Original subtitles

hi everyone and welcome to Chess lecture.com

today I wanna talk about an opening

that I play a lot as black

and this is against E4

C 5

night C 3 g 6 so this is the accelerated dragon

and actually white plays F4

with the idea to transfer the game into the Grand Prix

attack so after f 4 Bishop g 7 Knight f 3 Knight c 6

White plays bishop b five

now this is the Grand Prix attack

that we actually recommend

in my recent book Chess Openings for White Explained

co authored with grandmasters Jinjin Albert

and by the way

this is the same line that we recommend as black

against bishop b 5 9 d four

however in today's lecture

I wanna talk about the move which is quite rare

and yet still played in main

uh in main line tournaments such as a 4

alright so if I go back

white

typically plays castles

this is the move which is analyzed in our book

for white

and for black or white plays bishop d 3

this is playable move as well

however the rare move

a 4

has been played against me in a very recent tournament

Fox was open in the last round by

by strong master Todd Andrews

so let's try to figure out the idea behind a 4

and how we should proceed as black

so a 4

white say is basically saying well

I'm not afraid if you take my bishop

because I'm gonna recapture with the pawn

so this is the whole point behind a 4

but if you think about it

what is the bishop doing on D5

all it does

it prevents black from playing with the d pawn

d 6 or d 5

and that's about it

so if you think about it

the whole idea of a 4 is only aimed

at preventing Night X Bishop

and this is not what we play anyways

we decide to develop with E6

and this is what I actually played in the game

so with that simple idea knight e 7 on castles

and then the bishop on b 5 is simply out of the game

and then the whole point of a four is unclear

because why just wasted

a tempo in an opening stage of the game

so let's see how the game continues so E6

very logical move preparing night E7

castles

97

and now white takes on d 4

pawn takes knight e two

and now black simply plays Castle

and now it's completely clear that pawn on a 4

move doesn't belong in this type of positions

because Bishop on b 5 is completely out of the game

and why just waste the whole temple with a four

so let's see how the game continues

so white plays king h one

again what's the idea of this move

well

maybe white is afraid that black will play Queen b 6

at some point

or white is getting ready to play C three

but in reality

moves such as a 4 and king h 1 are simply waste of time

waste of tempi

because the bishop on C1 is not playing yet

so if you're playing black

you should immediately think

how you can punish white for such

ambitious play in the opening

basically wasting two tempi right away

so there are different type of moves here one is d 6

which looks quite simple

simply preparing maybe Bishop d 7 or e five

another one is a 6 but if you think about it

all you're doing is wasting time

because the bishop doesn't belong b 5 anyways

so when the bishop goes to d three

or C4 you're only helping white with his development

because now if you think about it

how is white gonna develop his C1 vision

if white plays d 3 then

his bishop on d 5 is really really vulnerable after d 5

and a 6 the bishop would be captured

so you see it's really

really hard for white to develop his pieces

but the move that I liked

and the one that I played in the game is very typical

f 5 immediately challenging white in the center

and putting pressure on the e pawn

the problem now is that if white plays d 3

he could face serious problems after d 5

and a 6 is coming up next

and really white has to play a five

or first either take on f 5 or d 5

but even then after a 6 and queen takes a 5

White is simply down upon

so immediately white is having a problem

what about e 5

the whole idea behind e 5 is that

since I kept my pawn on d 7

I can play d 6

and now challenge white in the center again

and if Knight takes d 4 then d takes E

really putting a lot of problems into White's hands

again

if E takes d then simply Queen takes d six

and again black has very comfortable development

this is probably best

that white should have tried to do

maybe d 3 b 3

bishop a 3 type of plan but after b 6

Bishop b 7 Black has very good position

king on h 1 is just very badly placed

instead let's take a look what happened in the game

so e takes f was the move that I was played in the game

and now I could take with my g pawn or the knight

e pawn doesn't look as good

because I have the double pawns

but I think the knight looks the strongest

night is really playing an active role on the king side

and my plan is to play b 6

Bishop b 7 and all of my pieces are perfectly developed

so you see the whole point of a 4 in king

h 1 is refuted with simple development of the pieces

well now my opponent realized that simple play

could not lead him anywhere in this position

because Bishop on C1 is just very badly struck

and he has to play creatively

and plays an interesting idea Rook a three

so you see the idea is to play rook h 3

transferring the rook on the king side

with possible attack in the future

so let's see if this idea worked in the game

so I continue with my plan b six

Rook h 3

bishop b 7

so black successfully completed his development

has a very nice bishop on b 7

very powerful knight on f 5

and good bishop on g seven

so

the next stage of the game is to use all these pluses

and to try to get powerful initiative in the game

