Meeting Nicholas Pert

by Nadja Wittmann
9/7/2018 – As we are privileged with so many interesting visitors and authors coming to the ChessBase office in Hamburg and frequenting our studio, we often try to grab them for a few quick questions to see how they are and what's new. This time it was GM Nicholas Pert who visited us in Hamburg in order to prepare a new Fritztrainer. Here's a short impromptu interview, and Nick was also a guest on Karsten Mueller's Endgame Magic show. | Photos: Nadja Wittmann
This French Defence DVD is a complete attacking opening repertoire for black after 1.e4 e6. GM Nick Pert has played the French defence his whole life and provides all his la test and most up to date analysis crammed into 1 DVD.

A short interview with Nicholas Pert

Which is your favourite DVD (of your own) and why?

My French Defense DVD was my favourite. It was the first DVD I recorded for Chessbase and I put a huge amount of effort into it. It is also an opening that is close to my heart as I have played it from a very young age. 

Nicholas Pert

What is your all lifetime motto over the board (and maybe also in life)?

If you don't try, you don't know.

What is it that you like most about playing chess?

The mental challenge is very interesting for me, but I guess the best feeling is when I play well and win games! It's hard to put it into words, but when you are passionate about anything, then you feel good when you are successful.

Do you think that you have enough time to spare also on non-chess-related activities?

With chess I am effectively self-employed so to a certain degree I can create as much free time as I like. Having said that I tend to have quite a busy schedule, so probably the answer is no!

Which is the ChessBase program that you use the most (and what for)?

ChessBase 14. I use it mainly for preparation and analysing games. 

Chess-wise speaking: What is crossing your mind these days?

I believe that I am at an age now where chess improvement is very difficult, so my goal is to try and win a big tournament in the next two to three years. I am less bothered by my FIDE rating now than I used to be.

Nicholas Pert | Foto: Nadja Wittmann (ChessBase)

What are you currently working on in the ChessBase studio?

I have been working on several DVDs recently for ChessBase. These include building a repertoire based on 1.d4 and Black openings such as the Classical Dutch.

What will be on your agenda next?

Soon I will be competing for England in the Batumi Olympiad, so this is the next major tournament for me.

Interview: Nadja Wittmann (ChessBase)

While in Hamburg, Nick was also a guest on Karsten Mueller's Endgame Magic show, which is free to watch.

David Howell vs. Nicholas Pert, London Open 2001 (annotations by GM Nicholas Pert)

In this game, I played against a young David Howell, now one of the strongest grandmasters in the UK.

