Just Watched Some GothamChess...

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llama36

Clicked on a random video where he does analysis of a top GM game... it was freaking awful. Holy crap how can people watch this and call it instructive?

Made me realize never in a million years could I make a popular youtube channel that includes chess analysis... the amount of excited gibberish he says... I couldn't copy it if I tried.

I mean, I guess that's talent. It's like performance art. I can see why people subscribe and find it entertaining. I think he's the most subscribed to chess youtuber? So yeah, obviously he has a talent and well done to him and all that... but wow, not what I was expecting to see.

brianchesscake

His analysis may not always be the most accurate but he generally has the right ideas and points the viewer in the correct direction of what threats to look for and how to find an optimal strategy. I think his most positive quality is that he can present chess in an exciting way which can draw in many newcomers.

llama36
brianchesscake wrote:

His analysis may not always be the most accurate but he generally has the right ideas and points the viewer in the correct direction of what threats to look for and how to find an optimal strategy. I think his most positive quality is that he can present chess in an exciting way which can draw in many newcomers.

Yeah, that's definitely a big positive aspect of his channel.

Steven-ODonoghue

I watched Gotham the other day, only to see him call 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 the "King's Indian" about 5 times. And then he said 'you can play a different type of Kings Indian with 3...c6 if you want. That was enough for me, I had to turn off the video.

 

But at least the uspide to Gotham saying some complete sh*t is that you know the ideas are coming from his own head. With someone like agadmator (or even kingscrusher), I get the impression he is just copying what the engine tells him, even when he has no idea what the move does. Then he will often just make up some vague reason for why the engine suggests the move "busts open the centre" stuff like that, that doesn't help anyone improve.

Duck

GothamChess draws one particular type of audience: Beginners & Children. 

llama36

And of course he does say correct things. He's an IM. He's nowhere near the awfulness of BYP and some others.

But he gives the impression of someone who just turns on the camera, no script, and is like "we're doing this in one take" and just goes for it.

If I did that, for sure I'd make mistakes. Nearly everyone would.

SacrificeTheHorse

I'm enjoying his recaps of the Candidates rounds. His presenting style is excitable and engaging and covers the key moments without getting too deep. I've also watched Giri's recaps which are good and in depth but in a less relaxing and more 'GM insight' kind of way.

Jalex13
Try ChessNetwork, for a change. A gm analysis of his is extremely thorough and in depth. Before he records, he makes mental pointers of important aspects in the game he wishes to share.
llama36
Jalex13 wrote:
Try ChessNetwork, for a change. A gm analysis of his is extremely thorough and in depth. Before he records, he makes mental pointers of important aspects in the game he wishes to share.

Not to be a huge fking snob about it, but I really like the live commentary from actual GMs (Jerry is a NM IIRC).

On chess24 I watched Jan and Judit explore their ideas (without an engine or eval bar or anything) and that always gives me new insights and knowledge.

Steven-ODonoghue

@Chessnetwork is insane, I don't know how he does it. 2947 in 1 min bullet? It's completely unfathomable.

If he was a 19 year old GM that sort of rating would be understandable, but this is a guy with no FIDE title who (I think) is older than me. Looking at his games I expected he would play crazy fast and aggressive like me, but he just plays 1.d4 and makes good moves and wins, it's totally unbelievable for me how someone could be that strong and fast

 

Jalex13
I know ChessNetwork isn’t a gm but he is as strong as some of the strongest IM’s.
nklristic
Steven-ODonoghue wrote:

@Chessnetwork is insane, I don't know how he does it. 2947 in 1 min bullet? It's completely unfathomable.

If he was a 19 year old GM that sort of rating would be understandable, but this is a guy with no FIDE title who (I think) is older than me. Looking at his games I expected he would play crazy fast and aggressive like me, but he just plays 1.d4 and makes good moves and wins, it's totally unbelievable for me how someone could be that strong and fast

 

I think there are some chess players in USA that don't have that many opportunities to play FIDE rated events and therefore it is much more difficult to earn a title for them. 

