WEBVTT 00:01.350 --> 00:02.190 Hi there. 00:02.220 --> 00:06.570 In this lecture, I want to talk about stability and balance and their impact for attacking chess. 00:06.840 --> 00:11.400 So to make a metaphor out of karate balance is important if you want to throw a punch. 00:11.490 --> 00:15.720 You don't want to be totally off balance that you fall over dinner time. 00:15.720 --> 00:20.130 Q So balance is important in general and stability of position. 00:20.460 --> 00:25.440 So sometimes you don't want your position falling apart when you try and attack with your pieces and 00:25.440 --> 00:26.940 neglect everything else. 00:27.480 --> 00:34.770 So Sun Tzu in The Art of War said basically the good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the 00:34.770 --> 00:39.420 possibility of defeat and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. 00:39.990 --> 00:48.930 So sometimes, yes, reinforcing those potentially losing downsides first before playing an attack or 00:48.930 --> 00:52.740 even a specific move is important in chess. 00:52.770 --> 00:57.660 I like to call it weakness of the last move if the opponent plays an aggressive move. 00:57.660 --> 01:02.370 So they move a rook to attack your queen, but they've left their back row. 01:02.400 --> 01:04.870 That's that's a very common one. 01:04.890 --> 01:10.590 Even grandmasters have been having, you know, back row possibilities recently online, at least. 01:11.460 --> 01:16.650 You know, that's a very common one where resources are applied to attack you. 01:16.950 --> 01:21.390 But instead of just focusing on, like, a terrified bunny. 01:21.480 --> 01:24.020 Oh, what do I do to parry that rook? 01:24.030 --> 01:27.630 You ask, what is the weakness of their last move? 01:27.660 --> 01:28.620 You're testing. 01:28.620 --> 01:31.980 Have they actually incurred a lack of balance? 01:31.980 --> 01:35.240 Shouldn't they have reinforced their back row first? 01:35.250 --> 01:37.710 Maybe they should have made air for their king. 01:37.920 --> 01:43.530 So without doing the reinforcement of the potentially losing, Wing says they've gone on to the attack. 01:44.160 --> 01:51.360 And yet you have to remove the bias of the glamour, of the shock, of the terror, of the fear of their 01:51.360 --> 01:53.670 move, and look at the weakness of the move. 01:53.700 --> 01:58.170 It tests the stability and balance of the attacking actions. 01:58.170 --> 02:03.480 So that could be at the micro move level, but it could be in general than if you want to attack your 02:03.480 --> 02:10.470 pieces on the King side, are you abandoning your queenside in openings like the King's engine attack? 02:11.610 --> 02:16.140 A great use of the king's engine attack is when you can get a good grip on the center. 02:16.140 --> 02:20.850 And as an example, I'm going to show you soon where Fischer was white and he's kind of what I call 02:20.850 --> 02:24.870 over protecting the E5 point, which is something Nimzowitsch talked about. 02:24.870 --> 02:30.330 Strengthening a strong point naturally makes your pieces kind of develops coordinated like a team, 02:30.630 --> 02:37.920 and able to operate on the kingside without too much penalty as well as restraining things like F6 sometimes 02:37.920 --> 02:40.760 because potentially E6 could come under fire. 02:40.770 --> 02:48.450 So the act of over protection of a central point is an interesting example in a more general sense of 02:48.450 --> 02:52.080 your position being reinforced strong. 02:52.080 --> 02:56.730 You know, go from a very good position of strength before going on to the attack. 02:57.000 --> 02:59.490 We've seemingly offside moves. 03:00.030 --> 03:06.150 So yeah, it's a very, very interesting idea that sometimes attacking moves needs to be prepared with 03:06.150 --> 03:11.820 ridiculous king moves like you can imagine a move like King H to sometimes to avoid a check on the back 03:11.820 --> 03:16.380 row and then you can move a knight and now it's not checked. 03:16.380 --> 03:20.340 So sometimes it even quiet moves which seem to, you know, do nothing. 03:20.340 --> 03:26.610 They prepare attacking moves they give us they stability and balance to be like the good fighter of 03:26.610 --> 03:32.160 all you know putting ourselves beyond the possibility of a check, for example, which could ruin our 03:32.160 --> 03:32.940 accommodation. 