Panda Chess Academy

Capturing Towards The Center Video! Be a "CD Player".

Advanced Lessons to be learned:

• Chess is a game of favorable trades. A beginner knows that trading a Pawn for a Queen is a favorable trade.
• Advanced players know of other types of favorable trades. 
• Trading a side pawn for a center pawn is usually a favorable trade!
• Center pawns are very powerful.
• There are MANY openings where one can trade a side pawn for a center pawn.
• A pawn anywhere on the c-file can be considered a side pawn. A pawn anywhere on the d-file or e-file can be considered a center pawn.
• Many talented players forget to make this favorable trade at times when it is best. 
• Being a "CD-Player" simply means being someone that knows to trade your c-pawn (side pawn) for a d-pawn (center pawn) when it is correct. Tip: It is almost never bad to make a c-pawn for d-pawn, or "CD" trade. 
• Confused? You won't be after watching this 55 second video! 

Video: Mate in 21! Advanced

 

For the whole article, click here.

Watch the video. Also look at the diagrams below (with commentary underneath). 

Some key concepts:  

• Backward Queen Checks
• Attack on the 7th rank
• The "Qd7" unstoppable mate in a usually equal K+Q vs K+Q endgame.
• Deflection of the defending Bishop. 
• Trading to defend. 

White to Play, mate in 21 or win material.

Advanced Accelerated Dragon (Sicilian) Qa5 trap

Video: Queen's Gambit, Shredding and Crushing the Baltic Defense!

 

If you would like to replay the game on a chess board,

CLICK HERE!

Video: Cambridge Springs Defense Trap

Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

This is a famous trap seen in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Variation.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.Nxd5

Is 6.Nxd5 a good move or a bad move? If you don't know already, then watch this video.