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The Hippopotamus system of defence

What is the Hippopotamus system of defence? The idea is that, at the beginning of the game, Black develops within his own first three ranks. He constructs a solid, flexible and hopefully stable position, awaiting events. At the right moment, he will strike back! The Hippopotamus was given the name by an eccentric English amateur player JC Thompson, back in the 1950’s. It seems as good a name as any. Given the right conditions, Black will emerge from the chessboard swamp and crush all before them.

Many strong players have taken a liking to the Hippo, including such greats as Boris Spassky and Gata Kamsky. Here we have an anti-theoretical opening, which has allowed them to draw on experience, rather than the need to remember long move sequences. It’s worth pointing out that White may play in Hippo-style too. On this ChessBase video course IM and FIDE Senior Trainer Andrew Martin maps out a game plan for the Hippo user and shows how the opening is played in the present day. It is an exciting tour of some very unusual chess.

• Video running time: 5 hours (English)
• With interactive training including video feedback
• Extra: Training with ChessBase apps - play key positions against Fritz on various levels

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This is what is delivered:
  • Fritztrainer App for Windows and Mac
  • Available as download or on DVD
  • Video course with a running time of approx. 4-8 hrs.
  • Repertoire database: save and integrate Fritztrainer games into your own repertoire (in WebApp Opening or in ChessBase)
  • Interactive exercises with video feedback: the authors present exercises and key positions, the user has to enter the solution. With video feedback (also on mistakes) and further explanations.
  • Sample games as a ChessBase database.
  • New: many Fritztrainer now also available as stream in the ChessBase video portal!
That's what the FritzTrainer App can do for you:
  • Videos can run in the Fritztrainer app or in the ChessBase program with board graphics, notation and a large function bar
  • Analysis engine can be switched on at any time
  • Video pause for manual navigation and analysis in game notation
  • Input of your own variations, engine analysis, with storage in the game
  • Learn variations: view specific lines in the ChessBase WebApp Opening with autoplay, memorize variations and practise transformation (initial position - final position).
  • Active opening training: selected opening positions are transferred to the ChessBase WebApp Fritz-online. In a match against Fritz you test your new knowledge and actively play the new opening.
Even more possibilities: Start FritzTrainer in the ChessBase program!
  • The database with all games and analyses can be opened directly.
  • Games can be easily added to the opening reference.
  • Direct evaluation with game reference, games can be replayed on the analysis board
  • Your own variations are saved and can be added to the own repertoire
  • Replay training
  • LiveBook active
  • All engines installed in ChessBase can be started for the analysis
  • Assisted Analysis
  • Print notation and diagrams (for worksheets)

Sample video

Contents

  • Introduction & General Ideas
  • Introduction
  • The Game Plan
  • Spoelman vs Hort
  • Jansa vs Jokic
  • Plaskett vs Martin
  • Petrosian vs Spassky
  • Nezhmetdinov vs Ujtelky
  • Nasuta vs Krasenkow
  • Klekowski vs Kamsky
  • Hippo vs Queen Pawn Systems
  • e4, d4, c4 and f4
  • 1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bf4 Ne7
  • 1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Ne7 5.Bg5
  • 1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.c4 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bd3 e6
  • 1.c4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.a3 g6 5.e4 Bg7
  • Hippo vs Austrian Attack
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 e6 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.Be2 Nd7
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 e6 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.Be3 a6
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 e6 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.Bd3 a6
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.f4 b5 6.Bd3 e6
  • Hippo using 1…b6 as a move order trick
  • 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Ne2 d6 5.0-0 Nd7 6.f4 g6
  • 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 d6 5.Bd3 Nd7 6.0-0 g6
  • 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 g6 4.Ne2 Bg7 5.h4 h6 6.c3 e6
  • 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.Bg5 Ne7
  • 1.d4 b6 2.e4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bd3 g6 5.Nge2 Bg7 6.0-0 Ne7
  • Hippo vs an early Bc4
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 d6 3.Bc4 Bg7 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bb3 Ne7
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nge2 Ne7
  • Hippo vs Be3 and Bg5
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 Nd7
  • 1.e4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 b5
  • 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bg5 a6 5.Qd2 b5
  • 1.e4 d6 2.d4 a6 3.Be3 Nd7 4.Nc3 e6 5.Qd2 b6
  • Hippo vs quiet White Systems
  • 1.Nf3 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.c3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.0-0 e6
  • 1.d4 d6 2.e4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 a6 5.Be2 e6 6.Bg5 Ne7
  • 1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 5.a4 b6 6.Bd3 Bb7
  • Outro
  • Exercises
  • Description
  • Exercise 1
  • Exercise 2
  • Exercise 3
  • Exercise 4
  • Exercise 5
  • Exercise 6
  • Exercise 7
  • Exercise 8
  • Exercise 9
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Semi-Open Games

If after 1.e4 Black does not play 1...e5, then we have the Semi-open Openings. These include the Sicilian (1...c5) which is probably the most popular opening of all nowadays. But there is also a large fan-base for the French (1...e6) and the Caro-Kann (1...c6). In addition, this group of openings also contains some very modern systems such as the Alekhine Defence (1...Nf6), the Scandinavian Defence (1...d5) and the Pirc Defence (1...d6 or 1...g6).

=> More products: Semi-Open Games
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