Icannos/chess_studies huggingface dataset:
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: What Chess is About"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/v5JBpCbN"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/8/8/4N3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ If you really want to simplify chess, it is just about two things:

a) How do I solve my problems?
b) How do I increase the problems of my opponent?

There is nothing else.

What I see frequently with my students is that they want to offer solutions to problems they don't fully understand.

If you want to solve a math problem, it makes sense to sit down and focus on understanding what the problem is about, instead of randomly giving solutions.

That's why evaluation is so important.

An evaluation in chess is simply to determine what the problems of the position are. A good way to do that is to look at each individual piece and ask "Hey dude, what are your problems?", if you listen to the position carefully, it will give you the answer.

After you understand what the problems of the position are, you'll understand who is better and what needs to be done. Your plans will be clearer and the position will be easier to manage.

You can't solve the problems you don't know you have.

Chess isn't in most cases about what you want to do; chess is about what the position needs from you. If you manage to give to the position what it needs repeatedly, you win.

Candidate moves are simply, those moves that promise to solve your problems, and to increase the problems of your opponent, in a certain given position.

Candidate moves allow you to reduce the number of variants that you need to keep in mind, in order for you to narrow down your brute force, and make it easier.

The word decision comes from the Latin "decidere", which means "to cut", whenever we decide something we're cutting. As any good carpenter knows, it is better to measure twice and cut once.

Your candidate moves are your possible cuts. } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: The Problem of Guessing"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/6fLFFYIX"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/8/8/4N3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ One of the first things you read about chess, pretty much anywhere, is that there are more possible chess games than atoms in the universe.

This can give you the impression that chess is an arena for self-expression, a blank canvas that can be painted with any colors you'd like to throw at it. But in reality, a chess player is a slave to the position, there are, in most cases, pretty few moves that make sense, and the rest of them will be horrible mistakes, your job is to satisfy the needs of the position.

In his books, "Steps to an ecology of mind: Collected essays in anthropology, psychiatry, evolution and epistemology", Bateson has an interesting chapter called "Metalogues".

The word "Meta" means beyond, "Logues", refers to dialogues. Therefore, when you talk about metalogues, you are talking about dialogues "that go beyond", or dialogues that convey a deeper logic.

The first conversation of this chapter is between a daughter and her father, I am going to paraphrase it, I'd suggest you check out the book if you want the complete version of it.

The daughter asked her dad:

"Hey dad, why is it that I don't seem to put any effort into getting my room to be messy, it just gets messy by itself. But, when I clean my room, it seems to take a lot of conscious effort?"

Her father answered:

"You see, in your room there is a place that you consider to be ordered or tidy for your pen, and there is a place where the books are ordered, and the pillows, and your clothes... however, when you think about it, all the other places in the room are not considered to be ordered. If your pen is on the desktop, you think it is ordered, if it is anywhere else, you think it is messy.

As there are more places which you consider to be disordered than ordered ones, which ones are easier to hit? Imagine you randomly throw a pen in a room, how likely is it that it will fall in the tidy place?

Imagine you've got a jar, in the jar you've got different layers of sand, one of them is white sand, on top of that you've got a layer of yellow sand, and on top of that , a layer of blue sand, all the sands filling half of the jar.

If you consider the initial state of the jar, where all the layers are clearly defined, as the ordered state. After you shake the jar, how likely is it that the sand will come back to the original ordered state?"

Now imagine you randomly throw a pawn into the room of chess, how likely is it that your pawn is going to fall on an optimal square?

Quite unlikely.

You could argue that, in chess we don't play against our opponents, we're playing against entropy, which is constantly luring our pieces into messy positions.

That's why you can't guess. You've got to put some work to come up with the correct move. } *
[Event "Rated Blitz game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/rTGqMXJE"]
[Date "2021.03.31"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Gritton"]
[Black "Whisky_n_Chess"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[BlackElo "1554"]
[ECO "D00"]
[Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[TimeControl "300+3"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[WhiteElo "1524"]

