How to Read the Board Like a Master (And Find Winning P… — Transcript

Do you ever struggle reaching a middle game and not knowing what to do? Do you ever struggle with the question of what is my plan in this position? This is a perfect example to train the skill of reading the board properly and creating a strong plan accordingly. A fresh example from a student game, black to play.

a strong plan accordingly a fresh example from a student game black to play first of all folks please stop the video and give yourself some time to truly grasp this position take your time and look at those imbalances look at those

First of all, folks, please stop the video and give yourself some time to truly grasp this position. Take your time and look at those imbalances. Look at those differences between two positions. Try to identify the key factor in this position because once you identify the true gist of the position, then good ideas will come to your mind naturally. Please, this is a beautiful position. You will be rewarded in the end if you give your best to this orientation phase.

rewarded in the end if you give your best to this orientation phase what are those things that attract your attention from this position folks let's start from the very Basics well black has the bishop pair maybe some of you have noticed this

What are those things that attract your attention from this position, folks? Let's start from the very basics. Well, black has the bishop pair. Maybe some of you have noticed this factor. What else are you seeing? Black has a central pawn on e5. White has no central pawn in this position. I'm just listing the differences between two positions, okay? And we are slowly coming to maybe the key element. Have you seen the king's locations, folks? The kings have castled on opposite flanks. This is the most important information that you should receive from this position.

the king's locations folks the Kings have castled on opposite flanks this is the most important information that you should receive from this position King's Castle on opposite flanks which means this game will be revolving around Pawn storms attack

Kings castled on opposite flanks, which means this game will be revolving around pawn storms, attack, violence, opening up lines on different flanks, speed, timing, attack, and checkmate. Please look what I'm doing so far. I'm not looking at moves. I'm not looking at random moves. I'm just listing the general orientation from this position, right? At least most of the time in the middle game when kings castle on opposite flanks and if there are queens present on both sides, then attack becomes the most important play. And for both sides, attacking on opposite flanks, opening up lines.

in the middle game when Kings cast onos the flanks and if there are Queens present on both sides then attack becomes the most important play and for both sides attacking on opposite flanks opening up lines okay this is a chess

Okay, this is chess knowledge, chess pattern across years of experience. Obviously, strong players distill this in their brains so they know what to look for in this position given the orientation phase. Now, please, folks, my second prompt to you: now you have this information, please formulate a good plan for black here. What is your goal? Your goal is to open up lines on the kingside and attack the white king. This orientation phase leads us to the second important clue about this position.

have this information please formulate a good plan for BL black here what is your goal your goal is to open up lines on the king side and attack the white king this orientation phase leads us to the second

Have you noticed the pawns on h3 and a6, folks? These pawns are called hook pawns in chess, and they really speed up the attack for the opposing side. Why? Because if you ever push g5 and b4, there will be contact between those two pawns, which favors black, right? Because your goal is to open up lines on the kingside, so generally we don't want to push pawns in front of our king when there is attacking potential for the opponent, correct?

be contact between those two pawns which favors black right because your goal is to open up lines on the king side so generally we don't want to push Pawns in front of our King when there are attacking potential for the opponent

Also, look at the pawn on a6 because there's a pawn on a6. White has a chance to play b4, b5 very quickly and open up lines on the queenside. So given the orientation phase, king on opposite flanks, and given the presence of hook pawns on both sides, I'm gaining this crucial information of speeding up my attack and maybe pushing my g-pawn to make contact with the h-pawn as soon as possible. And the same for white. White wants to push b-pawn to contact with a-pawn, right? B-pawn will soon meet a-pawn on the queenside and g-pawn will meet h-pawn on the kingside very, very soon.

flanks and given the presence of hook pawns on both sides I'm gaining this crucial information of speeding up my attack and maybe pushing my G Pawn to make contact with the H Pawn as soon as possible and the same for white whites

So given this orientation phase, what are the candidate moves for black now? Please list those moves that speak to the position. You're a great player, folks, if you listed the move g5 in your candidate list. G5 is the most logical move for black because I want to attack you as soon as possible and open up lines. The question is, does g5 really work? Because it looks like you're dropping a pawn. No, they can take the pawn on g5, and only strong players can go beyond these surface features and they use some tactics and short calculations to make their great strategic ideas work.

