Category Archives: QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED

PATTERN RECOGNITION, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TRAINING

DO THE BEST MOVES MAKE SENSE?

Something that I realized quite recently is that there are many positions in which the best engine move makes no sense whatsoever, at least not to me. They're based on pure calculation, and what they calculate just happens to work. With other positions I can understand why the engine suggests what it does, there's a certain logic to what it's doing. Does this anomaly fit a particular pattern? I think that it does. In main lines, which feature lots of standard plans and ideas, the engine moves make sense to me. It's in non-standard positions where I'm often completely baffled.

This accords with Adrian De Groot's discovery that strong chess players excel in pattern recognition whilst we know that engines excel in brute force calculation. In turn that means that experienced players might be better off sticking to standard openings whereas great calculators might want to mix things up. It might be less clearcut if an experienced player is also a good calculator, and in this case the require position may also depend on the relative strengths of the opponent.

What can we learn from this from improvement purposes? It goes without saying that it's a good idea to improve your calculation skills, but there's often an upper limit about how far we can go with this. On the other hand the sky's the limit with mastering typical positions, the main limitation being the amount of time you're willing to devote to it.

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off Mastering Key Pawn Structures: Carlsbad Formations using the code 'may15to23'. This video series will consider the Carlsbad formation, an ideal structure for learning planning and positional play.

Last week's discount was 40% off buying Learning from the Greats: Anatoly Karpov using the code 'may8to16', and this is still valid until tomorrow. Anatoly Karpov is widely acknowledged as having been one of the greatest players in history. In this series of videos Nigel examines Karpov's style and strengths, showing what can be learned from him.

Upcoming Events

This is how things look right now having withdrawn my availability for the European Senior Team Championships. I might get invited to the English Senior Championships in October, in which case I will play:

May 24: Warrington Rapidplay
This one is local and I need the practice. Details can be found here.

July 7-12: South Wales International, Bridgend, Wales
I've accepted an invitation to this event and look forward to playing! 

August 1-9: British Championships, Coventry, UK
I've accepted an invitation to this one (the Championship itself) and look forward to playing.

September 25-27: Hull 4NCL
The 4NCL Congresses are always well run, so I'll be playing in this one. Details can be found here.

October 23-25: Scarborough Congress
I'm intending to play in this one if I can. Details are here.

October 26-31: English Senior Championships, Peterborough
This is also up in the air unless and until I get invited. Details can be found here. 

Tiger Chess Themed Training Tournaments are organized on a weekly basis at Lichess, featuring selected opening variations. You can check out what's coming up here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

 

QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

WHAT MAKES A POSITIONAL PLAYER?

Players at club level will often describe themselves and others as either 'positional' or 'attacking', depending on the way they like to play. To be honest I think that this is rather too simplistic to provide particularly useful information, for example a way that they might try to improve. In my experience the choice between these two descriptions depends largely on innate tactical ability, those who have it will often try to use it at every opportunity by creating direct threats, those without it may avoid positions in which tactics can erupt.

Amongst International Masters and Grandmasters the question of style becomes more subtle and depends on many variables. One of the most important is an appetite for risk, will someone decide to keep their position safe or will they take a chance in incalculable complications? Most top players will play the same move in a given position regardless of their supposed style, occasionally they will make different choices after considering a more or less risky option.

Is it easy to know our own style of play? Not especially because there can be a distinct lack of objectivity, so it's often a good idea to listen to trusted advisors. I've been described as an 'active positional player', which I now think is a fair assessment. At one time I fancied myself as an attacking player along the lines of Leonid Stein, but this was more fantasy than reality and I might have hobbled myself by trying to live up to this impossible dream.

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off Learning from the Greats: Anatoly Karpov using the code 'may8to16'. Anatoly Karpov is widely acknowledged as having been one of the greatest players in history. In this series of videos Nigel examines Karpov's style and strengths, showing what can be learned from him.

Last week's discount was 40% off buying the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire using the code 'may1to9', and this is still valid until close of play tomorrow. This 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 Defence (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 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 memorized.

Upcoming Events

This is how things look right now, with the World Senior Team Championships behind me. I've said I'm available for the European Senior Team Championships (August 26 to September 5) but don't know if I'll be selected for any of the teams.

July 7-12: South Wales International, Bridgend, Wales
I've accepted an invitation to this event and look forward to playing! 

August 1-9: British Championships, Coventry, UK
I've accepted an invitation to this one (the Championship itself) and look forward to playing.

