Monday, March 7 IM Valeri Lilov The Attacking Potential (strategy, middlegame)
Attacking and tactics are linked, since one goal of strategic, “attacking” play is to increase the power of your pieces and create fertile conditions for tactical strikes on later moves. Sometimes this is a matter of arranging your pieces so that they have more freedom of movement and denying the same freedoms to your opponent; sometimes it is a matter of coordinating your pieces so that they are aimed at the same sector of the board; sometimes it is a matter of arranging your pawns to help achieve those same purposes for your pieces. Learn more from IM Lilov’s newest video lecture!
Tuesday, March 8 IM Bill Paschall The Genius of Michael Adams Part 2 (strategy, endgame)
Adams opens with an unusual King’s Indian attack move order versus the Sicilian Defense. Having taken his opponent into original territory, Mickey goes on to give what is basically a clinic on pawn structure chess. Black almost manages to hang on, but Adams shows excellent technique converting in a bishop vs knight ending with a powerful passed outside pawn. The entire game is a testament to the practical and strategic side of Adams’ chess. Adams is strategically brilliant and alert tactically as always.
Wednesday, March 9 FM Dennis Monokroussos Remembering Paul Keres, Part 3: The 1950s (opening, tactics)
Before round 14 of the 1955 Interzonal in Gothenburg, Sweden, three Argentine players prepared a new line of the Najdorf Sicilian for Black. As it turned out, all three – Miguel Najdorf, Oscar Panno, and Herman Pilnik had the opportunity to play it at the same time, against three Soviet players: Paul Keres, Efim Geller, and Boris Spassky, respectively. It did not go well. The three Soviets, starting with Geller, found all the best moves at the board and thrashed their seemingly well-prepared grandmaster opposition. We’ll see how Keres handled his victim, and catch up a bit on the current status of the variation.
Thursday, March 10 GM Leonid Kritz Anand’s Mispreparation at the London Classic
Friday, March 11 GM Eugene Perelshteyn Carlsen Shines in Qatar: A Miniature vs. Mamedyarov
Carlsen plays a Super-GM and makes it look so easy! What did Mamedyarov do wrong in this game? In the words of the World Champ:
“6.Bxf6 loses the bishop pair and the game, a wise man said…” Do you love the bishop pair just as much? Maybe you should too!