Trashing the Traxler | Busting Unsound Openings with GM Naro

[@RaptureReady2025]

Danya “I don’t know how to do opening videos”…. Then delivers the most epic comprehensive lesson on the traXler. Oh Danya Danya dear ole Danya. 😂😂😂

[@VivekGawande1]

Yea lmao this was epic

[@llllKyonllll]

The other video on the Stafford was also amazing. My win rate against the Stafford shot up after watching it.

[@thesuspiciousmilkman4955]

His first sentence sounds so cute and i litteraly checked if this was his first vid ever or something 😅 All after that: classic instructive Danya.

[@lucahergan6716]

Danya is the chess teacher of the internet and deserves the most support. Don't worry about how good you are Danya, you put in so much effort so everything will turn out well and you will get better at opening videos, dont worry

[@iMannyLP]

What do you mean? This opening video was so high quality, this an uncontested level of opening videos on KZbin :D

[@juanortiz9445]

Better how lol ? this was amazing

[@obedafamily5967]

Chapters would be a great addition. I have seen other creators (such as Hanging Pawns) use them to great effect. They could be used to mark different variation and would allow someone to easily return to situations they are having trouble with.

[@Clarkiev16]

As a followup to that, a PGN available in the description is a great way to go over the variations listed in the video!

[@ehodaef]

The only reason to need those bookmarks are when you're watching the video while actually playing against someone and that is cheating

[@dre4mz749]

@@ehodaef The fact you even think about that is highly suspicious. And no, you´re wrong, chapters/bookmarks are very useful when you need to revisit a certain part of the opening. The italian for example has 2000 variations, i might know some well and am very uncertain of others.

[@zacharywoodman6445]

Agree with this and the PGN. Generally, organization in opening videos is the best way to help me remember the key points.

[@mikhailmikhailov8781]

@@dre4mz749 the Italian has 2000 variations humans know about that is.

[@levia9753]

Make whatever type of videos you want to make, openings or speedruns, i’m gonna watch them either way. Best instructor on youtube

[@luketinger3435]

Couldn’t have been said better

[@bumblehatches6637]

Levi punching the air rn

[@LoaThunder]

Imagine how much people would pay to get a lesson on specific openings from a GM. Your content value is immeasurable danya, thank you.

[@manawearblack]

I'd love to see you cover the Vienna, every time you do it in the speedrun I learn a dozen things, a full comprehensive video on it like this would be great

[@Ergo...]

I second this! Either the normal Vienna game or the Gambit ( seeing that Danya wants to explore weird Gambit lines, like Stafford or Tracker) would be fantastic to analyze with Danya's thorough explanations :D

[@BryceRogers_]

Awesome!! Perfect timing. I find your explanations to be the easiest to understand. You're very articulate and comprehensive.

[@Orwaha]

This video is beyond anything I ever expected of an opening video! So much detail and conceptualization AND a thorough number of variations. Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I love filling my notebooks and databases with annotations of Danya’s commentary. I can’t wait to learn even more!

[@jccusell]

Daniel's talent and demeanour for teaching, not just chess specifically, but teaching an sich is remarkable.

[@KabeloMoiloa]

Kantian eh?

[@thirduncle5366]

@@KabeloMoiloa Hahaha. Danya certainly is a great teacher independent of any sense perception! Except, who would he be teaching then?

[@owenallenaz]

This is awesome. I would love more videos on countering specific moves in certain openings. At the 1500 level no one plays true theory, but I just don't know how to punish, for example when black locks their bishop in against the london, or when white pulls the bishop out against sicilian rather than going open/closed.

[@paulgoogol2652]

By playing good improving moves and finding tactics. It's not like you have a refutation memorized for any bad move that can be played so just improve your piece activity/king safety and maybe prepare for a pawn break.

