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From: thechesswebsite
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  • You should really play against Chessnetwork, if you haven't already

  • Can you make a video on my favorite, yet rather unconventional opening, The Torre Attack?

  • Thanks Kevin, your videos are great. Keep making them!

  • i quit watching your videos for a while, not on purpose...but just found some other channels etc.

    But now, after watching this, i'm like "ooooh that was why i watched kevin from thechesswebsite".. because your videos and explanations are very very open-minded, clear, very pleasing to watch and therefore its easier to gather information! Keep up the good work this is one of a kind job!

    PS: I really would like you to do play on any chess website, against random opponents. Would be nice to watch!

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  • started excitedly watching this but then i realized it was 34 minutes..guess the ponziani opening isnt for me lol

  • @bensbagels i was excited that it was 34 minutes

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  • Kevin thats an illegal move, I never heard of en passant so it cant be true!

  • @catataubra3447 Passant is not illegal, google it.

  • @xIvalicex Are you familiar with irony my friend?

  • @catataubra3447 If you were joking im sorry x)!... my apologies

  • I like this video but it could have been made better if rather than going into detail for every single possible outcome, you explain the overall gist of the Ponziani.

  • I'm probably missing something here, I'm not a high level chess player by any means but at around the 8:30 mark after Qh5 why can black not play g6? He would still lose the pawn and the knight in the center but atleast he would keep his king in better safety and could still castle. Can somebody explain this?

  • @chasteen0221 then withe could Qxe5+, forking the rook

  • @chasteen0221 Because blocking with the pawn makes him lose the rook like this:

    1. ...g6 2. Qxe5+... Be7 3. Qxh8+.... that´s why blocking with the pawn is a bad move

  • awesome video! when is there going to be one on the king's indian attack???

  • awesome video it realy helped my game thx kevin

    

  • @thechesswebsite in the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.d5 Ne7 6.Nxe5 d6 7.Bb5 c6 8.dxc6 bxc6 9.Nxc6 Qb6, I have played this position multiple times, and I have found that 10. Qe2 is better, protecting the bishop and the possible threat of mate on f2, while attacking the knight on e4, on top of discovered checks from the bishop on b5. could you analyze this move 10. Qe2 because in my opinion, this may be the better move. thank you!

  • Great video, very interesting opening indeed ! but... what happened with the line at 19:22 Nd5? Also as SirFlitwick said, the bishop to c5 is really common, any recommendations?

  • Great video. Great opening. Thanks so much for posting these.

  • 1. e4

    2. e5

    3. Nf3

    4. Nc6

    what do i do when black plays bishop to c5? I see this all the time. Quite frustrating.

  • @SirFlitwick Try d4.If he takes back with the pawn just take back with your c-pawn and you're dominating the center with tempo. If he moves the bishop to d6 then the pawn's blocking it in and you have a nice pawn chain. If he moves the bishop anywhere else then just take the free pawn on e5.

    No grandmasters play c5! :-)

  • Kevin, I have a question. in the 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.d5 Ne7 6.Nxe5 d6 line, can't the queen go to a4 forking the knight on e4 and the king? This looks like a better move than the bishop. I was just wondering if you missed that or if it didn't work.

  • also your talking style is : i came to csrossroads i can go left or white, on 33:13 give us the analyses further, i can't see what is a good move in such a opening game if i look and think one or two movec later, i have to think more, 5 , 6 even 10 moves. tgis is not a good video, from my opinion, because you analysed options without further analyses of moves following that opening position and moves later, but anyway thanks!!

  • this is not a serious video, you show me what i can play, without a further analyses with 6 or 7 moves which are te right!also... when white pawn comes to c6, he can eat g7 or even better chees c7!! and lok up the position for black, horrible!!! i dont want to equalizze when i have iniciative, that is not a good way to play. also what we need actually from experts( btw thanks for helping!!) is a moves and analyzes a game after follow by a lot more then 3 moves you have shown us.

  • You are going to make me a chess champion. I even got some inspirational victory lines ready.

    1. You can change the world, but if you don't change the way you think it will mean nothing to you

    2. I am SPARTACUS!!

  • @disney6858 No , I'm Spartacus.

  • Thanks alot m8, this is the most imba opening i ever seen, have used it alot and every time my openent end up loosing his qween :D keep it up man

  • hi man, nice vid! i've a question: what about Qa4 and Nxc6 after a6? 24:21

    thanx a lot!

  • "I want to make sure we cover both of those options" 19:21

    He forgot the Nd5 variation -_-

  • Can you do a Vienna game video?

