Category Archives: CLINIC

CLINIC, NEWS

DECEMBER 2021 CLINIC

The topic for the December Clinic is the 8.Be3 Exchange Gruenfeld (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Be3 Qa5), the line which Vladimir Kramnik used successfully during his match against Garry Kasparov. There were training events in this line between members of the Tigerchess.com Themed Training team on the 2nd and 5th of January with a good selection of well fought games being played.

Here's a position from one of them in which it was White to play (see diagram):

Dandanmian - NN; White to play

White's move was 22.Bxc5!, which exploits the fact that the b6 pawn is pinned against the rook on b8. Black sportingly resigned at this point (1-0) because his position is hopeless.

The Tigerchess.com Themed Training events offer a valuable opportunity to practice key positions from my syllabus, and are open to everyone, not just subscribers. Those who participate in them find that the experience helps trigger valuable insights into the topic concerned, much more so than just playing through some lines in a book.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, FRENCH DEFENCE, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

NOVEMBER 2021 CLINIC

The November clinic features more games from the Tiger Chess Themed Training events on Lichess. This time the chosen them was the position arising after the moves 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 in the French Defence.

I have issued frequent warnings about the caution required by Black in ever castling kingside when there is a White pawn on e5. Of course it's always good for people to discover this for themselves, and this is what happened in the following position (see diagram):

HerbertChapman - NN. White to play.

Black's last move was to castle kingside (15...0-0) which White then answered with 16.Nxh5!. Black actually resigned at this point (1-0) which might have been either great vision or a reluctance to continue with his king in such a desperate situation. At first it did not seem that clear to me but then Stockfish indicates that White is winning, for example after 16…gxh5 17.Ng5 Rfc8 18.Qxh5 Qxd4 19.a3 Ba5 20.Bf4 Bd8 21.Rhd1 Qc4 22.b3 Qxb3 23.Qh7+ Kf8 24.Rdb1 Qa4 25.Rxb7 etc..

At the moment these training events are featuring the Petrosian Variation of the King's Indian Defence and take place on Wednesdays (8pm UK time) and Sundays (6pm UK time). Participation is free and you can find them here.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, TRAINING

OCTOBER 2021 CLINIC

From last month I decided to change the clinic content so that it covers the Tiger Chess Themed Training events on Lichess. This is the second clinic devoted to games from a key position in the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation, arising after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 c6 9.Nf3 Re8 10.O-O Nf8.

One nice moment from these events came from the following position in which it was Dandanmian (White) to play:

Dandanmian - Aleksandr Ivanovich; White to play

White uncorked the powerful 20.Nxf7!, intending 20...Kxf7 21.f5. Black instead tried to counterattack with 21...Qh4 but after 21.Kg2 Kxf7 22.Bg5! found that his queen had been trapped. The game lasted just a few more moves with 22...Qxe1 13.Rxe1 Kg8 14.f5 1-0.

Anyone wanting to take part in these events should join the Tiger Chess Themed Training Team on Lichess. It's free to join in and the events can give you training in specific openings and position types.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, NEWS, OPENINGS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TIGER CHESS WEBINARS, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

SEPTEMBER 2021 CLINIC

I recently took the decision to change the clinic content so that it covers the Tiger Chess Themed Training events on Lichess. I set these events up so that students could practice important position types rather than waste time on the random mayhem that usually occurs in online games. The results have been very promising in that several people have reported increased engagement and interest in the problems after having wrestled with them in a series of games.

The first position to have been played is a key position in the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation, arising after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 c6 9.Nf3 Re8 10.O-O Nf8. This is a very useful position from which to learn strategy because of the clarity of the pawn structure and the ease with which the different plans and ideas can be explained. Nonetheless it can prove very challenging to master as these plans come into conflict, and I am devoting the current series of webinars to its mastery.

Queen's Gambit Declined: Key Position

I will not show any highlights this time but instead list the forthcoming practice events, which are held at 8pm London (UK) time on Wednesdays and 6pm London (UK) time on Sundays:

October 10th (6pm): QGD Exchange Training

October 13th (8pm): QGD Exchange Training

October 17th (6pm): QGD Exchange Training

October 20th (8pm): QGD Exchange Training

October 24th (6pm): QGD Exchange Training

After this series the webinars will cover a new topic and new positions will be used for the training events. It will take more practice than this to get in tune with these position types, but this is at least a start.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, ENDGAMES, NEWS

AUGUST 2021 CLINIC

Continuing the trend of a return to 'normality', almost all of the August clinic games were played over-the-board. As always there was a lot of variety but it was good to see some excellent results for the strategic themes and openings I recommend.

Here's an example,  the following position arising after White's 28th move in a game of M. B.. Black to play continued with a plan that I use to show the value of pawn levers, the minority attack (see diagram).