[@noone-ld7pt]

Hey Danya, this is absolutely amazing. Been playing the traxler for like 10 years and never encountered d4, would've completely stumped me. One suggestion I have for opening videos is timestamping the start of the different variations, I think that would make it a lot easier to navigate the different branches of the tree so to speak.

[@00bean00]

At least the major sections, like "regular, counter"

[@alexbogerd2237]

That was an amazing lesson, 20 minutes of the most important points perfectly explained, great job

[@swan4163]

Excellent video, especially for the first one! It has so much rewatching potential, but you absolutely need chapter markers for people to come back to in the future. I would love to see a Vienna game and/or gambit in the future, please. Also maybe you could have a Google form or something for your subs submit games where they got totally crushed in the opening and use them to get ideas on future videos. Just a thought. Thanks for the great content!

[@ClassicMist360]

FINALLLY. WE NEED MORE OPENING VIDEOS. Its so hard to find good videos on theory aside from scholastic chess center videos which are pretty redundant and dont really go too far into the ideas of openings.

[@chris0714ful]

Id love more of these!

[@wfrp4fanboy329]

Man, you are defnitely the best chess related content creator on the internet right now. I watch Levy, Aman (with building habits and plans and all the stuff), Andreas Toth. But you Danya, huge respect for what you're doing right now. The amount of knowledge and variety of shared content is out of this world. Greetings from Poland!

[@andi2381]

EXACTLY the kind of series I was looking for. Keep it up Danya, I love it!

[@vkaiiims]

Please please continue making these opening videos. The depth in which you discuss the openings is impossible to find anywhere else on the internet. It's like an opening repertoire course for free! The quality of your content is at another level. Thank you for making me a better chess player.

[@SEAKPhotog]

For other amazing educational and indepth KZbin content check out the Hanging Pawns KZbin page. He's not a GM but he offers up hours of highly digestible and educational courses on numerous openings. It's in incredible it's all free. His Road to GM series is also terrific. He's analyzing all his tournament games on his journey to become a GM.

[@jztordinary6562]

of the living super GMs, Naroditsky is in a league of his own when it comes to teaching and analysing chess for the masses of chess enthusiasts...simply outstanding..

[@ryangarvey8207]

is naro a super gm?

[@Arthas30000]

Danya is 2616 FIDE - so over 2500 but I don't think he's a super gm. Still a fantastic teacher :) love his vids!!!

[@jacobarnoldmusic]

@@ryangarvey8207 no. Super gm means over 2700, and danya is in the 2600s

[@ricardf1857]

I agree, you should also check Anish Guiri he is great! There is one video about the Najdorf, absolutely brilliant.

[@calvinlittle7]

Hey Danya, really appreciate the opening lessons being finally featured on this channel, as I know a lot of us have been waiting for a long time to finally see them! As an opening suggestion, I'd love to see your take on Petrov's defense, and how you'd play against it as white. Looking forward to more opening videos, as well as the continuation of your sensei "speedrun"!

[@boniemi6500]

I love your take on these openings. Just the ‘staying solid’ approach. Most people just teach the attacks

[@tomdon84]

I'm a 1600 player and this is the perfect combination of video length and analysis depth for me. I have purchased some video courses on iChess (including Danya's masterclass) but no one has the same level of this one. Please keep doing this!

[@Gqtor]

Absolutely fantastic video. I find a lot of opening videos by bigger KZbinrs tend to have holes in them at the higher levels, but I'm glad that this actually works regardless of level. Don't worry about getting good at teaching opening theory; you're already there :)

[@hectorgray8542]

You have great analysis, I still remember the Vienna Gambit Accepted line you gave a while ago in one of the speedrun videos, where White throws the kitchen sink to reach a beautiful checkmate. Been looking forward to more, specially since you're such a great teacher!

[@SchwarzschildM]

can you indicate exactly where it is?

[@joe0677]

wdym kitchen sink?

