Monday, June 26 IM Valeri Lilov Coordination and Powerplay (strategy)
The piece coordination concept is probably the most critical in all middlegame strategy. What is basically means is a way to get our pieces together and set them up towards a target or a plan. Check out IM Valeri Lilov’s lecture to learn more!
Tuesday, June 27 IM David Vigorito Nyzhnyk’s Pet KID Line (opening, tactics)
Facing the Fianchetto Variation in the King’s Indian, Ilia Nyzhnyk wheels out his pet line, an old system named for Simagin, where Black gives up his light-squared bishop. Norowitz grabs a pawn but Nyzhnyk gain a remarkable initiative, conducting an attack on the very light squares that he seemed to concede in the opening.
Wednesday, June 28 IM Bill Paschall Highlights from the 2017 Russian Team Championship, Part 3 (middlegame, tactics)
The creative Nepomniachtchi begins with a typical King’s Indian Attack, but immediately leaves book with the strange 11.Bg5. Black’s play is aggressive and optimistic and as he extends his center, white is coordinating his pieces. Ian actually missed one very interesting combination, but soon embarked on another tactic that created chaos by sacrificing a piece for three pawns. Even with best defense, it would have been difficult, as the coordination of white’s forces is very powerful.
Thursday, June 29 GM Nadya Kosintseva King Activity in the Middlegame (middlegame)
In spite of the fact that the King is the most important piece in chess, it often remains inactive until the game transposes into an endgame. Indeed, in the absence of queens the king feels safer going to the center of the board where it can contribute more, supporting own pieces or bothering opponent’s ones. Although it is the most common scenario, I want to show you some instructive examples from the games of great chess players that illustrate the king at work in the middlegame. You will see how the transfer of the king, in a situation where the weaker side cannot launch a counter attack against it, can help the stronger side to increase his pressure and identify a new target for his attack.
Friday, June 30 GM Bryan Smith Coffeehouse Chess, Part 8 (openings)
In this video we will see some instructive opening play followed by an unnecessarily speculative attack, with the defender’s miscalculations finally punished by an entertaining king hunt.