WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.730 I'm Levy Rozman, chess educator and YouTuber. 2 00:00:02.730 --> 00:00:04.830 Today I'll be answering your questions from Twitter. 3 00:00:04.830 --> 00:00:06.867 This is "Chess Support." 4 00:00:06.867 --> 00:00:09.700 [heavy drum beat] 5 00:00:11.347 --> 00:00:13.470 @RevealersApp asks, "What is the origin 6 00:00:13.470 --> 00:00:16.177 of the word checkmate, and what does it mean? 7 00:00:16.177 --> 00:00:18.090 #question #doyouknow?" 8 00:00:18.090 --> 00:00:19.740 Wow, they asked this question in 2013. 9 00:00:19.740 --> 00:00:21.270 I really hope they've gotten it answered. 10 00:00:21.270 --> 00:00:22.110 As far as I know, 11 00:00:22.110 --> 00:00:25.140 the word "checkmate" is a direct translation from Persian, 12 00:00:25.140 --> 00:00:26.827 the word "shah mat." 13 00:00:26.827 --> 00:00:30.390 "Shah" would probably refer to the king, like the Shah, 14 00:00:30.390 --> 00:00:33.750 and "mat" would supposedly mean "trapped," "frozen," 15 00:00:33.750 --> 00:00:34.987 or something like that. 16 00:00:34.987 --> 00:00:37.980 @Urch_mann asks, "How do you become a chess Grandmaster?" 17 00:00:37.980 --> 00:00:39.600 The Grandmaster title is the highest one 18 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:40.433 that you can achieve 19 00:00:40.433 --> 00:00:42.390 according to the International Chess Federation. 20 00:00:42.390 --> 00:00:45.120 And basically, it means that you've achieved mastery 21 00:00:45.120 --> 00:00:46.230 at the game of chess. 22 00:00:46.230 --> 00:00:47.280 I'm not even a Grandmaster. 23 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:48.450 I'm an International Master, 24 00:00:48.450 --> 00:00:50.250 which is the title right underneath that. 25 00:00:50.250 --> 00:00:52.380 Basically, to achieve the Grandmaster title, 26 00:00:52.380 --> 00:00:54.090 you have to have a series of tournaments 27 00:00:54.090 --> 00:00:55.500 that are officially recognized. 28 00:00:55.500 --> 00:00:58.350 You also need to have a minimum Elo, 29 00:00:58.350 --> 00:01:00.630 which is a rating that quantifies your skill level, 30 00:01:00.630 --> 00:01:01.980 of 2,500. 31 00:01:01.980 --> 00:01:03.240 If you want to become a Grandmaster 32 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:04.560 and you're watching this and you're young, 33 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:05.850 you still have plenty of time. 34 00:01:05.850 --> 00:01:07.650 You should study as much chess as you can. 35 00:01:07.650 --> 00:01:09.240 You should play as much chess as you can. 36 00:01:09.240 --> 00:01:11.430 Analyze your games over and over. 37 00:01:11.430 --> 00:01:14.527 It will take time, but it is definitely possible. 38 00:01:14.527 --> 00:01:16.890 @MattSenter asks, "Dear hardcore chess players, 39 00:01:16.890 --> 00:01:18.840 was the jargon in 'Queen's Gambit' accurate? 40 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:20.700 Were the games authentically staged? 41 00:01:20.700 --> 00:01:23.347 Did you examine the boards for flaws in the narrative?" 42 00:01:23.347 --> 00:01:25.650 "The Queen's Gambit" was single-handedly the biggest thing 43 00:01:25.650 --> 00:01:27.090 to ever happen to chess. 44 00:01:27.090 --> 00:01:29.760 It was viewed by hundreds of millions of people 45 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:32.370 and that is why they had to make sure the show 46 00:01:32.370 --> 00:01:33.210 was super accurate. 47 00:01:33.210 --> 00:01:34.440 Apparently, they even had 48 00:01:34.440 --> 00:01:36.660 one of the best chess players of all time, Garry Kasparov, 49 00:01:36.660 --> 00:01:38.580 fact-check so many details of the show. 50 00:01:38.580 --> 00:01:39.413 And I'll tell you, 51 00:01:39.413 --> 00:01:41.160 as a person that has been to chess tournaments, 52 00:01:41.160 --> 00:01:43.350 sat around tables analyzing positions, 53 00:01:43.350 --> 00:01:45.030 they did a really good job. 54 00:01:45.030 --> 00:01:47.730 There's not quite as much substance abuse 55 00:01:47.730 --> 00:01:48.810 in the world of chess. 56 00:01:48.810 --> 00:01:51.307 But yeah, people do party. 57 00:01:51.307 --> 00:01:54.457 @JapanTutorChess asks... Oh wait, what's up Charlie? 