CHESSBOOK REVIEWS 
Latest book reviews of 1 April 2005
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.Wilhelminalaan 33John Elburg
7261 BP RUURLO
The Netherlands.
Chess Books
Vermaarde schaakcafés en hun illustere gasten door L.C.M.Diepstraten
2004
Tirion Sport
http://www.tirionuitgevers.nl
87 pages
Price € 17.95
ISBN 90-4390-686-7
"Vermaarde schaakcafés en hun illustere gasten" is the latest chess book from the Dutch chess researcher, correspondence chess player, Latvian gambit specialist, chess author and former director of the Dutch Max Euwe centre.
Leo C.M Diepstraten was born on February 2,1925 in Breda,the Netherlands,and had a long and distinguished chess career.{Val Zemitis in ChessMail issue 1/1998}Diepstraten describes in this lovely printed chess book the development from
Chess cafés and there extraordinary visitors, filled on with a beautiful collection chess prints, from famous and less famous artists where the publisher did not cut back on the quality from book and prints.
The reader shall find besides the 63 chess prints a complete over view from the first chess cafes and there famous visitors as for example Benjamin Franklin who was author of the forgotten book Morals of chess, Napoleon Bonaparte, Wilhelm Steinitz but also the Russian tsar Paul’who was a well seen regular visitor.
The first chess café in France was not the famous Café de la Regence but Café Procope that was opened in 1675 by the Sicilian Francesco Procopio Cultelli of Cotelli, interesting enough it still excites as restaurant in the Rue des Fosses Saint Germain.
Unfortunately on the back cover of the book the publisher claims that is still possible to play chess in Café de la Regence but this is as Diepstaraten correctly explains in his book is unfortunately not possible anymore.
The author covers a lot of interesting background information about the prints and players in this book as for instance the fascinating story of the mysterious chess pieces from Napoleon who did contain inside the pieces a secret escape message.
In the highlight of chess café’s there where more cafes in London than in Paris where the house Gambit {1895-1958} was a very famous one. In 1946 they even held the match Britain – USSR.
Unfortunately not everybody can handle the Dutch language but I certainly would buy this book for the great collection chess prints!
Conclusion: A fascinating book!
Briljant schaken 2004 door Jan Timman & Hans Böhm
2004
Tirion Sport
http://www.tirionuitgevers.nl
139 pages
Price € 17.95
ISBN 90-4390-673-5
Brilliant chess is a collection of ten of the best games from the year 2004 filled on with a collection of ten brilliant studies from great composers as Smyslov, Benno and others but unfortunately for the fans from Timman there are in this book no compositions from Jan himself.
The ten best games are analysed in turns by both authors where I personal prefer the analyses from Timman above the ones from Hans Böhm even that Timman does not completely reach the level of analyses that we are used from him in publications as for example Power Chess with pieces that was published some time ago by New In Chess.
Hans Böhm had once the reputation of a endgame expert but misses completely the saving move 49.g5! that would have been good enough for a draw in the famous game Leko - Kramnik Brissago, 2004 game,{Game ten of this book}and this saving move was covered in nearly every chess magazine!
All together we have here a good collection chess games that I would like to recommend to every upcoming chess player!
Conclusion: A very instructive read!
The Spanish exchange variation by Stefan Kindermann
2005
Edition Olms
http://www.olms.de
124 pages
Price € 15.00
ISBN 3-283-00479-x
This interesting made repertoire book from GM Stefan Kindermann is designed to provide the white player with a complete repertoire on the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6.
As Kindermann explains in his introduction this is not a scientific work that covers every possible line on the Spanish Exchange but presents the white player with one or sometimes if it is possible with even a extra {second} repertoire line.
For the black player there is a section {Chapter :My recommendation for black} with 4..dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4!? where the black player shall find everything that he or she needs to know how to handle this as Fischer once described it as black’s most ambitious continuation.
Now and than it is a pity that the author did not make use from latest correspondence games as for example I am missing moves as 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Re1 Ng6 10.d4 Nf4 11.hxg4 hxg4 12.g3 gxf3 13.Qxf3 Ne6 14.dxe5 Qh6 15.Nb3 Qh2+ 16.Kf1 Bc5 17.Ke2! Hugentobler – Elburg Karlis Betins Memorial corr,1993.
