1…e5, Dutch and Indian setups
For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

1...c5, 1...c6 and 1...e6
For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play. 

For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

It is not difficult to find good arguments for the English Opening. If Black plays 1...e5, then you have the Sicilian with reversed colours, but with an extra tempo for White. The symmetrical move 1...c5 further concedes to White a tempo for the attack and thus the initiative. For all the great players in the history of chess the English Opening formed a part of their repertoire.

The 582 annotated games are a true treasure trove. Top players such as Carlsen (3 annotated games), Caruana (1), Ding Liren (2), Giri (5), So (4), Aronian (2), Yu Yangyi (1), Radjabov (2), Kramnik (2), Karjakin (1), Nakamura (1), Navara (3) have analysed their games; and on top of that there are experts in the English Opening such as Marin (147), Stohl (68), Postny (29). There is a total of 9652 games, with a ratings average of 2600.

It's very rare that after merely three moves in a Sicilian, you can play a line which is not only sound, dynamic, but one that has flown almost completely under the radar and yet has such a high win rate in the database. Welcome to the Gashimov Variation of the Sicilian Defence. Similar to its cousin the Chekhover Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4!?), this variation, pioneered by the late great Azeri GM, aims to throw Black off his normal game right from the word 'go', where he'll be forced to play accurately and deal with a number of intricate nuances just to get an equal position. The general premise of this line is to adopt a very aggressive setup with White, developing the queen early, fianchettoing the dark squared bishop and castling on the long side as quickly as possible in order to start belligerent operations on the kingside. Naturally Black has a number of different ways to set out his stall, but what's great about this line is that White's system is almost identical regardless of how Black decides to develop, thus making the opening easy to learn and execute over the board.

New Ideas for your Opening Repertoire!
Video Lectures & Training Exercises

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

In this detailed “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays with an early d5. The start position for this DVD is 1.d4 d5 2.c4. This series has many chapters and is a thorough analysis, showing how to fight for the advantage from positions in which Black plays with an early d5.

In this “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays without an early d5. The start position of this series is 1.d4 d5 2.Nf6. This DVD focuses on a White system against openings such as the “Nimzo-Indian”, Benoni and Benko. Please note that the Grunfeld and Kings Indian variations (2...g6) are not covered in this DVD (Solid and safe against the wild Indians also available in the ChessBase Shop).

Almost 300 000 engine games as well as 30 000 games culled from the Mega 2019 + the Correspondence Database 2018 constitute the basis for the Nimzo-Indian Powerbook 2019. If you want to play for a win with Black against 1.d4 then hardly any opening is as well suited to the purpose as the Nimzo-Indian: it is rare for symmetrical positions to arise and not much is exchanged, instead of that exciting distributions of material often appear on your board. White requires patience. To be sure he can frequently obtain the bishop pair, but that does not necessarily promise him an advantage.

The threshold for selecting games for the database was a high one - the average Elo of games being over 2550 points. There are many world-class Nimzo-Indian specialists, but all of them have played the opening with both colours. World champion Magnus Carlsen has 96 games in it, 53 of which with White. As is the case in the Mega as a whole Viktor Kortschnoj has the largest number of games in the Nimzo-Indian Powerbase namely 271, of which 130 are with Black.

For Garry Kasparov it had been clear for quite some time who would be his successor as world chess champion: none other than Vladimir Kramnik! In 1992 Kasparov brought the 17-year old into the Russian team and the latter justified his early inclusion with eight wins and one draw in the Chess Olympiad in Manila. Eight years later Kramnik in fact defeated his mentor in the world championship match in London and became the 14th chess world champion. It was thanks to Kramnik that the split between world championships which had begun in 1993 was brought to an end. Kramnik defended his title in 2004 against Peter Leko and in the reunification match in 2006 he defeated Veselin Topalov. In 2007 Kramnik lost the title to Viswanathan Anand at the world championship tournament in Mexico and was also defeated by the Indian in 2008 in the return match. Even after losing the title of world champion Vladimir Kramnik has continued to remain among the absolute elite of players in the world – till the present day. With his deep understanding of chess Vladimir Kramnik is considered one of the greatest masters of strategy in the history of the game. His flawless technique has enabled him to bring to a successful conclusion innumerable encounters in the endgame. In the realm of opening theory too Kramnik is one of the leading players. In addition to many other contributions, he has decisively shaped the theory of the Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez and that of the Catalan Opening with many original ideas. This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Yannick Pelletier, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure and how to bring your games to a successful conclusion with accurate technical endgame play. Through Vladimir Kramnik’s games it is possible, moreover, to follow the history and development of numerous popular openings and thus obtain a better understanding of the ideas behind them.

Over the years I have often heard Bird’s players (1.f4) labelled chess mavericks, “chancers”, too lazy to learn “proper” opening systems. Well, I am happy to say those days are well and truly over. Welcome to the “Bombastic Bird’s”, a revolutionary repertoire for one of the most enterprising and underrated openings in chess theory. In this series, I uncover a number of groundbreaking theoretical novelties and new ideas that will soon have scorners of this romantic system regretting they ever doubted its soundness. Black will often try to refute White’s setup right from the word “go”, an attempt which often embarrassingly backfires and leads to a quick victory for the first player. Even World Champion Magnus Carlsen has taken a shine to the opening, joining a whole host of top grandmasters integrating it into their opening arsenals.

The Bird Opening is above all a lovely surprise weapon. Moreover it is perfectly suited to those who play the Dutch, since after 1.f4 d5 one can play one’s favourite opening with an extra tempo. For the Powerbook an Elo threshold of 2300 was set. Thus 53 000 games from the Engine Room of Playchess found their way into the database. To those were added more than 4000 games played by human beings.

Magnus Carlsen has twice played the move 1.f4, including once in classical chess. Both games are annotated in the database (by Yermolinsky and Peter Heine Nielsen). Henrik Danielsen (82 games) and Artur Jakubiec (74) are the greatest specialists in the Bird Opening. The threshold for inclusion on the database was an average for the game of Elo 2350.

Houdini 6 continues where its predecessor left off, and adds solid 60 Elo points to this formidable engine, once again making Houdini the strongest chess program currently available on the market.

Houdini 6 continues where its predecessor left off, and adds solid 60 Elo points to this formidable engine, once again making Houdini the strongest chess program currently available on the market.

Komodo gets going! The new version of the multiple world champion program not only plays stronger than ever. What‘s more, the additionally supplied „Monte Carlo“ version of Komodo 12 uses the analysis technology employed by the AI project „AlphaZero“ in its recent sensational match triumph. In computer chess there is no getting past Komodo: Komodo is a triple TCEC Champion. Last year Komodo won the computer rapid chess world championship with an incredible score of 96%! But what does the surprising success of the AI project AlphaZero mean for the future of computer chess? Will the classical engines, with in addition to cunning algorithms any amount of human chess knowledge, still manage to keep their nose in front? Or will the “Monte Carlo” process win through, which works with huge numbers of games and statistical evaluations?

When is chess the most enjoyable? When you win! When Fritz entered his first tournaments some 25 years ago, humans still had a real chance of taking the engine down. Only a few years down the line, Fritz was already beating grandmasters left, right and center, but ever since his 4:2 victory over Kramnik in 2006, Fritz has been considered unbeatable. Who would want to play against him? In the case of Fritz 16, however, playing against an engine is now once again the very definition of fun! A host of features, including "Assisted Analysis", which gives you discreet visual hints as you move, and emoticons, which show Fritz’s mood, are there to help you. Even with little knowledge of chess, you can enjoy many an exciting game, and more importantly, victory, against Fritz. If things don’t work out, Fritz 16 shows you the combinations you might have missed directly after the game with the handy “Tactical Analysis” function, or you can dive right into "Easy Play" calculation training to hone your skills. Fritz doesn’t come up short when it comes to playing strength either: the new multiprocessor engine was developed by star programmer Vas Rajlich ("Rybka") and is up there with the global elite.