58 00:01:54.457 --> 00:01:56.580 "Why is Magnus Carlsen so good at chess? 59 00:01:56.580 --> 00:01:58.860 I always feel inspired when I look at his games." 60 00:01:58.860 --> 00:02:01.470 Magnus Carlsen is the best chess player right now 61 00:02:01.470 --> 00:02:02.820 and there's an argument to be made 62 00:02:02.820 --> 00:02:04.920 that he's the best chess player of all time. 63 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:06.840 Magnus has an incredible stamina. 64 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:09.360 He will go on for 5, 6, 7 hours 65 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:13.260 and squeeze water out of stone in many of his positions. 66 00:02:13.260 --> 00:02:16.740 He has extremely good instincts and end game technique, 67 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:19.200 and that is what makes him the best chess player 68 00:02:19.200 --> 00:02:21.030 and that's what makes people inspired by his games 69 00:02:21.030 --> 00:02:23.227 'cause sometimes he makes it look so easy. 70 00:02:23.227 --> 00:02:26.250 @BuccoCapital asks, "Okay, serious question. 71 00:02:26.250 --> 00:02:27.780 How do you cheat in chess?" 72 00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:29.160 The simplest answer to this 73 00:02:29.160 --> 00:02:31.560 is that you receive external assistance 74 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:33.330 during a game that you play. 75 00:02:33.330 --> 00:02:36.180 If you're playing online, you might just toggle your tab. 76 00:02:36.180 --> 00:02:38.460 You put all the moves in the game that you're playing 77 00:02:38.460 --> 00:02:40.200 into some sort of analysis board 78 00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:42.090 where a computer will give an evaluation 79 00:02:42.090 --> 00:02:43.440 of what the best moves are. 80 00:02:43.440 --> 00:02:46.140 But if you happen to be playing live, face-to-face, 81 00:02:46.140 --> 00:02:48.090 you'll have to come up with a better mechanism, 82 00:02:48.090 --> 00:02:49.860 otherwise you're gonna be caught much faster. 83 00:02:49.860 --> 00:02:51.690 So people have had accomplices in the past 84 00:02:51.690 --> 00:02:54.240 or vibrating devices in their shoe or elsewhere. 85 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.850 But that is the way you would win a chess game 86 00:02:56.850 --> 00:02:57.997 by cheating. 87 00:02:57.997 --> 00:02:59.197 @ChessifyMe asks, 88 00:02:59.197 --> 00:03:03.240 "What's the worst possible move in chess in general?" 89 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:06.780 If you wanna ask what's the worst first move 90 00:03:06.780 --> 00:03:09.630 that white can play from a starting position, 91 00:03:09.630 --> 00:03:14.070 I think it's the move F3 with the pawn. 92 00:03:14.070 --> 00:03:18.300 Because you weaken your king on the dark squares 93 00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:21.540 and you disallow the natural movement of your knight. 94 00:03:21.540 --> 00:03:23.400 Your knight wanted to move there, 95 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:25.050 but now you got in your own way. 96 00:03:25.050 --> 00:03:27.270 So you sabotage your own development 97 00:03:27.270 --> 00:03:28.770 and you weakened your own king. 98 00:03:28.770 --> 00:03:31.710 Of all the options that you had on move one, which was 20, 99 00:03:31.710 --> 00:03:33.727 congrats, you chose the wrong one. 100 00:03:33.727 --> 00:03:38.250 @ChessDump asks, "What's the best opening? #Chess" 101 00:03:38.250 --> 00:03:39.330 For me personally, 102 00:03:39.330 --> 00:03:41.940 the best opening is the Caro-Kann Defense. 103 00:03:41.940 --> 00:03:45.360 Begins with the move E4, so this has to be played. 104 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:47.610 And black now responds with the move C6. 105 00:03:47.610 --> 00:03:49.320 This is the Caro-Kann Defense, 106 00:03:49.320 --> 00:03:51.240 and the objective of black's move 107 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:54.240 is to try to put the pawn in the center, 108 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:56.460 but not only be supported by the queen, 109 00:03:56.460 --> 00:03:58.320 also be supported by this pawn. 110 00:03:58.320 --> 00:03:59.880 This opening holds a dear place in my heart 111 00:03:59.880 --> 00:04:01.320 because when I was like 12 years old, 112 00:04:01.320 --> 00:04:02.640 I quit chess basically. 