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,185,00854%2421---
1.d4959,51055%2434---
1.Nf3286,50356%2441---
1.c4184,83456%2442---
1.g319,89256%2427---
1.b314,60054%2428---
1.f45,95448%2377---
1.Nc33,91150%2384---
1.b41,79148%2379---
1.a31,25054%2406---
1.e31,08149%2409---
1.d396950%2378---
1.g467046%2361---
1.h446654%2382---
1.c343951%2425---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411860%2461---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39366%2506---
1.Na34762%2476---
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2 David chose to play the mainline of the advance variation; 6.Be2. Other 6th move alternatives are covered in the game Korkmaz-Atalik in the DVD. Nge7 7.0-0 7.Na3 This is the main alternative to 0-0 when White hopes to protect his d4 pawn with the move Nc2 in many variations. cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Nc2 Qb6 When Black's typical plan is to move the c6 Knight and play Bb5 - trading off light-squared bishops. 10.h4 10.0-0 Na5 Trading off light squared bishops with the move Bb5 is a typical idea when Black will usually be able to equalise without much trouble. 11.g4 Ne7 12.Nfe1 Bb5 13.Nd3 h5 14.gxh5 Nf5∞ 0-1 (30) Shabalov,A (2631)-Shirov,A (2705)/Edmonton 2005/CBM 107 ext/ [Finkel,A] 10...Na5 Here Na5 with the idea of Bb5 is also effective. 11.g4 Ne7 12.h5 h6 13.b3 Bb5 14.Ba3 Nec6 15.Bxf8 Rxf8 16.0-0 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 0-0-0∞ 0-1 (40) Moskovic,D (2307)-Pert,N (2541)/England 2010/EXT 2011 7...Rc8 8.b3 Here David played the move 8.b3 which is generally not the most active plan as the Bishop will often be deployed to the b2 square for defensive purposes. Other options are shown, but in all lines, Black appears to be fine. 8.Be3 Nf5 8.Na3 cxd4 9.cxd4 9.Nb5 Nf5 10.g4 Nh4 9...Nf5 10.Nc2 Qb6 11.Kh1 Na5= With the standard plan of Bb5 against White's manoeuvre Na3-c2. 1-0 (35) Grischuk,A (2606)-Gulko,B (2643)/Esbjerg 2000/CBM 078 8.a3 Nf5 9.b4 cxd4 10.cxd4 a5 11.b5 Ncxd4 12.Nxd4 Rxc1 13.Qxc1 Nxd4 With good compensation. 8.dxc5 Ng6 9.Be3 Ncxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.b4 11.f4 Nc4 11...Be7 12.f4 Ng6= 8...Nf5 9.Bb2 Be7 10.Bd3 cxd4 11.Bxf5 exf5 12.Nxd4 David tries to play against the weak Black pawns, but White is simply too underdeveloped to take advantage of this with the b1 Knight, b2 Bishop and a1 Rook all out of the game. Nxe5 13.Re1 Ng6 14.Qf3 0-0 15.Qxd5 Bf6 16.Na3! 16.Nxf5 Walks into a little tactic. Nf4 17.Qf3 Nxg2 18.Kxg2 18.Qxg2 Bxf5-+ 18...Bc6 19.Re4 Re8 20.Ng3 Be5-+ The pin is decisive. 16...Bc6 17.Qxd8 Rfxd8 18.Nxc6 Rxc6 19.Nc4? 19.Rad1 This move was necessary in order for White to stay in the game. Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Ra6 21.Rd7 h6 22.Rxb7 Nf4 19...b5 20.Ne3 20.Na5 Rcc8 21.a3 Bxc3 20...b4 21.Nxf5? 21.Rad1 Rdc8 22.Nxf5 bxc3 23.Bc1 Is the best defence but Black clearly has a superior position with a passed pawn on c3. 21...bxc3 22.Rac1 Nf4 23.Ba3 Nd3 24.Be7 Re8 25.Bxf6 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Nxe1 27.Ne7+ Kf8 28.Nxc6 gxf6 Now Black wins a piece and the rest of the game is a formality. 29.Nd4 c2 30.Nxc2 Nxc2 31.Kf1 Nb4 32.a3 Nc2 33.a4 Ke7 34.Ke2 Nd4+ 35.Kd3 Nxb3 36.Kc4 Na5+ 37.Kb5 Nb7 38.Kc6 Nd8+ 39.Kc7 Ne6+ 40.Kc6 Kd8 41.g4 Nd4+ 42.Kb7 Nf3 43.h3 Ng5 44.h4 Nf3 45.Kxa7 Kc7 46.Ka6 Kc6 47.Ka5 Nxh4 48.Kb4 f5 49.g5 Nf3 50.Kc4 Nxg5 51.Kd4 h5 52.Ke3 h4 53.f4 Ne6 54.Kf3 Kb6 The French generally leads to interesting play with chances for both sides. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Howell,D2247Pert,N24510–12001C02London Open2

Interview with Nicholas Pert by Pascal Simon

This Slav DVD is a complete opening repertoire for black after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. GM Nick Pert has played the Slav defence for over 10 years and provides all his latest and most up to date analysis crammed into one video series. Nick has spent many hours studying the best Slav lines, and he explains his favourite variations, plus includes some interactive clips where the viewer is tested on a range of theoretical questions and tactics arising from Slav games.

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