list those moves that speak to the position you're a great player folks if you listed the move G5 in your candidate list G5 is the most logical move for black because I want to attack you as soon as possible and open up lines the

Now, please, folks, please calculate this line: g5, knight takes g5. What is your next move? What is your next move at that moment, folks? What is the most logical move, in fact, for black? Of course, you will go rook g8 and you will thank white for giving you the open g-file. Your rook became a happy piece on g8. It comes with tempo on the knight as well. And now the final point that you might have noticed at the orientation phase is that the queen on c6 is an excellent piece eying the pawn on g2 in conjunction with rook on g8.

their great strategic ideas work now please folks please calculate this line G5 Knight takes G5 what is your next move what is your next move at that moment folks what is the most logical move in fact for black of course you

Now you see the potential for black to go for a mating attack against the white king. I won't put on the board, folks. Please visualize. That's a great visualization exercise. G5, knight takes g5, rook g8. What can white play at that moment? The knight is hanging, right? If they go h4 to support the knight, can you tell me the good move? Of course, we will go h6 to chase away that knight, and then catastrophe is happening, right? We are coming there, folks. We are coming there very, very soon.

at the orientation phase that the queen on C6 is an excellent piece eying the pawn on G2 in conjunction with Rook on G8 now you see the potential for black to go for a mating attack against the white king I won't put on the board

Let's put this on the board. G5 is the best. It speaks to the position, right? Knight takes g5, rook g8. Of course, this was your idea. It's already visible that knight e6 is a blunder because they get mated on g2, right? That's the first point. That's what I mean by very short calculations in chess. It doesn't require deep calculation. You see it.

course we will go H6 to chase away that night and then catastrophe is happening right we are coming there folks we are coming there very very soon let's put this on the board G5 is the best speaks to the position right Knight takes G5

So after rook g8, knight e6 doesn't work. And let's say white goes f4 to cement the knight on g5. What should we play in this position? Of course, the most logical is to chase that knight away and activate our rook. Knight f3 is the only move. Can you see how this rook is now becoming a happy piece and how this bishop is now taking that pawn on h3? Your attack is started first on the kingside, and that's everything in those pawn storm positions.

calculation you see it so after Rook G8 Knight E6 doesn't work and let's say white goes F4 to cement the Knight on G5 what should we play in this position for of course the most logical is to chase

After rook g8, if they support the knight with h4, comes h6 anyway. Knight f3 is the only move, and then comes this bishop's potential, bishop h3. Folks, can you see how our attack is building on the kingside? This forces the move g3, but at the very least, you can take the rook. But in this position, if you see a good move, look for a better one. Bishop g4 pins the knight and highlights white's problems in this position, folks.

first on the king side and that's everything in those Pawn storm positions after Rook G8 if they support the Knight with H4 comes H6 anyway Knight F3 is the only move and then comes this Bishop's potential Bishop H3 folks can you see

Not only is this the first threat, but the second threat is e4 and collecting that knight. Let's say after the move king g2. Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it beautiful, folks? Your attack is building. They have to take the knight, and now you just have a piece for nothing. In this position, black is completely, completely winning.

Knight and highlights White's problems in this position folks not only this is the first threat but the second threat is E4 and collect that Knight let's say after the move King G2 isn't it beautiful isn't it beautiful folks your

So look what we just learned. We learned when to sacrifice a pawn in chess. We learned to read the board properly. Timing was everything in this position, and you should observe this pawn as a piece of wood getting in the way of your rook. It involves a mental shift. Many people never observe their own pawns as mere hindrances getting in the way of your other pieces to join the attack. But once you break that barrier, g5 is the most logical move by far, right? Otherwise, you will go g4, open up lines, rook g8 is coming. By far, the most natural move.

read the board properly timing was everything in this position and you should observe this Pawn is a piece of wood getting in the way of your Rook it involves a mental shift many people never observed their own pawns as mere

Now, can you guess what happened in the actual game? My student played a very instructive mistake of 86. He's only preparing the move g5, and he's wasting one full tempo in this position. He's acting materialistically. He doesn't observe this pawn needs to be sacrificed for this rook to join the game as soon as possible. In those moments, a single tempo is everything because right now white will use that tempo to either push d4 or b4, b5 and create an attack on the opposite flank.

