This is an achievement of the Turkish Chess Federation, which invites teams of strong foreign players to take on indigenous talents in search of experience and titles. In the women’s section the Turkish players faced a team of WGMs, in the men’s it was mostly GMs. The tournaments are named after the local Angora breed of goats, cats and rabbits. Big pictorial by Anastasiya Karlovich.
Archive for February, 2010
Angora Chess Tournaments in Ankara
Sunday, February 28th, 2010New Chessboxing season starts in London
Saturday, February 27th, 2010Top of the bill is a thrilling heavyweight encounter between Sergio “The Phoenix” Leveque from Italy and Dutchman, Hubert Van Melick. Chessboxing entails alternating sessions of four minutes at the chessboard and two in the boxing ring. You can win by checkmate or knockout. In two weeks the new season begins, with the first fights in London. Press release and videos.
Polgar vs Kaidanov in a Sicilian Theme match
Saturday, February 27th, 2010The Sicilian is like an alligator – one of the natives of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where the theme match took place. Judit Polgar and Gregory Kaidanov played four games, a Sveshnikov, Dragon, Najdorf and a Scheveningen at classical time controls. All were sharp and all won by White. The sponsor, Sicilian fan Jeff Smith, provided the $16,000 prize fund. Pictorial report.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White Repertoire Webliography
Friday, February 26th, 2010I have been developing a 1.e4 e5 White repertoire based on the Italian Game or Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) where White blows open the center with an early d4 (after 3…Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 or the gambit 3…Bc5 4.d4!?) rather than play the “quieter” Giuoco lines with 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 (which will feature in a repertoire book by John Emms titled Beating 1.e4 e5 due in May from Everyman Chess). The repertoire also features the aggressive “Duffer’s Attack” against the Two Knights (with 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 — which Seigbert Tarrasch famously labeled a “duffer’s move”). I realized the other day that my repertoire could be learned from web sources alone, so I thought I’d take on the challenge of putting together a “1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White Repertoire Webliography” for anyone who is interested. I have also listed a few books and other materials for those who want to study these lines more deeply.
I present the repertoire as a 14-part webliography of sources. Even if you are not interested in the Giuoco Piano, you may benefit from the recommendations and online resources against the Petroff, Philidor, Latvian, Elephant, and other lines at Black’s disposal. As always, I invite reader comments and additions.
1. Giuoco Piano Overview (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5)
I recommend learning a few different Giuoco Piano lines to get the maximum enjoyment from the repertoire. I am personally most interested in the Steinitz-Sveshnikov Attack (4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5!?), but I have also enjoyed trying out the Moeller Attack (4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3), Rossolimo Variation (with 7.Bd2), and Max Lange Attack and Gambit (beginning 4.d4!?). All are lots of fun to play for amateurs and well supported by online sources. Some of these lines are regarded as “suspect” by GM theory, but all have been used with success by GMs, while amateurs will find them simply deadly against their level of competition. Those interested in exploring the world of the Giuoco Piano or Italian Game in greater depth might pick up Jan Pinski’s Italian Game and Evans Gambit (Everyman 2005) or Jude Acers and George Laven’s The Italian Gambit System (Trafford 2003)–the latter of which has a surprising amount of good opening advice to offer amateur players. I also have Reinhold Ripperger’s ChessBase CD on The Giuoco Piano, which has some annotated games and exercises but is probably not worth the investment. As usual, the web offers everything most amateur players will need to get started:
- Beginner’s Repertoire at Chessgames.com
The link presents a game collection from Chessgames.com with great classic games showing you how to crush people with the Moeller and other Giuoco lines. It’s essentially a complete repertoire in games — just click your way through them and you get the basic theoretical ideas and tactics. - “Don’t Shoot the Piano Player!” by Leviathan at Chessgames.com
Another great games collection that serves as an excellent introduction to Giuoco Piano themes and ideas. - Exeter Chess Club’s The Italian Game for Beginners by Dr. Dave (e-book in PDF)
Tricks, traps and tactical ideas in the Italian lines, including the Evans, Moeller Attack, and others. This little e-book makes a great beginner’s introduction to Giuoco Piano themes. - Swansong of the Giuoco Piano, Part 1 (Kibitzer #64 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
- The Giuoco Piano, Part 2: The Case for the Defence (Kibitzer #65 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
- The Giuoco Piano on Trial, Part 3: The Summing Up (Kibitzer #69 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
- The Giuoco Piano on Trial: White Wins the Case (Kibitzer #70 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
- The Giuoco Piano Revisited (Kibitzer #118 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
This five part series of articles on the Giuoco Piano lines with c3 and d4 for White — mostly focused on the Moeller Attack and Rossolimo’s Bd2 line with only some discussion of others — gives a great overview to the Giuoco Piano theory and is remarkably pro-White in the final analysis. In the last article, Harding returns to the Giuoco by way of reviewing Pinski’s book, focusing on the critical lines vs the Moeller Attack and the Rossolimo Variation.