113 00:04:02.640 --> 00:04:04.770 I said, "Oh, this is too difficult. It's not cool. 114 00:04:04.770 --> 00:04:06.120 I don't have any friends playing chess." 115 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:09.330 And I came back to chess after two or three years, 116 00:04:09.330 --> 00:04:12.330 and the first opening that I picked up was the Caro-Kann. 117 00:04:12.330 --> 00:04:14.340 And I won a lot of games. 118 00:04:14.340 --> 00:04:16.020 I had a lot of success with this opening. 119 00:04:16.020 --> 00:04:17.880 I beat a lot of very decent players 120 00:04:17.880 --> 00:04:19.417 and I play it to this day. 121 00:04:19.417 --> 00:04:21.960 @ContraPoints asks "I wanna get better at chess, 122 00:04:21.960 --> 00:04:23.430 what's the best way to improve? 123 00:04:23.430 --> 00:04:24.930 Just play a million games, 124 00:04:24.930 --> 00:04:28.170 or do you have to read like chess...theory?" 125 00:04:28.170 --> 00:04:31.200 The best way, in my opinion, to improve at chess 126 00:04:31.200 --> 00:04:33.480 is to get the fundamentals down. 127 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:35.640 And when you talk about chess theory, 128 00:04:35.640 --> 00:04:38.940 what theory means is the best way to begin a game. 129 00:04:38.940 --> 00:04:40.860 But it's kind of necessary 130 00:04:40.860 --> 00:04:43.530 because if you're just starting a game of chess on your own, 131 00:04:43.530 --> 00:04:45.300 it's sort of like going to a boxing gym 132 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:46.740 without any proper instruction. 133 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:48.840 Like one punch and you're gonna go down. 134 00:04:48.840 --> 00:04:50.220 So you've gotta learn to keep your hands up, 135 00:04:50.220 --> 00:04:52.170 you've gotta learn to move your feet the right way. 136 00:04:52.170 --> 00:04:54.660 And if you're not doing that in the chess equivalent, 137 00:04:54.660 --> 00:04:56.737 then it's gonna go really poorly. 138 00:04:56.737 --> 00:04:59.520 @BrizChessTimes asks, "Chess myths. 139 00:04:59.520 --> 00:05:01.800 Are there really three phases to a chess game?" 140 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:04.380 There absolutely are three phases to a game of chess. 141 00:05:04.380 --> 00:05:06.870 They are the opening phase, the middle game phase, 142 00:05:06.870 --> 00:05:08.130 and the end game phase. 143 00:05:08.130 --> 00:05:10.260 The opening is something like the first five, 144 00:05:10.260 --> 00:05:13.170 10, or 15 moves of a chess game 145 00:05:13.170 --> 00:05:14.430 played between white and black 146 00:05:14.430 --> 00:05:16.500 that has already been explored before. 147 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:17.880 What that means is maybe somebody played it 148 00:05:17.880 --> 00:05:19.110 some years ago at a tournament. 149 00:05:19.110 --> 00:05:21.300 At some point, you enter new territory, 150 00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:22.860 a position that has never been reached. 151 00:05:22.860 --> 00:05:23.880 Which might surprise you, 152 00:05:23.880 --> 00:05:26.520 but that happens as early as move five or six in some games. 153 00:05:26.520 --> 00:05:28.680 A chess game that has never happened before. 154 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:30.240 That's called the middle game. 155 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:31.980 And that's kind of that stage of the game 156 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:33.960 where one side goes to battle against the other 157 00:05:33.960 --> 00:05:35.550 and you try to overtake your opponent. 158 00:05:35.550 --> 00:05:38.250 And the end game is basically when like half of these pieces 159 00:05:38.250 --> 00:05:39.210 have been traded off. 160 00:05:39.210 --> 00:05:42.330 Or all the pieces are gone and it's just kings and pawns. 161 00:05:42.330 --> 00:05:43.740 That's called a king and pawn end game. 162 00:05:43.740 --> 00:05:45.540 So those are the phases of the game. 163 00:05:45.540 --> 00:05:48.360 You can debate whether a position is middle or end game, 164 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:50.550 but there absolutely are three phases. 