Deep Junior is back – and as strong as ever. This program has been used for over a decade by top players as a secret weapon to find astounding novelties and ideas, where traditional chess engines only see uninspired moves. The reason is clear: Junior has its own special search techniques and evaluation functions that makes it different to any other chess program. It is enterprising and entertaining, sacrificing material for initiative whenever it sees a chance, providing new ideas in traditional positions against man or machine. The name Junior is perhaps deceptive. Playing against Junior is not necessarily something for children, as Garry Kasparov discovered in a match in New York. He was held to a 3-3 draw by the Israeli program. Junior played in its typically dynamic style, greatly surprising the former World Champion with now-famous bishop sacrifice on h2 that forced him to concede a draw. You can look forward to a world class grandmaster when you install the new program on your computer.

For years now Rybka has dominated the computer chess scene. No other program has been able to achieve a similar increase in playing strength. For chess analysis Rybka has long become one of the most important analyis tools of professions and amateurs alike. So that this state of affairs will continue in the future, the Rybka-team gathered around programmer Vasik Rajlich has developed a new version which is even better: “Rybka 4 plays more aggressively and more tactically”.

For years now Rybka has dominated the computer chess scene. No other program has been able to achieve a similar increase in playing strength. For chess analysis Rybka has long become one of the most important analyis tools of professions and amateurs alike. So that this state of affairs will continue in the future, the Rybka-team gathered around programmer Vasik Rajlich has developed a new version which is even better: “Rybka 4 plays more aggressively and more tactically”.

The Rybka4 opening book is a high-class compilation of opening theory. It was developed for the world‘s strongest chess entity - 100 cores cluster Rybka and program Rybka4 and will maximize the program‘s playing strength. The choice of variations in the book is well suited to the style of the program, and the book has been fine-tuned and checked in thousands of games. Availabe from 28. May

For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

When is chess the most enjoyable? When you win! When Fritz entered his first tournaments some 25 years ago, humans still had a real chance of taking the engine down. Only a few years down the line, Fritz was already beating grandmasters left, right and center, but ever since his 4:2 victory over Kramnik in 2006, Fritz has been considered unbeatable. Who would want to play against him? In the case of Fritz 16, however, playing against an engine is now once again the very definition of fun! A host of features, including "Assisted Analysis", which gives you discreet visual hints as you move, and emoticons, which show Fritz’s mood, are there to help you. Even with little knowledge of chess, you can enjoy many an exciting game, and more importantly, victory, against Fritz. If things don’t work out, Fritz 16 shows you the combinations you might have missed directly after the game with the handy “Tactical Analysis” function, or you can dive right into "Easy Play" calculation training to hone your skills. Fritz doesn’t come up short when it comes to playing strength either: the new multiprocessor engine was developed by star programmer Vas Rajlich ("Rybka") and is up there with the global elite.

In this detailed “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays with an early d5. The start position for this DVD is 1.d4 d5 2.c4. This series has many chapters and is a thorough analysis, showing how to fight for the advantage from positions in which Black plays with an early d5.

In this “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays without an early d5. The start position of this series is 1.d4 d5 2.Nf6. This DVD focuses on a White system against openings such as the “Nimzo-Indian”, Benoni and Benko. Please note that the Grunfeld and Kings Indian variations (2...g6) are not covered in this DVD (Solid and safe against the wild Indians also available in the ChessBase Shop).

Find the right combination! ChessBase 15 program + new Mega Database 2019 with 7.6 million games and more than 70,000 master analyses. Plus ChessBase Magazine (DVD + magazine) and CB Premium membership for 1 year!

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

‘Why bother learning hundreds of complex variations and keeping up with the latest theory when you can play a simple yet deadly opening - the London System with 2.Bf4. In this DVD I take you through all the main ideas and setups that you need in order to gain a very exciting yet well founded opening game with the White pieces. The most important thing in my teaching is to keep things simple yet aggressive. This DVD concentrates on plans that will help you gain victory quickly. A perfect opening for the player with little time on his hands. Carlsen has started to play this opening regularly, now I share his secrets with you.

Komodo gets going! The new version of the multiple world champion program not only plays stronger than ever. What‘s more, the additionally supplied „Monte Carlo“ version of Komodo 12 uses the analysis technology employed by the AI project „AlphaZero“ in its recent sensational match triumph. In computer chess there is no getting past Komodo: Komodo is a triple TCEC Champion. Last year Komodo won the computer rapid chess world championship with an incredible score of 96%! But what does the surprising success of the AI project AlphaZero mean for the future of computer chess? Will the classical engines, with in addition to cunning algorithms any amount of human chess knowledge, still manage to keep their nose in front? Or will the “Monte Carlo” process win through, which works with huge numbers of games and statistical evaluations?

Nowadays, people tend to prefer working on their chess by studying opening variations with engines, neglecting the practical side of our game. This DVD emphasizes the importance of training your calculation skills. Dutch IM Robert Ris made a selection of training material which he uses in lessons with students ranging from 1400 to 2400. But Ris believes that this material is suitable for players of various strengths because anyone can benefit from practicing calculation in a structured way.

Looking for an interesting, exciting, aggressive and flexible opening to play against 1 e4!? Then the Black Lion is just the opening for you! The Lion gets ready to roar after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0–0 c6 – and now Black wants to attack with an early ...g5. This opening, first brought into the limelight by Dutch amateur players Jerry van Rekom and Leo Jansen, now gets the Grandmaster treatment. Grandmaster Simon Williams suggests a simple to learn, yet deadly system of development for Black. Simon explains the main ideas of this opening in an easy and entertaining manner, using examples from such maverick players as Baadur Jobava. In what other opening do you get a chance to attack White’s castled King with an early ...g5? Let the Lion roar and the fun commence!

The Dutch (1.d4 f5) is known as a very aggressive and unbalanced opening, resulting in the lowest percentage of draws among the most common replies to 1.d4 . The opening became popular during the 1951 World Championship match, where both players tried it successfully. Today, players known for spectacular attacking chess are using the opening as a dangerous, surprise weapon.

The exclusive annotated database. Contains more than 7.6 millions games from 1560 to 2018 in the highest ChessBase quality standard. 72,000 games contain commentary from top players, with ChessBase opening classification with more than 100,000 key positions, direct access to players, tournaments, middlegame themes, endgames. The largest topclass annotated database in the world. The most recent games of the database are from the middle of October 2018.

When choosing an opening repertoire, it is common to consider two types of variations. One is usually a solid opening, like 1...e5 against 1.e4, with plenty of strategical ideas and quiet paths of play. However, there are of course days when you want to play for a win with Black, when you want to bear down on your opponent’s position with a potentially crushing attack. The Najdorf is perfect for just such occasions – and it’s no coincidence that Garry Kasparov played it the most out of all the variations in the Sicilian – the opening served him well throughout his brilliant career. I myself have played it with both colours, but even I discover more to its endless depths every day! Strategy, combinations, attack and defence, sacrifices and marvellous manoeuvres – exciting chess is all about the Najdorf!

Caruana's pet line - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6!
An Evergreen Elite Choice

The Petroff (or Russian) Defence which is characterised by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 has been popular at the highest levels for many years and enjoys the reputation of being an extremely solid defence. In the 1990’s and 2000’s, the theory of this variation began to develop quickly, when players like Kasparov, Karpov, Anand, Adams and Kramnik infused it with new ideas for White and Black.

New Ideas for your Opening Repertoire!
Video Lectures & Training Exercises

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

This DVD provides everything you need to know to be able to play one of the most classical openings with Black, the Nimzo-Indian, arising after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4. Nearly every World Championship and top tournament features the Nimzo-Indian. It is a well trusted “life – time“ choice for players all around the globe. The former FIDE World Champion, Grandmaster Rustam Kasimdzhanov, gives you both the concrete variations, with many novelties to catch your opponent by surprise, and the positional nuances to enhance your understanding of the opening and of the game in general.

