Defending Champion

The Defense Never Rests

" When you defend, try not to worry or become upset. Keep cool and trust your position - it's all you've got. Put up as many obstacles as you can to make things difficult for the attacker." ~ Benko and Hochberg 

In modern times, one should not underestimate the importance of a good defense. Nowadays, we consider a good defense to be just as important as a faultless attacking plan. 

Here are some practical tips to help you defend the right way.

1. Keep calm and don't panic. 

2. Chess positions are resilient, you will find ways to counter the attack. 

3. Even if it is bad, sell your life as dearly as possible.

Many players struggle to defend difficult positions and loses the thread of the game under pressure. If you want to strengthen your defensive skills and stop losing games under pressure, then this course is for YOU!

About the Course

Take This Course >> Defending Champion

"This course will help improve your defensive skills and learn some new things as well."

Key Topics Covered in the Course...

The course also contains powerful practical tasks to digest the ideas better. Similarly, the training program has a detailed explanation of WHAT and HOW exactly you should perform the practical part.

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A Plan of Defense

Methods of Defense

" Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive." ~ Sun Tzu 

The first important principle of defense is to understand your opponent's threats and intentions. Only after this, is it possible to counter the opponent's plan by means of counter-attacking, neutralizing attackers, bringing more defenders and so on. 

Let's examine the variety of defensive options available to the defender as discussed by Bellin and Ponzetto:
Counterattack

This is usually employed when players' plans develop in different sectors. A typical case is that of games where castling takes place on opposite sides. The game becomes a race to land a body blow first and defensive moves in the sector under attack have to be weighed on the finest of scales as they all get in the way of the counterattack.

Countering

These are straightforward attempts to prevent realization of a plan, namely to prevent the opponent achieving his aim. For example, the attacker occupies an open file and the defender counters this by also occupying the file, or the attacker pins a piece and the defender unpins it. These typical defensive maneuvers pursue the principle of countering.

Prophylaxis

This covers all defensive moves that prevent attacking threats, rendering them unrealizable or ineffective. If, for example, the attacker threatens to pin the knight on f6 against the queen on d8 by playing Bg5, the defender may operate prophylactic defense by playing ...h6 or by removing the knight from f6 or the queen from the d8-h4 diagonal. Certain well-known strategic principles meet the criterion of prophylactic defense. For instance, the overprotection of a square or the opening of the center used as a prophylactic measure against a possible flank attack.

Simplification
This is a very common defensive method and is often employed by Black right from the opening. The effect is to pare down the attacking forces. This method can be strategically recommended especially in positions in which the defender is cramped for such positions are easier to defend when there are fewer pieces on the board. Overcrowding of the defender's troops may easily lead to the collapse of the position.

Blockade

Nimzovich's favorite method, he built an entire defensive philosophy around it. The effect of a blockading strategy, whether applied in its purest form against (say) a passed pawn, or used simply to keep lines closed. Involves reducing the dynamism of the attacker's pieces by preventing them penetrating the defender's territory.

Change in Structure

Changing the pawn structure is a little like changing cards at poker: all plans have to be looked at again and weighed in the light of the new situation on the board. The attacker 's main wish is to be able to pursue his plan in the desired direction. Having to cope with a different strategic structure thus causes him a major mental upset which may develop into confusion if he is short of time. By this method, the defender can try to distract his opponent from the most important objective, or bring about a strategic alteration that is favorable to him even at the cost of material sacrifice. In such cases the attacker's task is a delicate one because it demands some sort of review if not a total change in plan.

The King and Self-defense
This is how we define all those methods of defense in which the king assumes an important role, e.g. by delaying castling or keeping the king in the center so as not to offer the attacker a specific object of attack. Another example of this defensive method is seen in the 'king's march', a strategic maneuver whose usual purpose is to remove the king from the hot spot and transfer him somewhere safer.

Coming soon... 