On the other hand you shall find in this book many fashion lines as for instance the interesting {1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 }8.Be3 which Kindermann considers as white’s main weapon. Latest tournament games are here in this line from the year 2004, {as for example Kasimdzhanov – Adams Wch Tripoli} which makes it all very up to date!
White makes it is clear that he is agreeable to an immediate queen exchange on f3,accepting double f-pawns.
The material is compiled as follow in this book : Historical introduction, Typical positions, Illustrative games/Theoretical section
included in is a interesting translator note about the discussion between Lasker and Tarrasch: Why did you play this drawing variation? {Tarrasch} I had nothing else replied the bright Lasker.
Also there is a clear index of variations with all the key positions of this opening, included a players/games index and at last a useful bibliography where Kindermann strangle missed the book from Andrew Kinsman on the Spanish Exchange.
The exchange variation has still a reputation of somewhat dreary character but white adopts a clear and simple long time turn strategy on blacks poor pawn structure, it was the great Lasker who employed this bright strategy with recognized effectiveness but the great hype came when Fischer started playing it at the 1966 Havana Olympiad.
Conclusion: One of the best written openings books that I ever saw on the Spanish Exchange!
Ideas behind modern chess openings:Black by Gary Lane
2005
Batsford Ltd London
http://www.Batsford.com
192 pages
Price $ 21.95
ISBN 0-7134-8950-2
There is a lot to say about repertoire books but if you feel something with black for openings as the Chigorin and English with 1.c4 Nc6, Scandinavian with 3..Qd6 en plus some exciting pet lines from the author to handle the Larsen and Orang Utang defence.
Than I certainly can recommended this readable work from the bright Australian IM Gary Line who is very good in handle aggressive lines for example after 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d6 4.Bb5 Bd7 5.Ne2 a6 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.0-0 Garry Lane recommends 7… Qg5!
first played by himself against Sadler, London 1989.{0-1,in 31 moves} At first sited it looks rash to expose the black queen but it is not easy for white to go after it.
Included throw this book are all kind suggestion as for example how to beat the Barcza opening where Lane suggest to go for a King’s Indian attack with the pawns on c5,d5 and e5.
The aim of this book lays by the more serious club who likes to be well prepared but on the other hand does not want to spend to much time on his opening preparations!
Conclusion: A very easy to follow repertoire book!
Vladimirs Petrovs by Andris Fride
2004
Caissa Editions
190 pages
Price $ 27.50
ISBN 0-939433-61-3
This book from Andris Fride tell the tragic story from Vladimirs Petrovs, who made great fame with his out standing chesss success in Kemeri 1937 where he tied at first place with Flohr and Reshevsky but ahead of Alekhine,Fine,Keres and Bogolubov.
Petrovs was one of the few Latvian chess player who regular played the Latvian Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5.One of these official Latvian games was played against the master of attack Kurt Richter but white was glad to get away in that game with a draw:{Richter,K - Petrovs,V Podebrady,1936
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.exf5 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Be2 Qe7 8.0-0 Qf7 9.Bf4 d5 10.Bd3 Be7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Re1 Bc5 13.Qf3 Nh5 14.g4 Nxf4 15.Qxf4 Rb8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Qe3 Bd7 18.Nf3 Rbe8 19.Qd2 g6 20.Nh4 Qf6 21.Qh6 Qd4 22.Ng2 gxf5 23.g5 Qxb2 24.Ne3 Qg7 25.Qxg7+ Kxg7 26.Bxf5 Bxf5 27.Nxf5+ Kg6 28.Nxd6 cxd6 29.Rab1 Kxg5 30.Rxe8 Rxe8 31.Rb7 Re2 32.Rxh7 Rxc2 33.h4+ Kf4 34.h5 Kg5 35.h6 Kg6 36.Rh8 a5 37.a4 Rc5 38.Kf1 d4 39.Ke2 Rf5 40.h7 c5 41.Rd8 Kxh7 42.Rxd6 Kg7 43.Rc6 Kf7 44.f4 Rh5 45.Kf3 Ke7 46.Ke4 Kd7 47.Ra6 Rh3 48.Kd5 Rc3 49.f5 d3 50.Ra7+ ½-½.
Podebrady 1936 was Petrovs first international grandmaster level tournament.Although he posted an acceptable showing to end in the middle of a group from 17.