1A. The Giuoco Piano, Steinitz-Sveshnikov Attack, a.k.a. “Anderssen Attack” (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5!?)
The advance with 6.e5!? secures a space advantage for White and creates opportunities for controlling the dark squares and attacking on the kingside. First played by Adolf Anderssen, the line was adopted by Wilhelm Steinitz in a few World Championship match games with Lasker (though he later rejected the line in favor of the Moeller Attack), and much later revived with success by the great theoretician Evgeny Sveshnikov. There really is not much good “book” material on this line, though Pinski or Acers & Laven offer coverage. Currently I am analyzing Ni Hua’s games based on his notes in Mihail Marin’s excellent book on the Reggio Emilia tournament. I think this line is typically underestimated by theory and can be deadly at amateur level. It also does not risk as much as the gambit lines and is more fun than the Rossolimo.
- Giuoco Steinitz-Sveshnikov Variation from the Fayetteville Chess Club
A very useful two-page “quick-start guide” which will introduce players to the line. - The Steinitz – Sveshnikov Attack in the Giuoco Piano by Michael Goeller
An introduction to the opening for amateur players, focusing on the many ways that Black can and will go wrong in these lines.
1B. The Giuoco Piano, Moeller Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3)
This is a risky line and Black probably keeps a pawn with best play, but you are not going to find too many opponents below 2000 ELO who can prove that over the board. Besides, these lines are a lot of fun and Black has lots of ways to go wrong. If an amateur player asked my advice on learning the Moeller Attack, I think I would recommend hunting down a copy of Andy Soltis’s fun little book Winning with the Giuoco Piano and the Max Lange Attack (Chess Digest 1996), which presents the material wonderfully for non-experts (though John Nunn questions some of the analysis in his Secrets of Practical Chess). Due to its historical significance and continuing interest among beginners, there is plenty of material online, especially Tim Harding’s articles (cited above) and the following links:
- Giuoco Piano: Möller Attack (2002) by Steven Craig Miller
A very useful quick-start guide for beginners and anyone just learning this complex line. - Massey’s Moeller Attack by Michael Goeller
Presents a fun game won by NM Scott Massey at the US Amateur Team East 2010 with notes on the opening. Definitely the sort of game that might inspire you to take the Moeller seriously as a potential weapon for over the board play. - Stardust (Opening Lanes #109 at ChessCafe, January 2008) by Gary Lane
Covers the critical 9…Ne5 against the Moeller Attack and the drawing line 10…Na5 vs. the Rossolimo line with Bd2. - Apertura Italiana, ataque Möller moderno (C54) at Hechiceros del Tablero
- Apertura Italiana (C54) Ataque Möller antiguo at Hechiceros del Tablero
A very useful unsigned two-part series on the Moeller from the old Hechiceros site, in Spanish. Be sure to download the PGN files at the end of each to do your own analysis. From the Internet Archives. - Giucio [sic] Piano Reference by Craig Sadler
Despite the poor spelling, this is a useful reference chart to main variations. - Lange-Lampert, 1903 annotated at the Farragut Chess Club website
- Steinitz – von Bardeleben, Hastings 1895 at Chessgames.com
- Steinitz – von Bardeleben, Hastings 1895 annotated by John Hillery
- Steinitz v von Bardeleben by Edward Winter
Clears up some of the mystery about how the game ended.
1C. Giuoco Piano, Rossolimo Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2)
The idea of playing the safe 7.Bd2 was revived by U.S. players Nicolas Rossolimo and Edmar Mednis and recently advocated by Roman Dzindzichashvili in some videos and in Chess Openings for White, Explained. The game Rossolimo-Reissmann, Puerto Rico 1967, is rather inspiring. Though the resulting trade of Bishops generally eases Black’s task, the line still leads to wide open positions with plenty of piece play and chances for both sides. White accepts an isolated pawn, but this gives him control over the center, especially the c5 and e5 squares. You will see that theory finds two methods of achieving equality for Black, but that is never the end of the story in amateur games.