RCA New Course: "Defending Champion"

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Link >> About the Course

Winning Chess: Fischer with Carlsen

Play Winning Chess

"The game of chess has with justification been called the art of human reason." ~ R.N. Coles

CHESS is a game which calls for all the best of the mental attributes - concentration, foresight, calculation, coordination, judgement and imagination. In order to be victorious in a chess battle, you’ve got to outsmart that guy across the board from you.

Useful Tips to Sharpen Your Chess Skill – Bobby Fischer

Concentrate.

Chess requires total concentration. For example, when I play I try to keep my mind completely on the game. I always try to put my best foot forward.

This means I want to win. No one’s interested in excuses if I lose. Many people who play chess are using only a fraction of their mind and the rest of their mind is off wandering somewhere.

Think ahead.

Don’t go by your first instinct in making a move. Try to look ahead, to picture how your opponent will reply. Remember, it’s absolutely essential for your development as a chessplayer that you play touch move – if you touch a piece you must move it.

So if you feel you lack self-control, you might try sitting on your hands as ex-world champion Smyslov of Russia used to do.

Study.

Study the recent games of masters in books and magazines and combine this study with actual play, against strong players.

With your young, fresh mind you should soon be beating your elders easily. And of course spend as much time at the game as you possibly can.

Learn from your losses.

Record your serious games and then later you can go over your games and try to find out where you made your mistakes – if you don’t already know. That way you aren’t likely to lose a game the same way twice.

The Cuban world chess champion, Capablanca, once said that he liked to lose more than he liked to win because he learned more from his losses than from his wins!

Top Tips to Master Chess – Magnus Carlsen

Play white. 

If you have the first move, the price of a mistake is much lower. So if you have the first move you can make a mistake and still be in the game. If you’re playing black and you made a mistake you’re likely going to be out, just because of that half-move advantage.

On every move, check whether any of your or your opponent’s pieces are unprotected. 

It’s amazing how far that will get you. Also look out for any checks in the position, because if there is a check it might be mate.

Remember patterns rather than individual moves. 

Good players actually use their long-term memory much more than inexperienced players, who use their short-term memory. Good players try to recall patterns, something familiar about this position that can tell you something that helps you.

More inexperienced players who don’t recognize those patterns have to start anew in every position. As you get some experience in chess you can easily visualize the board in your head, and then seeing far ahead is not very difficult.

Don’t overthink a move. 

If I’m thinking for more than 20 minutes about one move, it’s usually a waste. Sometimes you can come up with some amazing solution but most of the time you just end up looping.

You consider a move, you reject it, then you’re desperate, you come back to the move, you don’t remember why you rejected it, you have to make a move so you make it – then your opponent replies and you remember why you rejected it.

The longest wait I ever did between moves was one hour and five minutes – and the move was horrible.

Have a poker face.

You can’t look too annoyed or they’ll look for the mistake you’ve made. A lot of the time it’s about looking for these opportunities and if you give them a clue, the good players will find it.

Carlsen vs Karjakin: Who Will Win?

The Grit and Grind Match
" My dream has always been to become World Champion."  ~ Karjakin 
" If you have the first move, the price of a mistake is much lower." ~ Carlsen 

The much-awaited world chess match of the year is going to happen in a few days. Although the odds are high [80-20] for Carlsen, we can't disregard Karjakin - youngest grandmaster in history - and his team of Russian super-grandmasters to upset the reigning King of Chess.

The "WILL TO WIN"

This will be one very interesting duel between prodigies of the same generation. The battle will be a three-fold struggle: powerful openings preparation, middlegame wizardry and endgame precision. 

Recently, New In Chess magazine provided chess lovers a great bonus: A digital 40-page Match Special [Free]. 

This 'NIC special' is a very good preview of the 12-game clash in New York. Illustrated with interesting interviews and amazing photos down memory lane, between the champion and his worthy challenger. There's a lot to enjoy as Dirk said.

Similarly, Remote Chess Academy will provide a Special Newsletter to all its students and subscribers.
* Receive commented games of 'World Chess Championship Match 2016' to your inbox.
* Get quick updates of the rounds and interesting photos from the match.