Tiger Chess Themed Training Tournaments are organized on a weekly basis at Lichess, featuring selected opening variations. You can check out what's coming up here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

OPENINGS, PATTERN RECOGNITION, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TRAINING

THE PROS AND CONS OF FLEXIBLE OPENINGS

In the recent World Senior Championships in Durres, Albania, I only got to play 5 games with 2 wins and three draws. In one sense this was disappointing but in another I had plenty of time to reflect on my chess and how to improve. I've made no secret of the fact that I've struggled to contend with modern computer based preparation, which is not a particular issue at club chess but is a serious problem when you face well prepared juniors. I have now concluded that the right answer is to play flexible openings.

What is meant by the term 'flexible'? As I discuss in this week's Chess Questions Answered video, I think there are two distinct meanings plus area of overlap. Flexibility can refer to a pawn structure which has yet to be defined and whilst other players use it to describe multiple options within a particular opening. Quite often these two things come together, a flexible pawn structure offering lots of ways to proceed and very few forcing lines.

Should club players use this approach? Actually I think that only part of it is suitable, they are better off using fixed pawn structures because the plans are more clearly defined. On the other hand it's useful to have various options and a lack of forced lines because that will encourage developing general skills rather than just memorizing computer moves. Openings which fit this bill feature heavily amongst my recommendations, for example lines like the Queen's Gambit Declined and French Defence as Black.

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire using the code 'may1to9'. This 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 Defence (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 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 memorized. 

Last week's discount was 40% off buying Creating an Improvement Plan using the code 'april24may2', and this is still valid until tomorrow. In this series of videos I draw on my coaching experience to show how players can diagnose their strengths and weaknesses, then target the most important areas to make the most effective use of their efforts.

Upcoming Events

This is how things look right now, with the World Senior Team Championships behind me. I've said I'm available for the European Senior Team Championships (August 26 to September 5) but don't know if I'll be selected for any of the teams.

July 7-12: South Wales International, Bridgend, Wales

I've accepted an invitation to this event and look forward to playing! 

August 1-9: British Championships, Coventry, UK

I've accepted an invitation to this one (the Championship itself) and look forward to playing.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, OPENINGS, POSITIONAL PLAY, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

STUDYING OPENINGS WITHOUT DATABASES

This week's Chess Questions Answered video explained an alternative way to use HIARCS Chess Explorer without recourse to a database of games. By using an online book and an engine, you already have enough to build your opening repertoire, and I understand that this kind of approach is the way things are heading amongst professional players. I did add that databases of correspondence games can be a useful addition, provided these games were played with the use of engines.

So is there any use at all for games databases? Most definitely there is, but mainly selecting some well played games and going through them to understand middlegame strategy. One thing that I've often done is to print out a bunch of games in an opening I wanted to play, and then play through them using an actual chess set. This makes the experience far more memorable than playing through them using the right hand arrow button in a computer database.

Are databases the only way to select such games? Certainly they make it easy to find interesting games in a particular opening, but chess books (the kind made of paper) have their advantages too. One of the biggest ones is that they will often have been annotated by famous players, and as a labour of love.

Training Tournaments

Sunday's training tournaments are in the Catalan (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7) and King's Indian Attack (1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 e6 4.0-0 Be7), this King's Indian Attack set-up also having the potential to reach a Catalan. These lines were covered from Black's perspective in the Building an Opening Repertoire course and the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire.

Sunday December 14th at 5pm UK Time: Catalan

Sunday December 14th at 6.15pm UK Time: King's Indian Attack
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off Mastering Key Pawn Structures: ZOOM Formations, using the code 'dec19to27'. 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 was 40% off buying the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire using the code 'dec12to20' on checkout, and it is still valid until tomorrow. This 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 Defence (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 14 hours of video which explain key games, and has a pgn (portable game notation) file of recommended variations that can be built upon and extended.

My Upcoming Events

I'll be playing in Nova Gorica, in Slovenia next month, one of my favourite tournaments in one of my favourite countries. I'm also hoping to play in the World Senior Team Championships in April, but would need to be invited!

January 23-30: Nova Gorica

A very nice and well organized event, details can be found here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, WHITE 1.d2-d4 REPERTOIRE

THE ROBUST NATURE OF MAIN LINE OPENINGS

In today's Chess Questions Answered video I explained why I tend to recommend main line openings. The reason is fairly simple, it's about robustness. With sidelines there may be very few ways to play them whereas main lines will usually have a lot of playable alternatives. So if modern opening theory deals your main line repertoire a blow, it will be relatively easy to switch to another line. Sidelines, on the other hand, may get put out of business altogether by a new idea.