1. d4 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 1... d5 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 2. Bf4 { The London system is becoming quite popular these days, it is solid, however, relying on this line as your only weapon will lead you to miss a lot of different interesting positions that could arise from other openings. [%clk 0:04:44] } 2... c6 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 3. e3 { [%clk 0:04:29] } 3... Bf5 { Whenever bishops leave their original squares c1 or c8 in Q pawn openings, it should trigger alarms on b2 or b7, respectively, which could potentially become targets as they are now unprotected. [%csl Rb2,Rb7][%cal Bc8f5,Bc1f4,Yc8b7,Yc1b2] [%clk 0:04:14] } 4. c4 { [%clk 0:04:28] } 4... e6 { [%clk 0:04:12] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 5... dxc4 $6 { Black often waits for white to move his white square bishop before taking on c4. In that way they win a tempo with their capture. Black loses central control without much to show for it in return. [%clk 0:04:10] } ( 5... Nf6 6. Be2 dxc4 7. Bxc4 { White has moved his bishop twice. Black gets a tempo. [%csl Gf1,Rc4][%cal Rf1e2,Re2c4] } ) 6. Bxc4 { [%clk 0:04:31] } 6... Bb4 $6 { Black violates the principle "Develop your knights before your bishops". Check the chapter "Why do we develop knights before the bishops?" for a more detailed explanation. [%csl Rf5,Rb4,Gg8,Gb8][%cal Bf8b4,Bc8f5] [%clk 0:04:10] } 7. Qb3 $1 { White puts pressure on both, the bishop and the pawn on b7. [%csl Rb3][%cal Rb3b4,Yb4b7] [%clk 0:04:32] } 7... Bxc3+ { Black loses his dark squared bishop, with many pawns in white squares, his dark color complex is not looking so well. White keeps a strong pair of bishops. [%csl Bc6,Bb7,Be6,Bf7][%cal Rb4c3,Rf4b8] [%clk 0:04:09] } 8. bxc3 { [%clk 0:04:31] } 8... b5 { [%clk 0:04:11] } 9. Be2 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 9... h6 $6 { Continue in the next chapter: "Game #1 Evaluating" } 1-0
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: Game #1 Evaluating"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/C54f0Jek"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rn1qk1nr/p4pp1/2p1p2p/1p3b2/3P1B2/1QP1P3/P3BPPP/R3K1NR b KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ As we mentioned before, an evaluation is to determine what the problems of the position are, so that we can give accurate answers to it. In order for us to evaluate, we'll need to look at each one of the pieces and ask what their problems are.

Let's evaluate this position and see how it goes.

*White pieces:

-King Safety: Even though the white king is on the center, there are no black pieces attacking towards its position, castling towards the kingside is an option in the near future.

-Pawn structures: White has a pawn on d4 which gives him central control, the e3 pawn could advance helping white gain even more space. White has an isolated pawn on a2, it would be nice to get rid of it. The pawns on h2, g2, f2, are in their initial squares which are good news in case we decide to short-castle.

-Material: Is equal, white keeps the pair of bishops.

-Piece coordination: The rooks on a1 and h1 are doing nothing, that's a problem, the knight on g1 is horrible, we need to develop that guy. The Bishop on f4, controls a decent diagonal, the bishop on e2 puts pressure on b5. The queen on b3 is well placed. White has the pair of bishops, so breaking the position open makes sense.

-Potential tactical ideas: There doesn't seem to be a sacrifice or violent combination for white at the moment.

*Black:

-King safety: Black's king is on the center, if the position gets open, it could face some problems, as white pieces are active.

-Pawn structures: Black has violated the principle "Don't move too many pawns in the opening". His pawn on b5 looks overexapanded, white is creating tension on it with the bishop and the queen.

-Piece coordination: By moving too many pawns, black has forgotten to develop his pieces. Black's only developed piece is the bishop on f5 and it is not hitting anything relevant through its diagonal. Both rooks and both knights do nothing at all, that's a big problem.

-Potential tactical ideas: There isn't anything clear at the moment.

A good order for your evaluation is:

1) King safety
2) Pawn structures
3) Material
4) Piece Coordination
5) Possible tactical Ideas

You should be evaluating constantly.

A good idea might be to evaluate on the time of your opponent, and to calculate on your own time. } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: Game #1 Evaluating (continuation)"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/QkTttjEq"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rn1qk1nr/p4pp1/2p1p2p/1p3b2/3P1B2/1QP1P3/P3BPPP/R3K1NR w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Now, let's highlight the problems of both players, and summarize them:

White's problems: Unactive pieces and isolated pawn on a2.

Black's problems: Unactive pieces, behind in development, behind in central control, overexpanded b5 pawn.

As we said earlier, candidate moves are ideas that promise to solve our problems and to increase the problems of the opponent.

Once we understand the problems, we can select candidate moves for white, those are:

1) a4: Gets rid of the isolated pawn on a2. Attacks the overexpanded pawn on b5. Helps white open up the a file, which gives activity to the passive rook on a1, opens up the position (we have the pair of bishops).

2)Nf3: Develops the knight, gets you closer to castle.

3)f3: Trying to push e4.
Once we have our candidate moves, it is a matter of calculating through them. We've narrowed down our brute force.

As last thought, white's advantages (more space, better development, better pawn structures), are dynamic, which means that white has to play actively on them, otherwise, black will finish development, break the center and solidify his position, probably equalizing.