so first of all

let's try to take a look at this position

and figure out

how can white defend against multiple plans

for black in particular

how can white try to neutralize the b 7 bishop

well D3

doesn't look like an option because again of

d 5

and the bishop on b 5 is trapped

maybe B3 you might say this looks more reasonable

but again

I can simply play developing move queen c seven

and on Bishop a three

D 6

with a lot of threats in the air or even Rook F7

so my opponent decides to play Queen E1

which is also playable idea first of all

he prevents possible night age four

and he's trying to bring his knight to G3

potentially exchange my powerful knight and

bring the night to E4

with the idea to try to get some attack going

let's see if this succeeds so queen to 7

again very simple development move

and now what can white do to improve his position

well

what about nigh G3

Night g 3 is a definitely playable move

and this is what happened in the game

and now night to d 6 I don't want to take on c 2

and give white some counterplay

because d 7 is hanging but night d six

I am definitely putting a lot of pressure on the bishop

and preventing knight from going to E four

so Bishop D three

and now Queen C six

hidden

both the a 4 pawn and the g 2 pawn at the same time

so White's position is really

really becoming critical you see how all of Black's

pieces are very nicely coordinated

so Queen e 2

probably the best move

and now white is sacrificing the pawn on a 4

so this is the first critical moment of the game

should black simply win the pawn or no

and this is again

one of those positions where you have to

understand that development

and active play is more important than material

because the bishop on c

1 is completely out of the game

because if black takes the pawn

B3

Queen C6

and now Bishop B2 or Bishop a three

and all of a sudden white is back in the game

such many threats as knight e 4

Rook takes h 7 possibly

and just many other threats are in the air all the time

for just one single point

that's why I didn't want to take that point

and wanted to continue my attack

and I found a very powerful move

e five

with a simple idea

to put as much pressure on white position as possible

open it up and bring my other rook into the game

so big threat immediately is E4

that's the big threat

and what should white do

so white might try to

throw the rook into the action

Rook takes h 7 rook sacrifice

well is black afraid of this move

well what if king takes now queen h 5 check

king goes back and the mate on g two

preventing white from capturing g 6

so this is simply winning

and if Bishop takes g 6 hoping for a nice finish

with queen h five

really doesn't go much further

again after simple king to G

and again black is simply down a rook

white sorry

white is simply down a rook

now in addition probably

E4 wins the game on the spot

as well

overwhelming position for black

so you see

it's too early for white to try to do any sacrifices

and he decides to play F takes E

so we have this position in the game

so Rook takes f one

and now why is facing another question

how do we capture on F1

now if white recaptures with the knight

then I can simply play Rook e eight

with idea to keep the attack gone

if white recaptures with the queen

I can definitely throw in the rook to f 8 first

and then we capture on E5 with the bishop

a lot of choices for black

so let's see if we can figure out

what's the best way for white to recapture

on F1

so let's see what happened in the game

so night takes F1

Rook e 8

and now

queen g four

white is really trying to activate his queen

so now Rook takes e five

and the question is now for you

can white take on H7 with the rule

so let me give some time to figure it out

okay so root takes H7

you might say well isn't that just winning on the spot

because if king takes H7

maybe queen takes g 6

king care queen h 7 with a powerful attack

but no simple king defate wins the game for black

now what else can y do what about bishop takes g 6

again that's not enough because simple king g

and also you have to remember one very

very important trick

that on all of these types of positions

if need to black has a very nice combination

simple fine combination

to do queen takes g 2

Queen takes g 2 Bishop takes g 2

King takes king takes h 7

so this is always white has to consider this

and this is very easy win for black too

but it's way too early for white to do any type of

sacrifices

yet

so what to do for white

so let's go back this is very bad for white

and see what happened in the game

so after night takes f 1 rook e 8

why decides to finally activate the bishop with b three

okay

with the simple idea to play bishop b 2 or bishop a 3

so I took with the rook and now white plays queen f two

so just like before

except queen is on f 2 instead of g 4

but the bishop cannot go to B 2 or a three

so here's the question for you

how can black continue his attack

because white is really only two moves for bishop b 2

or bishop a 3 from getting back into the game

and the answer is always always look for active moves

and the move is knight e 4

this is very beautiful move

all seven white is faced with a dilemma

how to continue after night E4

well taking on E4 is just bad

so for a for example

Bishop takes e 4

and now

I can take with the rook or the queen

probably queen takes e 4

and now rook f 1 or queen e one are coming up

and really really tough

Ruka 5 is probably the strongest here