  • can you make a c3 italian video? e4 e5 nf3 nc6 Bc4 Bc5 c3

  • awesome vid kevin, i'm definitely trying it out

  • Make a video on the Scotch only make it more detailed and interesting than the first video you did.

  • 8:35 can u not see the pawn

  • @smoky281 Can you not see the annotation

  • Why would anybody play the ponzianiopenings? Jk, thanks for another great explination

  • kevin, 20:40 is an illegal move! ive never heard of en crossiant?

  • @thoraxurungus it's "en passant" look it up..

  • At 30:52 after 6. Ng5, why is ...Qxf5 not a good move?/why is 6. ...d5 a better option?

  • 19:15 "Black has two options" with the knight, but he has 3.... what if 5...Nf3-g4? You also never talk about if he goes Nf3-d5.

    So you mention 2 options when there are actually 3, and only talk about one of them... figures that those are the two variations I see most when I play with this.

    I suppose there's a good reason for that, there seems to be no great way to take advantage of him and we end up in an even game.

  • "the computer favours white" what a racist computer

  • 30:50... not Ng5, but Bg5 is worth thinking about.

  • 24:20? Taking with the bisshop? Just take with the knight, it seems even more fun to me ;)

  • when 4Nxe4, 5d5... Why not Bc5 with counter attacking possibilities?

  • kevin i have a request, i have heard in one of your videos that there is a game/opening where you move the king up the board with pieces surrounding it.

    It would be a very interesting and entertaining game to watch. would you please post a video or an example up or a game where the opening/game was used? thank you!

  • What if black doesn't take the knight?

  • First class analysis, but I am not convinced that 3.c3 is a good move for white, it loses a tempo, it's too passive. Still I'm gonna try this line out for a little and then make my final judgement.

  • @Valendian2009 its basically the key to this line. otherwise the line falls apart. It was specifically developed for this opening

  • @Valendian2009 Sure, you could play Ruy Lopez or Italian Game, but the thing is, the Ponziani opening is not played a lot and he can get into a lot of traps.

  • at 19:10 what if queen plays E7 would that be black best move?

  • @death8dealer that could be countered by simply cxd4. This protects the pawn and later Qe2 could be played

  • What if 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Qe7? What should white proceed with

  • At 18:00 can't black simply capture the white knight with Nxe5 (winning another piece)..? He doesn't have to take with the queen.. Or does he? I would appreciate some explanation :)

  • @Fabri92Rssista the white queen would just eat both of the blacks knights

  • Great video, thanks very much Kevin!! I can now feel confident in playing the Ponziani as a main opening with white.

  • Instead of moving the Knight back from c6, what about Bc5? It prepares a very powerful offensive that can lead to the isolation of white's king if he's not careful.

  • I'm trying to memorize all of these variations simply in the ponziani. I've watched this video 3 times and spent a bit of time going through GM games. What else could I do? - People don't seem to like playing it in online chess.

  • Is there any possible variation of the Ponziani when Black replies at c4 during the first move?

  • Kevin,

    I tried this opening many times but surprisingly, most of them replied with Bc5 after c3. What should I do? btw my name is also Kevin.

  • @12kevdawg12 Take advantage of that! Just continue with d4 and get a tempo, forcing him to move his Bishop and you take control of the center

  • Hey, at about 27:00, Bb5. If the pawn tries to kick the Bishop, Qa4, pinning the pawn to the Rook, and protecting the Bishop for Bxc6, again forking the Rook unless Bd7, but still gaining a pawn.

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  • Hi, I am watchinig the video and just want to comment that u say there is 3 options on the 3rd move (Bc4, Bb5 and ponziani). Just tell that it is forgotten scottish 3.d4 with their differents lines.

  • @Radorf

    Also 3. Nc3 with the Four Knights, or indeed the Four Knights Scotch (4. d4)..

  • at 12:30 cant he also play ...Qf6?

  • Hi thechesswebsite,

    Nice video, I use the ponziani sometimes in blitz games(it isn't played a lot as you said and the surprise effect can give you an advantage.0. I never saw the f5 idea , so that was very instructive.

    thank you,

    Schleichnaldo

  • This is Dave Taylor. Keith Hayward and I recently wrote a book Play the Ponziani. This is a very good video! In answer to the question: What happens if black just plays d6 early before Nf6? One answer is White then has his normal space advantage and White can play similar to Ruy Lopez lines.

  • @chess1941 I have your book and I love it! So glad someone made a book about the ponziani.

  • This is Dave Taylor. I recently wrote a book Play the Ponziani. This is a very good video!