165 00:05:50.550 --> 00:05:51.637 That's not a myth. 166 00:05:51.637 --> 00:05:53.880 @Levine_Maxwell asks "Chess enthusiasts, 167 00:05:53.880 --> 00:05:56.220 is there a name for every possible move in chess? 168 00:05:56.220 --> 00:05:57.660 After following the world championship, 169 00:05:57.660 --> 00:05:59.190 the amount of names they have for different moves 170 00:05:59.190 --> 00:06:00.840 is infinitely fascinating. 171 00:06:00.840 --> 00:06:02.610 Like the Sicilian Defense, wing gambit, 172 00:06:02.610 --> 00:06:04.020 Rossolimo Variation." 173 00:06:04.020 --> 00:06:05.010 Yes. 174 00:06:05.010 --> 00:06:08.430 So the way I would describe this is chess openings are named 175 00:06:08.430 --> 00:06:11.790 after people or they are named after places. 176 00:06:11.790 --> 00:06:13.380 Any given chess opening, 177 00:06:13.380 --> 00:06:16.230 like the Sicilian Defense, obviously Sicily. 178 00:06:16.230 --> 00:06:19.380 Rossolimo Variation is named after Rossolimo. 179 00:06:19.380 --> 00:06:22.110 Chess openings are the first five, six, seven, 180 00:06:22.110 --> 00:06:23.430 10 moves of a game. 181 00:06:23.430 --> 00:06:26.430 Also in chess, a lot of different tactical patterns 182 00:06:26.430 --> 00:06:31.430 have fun nicknames like fork, pin, deflection, and so on. 183 00:06:32.130 --> 00:06:34.440 But those are just descriptive, conceptual terms 184 00:06:34.440 --> 00:06:37.597 and they're not actually named after people or locations. 185 00:06:37.597 --> 00:06:38.797 @ByBrandonWhite asks, 186 00:06:38.797 --> 00:06:42.480 "Is it harder to play with black pieces than white? #chess" 187 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:44.070 Basically what Brandon is asking here 188 00:06:44.070 --> 00:06:47.100 is that white goes first in chess, is that an advantage? 189 00:06:47.100 --> 00:06:48.450 It really doesn't matter. 190 00:06:48.450 --> 00:06:50.880 The truth is you're gonna play half the games of your life 191 00:06:50.880 --> 00:06:52.920 with white and half of them with black. 192 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:54.870 You've gotta be ready to play with either color. 193 00:06:54.870 --> 00:06:57.240 Now with black, especially early on, 194 00:06:57.240 --> 00:06:58.470 white can bring out their queen. 195 00:06:58.470 --> 00:07:00.270 They can try to checkmate you in four moves, 196 00:07:00.270 --> 00:07:01.590 which is called the Scholar's Mate. 197 00:07:01.590 --> 00:07:03.660 But as long as you learn to deal with early aggression 198 00:07:03.660 --> 00:07:06.240 and kind of nonsense openings, you'll be fine. 199 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:08.340 In fact, some people like playing black more 200 00:07:08.340 --> 00:07:10.590 because they can respond to what their opponent does. 201 00:07:10.590 --> 00:07:12.570 So their opponent shows their hand 202 00:07:12.570 --> 00:07:14.557 and now you get to respond with black. 203 00:07:14.557 --> 00:07:15.997 @PatrickBetDavid asks, 204 00:07:15.997 --> 00:07:18.570 "Who's the greatest chess player of all time?" 205 00:07:18.570 --> 00:07:20.520 This list basically comes down to three people. 206 00:07:20.520 --> 00:07:23.400 Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, and Bobby Fischer. 207 00:07:23.400 --> 00:07:25.260 There are some people out there that will argue 208 00:07:25.260 --> 00:07:26.130 for somebody else. 209 00:07:26.130 --> 00:07:27.630 They are objectively incorrect 210 00:07:27.630 --> 00:07:29.040 and I will be the first one to tell you. 211 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:31.110 All these three players dominated in different ways. 212 00:07:31.110 --> 00:07:34.230 Bobby Fischer was a transcended talent and hard worker. 213 00:07:34.230 --> 00:07:35.790 He was better than everybody that he played 214 00:07:35.790 --> 00:07:36.990 and it wasn't even close. 215 00:07:36.990 --> 00:07:38.610 But he was only world champion once 216 00:07:38.610 --> 00:07:40.410 and then he sort of stepped away from chess. 