- Stardust (Opening Lanes #109 at ChessCafe, January 2008) by Gary Lane
Covers the critical 9…Ne5 against the Moeller Attack and the drawing line 10…Na5 vs. the Rossolimo line with Bd2. - Have the Giuoco’s Fangs Been Pulled? by Jeremy Silman
Silman analyzes the lines following 7…Nxe4!? 8.Bxb4 Nxb4 9.Bxf7+ as leading to equality for Black. - Rossolimo-Reissmann, Puerto Rico 1967 annotated at Vejen Skakforening
- Khachiyan-Lenderman, Golden State 2010 annotated by Michael Aigner
Evidence, if any were needed, that this line is still viable at the GM level even today.
1D. Max Lange Gambit and Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4)
There has been a revived interest in the Max Lange Attack and Max Lange Gambit, due mainly to some excellent analysis published by Lev Gutman and Stefan Bücker in the German chess journal Kaissiber (volumes 22-25 especially). Most of Gutman and Bücker’s analysis is neatly summarized by John Emms in the recent Dangerous Weapons: 1.e4 e5 (Everyman 2008), which I have reviewed in these pages and think is excellent. You can also find lots of material online, including by yours truly:
There has been a revived interest in the Max Lange Attack and Max Lange Gambit, due mainly to some excellent analysis published by Lev Gutman and Stefan Bücker in the German chess journal Kaissiber (volumes 22-25 especially). Most of Gutman and Bücker’s analysis is neatly summarized by John Emms in the recent Dangerous Weapons: 1.e4 e5 (Everyman 2008), which I have reviewed in these pages and think is excellent. You can also find lots of material online, including by yours truly:
- Max Lange Gambit Revived by Michael Goeller
- Poirot Investigates (Opening Lanes #103 at ChessCafe, July 2007) by Gary Lane
- The Magic of Move Orders (Over the Horizons #14 at ChessCafe) by Stefan Bücker
- The Modern Horowitz Variation of the Max Lange Attack by Michael Goeller
- An Old Giuoco Worth Repeating by Michael Goeller
- Lost Variations (Hard Chess column at The Campbell Report, September 1999) by Mark Morss
- The Openings Explained #6 by Abby Marshall
A useful overview of the classical way of playing the Max Lange. But the analysis here is based on older sources and therefore mistaken regarding the line I recommend here.
2. Rousseau Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 f5!?)
This counter-gambit is much trickier than you would expect and must be met vigorously by 4.d4! See the second part of the McGrew analysis for details.
- Giuoco Fortissimo: The Rousseau Gambit, Part One by Tim McGrew
- Giuoco Fortissimo: The Rousseau Gambit, Part Two by Tim McGrew
- Gambits in Many Dimensions (The Gambit Cartel #13 at ChessCafe) by Tim McGrew
Despite playing the Black side of this complex line, McGrew offers some excellent and objective analysis demonstrating White’s advantage after 4.d4! — returning to the subject later to add analysis and some philosophical reflections on the value of even “unsound” gambits that create many opportunities for opponents to go wrong. You actually will not find anything as detailed or useful in the “books” that mention this line.
3. Blackburne Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!)
Black’s idea resembles the Bird Defense to the Ruy Lopez, except that White’s Bishop is much better placed on c4 than on b5 once the Knight goes to d4. White should probably play 4.Nxd4! exd4 (White is up two tempi on the Bird) 5.c3! with a clear advantage. The quiet alternative 4.c3!? Nxf3+ 5.Qxf3 Qf6 yields White little. You may be amused, as I was, by the idea of “falling for” the trap after4.Nxe5?!? Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.O-O! and Tim McGrew does the best job of demonstrating White’s chances for attack.
- Blackburne Gambit — 3…Nd4?! by Adam Bozon
Best for beginners to know what to do against this, since they will see it sometimes - Two Wild Black Systems by Jeremy Silman
The second part of this article covers 3…Nd4 very well from the White perspective.. - A Shilling in the Mailbag (The Gambit Cartel #26 at ChessCafe) by Tim McGrew
Analyzes the response 4.Nxe5(?) Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.O-O! and 5.O-O!? as providing White plenty of interesting play for his piece — a surprising and fun way to turn the tables on the gambiteer. - Reader’s Showcase (The Gambit Cartel #25 at ChessCafe) by Tim McGrew
Maybe the only article I’ve ever seen to take 3…Nd4 seriously.
Two Knights, Duffer’s Attack Overview (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5)
Seigbert Tarrasch may have called it a “Duffer’s Move,” but 4.Ng5 clearly forces Black to surrender a pawn or suffer a dangerous attack. In “Duffer’s Delight,” a writer at the Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog describes some of the reasons why 4.Ng5 is being seen more frequently in GM practice, as computers have helped analysts recognize that even odd-looking ways of winning or holding an extra pawn are difficult to meet.