[@DGTLCLANGAMING]

@@joe0677 it's an expression, meaning to throw everything you have at something, I think it originated from "throw everything except the kitchen sink" because obviously your sink is fixed to the wall, so now people say "throw the kitchen sink at it" to mean full send basically

[@hectorgray8542]

@@SchwarzschildM The line @henk gave has the same idea, but Danya recommends 7. Bb5+ first, since 7. Bc4 runs into ... Nc6 and Black is actually slightly better. Instead, with 7. Bb5+, ... c6 is basically forced and now you can go back with Bc4. Danya explores it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGXPiGBsm5ppeck

[@joe0677]

@@DGTLCLANGAMING oh wow, makes sense now, thx

[@DoronBarShay]

I love to study openings and i've never seen anyone explain openings as clearly as you do. I'd love to hear about the rui lopez from you one day!

[@therealjclarke]

I'm going to enjoy this series. Thanks for taking the jump and giving this a try Daniel! I'm looking forward to future videos in the series!

[@nguyenquangminh4814]

Wow! Well prepared and well delivered. I was engaged the whole time, remembering quickly everything and i bet retentively too. I've watched a lot of opening videos but i dont think there's been 1 where i have a lot of "landmarks" for all the lines to remember them all like this video. Your speedrun teaching experience, style, thought processes that I'm used to surely helped

[@nakulgoyal2879]

Watched the entire video and enjoyed it a lot!! Thank you so much Danya:)

[@koyorsapi6403]

"Babe wake up, Naroditsky just dropped another opening video"

[@nunocabaco1]

Thank you so much. Best opening content ever seen in KZbin. Please keep doing this. The chess world is in debt with you.

[@andrewcachia5466]

Great video danya. Most comprehensive and easily understandable opening video I watched while keeping it entertaining. Perfect. Few suggestions on future opening videos: Use chapters for example doing a video on french do seperate for exchange advanced tartakower etc… At the end of a variation explain some common ideas and plans in the position, I feel that helps a lot. Maybe put the pgn of the moves in description so one can easily follow. Thanks so much for this content please do more:)

[@Meilo101]

Great video! Just one question: is it possible to get the pgn file for the variations to study on our own time? Maybe that is something you would like to include in future videos, since I find it adds a lot of benifit. Keep up the great work!

[@jahismighty1576]

Thanks for the lesson! As far as feedback, I agree with another commenter that chapters for the covered variations would be a helpful addition. I also think including the PGN of your analysis as plaintext (or, if your affiliate contract allows it, a lichess study) would make it easier for some of us to follow along and continue exploring some of these ideas more deeply.

[@NicolaiDorengStearns]

Fantastic video, Danya - really, really appreciate it. Would absolutely love to see more of these for the major openings!

[@witpietrzak6166]

This is unbelievable! I learned the Stafford video inside out and upside down, and then hey presto! Last month in a tournament I played it against a much higher rated player and obliterated him! As the Italian is my main opening, this is just fabulous! Preach on, Master Danya, preach on!

[@RockinMetalGuy]

Your Stafford refutation is one of my favorite videos of yours, so seeing another opening video is much appreciated. Love the summary of the main lines at the end!

[@shiparelli3448]

This was by far the greatest opening video I have ever watched. I would love if you made more of them

[@ricardotavares8295]

Decided to comment based on the doubts you showed about opening videos. I follow almost every chess channel from levy, rosen, hikaru, hanging pawns, etc., and you are by far the most instructive by explaining the reason behind the moves and understanding the mind of lower rated players. Be confident, I watch every single video of yours and it's always a pleasure because not only I see you as the most intructive and by far the best teacher on youtube, u are also a really nice guy. Thanks for the lesson, onto the next one! :)

[@Tinyplanetco]

Brilliant. Thank you Danya. Can't wait to see more opening videos! Alapin / Delayed Alapin would come in pretty handily for me right now...

[@Arthas30000]

What's the delayed Alapin? Regular I know is 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 (...d6 is also playable) 3. c3 (threatening d4 with a lot of effect)

[@Tinyplanetco]

@@Arthas30000 that's actually the delayed line instead of 2. c3 which is the "normal" Alapin.