<< Subscribe now >>

Who is your pick to win the Championship?

<< VOTE now >>

Diversion Motif

Middlegame Patterns

"The foundation of chess is the process of vision. Vision is defined as the ability to spot where everything under attack, yours and your opponent's, is located." ~ Gregory Levenfish

It is a good method to practice tactical exercises every day. You must train your brain to recognize common patterns that continuously repeat in practice. The main point is to build a vocabulary of chess patterns to help us find the best moves on the board.

Diversion

The main idea is to distract the attention of one defender, to gain an advantage either winning material or deliver checkmate.

1.Qxd5!                     1.Rd8+!                     1.Rd8+!

Hint: You should focus your attention mainly on the opponent's territory.

Try it yourself!

Famous combinations by Damiano, Boden, Reti and Capablanca. 

White's turn                     White's turn

White's turn                     Black's turn

A Mark To Remember

Do You Know Him?

" A player's success depends not only on the strength of the moves he makes, but also on how well he has thought out the other decisions he makes, such as the choice of opening variation, refusing a draw offer, determining the best moment to offer a draw, and so on." 

~ Mark Dvoretsky

I'm pretty sure, you DO! Even if not, then don't you worry as he left behind more than a handful of top-notch chess materials for all the aspiring and serious tournament players.  

Arguably one of the best, if not the best trainer in the chess world. His legacy is about 'competitiveness' - through enthusiasm, perseverance and hard work - reflecting the true him as a person and as a trainer. He is 'a gift' for all chess lovers.

Mark I. Dvoretsky (1947-2016)

To aptly describe Mark, let me note a quote from Steve Jobs:"My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to make them better." And his first attempt in sharing some game secrets through writing, emulate the same impressions. Since then, he never failed to amaze me in all his lectures and writings (manuals, book series and further works) toward chess training.

Now, let me share with you an important endgame tool from his first book (a personal favorite) 'Secrets of Chess Training', in relation to constructing a fortress. Inspired by this, i myself started to collect fortresses of practical value, which you'll be able to find below.

According to Dvoretsky, building a fortress is an important defensive method in the endgame. He also added, that some types of fortress known to theory should be remembered, since they can serve as beacons showing the way to safety in difficult situations.

'The Fortress'
Here's an example, where one side has a big superiority in the material department (and greater activity). Despite all that, the defender can confine himself to passive defense and still keep an indestructible position.

Fortress Known to Theory

A positional draw.

Two examples taken from my own collection...

One Rare Position

Still a draw.

Chekhover, 1947

White to play and draw.

I'll leave to you dear readers, to verify for yourself (as a task) and prove the positions shown will lead to immunity and a peaceful outcome.

Thank you Mark Dvoretsky, we will miss YOU!

Universal Thinking System

Think Like A Strong Player

" Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." 

~ Eleanor Roosevelt 

This premium webinar "My Thinking System", has been updated to include the following chess educational materials:

     1. Video lesson - an hour and 30 minutes lecture run time.
     2. An e-book - a text version of the complete video lesson.
     3. Practical part - games & positions that will help DIGEST the ideas well.

Webinar Link >> Take This Course 

What's inside?

Take a closer look...

It contains high-quality information about the chess thinking process.

You will learn the need to have a well-developed system of thinking.

Understand how this 'universal thinking system' will help you detect the best move in any kind of position.

You will be able to find right moves continually throughout a game.

You will get a clear algorithm on how exactly to play a real game of chess.

Instructive and useful tasks about anti-blunder check, forcing moves and wrong opening.

