Ray Cheng wanted puzzles where there were always solutions but not always tactics (so you could not just look until you found win of material/mate). He could not find a set, so he collected them & wrote a book Practical Chess Exercises: amazon.com/Practical-Ches… #Chess #chesspunks

In today's video The Queen's Gambit is not a Gambit youtube.com/watch?v=TGLjWX… I explain why Black cannot hold the pawn after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 (but in the King's Gambit he can after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4) #Chess #Chess Opening #QueensGambit #chesspunks

M29 The geometry of the pieces youtube.com/watch?v=UADk-o… can not only trigger possible offensive tactical ideas, but also demonstrate potential lines/areas for opponent's future tactics, which may need to be addressed now. #ChessTip #chesspunks

M28 While there are some endgame positions which are dead draws & nothing to be learned from playing them out, there's many equal endgames with plenty to learn: Think of a draw offer as an offer to remain ignorant of what you would have learned the remainder of the game #ChessTip

In about an hour, the world's top players will start playing classical chess in the Norway 2024 event chess.com/events/2024-no… #Chess .

M27 If you didn't catch this puzzle a few days ago by Dr Can, it's worth doing. White to play. If you want a hint, one aspect is a good example of the important idea I discuss in youtube.com/watch?v=GxQ_3S… #ChessTip #chesspunks #ChessDojo

No update on my 'Best of Tips' book: Everyman was supposed to publish it earlier this year (it was submitted to them Aug 2023) but due to some problems it was postponed. But they said to not worry; it will be published. I just don't know when... #Chess #Chess Tip #EverymanChess

M26 Even when students know that one of the first things they need to do is find whether their candidate is safe ('Can the opponent answer with a dangerous check/capture/threat I can't safely meet next move?') in practice most <1700 USCF/FIDE don't do it consistently #ChessTip

Walk since Feb '17; Fitbit: 'BRRRing it on!
You've earned the Pole to Pole badge
Jingle all the Whoa! You just reached 12,430 lifetime miles. With a distance like that, you could've dashed through the snow from the North Pole to the South Pole. Ho-ho-holy, that's impressive. '

M25 The Improvement Feedback Loop youtube.com/watch?v=1ptJFx… is primarily the triangle Study-Play-Feedback. When I have a new student, I find they're usually deficient in at least one (often good feedback) so we try to fix those so improvement is more efficient #ChessTip #chesspunks

M24 When you see a move that could win, but it doesn't look safe, don't just reject it but ask 'If I make that move & opp captures, are there further checks, captures or threats that might be worth further investigation?' Avoid quiescence errors youtube.com/watch?v=pA2IoW… #ChessTip

M23 If you're a 1.d4 d5 2.c4 player & want to know which knight to develop first, if Black plays Queen's Gambit(QG) Declined 2...e6 it's usually 3.Nc3. But if Black plays the other 2 main openings Slav 2...c6 or QG Accepted 2...dxc4 then 3.Nf3 is most common #ChessTip #chesspunks

I teach with Socratic Method & I like to tell stories to emphasize ideas & make them memorable. But I try to accomodate reasonable student wishes; one student said 'No stories' so I wrote that in big letters on his student sheet & tried to remember not to tell him stories! #Chess

Have trouble spotting moves because you 'filter out' youtube.com/watch?v=XfST9p… moves that look bad but are actually strong? This is covered in my video & the advanced (1600+ USCF/FIDE) book Invisible Chess Moves by Neiman and Atek: amazon.com/Invisible-Ches… #Chess #chesspunks

M22 A king is only as safe as the opponent's ability to attack it. The following position is an interesting ad absurdum example. It is Black to play & material is roughly equal. Which king is safer? #Chess Tip #Chess