Dynamic advantages tend to disappear when not acted upon. [%csl Ra1,Rg1,Rh1,Ra2,Ba8,Bb8,Bh8,Bg8,Bb5] } 1. a4 $1 { [%cal Ga2a4] } ( 1. Nf3 $5 { Is also possible. } ) 1... bxa4 ( 1... a6 2. axb5 cxb5 3. Bxb5+ { White is winning. [%csl Ra8][%cal Ra1a8] } ) 2. Rxa4 { White activates his rook, leaving black with isolated pawns and a passive position. } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: Game #1 How the game unfolded"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/aOPJuReq"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rn1qk1nr/p4pp1/2p1p2p/1p3b2/3P1B2/1QP1P3/P3BPPP/R3K1NR w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

1. Rd1 $6 { Rd1?! Is the move that was played on the game, it centralizes the rook, but white forgets the rook was more active on a1, helping push a4! } ( 1. f3 { with the idea of playing e4 gaining space, was also possible. [%csl Re4][%cal Re3e4,Rf3e4] } ) 1... Nf6 2. Nf3 O-O 3. Nh4 $6 { The knight gets passive on the corner. } ( 3. Ne5 { Centralizing the knight was better. } ) ( 3. Nd2 { trying to advance e4, winning the control of the center was also possible. [%cal Bd2e4,Bf2f3,Be3e4] } ) ( 3. O-O $14 { Was also possible. } ) 3... Bh7 4. g4 $2 { A premature attack. } 4... Nd5 5. Be5 $4 { loses the knight.
White didn't manage to coordinate his pieces in alignment to the needs of his position. [%cal Rd8h4] } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: A tip about pawns on b5 and g5"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/4STFT9VZ"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/8/8/1p4p1/8/8/P6P/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Whenever you see pawns of b5 or g5 for the black pieces it should trigger an alarm, a common way to take advantage of them is by pushing your rook pawns to a4 or h4, you might, in many positions create structural problems for your opponent with this idea.

Same thing applies for white pawns on b4 and g4. [%csl Ra4,Rh4][%cal Yh2h4,Ya2a4,Ya4b5,Yh4g5] } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: Why do we develop the knights before the bishops?"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/jMB4cEzd"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/8/8/8/8/8/8/2B3N1 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Whenever you learn a new principle, make sure you learn the logic behind it.

Just memorizing the principles without understanding the reasoning behind them will lead you to trouble. As important as applying the principles is to break them accurately, and you won't be able to do that unless you know why they work the way they do.

Why do we develop knights before bishops generally?

Bishops could potentially be developed to 7 squares from their original location, as you can see in the diagram. Knights could potentially be developed to 3.

The knight could be moved to h3, but that goes away from the center, so it is normally avoided, it could also find shelter on e2, but that isn't as active as f3. Therefore, f3 is in most cases the best route to get your knight out.

f3 is the natural developmental square for a knight, which is in most cases alright. Things are less certain for a bishop, you've got 7 options, and in many cases, it makes sense to keep it flexible and wait for your opponent to define his position, before you select the correct square for your bishop.

To summarize, knights have an easier decision when it comes to development than bishops. Waiting for your opponent to provide more information about his set up, allows you to put your bishop in more appropiate diagonal.

The natural developmental squares for your knights are f3 and c3. [%csl Rh3,Re2,Gf3][%cal Yc1a3,Yc1h6,Gg1f3,Rg1h3,Rg1e2,Gf3d4,Gf3e5,Gf3g5] } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: The difference between tactics and strategy"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/89KV4mj4"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/8/8/4N3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ In a street, a man points a gun at the face of a woman. He tried an assault and it went wrong, he is using her as a human shield, as a hostage to negotiate his escape with the police. He's surrounded.

I am not talking about a movie, this actually happened. And you can watch a video of it here, be advised it is a gross video:

https://youtu.be/5iGvFsAYHDo

As you can tell, the man was shot in the face. The thing that you can't see in the video is that before there was any violence, there had been a negotiation of about 5 hours.

That's the difference between strategy and tactics.

Tactics is the violent shot through the face of the guy, strategy is the 5 hours negotiation that gives you the right angle to shoot at the correct moment.

The problem of people who only learn tactics is that they enter the scene shooting recklessly at anything that moves, this could only get you so far, you can't forget the crucial preparation and patience that leads you to build the correct moment to use the explosive violence of tactics.

A person who lacks the strategic negotation tecniques is doomed to harm the hostage. That's why I don't like the advise "Just solve puzzles".

We need to develop both, the negotiation skills and the tactical aim. } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: The importance of lying in chess"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/li3bsg62/Y5OgQKKw"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/8/8/4N3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Chess might seem like a cold mathematical game from the outside but a big part of it is to learn how to tell stories, stories about the positions we're in.

Only through these stories, we can make sense of what's happening on the board.

The pieces are the characters of our movie.

When I ask my students a question in a class and they don't have an answer, I encourage them to lie.

It is better to lie and be wrong, than to have nothing to say in chess, I tell them.

Why?

You can't pass, you've got to come up with an answer, even if you don't have one.

Lying at least forces you to come up with something creative, and maybe, if your lie is good enough, you'll get a decent idea!

You can error correct afterwards.

Fake it til' you make it. } *
[Event "The Blueprint 1400s to 1700s: A Reddit Chess Project.: Being tricky when everything is lost"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/wpTWpjtY#0"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LiaKale"]
[Black "Poisss"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Paulcarrero"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "8/p4p2/Pp1k4/4p2p/2Kpr2r/8/8/R3R3 w - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.05.03"]
[UTCTime "03:57:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[WhiteElo "1450"]

{ I'd say, I'm lost in about 25% of the games that I win. Being down forces you to be tricky or die. Kudos to LiaKarle, the white player who managed to cast a spell in his position.

