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

TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, WHITE 1.d2-d4 REPERTOIRE

REFLECTIVE GAME ANNOTATIONS

How should you annotate your own games? I have covered this topic in The Why and How of Chess Annotations (discounted this week) and answered this question more briefly in today's Chess Questions Answered video. To do it in the most effective way the notes should indicate an actionable way to improve. This is easier said than done, but here are some brief guidelines.

First of all it's very useful to describe your feelings before, during and after the game. Were you prepared and ready for a fight? What were your observations during the game? What were your feelings immediately after the game? None of this can be detected by engines, but such information can give you vital clues as to how you can set about improving.

The next stage could be to check the game with an engine so as to find any obvious errors. Should the engine verdict confirm any of your earlier impressions, it could give a strong indication of what you might improve. From the perspective of the opening, it can also be useful to check how you varied from existing theory.

The final stage should be to see if your conclusions are similar to other games you've played, showing a pattern of error. If this is the case you'll have gained a lot of information and can set to work on any problem areas.

Training Tournaments

This Sunday's training tournaments are in the Queen's Gambit Accepted, the first being in the line 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 Bg4 and the second in 4...e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.Qe2 a6. Both these lines are covered from White's perspective in the White 1.d4 Repertoire.

Sunday December 7th at 5pm UK Time: QGA with 4...Bg4

Sunday December 7th at 6.15pm UK Time: QGA Furman
 

Video Discounts

This 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.

Last week's discount, 40% off buying my Endgame Openings series, is still valid until tomorrow using the code 'nov28dec6' on checkout. Endgame openings enable players to go directly to the endgame after just a few moves. The value of such lines can be to negate an opponent's tactical ability, just as Vladimir Kramnik used them to defeat Garry Kasparov in their World Championship match. As such they represent an great option for experienced players whose main strength is in the endgame.

My Upcoming Events

I don't have definite plans to play anywhere right now, but I'll be playing in the Bolton Rapidplay on Sunday and then hopefully 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

ENDGAMES, OPENINGS, TRAINING

PLAYING ENDGAME OPENINGS

One of the most useful things for players to do is to adopt openings which often lead to endgames. Playing more endgames is a great way to improve your play because it gets you to pay attention to small details and the strategic elements of a position. Being good at endgames means that you don't fear exchanges and will play logical moves rather than try to force an attack. They also tend to be a weak spot for amateur players, which means that competence there can give you a considerable edge.

Many classical openings can lead to an exchange of queens, some more than others. Usually there's no need to force the queens off, just playing good moves can lead to situations in which a queen exchange is the right thing to do. On the other hand there are openings in which the exchange of queens is less likely to happen, for example in the Dutch and Benoni Defences. Such openings might be considered combative, but their soundness is often questioned.

How should someone get started with reaching more endgames? Just play normal classical openings, such as the Queen's Gambit Declined, and allow the position to simplify. Then rather than agree a draw, just keep playing. Don't worry about the exchange of queens and other pieces, just keep going. If nobody gets checkmated, at some point an endgame is going to arise. 

Training Tournaments

The training tournaments this coming Sunday are in the 3.e3 lines of the Dutch Defence, 1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 and now 3...e6 and 3...g6. This is a simple plan based way to meet the Dutch that I recommend in both my Building an Opening Repertoire course and the White 1.d4 Repertoire.

Sunday November 30th at 5pm UK Time: Dutch with 3.e3 e6

Sunday November 30th at 6.15pm UK Time: Dutch with 3.e3 g6
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying my Endgame Openings series, using the code 'nov28dec6' on checkout. Endgame openings enable players to go directly to the endgame after just a few moves. The value of such lines can be to negate an opponent's tactical ability, just as Vladimir Kramnik used them to defeat Garry Kasparov in their World Championship match. As such they represent an great option for experienced players whose main strength is in the endgame.

Last week's discount was 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.

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

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, TRAINING

LEARNING CRITICAL LINES

Earlier this week, one of my students asked me what the best line for White was after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4, the Queen's Gambit Accepted. I'm fairly sure that it's 3.e4, but the issue with this move is that it's highly theoretical and will be difficult to learn and play with confidence. Accordingly I suggested that he stick to my recommended Furman Variation with 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.Qe2, at least for the time being.

This kind of question is actually quite common, and for very good reason. We all want to play the most principled and dangerous moves, but it can come at a heavy cost in terms of study time. Generally speaking I'd say that only full time professionals will have the time and motivation to play the sharpest variations, for most amateurs it's better to aim for a playable middlegame in a position type that you like.

Have I ever played very sharp lines? Well there was a period in the 1990s in which I studied some sharp lines for White, namely that Catalan Gambit and the Botvinnik Variation of the Semi-Slav. The results were actually quite mixed, and probably not much better than playing more quietly in the opening. Shifting the emphasis of the struggle to the middle and endgame is not a bad idea because it can help make us into better chess players..

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments return to the Advance Variation of the French, with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 being the starting point of the first tournament and then the additional moves 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nge7 featuring in the second. These lines occur in both Building an Opening Repertoire and the more advanced French Defence course.

Sunday November 16th at 5pm UK Time: French Advance with 3.e5 c5

Sunday November 16th at 6.15pm UK Time: French Advance with 5...Nge7
 

Video Discounts

This week's discount is 40% off buying my French Defence course, just use 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.

Last week's discount was 40% off my flagship Building an Opening Repertoire course and it's still valid until tomorrow. Just use the code 'nov7to15' when you buy it.

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

BUILDING AN OPENING REPERTOIRE, TOURNAMENTS, TRAINING, WHITE 1.d2-d4 REPERTOIRE

SHOULD YOU CHANGE UP YOUR OPENINGS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS?

This was the topic of this week's Chess Questions Answered video, and it's an interesting one to answer. One of the main arguments for changing is to spark creativity, but there are quite a few nuances depending on who is doing the changing.

The main one, for most amateurs, is the time needed to learn new openings, and whether this should take a higher priority than other forms of training. The situation will be particularly acute for those with a job, family and maybe a dog, there might be very little time available for chess study.

Retirees might seem to be in a better situation at first, but unfortunately it gets harder to learn new openings as you get older. Ideas based openings are certainly easier, but will they be as much fun? Balancing these various factors, together with someone's personal preferences, is quite a complex job!

Training Tournaments

This week's training tournaments are in the Exchange Slav, which I recommend for White in the White 1.d4 Repertoire. After 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bf4, the two lines we'll practice are as follows:

Sunday October 26th at 5pm UK Time: Slav Exchange with 6...Bf5

Sunday October 26th at 6.15pm UK Time: Slav Exchange with 6...a6
 

Video Discounts

This 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.

Last week's discount was 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.

My Upcoming Events

After Tenerife cancellation, I've accepted an invitation to the Scarborough congress, and I'll have started my first game around the time you read this. This is the only thing I have planned right now, though I might also play in the Bolton Rapidplay in December.

October 24-26: Scarborough Congress
A popular event that is being played this weekend!

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

s2Member®