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    "I ALREADY KNOW IT" (Part-2) : By: GM Igor Smirnov

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    Sitaram Audipudy
    GM Igor Smirnov analyzes a game between two experienced players to illustrate that having surface knowledge is not the same as deep understanding that can be applied. While the white player likely thought he knew about planning, his moves in the game showed he did not truly grasp or apply the concept. Smirnov emphasizes that knowledge only becomes powerful when integrated into one's thinking as a second nature, and that focusing on concrete results, not general self-assessment, reveals one's actual skills. Progress requires avoiding thinking one already knows something and instead continuing to learn and practice concepts seriously.

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    "I ALREADY KNOW IT" (Part-2) : By: GM Igor Smirnov

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    Sitaram Audipudy
    241 views6 pages
    GM Igor Smirnov analyzes a game between two experienced players to illustrate that having surface knowledge is not the same as deep understanding that can be applied. While the white player likely thought he knew about planning, his moves in the game showed he did not truly grasp or apply the concept. Smirnov emphasizes that knowledge only becomes powerful when integrated into one's thinking as a second nature, and that focusing on concrete results, not general self-assessment, reveals one's actual skills. Progress requires avoiding thinking one already knows something and instead continuing to learn and practice concepts seriously.

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    GM Igor Smirnov analyzes a game between two experienced players to illustrate that having surface knowledge is not the same as deep understanding that can be applied. While the white player likely thought he knew about planning, his moves in the game showed he did not truly grasp or apply the concept. Smirnov emphasizes that knowledge only becomes powerful when integrated into one's thinking as a second nature, and that focusing on concrete results, not general self-assessment, reveals one's actual skills. Progress requires avoiding thinking one already knows something and instead continuing to learn and practice concepts seriously.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    241 views6 pages

    "I ALREADY KNOW IT" (Part-2) : By: GM Igor Smirnov

    Uploaded by

    Sitaram Audipudy
    GM Igor Smirnov analyzes a game between two experienced players to illustrate that having surface knowledge is not the same as deep understanding that can be applied. While the white player likely thought he knew about planning, his moves in the game showed he did not truly grasp or apply the concept. Smirnov emphasizes that knowledge only becomes powerful when integrated into one's thinking as a second nature, and that focusing on concrete results, not general self-assessment, reveals one's actual skills. Progress requires avoiding thinking one already knows something and instead continuing to learn and practice concepts seriously.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 6
    At a glance
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    There are two levels of knowledge - superficial knowledge where one just knows something versus integrated knowledge where knowledge becomes part of one's personality and thinking process. Only the second level allows one to apply knowledge and get practical results.

    The two levels of knowledge are 1) when you just know something and 2) when the knowledge becomes part of your personality and you use it automatically as part of your usual thinking process.

    The example used is of a game between Akhmadeev V. and Khismatullin D. where the analysis shows that despite being an experienced IM, the white player's moves were mostly wrong, showing he did not truly understand planning concepts.

    1

    “I ALREADY KNOW IT” (part-2)


    By: GM Igor Smirnov

    Hi and welcome to the 2nd part of the lesson called:

    “I already know it”


    In this video we will repeat the ideas from the previous lesson and
    also I will illustrate them with the concrete practical example.

    Quite often chess players tell me something like this: “I’ve studied
    hundreds of chess books and I already know all the well-known tactical
    and strategic motifs. So why I am still not a Grandmaster or at least an
    International Master?”

    In the first part of this lesson I’ve told you the answer.
    There are 2 levels of knowledge:
    1) When you just know something (you’ve heard about it).
    2) When certain knowledge becomes a part of your
    personality. When you use it automatically. When it is integrated in
    your usual thinking process. In this case, you don’t need to repeat
    this knowledge, because you will never forget it.

    Only the 2nd level of knowledge allows you to APPLY it and TO


    GET PRACTICAL RESULTS. However, it is quite difficult to get such
    profound level of chess understanding.

    “I already know it” (part-2) by GM Igor Smirnov. http://chess-teacher.com


    2

    Very often it only SEEMS for a chess player, that “he already knows
    something”, while he can’t use it regularly in his own games. In fact it
    means that such player doesn’t know it at all.

    Let’s analyze one concrete example. Here we will talk about a


    planning.
    Akhmadeev V. – Khismatullin D.
    White: Kg1, Qd1, Ra1, Rf1, Bc1, Bd3, Nc3, Nf3, pawns: a2, b2, c4, d5, e4,
    f2, g2, h2.
    Black: Kg8, Qd8, Ra8, Rf8, Bc8, Be7, Nd7, Nf6, pawns: a7, b7, c5, d6, e5,
    f7, g7, h7.
    Black’s turn.

    What are the plans of both sides? It is quite standard situation and the
    plans are well known here. Black will prepare and play f5. He will play g6,
    then will transfer the knight to g7 through h5 or e8, and after that will play
    f5 and will develop an attack on the king-side.
    White is going to attack on the queen-side and he will open the
    position there by playing b4.

    Now let’s see what happened in the game.


    Black played 8…Nh5. It is a logical move, which prepares the realization
    of the black’s plan.
    White answered 9.Re1. Actually it wasn’t necessary for white to play
    it and of course it doesn’t help white to realize his plan. Nevertheless, I can
    accept this move. White wants to prevent an eventual move Nf4. Now if
    black plays it, white will answer 9…Nf4 10.Bf4-ef 11.e5 getting an

    “I already know it” (part-2) by GM Igor Smirnov. http://chess-teacher.com


    3

    advantage in the center. However, Nf4 wasn’t a real threat. As we already


    know the knight is rather going to the g7. That’s why I’ve said that 9.Re1
    is probably not the best idea.
    Ok, let’s go forward. Black played 9…g6 10.a3 everything is good
    here; both players are realizing their plans.

