Learn the McCutcheon Review by Steve Goldberg The New McCutcheon, by Rustam Kasimdzhanov, 2014 ChessBase, DVD, 4 hours, 42 minutes playing time. $34.95 (ChessCafe Price $29.87) Particularly for a player looking for a Black repertoire response to 1.e4, The New McCutcheon by Rustam Kasimdzhanov is an excellent choice. The McCutcheon French is reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4. So what is “new” about this? Kasimdzhanov explains that 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 used to be the main variation, with 6.Bc1 and 6.Bh4 also common continuations. But now, he states, 6.Be3 is the primary follow-up. In this DVD, former world champion Kasimdzhanov reviews all of these variations, and … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2015
Smorgasbord VII: The Ides of March
Smorgasbord VII: The Ides of March By Jeff Coakley Our mid-March smorgasbord features the usual assortment of chess puzzles. The special side dish this week is a collection of quotes that begin with the word I’d. The types of problems presented here have appeared previously on The Puzzling Side of Chess. If you are unfamiliar with them, examples with more detailed explanations are available in the archives. 1. Triple Loyd 42 Place the black king on the board so that: A. Black is in checkmate. B. Black is in stalemate. C. White has mate in one. The contraction I’d is short for either ‘I would’ or ‘I had’. Its most quotable usage is the former, normally followed by the … [Read more...]
Larsen: Move by Move
Larsen: Move by Move By Cyrus Lakdawala Larsen on the Dynamic Element In this, the largest chapter of the book, we look at Larsen's treatment of the initiative. Many of the games herein culminate in violent attacks. The only reason they are in this chapter, rather than earlier one on the Attack, is that Larsen's handling of initiative created the roots from which the attacks grew. Bobotsov,M - Larsen,B Busum, 1969 English Opening [A17] 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4 4.g3 4.Qc2 is more common. There are some slight drawbacks to combining g2-g3 with an early Nc3 here. Question: What are those? Answer: There are several: In the Catalan positions that arise if White … [Read more...]
The Greatest Bunratty Festival Yet
The Greatest Bunratty Festival Yet What drew more than 350 chess players to a remote hotel in the south-west of Ireland, including twelve grandmasters and many IMs just for a weekend, 20-22 February? Perhaps it was the wet, windy Irish weather. More likely, it was the beer. Most likely of all it was the traditional festival atmosphere created by the sponsor Gary O'Grady of the London Heathrow-based Blackthorne International Transport (www.blackthornetransport.co.uk) which specialises in delivery cargo to Russia. This was about the twentieth time a winter chess congress has been held in Bunratty but only the second time I have attended. The previous time was 1997 when there were only a … [Read more...]
Unjustified Weakening of the Pawn Structure
Russian IM Mark Dvoretsky is one the most respected chess trainers in the world today. In his March 2015 column he presents the third of a six-part series dealing with positions in which Black opens the g-file after a trade of minor pieces. A new column is posted the second Tuesday of each month. Unjustified Weakening of the Pawn Structure By Mark Dvoretsky As a rule, White strives to exploit his opponent's kingside weaknesses by playing for attack, and keeping the queens on the board. But sometimes, pawn structure minuses make themselves felt even deep into the endgame, as the following examples demonstrate. Tal - Korchnoi Game 1, Semi-Final Candidates' Match, Moscow 1968 1.d4 Nf6 … [Read more...]
Chess Mazes #382
Chess Mazes #382 There are two types of chess mazes: checking and mating. For bishop, rook, and knight mazes the play is to check the black king. For queen, pawn, and king mazes the object is to checkmate the enemy king; here checks are not allowed. The rules in common for each type of maze are as follows: Black never moves. Only the maze piece (in the case of pawns – the maze units) may move. A maze piece may never move to a square where it can be captured by enemy forces. A maze piece may capture undefended enemy forces. Plus we look for the shortest solution. Helpers in queen and king mazes are frozen to the diagram position, unable to move or be removed. In pawn mazes … [Read more...]
Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense [C65]
Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense [C65] By Abby Marshall I am covering a line that has been played a few times against me when I play the Classical Defense as Black in the Ruy Lopez. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Ruy Lopez or Spanish Game. 3...Nf6 This is a major alternative to the main move, 3...a6. I always played it with the intention of following up with 4...Bc5, the Classical Defense. Black gets active pieces though has to watch for White targeting these pieces with c3 and d4. 4.Qe2 White avoids theory. After the main move 4.0-0, White has to be ready for both the Classical which begins with 4...Bc5 5.c3, or the Berlin Defense, Open variation 4...Nxe4 5.d4. White appears … [Read more...]
As You Wish
As You Wish How to play against the Veresov? This is the question posed by Greg Wilson from Australia. Apparently after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bg5 Nbd7 his sparring partner at the local club plays the well known replies and does well in blitz games. His simple question is "What should I play?" I must admit to always having a soft spot for the Veresov because it always seemed so tricky playing 2 Nc3 and enjoyed a good reputation amongst club players. It also has a good pedigree having been employed by such stars as Bent Larsen, David Bronstein, Hikaru Nakumura and Mikhail Tal. The opening is named in honour of Gavril Veresov who played the line so much they changed the name of the … [Read more...]
A Mixed Bag and Several Gems
A Mixed Bag and Several Gems by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month The Liberated Bishop Defence by Alexey Bezgodov Grandmaster Repertoire: 1.e4 Volume 2, 1.e4 vs The Sicilian I by Parimarjan Negi Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 2: Mar del Plata I by Vassilios Kotronias Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 2: Mar del Plata II by Vassilios Kotronias This month I will review one title from New In Chess: The Liberated Bishop Defence and three titles from Quality Chess: Grandmaster Repertoire: 1.e4 Volume 2: 1.e4 vs The Sicilian I, Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 2: Mar del Plata I, and Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 3: Mar del Plata II. The first of these books is … [Read more...]