Monday, May 25 IM Valeri Lilov Early Middlegame Strategies (strategy, middlegame)
The early middlegame stage is quite important to all kinds of chess players. People often forget that strategy isn’t always about attacking, and there is an important preparatory stage before the late middlegame happens. Check out IM Lilov’s new video to learn more!
Tuesday, May 26 IM Bill Paschall Keres Plays Black – Part 4 (openings, strategy)
Again we see Fischer with problems against the Caro-Kann. This time Keres plays to trade off Fischer’s better bishop and leave him with a useless white squared bishop. Unable to improve since his last loss in this opening, Fischer makes matters worse in the middlegame by weakening his already shaky queenside with the advance 18.b4 ? Keres exploits the situation with an active king, better minor piece and an excellent structure. The final endgame is a masterpiece of coordination and the principle of two weaknesses.
Wednesday, May 27 FM Dennis Monokroussos. The Exchange Queen’s Gambit, Revisited (tactics)
It was quite some time ago when we had a look at the Exchange Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined, and the game we examined was comparatively old. Does it still hold up as a dangerous option for White? In this game we see that it is, and that the thematic plan involving a central pawn roller turns out to be as dangerous today as it was all the way back in Botvinnik’s time. If your opponents don’t play 3…Be7, use it!
Thursday, May 28 GM Eugene Perelshteyn A Fresh idea in the Caro-Kann Exchange Variation (openings)
GM Perelshteyn introduces a fresh idea in the Caro-Kann Exchange Variation with 6.h3! Black has a serious problem to solve on what to do with his c8 bishop. He finds a way to trade it off and castle queenside. However, with a timely pawn sacrifice White gets a strong attack and executes with a cool tactic at the end!
Friday, May 29 GM Bryan Smith The Clear Play of Bobby Fischer, Part 2 (openings)
Only one year after our first video, we see the young Fischer making his international debut at the Portoroz Interzonal, 1959. In this game he wins smoothly in thematic Najdorf Defense style against Raul Sanguinetti.