Category Archives: PATTERN RECOGNITION

MEMBERS ONLY, PATTERN RECOGNITION, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, Uncategorized

BORROWING GRANDMASTER OPENING RESEARCH

In this week's Chess Questions Answered video, I explained how we can borrow ideas from great players by paying close attention to their games. They'll often devote a lot of time and energy to solving particular opening problems, so it's well worth seeing what they play in positions which might have given us cause for concern. A related approach is to copy the opening repertoire of a player whose style we like, watching for any new games that they play.

I've never been someone who has played topical and critical lines, but I have borrowed ideas from players I've admired. I have used many Paul Keres ideas, particular as Black in the Ruy Lopez. In many cases it has been lesser known players who played something that appealed to me, and the advantage there is that it might not be as fashionable.

One opening that I've played quite a lot is the Torre Attack, but only after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 and now 3.Bg5. Keres played this and Smyslov too. It probably doesn't give White anything if Black plays well, but the same is true of many sharp main lines. In my Torre studies I will look for other players who specialize in it and take careful note of the lines they play.

A good place to start with this approach is to find a player whose games you like. Can you also play some of their openings? If you can then give it a go!

Training Tournaments

Richard is doing a great job of running these, introducing a slightly longer time limit and starting some of them from the initial position or just a single first move. Here are the ones that are currently scheduled:

Sunday February 1st, 5pm UK Time Colle System

Sunday February 1st, 6.15pm UK Time: Torre Attack

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off Mastering Key Pawn Structures: ZOOM Formations using the code 'jan30feb7'. This video series will consider ZOOM formations, which typically arise from the Gruenfeld Defence and Catalan Opening, and which were covered by Stefan Zeuthen and Bent Larsen in the classic book 'ZOOM 001: Zero Hour for Operative Opening Models'.

Last week's discount is 40% off Learning from the Greats: Mikhail Botvinnik using the code 'jan23to31'. Botvinnik was a great master of the endgame and introduced a number of new methods including deep research into different opening systems. These insights would later to transmitted to one of his students, the formidable Garry Kasparov.

Upcoming Events

The final round of the HIT Open in Nova Gorica took place today, so I'm coming home tomorrow. I've signed up for a 4NCL Congress over Easter, and now understand that I'll be playing for the England 50+ first team in the World Senior Team Championships in April. I might look for another weekend event in February or March.

April 3 - 6: 4NCL Easter Congress, Daventry

I try to make most of the 4NCL Congresses because I like them so much. This one is 7 rounds, and played over Easter weekend.

April 18 - 29: World Senior Team Championships, Durres, Albania
I've had confirmation that I'll be in the 50+ first team for this one.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, FRENCH DEFENCE, OPENINGS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, TIGER CHESS WEBINARS, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

HOW TO MOVE ON FROM PET OPENINGS

In this week's Chess Questions Answered video I answered a question about giving up pet openings. Replacing former favourites with better lines can be an important part of a player's development, for example my chess improved considerably when I no longer played the Modern Defence (1...g6 against everything) exclusively. I switched instead to more solid options, including the Nimzo-Indian and meeting 1.e4 with 1...e5.

What's the right time to do this? There can be various indicators, for example your results with your pet opening may have become worse, or you no longer feel you enjoy playing it (often these things will go together). Such times suggest a rethink, perhaps extending to your whole game. Alexander Kotov recommended doing this once in a while in his famous book, Think Like a Grandmaster. I've made a practice of this myself, and now tend to make minor adjustments as new information comes in.

What openings should you switch to? It makes sense not to change too much too quickly, and it might be best to go for positions in which you have some experience and understanding. I cover this topic in my video series, Crafting Your Own Opening Repertoire, which is discounted this week.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in unusual lines of the French Defence, namely 2.b3 and 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5. These are covered in my Building an Opening Repertoire course as well as The French Defence.

Sunday October 5th at 5pm UK Time: French 2.b3

Sunday October 5th at 6.15pm UK Time: French 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying the Crafting Your Own Opening Repertoire series, using the code 'oct3to11. In the four parts I include coverage of opening selection, choosing sources and assembling your lines. 