Perfect endgame analysis and a huge increase in engine performance: get it with the new Endgame Turbo 5! Thanks to a new format the Endgame Turbo 5 is smaller, faster and yet has more scope. The USB 3.0 flash drive (128 GB) covers 143 of the most important six piece endgames, allowing top engines such as Fritz, Komodo Chess and Houdini to play these endgames perfectly. But they also generally play the endgame much better because they can access the perfect knowledge of the Endgame Turbo in the search! A powerful tool for anyone who wants to study the endgame, for correspondence players, endgame theoriticians and friends of engine matches!

The very best: the ChessBase package for professional standards. With Mega Database 2019, new endgame turbo on USB stick and Corr Database 2018. Plus ChessBase Magazine (DVD + magazine) and CB Premium membership for 1 year!

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

Find the right combination! ChessBase 15 program + new Mega Database 2019 with 7.6 million games and more than 70,000 master analyses. Plus ChessBase Magazine (DVD + magazine) and CB Premium membership for 1 year!

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

The entry into the chess cosmos. ChessBase 15 program + new Big Database 2019 (7.6 million uncommented games). Plus 3 issues ChessBase Magazine and CB Premium membership for 6 months!

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

The exclusive annotated database. Contains more than 7.6 millions games from 1560 to 2018 in the highest ChessBase quality standard. 72,000 games contain commentary from top players, with ChessBase opening classification with more than 100,000 key positions, direct access to players, tournaments, middlegame themes, endgames. The largest topclass annotated database in the world. The most recent games of the database are from the middle of October 2018.

ChessBase is a personal, stand-alone chess database that has become the standard throughout the world. Everyone uses ChessBase, from the World Champion to the amateur next door. It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

The Big Database 2019 contains more than 7.6 millions games from 1560 to 2018 in the highest ChessBase quality standard with ChessBase opening classification with more than 100,000 key positions, direct access to players, tournaments, middlegame themes, endgames. The most recent games of the database are from the Middle of October 2018.

The exclusive annotated database. Contains more than 7.4 million games from 1560 to 2018 in the highest ChessBase quality standard. 72,000 games contain commentary from top players, with ChessBase opening classification with more than 100,000 key positions, direct access to players, tournaments, middlegame themes, endgames. The largest top class annotated database in the world. The most recent games of the database are from the middle of October 2018. Mega 2019 also features a new edition of the playerbase (requires ChessBase 14 or 15).

Activation key for automatic update of your reference database in Chessbase 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Attention: This online update service 2018 is also included in the Mega Database 2019!

In chess, braving the gap often leads to disaster after a few moves. We should be able to avoid things going so far. The ChessBase Opening Encyclopaedia offers you an effective remedy against all sorts of semi-digested knowledge and a means of building up a comprehensive and powerful repertoire.

Corr Database 2018 is an extensive collection of correspondence games, featuring classical correspondence games played by mail as well as email games. The CD contains 1,431,813 games from 1804 until 2017 including all games of the correspondence chess world championships 1-28, correspondence chess olympics 1-18, correspondence chess european championships, national chamionships (AUS, CSR, DEN, GER, NED, USA). Corr 2018 also features a correspondence chess playerbase, which includes about 522,222 names. A must for every player of correspondence chess!

Perfect endgame analysis and a huge increase in engine performance: Get it with the new Endgame Turbo 4! Thanks to a new format the Endgame Turbo 4 is smaller, faster and yet has more scope. Four DVDs cover all five- and 27 of the most important six-piece-endgames and top engines such as Komodo Chess 8 and Houdini 4 play these endgames perfectly. But they also play other endgames much better because they can access the perfect knowledge of the Endgame Turbo! A must have for everyone wanting to improve in the endgame, correspondence players, endgame theoriticians, and friends of engine matches!

Based on over 1.6 million games, of which some 5% were played by humans, the related areas of the Slav and the Semi-Slav are dealt with together in this Powerbook. This results in some interesting statistical discoveries, since where human theory can only point to a dozen games, Powerbooks can often display numbers in the thousands. One trend worthy of note is seen in the most frequent moves for both sides: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 and now 9...a6 has overtaken the previous main continuation 9...b5 as the most frequently played move. After 10.Rd1 b5 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nge4

humans play 13...Be7, but engines prefer 13...Bc7 and with over 19 000 games excellent opportunities for study are on offer.

The Slav and Semislav Powerbook 2018 is an opening book that you can use with your Fritz or ChessBase program. It does not come with a database - so there are no games included.

1…e5, Dutch and Indian setups
For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

1...c5, 1...c6 and 1...e6
For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play. 

It is not difficult to find good arguments for the English Opening. If Black plays 1...e5, then you have the Sicilian with reversed colours, but with an extra tempo for White. The symmetrical move 1...c5 further concedes to White a tempo for the attack and thus the initiative. For all the great players in the history of chess the English Opening formed a part of their repertoire.

For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

It's very rare that after merely three moves in a Sicilian, you can play a line which is not only sound, dynamic, but one that has flown almost completely under the radar and yet has such a high win rate in the database. Welcome to the Gashimov Variation of the Sicilian Defence. Similar to its cousin the Chekhover Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4!?), this variation, pioneered by the late great Azeri GM, aims to throw Black off his normal game right from the word 'go', where he'll be forced to play accurately and deal with a number of intricate nuances just to get an equal position. The general premise of this line is to adopt a very aggressive setup with White, developing the queen early, fianchettoing the dark squared bishop and castling on the long side as quickly as possible in order to start belligerent operations on the kingside. Naturally Black has a number of different ways to set out his stall, but what's great about this line is that White's system is almost identical regardless of how Black decides to develop, thus making the opening easy to learn and execute over the board.

In this detailed “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays with an early d5. The start position for this DVD is 1.d4 d5 2.c4. This series has many chapters and is a thorough analysis, showing how to fight for the advantage from positions in which Black plays with an early d5.

In this “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays without an early d5. The start position of this series is 1.d4 d5 2.Nf6. This DVD focuses on a White system against openings such as the “Nimzo-Indian”, Benoni and Benko. Please note that the Grunfeld and Kings Indian variations (2...g6) are not covered in this DVD (Solid and safe against the wild Indians also available in the ChessBase Shop).

Almost 300 000 engine games as well as 30 000 games culled from the Mega 2019 + the Correspondence Database 2018 constitute the basis for the Nimzo-Indian Powerbook 2019. If you want to play for a win with Black against 1.d4 then hardly any opening is as well suited to the purpose as the Nimzo-Indian: it is rare for symmetrical positions to arise and not much is exchanged, instead of that exciting distributions of material often appear on your board. White requires patience. To be sure he can frequently obtain the bishop pair, but that does not necessarily promise him an advantage.

For Garry Kasparov it had been clear for quite some time who would be his successor as world chess champion: none other than Vladimir Kramnik! In 1992 Kasparov brought the 17-year old into the Russian team and the latter justified his early inclusion with eight wins and one draw in the Chess Olympiad in Manila. Eight years later Kramnik in fact defeated his mentor in the world championship match in London and became the 14th chess world champion. It was thanks to Kramnik that the split between world championships which had begun in 1993 was brought to an end. Kramnik defended his title in 2004 against Peter Leko and in the reunification match in 2006 he defeated Veselin Topalov. In 2007 Kramnik lost the title to Viswanathan Anand at the world championship tournament in Mexico and was also defeated by the Indian in 2008 in the return match. Even after losing the title of world champion Vladimir Kramnik has continued to remain among the absolute elite of players in the world – till the present day. With his deep understanding of chess Vladimir Kramnik is considered one of the greatest masters of strategy in the history of the game. His flawless technique has enabled him to bring to a successful conclusion innumerable encounters in the endgame. In the realm of opening theory too Kramnik is one of the leading players. In addition to many other contributions, he has decisively shaped the theory of the Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez and that of the Catalan Opening with many original ideas. This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Yannick Pelletier, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure and how to bring your games to a successful conclusion with accurate technical endgame play. Through Vladimir Kramnik’s games it is possible, moreover, to follow the history and development of numerous popular openings and thus obtain a better understanding of the ideas behind them.