He might be one such example.

Jalex13
Well his online ratings on chess.com are higher than GothamChess. I believe in one of his videos he said he isn’t trying to attain any titles.
llama36
Jalex13 wrote:
I know ChessNetwork isn’t a gm but he is as strong as some of the strongest IM’s.

Sometimes I confuse kingcrusher and CN... which one has the British accent? tongue.png

I'm sure he could teach me stuff... I don't really watch videos anymore though. I've been watching some Candidates, so been getting some Hikaru and Gotham suggestions, and randomly went to one.

dfgh123
nMsALpg wrote:
Steven-ODonoghue wrote:

I watched Gotham the other day, only to see him call 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 the "King's Indian" about 5 times. And then he said 'you can play a different type of Kings Indian with 3...c6 if you want. That was enough for me, I had to turn off the video.

 

But at least the uspide to Gotham saying some complete sh*t is that you know the ideas are coming from his own head. With someone like agadmator (or even kingscrusher), I get the impression he is just copying what the engine tells him, even when he has no idea what the move does. Then he will often just make up some vague reason for why the engine suggests the move "busts open the centre" stuff like that, that doesn't help anyone improve.

Agreed 100%, about gotham, and about others. You can tell when they switch to engine mode and have no idea what they're talking about.

I ranted a bit on one of his videos, so I don't want to give away what I'm taking issue with because if someone saw the comment that'd reveal stuff, and I'm private... but anyway, it was the same sort of issue... he said something incorrect, and made the same mistake about 3 times (maybe more, but like you I didn't watch the whole thing)

You woud think masters would know all the opening names but I have seen him do it on other videos, maybe he just wants to get content out as fast as possible and be done with it.

llama36
Steven-ODonoghue wrote:

@Chessnetwork is insane, I don't know how he does it. 2947 in 1 min bullet? It's completely unfathomable.

If he was a 19 year old GM that sort of rating would be understandable, but this is a guy with no FIDE title who (I think) is older than me. Looking at his games I expected he would play crazy fast and aggressive like me, but he just plays 1.d4 and makes good moves and wins, it's totally unbelievable for me how someone could be that strong and fast

 

I know I'm a boring player... but hey, I play 1.e4 and a non-zero number of gambits!

And yeah, there's something terrifying about a guy who plays 1.d4 in bullet, and nothing happens every game, but they're always winning. I'm not that level of boring (at least I don't think so) happy.png

Jalex13
I see. I was recommending it not to teach you anything (you are likely beyond the level that a video can teach you) but to see that there are Chess YouTubers out there who create highly quality, instructive content.
llama36
Jalex13 wrote:
I see. I was recommending it not to teach you anything (you are likely beyond the level that a video can teach you) but to see that there are Chess YouTubers out there who create highly quality, instructive content.

Oh ok, thanks.

I really admire Akobian's Stl Chess videos. It feels like a real coach. He pauses the lecture and asks you to find the next move... and he really waits... just silence... and when someone answers too quickly he tells them "no no, I'm a GM, and I thought for 20 minutes here, it's really hard, you shouldn't guess" and he even ends lectures with endgame studies.

Steven-ODonoghue

The more I'm looking at @Chessnetwork's profile the more impressed I am. He is #76 on the global leaderboard for bullet, and after a brief look I couldn't find anyone else 40+ years old who is higher rated than Jerry. Closest I came was GM Vallejo Pons, a 39 year old super GM who is rated about the same as him in bullet. 

Jerry might be the strongest 40+ year old bullet player on the planet, stronger than every other GM, IM, and FM. To do that without a FIDE title just blows my mind.

Jalex13
I have Jerry added on chess.com, and yep, he’s right up there with the best of them. His blitz is about 2750 (still higher than Levy). He’s a bullet God. He dominates lichess tournaments and plays against super gms on lichess.