I was black, I started being ultra aggressive
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Bb4 6. cxd5 cxd5 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8.
bxc3 Qa5 9. Qc1 Nbd7 10. Bd2 Qc7 11. e3 O-O 12. Bd3 e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5
Qxe5 15. f4 Qh5 (15... Qe7) 16. Qb1 b6 17. O-O Ng4 18. h3 Nf6 19. a4 Bxh3 20.
gxh3 Qxh3 21. Rf2 Ng4 22. Rg2 Nxe3 23. Bxh7+ Kh8 24. Rh2 Qg3+ 25. Kh1 Qf3+ 26.
Kg1 Qg3+ 27. Kh1 Qf3+ 28. Kg1 Qg3+ 1/2-1/2
Im a d4 and queens gambit player. I never play any other moves as white, and ive played over 3000 games with this style in various time modes. My Questions:
1. how to play against blacks fianchetto setup (be it owens defense or kings fianchetto). I find it very difficult to get a decent position when my opponent plays very passive and solid, whereas me on the other hand have no move. I can't attack too well on the king because of his solid defense, nor can i create a big fortress of my own since ive committed a lot to the centre. I pls request ur recommendation of what i should be doing in this situations.
2. Also, as a peak 1600, should i be try to learn new openings for white or just stick with what i know best (d4?)
3. I feel like something that causes a lot of losses for me, it not endgame or opening, but the middlegame. Of course, i get to endgames comparatively rarer than losing in middlegames. SO how can i get better at middlegames? I've seen many tutorials on middlegames that talk about what to focus on and etc. but since i play d4 most, What should my concerns or tactics be mostly centered around in middlegame if i play d4?
That's all the questions for now. I have way more questions but i feel like these are crucial and asking more would be disrespectful for a free coach.
1) These setups can be solid and not an immediate way to punish them. Some of these fianchetto positions can be punished by utilizing pawn levers against the "pawn hook" but most of the time this isn't immediate. In positions like you describe, it's probably more to do with their solid, yet passive setup. In those cases, their passive play usually gives you a slight space advantage and possibly a Jump Formation. I'll share two older videos of mine which may help you in positions like these:
2) This depends on what your chess goals are and how comfortable you feel in your positions. I used to play 1. e4 when I learned the rules of chess, but then I switched to 1. d4 with the Queen's Gambit opening... and I stayed with that all the way until now As for black, I originally crossed 2000 chess.com rapid rating primarily just playing 1. e4 e5 and 1. d4 d5 with black (now I play the Caro-Kann against e4). I recommend staying with your opening if you want to really focus on one thing and mastering that. If you want to broaden your horizons and expose yourself to more chess patterns, then you can try switching to a new opening and using that for a while; especially if you aren't that comfortable with the types of chess positions you get now.
3) There are many ways to study the middlegame, but the main problem for most chess players is that every game seems to have a new middlegame plan. I'm personally an advocate for Jeremy Silman's 4th edition book, How To Reassess Your Chess. The concept of imbalances is a great one to help make sense of middlegames, but with the book being over 500 pages, it isn't an easy read. I read this book when I was about 1900 chess.com rating, but at 1600 rating, you are probably able to still learn from this book well if you don't mind it taking a long time to read.
If you want a less time-consuming answer, then I also like Kmoch's book, Pawn Power In Chess. It's really a positional book about understanding pawn structure. For example, these 3 types of pawn levers are mentioned in this book, but here's a video about them instead:
Best of luck, friend
Thank you, Coach!
I will definitely check these out when i have the time. I don't like to "READ CHESS" because it gets pretty boring. I've read only two books of chess, and i stopped both halfway bored. I will value your priceless suggestion with utmost sincerity. Thanks a lot!
Btw coach, i played this game right after reading ur advices. As a last request, can you review this one rapid game and tell me how and where i can improve. I tried to play in the best way i can think of, and i feel like ive made a few mistakes. But from the perspective of a 2000, how can i improve here?
https://www.chess.com/game/123211458980
I know you on YouTube can you analyze a chess game from my account that you think is interesting? Or if you don't have the time check my game in "post your rare checkmates here"
Btw coach, i played this game right after reading ur advices. As a last request, can you review this one rapid game and tell me how and where i can improve. I tried to play in the best way i can think of, and i feel like ive made a few mistakes. But from the perspective of a 2000, how can i improve here?
https://www.chess.com/game/123211458980
At just a glance at that game, you look to have played well, but 18.Ne5+ looks a little too eager to attack. Your f3 knight is more active than the passive piece on d7; not only did you exchange off a better piece, but you also lost a pawn in the process. Getting 1 tempo on the queen for developing a rook isn't worth the pawn. Typically a pawn is worth about 3 tempi, but it depends on the position. 18. Rae1 can prepare the same idea while developing the least active piece you had (the a1 rook).