White is 5 pawns down, but it is never too late to mess up, even with an advantage of -9.9.

Be tricky unapologetically. } 1. Reb1 { Trying to get a passed pawn. [%cal Rb1b6,Ga6a7,Ga7a8] } 1... Rh3 2. Rxb6+ axb6 3. a7 Rc3+ 4. Kb4 Rc8 5. Kb5 Kc7 6. Rc1+ Kb7 7. Rxc8 Kxc8 $4 ( 7... Kxa7 $1 { Black has 5 pawns of advantage, an easy endgame. [%csl Rb6,Rd4,Re5,Rf7,Rh5] } ) 8. a8=Q+ Kd7 9. Qxe4 $18 { Winning a lost game, sometimes feels better than winning a won game. } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 1. Rapidly develop all pieces"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/3U89MpqH"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p2nbppp/1pp1pn2/3p2B1/2PP4/2NBPN2/PPQ2PPP/R4RK1 w Qq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:10:41"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ The main goal at opening is to develop pieces and reach castling as quick as possible.â”€
â™¦ Opening is complete when one or both players have their Rooks connected.â”€
â™¦ The player, who finishes the development first, gains the initiative. } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 2. Develop Knights before Bishops"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/ECN60Aom"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pp2pppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:14:29"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ While Bishops can control several squares from their original position, if there are no pawns obstructing their way, Knights dominate only their neighbour squares and take longer to reach the opponentâ€™s field, because they are less mobile pieces. } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 3. Don't move the same piece twice during opening"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/StIflUYN"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/1B2p3/1n2P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:16:03"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Try to place your pieces at the best possible position at the first move. â™¦
It is a waste of time to move the same piece more than once during opening and it may cost you the initiative in the game. [%csl Rb4][%cal Rc6b4] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 4. Don't make unnecessary pawns moves during opening"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/rptROf8a"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4P3/7P/PPPP1PP1/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:21:22"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ Pawn moves should be restricted during opening, because the time involved in these moves could be applied to develop another piece. â™¦
Generally, moving pawns is suitable when the player aims to open diagonals for the Queen or Bishops or occupy the center. [%csl Rh3][%cal Rh2h3] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 5. Don't check if not necessary"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/Zsp4CbrQ"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/5n2/3p4/3P4/5N2/PPP1QPPP/RNB1KB1R w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:24:17"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ A check that can easily be defended by the opponent is unnecessary.