[@Arthas30000]

@@Tinyplanetco Oooooh. Okay, that's cool. I didn't even know there was a regular 2.c3 line 😆 yeah, would love to see Danya post a vid on this!!!

[@ericzenk4404]

it's like Christmas and my birthday at once. I just got finished watching the speed run video on the hippo (and winning a blitz game). Then this appears.

[@SEAKPhotog]

Thank you! Definitely keep these coming! You're an amazing teacher. As others have suggested maybe include a pgn and also include chapters for easy navigation when we go back to rewatch the variations.

[@JorikCallebaut]

Ive started playing Chess a couple of months ago (already knew the basics from 15years back) and the only openings I know and love to play are the fried liver and traxler. Even tho I know what the Traxler is about, I often still get dunked on. This move will definitly give me some advantage. And the nice part is that for my elo (900-1000) probably 95% of players will play bishop takes d4. So I can get away with learning one, maybe two, lines ... for now! Your videos are amazing and really help newer players a lot. And it gets the newer players more excited about chess so keep up the awesome work!

[@charlesdarwin2118]

Daniel Naroditsky. one of the reasons why I think you are such a good teacher is because you can really place yourself in the minds of your studens whilst doing this through many elo ranges. I appriciate your content💪

[@igorcalvo]

Danya is simply the best. Such a good teacher, strong player and yet very humble

[@GMBethHarmon]

Awesome! I've been looking forward to these ever since you mentioned them. Going to get out the chess set later and follow along to get everything memorised. Thank you! ❤

[@_Ozka]

I would love to see some of the Sicilian variations covered from black's perspective, main line Smith-Morra Gambit, the Wing Gambit and maybe also the grand prix which can be pretty tricky. Thank you for the professional analysis Danya

[@AdamOlshansky]

Thanks Danya! Might be worth adding in a PGN. Could also be interesting to hear if any of these lines have been played at the top level or even just some examples from lower levels, i.e. people as high as XX00 have walked into this line

[@subasharavindan1646]

strongly echo the pgn suggestion. for the latter part, you can check the lichess database with a rating constraint

[@sarniajiujitsu3219]

The opening videos are amazingly useful for me. They are an amazing mix of principles and lines. I would love to see these for many openings, even the less 'tricky' ones.

[@swaxy8593]

This was great! Thank you for the summary at the end. I appreciate what you do.

[@ethansmusic9898]

I appreciate the KZbin content Daniel!! You're a legend! One suggestion I would make is to try out an opening lesson on your twitch channel. Your chat has great instructive questions and there would be a great dynamic to the discussion.

[@adityav5040]

This was great! Looking forward to more. By the way, I would also happily watch your explanation of well-known lines even if you don't have an innovation to offer up like d4 in this video. This is purely for selfish reasons - as someone who shies away from opening theory, I know I would study them more if Danya is the one teaching :)

[@oceanlee3930]

Coming from levy’s channel it is super nice to see a dedicated opening video, I love your speed runs and this is even better! Might consider adding a section at the end where a subscriber plays the traxler and you demonstrate how to win.

[@jadalsayegh672]

Very humble, kind and instructive Grand master Thank you a lot for providing us with these great lines and this amazing analysis

[@Pandawarrior45]

Thank you for finally doing it, good luck, I really think that quick summary at the end helps

[@DerekGartee]

Phenomenal opening video - thank you for this insight! Would love to see something like this for the Scandinavian.