A good example is the Modern Defence (1...g6 against just about anything), which I played a lot in the 1980s. Unfortunately it has taken a hammering by modern engines, for example after 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.h4 Nf6, White can play 6.h5! Nxh5 7.Rxh5! and obtaine a powerful attack for the sacrificed exchange. Maybe 5...h5 is playable but there's a danger of a White knight landing on g5, and Black's position is far from easy.

A few other openings are in a similar situation, modern engines have rendered them unattractive at best. Yet meanwhile the most classical and principled lines have fared well, so if you meet 1.e4 with 1...e5, 1...e6, 1...c6 or 1...c5, you will probably be able to fix any issues that arise rather than feel the need to abandon your favourite defence altogether.

Training Tournaments

This Sunday's training tournaments are in the Exchange Gruenfeld with 8.Be3 (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Be3 Qa5 9.Qd2 0-0), covered from White's perspective in the White 1.d4 Repertoire, and the Colle vs Gruenfeld with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.e3 d5, covered in the Building an Opening Repertoire course.

Sunday December 14th at 5pm UK Time: 8.Be3 Exchange Gruenfeld

Sunday December 14th at 6.15pm UK Time: Colle vs Gruenfeld
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire using the code 'dec12to20' on checkout. This 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 Defence (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 14 hours of video which explain key games, and has a pgn (portable game notation) file of recommended variations that can be built upon and extended.

Last week's discount is 40% off The Why and How of Chess Annotations using the code 'dec5to13'. Annotating games can be a powerful improvement method if done in the right way. With this video series you will learn how to use a reflective process to improve how you play, going beyond computer annotations.

My Upcoming Events

I managed to finish equal first in last Sunday's Bolton Rapidplay, there's nothing else planned though I hope to play in Nova Gorica, Slovenia in January:

January 24-31: Nova Gorica

A very nice and well organized event, details can be found here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

FRENCH DEFENCE, OPENINGS, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, QUEEN'S PAWN GAMES

CREATING A REALLY SIMPLE OPENING REPERTOIRE

Most amateurs have the problem that they lack time for chess study, often through other commitments such as a job, family and pets. For those in this situation it makes sense to have the simplest possible opening repertoire and then focus their efforts on general chess improvement. So what elements would such a repertoire include?

With White it makes most sense to play a Queen's Pawn Game such as the Colle, which is why I included it in my Building an Opening Repertoire course. This also offers good options as Black, including the Queen's Gambit Declined and French Rubinstein. I could add some other suggestions to this including the Fort Knox French (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7) and the Queen's Gambit Declined with ...h7-h6 (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 h6).

A further possibility for White is the London System, in which White plays 1.d4 followed by bringing the bishop out to f4. This is often played by Magnus Carlsen himself, the only problem with this line is that many London players just trundle out e2-e3 and c2-c3 without taking account of what Black has done.

Training Tournaments

The training tournaments this coming Sunday are again in the French Defence, and after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2), they will feature the Fort Knox (3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7) and Rubinstein  (3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7) variations. The latter is feature in my Building an Opening Repertoire course.

Sunday November 23rd at 5pm UK Time: French Fort Knox

Sunday November 23rd at 6.15pm UK Time: French Rubinstein
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying Learning from the Greats: Akiba Rubinstein which looks at different aspects of Rubinstein's play and what can be learned from him. Just use the code 'nov21to29' on checkout.

Last week's discount was 40% off buying my French Defence course, using the code 'nov14to22' on checkout. This is 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.

My Upcoming Events

I don't have definite plans to play anywhere right now, but I might play in the Bolton Rapidplay in December and then Nova Gorica in Slovenia in January:

December 7: Bolton Rapidplay

One of my local tournaments, details can be found here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, FRENCH DEFENCE, OPENINGS, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TIGER CHESS THEMED TRAINING TOURNAMENTS, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

OPENING REPERTOIRE INCONSISTENCIES

I previously examined the issue of move orders back in May, but it's worth revisiting because of the breadth and complexity of the topic. One area in which move orders can be very important is when you are creating an opening repertoire and need the different parts of it to fit together.

Some good examples of this can be seen in openings such as the Alapin Variation of the Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.c3), someone may have a good line in this particular position (for example 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4), but what if their favourite line involves meeting 2.Nf3 with 2...e6? In this case their chosen defence against the Alapin will no longer work because they've already shut their c8 bishop in and will not be able to bring it out to g4.