Over the years I have often heard Bird’s players (1.f4) labelled chess mavericks, “chancers”, too lazy to learn “proper” opening systems. Well, I am happy to say those days are well and truly over. Welcome to the “Bombastic Bird’s”, a revolutionary repertoire for one of the most enterprising and underrated openings in chess theory. In this series, I uncover a number of groundbreaking theoretical novelties and new ideas that will soon have scorners of this romantic system regretting they ever doubted its soundness. Black will often try to refute White’s setup right from the word “go”, an attempt which often embarrassingly backfires and leads to a quick victory for the first player. Even World Champion Magnus Carlsen has taken a shine to the opening, joining a whole host of top grandmasters integrating it into their opening arsenals.

The Bird Opening is above all a lovely surprise weapon. Moreover it is perfectly suited to those who play the Dutch, since after 1.f4 d5 one can play one’s favourite opening with an extra tempo. For the Powerbook an Elo threshold of 2300 was set. Thus 53 000 games from the Engine Room of Playchess found their way into the database. To those were added more than 4000 games played by human beings.

The Spanish Opening arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. Now Black has a wealth of interesting systems. One possibility which until now has been completely ignored is the Norwegian Defence, which arises after 3...a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5!?. With this seemingly odd move Black wants to exchange his knight for the strong white-squared bishop. The idea is extravagant and costs time. Black delays his development but often gets very dynamic counterplay. Surprisingly, it is difficult to prove an advantage for White. The variation is an ideal surprise weapon because White will usually be not at all prepared for this rare idea. The game often becomes concrete and very tactical. Therefore the Norwegian Defence is ideally suited for players who want to fight for the initiative from the very start.

The basis for the Powerbook Queen's Gambit Accepted 2019 consists of 168 000 engine games as well as 26 000 games from Mega 2019 + Correspondence Database 2018. In the Queen’s Gambit Accepted 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 Black is not seeking to win a pawn, but the early capture on c4 rather represents an attempt to rapidly become active on the queenside and then to contest White’s centre – mainly with ...c5, but sometimes also with ...e5.

The completely new Powerbook London System 2019 is based on games which start in different ways and belong to different ECO codes, but where in each case White plays d4 and Bf4 and also does without c4. This way of starting the game has long since cast off its image as purely an opening for amateurs; world class players such as So, Kramnik, Grischuk, Vachier-Lagrave, Aronian and Karjakin play the opening with both colours and the London book is based on 45 games by Magnus Carlsen. In order to guarantee a high level of reliability for the statistics, the threshold for accepting games was set at a very high level. Thus the basis for the Powerbook consists of 205 000 engine games as well as 11 800 games from Mega 2019 + Correspondence Database 2018.

The Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4!?) is a brazen yet utterly sound system for White who immediately opens up the position, by sacrificing a central pawn, in an attempt to assassinate the enemy king as quickly as possible. The sheer number of ways Black can mishandle the position after merely four moves makes this system a weapon that should be part of any first player’s repertoire if they enjoy highly tactical, dynamic positions full of initiative and attacking possibilities. As with any opening, if Black knows his theory he should emerge with a completely satisfactory position. Yet even at the elite level there have been a number of casualties, making this an opening that should absolutely be a part of any attacking player’s arsenal.

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For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

Many times when a top player blunders, it is routinely described by the esoteric term „chess blindness.“ In the series What Grandmasters Don‘t See, chess trainer and world-class commentator Maurice Ashley strips away the myth, and for the first time explains why the root of these mistakes is more often based on the psychology of human learning.
 

1...c5, 1...c6 and 1...e6
For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play. 

1…e5, Dutch and Indian setups
For many great players from different generations the English opening has been a logical complement to 1.d4. By delaying the advance of the d-pawn White can avoid certain popular defences such as the Nimzoindian or the Grünfeld, to return to the 1.d4 paths a few moves later. But White can go further and build up a purely English repertoire, based on 1.c4 and 2.g3, which is the aim of these two DVDs. There are a few move orders or systems (most typically the King’s Indian) where White’s objectively best idea might be transposing to 1.d4 anyway (which I frequently do in my games) but while mentioning this in all relevant cases I have analyzed genuine English systems, leading to interesting play.

In this “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays without an early d5. The start position of this series is 1.d4 d5 2.Nf6. This DVD focuses on a White system against openings such as the “Nimzo-Indian”, Benoni and Benko. Please note that the Grunfeld and Kings Indian variations (2...g6) are not covered in this DVD (Solid and safe against the wild Indians also available in the ChessBase Shop).

In this detailed “two-part” video series I take a look at a main line White system based on 1.d4. This series is aimed at the ambitious player who is looking to put maximum pressure on their opponent from the start of the game. In this DVD I consider positions in which Black plays with an early d5. The start position for this DVD is 1.d4 d5 2.c4. This series has many chapters and is a thorough analysis, showing how to fight for the advantage from positions in which Black plays with an early d5.

Over the years I have often heard Bird’s players (1.f4) labelled chess mavericks, “chancers”, too lazy to learn “proper” opening systems. Well, I am happy to say those days are well and truly over. Welcome to the “Bombastic Bird’s”, a revolutionary repertoire for one of the most enterprising and underrated openings in chess theory. In this series, I uncover a number of groundbreaking theoretical novelties and new ideas that will soon have scorners of this romantic system regretting they ever doubted its soundness. Black will often try to refute White’s setup right from the word “go”, an attempt which often embarrassingly backfires and leads to a quick victory for the first player. Even World Champion Magnus Carlsen has taken a shine to the opening, joining a whole host of top grandmasters integrating it into their opening arsenals.

After the success of the first Volume on Calculation Training, Dutch IM Robert Ris continues Volume 2 of the series with a wide range of new aspects which have to be mastered to become a great calculator at the board! The topics discussed in Volume 1 (Candidates Moves, Method of Elimination & Imagination) are certainly useful when studying the content of this new DVD. Special attention will be paid to Intermediate Moves, Quiet Moves, Sacrifices on Empty Squares, Mating Patterns, Ignoring Opponents Threat, Calculation in Defence and Method of Comparison. On top of that more practical advices for training are recommended, for instance how to handle your time management and visualising the position in your mind during the calculation process.

The Queens Gambit Declined, Orthodox Variation is an opening choice for Black which will never be refuted. It perhaps has an unjust reputation of being solid and passive, but this all-new ChessBase DVD will challenge that perception. Basing his Black repertoire on the Cambridge Springs variation, Andrew Martin takes you on a tour of classic games, showing how Black may conveniently sidestep the dangerous lines with Bf4, whilst retaining good chances and providing comprehensive coverage of the lines where White captures early on d5. This is a repertoire which will suit all levels of player. Video running time: 4 hours 23 min.

Bologans way to the Nimzo-Indian was very long and difficult. Which he now regrets a lot: “I would better start it when I was young. First I played only the King’s Indian against 1.d4, later I learned Black’s Knights Tango, which already had some elements of the Nimzo-Indian and only in the new millenium I included the Nimzo Indian into my repertoire.” This period coincided with the period of winning the Dortmund 2003 tournament, when he managed to hold with Black against Vladimir Kramnik in the decisive last round in a Nimzo with 4.Qc2. The Moldavian grandmaster recommends the Nimzo-Indian to players of all levels, because it’s complex and simple at the same time. It teaches one very important thing in chess - how to play with the knight against a bishop. The Nimzo- Indian therefore has the same importance as the Ruy Lopez after 1.e4. This DVD is aimed to give Black a clear idea what to do against 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 which is considered the strongest move order by White. Video running time: 4 hours 14 min.