03:32.940 --> 03:40.950 We do a quiet move which puts us in a position of stability and balance before doing attacking moves. 03:41.160 --> 03:46.890 So when we question the downsides of the opponent's position, even, you know, especially a move level, 03:46.890 --> 03:51.780 but in general, we're questioning the stability and balance of the opponent position in general. 03:51.900 --> 03:53.970 A queen in Siberia of the opponents, Queen in Siberia. 03:53.970 --> 03:54.450 Offside. 03:54.450 --> 03:55.650 It's away from the king. 03:55.680 --> 03:56.820 Is it out of balance? 03:56.820 --> 04:01.470 You could really be questioning that by maybe offering the queen even more material to be sucked in 04:01.470 --> 04:04.140 on your queen side and you go on attack on the king side. 04:04.140 --> 04:07.710 So you've exploited a lack of balance that they've created. 04:07.710 --> 04:09.210 They they might have. 04:09.790 --> 04:15.060 You had a lot of resources attracted to obliterate your queenside, but they're off balance. 04:15.060 --> 04:17.580 They might have neglected their king. 04:18.720 --> 04:25.140 So we have this balance of attack in defence, and it's especially lost if the opponents are moving 04:25.140 --> 04:26.910 pawns in front of their king. 04:26.940 --> 04:29.610 Irreversible decisions of the chessboard moves. 04:29.970 --> 04:31.560 They think they're attacking you. 04:31.560 --> 04:35.820 You don't have to necessarily look at the threats that they're creating or just allow them because you 04:35.820 --> 04:39.900 can counter attack strongly at the weaknesses that they've created. 04:39.900 --> 04:44.700 I like to try and get opponents off balance with provocative openings like the Queen's Knights Tango, 04:44.700 --> 04:51.450 to get people to commit their pawns and get them off balance, get weaknesses in their position, which 04:51.450 --> 04:52.890 can later exploit. 04:53.250 --> 05:00.030 So yeah, this idea of stability and balance to me go together and pieces. 05:00.230 --> 05:03.170 Or awake, centrally focused influenced. 05:03.200 --> 05:08.630 Ideally ideally strong central squares which nimzowitsch called over protection. 05:08.630 --> 05:13.730 But nimzowitsch had other tools like restraint and blockade, which is basically like locking up, for 05:13.730 --> 05:14.570 example, the queenside. 05:14.570 --> 05:19.460 You see this over and over again, not just in Nimzowitsch, but in Fischer Games where in the King's 05:19.460 --> 05:25.310 Engine defense, which you might not think is an attack opening, but if the Queen signs frozen, then 05:25.310 --> 05:29.580 the attack can run freely without the usual obliteration on the queenside. 05:29.600 --> 05:35.920 So this question of locking down the vulnerabilities first, then going on to the attack with great 05:35.930 --> 05:39.280 freedom is a beautiful idea. 05:39.290 --> 05:44.150 So in this Fischer game example, Fischer has got the strong point. 05:44.150 --> 05:45.950 But has he neglected his queenside? 05:45.950 --> 05:48.770 The opponent's got extra space on the queenside. 05:48.770 --> 05:51.200 So this is Fischer against certain. 05:51.230 --> 05:56.680 My concern in 1967, the Susa interzonal round three. 05:56.690 --> 06:02.360 So here Fischer first attends to the queenside trying to lock down frees the queenside so that there 06:02.360 --> 06:03.820 aren't dangerous possibilities. 06:03.830 --> 06:10.580 Now, if he didn't do this, then there is a possibility that A3 could inflict a certain amount of issues. 06:10.580 --> 06:15.410 For example, here Black could spring into that C square potentially. 06:15.410 --> 06:22.130 So this position, there might not be enough attack to justify things here because black control is 06:22.130 --> 06:23.990 quite a few key squares. 06:23.990 --> 06:26.000 Black actually might have the advantage here. 06:26.000 --> 06:28.190 The attack might be absolutely nothing. 06:28.190 --> 06:36.650 So Fischer first reinforces his queenside with a free and makes sure that that C4 isn't such a bad liability. 06:36.650 --> 06:42.500 We have A5 This is actually an inaccuracy, but I don't want to show the detail. 06:42.500 --> 06:43.640 I just want to give you the gist. 06:43.960 --> 06:47.390 The general idea here without too many variations. 