thanks again Grandmaster.

Another fantastic video, GM Melik! Thanks!

Thanks Melik for another great video!

Here are my lessons to remember:

• If one piece stands worse, then the whole game stands worse. The strategy then is very simple: make sure that the worse piece won't return to the game, or will return as late as possible
• If the [pawn] chain is long, the chain is strong
• Petrosian said there are 2 openings to apply in your repertoire, in order to understand chess better: King's Indian Defence and Roy Lopez, because they are very rich, they have everything. Some of the lines are very positional, some of the lines are very sharp. So if you able to handle these openings, you will be able to handle pretty much any opening, because they will teach you a lot.
• Every time you are in the middle game, especially the first stage of the middle game, like you've just finished your opening for instance, you have to take your time to figure out your plan. Play with a plan!
• Steiniz said, Try to keep tension as long as possible, because keeping tension always bothers your opponent, so always makes your moves annoying.
• One of the strategies of playing against a bad piece is simply to eliminate the rest of the pieces, because if a bad piece has a team mate, it could be possible to be improved, it could be OK; but if a bad piece has no team mate, then this is dangerous
• Being patient is another lesson in the endgame; simply improve your position.

this is really nice..very instructional!

1.Nf3 and the KID is part of my repertoire...To see it from a grandmasters view from both sides of the board is awesome. 

Impressive. Thanks

Melik's videos are awesome. I haven't seen anyone as skilled in explaining positional concepts and games in general to an intermediate-level player such as myself. He doesn't digress into long calculated lines, which can get a bit boring and is better left to books; and instead focuses on principles, which is exactly what I want when watching a video.

My notes from video: Stuctural Thinking by GM Melikset Khachiyan

I like how White, GM Melikset Khachiyan:

• opens with my favorite first move, Nf3.
• plays Ne2 to prevent black's a5-N from getting back into the game. With the idea to solidifing the center with: Nc3 to protect the b5-square, e4, and b4 at some later time.
• in preparing b3, plays Qc2 to protect his N from black's g7-B
• recommends to never play a4 when you have a pawn on c4, this may prevent black from playing b5 but it doesn't compensate for giving away the b4-square.
• views pawn chains: if pawn chain long, the chain is strong.
• plays Bb2 to oppose black's g7-B
• plays Rb1, in case the B-file opens.
• Advises in the ealy stage of the middle game to take your time in developing a game plan. Playing without a plan is the biggest mistake.
• plan to shut down blacks's Q-side and switch his attack to the K-side by playing Qd3, forcing black to defend its b5-P by pushing the P or exchanging the Ps on c4.
• recommends, per Wilhelm Steinitz, try to keep the tension for as long as possible. Because keeping the tension always bothers your opponent and is annoying.
• plays the unusual fxg3 instead of common hxg3 because for hxg3, black has Ng4. fxg3 opens the f-file, securing the K-side and kills black's idea of playing f5.
• was ready to play P-g4, had black played Nh6.
• prepares to counter black's Nh5 move with g4, by playing Ne2 to protect the f4+g3 squares; plus Ne2 prepares Bd3, keeping black's d8-Q at bay in having to protect it's a5-N.
• plays g4 to counter black's N-h5. I looks like black can safely play Nf4 but white had planned to make a positional sacrifice by exchanging the Ns on f4, followed by exchanging his R for B on f4, followed by e5 and Ne4. Leaving black with a donkey on a5, weak center pawns and weak dark squares around the castle. Not to mention, now black can't hold the f4-square.
• plays Rbd1 to protect his d2-N and allowing black to exchange Qs with Qe3+
• plans to keep black's N+B off the f4-square by ultilizing a positional sacrificial exchange of N+R for N+B on f4 followed by e5 and Ne4.
• refuses his option to exchange Ps on f5 to find Nh5, attacking blacks unprotected g6-P.
• exhanges Rs to get rid of blacks active R and to find a better job for white's other R by using it to regain control of the f-file, with check.
• sets out to exchange Bs because black's B is his strongest piece; not to mention, when your opponent has a piece restricted, the a5-N, try to exchange the other pieces.
• sacrifices his f5-P instead of winning a pawn, go figure. In return, white has Be4 attacking black's N and wins back the P with Nxg3. In effect, this was no pawn sacrifice at all, it's an exchange of Ps with a move inbetween. After the smoke clears, white has a very strong attack on black's K, with a passed pawn, while black has no real threats.
• plays Ra8 attacking black's d6-P to keep her f7-N at bay to protect the P.

I like how Black, FM Tatev Abrahamyan:

• opens with one of my favorite defenses, the Kings Indian
• plays Nc6, a move that I play. This is a new way to play against the fianchetto Kings Indian Attack. The idea 1. preparing for b5 - ie Nc3, a6, Rb8, Bd7, b5 and 2. preparing e5 at some later point.
• plays Na5.  Nb8 (the move I usually play) is ok but Melikset Khachiyan says that Na5 is better.
• plays c5, controlling the b4-square to secure her a5-N
• plays e5; if white doesn't take the pawn via en passant, then black would have solidified the center allowing her to switch to attack to the K-side.
• plays h5; In the KID vs white's fianchetto bishop, attack from the h-file and not the f-file. the idea is to create some pressure with P-h4, Ng4, Qg5-Qh5 with mate, if possible.
• with her h5-N en prise, manages to find the only move Q-g5, overlaoding her attack on white's d2-N
• plays f5, anything else would be too passive.
• plays the tricky g3 and if white take it with his K, she has Nh5+ followed by Nf4.
• had Nh5 (as recommended by Melikset Khachiyan) if white played Be4 (as I was thinking). It's true that white can win the d6-pawn but black pieces would become active, giving black some chances.
• plays Ne2 and if white takes the N with Nxe2, black has Ng5+ forking white's K+B. Now if black doesn't take the N, as in the game, black's N sits on e2 ready to check the K from 2 different squares and the N is also attacking white's g3-N.

Thank you Melikset Khachiyan

Very helpful video, thank you.

Great video Milekset, thank you for using the red arrows when you discuss plans, it makes it much easier for us lower rated guys to understand. Also, I loved how you turned blacks knight into a donkey!!! I would like to see more videos just like this one.

They (chess.com) is doing the work for us so they should get paid.  I'm just happy to get to play chess.  :)

The fact that they provide so much for free is an even better advertisement for Capitalism.  :D

THATS CAPITALISM  FOR  YOU LOL

I love how Melik calls his pieces 'guys.'

What a pointless remark. It's not like chess.com is just gonna give you a diamond because your whining.

I can't see the full  video cause i am not a diamond or gold o platinum member:(((((