[@thirduncle5366]

I hope you mean to Slam the Scandinavian right? :)

[@RickCarter1776]

GM Naroditsky, thank you so much for taking the time to produce this instructive video. While I am not a E4 player, there is always wonderfully insightful things I learn in all your videos. I recall years ago studying the fried liver attack from of a really old copy of MCO I picked up at a chess tournament in the late 1970's. Yes I know that makes me old but chess keeps me young. I personally would love, love, love if there was a downloadable file; pdf or otherwise of the data you covered. I realise that is a lot to ask and I do plan on taking the time to transcribe your teaching into a google doc file for myself. But hey, if you don't ask the answer is no! Correct?? Anyway I can't say enough how much I and others appreciate your efforts. Beyond your pace of speaking, which I assume is designed to get all this wonderful information out in the time allotment you have preselected for your video, there is nothing I would say could be improved. I, speaking for myself, would watch much longer videos on opening subjects. I consider myself a lifelong student and chess has always been a passion, albeit one that I have neglected for years and only came back to during the lovely pandemic we all are enduring through. I found you on youtube about 2 months ago while looking for info on Caro Kann theory which you wonderfully provided via several speedrun videos. That, in my mind, earned you my monthly prime subscription which had been going to Levy Roseman, who is also a great teacher just not entirely what I was looking for. Can't say enough good things about how you teach, and present yourself to the internet world. Thanks brother, and know your hard work is appreciated by many.

[@davidmays2660]

Love that you're doing more opening videos, I know you say they'll get better but they're already very instructive! I'm about ~1500 and I'd love to hear your analysis of any of these tricky openings I've come across: Schliemann, Budapest, Evans Gambit, Danish, Smith-Morra. Thanks!

[@princepatwari2587]

One of the best opening videos I have ever seen. Thank-you very much for these variations

[@dlk339]

Great video as always. But you need, need, need~ a shock mount for your mic so desk movement doesn't pick up in the recording.

[@Diffusion8]

This is brilliant! Thank you Danya, love your teaching style and content! 👍🏻

[@larspersson1546]

Excellent video as always! I'd thrilled to see some exploration of the gambits in the Bird's opening: Sturm's gambit, Swiss gambit and From's gambit.

[@Kindred1a1]

Wow that was super instructive. I always struggled with that line so this is gold! Im really curious to see what you will do (if ever) for the Alekhine as Black

[@thirduncle5366]

Probably advise against playing it would be me intuition.

[@Kindred1a1]

​@@thirduncle5366​ I would understand if he is making these videos for other GMs but at lower elos, it's as good as any (this is according to him in the speedrun).

[@ErinWi]

Thanks Danya. Excellent video as always. Would you say the Hillbilly Attack counts as one of these trick openings? Is there a solid way to play against it?

[@michaelclark8538]

This was incredible. Please do more!

[@kieranbray7657]

Danya this is AMAZING!!!!! Been waiting for you make opening videos for ages. Please do more of these, the Alapin Sicilian done in depth, with several of the more testing variations, would be brilliant!!

[@Mike072]

Thanks for the video Daniel! A great fan here! This video is a bit advanced for a 1200ish player like me, but great stuff. Really looking forward for more opening videos!

[@descendency]

this video is directly targeted at around 1200 for players that play the fried liver. I'd recommend watching it a bit and studying if you're around 1200 and you play the fried liver. (i'd also not recommend the fried liver - but that's another story)

[@CosyBrew]

Although I don't play the Italian much, this was an incredible opening video. Particulary appreciate the thoroughness with which you approach the ideas in the opening. I would love to see many more of these videos covering more conventional openings.

[@edwinvargas8740]

Finally, i have been waiting this since the first episode on the Stafford

[@MalleboB]

Definitely one of the greatest in teaching chess, don't even worry about it. Content is always amazing. The background graphics are something from the 90's though ;)

[@emrevurgun8328]

daniel this was one of the best opening videos i have watched. very clear and to the point and great depth as well. thank you for this video. I hope you make opening videos on conventional openings as well i'd love that.