  • I watch learn and play chess for fun and I am 11

    chess is my heart and soul

  • Thank you, for making a better tutorial than rickdd2. He's a bit of a douche. Also, thank you, for all of your other tutorials. :D

  • Interesting opening. I'm gonna try it on computer and my brother. Next I gotta see how to defeat that pesky latvian gambit.

  • Opps never mind isee the answer is just to continue w/ da main line

  • Great vid man its working for me and everyone plays da main line but after qh5 black just plays g6 to block how should I adjust after that

  • Great video. What if after e4xd5, then white advances pawn to e5, Knight moves from f6 to d5? I didn't see anything on that maneuver in the video. What's white best play after that? Thanks!

  • What if when I move my Pawn to D4, He retreats his knight from C6 to E7?

  • Maybe i'm just dumb but what happens if black plays d6 early before Nf6?

  • Thanks! I've been trying this in a couple of online games - so far, I'm 1-0. In the line where black retreats his queen's knight to b1 on move 5, then plays 6......e6, you recommend 7. Bb5+, tying black up. But why not just 7. Qa4+, apparently snagging the knight on e4? I'm trying that in an online game now and I don't see the problem with it.

  • Can the ponziani be played against the Sicilian I really want to know this

  • @Mr130457 thats goes in the alapin

  • I want a video of the Bongcloud! Lol!

    (1.e4 e5 2.Ke2!!)

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  • Best move for black is to gambit his knight at F2 as a response to D5. After king takes the knight, black is only a pawn down in material but can then continue with retreating his other knight to B8 and then play pawn to C8 to challenge the overextended white pawn. Then, for example queen B8 and there is a good counterplay for black.

  • At 18:20 how can white win after the exchange?

  • At 19:54, how is Nc5 a mistake?

  • @Prpperty cxd4 then if Ne6 d5 is a fork and if Na6 black is undeveloped and passive

  • at 16:13 sacrifice the bishop then move queen to g4 and take the knight

  • At 11:17 white queen to G4 then move bishop to h6, black either gets checkmated or loses a rook

  • at 19:23 knight can also go to g4 what do u do then?

  • @BigGus87 c pawn capture d and youll have a strong center. I wasnt sure either when someone played g4 on me but i did what seemed right and later confirmed this with an engine

  • At 32:03 instead of pawn to g4 for white I was looking at Qh5, Then black either has to move his king or try to block with the pawn on g6 but then white can exchange pawns and queens and black has just an isolated pawn on g6 and white has a knight that can't be easily kicked off of g5. I think that variation looks nice for white to me.

  • urrr is so long, lost my interest m(/ - \)m

  • Again your product sells. I hope you make money with it. For my understanding alot of people commenting did not ever play chess seriously. As I do not play the guitar. Only drums.

    Keep up your good work but it is not enough for European chess players. Thanks again.

  • You good at selling your thing. Congrats for that. I wd like if you cd add the move like 'tihs is move number 10' or so. On Min. 8.08 you leave out the most obvious move that is pawn c6 to clarify the mess for black. I find your yr work good. But chess is not a poker game. Make c6 and the next 5mins of your elaborated discussion is not necessary.

    Thanks anyway.

  • The Queen is forking the Knight. Epic.

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  • I have been using this method without knowing what it is in term of name... One of my favorite line... it's true that it's a bit weird opening but I managed to hook many players w/ high rank already but somehow It has such a backfire against other situations... Awesome Opening...

  • Hey dude. Whats up? remember me? its been a time since we havent played .. maybe we can play some other time bye.

  • Great comments on different variations of this opening with full knowledge about play that we can do in this opening. You are awesome chess teacher, congratulations.

  • Also, at the start, at 00:50, there are other options for White, for example 3. d4 (Scotch Game) or 3. Nc3 (Three Knights Opening), both of which are played more than the Ponziani. So there aren't really only three options for White there. :)

  • It is an opening to hunt on the knights ... Very impressive ... Kevin ...

  • 28:54 is the Caro Gambit for Black in the Ponziani opening, and it is the line I always play against the Ponziani. It usually continues 5. exd5 Nd4 6. Qd1 Nxf3 7. Qxf3 Nf6. I much prefer Black in this position, even though he is down a pawn. I found that this is one of the best defenses against the Ponziani.

  • Excellent video. At 24:20, after Black plays a6, why not just play Nxc6? If bxc6, then White can play Bxc6+ and take the hanging Rook on a8. Obviously Black cannot take the Bishop on b5 otherwise his Queen would fall.

  • @xactxx yes im with u in this move

  • @xactxx I was gonna comment that also but you took the words out of my mouth.