217 00:07:40.410 --> 00:07:42.390 Garry Kasparov dominated for decades, 218 00:07:42.390 --> 00:07:45.750 and Magnus Carlsen is currently in the midst of his reign. 219 00:07:45.750 --> 00:07:48.570 If Magnus can go another 6, 7, 8 years 220 00:07:48.570 --> 00:07:50.580 as the world ranked number one, 221 00:07:50.580 --> 00:07:51.960 there is a legitimate case to be made 222 00:07:51.960 --> 00:07:54.000 that he will overtake Garry. 223 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:54.870 It's very close. 224 00:07:54.870 --> 00:07:56.730 If I have to give you an answer right now, 225 00:07:56.730 --> 00:07:57.900 I will say Garry Kasparov. 226 00:07:57.900 --> 00:07:59.970 If we recorded this three years into the future, 227 00:07:59.970 --> 00:08:01.987 I probably would tell you Magnus. 228 00:08:01.987 --> 00:08:04.147 @KMarzantowicz says, 229 00:08:04.147 --> 00:08:08.220 "What can we learn from a game Deep Blue versus Kasparov?" 230 00:08:08.220 --> 00:08:10.530 The match was basically the turning point 231 00:08:10.530 --> 00:08:14.460 where humans could no longer defeat computers at chess. 232 00:08:14.460 --> 00:08:15.390 Garry Kasparov, 233 00:08:15.390 --> 00:08:17.660 one of the greatest chess players of all time, 234 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:19.590 in the late 1990s, 235 00:08:19.590 --> 00:08:23.040 played two matches against Deep Blue from IBM. 236 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:27.210 Deep Blue was a revolutionary chess computer 237 00:08:27.210 --> 00:08:30.810 and it was the pioneer of chess engines. 238 00:08:30.810 --> 00:08:33.930 And in the first match, Garry won. 239 00:08:33.930 --> 00:08:36.540 So Garry was still at his prime 240 00:08:36.540 --> 00:08:39.600 and was stronger than his chest opponent, 241 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:41.700 the counterpart, the AI. 242 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:45.090 But in their rematch, Garry was defeated. 243 00:08:45.090 --> 00:08:47.640 And since then, computers have only gotten better and better 244 00:08:47.640 --> 00:08:51.217 and now they can fit on something as small as a smartphone. 245 00:08:51.217 --> 00:08:54.180 @OfficialFBMA asks, "Random question. 246 00:08:54.180 --> 00:08:57.030 While playing chess, how does your queen's movements align 247 00:08:57.030 --> 00:08:58.650 with your overall strategy?" 248 00:08:58.650 --> 00:09:01.860 Well, the queen is the most powerful piece. 249 00:09:01.860 --> 00:09:04.260 It can move up, down, left, right. 250 00:09:04.260 --> 00:09:05.730 And on an empty board, 251 00:09:05.730 --> 00:09:09.510 it would control something like nearly half the squares. 252 00:09:09.510 --> 00:09:12.150 It goes to show you its power, its foresight, 253 00:09:12.150 --> 00:09:15.000 its ability to jump into the enemy position 254 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:16.920 on the other side of the board and then come right back. 255 00:09:16.920 --> 00:09:18.450 But since this is your most powerful piece, 256 00:09:18.450 --> 00:09:19.950 it's also your most valuable one. 257 00:09:19.950 --> 00:09:21.930 You don't wanna lose it just for no reason. 258 00:09:21.930 --> 00:09:26.070 And I would compare a queen to something like the dragons 259 00:09:26.070 --> 00:09:28.620 in "Game of Thrones" where they can be world-enders. 260 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:30.690 They could burn fire all over the place. 261 00:09:30.690 --> 00:09:32.580 But since both sides have one 262 00:09:32.580 --> 00:09:35.790 and any of the pawns can also promote to a queen, 263 00:09:35.790 --> 00:09:37.860 it can get really chaotic really fast. 264 00:09:37.860 --> 00:09:39.630 Both sides have eight pawns 265 00:09:39.630 --> 00:09:41.520 and one of the rules of the pawn 266 00:09:41.520 --> 00:09:44.370 is that if it makes it all the way to the end of the board, 267 00:09:44.370 --> 00:09:45.270 it can promote. 268 00:09:45.270 --> 00:09:49.657 It can promote to a knight, a bishop, a queen, or a rook. 269 00:09:49.657 --> 00:09:52.530 @TvPreds asks "Knights or bishops?" 270 00:09:52.530 --> 00:09:54.060 So this is a knight. 271 00:09:54.060 --> 00:09:55.890 Shockingly resembles a horse 272 00:09:55.890 --> 00:09:57.630 and I don't know why it's not called a horse. 