06:47.390 --> 06:48.290 So let's see. 06:48.320 --> 06:51.380 93 Bishop A6 Bishop H3. 06:51.410 --> 06:56.000 Okay, we have the fault and this does permanently weaken the E4 square. 06:56.030 --> 07:01.070 So when you weaken squares, it is like you're potentially taking your opponent out of balance and not 07:01.070 --> 07:04.190 controlling the key E4 square now. 07:04.190 --> 07:11.720 And this E4 square could be used later with advantage we see G five so quite often such a night excursion 07:11.720 --> 07:13.340 is not afforded by the position. 07:13.340 --> 07:16.610 But here this is a great King's engine attack position. 07:16.700 --> 07:23.420 We've got strong central control and the knight has also that E4 square to pivot to if needed. 07:23.420 --> 07:30.230 95 Bishop goes back, We have Bishop takes G5 and now we've got a bishop without a counterpart, which 07:30.230 --> 07:31.340 is very, very dangerous. 07:31.340 --> 07:32.930 And here the Queen is free to go in. 07:32.960 --> 07:35.330 There's no key defender on on f6. 07:35.330 --> 07:37.400 That's a beautiful thing about protecting E5. 07:37.400 --> 07:42.860 The E5 is knocked out the defender, which means the soft spot H seven is softer than usual. 07:42.860 --> 07:49.310 Rook FC eight We have 92 nine C3 and now Fischer goes in with Bishop F6. 07:49.310 --> 07:50.740 We have Queenie eyes. 07:50.750 --> 07:53.030 So this is a wonderful attack position. 07:53.030 --> 07:58.610 If it had been taken, let me just show you that that form pawn is a great ingredient for the attacking 07:58.610 --> 07:59.180 player. 07:59.180 --> 08:05.180 And here we have a very strong attacking move afforded by this protection. 08:05.270 --> 08:09.260 Good rooks being X-raying these these squares we actually have. 08:09.260 --> 08:11.450 What do you think white plays here for 100 points. 08:13.310 --> 08:13.550 Yeah. 08:13.550 --> 08:20.600 We actually have Bishop F5 mating for that and if it is rookie seven using that hook of the form pawn 08:20.600 --> 08:26.390 and this position, then we can kick out the queen or win the queen and it's going to be in our advantage. 08:26.660 --> 08:28.640 So there's beautiful variations there. 08:28.640 --> 08:37.760 So Queenie eight not taking the bishop, but now 94 G6 Queen G5 Knight takes E4, Rook takes E4, and 08:37.760 --> 08:40.220 now Black is still interested in this queenside attack. 08:40.220 --> 08:43.430 Trying to show is white actually off balance. 08:43.430 --> 08:48.980 But there's enough attack potential now after H5 to justify this even dropping D3. 08:48.980 --> 08:51.620 We have C takes D3, it's justified. 08:51.620 --> 08:52.580 We're off balance. 08:52.580 --> 08:54.980 It's like we're collapsing on the queenside. 08:55.460 --> 08:56.690 So you might think, Well. 08:56.690 --> 08:58.940 KING Why, why, why are you showing this example? 08:58.940 --> 09:00.590 Look, it's off balance, it's collapsed. 09:00.590 --> 09:02.570 But the thing is, checkmate ends the game. 09:02.570 --> 09:08.900 So even if we haven't baton haven't locked down our bases first and they are getting seemingly demolished, 09:08.900 --> 09:11.300 we are winning time in chess. 09:11.300 --> 09:13.490 And, you know, several moves in a row. 09:13.490 --> 09:16.250 The opponent munching material, we get several moves in a row. 09:16.280 --> 09:20.300 It's in effect like gaining tempo, right, if you have several moves in a row. 09:20.300 --> 09:23.450 So Rook for this is a very dangerous position. 09:23.450 --> 09:25.670 Now for black we have Rook seven. 09:25.760 --> 09:29.090 If D take C two, it's too slow. 09:29.090 --> 09:35.150 Black's actions h takes and this position is far too dangerous. 09:35.150 --> 09:38.300 So for example, HG Rook is checkmate. 09:38.780 --> 09:46.100 Or if F takes, Rook takes h seven and this position Black's actions are too slow here because here 09:46.310 --> 09:48.650 we can even go with this is great variation. 09:48.650 --> 09:54.770 We go with Queen C seven kind of hijacking that C file of black's and amazing there bishop without a 09:54.770 --> 09:58.310 counterpart as well is exposed as an ingredient of the attack now. 09:58.340 --> 09:59.870 So Rook seven was trying. 10:00.070 --> 10:02.980 Bishop, G2, and you might think, well, we're gaining time. 10:02.980 --> 10:06.400 We're gaining time for multiple moves in a row with all this munching. 