The Dutch (1.d4 f5) is known as a very aggressive and unbalanced opening, resulting in the lowest percentage of draws among the most common replies to 1.d4 . The opening became popular during the 1951 World Championship match, where both players tried it successfully. Today, players known for spectacular attacking chess are using the opening as a dangerous, surprise weapon.

Learn Endgames from the World Champions!

All world champions left their mark on chess. And although they had different styles each and every one of them played the endgame exceptionally well. The material on this DVD is based on the ChessBase MasterClass series, and gives you a good opportunity to enjoy some of the best endgames in the history of chess.

The Open Games begin after the moves 1.e4 e5. The name results from the fact that the position often opens quickly which might lead to an early clash of the enemy pieces. Typical examples are the Scotch Opening, the Two Knights Defence or the venerable King’s Gambit. But the most important openings after 1.e4 e5 are the Italian Game and the Ruy Lopez, and here the game often develops more slowly. On this DVD the International Master Georgios Souleidis presents these and all other relevant openings arising after 1.e4 e5 in 36 videos.

A fresh System for White: 1.e4 c5 2.b3 vs. the Sicilian!

There are a number of good Anti-Sicilian options out there, however I believe the 2.b3 Sicilian to be one of the most overlooked and underrated systems available to White. This modest move came back to the fore as a legitimate Anti-Sicilian weapon when none other than Vladimir Kramnik used it in a few games to frustrate his Sicilian diehard opponents.

Looking for a win vs. 1.d4?
Play the KID!

The King's Indian is one of the most dynamic openings against 1.d4. The trademark: to attack directly and in a lot of structures to start an assault to the White's King.Quite often White is attacking on the queenside whereas Black is aiming to get through on the kingside. With some dexterity the Black pieces are coordinated perfectly, despite the limited space available.Used by many champions such as Fischer, Kasparov or more recently by Nakamura, Ding Liren or Carlsen. This Defense is particularly suitable for agressive players.

For Garry Kasparov it had been clear for quite some time who would be his successor as world chess champion: none other than Vladimir Kramnik! In 1992 Kasparov brought the 17-year old into the Russian team and the latter justified his early inclusion with eight wins and one draw in the Chess Olympiad in Manila. Eight years later Kramnik in fact defeated his mentor in the world championship match in London and became the 14th chess world champion. It was thanks to Kramnik that the split between world championships which had begun in 1993 was brought to an end. Kramnik defended his title in 2004 against Peter Leko and in the reunification match in 2006 he defeated Veselin Topalov. In 2007 Kramnik lost the title to Viswanathan Anand at the world championship tournament in Mexico and was also defeated by the Indian in 2008 in the return match. Even after losing the title of world champion Vladimir Kramnik has continued to remain among the absolute elite of players in the world – till the present day. With his deep understanding of chess Vladimir Kramnik is considered one of the greatest masters of strategy in the history of the game. His flawless technique has enabled him to bring to a successful conclusion innumerable encounters in the endgame. In the realm of opening theory too Kramnik is one of the leading players. In addition to many other contributions, he has decisively shaped the theory of the Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez and that of the Catalan Opening with many original ideas. This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Yannick Pelletier, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure and how to bring your games to a successful conclusion with accurate technical endgame play. Through Vladimir Kramnik’s games it is possible, moreover, to follow the history and development of numerous popular openings and thus obtain a better understanding of the ideas behind them.

Learn from a World Champion!

Mikhail Botvinnik became world champion in 1948 and remained so until 1963. During this time he either successfully defended his title against David Bronstein, Vassily Smyslov and Mihail Tal or got it back in a return match. The systematic, scientific method of working in chess begins with Botvinnik. He studied openings with respect to their typical middlegame structures and for those he developed successful strategies. The strategic approach runs like a red thread through Botvinnik’s work. Towards the end of his active career, the 6th world chess champion, known in the Soviet Union as the “patriarch”, founded a chess school and passed on his knowledge to numerous bright students. Amongst his students were, for example, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik.

Learn about one of the greatest geniuses in the history of chess! Paul Morphy’s career (1837-1884) lasted only a few years and yet he managed to defeat the best chess players of his time. After his triumphal journey to Europe in the years1858/1859 the American was hailed as the unofficial world champion. But how was it possible for Morphy to outplay his experienced opponents with such ease? What were his particular strengths?

Scarcely any world champion has managed to captivate both chess lovers and the general public to the extent Magnus Carlsen has. The enormously talented Norwegian arrived on the scene as if from nowhere, without having been systematically trained within the structures of a major chess-playing nation such as Russia, the Ukraine or more recently, China. Rather, his development had taken place in an almost totally private setting. Upon recognizing his son’s unbelievable talent, his father took him out of school, bought a camper van and, together with the whole family, set about traveling from tournament to tournament. The rough diamond from Norway was gradually polished in countless tournament games, and was soon receiving invitations to top tournaments, where he proved his incredibly deep understanding of chess against even the world’s top players. Thanks to Carlsen’s style, computersupported opening preparation has faded somewhat into the background, with a greater importance being placed on the sporting side of chess – deep strategy, extensive endgame knowledge, energy and endurance are the trump cards of the new chess megastar. By 2010, Carlsen was already number one in the world ranking list; in 2013 he also claimed the title of World Champion, a title he has now successfully defended twice.

Garry Kasparov’s talent was recognised at an early age, but it was at the latest at the age of only 15 when he qualified for the renowned USSR national championship that he was also considered by the chess world as a whole as a possible future champion. But on the way to the throne of world champion Kasparov had to overcome numerous obstacles. Kasparov felt that he was being held back by the Karpov-friendly Soviet federation and by FIDE. He finally broke through and at the age of 22 became the youngest ever world champion. He also conducted his struggle at the board above all and enriched chess with his incredibly dynamic playing style as well as his scientific preparation for games. Kasparov was far ahead of his time in his employment of the new electronic aids: computers and database programs such as ChessBase. His numerous encounters with the pragmatic Karpov saw the collision of two quite different playing styles, styles in which these two players were far and away the best in the world. In addition to these matches, Kasparov also contested many tournaments and always appeared with the same mind-set: win games and tournaments!

When Anatoly Karpov was 11 years old, he was invited to Botvinnik’s chess school. But the “Patriarch” passed a harsh verdict: “The boy has no clue about chess and therefore absolutely no future as a chess player.” Rarely was a judgement about a chess talent more wrong, for Karpov soon became the best player in the Soviet Union, growing to be considered a serious challenger to the reigning World Champion, Bobby Fischer. But in the World Championship match in 1975, Fischer refused to play and Karpov won by default, becoming the 12th World Champion. He nevertheless proved himself worthy of his title, playing in countless tournaments with exceptional results. Particularly impressive was his style. Thanks to Karpov’s brilliant feel for positional chess, which reminded many experts of Capablanca, he outplayed his opponents again and again with seemingly effortless ease. If you want to improve your grasp of chess strategy, then there is hardly a better teacher than Anatoly Karpov! It took the arrival of Garry Kasparov for Karpov to have an opponent who could challenge him on an equal footing.

The name Emanuel Lasker will always be linked with his incredible 27 years reign on the throne of world chess. In 1894, at the age of 25, he had already won the world title from Wilhelm Steinitz and his record number of years on the throne did not end till 1921 when Lasker had to accept the superiority of Jose Raul Capablanca. But not only had the only German world champion so far seen off all challengers for many years, he had also won the greatest tournaments of his age, sometimes with an enormous lead. The fascinating question is, how did he manage that? Previously the answer frequently given was – psychology and luck. But this thesis has been refuted by authors who have to be taken seriously. Lasker’s secrets are obviously to be sought elsewhere.

