New Chess Videos for March 26 – 30
Monday, March 26 IM Valeri Lilov
Fighting for Opening Advantage | Strategy, Openings
The key rule of the opening is to always fight for initiative. Making it real basically depends on two things: the opponent’s misbalance and our ability to exploit it. Learning how to fight for opening advantage requires us to see the differences between a good and bad development, and what really makes a good pawn structure a superior one. Check out IM Lilov’s video to learn more!
Tuesday, March 27 IM Bill Paschall
A Risky Defense But Black Falls Short | Openings, Strategy
This game is a clash of legendary figures from the super strong Gibraltar Masters Open. Surprisingly, these two players have not faced each other often, but the game is interesting. Both sides play the opening well and the result is a clash in a rare variation of the Closed English. Short is an experienced Closed Sicilian expert and Aronian one of the leading English Opening experts in the world. Short, however, choose a risky setup based on f5 and e4. Aronian repeats an idea he used successfully against Ivanchuk in 2017 and again is victorious against Nigel Short. Black achieved an interesting and imbalanced position, but misplayed at one point and desperately sacrificed a piece.
Wednesday, March 28 FM Dennis Monokroussos
Breyer: A Man Ahead of His Time | Opening, Middlegame
Gyula Breyer was one of the great Hypermodern players of the early 20th century, one of the leaders of a group who challenged the conventional idea that correct play entailed a direct fight for the center, especially by occupying it. The Hypermoderns introduced fianchetto systems into mainstream play, and took a generally unconventional approach to opening and middlegame play. Today’s game isn’t particularly hypermodern in the sense of fianchettoed bishops compensating for a lack of central occupation; in fact, it’s Breyer who played for a space advantage. But what was fascinating and unusual about the game was Breyer’s aggressive play with 12.g4 and 13.h4. That kind of play is a commonplace today at higher levels (though still not among club players), but Breyer was doing this 100 years ago! Have a look.
Thursday, March 29 GM Eugene Perelshteyn
How to Win Using the ‘Philidor’s Ring’ Concept | Openings, Middlegame
Have you heard of the Philidor’s ring? No, it’s not a magic ring from the Lord of the Rings. But it is a very important strategic concept that once mastered will bring you many victories! Watch and learn how White establish a dominant knight on e5 supported by the pawns d4 and f4 and then goes on to do the same on the queenside using the rook! Very instructive concept!
Friday, March 30 GM Bryan Smith
An Upset in the Aeroflot | Tactics
The sixth round of the Aeroflot Open saw the top seed, Vladimir Fedoseev, knocked off by the comparatively unknown IM (albeit with a GM-level rating) Amin Tabatabaei. In this video we will see that wild and dramatic game.