Monday, January 4 IM Valeri Lilov Winning with the Barry Attack (openings)
The Barry Attack has been one of the most underrated openings for white. The opening provides white with countless original attacks and a number of outstanding challenges against black’s king’s defense. Check out this lecture to learn more!
Tuesday, January 5 IM Bill Paschall Hungarian Bronze at European Teams Part 2 (middlegame, strategy)
Leading the Hungarians to a bronze medal, the young GM Rapport plays an extremely inventive sort of Queen’s Gambit Accepted or Ragozin Variation with reverse colors. Radjabov plays a bit routinely through the game and is slowly forced on the defensive by white’s superb combination of positional play and tactical finesse. Eventually, white is able to exploit his more active pieces and the somewhat exposed position of the black king.
Wednesday, January 6 FM Dennis Monokroussos Great Prep: What Computers Can Do (openings)
Baadur Jobava was and is justly proud of his 2003 game with Evgeny Bareev, all or almost all of which was preparation. Brilliant preparation, too, and at the time of the game even the best chess engines didn’t have a chance of coming up with his idea. In a recent interview Jobava reiterated that claim about contemporary engines, but it turns out that he’s wrong; the silicon beasts have caught up! Have a look at a fantastic game, and admire both what Jobava dreamed up and what computers are now capable of as well.
Thursday, January 7 GM Leonid Kritz A Great Example of Strategic Play (endgame)
The position seemed absolutely equal after the opening, but care needed to be taken to achieve a draw. White used all weaknesses in black’s position and managed to get a point almost out of nowhere. Sargissian played in best traditions of strategic
masters.
Friday, January 8 GM Eugene Perelshteyn How to Play in Symmetrical Pawn Structures (strategy, endgame)
How to play equal-looking positions for a win? Are all Symmetrical pawn structures just draws? Watch this video and learn valuable lessons on trades, pawn structures, weaknesses and more!