  • at 19:13 you mention two options. I see a lot of times Qe7 pinning that pawn. Probably not the best move blocking that bishop on f8 and any time white breaks the pin it could be troublesome for black, but I just thought it was worth mentioning. Very good in depth video by the way keep up the good work.

  • Great video! It's about time I change my good ole Ruy Lopez opening for something more creative. Thanks a bunch.

  •  thank you for getting up this video that I asked you for, it helped a lot

  • Hi Kevin thanks for the video.I spent a lot of time on this opening recent days,analysing some variations.Definitely useful tool with a lot of traps. Some holes i should note in your video(i know u cant cover all the variations) but one interesting line i want to point out is in the main line after Nxe4 and white plays d5,black can play Bc5(threatening f2) If u guys encounter with this move - Best play goes :dxc6 Bxf2; Ke2 bxc6 and Qa4 with has 0.45 advantage.

  • @Znaiko white has* 0.45advantage. And if Nxf2 instead of Bxf2 white has a great game with Qd5. Also Kevin u forger to cover the Nd5 at 19:20 after \white plays e5

  • At 19:10 you say that black has only two options, but what about Qe7?

  • This don't look like a opening for beginners :(

  • great video, thanks, I think I 've seen everything thats on your website. Could you give us your chess.com account? I'd like to see one of your games or maybe challange you if thats possible :) And as far as the next video I'd like to see an opening that starts with d4 preferably Nimzo-Indian, Slav, Grunfeld or Queens Indian (pretty much anything strong lol) keep up the good work!

  • Kevin, loved the video!

    One thing though you mentioned that black had the Nd5 option if he opens with the pawn capture but you didn't go over it, could another video explaining this move be done?

    Thanks :)

  • You shake your cursor a lot. Stop doing that.

  • I tried this opening and after 1. e4, e5 2. Nf3, Nc6, 3. c3, Nf6, 4. d4, exd4, 5. e5, Nd5 is popular and I believe ok for black. What is the best way for white to proceed here and what are the lines that could come about after this? I'm not complaining by any means. This was a great video and shows many traps and lines in this opening. Great Video! I just wish that line had been discussed a bit more.

  • Kevin, do you have any videos of yourself playing either the King's gambit or the Danish gambit? I like to play quite aggressively and would like to see some moves that you play.

  • sadly, the last game I played my Old Man, he dropped that Bishop on top of his Queen Pawn, and without using that rock on top of my neck, I tied him up, shut him down, and started picking off pieces until he resigned.

    FIRST game i ever won from him.

    Excited? HECK YEAH!

    ...and he died about a month later.

    (dang)

    So.. about halfway through this and You have insisted on Blacks demise several times. MORE than any White problems. So...despite your very 1st words...why play it?

    d=^))

  • Great video kevin, amazing job!

  • Must say really great vids~ basically all of them! Really enjoy and learn from them.

    As for me im kinda into bird's opening lately. That videao you have already made for it is kinda short. Very little players are familiar with this oppening, that's why i have had tons of easy wins, but still i feel that there is something more. It would be cool if you could make a bit deeper analasys on the Bird's opening!

  • Really no offense, I appreciate your videos, but in my opinion these videos still could be improved. For example dont talk that much. There is no point going over each of the pieces scopes after every second move, there is also no point spending a minute on each move. It is much better to give example games for the different lines and deeper insight into the variations. Also I insist that the Jaenisch Counterattack(3 ... Nf6) is not a gambit from white because the pawn is gained back emediately.

  • Second was in your own variation, the f5 variation where white takes on f5 and black plays Qf6. I personally would recommend Bd3 here, although white blocks the d pawn, but white can castle and has ideas like Bc2 and pawn d4 afterwards.

    I have played the ponziani many times as white and played against it every now and then but I would recommend my own line against it.

    1. e4 - e5 2. Nf3 - Nc6 3. c3 - d5 4. Qa4 - Qd6 5. d4 - Bd7 and black is better

  • hi there,I have 2 additions to this video.

    First is in the Nf6 d4 exd4 e5 variation, where black plays Nd5. This move is actually played a lot because poeple are scared of the square e4. after Nd5 I found a move that gives white a deffinite edge and that is Qb3! attacking the knight on d5. Black again has some options here, but most commonly played is Nce7 with the idea to play c6 later on. White here just captures the pawn on d4 and has a great space advantage and will probably win the game.

  • @Creapieo

    Thanks for the tip on moving Qb3! after Nd5. I was wondering about that myself. I've played this a few times and I think 2 of the 3 times I saw Nd5 instead of Ne4.

