Chess Videos from Todd Andrews

Exposed King + Unprotected Piece = Winning Material!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Jan 17, 2015 12728 Views 8 min

Everyone wants to win material in chess, but how do you do it? FM Todd Andrews gives you a surefire formula to win pieces in certain positions. Any time your opponent has both an exposed king and an undefended piece, it's time to win some material! Don't forget to take the ChessKid lesson on tactics in the related links.

Watch Out For Rook vs Passed Pawns!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Dec 20, 2014 20644 Views 6 min

When do a couple of connected passed pawns beat a rook? When they reach the sixth rank! FM MusicCityMaster shows you the critical positions you need to know in this common endgame theme. When you're done, try to play a pawn-only endgame against the computer in the related links.

Search For More Tactics, Then Destroy!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Oct 25, 2014 12566 Views 6 min

How do you win a position where a tactic might be possible, but not quite on the board yet? Visualize how it could happen - then make it happen! Sometimes the threat of one tactic is all you need to set up a different winning idea. FM MusicCityMaster shows you how to set up crushing tactics, and then execute them on the board.

Search For Tactics, Then Destroy!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Oct 4, 2014 9542 Views 6 min

Can you find tactics that help you win chess games? FM MusicCityMaster shows you how to search for tactics, and then use them to destroy your opponent's position! Learn how to use forks, skewers, mating nets, and more to dominate the game tactically.

Famous Checkmate Patterns! -- Part 2

FM Todd Andrews 6 Aug 9, 2014 6478 Views 10 min

FM Todd Andrews shows you one of the most famous attacking patterns you need to know! Learn how the bishop and knight work together, forming a deadly combo to mate the opposing king. Todd reviews examples from his own games to illustrate the power of this attacking pattern.

Famous Checkmate Patterns! - Part 1

FM Todd Andrews 6 Jul 17, 2014 6609 Views 10 min

If the dictionary had a listing for "minor piece harmony" it would surely be this game by Garry Kasparov! Watch the knight and bishop team up like peanut butter and jelly to put Black's king in a checkmate sandwhich! Coach Todd has plenty of quiz positions for you so make sure to pause when he wants you to do a big think. You also get to learn what Kasparov's favorite move is - what's yours?

Decommissioned Pieces - Part 5

FM Todd Andrews 6 Jun 26, 2014 8673 Views 6 min

The rook is trapped. No it's not. Yes it is. No it's not. Somebody decide! The MusicCityMaster shows a student game and tries to figure out if the b-pawn is poisoned or not. It's good to be careful, but sometimes you have to get in there and do the calculations to be sure of a correct answer. Try to find all the variations before they're shown. We bet you can. No you can't. Yes you can!

Blocking the f-pawn to Attack! - Part 2

FM Todd Andrews 6 May 15, 2014 6412 Views 6 min

What's all this talk about f7 being so important when attacking Black? Well, OK, that is true, but maybe you should also focus on f6! When Black can advance his f-pawn and defend the 7th rank sideways, you need to create a roadblock before the attack will work. Coach Todd shows you the perfect example of his theme - twice in the same game!

Blocking the f-pawn to Attack! - Part 1

FM Todd Andrews 6 Mar 29, 2014 5154 Views 5 min

Moving the f-pawn is dangerous, right? Well sometimes it is necessary to be able to bring pieces to your king's defense. Today Bobby Fischer sees the f-pawn defense and plays a stunning move to block it, which forces a checkmate. If you see this spot, perhaps you'll be World Champion someday too!

The Greek Gift! - Part 2

FM Todd Andrews 6 Feb 6, 2014 5447 Views 6 min

Quick - what are the colors of the Dutch flag? And where's Dutchland?! Just kidding ChessKids - today's video features a game from the Netherlands and two 2700 players. They know all about the Greek Gift sacrifice, even if they are playing on the other side of Europe! Watch Coach Todd explain a new wrinkle on this checkmate, and how you shouldn't let your opponent's king run away from the mating net!

