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“The pawns are the soul of chess!” And he put his money where his mouth was! The famous chessplayer and composer André Danican Philidor not only focused the attention of coming generations on the importance of pawns in the game of chess, he also worked out the basis of a new opening in which Black from the very first moves is trying to construct a solid pawn setup in the centre. It is an opening underpinned by his deep philosophy. “The pawns are the soul of chess!” And he put his money where his mouth was! The famous chessplayer and composer André Danican Philidor not only focused the attention of coming generations on the importance of pawns in the game of chess, he also worked out the basis of a new opening in which Black from the very first moves is trying to construct a solid pawn setup in the centre. It is an opening underpinned by his deep philosophy. Nowadays the Philidor Defence is mostly played via the Pirc move order 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5. Black is not afraid of the endgame after 4.dxe5. This is proved by the recommendations given in the DVD as well as by the serious amount of high level games played with the line. The author presents a full opening repertoire against 1.e4 covering also all possible side lines such as 3.Bd3, 3.f3 etc. In the main line he gives the reader the possibility to choose his own favourite plan according his tastes. In modern chess - full of information, games and analysis - it is important to have new ideas and fresh openings. The Philidor Defence DVD provides you with exactly that! Video running time: 5 hours

The modern form of the Philidor Defence arises via the move order 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5. Then after 4.Nf3 Nbd7, Shirov has introduced the pawn sacrifice 5.g4!? into practice - and achieved excellent results with it. Accepting the sacrifice leads to a very sharp position full of tactical possibilities. Shirov is one of the best connoisseurs of this system, and although he has been very successful with the white pieces in this line, he is always striving for objectivity and shows the possibilities for Black’s counterplay as well. Who finds the gambit 5.g4!? too double-edged, can find an alternative in the tried and tested, solid strategic approach 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 c6 8.a4. Also on this system Shirov presents many of his own games, discussing among other things the difficult, but extremely important question whether and when White can advantageously proceed in the centre with d4-d5. The third system presented by Shirov arises after the traditional Philidor move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4. Black tries to solve his problems by the radical 3... exd4 now, a move which was already played by Horwitz versus Staunton in 1846 and which recently has come into fashion again. Analysing his game against Nisipeanu, apart from Bacrot one of the experts of Black’s way of playing, Shirov shows how White can fight for the advantage here. Video running time: 5 h 52 m.

You might be a brilliant tactician or a fearsome attacker, but you won’t always be able to apply these skills when you play. If a game takes on a quieter nature, it is crucial that you develop an understanding of pawn structures, pawn play and pawn weaknesses. In this fifth Power Play DVD, Daniel King discusses strong and weak pawn structures, isolated pawns and pawn islands, how to create pawn weaknesses, how to cramp a pawn structure, the power of centre pawns…and much more. Remember, weak pawns can decide the game. At the end of the DVD you can test your understanding of pawn play and pawn structures by examining a series of specially selected test positions. The Power Play series is suitable for anyone looking to improve their chess, but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises for a trainer. Francois André Danican Philidor: „THE PAWNS ARE THE SOUL OF CHESS.“ Video running time: more than 6 hours!