    10…Ng7 11.Bh6. Here I have a question to the white player. What


    was an idea of the move Bh6? It certainly doesn’t realize the white’s plan,
    so it can be OK only if it prevents the black’s plan.
    Let’s see what happened then. 11…f5 12.Rb1. This move is
    definitely a mistake. If white decides to play against the black’s plan, then
    white should do it really. Otherwise Bh6 was a mistake and a wasting of
    time. The white’s moves show that white player wasn’t sure what to do
    and he jumped from one plan to another.

    So what was the correct idea for white? As I’ve mentioned before,
    white should continue playing against the black’s plan. Therefore white
    should attack the black’s central pawns: 12.ef-gf 13.Qc2 attacking the f5
    pawn. Of course black can play 13…e4 now, but white will make a
    positional sacrifice 14.Ne4-fe 15.Be4. Black has the only move to protect
    the h7 pawn 15…Nf6. After 16.Bd3 white saves a strong compensation
    and good chances for an attack. For example, on the next move white can
    play Ng5 attacking the h7 pawn. This was the right way for white.

    However, in the game white played 12.Rb1-Kh8. 13.Qc2. Another


    strange move. Black is going to play f4 anyway, thus Qc2 only helps black
    to realize his plan. White should finally define what his plan is and start
    realizing it. Therefore white should play 13.b4 instead, which creates a
    position with mutual chances.

    “I already know it” (part-2) by GM Igor Smirnov. http://chess-teacher.com


    4

    Let’s come back to the game. 13.Qc2-f4 14.h3. Black is not


    attacking, so white should white defend? White can play h3 anytime if
    necessary. That’s why it was still better for white to play 14.b4 finally.

    Black played 14…Rg8 and the h6 bishop appears in a dangerous


    position. It has no way to retreat. Now white has to pay for his previous
    mistakes.
    15.Bg7-Rg7 This exchange is certainly in favor of black. After that black
    is ready to play g5-g4 and to start a powerful attack. This forces white to
    switch over to defense.
    16.Be2-h5 17.Nh2. White wants to prevent g5, but he becomes totally
    passive.
    17…Nf6 18. Qd1. White is still trying to prevent the g5 move, but so
    passive moves like Qd1 rarely can be good. It was necessary for white to
    play 18.b4 finally trying to get some counter-play.
    18…Bd7 19.b4. White made this move after all. I’d like to pay attention to
    the fact, that white played a3 about 10 moves ago.
    19…cb 20.Rb4. Though the white’s position is already bad, Rb4 is
    another mistake. After 20…b6 the white’s attack on the queen-side is over.
    That’s why it would be better for white to take ab on the previous move.

    Now the white’s position is strategically loosing. Black can develop


    an attack on the king-side, while white has nothing to do.
    21.Qd3-Qc8 (black is preparing g5-g4) 22.Bd1-g5 23.Ba4-g4
    24.Bd7-Qd7 25. Kh1-Rag8. And black won the game easily afterwards.
    If you would like to see this game until the end, you can look at the
    text version of this lesson.

    “I already know it” (part-2) by GM Igor Smirnov. http://chess-teacher.com


    5

    26.Rb2-Bd8 27.Ne2-b5 28.cb-Bb6 29.Rf1-gh 30.gh-Qe8 31.Qf3-


    Qg6 32.Rb4-Bd4 33.Rbb1-Qe4 34.Qe4-Ne4 35.Nd4-Rg1 0:1.

    Now I’d like you to think about this: what would white player
    answer, if we ask him: “Do you know about a planning?” By the way,
    the white player is an experienced International Master with a rating over
    2400.
    So what would he answer? He would certainly say: “Yes, of course I
    know about a planning.” At the same time our analysis shows that almost
    all his moves were wrong. Therefore we must honestly conclude that he
    doesn’t understand a planning concept at all.

    It is not because this player is so weak. The majority of players don’t


    have good planning skills, because it is a hard topic really. And this lesson
    is not my intention to criticize this man. I just wanted to show you why
    many players don’t progress.
    It happens because they don’t know about 2 levels of knowledge.
    And also it happens because of the phrase “I know it already”. Such player
    is under this delusion and he/she doesn’t understand what his problems
    are. Thus he will not be able to solve these problems and to improve
    himself.

    Let’s recollect the main conclusions:


    1. Don’t assess yourself generally. Orient solely on THE
    FACTS (your practical results). Then you will really evaluate your
    skills.

    “I already know it” (part-2) by GM Igor Smirnov. http://chess-teacher.com


    6

    2. Don’t think that you already know something, until you


    start using it automatically and start getting RESULTS from it
    regularly.

    3. Remember about 2 levels of knowledge. You should not


    only know something (read about it), but make it a part of your
    usual thinking process.
    In my courses I give you the complete training system, which
    will help you to really get the new skills. That’s why it is so
    important to perform all the tasks seriously, even if you think that
    you already know something (we’ve been talking a lot about a
    negative influence of the phrase “I already know it”).
    4. When you study my chess courses – perform ALL the
    tasks seriously.

    These were the general conclusions regarding to your chess


    development. Also we can make one specific conclusion about a
    planning:
     You should use your plan as a guideline. Don’t be deflected by some
    other ideas. If you follow this recommendation you will play better
    and it will even be simpler for you.

    If you want to know more about a planning, you may study my


    chess course “Your Winning Plan”.
    http://chess-teacher.com/plan

    It will give you all that you need to know about a planning.
    And of course it will give you a great progress, because planning
    skills are probably the most important aspect of a chess game.

    Thanks for your attention! Talk to you in the next lessons. Bye!

    “I already know it” (part-2) by GM Igor Smirnov. http://chess-teacher.com

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