selected games

I thought it was time to check out some sharper openings. Probably I could have spent much longer on each game

Xiong-Donchenko

Najdorf 6.Bg5 e6

52nd Biel Master Open rd6.1

After 22..Kd8(Diagram)

The strong Ne4 gives some compensation for the exchange

What do you recommend for White?

After 22..Kf8

I was marveling at the Australian Chess Federation Newsletter that keeps popping up in my mailbox.

It is really incredible and it is free!

JETS(Junior Elite Training Squad) participants

selected game

Dickson-Nemeth

Hippo Defence

2019 Michael Kallaur Memorial rd1.6

After 16..Nb6(Diagram)

The position is closed but White has more central space

What do you recommend for White?

After 16..Nb6

Later in the game

After 22..hg(Diagram)

White has a massive attacking position

Find the best move(hint-it is not that easy)

After 22hg

selected games

3..c5 is an alternative to the normal main line 3..Bf5

Cornette-Bauer

CK Advance 3..c5 and 5.a3

27th Saint-Affrique Open Rd8.1 2019

After 19.Nxg7(Diagram)

White chucked the kitchen sink at the kingside castled position

What do you recommend for Black? This boils down to calculating what happens if the knight is taken and seeing if there is anything better

After 19.Nxg7

Podcast

IM Kislik is based in Budapest

Article

Exerpt:

‘IM Erik Kislik is a popular American chess trainer and author who is now based in Hungary. We talk about Erik’s first book,  Applying Logic in Chess, which lays out his a framework for how to think about chess, and his just-released new book, Chess Logic in Practice.  Chess Logic in Practice expands on this framework and provides concrete examples to augment your chess understanding (more details about Erik’s new book can be found at the bottom of this description).(more)’

IM Kislik

Coming soon from Gambit is Chess Logic in Practice Kislik’s follow up book

The Advance Variation continues to be a topical line

selected games

Here is a nice ending in a topical line

Potapov-Laznicka

CK Advance 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3

30th Czech Open A 2019 rd7.2

After 44.Rxe3(Diagram)

Black is well centralized and has a nicely supported central passer, while White is resisting stubbornly

What do you recommend for Black?

After 44.Rxe3

The latest issue of TWIC is now available

selected games

Wei Yi-Rapport

Berlin Defence

TCh-CHN 2019 rd8.6

After 22.Bg5(Diagram)

Black has been threatened with a fork

What do you recommend for Black?

After 22.Bg5

Today I was still slogging away on the French Defense The Solid Rubinstein 2nd ed(Russell Enterprises 2018)

The Negi recommendation 6.Bd3 is one of the big lines(if not the biggest) that defenders will likely face. Langrock gives the following Meier game as a key way to manage the defense but I still had some unanswered questions

Blomqvist-Meier

French Rubinstein 6.Bd3 c5

Paskturneringen Open 2015 rd7

After 14..a6(Diagram)

Black must be ready for the Negi idea 15.Bh4, with the idea of 15.Bg3. Black is slightly behind in development but has no immediate weaknesses.

After 14..a6

After 33..Qa5(Diagram)

The game was agreed drawn at this point but it was not so obvious why(looks equal but still could be played out). White has a queenside majority and Black’s king is open so there are many checking opportunities

After 33..Qa5

Not all my questions were answered in today’s checking but it will have to do.

Langrock updated The French Rubinstein in an expanded 2nd edition

Kasparov used 7.c3 to win a model game so defenders must be ready. Theory runs very deep in this line. I was looking for a solid back to my Caro-Kann defence(seems everyone knows what I play now) so this favorite of GM Meier and many others came to mind. Black must be willing to defend a bishop ending down to a draw in order to hold the Rubinstein.

This is game 7. Langrock went quite deeply into the details in his annotations but I still had some unanswered questions. At first i thought looking at this game would take an hour or so but this stretched into a couple more hours and then over the weekend. Still I am not done but hopefully perfect preparation is not required. Here are my tentative findings so far:

Socko-Meier

French Rubinstein 7.c3 Kasparaov Variation

Lublin 2010

The key move is 17..Qc6(Diagram)

The idea is to stop Qe4

After 17..Qc6

which can lead to the following bishop ending

After 26..bc(Diagram)

The queenside majority is not as dangerous as it looks although Black has managed to lose in practical play.

After 26..bxc

selected games

The Advance Variation is a very fashionable approach to try and breach the solid Caro-Kann. Here is the game of the week(so far)

Sawatzki-Hammer

Caro-Kann Advance 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3

Xtracon Chess Open 2019 Rd4.17

After 32..Qxa4(Diagram)

The position is sharp and White has made some progress on the c-file. Black has a potentially useful queenside majority but Black’s kingside is rather open

What do you recommend for White?

After 32..Qxa4

The latest issue of TWIC is now available

selected games

Murdzia-Prohaszka

Catalan 4..Bb4+

Aegean Open 2019 Rd6.1

After 27.Bxc6(Diagram)

White has a weak castled position but both sides have passers in a sharp position

What do you recommend for Black?

After 27.Bxc6