Suchergebnisse

On this DVD Alexei Shirov shows that also in the endgame, it is possible to keep struggling for the full point to the very last - if you are creative and ambitious. Because even in objectively quite balanced positions, you can frequently find ways to sharpen up or complicate the fight. For the tournament player, often all that matters is to be able to pose practical problems which his or her opponent might finally fail to solve. Thus Shirov sees himself rather as an endgame practicioner, putting down his successes in this phase of the game less to concrete knowledge about theoretical positions than to the understanding of general principles, good intuition and exact calculation of variations. One main emphasis of the DVD is the endgame with rooks and different coloured bishops which Shirov finds particularly interesting, analysing five examples. Another important feature is the very complex and difficult setting with four rooks (three examples), where he works out most helpful general principles. All in all, Shirov examines 17 examples out of his own practice, among them his famous different coloured bishop ending versus Topalov which went around the whole world. Running time: 4,5 hours. 

Ein hoch gelobtes Buch ist das bei Chessgate erschienene „Endspieluniversität“ von Mark Dvoretzky. Nun wird es auch in englischer Sprache herausgebracht und zeitgleich erscheint der im Vergleich zum Buch sogar noch erweiterte Inhalt auf CD (nur in englischer Sprache). Das Werk bietet einen umfassenden Überblick über alle wichtigen Endspielthemen. Wie nur wenige Publikationen ist das „Endgame Manual“ gleichermaßen für den Amateur wie den Profi von hohem Wert. Die vielen Übungsaufgaben geben dem Übenden die Gelegenheit, das gerade gewonnene Wissen sogleich in der Praxis zu erproben.

If you want to play successful chess you must pay great attention to the endgame. Because it is only if you handle the endgame correctly that you can turn an advantageous position into a full point or save half a point from an inferior position. On this DVD, Rustam Kasimdzhanov analyses the type of practical endgames which tournament players encounter on a daily basis. We are talking here about endgames which are still full of life, endgames which in the final analysis must be played out over the board. Using selected games of his own, he shows the importance of understanding positional factors such as an advantage in space, piece activity, pawn weaknesses, strong and weak squares, pawn majorities, passed pawns, etc. He explains what has to be known in order to make the correct strategic decisions and to find the correct plan in such endings. Studying the examples in this 3.5 hour long video course will certainly pay off for you in your own games. Kasimdzhanov’s outstanding and easily understandable explanations will certainly help you to substantially improve your own performance in the endgame.

The information explosion has led to a massive increase in opening theory. But how often do you win a game with a prepared line? What gives strong players the edge over their opponents is not some blockbuster novelty, but a deep understanding of the pawn structures to which their openings lead – an understanding that lasts into the middlegame and endgame, and is transferable between different openings with similar structures. In this DVD, Sam Collins looks at the Central Majority (white pawns on a2, d4 and e4 against black pawns on a7, b7 and e7) which is characteristic of both the Grunfeld and Semi-Tarrasch Defences. White’s space advantage gives him good chances to generate a middlegame initiative and a kingside attack, while Black hopes to reach an endgame where his outside passed pawn could be decisive. Collins also investigates the closely related passed d-pawn structure which arises when the e-pawns are exchanged – here White has a highly dangerous passer on the d-file and the key struggle revolves around whether this pawn is a strength or, when attacked or solidly blockaded, a weakness. White’s chances have been repeatedly demonstrated by Kramnik and Carlsen while Black’s cause has been championed by Svidler, Ivanchuk, Van Wely and Gymesi, with Kasparov generating significant ideas for both colours. Video running time: 4 hours 39 minutes.

You love moving the chess pieces, but always wanted to know how to really play? Then this DVD series is just the thing for you. Sabrina Chevannes explains the royal game to you from A to Z, from Alekhine's Defence to zugzwang - expertly and entertaining. Make your best move ever and enter the wonderful kingdom of chess. This DVD follows on from the material learnt in Volume 1 of the Chess for Novices series. The format of the DVD is the same and has 4 chapters split into Opening, Middlegame, Endgame and the test section. Each chapter covers the following material: Opening – Basic opening traps: the most common traps that novices fall for in the opening stages of the game. Some traps are recommended but others are shown to learn how to defend against them. Middlegame – Very thematic checkmating ideas and patterns. These patterns help develop you attacking ideas and launch attacks against a castled king. Endgame – The key basic endgames are explained here covering all the essential King and pawn and Rook and pawn endings. Test – The DVD again ends with a test chapter with puzzles based on all the content learnt in the DVD. The answers are explained with analysis. Volume 2 helps you develop into a player who is ready to start entering chess tournaments by introducing all the technical ideas which are essential for your improvement. Video running time: 4 hours

The information explosion has led to a massive increase in opening theory. But how often do you win a game with a prepared line? What gives strong players the edge over their opponents is not some blockbuster novelty, but a deep understanding of the pawn structures to which their openings lead – an understanding that lasts into the middlegame and endgame, and is transferrable between different openings with similar structures. In this DVD, Sam Collins examines one of the most important structures in chess, the Carlsbad. Long the playground of the world champions, whether with Karpov’s classical approach of Nf3 or Botvinnik and Kasparov’s incredible results with Nge2 and f3, the Carlsbad has an enormous strategic potential for White (exemplified by the legendary “minority attack”) countered by Black’s deceptively simple kingside counterplay. Video running time: 7 hours

The Gruenfeld Indian is an active and dynamic reply to 1.d4 which can lead to complex and extremely sharp positions. So it’s no wonder that also Alexei Shirov included this opening – which at its début in tournament practice was called ”hypermodern” – into his repertoire. At the candidates’ fi nal against Vladimir Kramnik in Cazorla in 1998, he exclusively – and successfully – trusted the Gruenfeld Indian with Black; the victory over Kramnik gave him the right to play a WCh match versus Kasparov. In the first part of the DVD Shirov extensivly comments his five Black games from the Kramnik match, giving deep insights into opening preparation and match strategy on highest level. In the second part Shirov reveals, among other things, how in his opposite-coloured bishop endgame against Topalov in Linares in 1998 he found the amazing and unique move, which will secure the game a place in chess history forever. And this is not the only flash of inspiration the Super Grandmaster will present in his videos… Running time: 5:25 hours