â™¦ Most of the checks during opening can easily be defended by moves that favor development. [%cal Rd1e2] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 6. Don?t open a position if you are late in development"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/UNwrtMBP"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n5/1B2p3/3Pn3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b Qkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:29:58"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ An open position favors the color with more pieces in the game. â™¦
Therefore, only the player who has an advantage in development should produce an open position. â™¦ Here Black behind in development therefore black don't take d4 pawn with eÃ—d4? [%cal Re5d4,Gf1e1] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 7. Place the Queen behind the line of friendly pawns during opening"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/KsSKj7Qd"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pppnbppp/4pn2/3p2B1/2PP4/2N1PN2/PPQ2PPP/R3KB1R b KQq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:32:08"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ Since the Queen is a very powerful piece, it is also very vulnerable to the opponentâ€™s constant attacks.
â™¦ Therefore, itâ€™s convenient to place it behind a pawn, preferably on the second rank so that the first one is free for Rook development. [%csl Gc2][%cal Gd1c2] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 8. Avoid trading a developed piece for a not developed one"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/6ZYg9hgd"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/8/2pp4/3P1B2/8/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:34:51"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ Generally, itâ€™s a bad deal to trade a well-positioned piece for a bad-positioned one.
â™¦ When you trade one of your developed pieces for one of your opponentâ€™s not developed ones, you waste time.
â™¦ The same is true if you trade a piece that has moved a lot for one that your opponent moved only once. [%cal Rf4b8] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 9. Castle as quickly as possible"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/Js1dPVFQ"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pp2bppp/2nppn2/6B1/3NP3/2N5/PPPQ1PPP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:37:15"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ The Kingâ€™s safety Ã© is one of the most important things to care about during opening and middlegame.
â™¦ The King in the center will always be very vulnerable to the opponentâ€™s attacks, especially in open positions.
Castling means placing your King comfortably behind a pawn blockade and allowing development of one of your Rooks.
â™¦ Then, the Rook may rapidly occupy an open or half-open file. [%cal Ge1c1] } *
[Event "ðŸ’¡ Chess Tips [ Part 1 ]: 10. Kingside castling is safer than Queenside castling"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/Y6V2kvbF/oQH09jx0"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Toxenory"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "r1bqr1k1/1p1n1pbp/p2p1np1/2pP2B1/P3P3/2NB4/1P1QNPPP/R3K2R w KQq - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2016.08.10"]
[UTCTime "17:40:56"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ â™¦ Kingside castling places the King away from the center and safer behind a rank of protected pawns; furthermore itâ€™s a quicker move than â™¦ Queenside castling since only 2 pieces have to be moved before.
â™¦ On the other hand, castling on the opponentâ€™s opposite side may be very interesting to create more attacking opportunities. [%cal Ge1g1] } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: Introduction"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/3R49XxAD"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening"]
[UTCDate "2021.10.30"]
[UTCTime "17:54:32"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Welcome to my study on the English Opening! The English Opening is the fourth-most popular move in the lichess opening tablebase. (If you don't believe me, look it up; it's after only e4, d4, and Nf3.) The English Opening was named after English chess player Howard Staunton, who was a great player in the nineteenth century. Anyway, let's dive right into the action! [EDIT: For all that it took to get here with this study, at 2000 hearts, means so much to me. If you clicked on this study to learn a bit more, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.] Play c4! } 1. c4 { Yes! This is the English Opening. It is a flank opening, which means you control the center with your flank (side) pawns and pieces. The purpose of the English Opening is to control the central light squares e4 and d5. It is a great opening for positional players. So let's dive in and look at all the variations. [%csl Gd5][%cal Gc4d5] } ( 1. d4 { If you mouseslipped and picked up the d-pawn, I feel your pain. But make sure to pick up the c-pawn next time. } ) *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/nB01AMgN"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A36"]
[Opening "English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation"]
[UTCDate "2021.10.30"]
[UTCTime "18:11:43"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ To start our English journey, we must be familiar with the Symmetrical Variation, the most basic kind of English Opening. This is an attempt to avoid theory by copying White's moves. Start with the English Opening. } 1. c4 { Correct! } 1... c5 { This is the Symmetrical Variation. Black a) avoids theory, and b) stakes a claim to the d4 square.
