00:00 Grünfeld is Busted?!?
02:55 intro
03:03 First Move
03:10 Game
24:11 Analysis
39:23 Example Game
41:52 Back to the Game
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Background created using Stable Diffusion V2!
Edited by @ClydeBarber (check out some of my original music on YT)
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Why not play Nf6 before g6? Doesn't this move order avoid the Maroczy? What is the reasoning?
I think the Levy and Hikaru video is slightly out of context. They usually say X opening is bad for a certain level because the theory might be too deep and while one player knows the opening theyll be out of theory by move 7 because the opponent doesnt know theory. Thereby, whats the point. Again, thats been my understanding of their viewpoint on openings. And yes, some they list as bad are just bad.
Something I really enjoy about these videos is the sense of positivity about the position. Chess can be pretty stressful if you feel like you're one thoughtless move away from throwing it all away. When I watch these videos, I always appreciate when you restate that "We have a good position" or similar sentiments. It puts me at ease compared to other GMs who keep saying that they "blundered" or "misplayed this" or "shouldn't have allowed that".
Nice one Danya, especially enjoyed the analysis section
Thanks for the intro bit, Danya! I'm far from as experienced as you masters that make such wonderful YouTube content, but my experience is that it really doesn't matter all that much which specific openings you pick as long as it either is reputable at a high level or (like the Stafford) has so many tricks and intricacies that learning the opening gives you a huge advantage over people who only know one or two lines. Just pick a solid repertoire and learn it, ignore what other people say about your opening unless you can incorporate some lines they know. Knowing the theory at all puts you above most of the people you'll face at your level, and most openings are pretty decent at a low- to mid-level.
Didn't white have bishop to e3 at 12:50
Yes, I agree: playing the mainline Sicilian is the best way to learn the arts of attack and defense. Of course, for casual and amateur players there is so much theory that the strong temptation is to learn a cute sideline. For me, that diversion was the Wing Gambit (1. e4, c5; 2. b4). And, as my buddies improved and climbed the ladder, I stayed stuck in one place (until I learned to play the Najdorf). I still derive pleasure playing chess, but I would have been a much better player if hadn't been so afraid of the Sicilian Defense.
@Danya, how do you save your dark squared bishop if white plays an early Bh6, after creating a battery with Qd2? That hits me in Sicicilan and KID setups where you have the same king side structure…
Hi Danya, Hikaru said the grunfeld is not suitable for the intermediate level is that the concepts are not obvious and giving up the center is generally not easy to handle
Accelerated Dragon is cool, and I've played it online in about 100 games after your recommendation. But I didn't liked some of the sidelines which white can guide you into. Not that they're bad for me, they're just esthetically unpleasant. Can you show us some other sicilians such as Kalashnikov or Sveshnikov?
I thought the top response in that Reddit thread was a great rundown of why the Grunfeld was a poor option for a 1500. Obviously Danya knows more then I do, but it was a great counterpoint.
24:00 That's a beautiful one, both queens attacked, but can't take both at the same time 🙂
I was just trying this but they played c3
EXCELLENT!! as always, many thanks.
Lobster-Pincer == Lolli?
Me as intermediary player: I so agree with you Dany!!!
And by studying I mean mainly know what will be the plans. Build a repertoire according to your streangth. I played the Grunfeld and it is at our level that the opponent make mistakes!
0:40 what are you missing? How about the fact that one, you're not a GM and two, at the end of the day it's just one player's opinion. The heck is wrong with these clowns asking silly questions like that! Just like how people said Dr. Mike was a liar about chest compressions because another doctor pointed out that CPR hardly yields a positive outcome in real life (versus the movies), as if that was the issue. Jeez!
Sooner or later, as a 1700 player, I'd like to be coached by Danya for a little while..not only I'm sure I'd improve very much but I also feel I'm in debt for so many free videos and it would be just right to repay him back
Lol. I also saw the reddit post. Seeing how you read the post, I think you are reading the comments here as well. 😉
Anyway, don't worry about it. I didn't really give the post a lot of thought, since I trust you. It is probably the same for a lot of your viewers. The Naroditsky club will make the grunfeld a fearsome opening as black, even at the intermediate level.
I play an accelerated blunder
Hikaru is the man, He is a far superior chess player than you!
Lovely bit of commentary 8 minutes in where Danya spends a minute or doing his best Hikaru impression: "If this then this, this, this, this… actually let's just castle". Great video as ever though, Danya, you have a special talent for teaching chess.