The Greek Gift! - Part 1

FM Todd Andrews 6 Jan 23, 2014 8599 Views 11 min

Cannonball! Is Coach Todd jumping into a pool? Hardly. But he is launching a giant wave at Black's king. The technique is called the "Greek Gift" sacrifice. White offers a Trojan Horse, I mean bishop, to lure the king out of his castle. Then the knight and queen pull a quick one-two and finish off the job. It's a common pattern, and you have our money-back guarantee that you'll get the chance to use it one day!

Keeping the Tempo: One Queen vs. Three Pieces! - 1

FM Todd Andrews 6 Jan 6, 2014 6093 Views 33 min

Not only does the MusicCityMaster show us unique positions in which a lady must fight against a bunch of children, he also shares some really information in the world of chess news. He's got double-features planned for the month of January on ChessKid TV, there's talk of the National Grade Championships in Orlando, and there's a MILLION DOLLAR chess tournament planned for later this year! Who said listening to the news isn't fun? Not me!

Keeping the Tempo: One Queen vs. Three Pieces! - 2

FM Todd Andrews 6 Dec 18, 2013 3847 Views 34 min

When a queen faces three pieces, it's like a swarm of bees chasing a giant! Can the giant swat the bees or will she get stung? Watch and see what happens. Also, you'll hear one of the most famous and successful pop music bands of the last 25 years. Before there was YouTube, there was U2!

Heading to the Outpost!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Dec 9, 2013 6089 Views 10 min

The MusicCityMaster shows us some of his techniques that he used to get his master rating. First, he explains how to judge a new position. Then, after repeating some great advice by a famous player, he shows how a small and simple advantage of an outpost can lead to victory. Not everything in chess is pins and forks - watch how even more basic concepts can lead to your chess improvement.

Spectacular Steinitz! - Part 2

FM Todd Andrews 6 Nov 28, 2013 3617 Views 15 min

Part 2 of the first world champion's most famous game: Wilhelm Steinitz crashes through the uncastled king. A funny series of rook checks occurs on the 7th rank, even though all of his pieces are hanging! This is one of the craziest chess games ever played, and even the crowd cheered while it was being played. You must watch this one to believe it!

Spectacular Steinitz! - Part 1

FM Todd Andrews 6 Oct 24, 2013 4660 Views 11 min

The MusicCityMaster shows off one of the most famous games from the first World Chess Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz! You'll learn about the Giuco Piano, the importance of castling, and why you should attack with every piece in your army. He also leaves us with a cliffhanger - a question that won't be answered until Part 2! Can you figure it out?

Keeping the Tempo: Pawn Storms! - Part 1

FM Todd Andrews 6 Oct 10, 2013 3897 Views 45 min

Do you have storms where you live? They do in the Music City - thunderstorms and pawn storms! You'll need a safe shelter for both. The MusicCityMaster's ChessKid TV show explains how to create a violent storm and generate heavy winds to knock down your opponent's front door. I hope he's got some insurance!

Keeping the Tempo: Pawn Storms! - Part 2

FM Todd Andrews 6 Oct 10, 2013 2870 Views 34 min

With help from his classic-rock CD collection, the MusicCityMaster puts you back in the eye of the storm. That's where you'll learn how to throw lightning bolts against your opponent's king. Watch the second part of his thunderclap of tactical action!

Keeping the Tempo: Defense!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Sep 30, 2013 5299 Views 61 min

ChessKid TV is back! The MusicCityMaster shows a collection of ideas centered on the theme of defense in chess. He accompanies the tactics with a musical soundtrack - it is his name after all! To top everything off, a bit of chess humor at the end - the fastest (and silliest) stalemates that can occur. You'll never see these coming!

Planning With Lasker!

FM Todd Andrews 6 Sep 19, 2013 4764 Views 9 min

Playing three moves in a row? Dreaming at the chess board? No wonder Emanuel Lasker was the longest-running world champion ever! Today Coach Todd shows us a game in which Lasker envisioned the best places for his pieces, then figured out a plan to get them there. Every unit of his army is used to overrun Black, and there's no stopping a well coordinated army.