Seigbert Tarrasch may have called it a “Duffer’s Move,” but 4.Ng5 clearly forces Black to surrender a pawn or suffer a dangerous attack. In “Duffer’s Delight,” a writer at the Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog describes some of the reasons why 4.Ng5 is being seen more frequently in GM practice, as computers have helped analysts recognize that even odd-looking ways of winning or holding an extra pawn are difficult to meet.
4.Two Knights, Duffer’s Attack, Traxler Counter-Gambit (4.Ng5 Bc5!?)
This may well be the toughest thing Black has against the Duffer’s Attack with 4.Ng5, but I feel safe with the unusual 5.d4!? This is the rarest line for White, the easiest to study, and offers some safe bail-out options (like 5.d4 d5! 6.dxc4 dxc5 7.Qxd8+ etc). Pinski does not think much of it, but other authors think it may be best. If you disagree, check out the webliography for more links — including the complete set of articles by Maarten de Zeeuw from New in Chess Yearbook available online for download.
- Traxler Counter Attack (Wilkes-Barre) Webliography by Michael Goeller
- Seven Ways to Refute the Traxler (Over the Horizons #23 at ChessCafe) by Stefan Bücker
- Another Look at the Traxler by Maarten de Zeeuw (NIC Yearbook #63)
5. Two Knights, Duffer’s Attack, Amazing Counter Attack (4.Ng5 Nxe4?!)
Tim Harding explored this wild line (based on the idea that 5.Nxe4?! d5 is good for Black), returning to the subject later with the best ideas for White. Best to be prepared so you are not amazed.
- Some Opening Topics Revisited (Kibitzer #33 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
- Two Knights Defence: The Amazing Counterattack (Kibitzer #5 at ChessCafe) by Tim Harding
6. Two Knights, Lolli Attack or Fried Liver (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.d4! or 6.Nxf7!?)
This is actually a bit of a disputed territory of late, thanks to the use of computers. And some players (most notably Dan Heisman) have made a very deep study of these lines, concluding that Black might be able to hold or reach an unclear position. However, at the amateur level, you can be pretty certain that if your opponent plays into this line he has done so unwittingly and is going to be defeated swiftly. The Lolli Attack (with 6.d4!) seems like the way to get the most out of the position compared to the traditional Fried Liver continuation (with 6.Nxf7!?), but both are very effective at the amateur level. Hat tip to The Bishops Bounty for pointing me to some sources.
- The Lolli Attack by Michael Goeller
- The Lolli Attack at Chess Teaching and Lessons
- Back to Basics (Opening Lanes #121 at ChessCafe, January 2009) by Gary Lane
Covers the Lolli and Fried Liver attacks. - Giuoco Piano, Two Knights, Fried Liver (C57) by Richard Westbrook (Farragut Chess Club 2006) — see also Paul Morphy Fried Liver Attack.
A useful article on how to win the Fried Liver Attack. - Fried Liver Attack, Pratt-Wolford 1976 by John Pratt
A useful introduction to the Fried Liver for beginners. - The Fegatello Attack (Unorthodox Openings Newsletter #2) by Paul Valle
Available in the archive or download the issue of UON. Offers some deep analysis showing how Black might survive the traditional Fried Liver with 6.Nxf7. - The Fried Liver Attack, Part One by Boris Alterman (June 1, 2008)
- The Fried Liver Attack, Part Two by Boris Alterman (June 6, 2008)
- The Fried Liver Attack, Part Three by Boris Alterman (June 13, 2008)
- The Fried Liver Attack, Part Four by Boris Alterman (June 16, 2008)
- The Fried Liver Attack, Part Five by Boris Alterman (June 19, 2008)
- The Fried Liver Attack, Part Six by Boris Alterman (June 29, 2008)
A useful presentation for amateur players focused mostly on the 6.Nxf7 lines, culminating in the annotated game Morphy – NN, New Orleans simul 1858 which features the Lolli Attack.
7. Two Knights, Duffer’s Attack, Gunsberg Variation (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3!?)
Daniel Stellwagen’s article in SOS #9 on the surprising 8.Bd3!? (securing e4 for the Knight’s retreat, as in Stellwagen – de Jong) seems to have inspired a number of GM games, including Nakamura-Friedel, Short – Sokolov, and Conquest-Howell. Nakamura’s use of the line to win the 2009 US Championship certainly gave it excellent publicity. White gets a very dynamic and complex game with an extra pawn and solid position. The pressure is on Black to show what he has got.