He was a child prodigy and he is surrounded by legends. In his best times he was considered to be unbeatable and by many he was reckoned to be the greatest chess talent of all time: Jose Raul Capablanca, born 1888 in Havana. At the age of 13 he became Cuban champion; in 1909 he sensationally defeated Marshall by 8:1 and was thus catapulted into the world elite. It was only after some time, since only sparse amounts of information made it across the pond, that in 1911 Capablanca achieved well-deserved recognition by leaving the elite of world chess trailing in his wake in San Sebastian. It would however take another 10 years before the Cuban defeated the reigning world champion Emanuel Lasker in their match and wore the crown himself.

Alexander Alekhine, the fourth World Champion, played many fantastic attacking games and to this day enjoys the reputation of being an attacking genius. But ever since Alekhine won the World Championship match against Capablanca in Buenos Aires 1927 the chess world could see that the Russian-born Alekhine – who immigrated to France in 1921 – also handled technical positions excellently. But his success against Capablanca was still a surprise because the Cuban was considered to be virtually unbeatable. After winning the World Championship Alekhine reached the peak of his career in the early 1930s winning famous tournaments such as San Remo 1930 and Bled 1931 by a huge margin. Moreover, the World Champion was also a prolific author and in annotating his games gave deep insights to the thinking of a World Champion. Alekhine was one of the best players in the history of chess and treated all phases of the game – opening, middlegame and endgame – in textbook fashion. No wonder a lot of later top class players, not least Garry Kasparov, claimed Alekhine as their role model in chess. On this DVD Grandmasters Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller, and International Oliver Reeh present outstanding games, stunning combinations and exemplary endgames by Alexander Alekhine. And they invite you to improve your chess knowledge with the help of video lectures, annotated games and interactive tests. The DVD also contains all known games by Alekhine, most of them annotated. Tables of important tournaments and various articles with background information complete the DVD.

No World Champion has enchanted the chess world as much as Mihail Tal did. His reign as World Champion was short but in his time Tal’s star burned with unknown intensity. With his combinations and his intuitive sacrifices the young Tal ran over his opponents, and thrilled the chess world with his risky uncompromising attacking play, which inspired many players to emulate him. In 1960 he beat the reigning World Champion Botvinnik but one year later he lost the title of World Champion again in a return match of doubtful competitive value. But even though Tal was no longer World Champion, he still remained one of the best players in the world. At eight chess Olympiads he won gold with the Soviet team. Six times he became USSR-Champion. In 1973/74 he managed to remain unbeaten in 93 consecutive games, a still unmatched record. In 1988 he won the Blitz World Championship. Despite his frail health Tal enjoyed life to the fullest and was a funny and brilliant man, who loved nothing more than chess. Through the games of Mihail Tal this DVD provides a unique access to the realm of chess tactics. Tal’s colleagues dubbed their tactical guru „Magician“, because in his games seemingly incomprehensible moves in the end blended into a successful whole, as if by magic. But Tal was also a master of strategy and endgame play. On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations. In an interactive test they invite you to try to find combinations like Tal did. The DVD also contains all games by Tal, many of them annotated, plus comments and tournament tables. 

No other World Champion was more infamous both inside and outside the chess world than Robert James Fischer. But what were the secrets to his sensational ability, and what enabled him to take on the Soviet school of chess alone – and win? On this DVD, a team of experts presents you every facet of the chess legend, and shows you the winning techniques and strategies employed by the 11th World Champion. Grandmaster Dorian Rogozenco delves into Fischer’s openings, and retraces the development of his repertoire. What variations did Fischer play, and what sources did he use to arm himself against the best Soviet players? Mihail Marin explains Fischer’s particular style and his special strategic talent in annotated games against Spassky, Taimanov and other greats. Karsten Müller is not just a leading international endgame expert, but also a true Fischer connoisseur. His congenial video analysis of Fischer’s legendary endgames can only be found on this DVD! To top it off - you too can unleash tactical combinations like Fischer! German Bundesliga player Oliver Reeh has compiled the World Champion’s best combinations – and now it’s your move. You too can try to find Fischer’s stunning brilliancies by entering your solution on the board and receive video feedback in the new ChessBase media format!

• Video running time: approx. 5 hours (English)
• Interactive tactics test with video feedback
• Collection of every Fischer game, tables, backround knowledge, short biography
• “Fischer powerbook”– the World Champion’s repertoire as an opening tree
• Tactic training: 100 Fischer games with training questions.

Checkmate. That’s the aim of the game. There are numerous ways to checkmate the enemy king, but there are common patterns that recur over and over again, and having these at our mental fingertips is essential for when we want to finish the game.

Make your pieces more effective, and learn what pawn play is really all about. The course also includes practical examples of when a knight is stronger than a bishop and vice versa. The strategy package, consisting of Powerplay DVDs 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11, will help you to understand more about chess than you ever have before!

Attack and win! These are probably the most enjoyable parts of chess. Learn everything you need to know about the art of attack from Daniel King: mating patterns, attacking the enemy king, pawn storms, the art of attacking tactics and much more! You’ll be well prepared for any adventure with this package, which includes Powerplay DVDs 1, 2, 3, 13, 14 and 20!

Openings such as the London System and the Trompowsky, once considered side lines, are now just as common in the professional game as at club level. White aims to avoid complex theoretical lines and to start from a solid basis. Yet these openings are not without bite. On this DVD, Grandmaster Daniel King presents a repertoire for Black allowing you to face these systems with confidence. The aim of these recommendations is to come out of the opening with sound development, a sound pawn structure, a secure king, and a dynamic position that gives winning chances. When playing with Black, that's a good start!!

DVD1:
The Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) is one of the most reliable openings against 1 d4. With a rock of a pawn in the middle of the board, Black refuses to be pushed over in the centre. Establishing central control gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king. On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black with the QGD. The repertoire is demonstrated in 10 stem games, covering all White’s major systems: 5 Bg5, 5 Bf4, and the Exchange Variation. (Black’s options against the Catalan are explored on another DVD). The Queen’s Gambit Declined is a flexible opening. This DVD explores different systems so that you can keep your opponent guessing as to your choice. One of the great advantages of playing the QGD is that theory is relatively simple: this opening depends on your understanding of ideas, not tricky variations with counter-intuitive computer moves. Complete games are discussed so that one gains an idea about typical strategies for both sides. More than that, these model games provide inspiration to play the opening. This is an interactive DVD. At key moments in the games Grandmaster King pauses and puts you on the spot. You will have to find and play the best move. He then gives feedback in further video clips according to the move you chose. Every World Champion has played the Queen’s Gambit Declined. That speaks for its reliability and quality.

DVD2:
The Catalan is a reliable opening for White, but there are ways for Black to shake White out of his complacency while still maintaining a sound and solid position himself. On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black against the Catalan, based around maintaining the rock of a pawn on d5. Keeping central control ultimately gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king. The repertoire is demonstrated in 10 stem games with the system 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 g3 Bb4+. The check proves somewhat awkward for the smooth flow of White’s development. All three of White’s responses (5 Bd2, 5 Nbd2, 5 Nc3) are examined. 4...Bb4+ has been played by Magnus Carlsen of late and has been regularly and successfully employed most notably by Anand and Spassky. A system against the Reti/English 1 Nf3 d5 2 c4 e6 3 g3 is also provided. One of the great advantages of playing this system for Black is that theory is relatively simple: this opening depends on your understanding of ideas, not tricky variations with counter-intuitive computer moves. Complete games are discussed so that one gains an idea about typical strategies for both sides. More than that, these model games provide inspiration to play the opening. This is an interactive DVD. At key moments in the games Grandmaster King pauses and puts you on the spot. You will have to find and play the best move. He then gives feedback in further video clips according to the move you chose.

