Monday, September 2
GM Eugene Perelshteyn – Amazing Checkmate Pattern from the World Champ: Carlsen Crushes Anand! | Strategy, Tactics
It’s quite rare to see Anand get checkmated, especially with one of the most beautiful attacking patterns in modern chess history! This blitz gem by Magnus has to be studied carefully as the final checkmate is just wonderful. Anand really only makes one mistake right after the opening and Magnus unleashes a monstrous attack that has to make it to all the tactics books. Make sure to solve the final mating pattern tactic!
Tuesday, September 3
IM Bill Paschall – Great Matchups: Tal vs Botvinnik Rematch 1961, Part 1 | Strategy, Endgame
Botvinnik prepared heavily for the 1961 return match with Mikhail Tal. It was favorable for Botvinnik also to begin with the White pieces and start the match with victory in 2/3 games; both players winning the White pieces in the first three battles ! There were many decisive games in this match and very few draws! In part one we take a look at the third game of the match, a very nice strategic victory for Botvinnik which helps to set the tone for a successful rematch.
Wednesday, September 4
FM Dennis Monokroussos – Experimental Chess at the Highest Level | Tactics
Magnus Carlsen is one of the game’s great fighters, not only fighting to the end but willing to take great risks to keep a game going. That’s what we’ll see in his mind-boggling rapid game with Sergey Karjakin from the Lindores Abbey event from this May (2019). After 19 moves heavy exchanges have taken place, and the game seems to be on the way to an insipid draw. Most players would have gone with the game’s inertia, but not Carlsen, who allowed Karjakin to promote a pawn in return for a pair of minor pieces, an impressive queenside pawn majority, and the fog of confusion. Eventually the game still finished in a draw, but it was a barn-burner you’re bound to enjoy. Have a look!
Thursday, September 5
GM Nadya Kosintseva – Facing Alekhine’s Defense | Strategy
In this lecture we will consider how to play against the Alekhine Defense from White’s point of view. This defense is pretty solid but at the same time can be tricky. Black does not bring any pawns in the middle of the board but rather provokes White to advance his central pawns. As a result Black gets a chance to undermine the white center and exchange some pawns there. To get the initiative white should avoid exchanges and simplifications and be vigorous in his pawn play.
Friday, September 6
GM Robert Hungaski – Opening Strategy: Tucking the Bishops Away | Strategy
In this video I will continue my Opening Strategy series with a discussion on how to deal with bishops in the opening. Previously, in my video on The Fianchettoed Bishop, I showed you how to play against and restrict an opponent’s bishop. Here, I will propose a strategy for getting the most out of your bishops. I call this strategy “Tucking the Bishops Away”.
The basic premise we will be relying on is that the opening phase of the game is where the bishops are most vulnerable, either to attack or misplacement. Therefore, our goal will be to place the bishop on an unassuming square from where it will be ready to spring into action when the time is right!