Chess Visualization with Aiden Rayner

Opening Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. At a certain point, one player will make a mistake and it’ll be your job to find the move to punish it.

To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization

PGN for today's exercise:

d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Nbd2 Qa5 6. c3 Qd8 7. Nb3 c4 8. Nbd2 Be7 9. g4 Bd7 10. Ne5 h6 11. Bg2 Na6 12. h4 O-O 13. g5 hxg5 14. hxg5 Ne4 *

And the answer is...

Qh5 g6 16. Qh7#

Game Exercise: Close your eyes and follow along with an entire Chess game using the audio below. On each move, try to conceptualize the position clearly and understand how it has changed. Try to follow the game until the end to stretch the amount of moves you can see ahead.

To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization

PGN for today's exercise:

[Event "FCC - Nordic Chessboxing Fight Night"] [White "Tuukka Repo"] [Black "Sakari 'Horse Attack' Lahderinne"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bb4 5. Nge2 O-O 6. O-O Re8 7. f4 d6 8. a3 Bc5+ 9. d4 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Kh1 Nc6 12. b4 Bg4 13. Qe1 Nd4 14. bxc5 Nxc2 15. Qg3 Nxa1 16. Rd1 Bxd1 17. e5 dxe5 18. fxe5 Rxe5 19. Bh6 Qe8 20. Qxg7# 1-0

Find the Blunder Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. One player will blunder and the other will not punish them for it. Can you find the blunder and the best punishment?

To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization

PGN for today's exercise:

Adapted from the game Alexandra Kosteniuk vs Dan Gannon (US Open, 2004).

d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Ne5 Nbd7 10. Nxd7 Qxd7 11. f3 c5 12. e4 Qxd4+ 13. Qxd4 cxd4 14. Nd1 Bg6 15. Bg5 Rac8 16. b3 h6 17. Bxf6 gxf6 *

And the answer is...

Na2! attacks both Bishops at the same time.

Game Exercise: Close your eyes and follow along with an entire Chess game using the audio below. On each move, try to conceptualize the position clearly and understand how it has changed. Try to follow the game until the end to stretch the amount of moves you can see ahead.

To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization

PGN for today's exercise:

e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. f4 exf4 6. Nf3 d6 7. Na4 Bg4 8. Nxc5 dxc5 9. Bxf4 Nd4 10. O-O Nh5 11. Bxf7+ Kxf7 12. Ng5+ Qxg5 13. Bxg5+ Kg6 14. Qxg4 1-0

Illegal Move Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. Somewhere in there, a player will make an illegal move but the game will continue anyway. Find the illegal move.

To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization

PGN for today's exercise:

c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. d3 Bc5 4. Bd2 Qh4 5. e3 0-0 6. Nf3 *

And the answer is...

Black's move 4... Qh4 is illegal because the Queen is blocked by the Knight on f6.