Category Archives: QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED

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

MOVE ORDERS

Move orders in the opening are a big issue that is often underestimated at amateur level. Players can be attracted to the Sicilian Najdorf (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6) but face a problem against 2.Nc3 because 2...d6 can be met by the dangerous 3.f4. Playing the Gruenfeld against 1.d4 (1...Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5) can similarly seem like a great idea, but what if White plays 1.c4 or 1.Nf3? You can play 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 (2...g6 3.e4), 3.cxd5 Nxd5, but this is not the same thing because White has not committed himself to d2-d4.

There are some openings which are relatively free of move order issues, for example the Queen's Gambit Declined (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6) can be used against flank openings too. The King's Indian is also quite adaptable, against 1.Nf3 you play 1...Nf6 2.c4 g6 and 1.c4 can be met by 1...g6. On the other hand there will be no Benko Gambit against 1.c4, and no Queen's Gambit Accepted either.

It's important to consider such things when constructing an opening repertoire, you need to have everything covered. For this reason I tend to believe that some slightly less sexy choices may be more appropriate for most players.

To give you an example, the Classical Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6) seems to me to be a better practical choice than the Najdorf because you have better options against the Anti-Sicilians. If White plays 2.Nc3 you can merrily play 2...Nc6 (part of your set-up) without having to worry about White reverting to an Open Sicilian with 3.Nf3 and then 4.d4. Similarly I'd recommend the Queen's Gambit Declined to players who want to be solid, not get move ordered by flank openings and do not want to study a lot.

If you want to create move order issues for your opponent, then meeting 1.d4 with 1...e6 can be a nice idea, then if they play 2.c4 you have annoying options such as 2...Bb4+, 2...b6 and even 2...c5. All these moves can take White out of his usual schemes and into territory he might not have studied too much.

These are just a few examples, there are countless move. Happy move-ordering!
 

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in the Scandinavian Defence, an opening in which White is a:

Sunday May 18th at 5pm UK Time: ZOOM Scandinavian with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6

Sunday May 18th at 5pm UK Time: Scandinavian with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nc6 

My Upcoming Events

The latest development is that I've been invited to a strong international open in Tenerife, at the end of August. I had been hoping to be asked to play in Maia at this time, but I hadn't heard anything when this came in. 

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 23 - 30 2025: San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife

This looks like a great event and I'm really looking forward to it. Travelling back is a bit tricky because the direct flights were very expensive, finally I found a flight back to Glasgow from where I can take a train!

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! But if I manage to play well enough to win sufficient funding, I might go for the World Senior Championships in Gallipoli in October.
 

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

NEWS, PSYCHOLOGY, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

TEAM EVENTS

I came home from Poland last Monday, after my team won Gold in the European Senior Championships. I also got a silver for my board with 3 wins and 4 draws, 3 of the draws being against the German Grandmaster Raj Tischbierek. The 50+ event only attracted 8 teams, which led to there being an unusual schedule of an 8 team all-play all followed by a 2 round play-off in which the first two teams played each other, then 3 and 4, 5 and 6 etc.

This may be my last outing in Senior Teams chess as there might not be funding and I might not be selected. If so then I'll leave it with a solid track record of 15 wins, 20 draws and no losses. When I've played for the first team we always won a medal and I was always in the top 3 for my board.

Team events are not for everyone but I seem to do quite well in them. There's additional pressure, especially if you represent your country, and some players struggle to cope with this. You also need to play for the team, rather than yourself, and this may include forgoing personal ambitions in order to ensure the team does well. In the 2024 European Senior Championships I offered a draw vs Chris Duncan in a winning position so as to bring the team gold, and this time I saw my job as just to neutralise Tischbierek when beating him would have given me gold for my board. This too helped ensure that England won gold as the Germans needed to beat us heavily in order to snatch the title.

There are also some positive aspects of playing for a team in the camararderie and shared purpose. When I was pursuing the Grandmaster title in the 1990s, I often found myself eating alone for the entire tournament.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments return to the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, which is my main recommendation for White in the White 1.d4 Repertoire course

Sunday April 20th at 5pm UK Time: QGD Exchange with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 c6

Sunday April 20th at 6.15pm UK Time: QGD Exchange with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 c6 6.Qc2 Be7 7.Bg5 Nbd7 8.e3 0-0 9.Bd3 Re8

My Upcoming Events

I've now received an invitation to the English Senior Championships, which is something I wanted to play in. I'm still hoping to invited to Maia in August but I've yet to hear back.

