up. Also, I've had problems with white playing 2. Bb5+. I block with Nd7, and they usually make the exchange. I know what white is doing is wrong, but I'm not sure how to exploit it. These could be a good source for a video, along with videos along the lines of "How to Counter Stupid (er, non-book) Moves in x" series.

[@TheChessGiant]

Hey Daren! Ya I'll look to make a video on what to do in that situation with white pushing the central pawns. Also, when it comes to the bishops, if they take one of our knights out, there's no way to exploit it necessarily. We simply continue the game with the bishop pair which is in our advantage if we can manage to make pawn breaks and eventually make the game more open than closed.

[@michaels4255]

If it goes down to an endgame, or sometimes even late middle game, the bishop pair will work in your favor with less material on the board.

[@Mintice]

Instructions unclear, ended up losing a bishop and a rook after 1. b3 g6 2. Bb2 Bg7 3. Bxg7

[@TheChessGiant]

Hahaha

[@walterbrownstone8017]

Aha the two pawn setup is actually better for black!

[@TheChessGiant]

Yep! That is exactly right!

[@walterbrownstone8017]

@@TheChessGiant I gotta admit as white I've gone for the 2 pawn center because it feels more natural to me.

[@18Francisco93]

I am at 1050 with the hippo love seen what New moves I can learn

[@TheChessGiant]

Yessir!