They are way over his head.

Your reasoning makes sense for the short term but could there be long term benefits to doing it that way (strategy before tactic mastery or maybe a collaborative growth )? For instance, you’re not having to erase bad habits picked up from playing a tactic only brand of chess, which if Silman’s book is any indication, even higher rated players suffer from.

Also it seems to add a context to chess that helps the amateur identify their weaknesses, both tactically and strategically.

My brother who couldn’t get into chess , that he “didn’t get it beyond the basic moves”, has said understanding that there is strategy involved makes the game interesting to him. So there is that aspect also.

The "strategy before tactics" approach could be a valid approach, with a couple of caveats:

1) The BYP would need to stick with the examples in the books and not stray from the material. If he did venture out and start using his own chess ability to analyze games, he would need to check his work with a chess engine to ensure that he's not making any tactical blunders, or else risk looking like an idiot.

2) He would need to be honest with his viewers and state (often) that this strategic knowledge will not significantly improve someone's rating if that person isn't tactically proficient.

Tactic mastery doesn't have to, but some rudimentary tactical skill needs to happen pretty quickly or the person playing by general principles alone better get used to losing material and getting checkmated by people who do have some tactical skill because that's how most games are decided, especially at lower levels of chess strength.

The BYP undervalues tactics, often comically so. Maybe he has some disability that prevents him from seeing them, but I doubt it. I don't think he really even looks for them. I vaguely remember a game of his from years ago where he was patting himself on the back for grabbing an open file with his rook all the while overlooking a very simple mate in 2. His recent games are the same. Just about every game of his I watch, I see him miss basic tactics. I check the comments on his videos to see how long it takes for someone else to point out what he has missed. It doesn't take long. If anyone ever needed to spend some time with the Woodpecker Method(or something similar), it's the BYP. That, and he needs to examine checks, captures, and threats (in other words: Look for tactics) when he's playing before he "reads the chessboard" to evaluate the imbalances. His latest buzz phrase is "target consciousness", and maybe he'll eventually realize that targets aren't just weak squares or backward pawns but also loose pieces, overworked pieces, and the various other weaknesses that can be exploited tactically. I enjoy watching his videos, but it bugs me that he's lacking one of the most fundamental building blocks of chess.

 

Another problem wih following general principles is that often there is plenty of contradictory advice in chess books, particularly in Silman: "Do not ignore your opponent's ideas" vs. "Play mucho chess and don't be intimidated by your opponents ideas". "Avoid double pawns" vs. "Embrace double pawns to get control of squares". It takes a lot of experience to know when to apply which principle. Reading the narrative of a game after the game has been played, and creating your own narrative while playing are two different animals. 

at least he is helping without money, free, which is something you do not know, helping people for free... right? yes it is right...

He has a passion for chess and this makes him interesting. Often he teaches from books written by great players and he understands the strategies and explains them well but might not be able to incorporate them in his own games.

He has a passion for chess and is entertaining and fun. He went off line for awhile (probably because of the chess a-holes that never have anything good to say). I'm glad that he is making videos again. He is sacrificing his time making videos instead of selfishly trying to get better at chess. 

I am helping you, by giving you my opinion for free! You're welcome.

As for the BYP, I would call it "entertainment", not "help". That said, I am not criticising his passion for chess and for producing videos. As long as he and his audience are enjoying it, everything is fine. I do think though it is not unjustified to criticise the value of its content, expecially in view of his overconfidence and his apodictic attitude.

He must do that "overconfidence and his apodictic attitude" because he is the SOURCE of the power he is trying to share it with the chess beginners...

1st place Q, why you ppl are trying to criticize him ??? evaluating his work ??? while you ppl can not do the same, plus he always saying: this is my journey to be perfect in chess I would like to share it with you, he is dreaming to be a chess teacher, and he is a GREAT teacher by nature... it is a gift, to have the love to something and to explain it, 

YES, I know that the words is inside the books of other anthers, but the vids HELPING A LOT not only me but A LOT OF PPL like it and love the sharing meanings inside it... be thankful or just walk away do not make a donkey from a mosquito.

authors***

I guess everyone chooses the teachers that suit him/her.

I don't think that I was overly harsh to the BYP. And no thanks, I will not walk away. If you don't like to face critical opinions, feel free to ignore them.

27K followers on YouTube. Not bad for a patzer and better than likely 99% of his criticizers. 

It's not every day that I learn a new word...Thanks!

You think I can't do the same as BYP?

Well what can I say except thank you very much!

Indeed, it takes a special kind of person to make videos as bad as his.

Try thinking with your brain instead of your feelings sometime. BYP can be likable as a person and a shitty teacher at the same time.

If your hobby were bird watching maybe your current way of thinking would be fine, but since you're a chess player consider this good advice.

Indeed, I don't think you could do as well as the BYP. Kinda of funny really, you with the high rating, could never attract the followers that he has. I wonder why?

 

How good is the Backyard Professor? 

he is superb........yickerty ying yah dandy doo...........we are lucky to have him ..........target. .......Aut viam inveniam aut faciam tibi

PewDiePie has more subscribers than anyone.

Being popular with stupid people is easy, and not necessarily something to brag about.

Sorry, have no idea who PewDiePie is, but you do, which means what?