My Rating:

Chess Terms Explained

Chess Crossword Solution

RCA Chess Crossword

Crossword Questions & Answers

Horizontal:

1. A strategy explored by Nimzovich, where you prevent your opponent from taking action in a certain area for fear of reprisal. prophylaxis

2. A lineup of pieces that move similarly on a single file or diagonal, usually pointing toward a critical point in the enemy's camp. battery

3. The line that is named by the coordinates of the start and end squares. diagonal

4. The beginning phase of a game, usually the first 10-15 moves. opening

5. The phase of the game between the opening and endgame. middlegame

6. The strongest piece in chess. queen

7. Where the current position of the game favors one side over another. advantage

8. The step of the piece on the chessboard. move

9. A sacrifice and forced sequence of moves to gain a certain advantage. combination

10. Any of the 32 movable objects used to play the game. piece

11. Placement of a rook or queen on a rank or file, or a bishop or queen on a diagonal to exert control over it. occupation

12. The period allotted for playing the game. time

13. German for "time trouble". zeitnot

14. A defensive blockade to keep out the enemy forces, especially the king. fortress

15. A game that ends in a tie where each player is awarded half a point. draw

16. An advanced square which cannot be attacked by a hostile piece of inferior rank. forepost

17. A row of eight squares from one end of the chessboard to the other. file

18. Known and played variations and positions in any phase of the game. theory

19. The lure of an opponent’s piece to a square that is particularly vulnerable. decoy

20. An aggressive move or series of moves in a certain area of the board. attack

21. Traps, threats, and plans based on the calculation of combinations or variations. tactics

22. The most important piece in chess. king

23. The most numerous piece in the game of chess. pawn

24. Any move or plan that is intended to meet or stop an enemy's threats or attack. defense

25. Voluntarily offering material in exchange for a perceived favorable advantage other than the material gained. sacrifice

26. A row of eight squares across the chessboard. rank

27. A novel move or idea in an established line of play. innovation

28. A pawn or square that is difficult to defend. weakness

29. That piece changes the color of the square it stands on with each move. knight

Vertical:

1. A short or long-term goal which a player bases his moves on. plan

2. A position in which the player whose turn it is to move has no legal move but is not in check. stalemate

3. When a pawn reaches the final rank, it can be turned into another piece (except a pawn or king), usually a queen. promotion

4. This piece was called the tower, marquess, rector, and comes. rook

5. The half of the board from which the queen starts. The a, b, c, and d files. queenside

6. Threatening the capture of the enemy king, such that it cannot escape. checkmate

7. The act of moving the king and rook simultaneously. castle

8. The arrangement of the pieces on the board at any given moment. position

9. Aggressive actions by the defender. counterplay

10. A system of symbols and coordinates for recording the moves of a game. notation

11. The four squares e4, d4, e5 and d5. center

12. The final phase of the game when there are few pieces left on the board. endgame

13. A position where a player would prefer to pass his move (but, of course cannot, as it is illegal) as any move damages his game. zugzwang

14. A form of double attack where one piece threatens two enemy pieces at the same time. fork

15. Immobilization of an enemy pawn by placing a piece (preferably a knight) on the square directly in front of it. blockade

16. The files that do not belong to the center, that is the a, b and c files on the queenside, and the f, g and h files on the kingside. flank

17. A hidden method of luring the opponent into making an error. trap

18. The area of the chess board controlled by each side. space

19. Where the first player voluntarily sacrifices a pawn or piece in the opening for positional or developmental advantage. gambit

20. That piece moves diagonally any number of squares, forwards or backwards. bishop

21. All pawns and pieces are units of _____. force

22. A measure of a player's skill, calculated as a number using a generally accepted formula by an official organization. rating

23. A move or series of moves designed to gain an advantage, but which has a chance of causing a disadvantage. risk

Chess Crossword

RCA Crossword Contest

 "The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give." 

~ Howard Cosell

This is a chess crossword prepared by GM Igor's lovely wife, 'Alyona'. To make it more entertaining, RCA team decided to host a solving competition with this crossword puzzle.