- GM Nick DeFirmian’s Game of the Day – US Championship – Round 9 by Nick DeFirmian from ICC/ChessFM
Generally these video commentaries are only available by subscription, but ICC decided to make them freely available for the championship. - SOS Game of the Month (June 2009): Nakamura – Friedel by Jeroen Bosch
Excellent notes in zipped ChessBase format on the game and the opening, from NIC. - Nakamura Wins 2009 US Championship by Michael Goeller
Analyzes the game Nakamura – Friedel. - Behold, Once Again, the Two Knights! by Mark Ginsburg
Excellent commentary on Nakamura – Friedel with improvements for Black. - Nakamura Wins Second US Championship by Dylan Loeb McClain
Includes light notes on the game in a java viewer. - Short and Timman Shine in Staunton Memorial at ChessBase
Analyzes the game Short – Sokolov. - UK Take the Lead in Round 3 by Malcolm Pein
Analyzes the game Short – Sokolov.
8. Two Knights, Duffer’s Attack, Fritz-Ulvestad (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4 or 5…b5)
This is another tricky territory for White, but some recent games suggest that White looks good after 5….b5 6.Bf1 Nd4 7.c3 Nxd5 8.cxd4 in the Fritz-Ulvestad. I am looking for more analysis to support this section.
- The Fritz and Ulvestad Variations by Steven Craig Miller for the Renaissance Knights Club
A very useful quick-start guide on these critical lines. - Open Games Revisited: The Two Knights (November 2005, Kibitzer #114) by Tim Harding
Covers both the Fritz/Ulvestadt and main lines after Ng5. - Charbonneau – Schneider, USCL 2009 without notes — I hope to find some material on the web analyzing this game.
- Death of the Main-Line Ulvestad by Mark Ginsburg
A very pro-White analysis refuting the Ulvestad. See also his comments on Zierk – Friedel, embedded. - Vallejo-Pons vs Naiditsch, European Teams 2007
- New Investigations in the Two Knights Defense (September 2008, Kibitzer #148) by Tim Harding
- Friedel’s Fritz-Ulvestad Wins Again by Michael Goeller
- GM Josh Friedel Plays the Ulvestad by Michael Goeller
- Two Knights Defense, Fritz-Ulvestad Variation by Michael Goeller
- Two Knights, Ulvestad by Katar at Chessvideos
- Two Knights Fritz Notes by Pete Tamburro (forum only requires free registration to access).
9.Hungarian and Closed Defenses (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4)
Besides the traditional Giuoco Piano with 3…Bc5 and the Two Knights Defense with 3…Nf6, Black can also play several moves leading to a more closed position with 3…Be7 (the Hungarian Defense), 3…Qe7 (Euwe’s traditional Closed line), 3…d6 (Mihail Marin’s recent favorite) or 3…g6 (my own preference as Black). Jan Pinski’s book on the Italian Game and Evans Gambit (Everyman 2005) probably offers the most objective coverage of these lines. None of these lines is something White needs to fear. The simplest general policy is to play as you would against the closed Philidor with c3, d4, h3, and a4, restraining Black and holding onto more space. I would say that you will rarely encounter these lines at the amateur level.
- Avoiding the Fried Liver: The Hungarian Defense by Eric Schiller
- Weeramantry – Bisguier, USATE 2008 by Michael Goeller
- A Black Fianchetto System in the Open Games, Part One: White Plays c3 and d4 by Michael Goeller
- A Black Fianchetto System in the Open Games, Part Two: White Plays a Gambit with d4 and c3 by Michael Goeller
Mihail Marin reaches these lines via the 3…d6 move order and has written about that in ChessBase Magazine. My own preference is 3…g6, though I grant that White definitely has some play against that move order, both with the d4 and c3 gambit and with d4 followed by Bg5 (which I hope to cover in a future installment on this system).
10. Philidor’s Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4)
Since my bibliography, Christian Seel’s The Philidor: A Secret Weapon and a new edition of Van Rekom & Jansen’s The Black Lion have come out to supplement Christian Bauer’s book (which I now see has plenty of flaws). But the bibliography is still useful and offers the best “refutation” of Jim West’s favorite Philidor Counter-Gambit with 3…f5: 4.exf5! as seen in Dvoirys – West, New York 2000.
- Philidor Defense Bibliography by Michael Goeller
Offers some useful links, in case you want to go your own way. - Philidor Defense, Part One and Philidor Defense, Part Two by IM Attila Schneider
Though dated, these two articles offer an excellent overview of basic Philidor Theory. - Anti-Antoshin by Michael Goeller
This analysis expands on my notes on this line from the Urusov Gambit. But I’m not sure I’d recommend this line for everyday use.
