Monday, September 12 IM David Vigorito Smooth Win vs. the King’s Indian (opening, middlegame)
In this game an experienced IM plays the quiet but venomous Petrosian Variation of the King’s Indian against a talented young fighter. Black makes a natural move that looks inaccurate, but a shocking queen sacrifice could have justified Black’s play. When the moment passes by, White scores an easy and thematic victory.
Tuesday, September 13 IM Bill Paschall Avoiding the Berlin Defense : Classic Games, Part 4 (opening, strategy)
Topalov and Nakamura do battle in a topical , modern variation of the 4.d3 Berlin variation. Black played 10…Ng6 where most recently black has used 10…Bg4 with some success. Topalov finds an inventive way to sacrifice a pawn for a powerful and useful pair of bishops. Topalov combines terrific tactics and strategy to gain a clear advantage and regain the sacrificed material. In the endgame , white is to exploit the advantage of the bishop pair and later trade it in for a different advantage, in the form of a powerful passed pawn. This game clearly illustrates several very key strategic concepts ; including the advantage of the two bishops and transferal of advantages.
Wednesday, September 14 FM Dennis Monokroussos Deciding the 1910 World Championship, Part 2 (middlegame)
One of the most closely contested championship matches in chess history was the 1910 battle between Emanuel Lasker and Carl Schlechter. With one game to go, Schlechter, the challenger, led by a point. There’s some dispute over whether he needed to win by two points to take the title, though the current consensus is that a one-point lead would have sufficed. Even if a two-point lead was necessary, however, keeping the title by losing the match by a point would still have been a public relations disaster for Lasker, and he fought majestically for a win in the final game. In part 1 we’ll see how he managed to achieve a winning position with superior play in the early middlegame, only to see Schlechter outplay him in the later middlegame to throw everything into doubt. In part 2, we’ll see Lasker’s gritty defense as he threads the needle between avoiding options leading to a clear draw on the one hand while steering clear of disaster on the other. Eventually this bore fruit, and after missing plenty of chances to at least draw the game Schlechter found himself in a worse endgame that eventually, tragically, lost.
Thursday, September 15 GM Leonid Kritz How to Beat Nakamura (opening, strategy)
A very interesting strategic game from the point of view of White. So plays a line that is considered to be not very dangerous. However, Nakamura gets into the type of position he does not like playing. White creates a masterpiece and strategically destroys Black.
Friday, September 16 GM Bryan Smith Trying Out the Leningrad Dutch (opening)
Sometimes it is good to tryout new openings – in order to surprise your opponent or just for some more variety. In this video, GM Bryan Smith describes his experience playing the Leningrad Dutch for the first time.