The tragic from Pertovs is that he died in 1943 in a Russian concentration camp so we can only guess what levels Petrovs might have reached if he had the opportunity to continue chess.This we will never know but every game of these 265 games in this outstanding book is worth playing throw.
Many of these games are by the way covered with interesting annotations as for example game 76, Petrovs – Euwe covers comments from J Fride,Euwe and Karlis Betins,by the way many Baltic chess players have shared for this book there memories with the author.
True chess lover will follow with interest the story of Petrovs wife Galina and the search for the rehabilitation of her husband,she finally succeeded with many other victims on January 17,1989.
Included throw this book are personal letters,photos and interviews.
Conclusion: A outstanding chess book!
Starting out: Rook endgames by Chris Ward
2004
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanbooks.com
128 pages
Price $ 18.95
ISBN 1-85744-374-8
The former British Champion GM Chris Ward does not only explain in this easy to read guide all the necessarily basics of rook endings but provides the reader with a lot of practical examples.
Exactly counted there 69 of them divided over 103 pages and that makes a endgame book very readable.I found here a very good balance of text and diagrams.
All the material is spilt up in 6 chapters: The basics, Rook versus pawn{s} Rook and pawn versus rook, Introducing more pawns, Tricky situations and advanced techniques, Applying principles to practical play and twenty questions.
The last chapter also contains 20 exercises to see if you have learned something from Ward’s rook lessons.
Endgames belong to the Cinderella of chess but this book from Ward is very practical written en does contain all the basics that a practical player needs to know about rook endgames!
Conclusion: A excellent start on rook endgames!
Starting out: The Dutch defence by Neil McDonald
2004
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanbooks.com
172 pages
Price $ 18.05
ISBN 1-85744-377-2
The English GM Neil McDonald concentrates in this easy to follow staring out book on the Dutch defence all at the hand of a interesting collection of 50 model games.
Interesting enough GM Neil McDonald has managed to compress in this book all kind of Dutch variations as the Stonewall,Leningrad Dutch,Classical Dutch and various side lines as the Staunton gambit and the weird but dangerous {1.d4 f5 2.Bg5}
Between the lines there is a great wealth of instructive suggestions how to play and understand the strategies from the Dutch defence.
Conclusion: A very good starters book on the Dutch defence!
Chess CD's
ChessBase magazine issue 104
2005
February
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Price Euro 19,90 per issue
Annual subscription costs Euro 99,70
ChessBase magazine comes with a impressive database from around 4200 entries where a small 550 of these entries cover excellent annotations. {Exactly counted there are 4201 games and three text reports}
One of the highest category chess tournaments in this file is certainly the Pune event which was won by the Romanian Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu.
The multimedia files go all to the Calvia Chess Olympiad of 2004,there is around 508 MB on avi file and that is good for a small 100 minutes of high video enjoyment.
{The multimedia report contains interviews with Alexandrova,Suat Atalik,Iveta Radziewicz,Teimour Radjabov, Anna Zatonskih etc but I enjoyed the one with General Vladimir Tukmakov it most.{He explains in a small 10 minutes the reasons for the success of his team}
The theory files go to A 69 Modern Benoni with the three pawn attacks {1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Be2 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Ng4 by Jerzy Konikowski}, B30 Sicilian Rossolimo {1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Qc7 5.0-0 Nd4 by GM Evgeny Postny},B33 Sveshikov Sicilian { 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.Bd3 Be6 12.0-0 Bxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 14.Re1 by Gm Dorian Rogozenko},
B85 Scheveningen variation with 12.Bd3{ 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 Be7 7.f4 0-0 8.0-0 a6 9.a4 Nc6 10.Be3 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bd3 Nb4 13.a5 by GM Viktor Gavrikov},C88 Ruy Lopez Anti Marshall 8.h3
{1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 by Sergey Klimov} E05 Catalan {1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Be4 11.Qc1 Bb7 12.Bf4 by GM Zoltan Ribli,E14 Bogo –Indian with the Kempinski line {1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 0-0 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 d6 7.e3 b6 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.0-0 Bb7 by GM Atlik Gershon,and at last a very interesting from GM Boris Avrukh on the trendy King’s Indian with 9.b4{1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.Bf3 c6 WHERE Avrukh focuses on two recently very fashionable moves 13.Qb3 and 13.Bb2.