How can this be handled? One approach can be to review your lines with an opening tree of the type that can be found at Chess Tempo or Chessbase. It might take some time, given the sheer scale of modern theory, but if done properly it will provide a good sense of your repertoire layout and help pick up any inconsistencies.

Training Tournaments

The training tournaments this week will feature two more Queen's Pawn Openings, the Colle (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 and now 3...g6 for Black) and the Trompowsky (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 and now 2...e6 for Black). I gave 3...g6 against the Colle in my Building an Opening Repertoire course, 2...e6 is a solid answer to the Trompowsky which can nonetheless unbalance the game:

Sunday November 9th at 5pm UK Time: Colle with 3...g6

Sunday November 9th at 6.15pm UK Time: Trompowsky with 2...e6
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off my flagship Building an Opening Repertoire course, using the code 'nov7to15' when you buy it. This acclaimed course shows how to use simple opening lines to develop middle game understanding by reaching key pawn structures. The lines presented here (French and Queen's Gambit Declined as Black, 1.d4 followed by 2.Nf3 and 3.e3 as White) are easy to learn and remember. There are no elaborate computer generated variations, just plans and ideas.

Last week's discount was 40% off buying my series on Understanding Strategy & Planning, please use the code 'oct31nov8' when buying. Strategy and planning are two of the most difficult chess skills to master and most players never do. This video series presents a systematic way of approaching these areas by learning how to play different pawn structures and the plans and ideas they contain.

My Upcoming Events

I don't have definite plans to play anywhere right now, but I might play in the Bolton Rapidplay in December and then Nova Gorica in Slovenia in January:

December 7: Bolton Rapidplay

One of my local tournaments, details can be found here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, QUEEN'S PAWN GAMES, TIGER CHESS THEMED TRAINING TOURNAMENTS, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

GETTING WINNING CHANCES WITH SOLID OPENINGS

There's often a temptation to play sharp opening because they seem to offer more winning chances. Yet Magnus Carlsen and others have repeatedly shown that solid openings are also OK, you just have to get used to playing on and seeking out chances later in the game.

For older players stamina might be a problem, especially if they have to play more than one game in a day, so that is something that would need to be managed with energy saving strategies. My latest experiment has been to avoid preparing because this just adds to the potential for exhaustion. Getting plenty of sleep is another issue, and here too some strategies need to be in place. Yet another helpful thing is to automate as much of your game as possible, and here a good knowledge of your openings and good endgame technique can help a lot.

What are the best openings for this approach? Basically you can use any of the normal unsexy opening lines that are viewed as rock solid, such as meeting 1.e4 with 1...e5 (the French and Caro are also suitable) and meeting 1.d4 with the Queen's Gambit Declined, Slav or Nimzo-Indian. As White you can play any first move but then it's best to follow up with quiet positional lines. So forget the Morra and Evans Gambits, these just don't fit the bill!

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in the London System and Torre Attack, which have featured in several of my books and videos and with both colours. I recommend and play both these openings as White, these days I tend to recommend that Black plays a line based on ...b7-b6 and ...Bc8-a6, exchanging light square bishops so as to reduce White's attacking chances:

Sunday November 2nd at 5pm UK Time: London System

Sunday November 2nd at 6.15pm UK Time: Torre Attack
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying my series on Understanding Strategy & Planning, please use the code 'oct31nov8' when buying. Strategy and planning are two of the most difficult chess skills to master and most players never do. This video series presents a systematic way of approaching these areas by learning how to play different pawn structures and the plans and ideas they contain.

Last week's discount is 40% off the purchase of the White 1.d4 Repertoire using the code 'oct24nov1'. This is a stand-alone opening course which considerably extends the White lines presented in the Building an Opening Repertoire course. It has over 16 hours of video which explain key games and ideas plus a pgn (portable game notation) file of recommended variations that can be built upon.

My Upcoming Events

I don't have definite plans to play anywhere right now, but I might play in the Bolton Rapidplay in December and then Nova Gorica in Slovenia in January:

December 7: Bolton Rapidplay

One of my local tournaments, details can be found here.

Have a good weekend.

Nigel

OPENINGS, PSYCHOLOGY, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TIGER CHESS THEMED TRAINING TOURNAMENTS, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, WHITE 1.d2-d4 REPERTOIRE

SHOULD YOU HAVE A SEPARATE OPENING REPERTOIRE FOR BLITZ AND RAPIDPLAY GAMES?

