Grunfeld 8.Be3 [D85]-TWIC 977

TWIC 977
The Grunfeld was rock solid this week.

More About Condom, France
Villa de Condom - GERS - Armagnac - Francia
EN RECUERDO A UNA HERMOSA VILLA EN EL SUR DE FRANCIA EN LA REGION DE GERS MEDIOS PIRINEOS 

Alcaraz Ortega,J (2345) - Miron,L (2544)
Grunfeld 8.Be3 [D85]
12th Condom Open 2013
Condom FRA (8.4), 19.07.2013

Position 1
The BB-BB was of some interest as black exploited the queenside majority.

White to Play

25...Bc8

Semi-Slav Anti-Meran 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3[D45]-TWIC

TWIC 975
The 6.Qc2 Anti-Meran has taken over from 6.Bd3 Meran as white is not having much success in the main line Meran.

GM Wesley So won the feature game, but not because of the opening.

More About the Universiade,Kazan



So,W (2700) - Baryshpolets,A (2544)
Semi-Slav Anti-Meran 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3[D45]
Universiade Men 2013
Kazan RUS (4.2), 11.07.2013

Position 1
White has a key decision to make after black's 17...Bc7 novelty. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

17...Bc7

Position 2
Black's queenside pawns are isolated but white's kingside pawn shield has also been compromised. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play

22.Bd4

Kotronias on the King's Indian - Volume 1

Kill Another Tree

Kotronias on the King's Indian - Volume 1-720pp

I'm speehless.

Semi-Slav Reynolds Attack 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.0–0 Qc7 [D48]-TWIC 951

TWIC 951
Playing against the Semi-Slav is like hitting your head into a brick wall. Now it's time for me to upgrade my line(The Meran) which I have not done for quite some time now.

So far I have been using the Reynolds Attack without really knowing what's going on. One idea worth looking into is the e-pawn sacrifice with 14.Ne2!?

More About Taganrog RUS 
The city of Taganrog is the leading industrial center of the Rostov region. The hometown of Chekhov.



Khismatullin,D (2652) - Smirnov,P (2610)
Semi-Slav Meran Reynolds Attack 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.0–0 Qc7 [D48]
Dvorkovich Mem 2013 

Taganrog RUS (8.2), 22.01.2013

Position 1
The position of interest arises after 13...c4. This is a typical position from the Reynolds Attack. White tried the e-pawn gambit 14.Ne2!? after which black replied 14...Bd6, fighting for the dark squares.

White to Play

13...c4

Position 2
White has the bishop pair while black's minor pieces are actively placed in the center. What do you recommend for white?

Black to Play

24.Bd3

Grunfeld 7.Qa4+ [D85]-TWIC 976

TWIC 976
The weekly update on Anti-Grunfeld weapons continues. The 7.Qa4+ line was quite successful this week.

More on the Czech Open
The other games.

Vorobiov,E (2585) - Tomazini,A (2306)

Grunfeld 7.Qa4+ [D85]

Czech Open A 2013

Pardubice CZE (1.6), 19.07.2013

Position 1
The position is strategically complicated. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

24...h5

Dutch 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 d5[A80]-TWIC 963

TWIC 963
GM Sokolov accumulated a series of small advantages and then converted with an attack in textbook fashion.

More About Denmark-Host of the Admiral Niels Juel Cup

Sokolov,Ivan (2643) - Narciso Dublan,M (2551)

Dutch 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 d5[A80]

Admiral Niels Juel Cup 2013

Koge DEN (3.4), 21.04.2013

Postion 1
White clearly dominates the position. What do you recommend for white now?

White to Play

32...Rg7

Hennig Shara Gambit(D32) by Coffee House Chess Blog(AUS)

Coffee House Chess Blog(AUS)
This blog is a hidden treasure from Australia.

A Nice Article On a Not So Common Line
Everyone has favorite systems, and we all try to defend openings that get a bashing. Even some pretty decent openings come in for a bashing every now and again. Take the King's Indian Defence, or the Sicilian Dragon. Then again, if you're going to play a fighting opening, then you will also have to fight to defend your opening's reputation.

The system that I have a soft spot for is the Hennig Schara Gambit. When I was a young player, Kasparov was not yet World Champion and was playing the Tarrasch Variation of the Queen's Gambit (among other fighting systems). 

It was back then in the mid 80's that I first really became aware of the Tarrasch and the amazing piece play that black can generate at the expense of pawn weaknesses. 

Certainly at club level a player who is good with active pieces should consider openings such as the Tarrasch which offer excellent play for the expense of a pawn.

Black immediately challenges the centre, and after 4.cxd5 exd5 we will have a position where white can give black an isolated queen's pawn. In fact, positions with an isolated queen's pawn for black were those championed by Kasparov on his way to the World Championship in 1984.(more)' See whole article

Dutch Leningrad 8.b3 Qa5[A88]-TWIC 974

TWIC 974
The 8.b3 Qa5 line has exploded in popularity. In the feature game, Gelfand lost on time in an equal position.

More on the FIDE GP Beijing

Published on Jul 6, 2013

GM Anish Giri and GM Boris Gelfand analyzing their game. FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013, Round 3. 

Gelfand,B (2773) - Giri,A (2734) 
Dutch Leningrad 8.b3 Qa5[A88]
FIDE GP Beijing 
Beijing CHN (3.2), 06.07.2013

Position 1
Black has more space from the pawn center but white leads in development. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

14...Rd8

Grunfeld 5.Qa4+[D90]-TWIC 975

TWIC 975
The 5.Qa4+ line is suddenly fashionable. GM Mamedyarov won the featured game decisively but Grunfeld players have no need to worry though as black has clear improvements.

More About the Tournament Beijing FIDE Grand Prix Rd9
Media coverage for the event was excellent.

Mamedyarov,S (2761) - Giri,A (2734)

Grunfeld 5.Qa4+[D90]

FIDE GP Beijing

Beijing CHN (9.5), 14.07.2013

Position 1
GM Giri had an interesting novelty that should have been good enough for equal play.

White to Play

11...Qa5

Position 2
Black continued to pile on the pressure with 15..Rad8. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play

15..Rad8