can you guess what happened in the actual game my student played very instructive mistake of 86 he's only preparing the move G5 and he's wasting one full tempo in this position he's acting materialistically he doesn't observe this Pawn needs to be sacrificed

Both of these moves for white are good enough to equalize the game completely. For example, b4 is a very logical try. B5 is coming. Hook pawn is on a6, and after g5 comes b5. And if you take that pawn, this rook is becoming happy. You cannot take the pawn on b5, but then the queen needs to leave that beautiful spot. Can you see it, folks? A single tempo is changing everything.

opposite flank both of these moves for white is good enough to equalize the game completely for example B4 is a very logical try B5 is coming hook Pawn is on A6 and after G5 comes B5 and if you take

Queen b6 comes, d4 or a5 even. White is completely messing up your ideas on the queenside. They can play b6 to bury the queen, and you totally messed up this position.

up your ideas on the queen side they can play B6 to bury the queen and you totally messed up this position white is slightly better in this position after B5 maybe Queen C4 is the only move but then comes D3 the queen is running short

of squares engine says Queen B4 is fine for black but you need to calculate so many moves even this queen D2 sacrifice you cannot take the bishop The Queen Is Lost then comes Bishop A3 ideas you totally messed up this position you

should say goodbye to your attack on the king side look the lesson from this example is this a single Tempo is completely Shifting the entire momentum when kings Castle on opposite flanks and when there are hook pawns on both sides

in fact after the slow move H6 even a very natural move d4 is good enough because white is striking right in the center of the board that's usually a very good policy in chess when they're attacking you on the flanks central

counter punch is usually a good recipe this move directly hits the pawn on E5 and if you push E4 then white is a very strong move D5 creating this beautiful D4 Square for their Knight and that Knight is now

coming to the game tactics start to work in White's favor you can take on C3 with this attack on the queen but in fact after the Smoke Clears white ends up in okay position because of your knight problem on B2 well the Knight will be

captured after The Rook A2 you have some pawns for the exchange but still white there's no major problems in this position by the way folks this game is still extremely Sharp after G5 white should not grab the pawn we are not

playing checkers right grabbing the pawn only helps speed up black Black's attack so white should instead focus on their attack on the opposite flank that's also a big big lesson in those positions you have no time to waste grabbing random

pawns you should focus on your own Pawn storm on the other side of the board B before is the best but then because you already played G5 G4 comes with an attack on the Knight and your Bishop is

becoming a happy creature comes with some ideas as well Rook G8 is coming Black's attack is starting first on the king side still the game is very sharp after B5 you should not take the pawn because this Rook is becoming happy

Queen C4 is the best move but then white can neutralize your queen with this move of Queen E2 or they can First Take on A6 and then play Queen E2 in this position to force a queen trade because their

King was feeling unsafe and after Tak Stakes yes black is still having a better position but that's let's say more positional in nature because of the bishop pair and better central control folks look at the big picture I

won't dive into every single move in detail this video was done to teach you how to read the board properly and how to formulate a strong middle game plan I hope you got the right lessons from this example right please give me feedback on

YouTube what was your initial thought when you look at this position what were your observations in this orientation phase and did my conclusions surprise you in the end did you learn some important lessons from this video I know

it's a very very common issue for many players to formulate a good middle game plan they make some moves in the opening they reach a middle game then they are clueless they have no idea what to do in

the middle games right so this video was done to tackle that problem in chess obviously getting a good chess understanding building up those patterns will help you find those plans more naturally but I wanted to show you some

things that you can transfer to other positions right most middle game positions involve Kings on opposite flanks so this information you can use in other positions plus most middle games involve such hook pawns that you can use to open up lines on different

flanks so this is the basic conclusion from this video video also please when to sacrifice that's a final benefit of this video people don't know when exactly to sacrifice Pawns in chess and when such instructive mistakes like 86

take place in the actual games I get inspired to make my videos on YouTube because this is a great teachable moment I hope you agree guys I love those fitions and I will catch you on the next episode please ask me anything on YouTu

YouTube I will respond to each and every one of you if you like this video please like And subscribe bye-bye