New Chess Videos for August 22-25


Monday, August 22 IM Valeri Lilov Control the Center and Attack (strategy, middlegame)
The center is the most important area of the board in chess. Controlling it means to improve your piece effectiveness and speed while attacking. Learn how to do so in IM Lilov’s new instructive video!

Tuesday, August 23 IM Bill Paschall Avoiding the Berlin Defense : Classic Games, Part 1 (middlegame, strategy)
Although this game is technically not a Berlin Defense move order, a position typical of the lines where white plays d3 against the Berlin is reached. Fischer models his opening play after Steinitz, with the early Nbd2 and Nf1 before castling. White avoids the drawish lines of the Berlin and keeps all the pieces on the board. Black strikes in the center with d5, but instead of the logical expansion 10…d4 as in the Worall attack, Smyslov makes the questionable decision to play 10…dxe4, giving up his central advantage and follows with 11….Be6. The black pawn structure is broken, and Fischer wins convincingly in the ending.


Wednesday, August 24 FM Dennis Monokroussos Sometimes it’s Better to Stay in Book (tactics)

The Finnish master Eero Book thought he would surprise world champion Alexander Alekhine with a novelty on move 9, attacking a knight on c3. It was a logical idea, as shown in subsequent games where Black’s opponent’s failed to react the way Alekhine did. But the right way – Alekhine’s way – was much stronger. Playing with tremendous energy, he simply sacrificed the knight for a fearsome attack and won brilliantly. It’s a model attacking game, and a theoretically important one to boot.

Thursday, August 25 GM Leonid Kritz A Dangerous Alekhine
With the help of computers, today even openings like 1.e4 Nf6 have been made playable, and see how! Navara did not find the right plan, and Black counter attacked immediately, forcing White to give up material and, later, also the game. A very important game from a strategic point of view, in particular how to play pawn structures d4-e5 against c6-d5.

Friday, August 26 GM Eugene Perelshteyn Student Game Analysis: Typical Mistakes in the Accelerated Dragon vs Alapin Sicilian (opening, strategy)
What’s best way to improve in chess? Study your own games and the games of your peers! Watch how two 1700’s keep making positional mistakes, one after the other. Eugene is not happy with his student’s play and he hopes you will not repeat the same mistakes as well!