The WINNING Formula in Chess

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In this video lesson, GM Igor Smirnov will share with you a single winning formula that will help you understand the chess game properly and find the best moves easily in any position. This is a key, secret chess strategy/principle that most chess players are not aware of.
More importantly, it is an universal formula; therefore, it can be applied in ANY position to find the best moves quickly. You will be able to pick the single best move from various candidate moves.
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► Chapters
00:00 Win At Chess Easily, Important Strategy
00:09 Example-1: Benko vs Najdorf
00:51 THE SECRET FORMULA TO WIN
02:07 Relative value of chess pieces
02:51 Activity of your chess pieces
05:01 Finding the best moves easily
08:16 Quiz: Puzzle of the day
📗 Free chess courses - chess-teacher.com/rca-freebies/
#IgorNation #ChessStrategy #ChessRules #ChessStrategies #ChessImprovement #ChessTips

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

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[@calihd595]

Qxf8 King has to take else kd7 qxd8 looks like a easy win. So qxf8 kxf8 Rf8+ kf7 Txd8 forcing a Checkmate i think.😅

[@l.h.308]

And the extremely weak knight - in a corner, controlling only two squares.

[@alexissoto2279]

Igor, I never comment on KZbin videos but I have to say, you have the most complete and Authentic chess channel

[@susenchakma671]

Every Time I watch your video, like the trap, try to play, forget the lines and get brutally crushed by opponents😂

[@michaelemerson1949]

Same.

[@ingogoldbeck2886]

i love these motivational videos, then i play, meanwhile i can remember the lines but then i am too focused on them and get crushed, too.

[@Brlitzkreig]

Do a longer game and have the video open with you while you play

[@michaelmassaro4375]

He makes everything look easy he does have exceptional knowledge of Chess it’s hard to remember lines in general Chess puzzles are a good rehearsal for certain situational moves you might come across in a game

[@josephsalmonte4995]

​@@Brlitzkreigcheating git lol

[@jacknigh3176]

For the puzzle, Qxf8+. If Kd7 then Rh7+ Nf7, Rxf7+ Qe7, Rxe7#. If Kxf8 the Rh8+. Kf7 forced move, then Rxd8 with a huge winning material advantage. Edit: Another variation to Kd7 is Rh7+, Kc8 Qxd8+, Kxd8 Forced. Rh8+, Kd7 Forced. R1h7+, Nf7 Forced. Rxf7#. Another variation and probably my favorite is Kd7, Rh7+, Kc8 Rxc7+, Kxc7 Forced. Rh7+, Nd7. Qxd6+, Kc8 Forced. Ne7+, Qxe7 Forced. Rxe7, Black can move anywhere here but the mate is coming maybe he makes it easy with Kd8 I don't know but Qxd7#. Obviously not the Best way to win but I had fun finding these variations

[@tonyks4777]

Whi not, white-Rh8, black has no option but to take Rh8, then White Rh8 taking black rook.. check mate

[@tonyks4777]

I don't see the need to involve knight

[@tonyks4777]

My bad.. haha.. i ignored opponents queen..

[@jacknigh3176]

@@tonyks4777 it's all good,that happens more often than you think. 💪🤙

[@anthonylesar7337]

Every video of yours I view teaches me a small but significant concept which helps a lot overall. I have a checklist of your advice and when I do mess up I see where I didn't apply your 'rules' in the analysis afterwards and learn from it. I now try discipline myself to do the check list before and after every move and it helps so much. Especially anti blunder checks. Thanks. I'll soon be 1400+

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Great! Good luck.

[@juliusuus]

The game really showed this simple concept perfectly. Its crazy to me though that black as a strong player never even tried to become active himself with smth like Rb8 and b5 or Qa5 and just calmly let white group up all his pieces on the kingside followed by selfmating himself.

[@darlingtoncd]

Your advice on improving chess is great. I'm improving my thoughts based on your advice and it's really improved my chess. I'll have to keep revisiting these videos so I don't regress and hopefully get even better.

[@hunterklein9115]

Great video. As a visual learner this really hit home.

[@Gauchist]

You're insane bro. Thanks for all the content you post.

[@terencetembo8382]

Igor Smirnov you are better at explaining ❤ you are making us understand chess in details

[@michaelmassaro4375]

IGor is Great Teacher for sure

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thank you!

[@Joel-vw9mo]

Great video smirnov

[@chesswithshauryachoudhari5290]

Please do analysis of your games and upload videos on it. It really helps. Your videos are too valuable. Thanks for providing valuable knowledge to the users for free❤😊.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

❤

[@KumarBendrake]

It's rare that I learn new chess principles that I haven't seen before. I'm a pretty good intuitive player, but I think having a more technical understanding of board control is going to change the way I play. Many thanks.