Here is how things look right now:

April 24-28 2025: English Senior Championships

I've been invited to these and will play in the 50+ event. You can find details here. 

May 10 - 11 2025: Nottingham Congress

I've entered this one because they offer free entry for GMs, plus if I take a bye in the first round I can get away with one night in a hotel. You can find details here.

June 21-22 2025: Ilkley Congress

As with Nottingham this is just two days, I was given a free entry and I can take a first round bye. So I'll manage to keep my costs down to one night in a hotel and petrol for getting there, this stuff is important. You can find details here.

July 31 - August 10 2025: British Championships
As mentioned above I've entered without an invite. I've also 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've played in the last couple of events and I'm hopeful that I'll be asked back. The dates are now out.

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

COACHING, OPENINGS, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, UPDATES, WHITE 1.d2-d4 REPERTOIRE

PUBLIC RELATIONS

This is not often talked about with regard to chess achievement, but being well thought of can be as important for a chess career as in more orthodox fields. There are countless examples of players being overlooked because they were thought to have the potential to misbehave, for example in the former USSR there were a number of very talented players who never got to play abroad because they indulged in the national passtime of drinking to excess. As a more recent example I think that Hans Niemann's lack of invitations is not because of the false accusations of cheating, it may stem from things he's said and done, for example trashing a hotel room. I think that Christopher Yoo will have similar difficulties when his ban has ended.

It's important, therefore, to present yourself well so as to avoid being thought of as a potential liability. Some players are very good at this and they tend to get a disproportionate number of invites, others are not so good and will tend to get sidelined. Sometimes someone is just so good that they can't be ignored, and Bobby Fischer was a prime example of this. When you're the best in the World at something you can get away with things that mere mortals can not, though even then it's probably better not to test the boundaries too much. 

What should someone do if they have a bad rep? Basically they need to get their act together and then keep it together through thick and thin. If I had to advise Niemann I'd suggest that he should consider learning some form of anger management and then think very carefully about how he interfaces with chess authorities, the media and social media. He's clearly a very talented and passionate player, and his work ethic looks like something that could take him to the top. But it would help him a lot if his PR was better.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in the Colle, which features in two of my courses, the White 1.d4 Repertoire and Building an Opening Repertoire. White can basically opt for two different set-ups, the Zukertort set-up (including b2-b3) or the Koltanowski set-up (without b2-b3):

Sunday March 30th at 5pm UK Time: Colle with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 d5

Sunday March 31st at 6.15pm UK Time: Colle with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6

My Upcoming Events

I try to plan tournaments in advance but sometimes it's difficult.The most recent development is that I've stopped waiting for invitations from the ECF, for example to the British Championships or English Senior Championships. I don't think it's because of poor PR, or that my relations with chess authorities have been bad, it might be more a case that the ECF are strapped for cash. So I've entered the British Championships anyway, as I can travel to Liverpool from home, the English Seniors is not something I want to do without getting the standard GM arrangement of the hotel being paid for.

This is how things look right now:

April 4-14 2025: European Senior Team Championship

I'll be in the 50+ 1st team, apparently on board 3 of a team that includes Michael Adams, John Emms, myself, Steve Dishman and Graeme Buckley. Hopefully I can continue the good form from the World Senior Team Championships and help the team to one of the top places.

May 10-11 2025: Nottingham Congress

I've entered this one because they offer free entry for GMs, plus if I take a bye in the first round I can get away with one night in a hotel. You can find details here.

June 21-22 2025: Ilkley Congress

As with Nottingham this is just two days, I was given a free entry and I can take a first round bye. So I'll manage to keep my costs down to one night in a hotel and petrol for getting there, this stuff is important. You can find details here.

July 31st - 10th August 2025: British Championships
As mentioned above I've entered without an invite. I've also 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 2025: Maia Chess Festival (?)

I've played in the last couple of events and I'm hopeful that I'll be asked back. There are no details as yet, but I'll definitely play if I get invited.

This should be enough to stay 'match fit' through to September, though trying to play seriously also involves quite a lot of time and expense on training.

Twitch Channel

My new Twitch channel will in theory have new shows every Monday ('Chess Questions Answered), the Webinar on training tournaments and games is up on Fridays and another weekly coming soon. 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

QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING

HOW MUCH WILL YOU COMMIT?

One of the biggest factors in chess success is the extent to which someone is willing to commit. To be the best you can be at something you need to dedicate your life to it. With lower levels of commitment it's possible to become a good amateur, but you can then run this alongside having a job and family.