[@acsu96]

I'm looking forward to seeing more opening content. Your analysis seems quite thorough and is the video length is very appreciated! I would wonder - 1) who is your intended audience for these videos, and how does it compare to your typical viewership? For example, people studying your speedrun series around 1200-1400 may find studying these lines overwhelming/difficult, and if they run into said lines in club games they may find their opponents playing even more bizarre deviations than the ones you discussed. 2) Similarly, especially early on in your series it may be worth discussing effective learning methods for these openings, since less experienced players may not have a good sense of how to effectively study many lines (i.e., they might watch the video without extra serious work on their own). 3) I enjoyed how you highlighted several common motifs throughout the video, such as when to play Nxf7 vs Bxf7, the Qh5-Nxg6 motif, and how Black's primary plan is to play Bxf2+ Nxe4 Qh4 Nxg3. It might be a nice supplement to the great concrete variations you give to include these "bigger picture" ideas in the summary run through you did at the end of the video.

[@muntoonxt]

I agree. I want sound openings! Sicilian Alapin, Italian, and though it's not something I play, even a Caro-Kan't, Benny Watts variation.

[@Alex_Deam]

Yeah, I think the intended audience is definitely higher rated players. I found it a bit too fast for me to take it all in, I like it when during speedrun videos he will sort of pause and calmly try to press the chat into finding the best move, that has definitely helped me improve. Still, not everything has to be aimed at me lol, and I still got something out of it. But it'd be cool to see that style applied to individual openings too!

[@bradsalz4084]

Even as a USCF 2000+ player I found this both educational and entertaining. More, please. And in the same spirit, I think you can make a similar series on endgames. Just a suggestion.

[@Arthas30000]

YES!!! I've noticed I get into equal or losing endgames as a ~1500 and then my opponents' quality of play dissolves and I manage to either get an edge, or convert a winning game easily. Need more endgame knowledge!!!

[@bradsalz4084]

@@Arthas30000 I think the reason why endgame play is so poor with lower rated plyers is that they rarely survive long enough to reach an endgame and that discourages them from even putting in the effort to learn. But a really good teacher and content creator - as we have here - can overcome that inertia. As a teenager, I studied Ruben Fine's "Basic Chess Endings" and that is about as exciting as reading the phone book (remember those?) . There has to be a better way.

[@mrkowalczyk420]

Excellent material - would love more of these. Wonder if you would be able to copy and paste the PGNs into the descriptions?

[@treasonouspigeonpeckers957]

Interesting suggestion but I like the Bxf7+ line where if you play the best move against the most played moves, you can do a deflection sacrifice and win quickly. Just use Lichess. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+ Ke7 6. Bc4 Rf8 7. Nc3 d6 8. O-O h6 9. Nh7!! Nxh7 10. Nd5+ Ke8 11. Qh5+ Rf7 12. Nb6 * NOTE: works only if they play …d6 and if you have both knights developed

[@MaybeBrady]

Honestly loved to see this as a traxler player, fantastic video! Can't wait to see if I'll run into anyone who learns these lines. Keep up the amazing work 🙏

[@jankor3393]

Yessss!!! I've been wanting opening vids. This is awesome.

[@hotxpeppers6145]

I love the Soundeffekt at 12:26 , made me laugh so much

[@blakezoda2248]

Phenomenal job, Danya! I can’t wait to see more openings!!

[@aoe2sfgt184]

This was a great video. If this series is strictly for taking down gambits, i would love to see something on the Benko Gambit. Thanks for all the content, your channel has been an amazing help!

[@pugsondrugs6556]

YES! Was about to watch a video about the Jobava London and then this came up!!!

[@AugustFreestyle]

I'm very very glad you did an opening video, and I sincerely hope you make more, both on common and uncommon openings.

[@jaredjessen1379]

Thank you, Danya! This is absolutely perfect. If you want ideas for future gimmicky openings to discuss, I (ashamedly) have trouble with: Elephant gambit, Latvian gambit, O'Sullivan gambit

[@Tom-wh4pi]

Loved the video! I'll be waiting for more openings ones. Thanks to your videos and other people here in KZbin I've become a bit better of a chess player!