Other files on this well filled CD are Endgame {by Mihail Marin},Strategy {By GM Peter Wells} Tactics {by GM Valery Atlas} Fritz forum, History {Johannes Fischer has taken a closer look at the Baden _Baden tournament of 1870,the database contains a second report which GM Robert Hübner examines in grest depth games} and at last ICCF telechess {I found here a full text report and over 1500 latest correspondence games!}
Included is a booklet from 27 pages!
Conclusion: A very important chess CD!
Fritztrainer basics The Basics of winning chess by Andrew Martin
2005
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price 24.99
The CD is based on the new instructional Fritz8-Chess Media System: all the lectures are presented in their entirety with video pictures and synchronised chess graphics.
System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM, CD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98 SE, Windows Media Player 9. This DVD package also includes the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader.
The English IM Andrew Martin digs in this latest ChessBase DVD video course winning tips where all the material is divided in three major sections as opening, middle and endgame tips where the sympatric English chess teacher provides you between all the instructive advises
and model games a lot of practical tips.
These practical tips are very helpful for players who never had any chess training at all the analyses from a game can be learned from the book but practical advises of a professional chess trainer can be for many chess players of great use.
The aim of the material covered on this DVD could be considers as for beginners till local club play where I am even that the little more experience club players could learn a lot of Andrew Martin’s instructive advises!
Total running time on this DVD is around one hour and 39 minutes.
Conclusion: Excellent starting material!
Fritztrainer monograph
Victor Kortchnoi My Life for Chess Volume 1
2005
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price 24.99
System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM, CD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98 SE, Windows Media Player 9. This DVD package also includes the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader.
Fritztrainer monograph
Victor Kortchnoi My Life for Chess Volume 2
2005
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price 24.99
System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM, CD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98 SE, Windows Media Player 9. This DVD package also includes the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader.
These two interesting made monograph DVD’s come from the chess legend Victor Kortchnoi who nearly needs no introduction, he is the man who is known for his intensive fighting spirit.
These two ChessBase multimedia Chess DVD’s from over Seven hours chess enjoyment offer us a unique inside view of the great Victor Kortchnoi.
Part one does not only cover a very intensive interview from nearly a half a hour where we can hear that Botwinnik was Kortchnoi his first great chess hero but later be became more interested in the play of the great Emanuel Lasker {1894-1921}, who once said when you see a good move, look for a better one!
Kortchnoi analyses on this DVD eight of his most brilliant games from the years 1949-1979, and that must have been a very difficult task
for him but I found on the first DVD : Smyslov- Kortchnoi Moscow 1952, Kortchnoi – Geller Kiev 1954, Kortchnoi – Tal Yerevan 1962, Korchnoi – Udovcic October Revolution 50 1967, Navara – Kortchnoi Calvia Ol 2004, Korchnoi – Hübner Leningrad 1973, Kortchnoi – Karpov The Philippines 1978, Filguth – Korchnoi Sao Paulo and Golenichev – Korchnoi USR chT Juniors of 1949.
For the owners of Korchnoi his book{s} My Best Games I can say not all games are taken from his biography and Korchnoi has specially prepared for this DVD some unpublished games.
Included also is a extra database from around 1800 Korchnoi games,unfortnatley all without comments but on the second DVD there is even a extra file from a other 2494 Korchnoi games.
On the second DVD you shall find interesting annotations on the games: Kasparov – Kortchnoi Brussels 1986, Kortchnoi – Spassky Clermond Ferrand 1989, Kortchnoi – Piket Tilburg 1992, Van der Wiel – Kortchnoi Euwe memorial Amsterdam, Kortchnoi – Short Rotterdam 1990, Kortchnoi – Onischuk Wijk aan Zee 1997,Felgaer - Kortchnoi Bled 2002 and Kortchnoi – Moskalenko,Catalan theme tournament.
Embedded are many personal notes in the games as for instance the funny story about Spassky who seems to cry as child when he was defeated by Kortchnoi but please don’t forget that time poor Spassky was only eleven years old.
On the both databases from Kortchnoi there are around 70 Spassky games but they played much more games with each other Kortchnoi mentions hundreds of them but strange enough Spassy kept his playing problems against Kortchnoi.
The tremendous will to win makes Kortchnoi’s games always very interesting specially on these two well filled DVD’s where you have the opportunity to get some private notes from the man who always wants to win in chess.
Where other chess masters are thinking to retire or to settle down to a less strenuous life Kortchnoi started to play with a greater vigour than any other chess player did ever before!