273 00:09:57.630 --> 00:10:00.570 Basically, a knight can move in L shapes 274 00:10:00.570 --> 00:10:01.950 and goes 1, 1, 2. 275 00:10:01.950 --> 00:10:03.000 Gallop, gallop, turn. 276 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:05.400 And it's extremely elusive. 277 00:10:05.400 --> 00:10:09.150 And a lot of players at 99% of chess strength 278 00:10:09.150 --> 00:10:13.140 will miss the key defensive or offensive resources 279 00:10:13.140 --> 00:10:14.280 that a knight can provide. 280 00:10:14.280 --> 00:10:16.950 But top level players will say that a bishop is better. 281 00:10:16.950 --> 00:10:18.810 Because a bishop, theoretically, 282 00:10:18.810 --> 00:10:22.350 could travel the entire distance of the board in one move. 283 00:10:22.350 --> 00:10:24.330 But personally, I would say that a knight is better. 284 00:10:24.330 --> 00:10:27.120 It's extremely difficult to pinpoint exactly 285 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:28.410 what a knight wants to do. 286 00:10:28.410 --> 00:10:30.240 They're super tricky pieces. 287 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:32.100 Top level, this is better. 288 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:34.357 But for most of you, this is the better piece. 289 00:10:34.357 --> 00:10:36.960 @ComputerChess asks, "Explain like I'm five. 290 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:38.250 How do chess computers work?" 291 00:10:38.250 --> 00:10:39.900 Which is ironic 'cause that Twitter account 292 00:10:39.900 --> 00:10:42.210 is literally named Computer Chess, but I digress. 293 00:10:42.210 --> 00:10:44.640 Basically, a chess computer can see the future 294 00:10:44.640 --> 00:10:48.000 in 2, 3, 4, 10, 15 moves ahead, 295 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:48.990 come all the way back 296 00:10:48.990 --> 00:10:50.970 with all of the different possibilities 297 00:10:50.970 --> 00:10:52.200 and all the different combinations 298 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:53.610 and permutations of moves, 299 00:10:53.610 --> 00:10:55.800 which could be in the thousands or the tens of thousands 300 00:10:55.800 --> 00:10:56.633 or even the millions. 301 00:10:56.633 --> 00:10:58.740 Come all the way back to where we are right now. 302 00:10:58.740 --> 00:10:59.573 But essentially, 303 00:10:59.573 --> 00:11:02.850 the computer evaluates its probability of victory. 304 00:11:02.850 --> 00:11:05.070 That might mean the king is weak 305 00:11:05.070 --> 00:11:06.450 and I can tell that the king is weak. 306 00:11:06.450 --> 00:11:08.640 And I can tell the king is weak over the next 20 moves, 307 00:11:08.640 --> 00:11:10.050 I'm gonna be able to attack it. 308 00:11:10.050 --> 00:11:11.820 Just things that humans absolutely 309 00:11:11.820 --> 00:11:13.590 are not able to come up with. 310 00:11:13.590 --> 00:11:15.660 All the best chess engines in the world 311 00:11:15.660 --> 00:11:17.280 are around the same strength. 312 00:11:17.280 --> 00:11:18.930 The best one, which is Stockfish, 313 00:11:18.930 --> 00:11:21.120 will do this process that I just described 314 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:24.660 better, more efficiently, and more accurately over time 315 00:11:24.660 --> 00:11:25.807 than all the others. 316 00:11:25.807 --> 00:11:29.520 @BritneyMagic1 asks "In chess, what's castling?" 317 00:11:29.520 --> 00:11:32.490 Castling involves your king and one of your rooks. 318 00:11:32.490 --> 00:11:33.690 And basically, when the king and the rook 319 00:11:33.690 --> 00:11:36.030 have a totally empty line between them, 320 00:11:36.030 --> 00:11:39.660 the king would move two spaces like this. 321 00:11:39.660 --> 00:11:44.010 King would go two and the rook would come right next 322 00:11:44.010 --> 00:11:45.210 to the king. 323 00:11:45.210 --> 00:11:48.480 That action gets the king away from the center, 324 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:51.120 over to safety, like a vacation house if you will. 325 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:54.660 But black can also, in this position, castle long. 326 00:11:54.660 --> 00:11:56.070 This is the longer side. 327 00:11:56.070 --> 00:11:59.070 It required three pieces to get out of the way. 328 00:11:59.070 --> 00:12:00.810 And how does black do this? 329 00:12:00.810 --> 00:12:04.950 Black moves the king two squares, just the same way, 330 00:12:04.950 --> 00:12:08.730 and the rook comes right next to it. 331 00:12:08.730 --> 00:12:10.620 Now there is enough defense over here 332 00:12:10.620 --> 00:12:12.457 for the king not to worry long term. 333 00:12:12.457 --> 00:12:16.800 @SPWise747 asks "How would you describe the playing styles 334 00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:18.930 of Magnus Carlsen and GM Hikaru 335 00:12:18.930 --> 00:12:20.730 in terms of a particular animal?" 