Last week's discount was 40% off buying Mastering Key Pawn: The Classical Centre, using the code 'sep26tooct4' and is valid until tomorrow. This video series considers the classical centre, which can arise from a very large variety of chess openings including the Semi-Tarrasch and Gruenfeld Defences, plus many others..

My Upcoming Events

After Tenerife cancellation, I've accepted an invitation to the Scarborough congress, largely because my wife enjoyed going there last year. This is the only thing I have planeed right now, though I might also play in the Bolton Rapidplay in December.

October 24-26: Scarborough Congress
I played in this last year and it's a popular event. Details can be found here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

OPENINGS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, PAWN LEVERS, TRAINING

SEEKING STRONG OPPOSITION

One important aspect of chess improvement is in the strength of the opposition you play against. Strong opposition will stimulate the desire to do things better, if you don't you're going to get beaten. On the other hand looking to play weaker opponents, in order to get minor glory, will lead to a gradually deterioration of you game.

Because of this, my feelings about playing in senior chess events have been rather mixed. On the one hand it's nice to meet up with old acquaintances, on the other there's an element of avoidance to it, steering clear of strong young players, who are using modern learning methods and are often underrated. It may seem more comfortable, but at the same time it avoids the kind of challenge that leads to growth.

The desire to play strong opposition is one of the reasons I've chosen to play in the British Championship itself, rather than the 50+ or 65+ sections; there's just one game a day so tiredness shouldn't be a factor. I've also accepted an invitation to a strong open tournament in Izmir in Turkey, and have already started preparing. 

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation, which I believe is a very useful structure for learning positional play due to the clear planning and use of pawn levers. The two tournaments are as follows:

Sunday May 11th at 5pm UK Time: QGD Exchange with 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5

Sunday May 11th at 5pm UK Time: QGD Exchange with 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 c6 6.Qc2 Be7 7.Bg5 0-0 8.e3 Nbd7 9.Bd3 Re8 10.0-0 Nf8 

My Upcoming Events

I decided against playing in Nottingham, partly because it would be too hectic a schedule and partly because I'm working on some new openings which are simply not going to be ready. Meanwhile I've added the Cesme International Open in Turkey, but unfortunately this clashes with the Ilkley Congress.

Here is how things look right now:

June 23-29 2025: 11th Cesme International Open
This strong open event, in Izmir in Turkey, promises to be a real challenge. I'll be going a couple of days early because I can get a cheap flight, but the city looks very interesting and well worth a visit.

July 31 - August 10 2025: British Championships
As mentioned I've gone for the Championship itself rather than one of the old folks sections. Obviously this will be full of underrated juniors, I'll just have to play better against them this time! You can find details here.

August 21 - 30 2025: Maia Chess Festival (?)
I'm hopeful that I'll be asked back, but haven't heard anything so far.

September 5-7: Hull 4NCL Congress
I'm a big fan of 4NCL Congresses because they are played in nice venues, they're invariably well organized and they offer free entry and accommodation to GMs. You can find details here:

I'll be looking for things after September, not sure when or where!
 

Twitch Channel

My new Twitch channel will have new shows every Monday ('Chess Questions Answered), the Webinar on training tournaments and games is up on Fridays. Please follow it if you'd like to get updates etc, all the shows will be available to Premium members in the Tiger Chess members area, even when they are no longer available on Twitch.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

OPENINGS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, PAWN LEVERS, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED

The Queen’s Gambit Declined Course

The Tiger Chess Queen's Gambit Declined Course is an advanced, stand-alone opening course based around the Tartakower Variaton (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6) and the Semi-Tarrasch Defenc (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 or 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 c5). It features amost 14 hours of video which explain key games and has a pgn (portable game notation) file of recommended variations that can be built upon, extended and important into software such as Chess Position Trainer. The 94 games presented are also included in pgn format, but without annotations.