The "RCA Crossword Contest" will run from 31 August till Thursday, 8 September (last day to send in answers). For more details about the contest mechanics and such, you can check RCA's main page @chess-teacher.com

Contest Details

How will the winners be chosen? Downloadable Files, Send "Crossword Answers" File, Top Prizes, FAQ Section, and more... @ Chess Crossword Puzzle

"Are you UP for the CHALLENGE and be able to solve the whole chess crossword RIGHTLY?"

Chess Crossword

						1												2
1, 3															2					4
		5									3
4								6		5
					6								7									8
										7											8
						9										10
10			11													11
								12			12
13													14
					15										16
				15
								17 16
																18 17
		19						20
															21						18
								22			19			20							23
	24		21											25			22
			26					23			27
		28
														29

Crossword Questionnaire

Horizontal:

1. A strategy explored by Nimzovich, where you prevent your opponent from taking action in a certain area for fear of reprisal.

2. A lineup of pieces that move similarly on a single file or diagonal, usually pointing toward a critical point in the enemy's camp.

3. The line that is named by the coordinates of the start and end squares.

4. The beginning phase of a game, usually the first 10-15 moves. 

5. The phase of the game between the opening and endgame.

6. The strongest piece in chess.

7. Where the current position of the game favors one side over another.

8. The step of the piece on the chessboard.

9. A sacrifice and forced sequence of moves to gain a certain advantage.

10. Any of the 32 movable objects used to play the game.

11. Placement of a rook or queen on a rank or file, or a bishop or queen on a diagonal to exert control over it.

12. The period allotted for playing the game.

13. German for "time trouble".

14. A defensive blockade to keep out the enemy forces, especially the king.

15. A game that ends in a tie where each player is awarded half a point.

16. An advanced square which cannot be attacked by a hostile piece of inferior rank.

17. A row of eight squares from one end of the chessboard to the other.

18. Known and played variations and positions in any phase of the game.

19. The lure of an opponent’s piece to a square that is particularly vulnerable.

20. An aggressive move or series of moves in a certain area of the board.

21. Traps, threats, and plans based on the calculation of combinations or variations.

22. The most important piece in chess.

23. The most numerous piece in the game of chess. 

24. Any move or plan that is intended to meet or stop an enemy's threats or attack.

25. Voluntarily offering material in exchange for a perceived favorable advantage other than the material gained.

26. A row of eight squares across the chessboard.

27. A novel move or idea in an established line of play.

28. A pawn or square that is difficult to defend.

29. That piece changes the color of the square it stands on with each move.

Vertical:

1. A short or long-term goal which a player bases his moves on.

2. A position in which the player whose turn it is to move has no legal move but is not in check.

3. When a pawn reaches the final rank, it can be turned into another piece (except a pawn or king), usually a queen.

4. This piece was called the tower, marquess, rector, and comes.

5. The half of the board from which the queen starts. The a, b, c, and d files.

6. Threatening the capture of the enemy king, such that it cannot escape.

7. The act of moving the king and rook simultaneously.

8. The arrangement of the pieces on the board at any given moment.

9. Aggressive actions by the defender.

10. A system of symbols and coordinates for recording the moves of a game.

11. The four squares e4, d4, e5 and d5.

12. The final phase of the game when there are few pieces left on the board.

13. A position where a player would prefer to pass his move (but, of course cannot, as it is illegal) as any move damages his game.

14. A form of double attack where one piece threatens two enemy pieces at the same time.

15. Immobilization of an enemy pawn by placing a piece (preferably a knight) on the square directly in front of it.

16. The files that do not belong to the center, that is the a, b and c files on the queenside, and the f, g and h files on the kingside.

17. A hidden method of luring the opponent into making an error.

18. The area of the chess board controlled by each side.

19. Where the first player voluntarily sacrifices a pawn or piece in the opening for positional or developmental advantage.

20. That piece moves diagonally any number of squares, forwards or backwards.

21. All pawns and pieces are units of force.

22. A measure of a player's skill, calculated as a number using a generally accepted formula by an official organization.

23. A move or series of moves designed to gain an advantage, but which has a chance of causing a disadvantage.