Conclusion: These two DVD’s are overloaded with personal game notes from the great Viktor Kortchnoi !
StarBase 4.56
2005
Pickard & Son,Publishers
http://www.ChessCentral.com
Price $ 29.95
It is slowly nearly unbelievable but this brand new StarBase CD comes with a impressive amount of nearly 4.6 million chess games.
Normally it is not possible to compress so many chess games on one CD but the designer from the StarBase has solved this problem to make use from a intelligent made unzip utility, simple to pack all StarBase games to one compressive file.
Unpacked it is around 1.23 GB of your hard disk.
Duplicates are still a problem in such large databases even with the use of the latest database programs as for instance the latest ChessBase 9 it is still difficult to cleanup a database from this size but on the other hand it is no problem to search in this compressive file for game references or ECO codes. But if you search for example for the name Alekhine that you have a idea what I mean with a clean database.
The game material starts by the year 1515 and continues till November 2004 so it is no problem to do update.
If you are interested in latest internet games, simultaneous displays computer games than I would say go for this interesting made StarBase CD!
Conclusion: A very interesting buy
The van Geet opening by Don Maddox
2005
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price $ 19.99
System requirements: Pentium PC 300, 64 MB RAM, WindowsXP, 2000, Me, 98 SE, CD-ROM drive, mouse
ChessBase Reader included!
The American correspondence chess player ICCF rating 2198 digs in this latest ChessBase training’s CD in the van Geet opening.
1.Nc3 can easy transpose in to the Vienna opening after 2…e5 2.e4,but white usually seeks for unknown lines but many prefer it also as a transpositional openings tool.
Don Maddox´s master file on this CD is good for around 9161 entries {games} where a 156 of them are annotated.
The personal game annotations from Maddox and that are around a 130 games of him are covered in two languages, English and German but personal I would have preferred the simple Informator symbols to keep it all more readable.
Included are four text file files but they cover more keys than instructive explanations to play the van Geet.
Interesting is the provocative 1.Nc3 c5 2.Ne4 which is covered on this CD with nine games where four of them come from the year 2004 but unfortunately I found no personal notes to these games.
Included is a trainings base from 99 positions and a opening’s key from 40.5 MB.
Conclusion: Only interesting for starters of the van Geet!
ChessBase Magazine extra issue 104
March 2005
ChessBase
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99
ChessBase magazine extra comes with around 12396 games all played between Bucharest 2004 and Cordoba city match of February 2005.
You don’t have to be afraid for misspelling of names wrong dates and more in these magazines no ChessBase comes with perfect chess material ready to import in your database or Powerbook.
Every issue of ChessBase comes with a video coverage of a important chess tournament and this time it is the “Politikerturnier in Berlin” {Political tournament of Berlin}{298 MB}
Unfortunately for the English reader it is all in the German language and even the text file is not translated but the tournament was won by Dietmar Lingemann.
Included is the new ChessBase reader!
Conclusion: High quality chess material!
Chess Magazines
British Chess Magazine No.3
Volume 124
March 2005
Price: £3.25
Starting with the Corus Wijk aan Zee tournament which was won by Peter Leko.
Apart from Leko, most players showed only glimpses of there best form.
Topalov started the tournament superbly, his second round demolition of Kramnik with black took only 20 moves but he was brought down to earth in round four by Adams.
Ian Rogers reports in the game Anand – Leko Sicilian Sveshnikov B33,that Anand probably unknowingly has been following the line recommended by Jacob Aagaard for white in the recent book, Experts versus the Sicilian.
Enjoyable to read is Chess Heaven where Steve Giddins reports a guide toWijk aan Zee.
Two suggestion “Nog een bier”is especially useful in Holland.
The 18 years old Thomas Rendle England’s fastest improving young player presents two of his latest games in Games Department.
John Saunders reports on the third weekend of the 2004/5 4NCL {British Team Championship}season ,held in Nottingham.{9 pages!}
Other contributions are Gibtelecom masters,Gibraltar.News in Brief, Reviews and new books,Late news etc.
Conclusion: Buy it for the 14 page report from Ian Rogers on the Wijk aan Zee tournament!