[@frankbeerbaum5593]

Yesterday in my game against a stronger opponent (+160) I used your strategies of „to take is a mistake“ and „maximum activity“, through wich I get some extra tempi and in the end so much pressure that he made a fatal move and resigned 3 moves later. Thanks Igor, my chess became stronger and stronger very much through your videos!

[@arthurestunperroquet3682]

This is easily the best lecture about piece activity i've ever witnessed and it hugely improves my understanding of the term and it's relationship with piece placement on the board , THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad it was helpful!

[@belue2429]

Thanks coach!

[@Reza090]

Thanks Igor

[@hazemfoda3662]

You really change my mind and my life ❤❤❤🎉

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

► Chapters 00:00 Win At Chess Easily, Important Strategy 00:09 Example-1: Benko vs Najdorf 00:51 THE SECRET FORMULA TO WIN 02:07 Relative value of chess pieces 02:51 Activity of your chess pieces 05:01 Finding the best moves easily 08:16 Quiz: Puzzle of the day

[@CristanMeijer]

Good video! I already knew controlling more squares is better, but I never thought about it like this. Another one in my arsenal!

[@ivailopavlovski5894]

What's your rating?

[@CristanMeijer]

Around 700

[@belue2429]

Great video! I have been playing Moore Passive, Chess for the last six months and you’ve brought my aggression back with a vengeance. I can now attack, but not over, extend and be happy with the advantages that I get. Loving your courses and working through them as well. I played my friend Three games yesterday and chess over the board and got some beautiful mates. It felt great versus the slow grind end games I was playing.

[@guillermopinus]

Excelent Igor, i had an “intuitive” way of activating the pieces, but your explanation makes it very clear! Thanks for great content!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Yes, lot of chess player do this intuitively as well.

[@merlinducados5631]

this is an amaizing video!!!

[@Cousinsjay]

Excellent very very helpful

[@Chunda8]

Hey Igor thanks for putting this up. I don't have the solution for the puzzle, I got distracted by a fun line that would follow Qg6+, walking Black's King out then Rh7+. It might not lead to a clean mate right away, but it's definitely annoying for Black. After making a good move, my students aged 6-11 would say "Emotional Damage!!" They seemed to find this mandatory to say if they took their opponent's Queen. Later I found out that the other 2 senior coaches had some work (before I was there) getting them not to cry when they lost, so maybe they were not as tough as they wanted to be. Good times.

[@husseinmahmoud8884]

❤ thank you

[@Souvidipattradiction]

Sir you are my chass teacher ❤..i follow all your videos

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

❤

[@ZMCAYT]

Only Coach on internet that gives core knowldge and not rote learning or cramming.

[@styroyou]

Nice tip...Ty.

[@user-kh6xl4yg1j]

Brilliant. Rough value is squares controlled.

[@Daniel-G-P]

Igor is the best!

[@ashoksafaya5397]

Good comparison actually the space occupancy comparison.

[@TheFirstEverMasterOfDesaster]

When I discovered him I thought it was just another clickbait chess video like there are thousands(feels like it at least) out there. But very quickly after I used what he said I defeated my best friend, who I was never before able to defeat and then the same day in the chess club, I defeated a player from the first team(the strongest team is team 1). Thanks GM Igor, keep it up...

[@mrcutlet]

Nice video! Can you make a video about how to play against players, who tend to trade everything on first given opportunity? To play against these types of players is very annoying and it would be helpful to see solutions how to deal with these "trader" players

[@michaelmassaro4375]

There are ways to avoid trades the first truth is you don’t have to take which of course is a mistake also though if a knight or Bishop is in a position to be traded off Move it so it makes the trade not possible trading pieces leads to a boring stifling end game like you say lack of weapons but remember even pawns are valuable in the endgame

[@neilroques2442]

I definitely don't have Igor's insight, however if you observe his rule "to take is a mistake", and you know your opponent is always going to make this mistake, then develop your pieces so that you recapture gaining tempo i.e. the move to take back is a developing move you wanted to make anyway. After a few trades your opponent will have given up all their active pieces to let you get active pieces, then you go for an attack (mate, forks, just more pieces attacking a position than they can arrange defenders for) that they can't trade their way out of. I've fallen into the reverse mistake - after too long playing 'always trade off opponents' I found I was getting into positions that were hazardous if my opponent didn't immeadiately capture!

[@mrcutlet]

@@neilroques2442 I know this rule but the problem is that they take so much that nothing is left to play with.

