This Is Your Worst Piece | Chess Middlegame Strategy

You may have heard the chess advice, "if you don't know what to do, improve your worst-placed piece." But how are you supposed to know which of your pieces need improving? In this video, we'll go through a checklist to help figure out which pieces are the worst-placed. This checklist will help you develop good middlegame strategy to improve your own pieces, make smart trades, and capitalize on your opponent's weaknesses.
Follow me on Twitter: / kamrynheidi
Join Chess.com: www.chess.com/?ref_id=136665470 [This is an affiliate link. I earn a small commission if you sign up for a membership using this link at no additional cost to you.]
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:34 - The Checklist
00:58 - Example 1
03:39 - Example 2
06:15 - Example 3
08:27 - Example 4
11:56 - Thanks for watching
Original outro music by Nela Ruiz
For business inquiries: [e-mail]
Please note: I do not offer coaching or training games online.

[@smithelliot]

Seriously, your content is helping me improve ! I love how you can explain things in a clear and concise way that even my dumb brain can understand it. Keep up the good work

[@fakeemcee9912]

What a systematic approach to defeat the opponent.. its just amazing

[@johnwalker1058]

Thank you for this video. I know people usually say chess is mostly tactics, but it's still nice and refreshing to see a video that explains positional principles and ideas as well, as I feel like those often don't get mentioned or explained enough.

[@danibeck3771]

Your videos have been insanely helpful in improving my positional play

[@ppm2019]

This checklist is great! Similarly helpful as "checks, captures, attacks" when it comes to tactics :)

[@UncleBill101FM]

Much Appreciate your approach. I watch videos by GMs, IMs, etc. and they run through things so fast that I don't learn anything. I'm actually learning from your videos. THANK YOU 😊.

[@danbrown3012]

I've watched so many chess videos and randomly got recommended to your channel from Anna Cramling. Honestly, you think and play so similarly to me, but you explain it in a way that I can build on what I already know. Thanks!

[@BrianTimmonsTX]

Another good video! I like how focused your content is. This is giving me a whole new tool to evaluate the way I play.

[@nc1609]

I like that it's 4 U's so it's easy to remember. Did you come up with that or did you learn it somewhere?

[@kamrynheidi]

Glad you like it! I came up with this checklist recently and was pretty proud of it lol

[@gainesdominique]

This was helpful. I took notes. Thanks !

[@AmericasAlgebraTeacher]

Thanks! I always get to these positions and just end up pushing a pawn

[@jcel4378]

I stumbled upon your videos on my recommended page. And I'm now hooked. I'm trying to break through the 1000 ELO. And the plateau has just been dreadful. This checklist, though simplistic, is tremendously helpful. You're honestly a better teacher than Hikaru. Half the time, I have no idea what the man is talking about.

[@SeaPhoenix01]

the thing is hikaru is more advanced player, and he really dont care too much about teaching, his play style teaches more. I am also trying to break through and archive 1200. Good luck grinding, champ

[@tripv420]

"if takes takes takes knight f4 takes then I take"

[@rayanhiron9607]

Hikaru's not really for beginner (or even intermediate in my opinion), his style of narrating his games is for club or advanced players already

[@bt82]

Hikaru is for entertainment, Danya is for teaching.

[@eliasaquino2152]

Thank you so much for creating this video!!! Finally, a channel to help me improve!!!

[@yakup123aku]

Hey! Really been enjoying ur content. I was wondering if you could show how a study day typically goes down. I know you have already shown what you do on your study days, but I was thinking maybe one that shows more how you actually do it. like how you study opening and analyzing your games afterwards. Keep up the good work!

[@rcnhsuailsnyfiue2]

Your videos are fantastic! Keep it up! 🙌 Really enjoyed watching your channel grow, looking forward to the next one ♟️

[@seydoudia7828]

Great stuff, subscribed!

[@cemsaglam9241]

i love your videos ❤ you're really inspiring!

[@Jeff-gw1lq]

Love your videos. Thank you.

[@ZaCoSmAcKo203]

Keep up the awesome vids good job on being successful on youtube

[@randallewebb]

That was a fantastic video. Very concise and easy to understand.

[@manathy6576]

The explanation was very nice!

[@TricksticKx]

Thanks Kamryn!

[@reidflemingworldstoughestm1394]

Nice -- methodical, thorough explanation of the basic thinking beyond general rules of thumb.

[@AnthonyThorburn]

how to choose when to castle! would be a great topic

[@alex_spaghetti]

this is exceptional work

[@DawnPatrol101]

Great content!

[@marzianeri8372]

Great videos!

[@sarahk8397]

You're a great teacher. Just subscribed

[@user-gn9fe3zi6s]

We need more of this content please

[@giuliasardi684]

Your videos are gold!!!

[@123chesss]

Thank you ❤

[@brendasullivan7553]

Good video!

[@SharpCookie]

This was really helpful! The games you chose look so similar to mine. How do you know when the right time for a pawn break is? If it's a very closed position and you've both castled, I never know the right time.

[@claudiogiordani89]

Very helpful

[@SeaPhoenix01]

Hey great video, I´d like to see a video about middlegames ideas to archive a winning endgame

[@werners5191]

Excellent instruction! Agadmator, take note!

[@James-zr7ec]

This is such a helpful video, Kamryn. I will definitely be using this checklist.

[@JakeLYT]

For the last example, wouldn't Qe1 then h4 be a faster plan? Great content as always!

[@jorgepichardo7436]

Show us some of your most recent games from Las Vesgas

[@marzianeri8372]

About the middlegame, it would be great to have suggestions on how to win a won game and how to survive when you have a disadvantage to see if the opponent does a mistake. In the end, how to play a solid game and when it is worth to risk a bit.

[@thalio]

Can you do a video about Carlsbad pawn structure, please? As a London-player I guess you can share your knowledge.

[@arbo3495]

Good video. How to use lichess to improve?

[@boredash4020]

In that last position, how about playing nc5 to open up the d4 square for the knight with bf3-ne2-nd4? The knight puts pressure on blacks biggest weaknesses and even though it breaks the rule of exchanging a good piece for a bad one, the knight on d4 is very much worth it

[@postmortemjunkie]

You are awesome.

[@agneltjoseph]

Wonder ful

[@vladislavshevchenko9970]

6:30 i guess it comes from London, but I never get into this kind of positions. Too solid. I love creating threats, creating chaos and against London i simply play King's Indian, don't let them have any fun and strike at the center and finally got the opening of the position. I hate locked positions. I often sacrifice my f pawn on move 3 both as black and white, Viena gambit, Rousseau gambit are the loves of my life, king's gambit is also good, but I stopped playing it when I discovered Vienna gambit.

[@chaineloisir2506]

Thank you a lot! I'm 1450, let see it that helps me

[@Mr22rabbit]

Top Video

[@GoodmanMD]

I came here to argue that knights aren’t bad…she got me

[@Devi_Shammuramat]

Your thumbnail seems to imply that knight is the worst piece (tho after watching the entire video, I can confirm that this was probably clickbait)

[@grimawormtongue1949]

Why does she skip through 4 or more moves so quickly? I want to be able to see every move. Leave one second between each move. That way I and I think many others could follow better.

[@Matrix9364]

its not!!!! the knight can be very helpful

[@jorgepichardo7436]

Show us some of your most recent games from Las Vesgas