Elecronic chess books
Twic Theory
2005
http://www.chesscenter.com/twictheory/index.html
Price:$15.00
Buy a subscription for 3 months here
(For March, April and May 2005)
TWIC Theory Issue #1 – GM Victor Mikhalevski on the King’s Indian, Fianchetto (Botvinnik’s 9.Be3)
TWIC Theory Issue #2 – GM Tony Kosten on the Najdorf 6.Bg5 / 7…Nc6,
TWIC Theory Issue #3 – IM Malcolm Pein on the Breyer Lives!
TWIC Theory Issue #4 – IMs Tibor Karolyi and Andrew Martin on New Directions in the Exchange Grunfeld
The free Twic files from Mark Crowther don’t need any introduction but these Twic theory files are new and offer the reader a 3 months subscription for $15.00 and there for you get weekly a package with latest theory files and a collection model games.
The whole set-up reminds me from Max Euwe and his famous “Losbladige Schaakberichten”
The files are a packed in: cbv, pgn and pdf file, so it is not necessarily to have a database program but I would recommend one.
The material is very compressive and the reader is insured from latest developments but first a example what you can expect to find
in these theory files.
Arizmendi Martinez,J (2520) - Etchegaray,P (2344) [B79]
FRA-chT France (6.8), 05.04.2003
[A.Martin]
We come to what I am sure will turn out to be an emotional subject; the fate of an early ...Qa5 by Black in the Yugoslav Attack.
Let's head straight to the critical position.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 d6 9.f3 Bd7 10.Qd2 Qa5
10...Qa5 was very popular in the sixties and seventies and since then has gone up and down the Dragon chart like a yo-yo. It's a good enough move, connecting Rooks and preparing ...Rfc8 and ...Ne5-c4. Whether it cuts the mustard under the modern theoretical spotlight is another matter entirely.
I like 10...Qa5, but I cannot recommend it to you. I think there is a serious problem in one line and I am going to confine myself to that observation. Why should we play the Dragon? To get exciting games, to try to attack and take the game to White.
Black cannot guarantee this any more after 10...Qa5.
11.0-0-0 Rfc8 12.Kb1! More than a waiting move. White secures his King, prepares Nd5 and forces Black to reveal his hand.
12...Ne5 13.Bg5!
A lot of Dragon specialists are very good, how can I put it, propaganda specialists. They tend to concentrate on the striking Black wins and the exciting lines.
Here, White's approach is not overly exciting but it is very logical. He still keeps the possibility of starting a kingside attack, but at the same time there are a lot of other ideas, connected with Bxf6 followed by Nd5, or Nd5 at once. These are especially effective with black queen on a5. 13...Nc4 [ 13...Rc5 is played most often and it's recommended in all the books, but I think White has two good moves against it: 14.h4! White protects the Bishop - results have been fantastic. ( Or White may play positionally, setting up a favourable endgame by force. 14.Rhe1! b5 ( 14...Rac8 15.f4! Nc4 ( 15...Neg4 16.Nf3! Rxc3 17.bxc3 Bc6 18.e5 Ne4 19.Rxe4 Bxe4 20.Bxe7 dxe5 21.Ng5+- Richardson-Dubinin corr 1972-6) 16.Bxc4 Rxc4 17.Nb3 Qa6 18.e5±; 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 ( 15...exf6 16.Nd5! Qxd2 17.Rxd2±) 16.Nd5 Qxd2 17.Nxf6+ Kg7 18.Rxd2 Kxf6 19.f4 Nc4 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.e5+!
These positions are prospectless for Black in terms of winning chances. One does not play the Dragon to suffer in this manner.
; 14...Rac8!? a) 14...Re8 15.h5 Nxh5 16.Bh6 Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Rxc3 18.bxc3 Rc8 19.g4 Nf6 20.g5 Nh5 21.Rxh5!
A classic breakthough. White's attack is much stronger thanks to his impressive bishop.
21...gxh5 22.Nf5 Bxf5 23.exf5 Kh8 24.Rh1 Qd8 25.g6 Nxg6 26.Qxh5 Qg8 27.fxg6 fxg6 28.Qh3 1-0 Movsesian,S-Bergez,L/Cappelle la Grande 2002.; b) 14...b5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nd5 Qxd2 17.Rxd2 Kg7 18.h5 g5 (b) 18...Bg5 19.f4 Bh6 20.hxg6 Nxg6 21.g3 e6 22.Rdh2 exd5 23.Rxh6 Rh8 24.Nf5++- Guseinov,K-Rajlich,V/Budapest 2001 ) 19.h6+ Kf8 (b) 19...Kg6 is scary: 20.g3 (b) or 20.f4 gxf4 21.Nxf4+ Kg5 22.g3) ; 20.Nxf6 exf6 21.Ne2±
Guseinov,K-Cernousek,L/Baku 2002 Black's pawns are in very poor shape.