[@steveread3303]

Igor .. what are your thoughts on the latest openings by Magnus Carlson where he plays .. . P to H4?

[@christophkuntz8523]

Hm, that changes my thoughts about chess. Completely. I am not sure, if i should go this way. Maybe i'd have rather learned that 20 years ago. But it sounds interesting.

[@psychosid7516]

How to know pawn capture or push or ignore (pawn tension)

[@cumexolaf3276]

4:10 but Fischer's Rule says: EXCHANGE!!!

[@mahadproug8146]

well from there you sac the queen by taking the rouke then finish it of with the rouke on h8

[@user-ej7sr3ow8b]

For the puzzle, I believe the move should be Qxf8+, after king takes, Rh8+ will win black's queen and white is up a rook

[@user-ej7sr3ow8b]

@@Pseudify Black can play Rxg7

[@Klakmar]

1. Qxf8+ Kd7 2. Qxd8+ Kxd8 3. Rh8+ Kd7 4. R1h7+ Nf7 5. Rxf7# Or 1. Qxf8+ Kxf8 2. Rh8+ Kf7* 3. Rxd8 and you’re up a rook threatening to skewer the other *Edit: e7 is covered by the knight

[@raymondix]

Ke7 is ispossible, this square is covered by the knihgt.

[@paytonkruse9745]

Yeah, must have meant Kf7

[@user-yv3in2dk3y]

Hi Igor. H3 rook to h8 .Next move chq mate!

[@DiscoGoat1]

And Rxg7. Bye bye queen

[@timothiabey7122]

Puzzle 1.Qxf8 Kxf8 2.Rh8+ Kf7 3.Rxd8

[@vivekdahiya9297]

Hi Igor, you are doing a good job in traps and trickly lines. Please start a new "live play series" with simultaneously playing and explaining with your personal repertoire. So we can also build solid chess along with the insights from how a GM's brain 🧠 work in real games.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thanks for the suggestion. This is quite interesting.

[@vivekdahiya9297]

@@GMIgorSmirnov please make this series, we will learn a lot from it. Really looking forward to it. And thanks for replying and considering.

[@EmmanuilMushynsky]

1. Qxf8+ Kxf8 2. Rh8+ Kd7 3. R1h7+ Kc8 4. Kx6+ Kb8 5. Rxd5+ Rc8 6. Rxc8#

[@outposter7281]

How does your K jump from f8 to d7?

[@hrpalik]

2. looks weird. The king can't jump from f8 to d7. Rather to e7 if I see that correctly

[@outposter7281]

@@hrpalike7 is controlled by the N!

[@EmmanuilMushynsky]

@@hrpalik yeah, I kinda missed that

[@clanbuster831]

​@@hrpaliknot even e7 knight covers that square

[@skeurid]

Huh…nice shift of perspective

[@davehumphreys1725]

Thanks for the video Igor, but, yet again, you have raised a concept that I have no understanding of, and that is, what do you mean when you say that a piece CONTROLS a square, rank or file? You mentioned that white rook on h1 and said that it 'controls' the h-file. But, when I look at it, I see that the rook CANNOT go to h3, h4, h5, h6, h7 or h8, without being captured, because blacks knight 'controls' h3 and h5, his pawn 'controls' h4, his bishop 'controls' h5 and h8 and his king 'controls' h6 and h8! So the rook's 'activity' is limited to just 2 squares, h1 and h2. So how can you say that the rook 'controls' the h-file?

[@oceanfung4140]

Qg6, check the king, then next move white rook to h7 however if opponent moved the rook before the white rook landed on h7, h8 instead of h7, then black king move out of the way, and queen is captured by a white rook on next turn winning material

[@heatherenidwalker3145]

If Qg6, won't she be captured by the N from e5?

[@michaelmassaro4375]

@@heatherenidwalker3145the knight of course will be a threat but I agree with his statement Whites two Rooks should be able to cause problems for the Black king on the 8th rank mostly I can see a Rook trade but that second Rook should be a threat with the help of the Queen to possibly get Blacks Queen off the Board

[@andrewandsueniemeyer6958]

I would take your queen with the black knight. It also defends h8, which prevents a rh8 move with rook exchange and eventual rxd8 after check The problem is getting the time to make rh8 without losing material

[@agabrielian]

Take the rook with the queen. Should be a mate in a couple of more moves.

[@nc1609]

8:21 Qxf8 Kxf8 Rh8+ Kf7 Rxd8.

