Amazing Games for Everyone!
Sometimes, it requires a Rembrandt to appreciate the Mona Lisa; or a Karpov to appreciate a Fischer endgame. But there are also many works of exquisite artistry on the chessboard which are accessible to novices. And this is where you can find them, with instructive commentary from masters intended to open the door to the beauty of the game, and to highlight one or two lessons you can take from each game.
All videos in this series are appropriate for beginner level. This is a continuing series, so keep an eye open for future additional videos.
Not what you were looking for? Back to video guide.
Strike While the Iron's Hot: Learn why when you have an advantage in some part of the board, you can't always build up forever. Sometimes you need to seize your chances, as Pillsbury did in this game with a now-classic sacrifice, which you can also add to your arsenal.
Pillsbury's Attack: Here's a great way to grab a space advantage, then build up a big attack behind that space. If you're having an inspired day, maybe you can also finish it off with flashy tactics!
Morphy's Genius 1 and 2: Probably the most famous game in chess history-- everyone knows this one, so you better too.
Alekhine's Attack: Alekhine introduces us to a classic trade: a knight or a bishop for two central pawns. The goal: to open the board up when the opponent has left their king in the center, thinking it was locked up!
Tunnel Vision: There's this common arrangement of pieces in chess: one player is castled, and the knight that defends the kingside is pinned to the queen by a bishop. So they try to chase the bishop away by attacking it with the rook pawn. Check out an awesome resource that you will have many occasions to surprise your adversaries with.
One Weakness and One Piece is All it Takes: With just one weakness in the position, white thought they were safe trading off the last piece. But the deep genius, Rubinstein, had discovered a winning plan that enlightened how chess players would understand the endgame forever.
Rubinstein's Smooth Rook: Another endgame classic from Rubinstein, who was rightly revered for the elegance of his rooks. Again you get a glimpse of the magic that can be done with a positional advantage in the endgame.
Dominate the Center!: This video takes a look at a very clean game by Richard Reti, employing a classical, rather than hypermodern style. A great example to understand better why controlling and occupying the center is advantageous, and how that advantage is to be utilized.
Unusual Wizardry: An invitation to tactical wizardry! Check out Richard Reti's brilliant attack (born of good piece coordination) in this King's Gambit.
Magic Outpost 1: In the first part of this two-video game presentation, we learn a few important positional ideas, and the planning that leads to a classic domination of a Knight on d5.
Magic Outpost 2: In the second half, we watch as white turns that positional advantage into a decisive attack.
This series is ongoing, so check back for more!
