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Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Owen’s Defense!
There are many popular chess openings for black against e4 such as the French Defense, Pirc Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Caro-Kann Defense, Sicilian Defense, Nimzowitsch Defense, Alekhine Defense. However, usually white is prepared for all of these chess openings for black, and they take a ton of time to learn the opening theory. Is there a move we can play as black that takes white by surprise but still holds that high level of chess strategy? The answer is yes, and in today’s video I’ll be showing you the Owen’s Defense, a dangerous and fun chess opening for black against e4. By playing b6 on the first move, we want to fianchetto our bishop on b7 and put immediate pressure on the e4 pawn. We will then develop our pieces, aggressively fight for counterplay, and sometimes look to checkmate the opponent’s king. The first segment of this Owen’s Defense chess video will be covering the chess strategy, chess principles, chess ideas, chess moves, chess tips, chess tricks, chess traps, and secret checkmate strategy. When playing chess openings, it’s important to not only know the chess opening theory, but chess opening grandmaster games. This is vital because we want to see the Owen’s Defense in action, and we will do just that by analyzing a game played by Magnus Carlsen when he played 1. … b6 in 2017 and used it to defeat an elite chess grandmaster. Chess opening principles, chess opening ideas, chess opening strategy, and chess opening theory are important for improving one’s chess and getting good middlegame positions. This is also a good chess opening for beginners, as it highlights good chess strategy. Whether you are a chess beginner or chess grandmaster, we hope you enjoy learning about this strong chess opening against e4!
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What about a3?
Thank you. I have a class on Owen’s defense but I find this to be a good refresher of the big ideas
…what a voice ! But isn’t it better ( tricky for this Strategie) to start with e6 (and than b6 ) so, that the opponent/white makes the second move in a other anticipation ??? I play this defense offen relativ successful.
This looks like an improved French to me, Except it doesn't necessarily have to transpose into the French pawn structure always. Also, the option of not playing an outright c5 is appealing as it preserves the option of castling queen side.
Always here!
👍🏻
Quality content!
Such a great breakdown, thanks!
Nice!
Thanks for sharing owens defense opening video .Keep up the good work.
I think GM Tony Miles brought this opening to the fore a few decades ago after losing a game to it in the Philippines. That's why it was sometimes called the English Defence. Looks like it can kinda morph into the Tartakower structure of QGD.
This was a nice clear example of possibilities. Thanks, Solomon.
P.S. There is a master from NYC that plays what he calls the Drunken Master. As both White and Black. All the pawns are advanced one square except for the h pawn. The queenside rook is advanced one square, then swung over to the g file. This is without developing any other piece! Blitz only. Like the Crab, not as insane as it looks. Cheers.
Hi Solomon, I really enjoy watching your videos on chess openings. Keep on the good stuff ! My suggestions…What about the Persus Gambit, the Kiddie countergambit and Hippopotamus Defense? I would like to see. Cheers
Greatly appreciate the insights. You definitely deserve more subs!
So I was looking through a chess.com forum to learn more about Owen’s and they discuss a different line with Ne2 instead of Nf3: 1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Ne2 d5 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. Nf4. This seems more difficult for black. Any thoughts?
Just subbed best theory breakdown ever
thank you a sir for strengthening my play in the owen's defence
Hey! I love this video. But I have a question.. What are the differences between this and the Larsen's Opening for white? Or is the Owen just a reverse Larsen?
great video dude
e4 b6, d4 Bb7, Bd3 e6, ç4
What is black's best reply?
Nice gambit sir..Thank you
Nice video! Will u give a shot to the orangutan opening?
I just love the opening.
Hi…Gothamchess…Levy Rozman has a course called E6B6 in which the Owens defense transposes to play against any white opening including d4, Reti, and the English opening etc. Of course there may be many much better defences against d4 such as Kings Indian however he has made this set up suitable to be a consistent opening to be effective against anything that white can throw at it
sorry just to add that in some cases he has adapted it to include a double fianchetto eg against London opening but it is strangely effective. When Magnus played it in 2017 he had no idea how 1 NF3 was going to play out yet felt this was appropriate…
Thanks Solomon for this one! Appreciate your efforts!
Your videos are great, it's not a good response for black, but I'd love to see a Carr/St George's defense
This is my favorite opening in bullet 2+.
gotta update some of your info.
1.e4 b6 2.d4 bb7 3.bd3 e6 4.nf3 c5 5. d5! is actually bordering on refutation. Odessky actually gives good coverage of this line in his newest b6 book, and he low key admits to black having no good reply, if white knows how to pressure all of black's replies.
3…nf6 4.qe2 e6 5. nf3 d5 is probably the way to go.
the most problematic lines i think involve 3.nc3 4.bd3 5.nge2. where bb4 just forfeits the bishop pair for no structural damage and c5 is met with d5!
What if white plays Ne2. That is hard for black to face. 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nc3 Nf6 and now Nge2.
12:15 Doesn't Ne4 just help black queen find a better square then stays akwardly in the way? Better might be 12.0-0, threatening Rd1, Bc2, and this knight can later jump on a4 to harras black queen (followed by b3/Bb2), or even sometimes on b5. I know we shouldn't look too closely at computer evaluation (specially in closed positions), but I play in an online league where opponents are prepared, and seeing "+2.00" and climbing kind of demotivates… Fortunately, black has options to mix it up (6…d5, 6…cxd4), but I'm still having a lot of problems against c3/Bd3/Qe2 setup.
At 5:29 it seems like white also has some tactics of the Greek Gift if black chooses to castle kingside
Awesome video, Solomon! Thank you for all your effort and for uploading so many good videos
Do you think it will be effective vs d4?
Incredible breakdown
Another one of my fav openings,great course by english IM lawrence trent on chessable.Not much theory,but its got some bite on main line chess.
Love it how you make long videos covering many lines, thank you. I do play this defense and enjoyed your video.
thanks 👍👍👍👍
With your piece down line after 12 …a5 have you looked at: 12…bxa413.b5Na514.Rxa4a615.bxa6Rxa616.Be3Nc617.Rxa6Bxa618.Ne1Qa5 instead?
Second time watching and even got more out of it, thank you!
You gotta be on your toes for this one
Does starting with Owens defense and then shifting to the hippo sound like a good way to throw someone off?
Wow you are so Awesome I love the Owen defense, it also reminds me of the Queen's Indian.
simply simply simply simply simply
Why doesn't anyone show what to do when white pawn kicks bishop moving to a3???
In the first line that you show with Bd2 I personally believe that you should take the bishop and then play c5 because you keep the bishop pair and both are very strong and active at that point and many people can collapse
Something that I have noticed while playing this opening and learning the lines is that a lot of the time you can really damage you opponents structure in a lot of situations and this has won me many endgames because my opponent just loses a lot of their pawns