In my own case I managed to commit myself to chess enough to become an International Master in my early 20s, though I did not then commit to getting the Grandmaster title until my early 30s. After that I started looking for some of the normal things in life, turned to chess coaching as my main activity and had something like a normal life. Other people I know went for the job and family option much earlier, others never did! There are pros and cons to all of these options and everyone has to decide what they want for themselves.

Is there a best option? If someone has the ability to make it as a professional, there's a case for being fully committed until, say, your early 30s, and then think about alternatives after that. If you haven't made it by your 30s, the odds are against becoming a lot stronger. Some might argue that players today go downhill after their teens!

If someone doesn't have the kind of ability to become a top professional, there can still be a case for heavy chess involvement. I've been fortunate enough to visit many different countries and experience many different cultures. This would never have happened without chess, and for that I am truly grateful.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments feature positions from the Black Queen's Gambit Declined Repertoire, which is a very high quality repertoire played by champions:

Sunday March 23rd at 5pm UK Time: QGD Tartakower with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6

Sunday March 23rd at 6.15pm UK Time: QGD Semi-Tarrasch with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 c5

My Upcoming Events

Here's my schedule over the coming months, though it is subject to change. I often don't know until fairly late in the day:

April 4-14 2025: European Senior Team Championship

I'll be in the 50+ 1st team, apparently on board 3 of a team that includes Michael Adams, John Emms, myself, Steve Dishman and Graeme Buckley. Hopefully I can continue the good form from the World Senior Team Championships and help the team to one of the top places.

April 24-28 2025: English Senior Championships

I'm still hoping to be invited to these and may now be eligible for either section. You can find details here. 

July 31st - 10th August 2025: British Championships
I decided not to wait for an invite and just enter, and 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.

There will probably be one or two events between April and the end of July, it's important to keep playing in order to maintain good form.

Twitch Channel

My new Twitch channel has new shows every Monday ('Chess Questions Answered), the Webinar on training tournaments and games is up on Fridays and another weekly coming soon. 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

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, COACHING, PSYCHOLOGY, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TRAINING

CARBS AND CONCENTRATION

I recently went on a very low carb diet (for health reasons) and noticed that there was a very different feel about how my brain was working when I played chess. The difference was marked enough to want to investigate the relationship between carbs and concentration.

The evidence appears to be complex, on the one hand this 2008 study found that taking carbs out of the diet negatively affected cognition with regard to memory, visual-spatial memory and reaction time. Brain cells appear to require a continuous supply via the blood stream to work properly, take the supply away and they won't work as well.

On the other hand this recent study showed a number of benefits to ketogenic diets, they helped with general mood (calmness, reducing anxiety etc.) and improved alertness.

There is no conflict between these findings but what is clear is that what we eat has very different effects on the brain. I would say that chess players, for the most part, should have enough carbs in their blood stream when playing their games. A possible exception might be those who tend towards anxiety, for them their may be more advantages to very low carb consumption.

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments feature the Queen's Gambit Declined lines which appear in both the Building an Opening Repertoire course.

Sunday November 17th at 5pm UK Time: QGD with 5.Bg5 Be7

Sunday November 17th at 6.15pm UK Time: QGD with 5.e3 Bd6

Upcoming Events

Here's my approximate schedule over the coming months, subject to change! I often don't know until fairly late in the day.

December 1, 2024: Bolton Rapid Play
A fairly local event for me, so I'll be playing to to get some practice. Details can be found here.

December 7, 2024: Huddersfield Chess Club Seminar
I've run a number of seminars at this great club, this is the first since before COVID. Their website is here.

January 17-19: Huddersfield 4NCL Congress
I really enjoy the 4NCL Congresses as they're played under excellent conditions in nice hotels. This is the first one in Huddersfield, you can find details here.

January 27th: Stockport Rapidplay
I've played in this event with some regularity, so probably I'll go for it again. You can find details here.

February 16-27, 2025: World Senior Team Championship
I've accepted a place in the 50+ second team which means I'll play a much stronger field than on bottom board of the first team. Although this diminishes my chances of winning a medal I'm looking forward to the challenge.

July/August 2025: British Championships
Will these be held in Liverpool next year? There's a rumour on Tim Spanton's blog that they would be. I think I might go for the 50+ event if this is the case.

I'm hopeful that I'll get to play in the European Senior Team Championships (Walbrzych, Poland, April 4-14) in which I've said I'll play in any team and on any board.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Nigel

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

NOVEMBER 2022 CLINIC

The November clinic featured some more games in the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, this time starting after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5. It also featured an interesting duel between two of the regular participants in these events.

