Chess 4 All: The opening in Chess is the beginning stage of the game. So far in this course, we have learned about the endgame and middlegame, but we have not discussed the opening in detail.In this class, you will learn the main three principles you should follow as well as other tips to get the most out of your opening.
00:30 1) Control the center of the board: we know by now that our pieces control more squares when they are in the center. Also, having pawns in the center will make it difficult for your opponent’s pieces to maneuver and move around.
02:15 2) Develop the minor pieces: minors pieces are your knights and bishops. The rooks and Queen are major pieces. If you only use pawns, it will be hard to unleash a quick attack. That is why we immediately develop our minor pieces, which are better attackers. When developing our pieces, we also have to bring them towards the center. This way, they control more squares and also they can get to our opponent’s king faster.
05:25 3) Castle your king: Finally, we need to put our king in safety by castling. This special move will also allow the rook you castle with to come to the central files and help put pressure through any open files that might open.
09:25 *Speed is another important factor in the opening stage. We need to do all of this quickly so that we can attack our opponent’s king before they can defend. Consequently, we cannot afford to waste time when developing our pieces.
10:02 *Game analysis: the game we review in this lesson allows us to put everything together and appreciate how other players effectively use these ideas.
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My Book Recommendations:
First tactics book:
Mixed tactics book:
Advanced tactics book:
Advanced tactics book (II):
Carlsen’s book (excellent):
Kramnik’s book (excellent):
Pirc Defense book:
Endgames book:
Learn how to play Chess the right way from beginner to master level. National Master Robert Ramirez will take you up the pyramid by following a proven Chess training program he has been improving and implementing for over 10 years.
Benefits of Playing Chess:
- Promotes brain growth
– Increases problem-solving skills
– It exercises both sides of the brain
– Raises your IQ
– Sparks your creativity
– Teaches planning and foresight
– Teaches patience and concentration
– Optimizes memory improvement
– Improves recovery from stroke or disability
– Helps treat ADHD
Chess is an intellectual battle where players are exposed to numerous mental processes such as analysis, attention to detail, synthesis, concentration, planning and foresight. Psychological factors are also present on and off the board; playing Chess stimulates our imagination and creativity. Every single move a player makes is the result of a deep analysis based on the elements presented on the battle field.
Chess in its essence teaches us psychological, sociological and even moral values. In a Chess game, both players start with the same amount of material and time. The fact that the white pieces move first is considered to be practically irrelevant —especially because a player typically plays one game as white and one game as black. Consequently, the final result of the battle solely depends on each player. It doesn’t matter if you win by taking advantage of your opponent’s mistakes or by simply avoiding mistakes yourself. Truth is that Chess is an extremely individual sport and our defeats can only be blamed on ourselves and no one else. And this, in the end, only benefits us because we learn to be and feel responsible for our actions and never come up with excuses to justify ourselves.
We also learn that when it comes to our victories on the board, our opponent’s mistakes play a more significant role than our own skills. Let’s not forget that a Chess game without any mistakes would be a draw. This way, Chess provides us with another valuable life lesson: be humble at all times.
About National Master Robert Ramirez:
With an outstanding background as a professional Chess player and over 8 years of teaching experience, Robert Ramirez brings both his passion and his expertise to the board, helping you believe & achieve!
Robert Ramirez was introduced to the fascinating world of Chess when he was 5 years old and has participated in prestigious tournaments such as the World Open Chess Tournament and the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Championships. Thanks to his performance, he has earned his National Master title from the United States Chess Federation.
For me, the best/most complete free chess lessons on you tube and i have watched a lot of chess content now! thank you Robert.
Excellent videos! I've only made it through the first twenty-three lessons and you have helped me take my game to the next level. Thank you!
7:13 I always knew that French Defence is crap.
I love your instruction, (thank you), but I open with white to e4, and my computer follows with d5. I have not seen instruction yet, (it may be in your curriculum that I have not found yet), to handle that,—so the rest of the instruction seem to add little value to me. The only think I can think of doing is not take the pawn, (it snags it with the queen, and nothing is developed for a defense), and my my pawn to e5 to get past it,—but that leavs my pawn open for attack, (but keeps the knight at home for a bit). Moving my pawn past his is the only way I have beaten it, (and just trade knights/bishops as soon as it brings them out)—-once. 🙂 I have hit a wall of frustration—because of one pawn move of the opponent I have not seen you discuss yet.
What I can't stand with most on-line instruction is when they show a famous game, (Fischer vs. Spassky is common), and interject "what I could have done", which distracts from the thinking of the people who were the best in the world at the time. I would much rather those guys tell us what they believe Fischer or Spassky were thinking when they made their famous moves, but maybe they can't figure that out themselves, (and have to interject their personal thoughts)?
If you do another series of famous games, showing what the players were thinking (the best you can), instead of showing how you could have done it, I think that would be much less confusing for the student. I guess they had common core math in school, where their opinion is more important than reality.