The Queen's Gambit Declined has many advantages, not only is it rock solid but it offers prospects of outplaying the opponent in complex middle game positions. Unlike many defenses to 1.d4 it can also be used against the English Opening, 1.Nf3 and 1.c4. The recommended lines differ considerably from the Queen's Gambit Declined presentation in the Building an Opening Repertoire course, here are the different section headings:

1. Introduction
2. Divergences & Move Orders
3. 6.Bxf6 & 6.Bf4
4. Tartakower: 8.cxd5
5. Tartakower: 8.Be2
6. Tartakower: 8.Rc1
7. Tartakower: 7/8.Qc2 Lines
8. Tartakower: 8.Others
9. Tartakower: Early Rc1 Lines
10. Semi-Tarrasch: Auxiliary Lines
11. Semi-Tarrasch: e2-e4 Sidelines
12. Semi-Tarrasch:  11.Bc4 Main Line
13. Queen's Pawn Games
14. Catalan, English & Reti
15. Other Openings

The Tartakower variation has been played by some of the greatest players in history, including World Champions Boris Spassky, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen. Here is the starting point for this famous line:

The QGD Tartakower

The Semi-Tarrasch complements the Tartakower perfectly as it can be used to recapture on d5 with a knight if White tries to use the Exchange Variation. It can also sidestep White's 5.Bf4 line that arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 because Black will play 4...c5 before this happens. This is a key position from the Semi-Tarrasch that arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 O-O:

Main Line Semi-Tarrasch

This course is suitable for players over 1700 Elo who want a high quality defence against 1.d4 that is strategy based. You need to be a Tiger Chess member to get it and continue to view it, which is why it priced at just $19.95. You can get it at the add-on videos page but need to be a logged on Standard or Premium member to see the option to purchase it.

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

FRENCH DEFENCE, OPENINGS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, PAWN LEVERS

THE FRENCH DEFENCE COURSE

The Tiger Chess French Defence Course is an advanced, stand-alone opening course which builds on the treatment of the French presented in the Building an Opening Repertoire course. It features over 11 hours of video which explain key games and ideas plus a pgn (portable game notation) file of recommended variations that can be built upon, extended and important into software such as Chess Position Trainer. The 88 games presented are also included in pgn format, but without annotations.

The French is an excellent defence to choose as Black, it is solid and helps foster positional understanding. The choice of variations is designed to make it easy to learn and remember, with the focus being on reaching and playing certain typical key middle game and endgame positions. All the variations are examined more deeply than in the Building an Opening Repertoire course and some new lines have been introduced.

The main change from the Building an Opening Repertoire lines is that are new ways of meeting both 3.Nd2 and 3.Nc3 instead of the Rubinstein Variation with 3...dxe4. Against 3.Nc3 it is still possible to reach a Rubinstein after 3...Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nbd7, though in this case White has lost many of his best anti-Rubinstein options because his bishop already stands on g5. White also has 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 available, but here Black has a good line in 4...Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6, aiming to get counterplay with 8...b7-b5.

4.Bg5 dxe4 is a rock solid option

Against the Tarrasch Variation with 3.Nd2 the recommended line is 3...c5 after which 4.exd5 Qxd5 produces a pawn structure that is very similar to those that arise from the Rubinstein Variation. Black often obtains a favourable endgame by centralising his king and then advancing his kingside pawns. White has a major alternative in 4.Ngf3 after which the recommendation is 4...cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6.

The recommended line against 3.e5 is still 3...c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nge7, but the lines are examined in greater depth and with more ambitious options on offer for Black. The same is true of the Exchange Variation where 4.Bd3 is answered by 4...Nc6 and 4.Nf3 by 4...Bd6. There is also the same plan against the King's Indian Attack and 2.Qe2 lines where Black delays playing ...d7-d5 until he has castled so as to make room for his knight on e8.

This course is suitable for players over 1700 Elo who want a high quality defence against 1.e4 that is based on plans and strategy rather than tricks and traps. You need to be a Tiger Chess member to get it and continue to view it, which is why it priced at just $15.95. You can get it at the add-on videos page but need to be a logged on member to see the option to purchase it.

Nigel Davies