Hello there. I have to leave a comment in each of my videos now, because it triggers some thing that will automatically email any comments to me.

Also for all you suckers sending me emails on facebook, myspace and twoplustwo about my videos and how you watch them all, please leave comments or I hate you? That's all! CHOO CHOO?

This was an epic struggle. More importantly, you made it onto the best list.

Ne1 was a very interesting move. I'm surprised about the knight maneuver before either center pawn has moved. But the plan is very logical.

I really liked the move-order discussion. You shared some serious nuggets of chess wisdom, especially once the database was open.

I was wondering about ...fxg3, so I'm glad you explained why hxg3 is advantageous for you.

After ...Kg7, was Rc6 a possibility? Never mind...you answered that question right after I finished typing it.

Nice finish! Qe3 is a sneaky move.

Our first peek of the anonymous account! This truly was a momentous video.

Also, what needs to happen for a video to receive 5 stars? Would you have to beat the number 1 player on the 5-min list?

Well I'm using a 4 star system, so ....I guess in general no game should get 5 stars. Maybe if some game was really super special I'd make an exception though

Also should you guys put a note in the game analysis forum that all my games have been moved here?

We made an announcement in the general discussion forum. But that's probably a good idea.

Curtains, you should check out the video by Coelho in the Training Videos From The Masters section called "IM Chess Analysis: Braga-Coelho". He talks about the symmetrical English and addresses some things you're wondering about in this video.

Yeah I watched it, but a few issues:

1. He doesn't discuss the lines where white goes Ne1-c2-e3 quickly, which is what happened in my game. The variations are totally different I think?

2. There are a few omissions. For example in the line where he gives white taking with cd5 Nd5 and saying black is already better, he then suggests Nxd5, but the most common move is Ne3, in which case Black plays Nde7. I think that position is considered to be about equal, although secretly I prefer black a little bit. However taking on d5 is just silly I think?


But basically I think there is some difference in the move order I played, that doesn't quite allow black to do this ...Rb8 stuff so easily, because I'm putting my e knight on d5. Notice the difference between in Coelho's game, where the knight is just sitting at e1 doing not much. Of course I'm not being very scientific about it. But the difference in move orders in these variations is extremely subtle, probably too subtle to discuss fully in a half hour video. Also I don't know all of the differences But okay my point is he basically doesn't even discuss 80% of them, and focuses really on the move order played in the actual game. I'm not saying that he should have discussed all of this stuff, Im just saying that its definitely a bit different from my game, when a knight is on e3 instead of e1.

Overall it's a very good lecture though. He seems to have a pretty good understanding of the system. White got a bit lazy at some point in the middlegame, because IMO there's no reason black should have gotten such a strong position so quickly from what was a relatively equal position. I fast forwarded a bit somewhere though, I suspect he probably explained what white should have done to maintain the balance at some point.

In the line you show at about 32:00 into the video. You showed a line where black plays

31...Rxb4
32. Rc8+ Kg7

how about

32. Rc7 (when of course Qxc7 leads to mate on f8) Qe8 (covering f8)
33. Qxd6

It was the first move that jumped out at me. any good?

Good eye Stockton. Rc7 pretty much wins instantly in that line.

It looked strong and I looked for a refutation, but couldn't find one. I didn't plug it into a computer so I wasn't 100% sure if Black has any game saving resource in that line. I'm sure that you would have played that had the situation come up. congratulations on getting on the Best List. Now we don't have to pretend that your name is on there, since it actually is!!

Well I might not have played it given that I had under a minute on the clock Considering that I didn't see it during analysis I wouldn't be shocked if I missed it.

Oh. Sorry about that. I watched that video a long time ago and just remember him saying something about a5 being good for black (because white's knight is better on c3 than b5).

Brett

well, regardless. Rxb4 is completely not playable. and actually the line has changed since black can play Qd8

32. Rc7!! Qd8 ( If Qe8 then Qf6+ Kg8 Qg7#)
33. Rd7!

Black is getting mated

No you are right that ...a5 is usually the best choice for black. But again it's a tad different due to the knight being on e3 instead of e1.

haah stupid NY times