NN - MB: Black to play

Black continued with 28... b4!, which leaves White with serious weaknesses regardless of what he does. The game continued 29.axb4 axb4 30.Rac1 Ra2 31.cxb4 Rxc1 32.Rxc1 Rxb2 33.Rd1 Rxb4 34.g3 Kf6! 35.Kg2 Kf5 36.f3 Rb2+ 37.Kg1 g5 38.hxg5 hxg5 39.Rd3 f6 40.Kf1 e5 41.dxe5 Kxe5 42.Kg1 d4 43.Ra3 Kd5 44.Ra5+ Kc4 45.Ra6 d3 0-1.

Although this is a standard plan, being able to implement it with confidence is important, much more so than the rote memorization of opening moves.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, ENDGAMES, NEWS

JULY 2021 CLINIC

The July clinic featured over the board games, which was a pleasant change after the the previous 16 months. Online chess is a poor substitute for the real thing, and not least because engine use is far more widespread that anyone wants to admit. Those who are caught are just the visible part of the iceberg and those who are named suffer humiliation and potential career damage.

The first four games were endgames, something that is encouraged here because it good endgame play is such a fundamental skill. The fifth game was a nice win by M. B. who successfully exploited the weaknesses in his opponent's kingside (see diagram).

M. B. - A. N. Other; White to play

White to play commenced his attack with 21.Ng4!, threatening a fork on f6. The game proceeded with the moves 21...Rf8 22.Qe5! Qb7 23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Nd7+ ( 24.Rd7 Qb6 25.Nd5+ was crushing, but the move played is quite enough) 24...Kg8 25.Nxf8 Rxf8 26.Qxc5 1-0

Nigel Davies

CLINIC

JUNE 2021 CLINIC

For the first time since early last year the members clinic featured over-the-board games, making me increasingly hopeful that we really are returning to some kind of new normal. My son and I were involved in two of them having played in the 4NCL Congress in Leamington near Coventry. It was good to get out and play chess again after living under various degrees of restrictions since March last year.

The following position arose in Sam's second round game. His opponent has just played 32.Be7 intending 33.Bf6, a threat which needs to be countered (see diagram). 

Turner - Sam Davies, Black to play

Black countered White's threat with 32…Bh1 threatening mate with 33...Qg2. There followed 33.Rf2 Ra1+ 34.Nf1 Qe4! 35.Qxg4 Nd5 0-1, White resigning because 36.Bf6 is met by 36...Rxf1+! with either mate on g2 or a knight fork on e3.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC

MAY 2021 CLINIC

The May 2021 Clinic actually featured two over-the-board games, which is a further sign that things are returning to some kind of normality. Over the coming weeks and months this process will probably continue.

The following position arose from one of my old favorites, the Modern Defence with 1...g6. White had not played particularly well but it still needs good play to take advantage of this. What did Black play here (see diagram)?

A. N. Other - S. M., Black to play.

In fact he found the brilliant 16 ... Ng4!! which White should capture, leaving him with a poor position after 17 ... Bxe5. Instead he played 17. Bxg7 allowing 17 ... Qc5+ and then after 18.Kf1? (18.Kh1 is best, though it loses the queen to 18 ... Nf2+) he was mated with 18 ... Qf2 # (0-1).

Members can access the clinic here and also submit games.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, NEWS

APRIL 2021 CLINIC

The April clinic featured internet games (again!) with the first three being in the Queen's Gambit Declined. I've found this to be a particularly useful opening for teaching strategy because of the clear plans both sides can have, and in particular in the Exchange Variation (1.d4 d4 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5). Other lines are also interesting with the following position arising from a Semi-Slav (see diagram). What should Black play here?

Black to play

Black played the natural 16...Be6! which proved to be much stronger than appears at first sight. White's problem is that when he moves his queen Black can trap the rook on b1 with ...Ba2, the continuation of the game being 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Qc2 Ba2 with a winning position for Black. The only small fly in the ointment is that 18...Ra2 might have been even stronger. In any case Black went on to win after a few ups and downs!

Nigel Davies

CLINIC

MARCH 2021 CLINIC

The March clinic is out and is still devoted to online games. With the UK's lockdown gradually being eased there should be a resumption of normal chess activity before too long, which many players are looking forward to.

Here's one episode from this latest clinic in which Black had gained the advantage from one of my opening recommendations and now delivered the killer blow. What did he do here (see diagram)?

NN - MB: Black to play.

Black to play unleashed 29…Rxd4!, the point being that after 30.cxd4 he delivers mate with 30...Qh3+ 31.Kg1 Nf3# (0-1).

The members clinic is one of many features available to standard and premium members, with premium members also getting access to the clinic archive from 2014.

Nigel Davies