  • Awesome video! Wonder if you can cover Cochrane's Gambit in a future video. I don't think there has been a comprehensive coverage of this gambit yet on YouTube.

  • Kevin,

    Awesome charisma awesome videos. Would you tell me what program you recommend for analyzing games like this. I have CM Grand Master. Either I don't know how to use it or it is not very good. I would like a program where I can study games/positions and the engine will tell me what is the best move etc. Any help will not go unappreciated. Love watching you, P

  • @paulandlesson I recommend Fritz 12. I will be having a contest in a few days and will actually be giving away 2 copies. Stay Tuned.

  • @thechesswebsite Yeah, fritz is awesome. Though could you please do a video on the English defence; 1. d4, e6 2. c4, g6. I really like playing it, but there is barely any material on it so I don't really know many 'official' variations.

  • hey Kevin, I hate it when white tries to play queen's gambit on me or when white plays e4 in the beginning because those often result in me blocking off my pieces. is there some really aggressive lines for those two mentioned above that the black can play? (tried dragon, failed)

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  • amazing job kevin truly is the best pnziani vid out there i have seen so far keep up the good work! :D

  • You forgot the scotch and four knights and a lot of diferent random moves ^^

  • Kevin, nice video, thnx. But on 24:21 after black moves ... a6 attacking the bishop on b5, isn't it better to take the knight on c6 with the knight first, and then recapture with the bishop forking the rook and king?

  • 19:25 after exd4 e5, what happens if the knight goes to g4? just take on d4 with a discovered attack? is any kind of trap there? I didn't see anything.

  • Watching this video gave me an edge! I didn't actually get to play the Ponziani (white replied 1.e4 with b6), but studying the openings is a vital part of development!

  • "So as you can see, Pawn to F6 is going to be an epic fail for black"

  • good video

    

  • And then after the take back black would up a piece for only one pawn, even worse for white.

  • Every time I see an en passant, it reminds me of a game where I gave away an obvious win and barely managed to save a draw. Had both of my bishops eying my opponent's camp, the f pawn on the 5th rank and the queen on the g-file.

    Convinced of my victory, I had left the board to go to the bar because I was annoyed my opponent didn't give up. When I came back he had pushed his g-pawn 2 squares to block my queen, but because I was away and tired I missed the en-passant (and the mate in 3). :(

  • I want to see a game or two of yours Kevin

  • White doesn't have 3 options, he has 4. What about the Scotch game?

  • 1) @24:24: Why doesn't white just play Nxc6? No one's mentioning it, so I might just be missing something.

    2) @ 32:15: Why doesn't black play h6, making white retreat his knight to h3, a very bad square or give the pawn back with Ne6?

  • What about 17:48 light squere bishop to d3 ?

  • 15:39 Maybe take the knight instead of the rook? 3 points in material, as opposed to taking a rook but losing a bishop

  • @ysilv Or even better: if he blocks with the bishop, you could simply trade the bishops. The only sane move for black is to take back with the Qxd7, after which you can fork the knight and the rook with Q-d5.

    Black can only put his Queen back on d8 or c8 and would lose two active pieces, falls behind 3 points in material and loses yet an other tempo after Qxe4+.

  • @noxure Just looked it over, solid idea.

  • 3:38 You're on chess[.]com?? What's your username?

  • Why would anyone take the gambit king pawn?? Kevin, not everyone who plays black is has the chess level of your kid brother. Just laughable.

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  • This is a crazy coincidence! I just saw this opening appear in my correspondence game, and then I explored it in my database. You just happened to go over it after I encountered it :)

  • Saw this and went SWEET. You sure do hook up your viewers. Thanks.

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  • good clear instruction - thanks

  • besides the ruy and the italian, there's also the scotch.

  • Why would anyone want to do exd5 at 28:38? At BEST, this will result in a loss of tempo as white retreats his queen to a square that is not only safe but allows for the defense of the forking square at c2 which his knight will no doubt move to on the next turn.

  • @musicalmike235 exd5 is white's best move there.

  • @thechesswebsite Awesome job as usual! Keep up the good work Kevin!

  • i fucking love this site! kevin is a GREAT teacher. i esp enjoy the diff variations he studies with us. good shit! keep it up man!

  • Also, @16:54 I think Qh5+ works, if g6 then Nxg6 Nxg6 Bd3. I might be wrong however.

  • @garrywarne1 White loses a knight for two pawns, not good for white.

  • @JesseIsKillingIt How so? If the knight moves then Bxg6+ wins a piece.

  • @garrywarne1 Black would not move the e4 knight immediately, that would be a terrible blunder.