[@wavekicker]

Awesome video. Love your style of explaining. Would love to see Caro-Kann as black!

[@eriksteffahn6172]

Alright, looking at this from the black side: First of all, you generally don't have to fear 5.d4, since after d5 most people play exd5 or cxd5, resulting in a fine or even better position for black. After Bxd5 Nxd5 Nxf7 the position is objectively equal, but if you know some of the lines you should be able to win most games as white can go wrong very easily (similar to the normal traxler). Now looking at the lines of the video: Starting from the position at 22:33 I'd recommend Bg4, like Danya said, Nf3 isn't actually that good, after Bxf3 gxf3 Qe8 the position is about equal with chances for both sides, but black is the one attacking. After f3 I'd recommend h6! (which is not shown in the video) with some pretty big complications. The only good move is fxg4, then the line might continue hxg5 Bxg5 Ne6 Bxf6+ gxf6 Bxb5 Bd4. White is now up 3 pawns, but the position is almost equal due to blacks activity, for example c3 actually loses to Rxh2!!, a better try is Nc3 Rb8 Nd5+ Kf7 with a very unclear position (engine shows +0.1)

[@guy9146]

Danya. You’re literally the best chess teacher on the internet. Thanks for your content.

[@omartalaat3646]

This was more than amazing Danya, keep up the great work

[@lazsimon403]

Loving the new series please keep it up!

[@bahrss]

great video, Danya! I suggest drawing arrows in the recap portion of the video, highlighting main ideas (key moves, squares) of the line you are discussing.

[@Stopitgetsomehelp3012]

12:26 that caught me off guard 💀

[@ChalkMan22]

Watched 10 minutes of this video and started playing bullet until I destroyed somebody using that lovely d4 move. Now back to video to learn more in depth 😅 Danya you’re the man… been watching your vids for awhile now! Very grateful 🙏

[@williamschaefermeyer7007]

I really like this series idea, keep it up!

[@anthonymaurici3090]

Hello Mr Naroditsky, I am a huge fan of yours across all videos you do. In terms of opening videos I thought you were very concise and well presented. As a fan of Gotham Chess as well I have purchased nearly all his opening courses I think comparatively you are really good at how you break theory down and explain, so I just wanted to give you some feedback and encourage you to continue making opening videos and wish you all the best ahead.

[@sourandbitter3062]

1:14 I'm going to be picky but I watch Ben Finegold's videos where he said multiple times beginner players think mistakenly that the Fried liver starts after 4.Ng5 when it starts at 6.Nxf7. The Traxler really is a counter attack to the two knights defense.

[@JoseMartinez-iq3xq]

The most annoying thing for Black is White's white squared bishop, so Black's idea is to hunt the white squared bishop or, failing that, take it off the diagonal (15:39) with ..b5 and then push the knight back with ..h6 and force the exchange of queens. In this way, they maintain the initiative. The common thing with Ca5, Nd4 and b5 is that they seek to take that bishop off the diagonal. The big problem is that bishop.

[@alexwebb7676]

I'm just loving that you're covering the Traxler! This is one of my favourite openings for the excitement and the fun that these games always end up in. If I could make one request on future opening videos though, it would be including a PGN in the description of the lines that you recommend, so that it can be easier to bring into opening repertoire software. I do it manually if necessary, but this is just a lovely touch that I've seen in a couple places before. Thanks!

[@colts8146]

Please do more of these Danya they are much appreciated!

[@emmymurphy306]

Great video! For future opening videos I'd love to see something more like "these are the long-term strategic ideas, important pawn breaks, squares to focus on" in more solid/sound openings. Tactics and variations are also great but positional opening play is the kind of thing that's hard to learn from engine analysis. Thanks again!

[@TheKawww]

Been waiting for some opening stuff! Thanks Danya!

[@chessexpertAleksey]

Thank you, Danya!!!! Great job as always!!