I have one bit of advise for your vids. Sometimes the volume is OK, and sometimes it is pretty soft, (Sometimes in the same vid, like the ending here gets louder.).
If you can make the volume as loud as a rock concert on our end,—we can always turn it down on our end. We just can't turn it up.
I would like to buy you lunch someday. 🙂
Excellent presentation. I never thought too much about the additional square(files c&f and ranks 3 &6) around the central 4 squares.
Speaking of openings, I'd like to request a video on closed openings/Systems like the Closed Sicilian, Philidor, and Stonewall. Perhaps, a nice playlist in the making. Thanks again for this wonderful course.
Again very informative lesson
Excellent as always ,,, very helpful.
this checkmate is beautiful. I use to play this opening (the scotch game) but sometimes I find myself in this position also if I play the Evan´s gambit. But I never had the courage to sacrifice my rook 🙂
I played some chess here and there but never really sought how to improve. I mainly played just for family fun, but I always wanted to become better. Thanks to your coaching I am already seeing some improvements in my game. I really just started watching you this month. These are really helpful and good instructions. Thanks.
Very good tutorial.
Is this opening have any Specific Name ?
Just King Spawn opening …
15/10/21
8:45 AM
Going…And a long journey remaining with you Sir ☺️
I've watched this lesson three times and I'm just now grasping the principles you've been forwarding.
My roommate talked me into resuming chess play and so often I feel clueless during the opening moves. I strive to be competitive and offer a decent challenge, yet I often say, "I don't have a 'game'."
Also, as I've resumed playing, I've been watching videos to grasp the principles of good play. I watched your Lesson 51 first (since it was recommended) – on principles for Black to open – and NM Ramirez immediately became my "go-to" coach. I follow some other channels, but I don't stray far from the Robert Ramirez approach.
One thing I like about your coaching is your emphasis on grasping principles instead of memorizing a system. It's been a bit daunting to see so many systems and approaches applied – the Sicilian, the Ruy Lopez, the Dutch defense, the London opening, etc.
Maybe someday I'll become familiar with some of the more popular approaches, but I'd rather learn to respond to any of the approaches than settle on a single system and not be as flexible in my play.
So, I thank you, NM Ramirez, for sharing your knowledge with us. As others have said, I'm glad your channel came up first and I don't mind hitching my chess wagon to yours….
Thanks so much. I will be going over this game. Theres so much to learn from it.
1:00
i shit myself
The "Queen's Kiss of Death" mate. 😉
Thanks a lot really. I can't find such structured and well planned easily understood lessons anywhere.I gobbled up all these 30 lessons right away at once.
A week from Friday/December 3rd I'm taking part in a chess tournament. My first since my highschool senior year, 25 year ago.
I'm extremely nervous… good thing is my chess coach will be with me throughout the entire event.
Nerves are in high gear…
Such a great video!
I watch your videos every day and practice every day but I just can’t seem to figure it out! I’m so horrible :,( I just want to get better. Guess it’s a long road
such a great content. helping me a lot. but can u do a small favor? i always get trapped like this, getting forced to do bad moves. can u play as black and show us how could we defend? pls use the same match as the example
Lovely staff here,I wish I knew all this in my teen years.Is it possible for me to be a chess Master knowing this in my 40s?
Nice Video Coach, But whenever I castle, Opponent brings out his queen and checkmate me
That's a damned fine Rook Sac
Thanks so much
Once again wonderful explanation thanks dear
Love from INDIA
Ok here's an idea, tell me if in right or wrong
At 12:49, could have done Qd5 and on next move Qxf7# ?
Is that possible?
Also love the videos and have been learning all my chess from here thanks a lot
How do I increase my rating from 300
Why didn't the black bishop take the attacking pawn on c3?
Nice lesson but the volume is very low.
That last game is so beautifully executed. Really nice checkmate.
I don’t know if its my headphones but the sound is really low if I have it on max it still hard to hear sometimes
Lesson #24✅
10/07/2022
3:12 pm
You are an excellent instructor. Thank you.
Rob by placing the bishop on c4 then black takes the e pawn white recaptures with their knight then you simply fork the bishop and knight with blacks d pawn ,correct???? I am I not seeing something here or you can see that but are aiming this at total beginners overlooking that just to explain principles . I am a bit confused
Sir………….. Thanks❤🌹 for your hard work……………….
#24 : done
Thanks sir
Thank you for the lessons. It helped me win my first chess game.
Awesome lesson!
Fantastic channel! The quality of the content is high and consistent. The pace is adapted to the level of the viewers. The explanations are crystal clear. I will recommend.
At 11:58, you said that the king cannot castle with a dark bishop at a3. How will the king be in check that way? If the king castle, it's the rook that will be under attack.
valuable course
sir the black peice can castle
Other things aside. This game was beautiful
Robert Thank you, I'm working my way through your course and can see improvement in my game already. 👍
Great stuff. Thanks, so much. You're like my personal coach 😄