Here you should play Nc3. } 2. Nc3 { Usually, Black will play Nc6. } 2... Nc6 { Now how do we prepare to fianchetto our light-squared bishop? [%csl Gf1] } 3. g3 { Excellent! } ( 3. g4 { Right pawn, but you moved it too far. } ) 3... Nf6 { Fianchetto your bishop! } 4. Bg2 { Perfect! Notice how all your active pieces are controlling d5 and e4. [%csl Gd5,Ge4] } 4... d6 { What pawn move do you make to increase your control over e4? [%csl Ge4] } 5. d3 { Great! } ( 5. f3 { Don't block your light-squared bishop! } ) 5... g6 { What's the best square for this knight? [%csl Gg1] } 6. Nf3 { Outstanding! } 6... Bg7 { Protect your king! } 7. O-O { That's how you play the Symmetrical Variation. Let's see the second variation. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Reversed Sicilian Variation"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/TVFm1qyX"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A22"]
[Opening "English Opening: Carls-Bremen System"]
[UTCDate "2021.10.31"]
[UTCTime "19:07:40"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ The second variation is the Reversed Sicilian Variation. It's an aggressive way to combat the English. Play your English move. } 1. c4 e5 { The Reversed Sicilian. Against this, play Nc3. } 2. Nc3 { Well done! } 2... Nf6 { No matter what Black's second move is here (except d5, blundering a pawn) play the fianchetto move we described in the last chapter. } 3. g3 { That's it! } 3... Nc6 { Fianchetto your bishop. } 4. Bg2 { Perfect! } 4... Bc5 { Similar to the last chapter. Control e4 with a pawn! [%csl Ge4] } 5. d3 { Excellent! } 5... O-O { Put the g1 knight on its best square. [%csl Gg1] } 6. Nf3 { Good! } ( 6. Nh3 { That is not its best square. Knights are better centralized. } ) 6... d6 { Castle. } 7. O-O Be6 { Find the best square for the bishop. [%csl Gc1] } 8. Bd2 { Excellent! This is how to fight the Reversed Sicilian. In the future, you need to think about moves like e4 to further your light-squared grip. } ( 8. Bg5 { Tempting, but after h6 you have to retreat it again. } ) *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Anglo-Indian Variation"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/e5GvR09k"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A15"]
[Opening "English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense"]
[UTCDate "2021.10.31"]
[UTCTime "19:20:21"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ In the Lichess database, the most common response to the English Opening is the Anglo-Indian variation. Often, Black is hoping to transpose into an Indian Game that they know how to play. Start with the English Opening. } 1. c4 Nf6 { The Anglo-Indian. Here, I recommend playing g3 right away. } 2. g3 { Good! } 2... Nc6 { Fianchetto your bishop. } 3. Bg2 g6 { Play Nc3. } 4. Nc3 { Great! } 4... Bg7 { Remember how to strengthen this square? [%csl Ge4] } 5. d3 { Perfect! } ( 5. Qc2 { Passable, but not great. Find another move. } ) 5... O-O { Develop your other knight. } 6. Nf3 { Correct! } 6... d6 { Black is adopting an Indian Game setup. Castle. } 7. O-O { Awesome! Notice how this setup rarely changes. That's one of the beautiful things about the English Opening. [%csl Gc3,Gc4,Gd3,Ge2,Gf3,Gg2] } 7... Bd7 { You remember where to place the c1 bishop, don't you? [%csl Gc1] } 8. Bd2 { White's position is better. On to the next variation! } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/aV1npw1z"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense"]
[UTCDate "2021.10.31"]
[UTCTime "19:36:30"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ The Anglo-Dutch Defense, like many, is an aggressive one. It attempts to take over the (temporarily) weak e4 square. Play c4. } 1. c4 f5 { Now put your knight on c3. } 2. Nc3 { Excellent! [%csl Gd4][%cal Gd2d4] } 2... Nf6 { How do you fianchetto the bishop? } 3. g3 { Perfect! } 3... Nc6 { Fianchetto. } ( 3... f4 { [%cal Gd2d4] } ) 4. Bg2 { [%csl Gf4][%cal Gf5f4] } 4... b6 { How to take control over this square? [%csl Ge4] } 5. d3 { Great! } 5... Bb7 { Black will often try to contest the long diagonal. What's the best square for this knight? [%csl Gg1] } 6. Nf3 { Good. Notice the piece placement again. If Black does something crazy, it's usually good to stick to this system: c4, Nc3, g3, Bg2, d3, Nf3. (Try to stay in that order, too, unless you want to be "that person" who starts off games with d3.) [%csl Gc4,Gd3,Ge2,Gg2,Gf3,Gc3] } 6... e6 { Black is almost mirroring your setup. Castle. } 7. O-O { Great work! } 7... Be7 { The best square for the bishop? [%csl Gc1] } 8. Bd2 { Fantastic work! Stockfish says +0.9. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Agincourt Defense"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/h1Ei8z56"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A13"]
[Opening "English Opening: Agincourt Defense"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.17"]
[UTCTime "22:29:19"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Our next variation is the Agincourt Defense. Like many openings where black plays e6, it is used as a transpositional line. Play the English! } 1. c4 e6 { The Agincourt Defense. This is actually my least favorite line to play against versus the English, but that's an opinion. Stockfish says that it's just best to play d4 and transpose into a QGD, but there are a host of good studies on the Queen's Gambit Declined and I highly recommend looking at them. A good move here is to play Nf3. } 2. Nf3 d5 { Capture the pawn. } 3. cxd5 { Excellent! } 3... exd5 { How to fianchetto the bishop? [%csl Gf1] } 4. g3 { Perfect! } ( 4. g4 { Too far. Now after Bxg4, Black is better. } ) 4... Nf6 { Fianchetto the bishop. } 5. Bg2 { Well done! } 5... Bd6 { Where's the best square for the knight? [%csl Gb1] } 6. Nc3 { Great! } 6... O-O { Castle. } 7. O-O { Excellent! } 7... b6 { If their bishop is developed along the c8-h3 diagonal, White plays Qb3, developing with tempo. Freeze this pawn- but with which piece? [%csl Rd5,Gf3,Gd2] } 8. d4 { Great! } ( 8. Nd4 { Right idea, but not the right piece... } ) 8... Bb7 { Now, where to put the bishop? [%csl Gc1] } 9. Bd2 { Great! Let's look at the next variation. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Great Snake Variation"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/XNTFLn14"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening: Great Snake Variation"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.17"]