That makes more sense, thanks a lot. I played Nf3 because it seemed at bit more forcing, but i see that the pawn sac is not worth it. Thanks a lot coach!
i've been trying to improve my chess, and I was wondering if you could check out some of my games. I’d love to get better at the Reti and Sicilian too. Let me know what you think
sorry about not adding some of my own comments to the last game I was in a rush. Here is one I'd really love if you looked at.
sorry about not adding some of my own comments to the last game I was in a rush. Here is one I'd really love if you looked at.
btw unknown player is always me if I post, Im to lazy to simply say me 
hello sir i would like to hav analysis of my games, here is game against london system I do not know if there was better way to press.
Hi! This is a wonderful idea! Can you please give me advice on how to plan tactics that are hard to guess?
Hi! This is a wonderful idea! Can you please give me advice on how to plan tactics that are hard to guess?
Guess? I assume you mean tactics difficult for your opponent to anticipate.
This is actually connected to a concept called "hope chess" and it's something stronger players avoid doing. Hope chess is when you play a move (or an idea) because you see that if your opponent reacts a certain way, you'll have a good follow-up (like a winning tactic), but the problem is that the higher rated your opponents get, then the more likely they are to not overlook things like that. Better than hoping is to play solid moves (and ideas) you believe are objectively best and outplay your opponents this way.
Hello there
https://www.chess.com/game/live/136013399136 , this is my game that in every aspect i had a feeling i am better..then..everythin fell apart Im jumping between 400-500 and please let me know where can i get better? Thanks in advance
Great game and great review by you I Was glad to read it all
Im a d4 and queens gambit player. I never play any other moves as white, and ive played over 3000 games with this style in various time modes. My Questions:
1. how to play against blacks fianchetto setup (be it owens defense or kings fianchetto). I find it very difficult to get a decent position when my opponent plays very passive and solid, whereas me on the other hand have no move. I can't attack too well on the king because of his solid defense, nor can i create a big fortress of my own since ive committed a lot to the centre. I pls request ur recommendation of what i should be doing in this situations.
2. Also, as a peak 1600, should i be try to learn new openings for white or just stick with what i know best (d4?)
3. I feel like something that causes a lot of losses for me, it not endgame or opening, but the middlegame. Of course, i get to endgames comparatively rarer than losing in middlegames. SO how can i get better at middlegames? I've seen many tutorials on middlegames that talk about what to focus on and etc. but since i play d4 most, What should my concerns or tactics be mostly centered around in middlegame if i play d4?
That's all the questions for now. I have way more questions but i feel like these are crucial and asking more would be disrespectful for a free coach.
1) These setups can be solid and not an immediate way to punish them. Some of these fianchetto positions can be punished by utilizing pawn levers against the "pawn hook" but most of the time this isn't immediate. In positions like you describe, it's probably more to do with their solid, yet passive setup. In those cases, their passive play usually gives you a slight space advantage and possibly a Jump Formation. I'll share two older videos of mine which may help you in positions like these:
2) This depends on what your chess goals are and how comfortable you feel in your positions. I used to play 1. e4 when I learned the rules of chess, but then I switched to 1. d4 with the Queen's Gambit opening... and I stayed with that all the way until now
As for black, I originally crossed 2000 chess.com rapid rating primarily just playing 1. e4 e5 and 1. d4 d5 with black (now I play the Caro-Kann against e4). I recommend staying with your opening if you want to really focus on one thing and mastering that. If you want to broaden your horizons and expose yourself to more chess patterns, then you can try switching to a new opening and using that for a while; especially if you aren't that comfortable with the types of chess positions you get now.
3) There are many ways to study the middlegame, but the main problem for most chess players is that every game seems to have a new middlegame plan. I'm personally an advocate for Jeremy Silman's 4th edition book, How To Reassess Your Chess. The concept of imbalances is a great one to help make sense of middlegames, but with the book being over 500 pages, it isn't an easy read. I read this book when I was about 1900 chess.com rating, but at 1600 rating, you are probably able to still learn from this book well if you don't mind it taking a long time to read.
If you want a less time-consuming answer, then I also like Kmoch's book, Pawn Power In Chess. It's really a positional book about understanding pawn structure. For example, these 3 types of pawn levers are mentioned in this book, but here's a video about them instead:
Best of luck, friend