336 00:12:20.730 --> 00:12:22.320 This is a fascinating question 337 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.690 and I am very bad at drawing analogies, 338 00:12:24.690 --> 00:12:26.010 but I'm going to do my best. 339 00:12:26.010 --> 00:12:27.570 I think that Magnus Carlsen's 340 00:12:27.570 --> 00:12:28.860 suffocating playing style, 341 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:30.690 killing you slowly over time, 342 00:12:30.690 --> 00:12:32.520 is best compared to a python. 343 00:12:32.520 --> 00:12:35.850 And GM Hikaru, also known as Hikaru Nakamura, Grandmaster, 344 00:12:35.850 --> 00:12:37.890 one of the most accomplished speed chess players 345 00:12:37.890 --> 00:12:38.723 of all time. 346 00:12:38.723 --> 00:12:41.310 I would probably compare him to a jaguar. 347 00:12:41.310 --> 00:12:43.980 Like the elevated form of his species. 348 00:12:43.980 --> 00:12:47.610 Fast. Very, very resourceful. Multi-talented. 349 00:12:47.610 --> 00:12:49.657 And also very elusive. 350 00:12:49.657 --> 00:12:50.857 @ChessifyMe asks, 351 00:12:50.857 --> 00:12:54.120 "Quick tactic from Adams versus Fabrego, 1988. 352 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:56.850 How fast can you find checkmate in two? White to move" 353 00:12:56.850 --> 00:12:57.683 I found it. 354 00:12:57.683 --> 00:13:00.630 Checkmate in two means you make a move, 355 00:13:00.630 --> 00:13:03.210 your opponent responds, and on that second move, 356 00:13:03.210 --> 00:13:04.740 you deliver a checkmate. 357 00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:06.270 In this position in particular, 358 00:13:06.270 --> 00:13:08.220 white is actually really in trouble 359 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:10.710 because white is down a bishop and the knight. 360 00:13:10.710 --> 00:13:12.960 Materially speaking, white has a lot less. 361 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:17.337 But look at this powerful control over this king. 362 00:13:17.337 --> 00:13:19.080 The king is completely stranded. 363 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:22.530 White doesn't have any options, right? 364 00:13:22.530 --> 00:13:24.690 Because if white tries to get in with the rook, 365 00:13:24.690 --> 00:13:26.610 one of these pieces will capture. 366 00:13:26.610 --> 00:13:27.660 But white does have this move. 367 00:13:27.660 --> 00:13:29.070 This is called a sacrifice. 368 00:13:29.070 --> 00:13:32.340 So the first move here is Rook F7, check. 369 00:13:32.340 --> 00:13:34.290 Black has no legal move here, 370 00:13:34.290 --> 00:13:38.310 except capturing the rook for free with the king. 371 00:13:38.310 --> 00:13:39.180 You're able to do that 372 00:13:39.180 --> 00:13:41.670 because the rook has no protection here. 373 00:13:41.670 --> 00:13:42.990 So black just want a rook. 374 00:13:42.990 --> 00:13:47.850 But our queen now drives into where our rook used to stand 375 00:13:47.850 --> 00:13:49.920 and this is check, once again. 376 00:13:49.920 --> 00:13:52.800 But this time, the king is unable to run 377 00:13:52.800 --> 00:13:54.540 anywhere around the queen, 378 00:13:54.540 --> 00:13:56.220 because obviously the queen would get the king. 379 00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:58.350 But if the king takes the queen 380 00:13:58.350 --> 00:14:00.990 the same way the king took the rook, 381 00:14:00.990 --> 00:14:03.960 our rook would now capture that king. 382 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:05.197 Checkmate in two. 383 00:14:05.197 --> 00:14:07.590 @Unlimited_Chess asks "r/chess, 384 00:14:07.590 --> 00:14:09.810 what is the rarest move ever played?" 