The Catalan is a reliable opening for White, but there are ways for Black to shake White out of his complacency while still maintaining a sound and solid position himself. On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black against the Catalan, based around maintaining the rock of a pawn on d5. Keeping central control ultimately gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king. The repertoire is demonstrated in 10 stem games with the system 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 g3 Bb4+. The check proves somewhat awkward for the smooth flow of White’s development. All three of White’s responses (5 Bd2, 5 Nbd2, 5 Nc3) are examined. 4...Bb4+ has been played by Magnus Carlsen of late and has been regularly and successfully employed most notably by Anand and Spassky. A system against the Reti/English 1 Nf3 d5 2 c4 e6 3 g3 is also provided. One of the great advantages of playing this system for Black is that theory is relatively simple: this opening depends on your understanding of ideas, not tricky variations with counter-intuitive computer moves. Complete games are discussed so that one gains an idea about typical strategies for both sides. More than that, these model games provide inspiration to play the opening. This is an interactive DVD. At key moments in the games Grandmaster King pauses and puts you on the spot. You will have to find and play the best move. He then gives feedback in further video clips according to the move you chose.

The Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) is one of the most reliable openings against 1 d4. With a rock of a pawn in the middle of the board, Black refuses to be pushed over in the centre. Establishing central control gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king. On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black with the QGD. The repertoire is demonstrated in 10 stem games, covering all White’s major systems: 5 Bg5, 5 Bf4, and the Exchange Variation. (Black’s options against the Catalan are explored on another DVD). The Queen’s Gambit Declined is a flexible opening. This DVD explores different systems so that you can keep your opponent guessing as to your choice. One of the great advantages of playing the QGD is that theory is relatively simple: this opening depends on your understanding of ideas, not tricky variations with counter-intuitive computer moves. Complete games are discussed so that one gains an idea about typical strategies for both sides. More than that, these model games provide inspiration to play the opening. This is an interactive DVD. At key moments in the games Grandmaster King pauses and puts you on the spot. You will have to find and play the best move. He then gives feedback in further video clips according to the move you chose. Every World Champion has played the Queen’s Gambit Declined. That speaks for its reliability and quality.

The French Defence is one of the most reliable openings against 1 e4. The solid central pawn chain protects Black’s king and provides the basis for counter-attacks on both wings. On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black with the French. Based around ten stem games, all White’s major lines against the French are covered. The French Defence is one of the most flexible of openings. This DVD explores different systems so that you can always keep your opponent guessing as to your choice. Complete games are discussed so that one gains an idea about typical strategies for both sides. More than that, these model games provide inspiration to play the opening. This is an interactive DVD. At key moments in the games Grandmaster King pauses and puts you on the spot. You will have to find and play the best move. He then gives feedback in further video clips according to the move you chose.

Every chessplayer should have the ability to play a direct attack against the enemy king. Positional chess is important but one has to be able to recognise when to launch an attack. Checkmate ends the game. This DVD has two aims: · To test your attacking ability · To provide you with an arsenal of potent attacking ideas Using the new Fritz Trainer interactive system, Grandmaster Daniel King presents ten exemplary attacking performances. At key moments he stops and asks you to play a move. King then gives feedback on the most plausible continuations using video clips. It’s the next best thing to having your own personal trainer!

DVD provides you with a repertoire of attacking lines against: The Scandinavian, Alekhine’s Defence, The Petroff, The Philidor, The Pirc, The Modern Defence (1. e4 g6). Many of these openings are very popular in club chess, yet they are often underestimated by players of the white pieces. Using his wealth of experience playing with 1 e4, Grandmaster Daniel King explains the openings and provides you with an aggressive system against each of them. This is the second part of Daniel King’s project ‘Attack with 1 e4’ (part I dealt with the Sicilian, the French, The Caro Kann and 1...e5). King’s recommendations aim to put your opponent under pressure right from the start of the game, and when players are under pressure, mistakes occur. This is a practical repertoire – if we study openings we want to be sure to use them in our games. After just a few moves, you will be dictating play. Video running time: 5 hours 24 min.

The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence is the opening of champions. Kasparov, Anand and Bobby Fischer all made this uncompromising opening a central part of their repertoire – with success. Grandmaster Daniel King is a life-long practitioner of the Najdorf. On this DVD he explains the fundamental principles of the opening and offers a repertoire of systems for Black against all of White’s major alternatives. Whether you are new to the Najdorf or already have experience with the opening, this DVD is suitable for you. The Najdorf has a reputation for complexity, but this is undeserved. Strategy is often determined by pawn structure, and as Black’s structure is often the same in many variations of the Najdorf, this opening is actually much simpler to understand compared to others. King demonstrates that an understanding of positional principles can lead Black through this seemingly complex opening, into the middlegame and right through to the endgame. As well as up-to-date theoretical information, classic games are examined, putting theory in context and demonstrating typical strategies. Video runningtime: 6 hours.

This DVD provides you with a repertoire of attacking lines against the four major defences to 1.e4 – that is, 1...e5, the Sicilian, the French, and the Caro Kann. These systems will put your opponent under pressure, and when players are under pressure, mistakes occur. This is a practical repertoire – if we study openings we want to be sure to use them in our games. For example 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 is one of the recommendations. After just a few moves, you will be dictating play. The Power Play series is suitable for anyone looking to improve their chess, but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises for a trainer. Video runningtime: 6 hours.

The aim of this DVD is to provide you with the practical skills and knowledge that you will need to play a rook and pawn endgame. Based on his own playing experience, Grandmaster Daniel King reveals what is essential knowledge, saving you time in your studies. The first section of the DVD compromises some basics – common positions you simply must understand if you enter a rook and pawn endgame, such as rook and pawn against rook. In the second section common scenarios are discussed, for example, endgames with all pawns on one wing, and endgames where one side has an extra pawn on one side of the board. In the third section you can gauge your knowledge by studying some specially prepared 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. Video runningtime: 5 hours.

The aim of this DVD is to provide you with the practical skills and knowledge that you will need to play a king and pawn endgame. Based on his own playing experience, Grandmaster Daniel King reveals what is essential knowledge, saving you time in your studies. In the first section of the DVD he takes you through typical motifs and themes. In the second section he tests your knowledge with typical scenarios from actual games. The Power Play series is suitable for anyone looking to improve their chess, but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises for a trainer. Video runningtime: 4 hours.

For more than 20 years ChessBase Magazine has been one of the leading international chess journals. The bilingual magazine (English /German) appears every two months and coming as it does as a combined issue of a printed magazine and a DVD it offers the best possible training material for club players and professionals alike. What are you waiting for? With ChessBase Magazine you are programmed to win! The advantages this offers are unbeatable!

New Ideas for your Opening Repertoire!
Video Lectures & Training Exercises

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

New Ideas for your Opening Repertoire!
Video Lectures & Training Exercises

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

New Ideas for your Opening Repertoire!
Video Lectures & Training Exercises

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

The ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyze their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet.

Learn to think strategically, try out tricky mental exercises and master fun and exciting challenges – all with a generous helping of chess knowledge. These things and more await you on this unusual chess adventure that has already received great international acclaim.
Start playing version 3.0 of Fritz & Chesster Volume 1 straight away and on any computer, laptop, tablet or iPad with Internet access and join Prince Fritz and his cousin Bianca on their journey through the rules of chess and many tactical motifs.

 This unforgettable chess adventure is designed to advance young chess player’s skills, move by move. Discover mini-games, brain-twisters and more at every attraction. Pick up chess tips and skills as you ride in bumper cars and the Ferris wheel. Polish up your chess strategy and tactics, opening, middle game and endgame and use what you’ve learned to win. You’ll have lots of fun while you learn more about the serious business of playing – and winning – chess!

 Jump into chess action, move by move, to rescue Chesster from deep within King Black’s castle. Join Fritz and Bianca in a thrilling chess adventure as they enter rooms of the castle, where each challenge will help you sharpen skills and prepare for the ultimate showdown.