[UTCTime "22:43:48"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ We are now looking at the Great Snake variation. While this sounds like the kind of thing you're more likely to find in a reptile house than a chessboard, this is an OK, if not fantastic, variation of the English that takes some ideas from the Hypermodern school of chess. Play the English Opening. } 1. c4 g6 { The Great Snake. Develop this knight. [%csl Gg1] } 2. Nf3 { Perfect! } 2... Bg7 { I may have mentioned earlier that the English can be used as a transpositional tool. Here you can play d4 and take the center. But since I need more original content, play Nc3 for a good ol' fashioned English setup. } 3. Nc3 { Good! } 3... Nc6 { Prepare to fianchetto the bishop. [%csl Gf1] } 4. g3 { Great! } 4... Nf6 { Fianchetto time! } 5. Bg2 { Nice! } 5... O-O { Castle. } 6. O-O { Outstanding! } 6... d6 { Control e4 with a pawn. There's only one move to do that... [%csl Gd2,Ge4] } 7. d3 { Well done! } 7... Bd7 { Where do we put the bishop? [%csl Gc1] } 8. Bd2 { Perfect! Notice the "double hypermodern" setup that's happening on the board. Neither White nor Black has put any pawns in the center! However, White is slightly better. Let's get to the next variation. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/70wjoyiC"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "D13"]
[Opening "Slav Defense: Exchange Variation"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.17"]
[UTCTime "22:55:04"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ This next Black "defensive system" is another transpositional device, as many sixth-rank pawn defenses are. Play c4. } 1. c4 { This pops up after c6. } 1... c6 { Notice how this is (almost) a Caro-Kann Defense, which arises after 1. e4 c6. However, we pushed the c-pawn, not the e-pawn. Play Nf3. [%cal Rc7c6,Re2e4] } 2. Nf3 { d5 is the obvious move. } 2... d5 { Take the pawn. } 3. cxd5 { Good! } 3... cxd5 { Blockade the pawn with another pawn. [%csl Gd5] } 4. d4 { Great! } 4... Nf6 { Prepare to fianchetto. [%csl Gf1] } 5. g3 { Excellent! } 5... Nc6 { Fianchetto! [%csl Gf1] } 6. Bg2 { Nice! } 6... Bf5 { Castle. } 7. O-O e6 { Where do you put this knight? [%csl Gb1] } 8. Nc3 { Super! } ( 8. Na3 { This does nothing for the center. What knight move attacks the center? } ) ( 8. Nbd2 { A less-than optimal square for the knight. What's the very best square? } ) 8... Be7 { Where should you put the bishop? [%csl Gc1] } 9. Bd2 { Great! This is how to play this. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: English Defence"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/cj8PNoaR"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.20"]
[UTCTime "02:33:41"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ This next chapter is on the English Defence. The English Defense is similar to the Great Snake defense, except perhaps slightly better. But the basic premises are the same: fight for the center hypermodern-style. Play your (now well-learned) English Opening. } 1. c4 b6 { This is the English Defense. Along with having a very English name, it is one of the most sound hypermodern openings there is. What's the best square for the knight? [%csl Gb1] } 2. Nc3 { Excellent! } 2... Bb7 { What's the best square for the knight? [%csl Gg1] } 3. Nf3 { Great! } 3... Nf6 { Here, the best move is not your customary d3, but e3. [%cal Rd2d3,Ge2e3] } 4. e3 e6 { Control the center! } 5. d4 { Perfect! } 5... Be7 { What's the best square for the bishop? [%csl Gf1] } 6. Bd3 { Well done! } 6... O-O { The bishop's not very happy behind its own pawn... can you find a move that prepares to fianchetto it? [%csl Gc1,Re3] } 7. b3 { Excellent! } 7... d5 { Fianchetto. [%csl Gc1] } 8. Bb2 { Great! } 8... Nbd7 { Castle. } 9. O-O { Great job! This is how you play against the English Defense. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/NIBalxi8"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Malvinas Variation"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.23"]
[UTCTime "23:16:14"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ The next variation is the Anglo-Scandinavian Defense. This is not a very good opening, and you can wind up in a better position. Play c4! } 1. c4 d5 { The Anglo-Scandinavian. A poor choice, and highly inaccurate. This is much worse than the already susceptible Scandinavian Defense. Take the pawn. } 2. cxd5 { Great! } 2... Qxd5 { Which square can this knight go on to attack the queen? [%csl Gb1] } 3. Nc3 { Nice! } 3... Qa5 { Bring out your other knight to a good square. [%csl Gg1] } 4. Nf3 { Excellent! } ( 4. Nh3 { A knight on the rim is dim. What's a better square for the knight? } ) 4... Nf6 { Strike in the center with your d-pawn! [%csl Gd2] } 5. d4 { Perfect! } 5... c6 { How can we develop this bishop AND x-ray the queen? [%csl Gc1] } 6. Bd2 { Well done! } 6... Bg4 { Attack the bishop with the horse! (or you can call it a knight, but horse is more fun) [%csl Gg4] } 7. Ne5 { Perfect! } 7... Bh5 { This will be one of the toughest moves to find in the study, so pay attention: We want to strike in the center with e4, but doing so now would pretty much make the bar hydraulic-press from +1.7 to -7. (It's up to the reader to figure out why.) So how do we cut out the scope of the light-squared bishop from pinning the e-pawn? [%csl Gh5] } 8. f3 { Fantastic! } ( 8. e4 { Notice that the bar turned from +1.7 to -7. Take a guess why, then check it with Stockfish. } ) 8... Nbd7 { Attack a pawn with your queen. [%csl Gd1] } 9. Qb3 { Perfect! That's how to play the Anglo-Scandinavian Defense. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Myers Defence"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/D2JkUAJG"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening: Myers Gambit"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.23"]