c) 14...h5 15.Bxf6!±; 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nd5 Qxd2 17.Rxd2 Kg7 18.h5 Bg5 19.f4 Rxd5 20.Bxd5 Bxf4© 21.Rdd1 Nc4? 22.Rhf1 g5 23.g3 Nd2+ 24.Rxd2 Bxd2 25.Rxf7+ Kh8 26.Rxe7 Bg4 27.h6+- Balogh,C-Rajlich,V/Budapest 2001 ;
13...b5?! 14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Nc4 17.Rd3 Rab8 18.Bxe7 a5 19.Bg5 a4 20.Bf4 Rb6 21.Rhd1 a3 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Rxa3 c3 24.Rb3+- Golubev,M-Raeber,M/Scuol 2001
White went on to win all of these games.
The situation is serious. ;13...Qd8 has been frequently played, out of desperation presumably because it doesn't look very inspiring to be going backwards at this moment.In view of Black's hesitancy, White should sound the charge: 14.h4! with every chance of success: 14...b5 15.h5 Nc4 16.Bxc4 bxc4 ( 16...Rxc4 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Qe2! a6 19.Bh6 Bh8 20.Be3 Rac8 21.g4±) 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Bh6 Bh8 19.Nd5! Nxd5 20.exd5 c3 21.Qf2 Qb6 22.b3 Bf6 23.g4 a5 24.Qh2! a4 25.Be3 Bg7 26.Qh7+ Kf8 27.Ne6++-; Or finally 13...Rab8 as recommended in good old ECO, which in common with most theoretical works on this specific subject, gives very poor coverage: 14.h4 b5 15.Bxf6! Bxf6 16.Nd5 Qxd2 17.Rxd2 Kg7 18.h5!± Am. Rodriguez-Andres Cienfuegos 1975] 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.Nb3! [ 15.Bxf6 brings nothing, here is a recent example: 15...Bxf6 16.Nd5 Qxd2 17.Nxf6+ Kg7! 18.Nh5+ Kh6! A well-known motif - Black isn't forced to break the pawn structure.19.Rxd2 Kxh5 20.Ne2 ½-½ Lobron,E-Cebalo,M/Wijk aan Zee 2003
15...Qd8? After 15...Qd8? we will see Black fall victim to one of the typical traps in this line where he gets wiped out in the centre.
[ 15...Qe5 is practically the only move, although I am not sure that the resulting positions are satisfactory for Black at all:
16.Rhe1! Rxc3 ( 16...Qxh2? 17.Bf4 Qh5 18.Rh1) 17.bxc3 Be6 ( 17...Rc8 18.Be3 Qb5 19.Qd3 Qc6 20.Bxa7 Ra8 21.Bd4 Qa4 22.Kc1 Bb5 23.Qe3±) 18.Be3 Rc8 19.Bd4 Qb5 20.Ka1 Qa4 21.Rb1 Bf8 22.Bxf6 exf6 23.g4± Black is toiling the exchange down.] 16.e5! Of course. The idea is as old as Dragon itself. This was the initial main idea behind the move Be3-g5 (although in different variations).
16...Ne8 [ 16...dxe5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qxd7+-] 17.Nd5! Hitting at the weak pawn on e7, a familiar motif.
17...f6 [ 17...Bf8 18.Qe2 is also bad for Black
18.Nxf6+! Crushing!
18...exf6 19.Qd5+ Kh8 20.exf6! A zwischenzug which decides the game. Black must lose material and limps to the finishing line:
20...Nxf6 21.Qxc4 Rc8 22.Qf4 Bf5 23.Nd4 Qb6 24.Bh6 Bxh6 25.Qxh6 Qc5 26.Nxf5 Qxc2+ 27.Ka1 Qxf5 28.Rxd6 Qe5 29.Qd2 To dismiss one of Black's main lines in one game and some notes seems reckless. But if I could see a way to play for Black in this line which doesn't involve suffering then I would give it. I feel that the variation with 10...Qa5 is inadequate.1-0
Conclusion: Very instructive written openings surveys.