There are a number of opening repertoires being produced just for blitz and rapidplay games. I understand that certain openings may be quite risky in standard time limits, especially amongst professionals, but I'm unconvinced that this applies at amateur level.

There are a few things to consider, first of all, playing quick games online can offer a unique practice opportunity for players with little time for chess. Would it not be better for them to practice their usual lines so as to get a better feel for them? There is one caveat in this argument, namely that their future opponents may have a rich source of their games to help them prepare, and for this reason I think it's better to keep your account name private.

For players who are obliged to make their account names public (both my Lichess and Chess.com names are public), there is a case for a separate blitz and rapidplay repertoire. In this case I would suggest openings that are enjoyable and easy to play. I would put the Old Indian Defence into this category (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7) as Black has some clear plans and relatively easy moves. On the other hand this is not something I'd want to play against very strong opponents in standard play games.

Another option, this time for White, would be the Jobava London (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4), which can give White fluent play without an especial need to prepare. Finally I've seen that one top blitz player, Olexandr Bortnyk, uses the Eastern Clamp Sicilian as White, and my video series on this will be this week's special offer.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in two forms of the Tarrasch Defence, the standard version with 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 (this is something we face in the White 1.d4 Repertoire) and the Semi-Tarrasch with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 (this is a recommendation in the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire):

Sunday October 19th at 5pm UK Time: Tarrasch Defence

Sunday October 19th at 6.15pm UK Time: The Semi-Tarrasch
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying my series on the Eastern Clamp Sicilian, just use the code 'oct17to25' on checkout. Many different types of game can arise from this line, including ferocious attacks, queenless middlegames and positional squeezes. There is only one sharp line in which White sacrifices a pawn for a huge attack, most of the time it requires a knowledge of the ideas. This makes it perfect for those who have little time to study, or are simply bored with modern theory.

Last week's discount was 40% off buying Mastering Key Pawn: The Carlsbad Formation, using the code 'oct10to18'. This structure can be seen as a touchstone for understanding planning and strategy, so learning more about it has great value.

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

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TIGER CHESS THEMED TRAINING TOURNAMENTS, TOURNAMENTS

HOW TO BEAT WEAKER PLAYERS

There's been a lot of chat on chess forums about Hikaru Nakamura's participation in a couple of state Championships in order to secure a place in the Candidates tournament. I don't want to get into the politics of these things, yet there's an aspect of it that is not being considered. How has Nakamura been so consistent in beating weaker players? Even GMs can struggle to do this.

In this week's Chess Questions Answered video, I tried to answer this question by going through his games from the Louisiana State Championship. The openings choices interested me, with White he played very classically and with Black tried to create some kind of imbalance. One thing that I found interesting was his use of a gambit against the tedious 2.c3 Sicilian, namely 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Nf6!?. Another was the line 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 dxc4, presumably intending to meet 5.e4 with either 5...Bb4 or 5...b5.

The games themselves were not walkovers, but he kept playing good moves which had to be matched with good moves by his opponents. Generally speaking they played well, but at certain moments did not quite match him. There were no unsound attacks or silly tricks, just good solid play.

I wish him well in his quest for the World title, and it goes without saying that the Candidates tournament, scheduled for next year, will be rather stronger. The qualifiers thus far are Fabiano Caruana (the 2024 FIDE Circuit winner) together with Anish Giri and Matthius Bluebaum, the two top finishers in the recent FIDE Grand Swiss.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in the 5.Bg5 line of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The first one, 5...Be7, features the line I gave in my Building an Opening Repertoire course. The second is with 5...Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5, the so-called Cambridge Springs Variation which combines solidity with some very nasty traps.

Sunday September 21st at 5pm UK Time: QGD with 5.Bg5 Be7

Sunday September 21st at 6.15pm UK Time: QGD Cambridge Springs
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off the Mastering Key Pawn Structures: The Carlsbad Formation, using the code 'sep19to27'. Rubinstein is one of the most influential players in history, largely because of his wonderful endgame play and profound strategic insights. He also came up with many new ideas in the opening.

Last week's discount was 40% off buying the Move Order Tricks series, using the code 'sep12to20', and it is still valid until close of play tomorrow. The importance of move orders in the opening is often underestimated, yet they can be used to bamboozle an opponent out of their favourite lines. In this series of videos I explains the issues, how to use cunning move orders and how to fight against them.

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