Susan Manley

The Queens Gambit and Friends 2 DVD set

By FM Dennis Monokroussos

Recommended for Intermediate Players

Presented by FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos for ChessLecture.com

Dennis explains this wonderful diverse classical opening with its variations for both black and white. The Queen’s Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. In early modern chess, queen pawn openings were not in fashion, and the Queen’s Gambit did not become common until the 1873 tournament in Vienna. As the appreciation for positional play increased and was developed by both Steinitz and Tarrasch the Queen’s Gambit grew more popular. The Queen’s Gambit is still frequently played and it remains an important part of many grandmasters opening repertoires. More

Content: 5 hours and 20 minutes of instruction and analysis in a series of 12 lectures.

ECO: D59, E12, D36, D31, D35, D13, D10, D33, D27, D41    PGN Files Included

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.91 out of 5

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: I am enjoying this series a lot. It’s always helpful to see how plans evolve out of certain openings and structures.

FM Dennis Monokroussos is a 3 time Nevada State Champion and won the Indiana State Championship in 2009. Dennis has taught philosophy at several universities including the University of Notre Dame. Dennis currently works as a chess coach for both children and adults both in person and over the internet. He can be contacted through his blog.

A Pawn is Worth Three Tempi

by GM Jesse Kraai

Recommended for Intermediate Players

GM Jesse Kraai explains how to use the old Russian rule set to evaluate Tempo in chess. What is Tempi or Tempo in Chess? “The gaining or losing of time and effectiveness relative to one’s continued mobility or developing position, especially with respect to the number of moves required to gain an objective: Black gained a tempo”.

ECO: N/A

Content: 50 minutes of instruction and analysis in a series of 2 lectures. PGN Included

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.3 out of 5

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: Brilliant lecture! A more sophisticated use of the term tempi then has been my understanding (misunderstanding?). Has given me plenty to think about. I also love the expression, ” the king owes us some time”.

GM Jesse Kraai resides in Berkeley, California. His most notable chess achievements are winning the Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 1989 and 1990, and competing in the US championship from 2002-2006. Jesse received his final GM norm at the Foxwoods Open 2007 and has a Ph.D in Philosophy from the University of Heidelberg. Jesse is an active chess coach and recently released his first book “Lisa, A Chess Novel”.

An Anti-Sicilian Line: b3 before d4

By FM Dennis Monokroussos

Recommended for Intermediate Players                                 

Presented by FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos for ChessLecture.com

25 % of all club level games begin with the Sicilian and 17% of all grandmaster games begin with the Sicilian. Dennis gives you tools for dealing with the Sicilian, an essential skill for every serious chess player. More

Content: 87 minutes of instruction and analysis in a series of 3 concise lectures.

ECO: B40, B50    PGN Files Included

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.6 out of 5

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: Thanks Dennis. Finally!! Great stuff!

FM Dennis Monokroussos is a 3 time Nevada State Champion and won the Indiana State Championship in 2009. Dennis has taught philosophy at several universities including the University of Notre Dame. Dennis currently works as a chess coach for both children and adults both in person and over the internet. He can be contacted through his blog.

Worlds Apart

by IM David Vigorito

Recommended for Intermediate – Advanced Players

Content: 48 minutes of instruction and analysis in a series of 2 lectures.

IM David Vigorito analyzes the decisions in games of two masters. One master a world class GM and the other an IM and illustrates how a difference of two hundred points in ranking becomes exponential in terms of game play. More

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.5 out of 5 ECO E94, E97

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: Quite an interesting topic and delivered in your usual flawless manner! The difference in rating points may not be a linear effect – but more like exponential. We have all been at one time or another the ‘mouse’ in a cat’s game. Only Ivanchuk is more like a lion! Thanks David! IM

IM David Vigorito was the 2007 Massachusetts Champion. He has been the state champion of New Hampshire and Nevada. David rated at 2479 in USCF and was the Champion of the Boylston (Boston) Chess Club. He played in the 2006 U.S. Championship after finishing in a tie for 3rd place at the U.S. Open in Phoenix. David is a successful chess author – his book “Challenging the Nimzo-Indian” has been well received by critics and players alike.

