Monday, May 2 IM Valeri Lilov (strategy, middlegame)
Piece coordination is relevant in many ways towards a player’s plan and the plan’s efficiency. Setting up two pieces to work together in support of an idea may sound easy, but it can prove more challenging in the different positions. See a beautiful masterpiece by the great Alexander Alekhine to learn more about how to use your pieces to the best of their potential!
Tuesday, May 3 IM Bill Paschall Battles from the Aeroflot Open 2016, Part 2 (middlegame, tactics)
Gata Kamsky was very active in the first half of 2016. In this game he goes to his pet line, the London System as White. Is it possible that Kamsky was the influence that gave Magnus Carlsen the idea to play the London System recently as well? With this solid line, Kamsky avoids having to study main stream theory and transfers the battle to the middlegame and ending. This time, his opponent, GM Goganov , makes the classic mistake of taking pressure off the white center with the pawn push 13…c4. Seen as far back as the early 1900’s this type of position was proved to be favorable for white by the great Akiba Rubinstein. Kamsky goes on the attack on the kingside after 13…c4 and never looks back.
Wednesday, May 4 FM Dennis Monokroussos A Near-Miss For White Against the Modern Benoni (tactics)
Levon Aronian was among the leaders in the recent Candidates tournament until a bad run near the end, and had he managed to defeat Fabiano Caruana in round 5 it might have been him (rather than Sergey Karjakin) on his way to a match with Magnus Carlsen. This game was a very tense Modern Benoni that was well-played by both sides but in which Aronian had a very dangerous attack brewing. Caruana’s 22nd move was an error, and here Aronian had his chance. He found a fantastic line, one that even the computer doesn’t start to appreciate until several moves in, whereupon it is persuaded: White wins! Unfortunately, Aronian lacked faith in his own idea and he played something else, letting Caruana escape with a draw. It is nevertheless an exciting and instructive game, well worth examining.
Thursday, May 5 GM Eugene Perelshteyn Don’t Be Afraid to Sac Pawns for Dynamic Play! (tactics, strategy)
When you can sacrifice a pawn? What about two pawns? Watch and learn what it takes to have dynamic counterplay. Don’t forgot Tal’s wise words that while your opponent is busy taking your pawns, he’s not developing and losing time! Black achieves great position and patiently improves to demonstrate that centralized pieces are more powerful then mere pawns.
Friday, May 6 GM Bryan Smith Logical Progression by Euwe (opening, middlegame)
We will see how Max Euwe transformed the winning of an opening argument to a superior middlegame, and finally showed excellent technique in the endgame to tame the dynamic imagination of Alexander Alekhine.