ChessBase Magazine 221

Highlights

From the Biel 2024 Chess Festival to a universal setup against the Dutch and Jan Markos' "Practical Tips for the Tournament Player" to the series "The Fortress" with Dorian Rogozenco:

Over 5 hours of video playing time with Daniel King, Rainer Knaak, Jan Markos, Mihail Marin, Karsten Mueller, Oliver Reeh, Robert Ris, Dorian Rogozenco, Ivan Sokolov and Nico Zwirs - Biel 2024 Chess Festival: The winner of the Masters, Le Quang Liem, comments on one of his games. In addition, Jonas Bjerre, Alexander Donchenko, Abhimanyu Mishra and Ihor Samunenkov contribute analyses from Biel - "Special" on Ju Wenjun: CBM authors show their favourite games of the world champion, an exclusive collection of 24 annotated games awaits you! - "If one piece is bad, the entire position is bad": Jan Markos develops a winning strategy for your games in his "Practical tips"! -Bomb in the Panov Attack: Robert Ris analyses the promising piece sacrifice 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6 10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Bb5+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+ Ke7 13.Qc5+!? - "You have to know fortresses, just like openings": Dorian Rogozenco continues his new series "The Fortress" with two related motifs - Exciting gambit against the Slav: Ivan Sokolov presents the new idea 6.a4 b4 7.Na2 Nxe4 8.Bxc4 - "Knight endgames are like pawn endgames": Karsten Mueller’s "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" Part 11 and much more.

Top games and master analyses

Biel 2024 Chess Festival: Both the Masters and the Challengers of the traditional Swiss tournament were once again held as a triathlon. The games with classical time control as well as the games in rapid and blitz chess provided many exciting moments. In the Masters, Le Quang Liem won for the third time in a row. Saleh Salem came out on top in the Challengers. The winner of the Masters comments on one of his games in this issue. And Jonas Bjerre, Alexander Donchenko, Abhimanyu Mishra and Ihor Samunenkov also provide analyses from Biel.

Special: Ju Wenjun

CBM authors (Adhiban, Bojkov, Csonka, Kapnisis, Krasenkov, Markos, Sadorra and many more) comment on their favourite games of the world champion – an exclusive collection from the period from 2009 to 2024 awaits you!

NEW: The fortress

"You have to know fortresses, just like openings." Dorian Rogozenco continues his new series with two closely related new fortress motifs. Video introduction plus five interactive training videos and an excursus on the first game of the Wch match Spassky-Fischer 1972.

Opening videos

Ivan Sokolov presents a new gambit idea against the Slav: With 6.a4 b4 7.Na2 Nxe4 8.Bxc4 White sacrifices a pawn for long-term positional compensation. Nico Zwirs shows a game by the newly crowned Dutch Champion 2024, Max Warmerdam, who came up with the novelty 6.h4!? in the English Opening after 1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 g6 4.Qa4 Nf6 5.cxd5 Nxd5. Attention blitz and bullet fans: Daniel King presents one of online top player Andrew Tang's favourite weapons: the Englund Gambit promises initiative right from the start!

Ivan Sokolov: Slav Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.a4 b4 7.Na2 Nxe4 8.Bxc4
Nico Zwirs: English Opening
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 g6 4.Qa4 Nf6 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.h4
Daniel King: Englund Gambit
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6/d5

New ideas for your repertoire

From the Dutch to King’s Indian – ChessBase Magazine #221 delivers 10 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire!

Renato Quintiliano: Dutch 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3
Robert Ris: Caro-Kann Panov Attack 13.Qc5+
Sergey Grigoriants: Caro-Kann 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5
Alexey Kuzmin: Sicilian Accelerated Dragon (...a5 / ...a4)
Evgeny Postny: Vienna Game 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 c6 5.f4
Petra Papp: Spanish 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a4 4.Ba4 f5
Imre Hera: QG Exchange Variation 5.cxd5 exd5 6.h3!?
Spyridon Kapnisis: Blumenfeld Gambit
Balazs Csonka: Nimzo-Indian (Rubinstein) 10.Ba2
Krisztian Szabo: King's Indian Makogonov 5.h3 e5!?

Topcial opening traps

"Favourite mistakes and moves for one purpose only". Rainer Knaak presents eight traps from tournament practice - from the Sicilian to the Queen's Indian.

Move by Move

Arjun Erigaisi prevailed against GM Hovhannisyan from Armenia in a thrilling positional battle with many a technical finesse. Put your understanding of the game to the test and let Robert Ris help you if you don't hit the bull's eye!

Modern Classics

In the 1959 Candidates Tournament, Mihail Tal beat the competition by a large margin. Dorian Rogozenco presents his White victory with a surprising queen sacrifice against Vassily Smyslov in this issue. Enjoy!

All in One

Everything you need to know about a variation in an extensively annotated game! Igor Stohl examines a modern approach for Black in the Spanish Opening: After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nge7 the Delayed Cozio Defence, also known as the Aronian Variation, appears on the board.

Practical Tips for the Tournament Player: "If one piece is bad, the entire position is bad"

A single badly positioned piece can decide the outcome of a game! Jan Markos uses this to develop a strategic approach for your games: gain a decisive advantage by taking one of your opponent's pieces out of the game! Video, plus small collection of training exercises.

Tactics: "Lucky bag Open"

38 games peppered with lots of training questions await you in Oliver Reeh's tactics article! You can solve his four favourite combinations move by move together with the IM from Hamburg in interactive video format with feedback function!

"Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" – Part 11: "Knight endings are like pawn endings"

In the introductory video, endgame expert Dr Karsten Mueller presents the most important techniques and tricks. Then it's your turn in two interactive training videos! Plus "Endgame highlights from Ju Wenjun" (video + analyses).