10:06.400 --> 10:06.990 Right. 10:07.000 --> 10:08.740 But how exactly is it exploited? 10:08.740 --> 10:14.830 Because after Queen H six isn't the snack Queen fight, and this is where our tactical and compensatory 10:14.830 --> 10:16.300 prowess comes in. 10:16.330 --> 10:20.680 It's completely justified this position with this next move. 10:21.550 --> 10:23.320 Can you see what it is for 200 points? 10:23.320 --> 10:24.880 What does Bobby Fischer play here? 10:28.250 --> 10:30.940 Queen Sykes, 87, is running a check now. 10:31.240 --> 10:33.020 The black had to resign. 10:33.020 --> 10:36.320 So after King takes H seven, H takes G six. 10:36.320 --> 10:36.920 Check. 10:37.220 --> 10:38.300 Black is getting mated. 10:38.300 --> 10:41.300 If King takes G six, Bishop e4 is checkmate. 10:41.450 --> 10:44.030 If King Rook is checkmate. 10:45.140 --> 10:48.770 Now, this isn't the most emphatic over protection example. 10:48.770 --> 10:50.000 I can I can show you. 10:50.000 --> 10:54.680 There are lots of nimzowitsch games and Bobby Fischer games where he's played the Kings in defense or 10:54.680 --> 10:58.790 Nimzowitsch has played the nimzowitsch inion and the completely made sure that there's no queenside 10:58.820 --> 11:01.130 operations and then they've gone on to the attack. 11:01.130 --> 11:07.910 So they've had even more visual extreme balance and stability before going on to the attack. 11:08.000 --> 11:14.420 But it's something to bear in mind that when we think about central influence or just having a position 11:14.420 --> 11:18.440 which is beyond the fair, it's going beyond the notion of central influence. 11:18.440 --> 11:20.390 We're putting ourselves beyond the fate. 11:20.390 --> 11:26.000 This is a great principle which, you know, the neural networks kind of emphasized. 11:26.000 --> 11:31.430 So stability and balance, putting yourself beyond the possibility of defeat and then taking that opportunity 11:31.430 --> 11:34.640 for the attack later, it doesn't backfire so much. 11:34.640 --> 11:39.890 And if it backfires in terms of material grabs, all of those material grabs the like, we've gained 11:39.890 --> 11:44.360 tempo in effect, We've got quite a few moves in the row while the opponent is grabbing our pawns. 11:44.360 --> 11:47.920 So anyway, stability and balance. 11:48.230 --> 11:52.460 The key thing, it links up to this idea of putting yourself beyond the feet. 11:52.460 --> 11:54.290 It's like you go and park your car. 11:54.320 --> 12:00.800 You usually lock your car before going off to the shops, you know, so you reinforce your bases before 12:00.800 --> 12:02.180 going shopping. 12:02.420 --> 12:06.890 Otherwise you might find your cars not thereafter, you know, So things like that. 12:06.890 --> 12:12.380 It's all in the art of war, you know, put yourself beyond the possibility of the fate prophylaxis, 12:12.380 --> 12:20.510 prevention, so you make sure that you are in a kind of stable and balanced place before you do an action, 12:20.510 --> 12:24.740 which naturally takes you a bit off balance that you're not with your car, you're going off balance. 12:24.830 --> 12:26.510 In a crying move, you're going off balance. 12:26.540 --> 12:30.530 It's good to be stable first before going off balance on chessboard. 12:30.530 --> 12:33.500 Make sure you're exploiting the opponent's weakness of the last move. 12:33.500 --> 12:35.330 Remove that bias of fear and terror. 12:35.330 --> 12:37.940 Are this GM 2800 is threatening my Queen. 12:37.940 --> 12:39.350 What about that back row? 12:40.310 --> 12:41.150 Ask that question. 12:41.150 --> 12:44.420 What what downsides is there in that position? 12:44.420 --> 12:44.990 And you never know. 12:44.990 --> 12:47.990 You could you could crush them unexpectedly. 12:47.990 --> 12:50.300 You know, they've underestimated you. 12:50.300 --> 12:53.810 So don't just look at the the effects of the actions. 12:53.810 --> 12:54.920 Look at what they've left behind. 12:54.920 --> 12:59.480 Look at their lack of stability and balance for the counter attacks. 12:59.930 --> 13:00.410 Okay. 13:00.410 --> 13:04.850 I hope that's kind of an interesting food for fall introduction lecture. 13:04.850 --> 13:09.350 So look out for this notion in example games as you go through the course. 13:09.380 --> 13:11.300 Okay, that's much.