[@clanbuster831]

Answer to the puzzle: Qxf8+ Kxf8 Rh8+ Kf7 Rxd8 Alternative 1: Black can't take the bishop because after Rhh8 (even Rhh7+ is winning) there's no way to stop mate after Rdf8+ Alternative 2: Black can't play Kf6 because after Rg8+ Kf7 Rg7+ Kf8 or Ke8 its mate in the next move Alternative 3: If black plays Rd7, Rh7+ is just winning a rook

[@adventureboy444]

Sac the queen for a rook then skewer and take the queen back and being a rook up

[@user-yv3in2dk3y]

OppS I was a bit casual and didn't see the threat to my queen. So it's queen takes rook on f8 Igor .king takes queen on f8 .Rook to h8 chq followed by king tog7. Rook on h1 to h7 chq .king tog6 followed by rook on h7 to g7 chqmate

[@SudhirKishor6603]

Kg7 isn't possible as Nf5 controls the g7 square

[@yazui.i.9368]

Solution to the Puzzle. Queen takes on F8, King takes, rook h3 to h8 check, only square for the king is F7, and lastly rook h7 mate, 2nd Solution if the King does not take the Queen after she takes the Rook on F8, Queen takes Queen, King takes and the same thing with the rooks.

[@user-or1bn7bj7j]

after Rh7 it's not mate. Kg6... it is winning but it is not mate

[@yazui.i.9368]

@@user-or1bn7bj7jYep you are right, i missed that 😅. Regardless after Kg6 Rook h7 to h6 king moves to F7 only square and you grab the Queen

[@CharliePON]

RH8

[@michaelmassaro4375]

Best way to white to win I would think to start bringing the two rooks down the first rook will be a trade but that second rook should be able to cause threats and damage

[@forthemworthy]

your queen is under attack so they would take it and it is not defended so it is not even a desperado

[@vipinr2034]

Solution of the puzzle is Q×R... Checkmate is unavoidable.

[@yudy92]

Puzzle: Queen sacrifice, take the ROOK! On F8, King takes queen, move white rook H3 to H8 (check), king moves to F7, then white rook from H1 to H7, checkmate! Correct me if I'm wrong though!

[@jacknigh3176]

King has an escape square on g6

[@hiphopesq]

Kg6

[@user-uf2rg6zo7p]

Rh8

[@mariojrong7657]

Sac Queen

[@subishamoodadi4275]

Q x F8 could be the answer

[@gabrielfernandezmendiguchi5768]

❤❤❤❤

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

❤

[@Najeem118]

👍

[@hiphopesq]

Qxf8+ Kxf8 Rh8+ Kf7 Rh7+ Kg6 Rh6+ Kf7 Rxd8 with Rh7+ coming to take the other Rook

[@calihd595]

Missing link found 😂❤

[@capacola262743]

in soviet union, squares control you.

[@Figorable]

Rh8...

[@ahmadjamal8213]

I say rook to h8, after rook takes the white rook takes and checkmate, but if the rook doesn’t take then the rook on h8 will take that rook to checkmate.

[@mikemahalo8290]

surely white rook h8 sacrifices the white queen...

[@toma-iu9zj]

queen takes rook on f8

[@takoZizou-wq7lf]

Forget everything GMs are not humans

[@holdenwm]

Puzzle response: Queen takes rook. When the king recaptures, Rh8 winning back the Queen

[@usibistro]

Is that considered as a win though?

[@belue2429]

Keep calculating!

[@belue2429]

Why stop short of mate?

[@belue2429]

1Rh7 - Rg7 is mate is it not? You just can’t quit a move or two from mate

[@clanbuster831]

​@@belue2429no its not mate because of Black's rook on c7

[@MasterSergius]

Learn chess in 21 days. After these two moves you will beat anyone. Enlarge your king.

[@neilroques2442]

😄

[@mahadev4256]

Guys this is my first comment..❤️

[@ayushyadav4400]

Also pls make it your last one 💖

[@calihd595]

Welcome on the Channel. 🎉😊

[@dimitrisd.9173]

To cut a long story short, there is no simple winning formula in chess. GM Smirnov knows this very well, but lately he succumbs to content of "formulas" and tricks that will make everyone Grand Master level. For me he is getting to a "clickbait" type of content, I'm just dissappointed.

[@user-or1bn7bj7j]

I agree the titles are clickbait but that doesn't diminish the quality of the lessons

[@dimitrisd.9173]

@@user-or1bn7bj7j yes it does dominish it a lot, because chess training needs a structured and solid approach, promising miracles, does not help at all. But it is is also a matter of taste, for those who like this kind of content, go ahead!

[@ItIsYouAreNotYour]

Qf8/Kf8 Rh8, Kf7, last rook h7 for checkmate.

[@shreeshaurya1270]

Qxf8+ Kxf8 Rh8+ Kf7 Rh7#