The Minority Attack: You Did Not REALLY Learn it Until You Can Do This

[@eschiedler]

Congrats Dr. Can on your recent interview on The Perpetual Chess Podcast.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much, Ben is great!

[@cadzor]

You definitely went into the right domain with your PhD! You can tell you really love teaching people about the proper way to rationalize learning and how our brains work. A net positive when it comes to chess specifically, but great in all areas in life. Watching all of your videos now. Great stuff!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

This made me happy, thank you so much for your message!

[@ibiwisi]

Love this series on "deep learning" and the importance of the Why question. More like this, please! BTW, I also really like the idea of using a coach for "epistemic feedback." Law professors famously use "the Socratic method" to teach students how to think like a lawyer; I see this as a refinement of that approach.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your informative comment as usual! Will do more in this series. Yes, epistemic feedback is great for deeper processing of information. This is where we as chess coaches can still make a difference compared to Stockfish feedback :)

[@althompson3085]

Great discussion on deep learning and the minority attack. Will watch again. Completing your course on Fundamental Chess Calculation Skills.

[@charlies_world5733]

This is the best explanation of the minority attack I've ever heard - thank you for providing such a clear and concise explanation. I really like this video series - simple, easy to digest, and can recall it easily in games.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your kind comment. I am doing my best to clear the weed and pronounce the main theme as clear as possible in my videos.

[@eschiedler]

My homework evaluation no-engine is only black has winning chances prob about -2.0. A supercomputer might give black less than a point. However, practically, only Black has active King, active rooks and attack lines. If white tries to break the center with c4 or g4 the black rooks win the open file and the black e6 pawn defends the center. If white tries to go a4 or h4 they give up a weak pawn on b2, c3 and g3 respectively. Black can break probably best attacking b4 to break c3. That side gives more space for black king to invade.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

You are on the right track, good job! How does it connect it to the main idea of this video?

[@eschiedler]

@@Dr.CansClinic Queenside minority attack 3 vs 4 using b5 b4 supported by a5 to attack c3

[@GreatWhiteNinja431]

I just recently found your channel and I would like to chime in along with some of the other comments and very much thank you for addressing the WHY of certain moves...what makes one move better than another similar looking moves instead of just rattling out the moves. This is where I am struggling, personally, in my chess improvement.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am very happy to have helped your chess understanding! Thanks, and please stay tuned for more!

[@frankbrown6305]

I see h3 g4 attacking the f5 black pawn. The exchange of pawns on the f file can let white push the f 3 pawn. At that point I would bring the rook to the f file. 9:32

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Interesting. What do you think is the best plan for Black?

[@frankbrown6305]

@@Dr.CansClinic I see the king side of white has better chances of breaking through. After white pushes the h pawn to h3…black responds with h5. White R g1.. black to R g 8.. white g4. At this point the it depends on black response. But I see white has two rooks in the fight?

[@greatdanelegend7001]

I think this is the first video where I saw the solution to every puzzle

[@Dr.CansClinic]

So nice to hear that! Perhaps you are improving slightly? ☺️

[@greatdanelegend7001]

@@Dr.CansClinic definitely, I study chess everyday. I think I just have an easier time with pawn related stuff than some other things though. So many of my games feature plans involving pressuring or winning weak pawns and I love pawn endgames

[@pasadenapsych44]

Insightful and practical, as usual. Your ability to contextualize information and shepherd it toward learning is strong. Have you considered a course (or series of videos) on pawn play? You introduce a number of concepts relating to pawns (both here and elsewhere) very clearly.

[@pasadenapsych44]

Oh, how embarrassing, lol. Perhaps there is some room remaining outside of your current pawn course.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I created two courses about it :) But I will consider making one on weaknesses and pawn play to exploit or create weaknesses.

[@Pierre_16_16]

Hi Can, really good content as usual! Happy 3k followers by the way =)

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Hi Pierre, thank you so much for your kind comment! Yes, I also realised that 3K :)

[@magicvoice0741]

Thank you sir❤❤❤

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Most welcome ❤️

[@GreatWhiteNinja431]

Wouldn't black pushing the pawn to h5 shut down white's attack on the king side, effectively giving black two ways to capture white's pawn on g4?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

...h5 is a great idea for Black in the homework position, but how to follow it? What is the main point?

[@GreatWhiteNinja431]

@@Dr.CansClinic Here is how my untrained mind sees it, going forward from this position: 1. h3 h5 2. g4 hxg4 3. hxg4 Rg8 4. Rh7+ Rg7 5. Rxg7 Kxg7 6. Rg1+ Kf7 7. Rg7+ Kxg7 Black is now up a rook. I am sure I am missing something, again coming back to the WHY, but I don't yet see it.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Aha, but it is Black to play from the initial position. So 1...h5 was the first move! @@GreatWhiteNinja431

[@GreatWhiteNinja431]

That is embarrassing 🤦‍♂ Thanks for helping me to see it.

[@barrymcgregor6233]

When listening to you a really want to think deeper and focus more to improve my chess..whether I will is another matter😂but am trying thanks to you👍

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am glad to hear this! Improvement happens when we are just outside of our comfort zone, it is good if my videos get you there while not being overwhelming.

[@jorgemonasterio8361]

Nice thumbnail Can! You are a real KZbinr now ;) Do you think the minority attack a good idea in blitz/bullet?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Haha, thumbnails are still a challenge, but there are small improvements :) As long as you internalise the plan and it comes natural to you, you can apply it to all time formats.

[@MarkPersoonlijk]

Insight: minority attack isn't (just) about trying to promote a pawn or attack the King directly. I was assuming that, I didn't get this concept! Happy I am learning these important strategies 😀Thank you!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Love it Mark, thank you! That is a widely applicable strategy indeed. Hope you will use it successfully in your games.

[@jeremyorr9227]

How do I start to get deeper understanding pawns structures?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Rios wrote a book about this "Chess Structures". But it may be too advanced for casual players. You look at model games in that pawn structure and see the recurrent plans, pawn breaks, exchanges, etc. You remove the pieces from the board and play the endgame in that pawn structure. Then you will connect the middlegame to the endgame. This will give direction to your middlegame and you will also get stronger in those endgames.

[@jeremyorr9227]

@@Dr.CansClinic ok thanks

[@s1mon_234]

I play the Carlsbad mainly with black and always struggle to defend against the minority attack. All the KZbin Videos on the Minority attack are from the white side, but nobody tells me how you play with black against it. Maybe you can make a Video about that to help me/us out?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will add this to my video idea list.

[@6th-12thscience-mathsfound6]

Nice vedio i think a4 and activating rook and continue like other examples

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks! You mean, ...a5 for Black?

[@6th-12thscience-mathsfound6]

Ya

[@robwilliams3592]

Appriciate the commentary.... Know about these things but get a better understandstanding with your explinations/commentary.... Thx

[@Dr.CansClinic]

My pleasure, glad that it is helpful!

[@BlazeBrawl]

Are you GM?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Only a mere CM.

[@BlazeBrawl]

I thought otherwise

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks!@@BlazeBrawl