[UTCTime "23:38:36"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ The Myers Defense is a (somewhat bizarre) way to counter the English Opening. It can almost be considered a novelty. Play your English Opening. } 1. c4 g5 { The Myers Defense. Just play d4 and attack the pawn. } 2. d4 { Nice! } 2... Bg7 { Stockfish already says +1.5. But not if you take the pawn. Play Nc3. [%cal Gb1c3,Rc1g5] } 3. Nc3 ( 3. Bxg5 { White is still winning, but after c5, Black still has some chances. } ) 3... c5 { c5 is an important strike in the Myers Defense. You should probably know that in many of these strikes, it is an attempt to open up the dark-squared bishop, so most of the time, you shouldn't take.
But not this time! Take the pawn! } 4. dxc5 { Great! } 4... Na6 { An attempt to win back the pawn. Don't try to hold on to the pawn; it won't work forever. Instead, develop this knight to the best square. [%csl Gg1] } 5. Nf3 { Nice! } 5... Bxc3+ { The best move, but a very pathetic-looking one indeed. Play the only rational move. } 6. bxc3 { Good! This looks stupid, but it's actually really good for White. [%csl Gc5,Gc4,Gc3] } ( 6. Bd2 { It's just went to -7 because you don't know that pawns capture diagonally! } ) ( 6. Nd2 { -7.5! Pawns capture diagonally! } ) ( 6. Qd2 { If you played this move, you are either Magnus Carlsen and the other player will lose anyway, or you are trolling, or you learned that queens are the most powerful piece and you decided to "bring your queen out". Can you think of a better move? } ) 6... Qa5 { Nxc5 was impossible due to Qd4!, forking the knight and the rook. Now you can take that pawn on g5. But which capture is better? [%cal Gf3g5,Gc1g5] } 7. Bxg5 { Yes! That's the correct capture. } ( 7. Nxg5 { Not terrible, but inaccurate. Which is the better capture? } ) 7... Nxc5 { Now Qd4 isn't a move because of f6!, attacking the bishop. How do you get ready to fianchetto the bishop? [%csl Gf1] } 8. g3 { Well done! } ( 8. Qd4 { Fails to f6! } ) 8... Qxc3+ { "What are you doing?? You just gave away a pawn!" Except everything is under control. The computer gives some crazy line where you sacrifice the last c-pawn, but it's much easier, as mere mortals, to play Nd2. [%cal Gf3d2,Rg5d2] } 9. Nd2 { Perfect! Later, you'll fianchetto the bishop and use your open lines on the queenside. [%csl Gf1] } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: English Opening: Jaenisch Gambit"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/tOFCxr7m"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Opening "English Opening: Jaenisch Gambit"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.24"]
[UTCTime "00:00:54"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ This opening variation is the Jaenisch Gambit. It is a sacrifice in order to exert some queenside and kingside pressure. Play the English! } 1. c4 b5 { This is the Jaenisch Gambit. Take the pawn. } 2. cxb5 e5 { This is a common strike in the center. Strike in the center yourself! } 3. e4 { Perfect! } 3... Bb7 { A common theme in the Jaenisch Gambit is to fianchetto the bishop. Which knight move defends the pawn? [%csl Gb1] } 4. Nc3 { Good! } 4... Nf6 { Still going after the pawn! Counter-attack their pawn with your knight! [%csl Ge5,Gg1] } 5. Nf3 { Great! } 5... Nxe4 { Take the knight. } 6. Nxe4 Bxe4 { Take their pawn. } 7. Nxe5 { Well done! } 7... Qe7 { This looks scary, but coolly and calmly play d4. } 8. d4 d6 { "But aren't they attacking the knight and when the knight moves they'll play Bf3+ and win all my stuff and ahhhhhhh!" Your only move, then, is to counterattack their bishop with your queen! [%csl Gd1] } 9. Qe2 { Great! } 9... Bb7 { Now move the knight out of the way back to its former home on f3. [%cal Ge5f3] } 10. Nf3 { Excellent! } 10... Qxe2+ { And take (with the bishop, of course). } 11. Bxe2 { And you're winning by quite a bit. The first part of the study is complete. Now we'll look at the tranpositional value of the English. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: Transpositional Values"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/2pWlITEc"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "?"]
[Opening "?"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.24"]
[UTCTime "17:53:56"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ If you've decided that all of my opening ideas are crazy and you want your own thing, you're in luck: the English Opening has transpositional value. That means that it can turn into other openings. I'll show you the different ways that you can make a new opening. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: What if I want a Queen's Gambit Declined?"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/4QxCx5Rt"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "D30"]
[Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.24"]
[UTCTime "17:56:38"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Start with the English. } 1. c4 e6 { This is the Agincourt Defense. If you want to know how to tackle this, a previous chapter describes how. But say that you feel like playing a Queen's Gambit Declined. Then strike in the center with d4! } 2. d4 { Nice! } 2... d5 { And this is a transposition into the Queen's Gambit Declined. I might make a study on this later, but for now, you'll have to find one yourself. } *
[Event "English Opening!󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: What if I want a Queen's Gambit instead of an Anglo-Scandinavian?"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/qkiEGvJu/RAYR32qp"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessBeginner210"]
[ECO "D06"]
[Opening "Queen's Gambit"]
[UTCDate "2021.11.24"]
[UTCTime "22:32:43"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ This chapter is for people who hate playing against those people who bring their queen out super early. Play your English. } 1. c4 d5 { This is the Anglo-Scandinavian. If you don't want nothin' to do with it, play d4. } 2. d4 { Perfect! This is now a Queen's Gambit. 99% of Anglo-Scandinavian players expect you to take the pawn, but now, they're out of their territory. } *