11. Petroff (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4!)
I think the best way to achieve an unbalanced position against the Petroff is by 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 which also has the advantage of getting many amateur Petroff players out of their comfort zone. If you are serious about finding an antidote to the Petroff, you might consider tracking down The Petroff Defence by GM Artur Yusupov (Olms 1999) which may still be the best reference on the 3.d4 lines I recommend.
- Anti-Petroff Repertoire with d4 by Michael Goeller
Recommends 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 (3…exd4 4.e5 Ne4 5.Qe2!?) 4.Bd3 d5 6.dxe5 with a complete repertoire for White built around this approach. - A Crown for Kosteniuk by Malcolm Pein
12. Latvian (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5!? 3.Nxe5! Qf6 4.Nc4!?)
If you are somebody who likes to have a book to study an opening, you might consider picking up Tony Kosten’s The Latvian Gambit Lives! (Batsford 2001), but online analysis has gone much further than Kosten. Though there is an intimidating amount of analysis on the line, I recommend the Leonhardt Variation, which I first encountered looking at the game Trifunovic – Apsenieks, Stockholm 1937. The line is recommended by a number of books, including Chess Openings for White, Explained.
- Latvian Gambit, Part One by John Watson at Jeremy Silman’s website
- Another Look at the Latvian Gambit, Part Two by Jeremy Silman
- Two Wild Black Systems, Part Three by Jeremy Silman
- Splat the Lat, Part Four by Jeremy Silman
- More Splat the Lat, by Jeremy Silman
Some encouraging analysis of the Leonhardt lines, leading to a debate that puts the question of a true White advantage up for grabs, only to eventually resolve it in White’s favor. - Splat the Lat? Not Quite! by Jeremy Silman
Silman returns to the Latvian problem at Chess.com. - La Refutacion del Gambit Leton, Part 1 by Alejandro Melchor
- La Refutacion del Gambit Leton, Part 2 by Alejandro Melchor
- The Latvian Gambit Revisited by Nagesh Havanur at Chessville
- The Latvian Gambit Revisited, Part Two by Nagesh Havanur at Chessville
- See also forum discussions at Openings for Amateurs and ChessPub.
13. Elephant Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5!? 3.exd5!)
The best analysis of this tricky line is probably on the web, especially now that you can download an excellent chapter from Watson and Schiller’s Survive & Beat Annoying Chess Openings. I have never encountered this opening in a game, but it pays to be prepared.
- “The Elephant Gambit” (also available here) from Survive & Beat Annoying Chess Openings by Eric Schiller and John Watson
Excellent coverage of White’s best option (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5!) from Schiller and Watson’s surprisingly good book. Free PDF. - We’re Going on a Elephant Hunt, Kibitzer #15 by Tim Harding
- Elephant Gambit 2 by Paper, Jensen and Purser (Blackmar Press 1997) from Chess.com
Free e-book download of 2nd edition of Elephant Gambit book. Useful reference. - Elephant Gambit Miniatures by Clyde Nakamura at Chessville
- Keres – De Agustin, Madrid 1943
- Tal – Lutikov, Tallinn 1964
- Short – Corbin, Simul
- See also excellent discussion at the ChessPub forum.
14. The Damiano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6?)
Does this really need commentary? Well, with Sam Sloan on the loose playing this move against unsuspecting youngsters, it at least deserves mention.
Does this really need commentary? Well, with Sam Sloan on the loose playing this move against unsuspecting youngsters, it at least deserves mention.
- Chess (Washington Post, May 25, 2009) by Lubomir Kavalek
Perhaps the most useful and extensive GM commentary on 2…f6? ever recorded. - Life on the Edge (Gambit Cartel #12 at ChessCafe, August 2003) by Tim McGrew
Returns to the Damiano and discusses some other problematic gambit ideas. - Tactics of Mistake (Gambit Cartel #11 at ChessCafe, July 2003) by Tim McGrew
Considers the Black side of Damiano’s 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6!?? with the idea of either challenging White to prove he knows the refutation or meeting 3.Nxe5 with 3…Qe7.
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed this repertoire and the number of excellent online resources that support it. There are many other resources out there, but not everyone has access to them. I have most enjoyed Boris Alterman’s videos at ICC/Chess FM and look forward to his forthcoming Alterman Gambit Guide from Quality Press devoted to White Gambits. And I wish Chess Commander would stop ripping off my stuff.
#636 Chess Mates Opening Postponed
Friday, February 26th, 2010The Chess Mates‘ Grand Opening, scheduled for Monday, has been postponed.
For details, visit the Chess Mates blog.