Most of the games were very hard fought, but in one of them White demonstrated some neat twists in the opening and found a devastating shot from the following position (see diagram):

OldSpeckledHen - DanStaples, White to play

White uncorked the brilliant 17.Bxg6! after which 17...hxg6 18.Qxg6 Bf8 19.exf6 Re6 20.Bxg7 forced resignation (1-0), not a difficult sacrifice but a very instructive one.

Tigerchess.com Themed Training events are a great opportunity to practice key positions from regular openings, and are open to everyone who joins the Tiger Chess Team. Participating in these events helps players develop an insight into the openings played, above and beyond looking at them in a book or on a video.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED, TIGER CHESS THEMED TRAINING TOURNAMENTS

OCTOBER 2022 CLINIC

The October clinic featured games with two different openings, the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined (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) and the King's Indian Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2). Both of these lines are in Tiger Chess opening repertoires, and both have great instructional value because they are rich in plans and pawn play.
This is not to say that tactical opportunities never arise as the following position illustrates, Black to play found a devastating sequence (see diagram):

JackHodges - Oldspeckledhen, Black to play

Black won with 31...Ra1+ 32.Rf1 Rxf1+ 33.Qxf1 Qxe4! (0-1) as if the queen is taken then White's queen on f1 also falls.

Tigerchess.com Themed Training events are a great opportunity to practice key positions from regular openings, and are open to everyone who joins the Tiger Chess Team. Participating in these events helps players develop real insight into the openings played, above and beyond looking at them in a book or on a video.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, NEWS, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED

JULY 2022 CLINIC

There were more Queen's Gambits in the July clinic because games from the Tiger Chess Themed Training Tournaments on Lichess featured games from the Tartakower Variation (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6) and the 6.Bxf6 alternative. These lines feature in Tiger Chess opening repertoire and the training tournaments give students the opportunity to practice the positions and investigate the alternatives more deeply.

In the following position HerbertChapman has been exerting some pressure, but after 21...Rad8 has the opportunity to convert this into something real. What should he play here (see diagram)?

HerbertChapman - NN, White to play.

White played 22.Nxb7!, winning an important pawn because 22...Rxb7 is met by 23.Rxd8. White showed good technique and went on to win, despite the fast time limit (1-0).

The Tigerchess.com Themed Training events are a great opportunity to practice key positions from regular openings, and are open to everyone who joins the Tiger Chess Team. Participating in these events helps players develop real insight into the openings played, above and beyond looking at them in a book or on a video.

Nigel Davies

CLINIC, NEWS, QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED

JUNE 2022 CLINIC

June's clinic featured more games from the Tiger Chess Themed Training Tournaments on Lichess, in two different Queen's Gambit Declined lines. The starting positions were from the Tartakower Variation (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6) and the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation with an early Nf3 by White (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 c6 6.Qc2 Be7). Both of these lines feature in Tiger Chess opening repertoires, the training tournaments give students the opportunity to practice the positions.

As with last month's featured position, Dandanmian as White was conducting a minority attack as White. When the following position arose he showed good understanding in first safeguarding his king (see diagram):

Dandanmian - NN, White to play.

White's move was 18.Bf5!, which forces the exchange of light square bishops and makes it very difficult for Black to drum up kingside counter-play. The game had further ups and downs after this, but White was always better and eventually went on to win (1-0).

The Tigerchess.com Themed Training events are a great opportunity to practice key positions from regular openings, and are open to everyone who joins the Tiger Chess Team. Participating in these events helps players develop real insight into the openings played, above and beyond looking at them in a book or on a video.

Nigel Davies

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

MAY 2022 CLINIC

The May clinic features games with the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation from the Tiger Chess Themed Training Tournaments on Lichess. The starting position was the one that arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bg5 c6 7.Qc2 O-O 8.e3 Nbd7 9.Bd3 Re8 10.O-O Nf8, which is considered a key opening position. This features in two Tiger Chess courses, the White 1.d4 Repertoire course (in which 11.h3 is recommended for White) and the Building an Opening Repertoire course in which it is recommended for Black.

Both sides have chances in this line and it is rich in strategic and tactical ideas. One of the key plans for White is a minority attack with b2-b4-b5. Dandanmian brought this off in one of his games and here he had a winning idea (see diagram):

 

Dandanmian - NN: White to play

White to play found 21.Ba6!, winning the rook on c8 because 21...Ra8 is met by 22.Bb7. Black struggled on for some moves but the position is hopeless.

Nigel Davies