It's very rare that after merely three moves in a Sicilian, you can play a line which is not only sound, dynamic, but one that has flown almost completely under the radar and yet has such a high win rate in the database. Welcome to the Gashimov Variation of the Sicilian Defence. Similar to its cousin the Chekhover Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4!?), this variation, pioneered by the late great Azeri GM, aims to throw Black off his normal game right from the word 'go', where he'll be forced to play accurately and deal with a number of intricate nuances just to get an equal position. The general premise of this line is to adopt a very aggressive setup with White, developing the queen early, fianchettoing the dark squared bishop and castling on the long side as quickly as possible in order to start belligerent operations on the kingside. Naturally Black has a number of different ways to set out his stall, but what's great about this line is that White's system is almost identical regardless of how Black decides to develop, thus making the opening easy to learn and execute over the board.

The Spanish Opening arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. Now Black has a wealth of interesting systems. One possibility which until now has been completely ignored is the Norwegian Defence, which arises after 3...a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5!?. With this seemingly odd move Black wants to exchange his knight for the strong white-squared bishop. The idea is extravagant and costs time. Black delays his development but often gets very dynamic counterplay. Surprisingly, it is difficult to prove an advantage for White. The variation is an ideal surprise weapon because White will usually be not at all prepared for this rare idea. The game often becomes concrete and very tactical. Therefore the Norwegian Defence is ideally suited for players who want to fight for the initiative from the very start.

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 dxc4 During the course of this 60 mins DVD, join with Andrew Martin as he examines a sharp line of the Slav which involves an early capture on c4. The subject matter covers 3 Nf3 dxc4!?. Without a White Knight on c3 the positon becomes radically different to the earlier line, but the idea of disruption is still the key to understanding Black's play. Black wants White to worry about the pawn on c4 and make mistakes as he tries to frantically get it back!

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 dxc4! There are a few opening surprises which I am quite sure the average opponent will not be prepared for and an early capture on c4 in the Slav is one of them! Over the course of two 60 minute DVD's I plan to examine both 3 Nc3 dxc4 and 3 Nf3 dxc4. Here are two more than useful lines for Black, slightly offbeat and ambitious, very much in the modern,combative trend, which can win games right out of the opening if White is not careful. White may easily find himself a pawn down for nothing after only a few moves! In this precise position 3...dxc4 is disruptive. Black plans ...b7-b5 and often...b5-b4 hitting the Knight on c3. This is the main difference between this position and 3 Nf3 dxc4. Many top players, with Nakamura as the lead have been using 3...dxc4 in recent times to win games. I recommend you to join them!

The Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4!?) is a brazen yet utterly sound system for White who immediately opens up the position, by sacrificing a central pawn, in an attempt to assassinate the enemy king as quickly as possible. The sheer number of ways Black can mishandle the position after merely four moves makes this system a weapon that should be part of any first player’s repertoire if they enjoy highly tactical, dynamic positions full of initiative and attacking possibilities. As with any opening, if Black knows his theory he should emerge with a completely satisfactory position. Yet even at the elite level there have been a number of casualties, making this an opening that should absolutely be a part of any attacking player’s arsenal.

A Black Weapon vs. the Ruy Lopez!

The Arkhangelsk Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7!) in different forms is one of the old favourite weapons of Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana who are still employing it in their tournament games on the highest level possible. Adrian Mikhalchishin’s first DVD on the Arkhangelsk was released 10 years ago. Naturally enough, since then quite a few important discoveries have been made, and in his new work the author sheds light on fresh ideas in the hyper-sharp c3 variation, the classical line, which is specially well played by Caruana, as well as further entertaining developments in the Semi-Arkhangelsk with a temporarily delayed b7-b5.

An easy Plan vs. the Stonewall System!

Young, inexperienced players often have problems in closed positions, because in positions where pawn chains dominate, you have to know the plans.So when I was a strong grandmaster, I was always a bit afraid of Stonewall positions in the Dutch System.But one day my friend Aleksander Beliavsky took me aside and showed me a new idea for white: you exchange the bishop on f4 to open the g-line (gxf4) and double the rooks there.Black will defend his weaknesses on this line with all his power.Since White has space advantage, he now transfers his pieces to the other wing and creates new weaknesses - and the opponent is helpless.Beliavsky's brilliant match against Artur Jussupov is a fantastic and instructive example of this great plan.

The Löwenthal Variation in the Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 a6!?) is a surprise weapon for Black. If you play the Open Sicilian with White you should know what to do against it. In this 60 minutes video GM Nadezhda Kosintseva offers White a repertoire to counter the Löwenthal Variation. However, if you like to play the Löwenthal with Black you should also take a look at this video because Kosintseva explains typical plans and ideas of the Löwenthal and indicates a number of typical tricks and traps.

The 2.Ne2 Variation of the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.Ne2), sometimes called the Short variation, is an ostentatious try by White to get Black out of his comfort zone as early as move 2. Caro-Kann players typically love their solid structures and modest setups, but with this bamboozling sideline they will be forced to enter unknown territory right from the off!

If you're one of those French Defence players who has been desperately searching for a reliable and easy-to-learn system against White's two main 3rd moves (3.Nd2 or 3.Nc3) then this is the 60 Minutes for you! Presenting: the Fort Knox variation (3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7!?). This opening does exactly what it says on the tin! By developing the notoriously bad French c8-bishop to c6, followed by a natural and methodical development of the kingside pieces, Black manages to erect a super-solid structure — like Fort Knox — that is designed to frustrate White, who will often overextend, leaving himself exposed in his quest for glory. This variation has been endorsed by some of the most classical players (like Karpov), as well as the most creative (like Jobava) Grandmasters in the world with fantastic success. It’s a perfect choice for those with a positional style of chess who enjoy counterattacking and taking advantage of overzealous opposition.

For a long time the Scotch opening was considered harmless and rarely played. This changed in 1990 when Garry Kasparov successfully employed the Scotch opening in his World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov. But that was 25 years ago. Now, there is no need to panic if you want to play 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 and need a line against the Scotch. On this 60 Minutes renowned and successful coach Adrian Mikhalchishin gives simple practical tips how to neutralize and counter the Scotch.

The Elephant Gambit (1.e4.e5 2.Nf3 d5!?) has never really been given the attention it deserves. It is a very useful surprise weapon. Let us list the advantages of playing this particular opening: 1) Shock value 2) It is very aggressive. Black can take over the initiative early. 3) Many tricky lines 4) Unorthodox. Black is basically taking the game to the opponent as early as move two. Not many openings do that! It's a perfect opening for young players and club players to adopt. Let Andrew Martin select a repertoire for you on this 60 mins, which, if used with discretion, will rack up the points. I am sure that you will enjoy this unusual tour of the Elephant Gambit.

On this 60 mins video we are going to concentrate on a simple, very solid idea in the main line Scandinavian, which even Magnus Carlsen has used to win games. Black focusses on making his life easy in the opening and forces White to work very hard to get advantage – but it is doubtful if White can get an advantage. Club players are always on the lookout for effective, time-saving solutions and here we have just that. Accompany FIDE Senior Trainer and IM Andrew Martin on this 60 mins video. You can learn a new opening system in 60 mins and start to play it with confidence on the very same day!

Dynamic play is what makes your chess effective and most importantly fun! You start the game making the essential steps of developing pieces and focusing on the center. As the battle heats up one player assumes the defensive position while the attacker takes over the initiative. As you commit to your attack, keeping the initiative becomes alike ''walking a tight rope''. There is no turning back and the path to success is narrow. You either come out victorious or you fall crushing down. This is the kind of chess we love to play!

This DVD deals with a unique line in the Bogo Indian that is becoming poular recently. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.g3 Bxd2!? 6.Qxd2 Nc6! 7.Nc3 d5! is a modern line where Black tries to play actively in the center. With the move d5 he puts pressure on the white centre and forces him to make a decision. If White were to take cxd5 exd5, it solves the problem of the bishop on c8. But if White doesn't take then dxc4 becomes a real possibility. This gives Black clear cut ways to deal with White's ways of playing in the opening. The Author also discusses side lines with 7.b3 and 8.b3. In 60 minutes you will have good, sound knowledge to face 3.Nf3 and play the Bogo Indian.