Monday, July 18 IM Valeri Lilov How To Handle Unprepared Attacks (middlegame)
When our opponent starts an unprepared attack, we usually know that there is an efficient way to counter it, though we don’t know exactly what it is. Often times, the best method is to follow a number of principles which will help you take care of all important issues in the position.
Tuesday, July 19 IM Bill Paschall My Chess Comeback 2016! Part 3 (strategy, middlegame)
White chooses a solid line against the Sicilian Dragon, surprising Black, who expected a quieter 1.d4 opening. Black plays an inferior variation with 11…e6. The best for Black would be 11…Nd7 to avoid exchanges. White, a lower-rated player who would be content with a draw, gains the upper hand and Black is forced to defend ingeniously. In the critical stage, White is overambitious with his 25. f6 and suddenly Black has all the chances with a good knight versus bad bishop.
Wednesday, July 20 FM Dennis Monokroussos Korchnoi and the Art of Defense, Part 2 (tactics)
Aivars Gipslis was a countryman of Mikhail Tal’s and an almost exact contemporary, and like Tal he loved to attack. In this game he finds a beautiful and dangerous attacking idea that would have succeeded brilliantly against many players, but against the great defense of Viktor Korchnoi his ingenious idea was even more brilliantly rebuffed. In this game Korchnoi demonstrates a very important defensive principle; namely, that the defender can often return the material sacrificed by the opponent in order to wrest the initiative from him. Just how effective that policy can be, you shall see!
Thursday, July 21 GM Leonid Kritz A Tricky Sicilian (strategy, tactics)
A very interesting game in which both players showed many non-standard ideas. It does not happen too often that White can put his bishop on c3 or b4 in Najdorf, but this was one of the major themes in this game. A nice strategic battle with a typical Sicilian finale!
Friday, July 22 GM Bryan Smith Exploring Rook Endgames, Part 2: Flohr-Vidmar (endgame)
In the second part of this series on rook endgames, we take a look at how the famous technician Salo Flohr wins a minutely-better endgame. Also touched on is the subject of passive versus active defense.