The duel of knights and queens…
Friday, February 26th, 2010… was literally the central theme in this position. White has a threat – which knight move secures the draw for Black?
A) 29…Nc5
B) 29…Nxb2
C) 29…Nf4
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram.
#635 Tonight’s Meeting Cancelled
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Tonight’s Kenilworth Chess Club meeting has been cancelled. Please joins us on March 4th for the Hamilton-Kramniks match.
#635 Tonight’s Meeting Canceled
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Tonight’s Kenilworth Chess Club meeting has been canceled. Please joins us on March 4th for the Hamilton-Kramniks match.
Snow Closes Kenilworth Chess Club Tonight
Thursday, February 25th, 2010The Kenilworth Chess Club will be closed tonight due to expected snow, and the Garden State League match between the Kenilworth Kramniks vs Hamilton has been rescheduled to March 4th at Kenilworth. The Kenilworth Quads will start March 11th and finish up on the 18th and 25th. It will be USCF rated.
Tobey Maguire Considers Bobby Fischer Role
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
A passing reference in a Deadline Hollywood article notes that Steven Knight recently completed work for Columbia Pictures “on Pawn Sacrifice, a drama about Bobby Fischer’s unlikely victory over Russian chess champ Boris Spassky. Tobey Maguire is producing and eyeing the Fischer role.” This may be the same project mentioned here last May (see Bobby Fischer on Film) based on Bobby Fischer Goes to War which had been optioned by Universal Pictures but later dropped.
Kuzo Zangpo La – chess projects in Bhutan
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Located at the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains, the Kingdom of Bhutan used to be one of the most isolated nations in the world. Today the country has embraced modernization while retaining its ancient culture and traditions. The President of the Asian Chess Federation sent a delegate to promote the game in schools and support the Olympiad team. Pictorial report by IM Ravi Kumar.
Topalov wins Linares, remains number two in the world
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Francisco Vallejo held Alexander Grischuk to a draw in the final round, and for a while it looked as though Topalov had spoilt a very good position against Boris Gelfand to a draw. But the Israeli played the endgame inaccurately, allowing Topalov to take the full point and tournament victory. In the world live rankings he is now one point behind Magnus Carlsen. Illustrated report with commentary.
Barriers and bodychecks
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010The position in the diagram is from the game Bu Xiangzhi-McShane. Black will soon have to give up the rook for the a-pawn and when that happens the decisive question is whether the duo of black king and f-pawn are favourably enough placed to draw against the rook and the king. Amongst the weapons in Black’s arsenal, there is above all the bodycheck in order to keep the white king at a distance. White, on the other hand, can get to work with a barrier. Sharpen up your analytical abilities by trying to work out the solution and comparing what you find with GM Karsten Müller’s analysis. It’s well worth the effort! CBM Online.
ChessBase show: Grischuk-Kamsky in Khanty-Mansiysk 2005
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010With Alexander Grischuk sharing first in Linares (as of this writing), poised
to win Linares for the second straight year and at an all-time career high rating
(2770), it seems an auspicious time to feature him in this week’s Playchess
presentation by Dennis Monokroussos. Watch him deal with the likes of Gata Kamsky in Khanty-Mansiysk back in 2005. 9 p.m. ET Wednesday night.
Chess Mates Chess Club Opening Delayed
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
The Chess Mates Chess Club, located at 1523 Irving St. in Rahway, N.J. and owned/managed by 2010 Kenilworth Champion Arthur Macaspac, will have its Grand Opening at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 1st has postponed its grand opening due to construction delays caused by recent snow storms. A new date should be announced soon.
The facility, conveniently located near the Rahway train station, is expected to be open 7 days & 4 nights per week. Some 20 USCF-rated events will be run every month:
- Sundays 5-SS, G/45
- Mondays 4-SS, G/25 (1st & 2nd weeks of the month)
- Tuesdays 3-Round Quads, G/30
- Wednesdays 4-SS, G/30
- Friday 4-SS, 30 moves in 90 + SD/60 (one game per week)
- Saturday 4-SS, G/60 for U2400s
There will be monthly lessons & simuls by Yudasin, plus weekday afternoon skittles (Monday-Thursday) for seniors (12:30-2:15 p.m.) & children (2:30-4:15 p.m.).
For details about lessons, calendar, more detailed directions, membership, and other information visit the Chess Mates website.
USATE 2010 Crosstables
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Fun and Names at the US Amateur Team East by Jennifer Shahade offers some games and commentary on last week’s USATE, including Joe Fang’s crucial victory over Kenilworth’s Scott Massey in the last round on Board 1 (which also received mention in The New York Times). You can also now check out the official tournament crosstable at the USCF website (including ratings adjustments) or download the full wall chart in PDF or final team standings from the NJSCF site. Keep an eye out for the games.
