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Listening in on Grandmaster Kaidanov's "post game analysis pearls" and the self-critical views taken towards his own mistakes, is pure "chess candy"!!! Recognizing a negative pattern in his approach to the game of chess (combining this game with video #2 in this series) was one of the most important stepping stones in his career. Pay attention to his teaching style and try to apply these concepts to your own games -- if you wish to "Improve Your Chess"! | Watch video
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In today's lecture, Grandmaster Dejan Bojkov brings us the second installment in his video series about the "actual" value of the chess pieces. Here we see several incredible examples of when large material deficits are made up for by activity, threats, and practical pressure. One can achieve this by attacking, and also by trapping the opponent's pieces. Seeing beyond the "point values" and understanding the game as a whole is critical for every chess player! | Watch video
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GM Melik Khachiyan finds more instructive concepts from his own games and shares them with us in today's video! Here he takes the black pieces against IM Walter Shipman at the US Open just a few weeks ago. After a slightly strange opening, Melik finds a "flexible" way to grab an advantage. Pay special attention to his description of the knight vs bishop middlegame, the need for activity, and the lesson his first coach gave him about f2 and f7... | Watch video
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IM Daniel Rensch brings us the climax of the Caro-Slav Formation in his Pawn Structure 101 video series this weekend. His summary focuses on a couple new ideas he hasn't displayed yet, as well as a "tying together" of all the ideas already discussed. Watch the video slowly, reference his previously recorded lectures (videos) on the topic, and become the "Caro-Slav Warrior" you were always meant to be... | Watch video
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GM Gregory Kaidanov brings us the second installment in his video series designed to "Improve Your Chess"! Here we see a much more practical example, stemming from one of the most important games of his chess career... which he lost! Watch as he explains where and how he mishandles the critical moment of the game, and exactly why this happened? You will have to find out next time... | Watch video
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Grandmaster Melik Khachiyan brings us a game in which he used a dominate structure and space advantage to create favorable tactics. When his young opponent, FM Tatev Abrahamyan, miscalculates his response (fxg3) -- the game turns in his favor. Watch as Melik's technique, controlling the critical f-file, converts the full point with ease... Enjoy! | Watch video
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IM Sam Shankland is back, and today he continues his video series on the topic of technique. Though there were several instructional moments in this game between Gelfand and Ponomariov, Sam places special emphasis on white's patient relocation of the pieces to defend the center, as well as Gelfand's disciplined approach in stopping his opponent's counterplay. Sam's outburst at the 17-minute mark is funny too... | Watch video
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This Labor Day weekend, Grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov makes his return to the Chess.com Video Authors "club" by debuting his new series: How To Improve Your Chess! With the first in this sequence of videos designed to help you develop critical thinking skills (on your own) -- GM Kaidanov uses "power-point" teaching methods to help us create a plan: The importance of being honest with oneself; study habits; psychological strengths and weaknesses; and how to find patterns in your game... | Watch video
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Grandmaster Dejan Bojkov continues his video series describing how to effectively use the different types of "piece couples" in chess. Today he moves on from the rooks and bishops to discuss the most powerful "attacking duo" in chess. As GM Bojkov displays for us here, the "Batman and Robin" team of Queen and Knight are capable of creating mating nets in multiple fashions, while also targeting weaknesses all over the board. Enjoy! | Watch video
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Today GM Dejan Bojkov teaches several fundamental, and very important, positional concepts about using and trapping bishops. After viewing these three examples from Grandmaster games (including Steinitz and Capablanca!) -- it should be easy to master the ideas and then competently apply them in your own games. Learn how your opponent can be essentially down a whole piece, even when it’s still on the board! | Watch video