and it's really

really tough to find any defense for white

what about queen takes d 4

well that just loses on the spot after night

night somewhere

so night g 3 doesn't work because Rook takes g three

but very powerful move such as knight to g five

or

even rook to f 5

again really

really hard for white to defend against

all these different threats

so let's go back

and how can white play from this position

well Queen h 4

this is the right move

and this is what he played in the game

and now again everything is defended

white is starting to take on h seven

and really the ball is back in black square

so white is saying OK

Queen d 8 might be possible as well

how can you continue your powerful attack

if you're black

and the right move here is rook f 5

again you're not afraid of the check when d eight

because of Rook a8

you're not afraid of the check on C4 because of D5

and most importantly Queen takes H7

king f 7

there is a huge thread of night f 2

and if bishop c 4 check

queen takes c 4

finishes the game right away because B takes c

rook f 1 mate

so you see now

white has to defend against multiple threats

including night F2 check

and White's position is really really becoming critical

although white has a very

very powerful move that my opponent eventually found

King g1

as a matter of fact

this is the best move in the position

and now my question for you

how can black continue his attack

so again all black pieces are perfectly placed

and the answer is knight f two

threatening Quintess G2

may

so now the following line is forced

and this would happen in the game

bishop c 4 check

d 5

and now queen takes h 7 check

king f 7

and now

simple bishop b 5

so inviting me to take the exchange on h three

now this is a good question

should black take that exchange on h 3

it's a very tempting tempting uh

win for for black winning the exchange you might say

but after Queen takes h three

Queen takes e 2

White has a very powerful move

Bishop to D3

and now if queen takes c 1

then bishop f 5 g f

queen f 5 really is not good for black

because black is gonna end up losing his

be silent bishop

or be being either in perpetual check of

of of all sorts

so this is really really uncomfortable for black

and I didn't want to go for this position

so let's go back

what if not take the pawn on c 2

what if I just simply play queen e 6

well okay that's possible

but again the position is really tough to win

after moves such as night bishop d 3 for example

because

really Black's bishops now are not as powerful

the opponent d 4 and d 5 are really badly plays

doubled up and white has an extra pawn

on the king side and really tough to win for black

I don't see how black can easily break through

so having thought for a long time

I decided not to take the exchange

and actually found a very nice move

queen to f six

putting more firepower into the attack

because remember white is simply playing down a piece

bishop on c 1 is completely out of the game

and now black sorry

White's position becomes critical

Rook g 3 is the only move

well you might say what happens after Bishop B2

let's take a look

so Bishop B2

well now black has several choices

black can't play

now it takes H3 chop

Queen takes H3

and now

any move

such as

Queen E5 maybe

would give black a very good game

fold by bishop c 8

or

how about bishop c 8 right away

with the idea Rook takes f one

simply good game for black

now what else can black do

besides simply winning the exchange in this position

what about simple looking move a 6

let's take a look at them

well

okay a 6 so Bishop somewhere

Bishop d 3 loses immediately after night takes d 3

so Bishop probably e 2 right

well here I am thinking

how about maybe we can do something interesting here

such as night takes H3 check

Queen takes h 3 and maybe even d 3

move in this position

that looks really interesting

because now if bishop takes f six

we take on E2

and oops it's really

really hard for white to find any defense

looks like white is simply lost

so you see there are many different ways

I think a 6 might win on the spot

and really really tough for white to find any defense

I think it's already lost

after night to F2

so rook g 3

this was played in the game

so white is trying to hold on for as long as possible

well and now the finishing touch is knight to e 4

what to do

Rook f 3

and now

white is simply lost after rook takes f three

1 6

f 3 and 9 g 5

trap in the queen

because now queen h 4 is impossible

after night takes f 3

and the game actually continued a little bit longer

Bishop e 8 check

king takes e eight

Queen g H check

queen f 8

and eventually black won with the piece up very easy

so the lesson of this game is

don't be afraid of the a 4 move in Grand Prix

simply continue with your development

develop your pieces play f five

and White's position will collapse

because of all the lost tempi in the opening

so white has to play very carefully with castles

instead of a four

or bishop d 3

those are the main moves

and they are thoroughly analyzed in our book

Chess Openings for white explained

or chess Openings for black explained

because this is the system that we recommend for white

followed by Castle on move 6

and this is the same system that we play for black

and actually the positions that we get

I prefer to play with either color

and very comfortably playing it with both colors

white or black

again

thank you very much and I hope to see you all next time

bye bye