GM Daniel I love your coaching style! So refreshing to get a sound, logical, honest & proven advice to improve at chess from you, that means studying & analysis & playing & not chasing quick & weaker ways to improve by not studying chess. Many thanks for your fine coaching & playing & best wishes 😉
Your bit on opening theory is very refreshing to me since openings are the main reason i enjoy learning about chess. Far more than middle game plans, tactics, or endings. I was constantly trying to learn and was always told by other streamers that 'you shouldnt be learning theory until you're like 2000' which is so stupid and elitist. thats why I'll watch all of your videos 2-3 times before I watch a different streamer who thinks that way
Hi Daniel! I Thank-you for your videos! I have learnt so much from them! Recently I played on my second ever otb tournament, and it was the first time I decided to try my best. In my games, as I was making my recap videos and analyzing with my opponents, I came to conclusion that I had a solid opening thanks to the videos you have uploaded, but in most cases, I'll make a huge 1 move blunder that gives away a huge advantage and I will lose. After this speed run series, will you make more of your middle game videos and/or adjusting to otb after playing only online chess. Thank you!!
I would like to hear some more high level descriptions of dragon / accel dragon / hyper accel dragon, how they’re different, what the pros and cons are, why you chose the accelerated over the other two as your recommendation
the world's chess teacher
i was like 800-900 for a long time and just memorizing a couple of the moves of the main line rocketed me to 1200 almost instantly. i feel like at 800 i was stuck in this purgatory where i was just doing random stuff in the opening and i would just randomly lose before i even got to really start playing the game. now i can make it to a midgame where i'm not already down bad and get to actually play the game, it's way more fun
33:00 i ran ng5 through lichess analysis and it seems to be the “best” move but I can’t for the life of me understand the complications
Internets number one chess intructor! Thank you Danya for all your hard work. You’ve made learning chess so enjoyable for me and in the year since joining this channel went from 1200-1800 just from watching your videos and understanding your thought process
No opening theory can beat pure calculation. Stop wasting time learning openings, instead, learn how to move the pieces in your head.
I've been playing the standard dragon for several years and this really makes me consider switching
I love the sound effect on 34:40.
I will be using it every time I pin a queen.
Learning opening is definitely the main way for advanced beginners and intermidiate players to improve robustly. I remember an opponent of mine played Italy, and of course, went wrong since we are 1000s. The wrong position looks just like a worse version of Marshall gambit in Spanish for white. I know nothing but that line up to 15 moves, and finished the game like a 2000.
31:38 I thought he was gonna say "… so let me check the engine" 🤣
I enjoy the opening segment but still wish to know why grunfeld over the kid
Kasparov said it does not make sense to study opening theory asl long as you miss simple tactics. And he is right.
To some extend, the concept of the Dragon lacks stringency. You invest time getting an extra pawn in the center..and then you do not use it? Thanks for letting my pieces dance on the d5 square. Thanks for the dragon bishop never seeing the queenside once its no more about b2 and c3..
personally i absolutely love studying theory and openings, almost more than playing chess. ive spent well over 100 hours studying in the najdorf alone at 1500, and even though i dont see it all the time i love the studying and learned so much from it that can be applied generally
Danya at 7:51: "give me 30 seconds in silence". Danya at 7:53: *LOUD TALKING*. His own worst enemy.
This was fantastic!! Thank you!
Hi Daniel, great video again. You often want to get double bishop as an advantage which I get as a rule, but in reality it's often hard to utilize this little advantage. Have you thought about making a video just about that? I feel like it would be really nice. Have a good one!
Hikaru and Levi probably don't know
that THE DRAGON IS AN ANIMAL. 🙂
About your Grunfeld notes at the beginning… As a 1400 1. d4 player, I don't understand why white plays 3.Nc3 when 3. Nf3 works much better. Almost all of my games in this line go 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 and black gets their knight kicked around and I get a big center after 6. Nc3. There's no trades on c3 and I find that white gets a lot of easy play. What is 3. Nc3 supposed to do as white?
22:10 you don't need to calculate a force mate because if the queen doesn't recapture a3 is checkmate lol
I love mainlining while playing chess. Holla if you do to.
Not half a mil, you deserve 10x that amount at least Danya with the amount of instructive content you have put out, all for free! Thank you so much for being the chess teacher we all need but don't deserve!
Keep it up Danya!!!
Honestly, if people improve from watching Danya's videos it probably has less to do with the information itself and more to do with how easy he makes it to love the game.
I haven't seen a lot of people more passionate about something than Danya is at chess.
This thing about openings can also be said about the Ruy.
However, we never see Danya play the Ruy. Ultimately, Danya just chooses the lines he wants to recommend. I don’t think anyone can in good conscience say that the Grunfeld is “easier” than the Ruy. However, we’re still going with the Vienna/4KnightsScotch every time as white during speedruns. This is just a personal choice at the end of the day.
I really do wish we can see more variety in openings and stop caring about “complexity”, or at least, using the term “theory-heavy”, “complex” as reasons to play or not play an opening.