The Chess Angle

In this video, I play three 5+0 blitz games followed by an analysis of each. The main focus is on the difference between playing the French and playing the Sicilian — two defenses that lead to very different kinds of positions and decisions. For busy adult amateurs, the question isn't just which opening is "best," but which type of game fits your style, comfort level, and available study time.

This episode is sponsored by Chessbook, an online chess training platform that helps players build, organize, and remember their opening repertoires through personalized training.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

In this first 5+0 Amateur Run, I play three blitz games and then review the key moments afterward. We'll look at the advantages, the drawbacks, and what changes when there's no increment to bail you out in time trouble. Errata: While recording, I accidentally forgot to analyze the third game because I was still used to the two-game format from the 5+3 Amateur Run. The omission was simply an oversight.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

Here, we look at an important London System question: when (and on which side) should you actually castle? For busy adult amateurs, the key is to avoid playing opening moves automatically and instead understand when castling improves your position, and when waiting can give you more flexibility.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

In this game, I use a practical Nimzo-Indian setup that avoids a lot of heavy main-line theory while still giving Black an active position. It's a great option for busy adult club players who want a sound opening without spending hours memorizing variations.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

This video features two 5+3 games with very different challenges. After a quick London System game, the second turns into a lesson in managing serious time pressure, with less than 30 seconds on my clock while my opponent still has more than three minutes. We'll look at practical ways busy adult amateurs can simplify decisions, manage the clock, and continue playing good chess when time is running out.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

The London System can become dangerous quickly if Black allows a comfortable kingside attack. In this video, we look at practical ways to defend accurately, create counterplay, and keep the position under control.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

Introducing our 5+3 Amateur Run series: Fast enough to create pressure, slow enough to still play real chess (mostly😂). In this video, I play one game with the French Defense and another with the London System - two openings that work extremely well together as a simple, practical repertoire. For busy adult amateurs, the goal isn't to memorize endless opening theory, but to reach playable positions you understand and spend more of your limited study time on the parts of chess that matter most.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

Welcome to the 10+5 Amateur Run. In this first game, I make an embarrassing early mistake, fall behind, and have to figure out how to stay in the game and fight back. This series is about practical chess improvement for busy adult amateurs, using real games to explore better decisions, stronger habits, and more efficient ways to improve.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

After 200 episodes, The Chess Angle is making its next move. I explain why the show is shifting to a video-first format where I play games against fellow amateurs, talk through my thinking, and analyze the games afterward - with the wins, losses, mistakes, and everything in between becoming part of the learning process. Same philosophy, same focus on practical chess improvement, but a completely new way of doing it.

🎯 Our Links:

• YouTube
• Website
• X
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Email: [email protected]

This episode is our Season 11 Finale. We'll be taking a break and will be back soon.

Chess puzzles can be one of the most effective ways to improve, but only if you're actually training, rather than guessing, rushing through a daily quota, or chasing a streak. This week, we look at how to get more value from puzzle training by calculating before moving, repeating difficult positions, and working on everything from tactics and endgames to positional ideas and quiet moves.

📧 If you have a question, comment, or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at [email protected].

🎯 Our Links:

• Website
• Twitter (X)
• Buy Me a Coffee