Monday, February 23 IM Valeri Lilov The Strength of Piece Coordination (strategy, middlegame)
Understanding how piece coordination works is an essential component in every chess player’s preparation. Check up a brilliant game annotated by IM Lilov, so you can learn the secrets of a successful piece interaction!
Tuesday, February 24 IM Bill Paschall Mohr Flohr! Part 3 (middlegame, strategy)
Wednesday, February 25 FM Dennis M. Crushing the Berlin with 4.d3 (endgame)
The Berlin endgame has been giving White headaches for years, but lately Black has been suffering a bit due to 4.d3. It is by no means the refutation of the Berlin, but it seems that White is enjoying the positions more than Black. That was certainly the case in this game, a powerful attacking performance by India’s #2 player, Pentala Harikrishna. Harikrishna was surprised by his opponent’s novelty on move 8, but no matter: he refuted it over the board! His pawn sac 9.d4! gave him tremendous compensation in the form of long-term attacking prospects, and he delivered on those prospects in grand style. It was an inspiring game for the white cause against the Berlin, and an impressive example of how to conduct a long-term attack.
Thursday, February 26 IM David Vigorito An Accidental Novelty (opening, tactics)
In this game I end up in an opening that I play for both colors, yet my fuzzy memory meant that I was on my own very early. I came up with something new that was not particularly good or bad; it was just new. In new territory both sides have unusual problems to solve.
Friday, February 27 GM Bryan Smith Rubinstein’s Great Endgames, Part 4 (endgame)
In Part 4 of GM Bryan Smith’s series on Akiba Rubinstein’s endgames, we see a classic endgame against a young Alexander Alekhine. Structural themes, transitions to king and pawn endings, and the principle of two weaknesses feature prominently in this example.