Linares R9: Grischuk stops Topalov, joins him in lead
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010Alexander Grischuk won his second game in a row, the third in this tournament.
He beat the leader Veselin Topalov, avenging a loss to him in
the first half. Topalov and Grischuk go into the final round tied for first.
Topalov has white against Gelfand, Grischuk black against Vallejo. It’s going
to be an exciting finish – watch it on Playchess
with GM Danny King at the mike. Round nine report.
Test your engines – the Silver Openings Suite
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010One way to measure the relative strengths of chess engines is to play them against each other – see who wins and by how much. But often newer engines can be “booked” to beat older rivals straight out of the opening. To get objective results without killer books John Nunn introduced opening test suites. That was a decade ago. Now Albert Silver presents an update and explains how to use it.
The Silver Openings Suite
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010One way to measure the relative strengths of chess engines is to play them against each other – see who wins and by how much. But often newer engines can be “booked” to beat older rivals straight out of the opening. To get objective results without killer books John Nunn introduced opening test suites. That was a decade ago. Now Albert Silver presents an update and explains how to use it.
The chess brain – on the road to Siberia
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010When did the chess brain develop? Turns out that Caissa made it some 50 km south of Nairobi, Kenya, in the pre-historic wastelands of Olegersaille. She called the bipedal primate Homo Sapiens. Today, 200,000 years later, the Kenyans are picking a national team to join their cousins from all over the world at the Siberian Olympiad. Spectacular pictorial by Mahul Gohil.
#634 Rahway Club Opens Next Monday
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
The Chess Mates Chess Club, located at 1523 Irving St. in Rahway, N.J. & owned/managed by new Kenilworth Champion Arthur Macaspac, will have its Grand Opening at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 1st.
There will be free lessons that day, a simul by GM/Former World Championship Candidate Leonid Yudasin, refreshments & a speed tournament starting at 7:00 p.m.
The facility, conveniently located near the Rahway train station, will be open 7 days & 4 nights per week. Some 20 USCF-rated events will be run every month!!:
- Sundays… 5-SS, G/45
- Mondays… 4-SS, G/25 (1st & 2nd weeks of the month)
- Tuesdays… 3-Round Quads, G/30
- Wednesdays… 4-SS, G/30
- Friday… 4-SS, 30 moves in 90 + SD/60 (one game per week)
- Saturday… 4-SS, G/60 for U2400s
There will be monthly lessons & simuls by Yudasin, plus weekday afternoon skittles (Mon.-Thurs.) for seniors (12:30-2:15 p.m.) & children (2:30-4:15 p.m.).
For tournament details, the full schedule, lesson rates, membership fees, etc., visit the Chess Mates site.
I may not attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony but will be there in the evening. Hope you can make it, as well.
The Vietnamese dragons are coming
Monday, February 22nd, 201019-year-old Le Quang Liem has won a string of very strong events, jumping from practically nowhere into the top 50 in the world (expect to see him in the top 20 soon). His achievements are in the news all over the world. And he is joined by Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son. High time for us to learn these names and understand how they work. Nguyen Hong Son helps us.
Linares R8: Grischuk beats Gashimov, Topalov misses a win
Sunday, February 21st, 2010“Two exciting games – and one Petroff,” writes our commentator GM Anish Giri. Gelfand used the latter in a colorless draw against Vallejo. The other two games were more entartaining. Topalov had a clear win against Aronian but missed the killer move; and Grischuk profited from a non-obvious error in Gashimov’s Benoni to narrow the gap to the leading Topalov. Big illustrated report with commentary.
Linares R7: All games drawn, Topalov leads
Sunday, February 21st, 2010Once again: the result sounds boring, the games on the other hand were electrifying. Not, we hasten to add, due to their flawless perfection – on the contrary, they demonstrate that these are humans playing at the boards. Humans with nerves and frailties. The result left Veselin Topalov still in the lead by a point and a half, and the tail ender Vallejo the tragic hero of the event.
Unorthodox Openings Newsletter
Saturday, February 20th, 2010
If you are serious about unorthodox openings, then you will definitely want to check out some issues of the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter. The early ones are simply a collection of various (often amateur) games featuring oddball openings. But the more recent issues typically feature analysis, annotated games, and history. You will even find some book-length issues devoted to the Zilbermints Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.O-O?!?! Nxd4 9.Kh1!?), the Grob (1.g4?!?), and the Halloween Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5?!?!) Lots of ideas for the adventurous chess player out to have fun.