385 00:14:09.810 --> 00:14:11.460 Rarest move is a tough one. 386 00:14:11.460 --> 00:14:14.430 But it basically means just an absolutely breathtaking move, 387 00:14:14.430 --> 00:14:16.530 something that you cannot find anywhere else. 388 00:14:16.530 --> 00:14:18.240 And if I've gotta give one, 389 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.100 I would say the Gold Coins Game 390 00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:22.890 that Frank Marshall played in the early 20th century 391 00:14:22.890 --> 00:14:25.950 where he sacrificed basically three pieces at the same time. 392 00:14:25.950 --> 00:14:29.280 His last move, queen to G3, was just exceptional 393 00:14:29.280 --> 00:14:31.530 and people apparently showered the board 394 00:14:31.530 --> 00:14:33.787 with gold coins after the move was played. 395 00:14:33.787 --> 00:14:35.167 @Chessmate_app asks, 396 00:14:35.167 --> 00:14:37.260 "Can you solve this puzzle by Paul Morphy? 397 00:14:37.260 --> 00:14:39.360 White mates in two moves." Yeah, I solved it. 398 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.730 Paul Morphy is one of the most accomplished chess players 399 00:14:41.730 --> 00:14:44.040 of all time and one of the most famous ones. 400 00:14:44.040 --> 00:14:46.290 He's the protagonist of the Opera Game, 401 00:14:46.290 --> 00:14:48.420 which was a legendary game where a bunch of pieces 402 00:14:48.420 --> 00:14:50.370 were sacrificed to deliver a checkmate. 403 00:14:50.370 --> 00:14:53.220 And he was around about 170 years ago. 404 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:56.130 That was when he was in the prime of his chess career. 405 00:14:56.130 --> 00:14:57.480 One of the things that he did though, 406 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:00.510 besides dominate at chess was compositions. 407 00:15:00.510 --> 00:15:02.520 Not musical ones, but chess ones. 408 00:15:02.520 --> 00:15:05.400 And compositions are basically fake positions 409 00:15:05.400 --> 00:15:07.650 that have never happened in a real game 410 00:15:07.650 --> 00:15:09.840 with certain goals and objectives 411 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.060 that make you think totally outside the box 412 00:15:12.060 --> 00:15:13.920 of what you would normally be thinking of 413 00:15:13.920 --> 00:15:15.300 during a real chess game. 414 00:15:15.300 --> 00:15:17.190 And this is an example of one. 415 00:15:17.190 --> 00:15:20.040 The right move here is the absolutely fascinating 416 00:15:20.040 --> 00:15:22.350 rook to H6. 417 00:15:22.350 --> 00:15:25.740 That move puts black in what's called a zwischenzug 418 00:15:25.740 --> 00:15:30.740 or a German word for basically having no moves 419 00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:32.430 except self-sabotage. 420 00:15:32.430 --> 00:15:35.190 Anything that you do will result in the loss of something. 421 00:15:35.190 --> 00:15:38.160 Essentially, if the bishop moves to any square, 422 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:39.630 we play rook takes pawn. 423 00:15:39.630 --> 00:15:42.060 Checkmate. That's the move that we wanted to play anyway. 424 00:15:42.060 --> 00:15:43.650 But the bishop was standing there defending. 425 00:15:43.650 --> 00:15:47.130 Well, what if black takes our rook? 426 00:15:47.130 --> 00:15:52.130 Well, then we use the cleared out G7 square to push our pawn 427 00:15:52.800 --> 00:15:53.940 and black has checkmated. 428 00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:56.040 Boxed in by his own pieces. 429 00:15:56.040 --> 00:15:57.930 So those are all the questions for today. 430 00:15:57.930 --> 00:16:00.060 I really appreciate all of you who submitted them. 431 00:16:00.060 --> 00:16:02.940 And if I have to give you any parting advice before I go, 432 00:16:02.940 --> 00:16:04.800 it would be to absolutely give chess a try. 433 00:16:04.800 --> 00:16:06.780 It's a lot less intimidating than you think 434 00:16:06.780 --> 00:16:09.600 and there's never been a better time to pick up chess 435 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.010 with all the resources out there. 436 00:16:11.010 --> 00:16:12.810 Thanks for watching "Chess Support."