A System Against the French

by GM Jesse Kraai

 Recommended for Intermediate- Advanced Players

Content: 2.25 hours minutes of instruction and analysis in a series of 6 lectures.

GM Jesse Kraai, an expert on the French defense, demonstrates and gives excellent advice on how to deal with multiple variations of the French including Classical, MacCutcheon, Winawer, Burn and Rubinstein.

More

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.27 out of 5   ECO: C00, C14, C12, C15

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: I have studied Alburt-Dzinzi-Perelshteyn’s book and I was having exactly this problem Against the French, with my opponents smashing me in the queenside. Your plan of reaching a better endgame with c3 is very clear.

GM Jesse Kraai resides in Berkeley, California. His most notable chess achievements are winning the Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 1989 and 1990, and competing in the US Championship from 2002-2006. Jesse received his final GM norm at the Foxwoods Open 2007 and has a Ph.D in Philosophy from the University of Heidelberg. Jesse recently released his first book “Lisa, a chess novel”. Jesse is an active chess coach.

Awesome State Champions

by LM Dana Mackenzie

Recommended for Intermediate Players

Life Master Dana Mackenzie introduces us to the amazing games of some regional legends, including FIDE Master John Curdo, best known for winning the Massachusetts State Championship 17 times; FIDE Master Curt Justin Brasket, sixteen-time State Champion for his home state of Minnesota; FIDE Master Orest Popovych, 4 time New Jersey State Champion; International Master William Martz, the highest rated player from Wisconsin for almost 20 years and holds the USCF record of 104 for the most consecutive rated games without a loss; and Life Master Brian Wall, 5 time winner or tied for the Colorado State Championships. More

Content: 2 hours and 39 minutes of instruction and analysis in a series of 5 lectures.

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.86 out of 5

ECO B52, B09, B18, D95, E80

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: Really outstanding lecture and a very interesting topic. I like seeing non-GM games because they are imperfect… the games are more representative of what you see in clubs or weekend tournaments.

LM Dr. Dana Mackenzie is a USCF Life Master, a PhD mathematician, and an award-winning mathematics, science journalist and author. Champion of North Carolina in 1985 & 1987, he became a master in 1988. Mackenzie now lives in Santa Cruz, CA and runs a chess club for kids at the local library. His passion for chess and his enthusiasm for teaching is unmistakable.

Aggressive Pawn Chains

by GM Eugene Perelshteyn

 Recommended for Beginner – Intermediate Players

Presented by International Grandmaster Eugene Perelshtyen for ChessLecture.com

In this DVD Eugene stresses “It is the pawns that define our middle game, attacking potential and control of empty squares”. Gain his insight and strategically winning tips. Instructive tips about keeping the tension in a position, both in theory and in practice. More

ECO: B23

Content: 53 Minutes of chess theory and discussion, with example games, over a series of 3 lectures.

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.8 out of 5

Fans on ChessLecture.com said: I now understand how these pawn chains create a powerful attack by seizing a space advantage when your pieces will have superior maneuvering possibilities. Excellent!!! video, keep up the series Eugene!!

A Tribute to Smyslov

By the Masters of ChessLecture.com

Recommended for Intermediate- Advanced Players

Vasily Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He redefined chess post WW2. He was a candidate for the World Chess on eight occasions. Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals. He is known for his fantastic endgames, very dynamic sense over the board and intuitive sense of harmony. Modern champions that follow his style are Carlsen and Kramnik. Here the masters of ChessLecture review his brilliance and style in a series of stunning games. Read more

• Grandmaster Jesse Kraai

• Grandmaster Eugene Perelshtyen

• FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

• International Master David Vigorito

Content: 1.7 hours in a series of 4 lectures.

Members of ChessLecture.com rated this series a 4.45 out of 5

Fans on Chesslecture.com said: Very nice lecture. You won’t want to miss this one!