4/13/2022 – After the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 Black usually chooses the classical Tarrasch Defence with 4...exd5. 4...cxd4, on the other hand, leads to the Schara von Hennig Gambit. Still quite popular in the 90s, this gambit went out of fashion in the meantime. But recently a series of online games at the highest level (above all thanks to Alexander Grischuk) generated new interest. Robert Ris presents the latest developments in his opening video for the ChessBase Magazine Extra #206. Watch an excerpt from his video analysis!
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Videos: Robert Ris shows the latest trends in the Schara-Hennig Gambit. Mihail Marin presents a Fianchetto setup against the Grünfeld and King's Indian. "Lucky bag" with over 80 analyses by Anish Giri, Nijat Abasov, Romain Edouard, Marie Sebag et al.
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Opening videos in ChessBase Magazine Extra #206
Robert Ris: Schara von Hennig Gambit
Robert Ris got the idea for this opening video while analysing the game between Wesley So and Alexander Grischuk (FTX Crypto Cup 2021). Even though the Russian lost the game in the end, it shows many typical aspects of this opening. And in the position after 19.Bd3
Grischuk even had the chance to gain an advantage with 19...Ng6. White is still not fully developed, while Black threatens to launch an attack on the kingside with Ng6-f4 and Qe6-g4.
But it wasn't only Grischuk who recently showed sympathy for the gambit - the most recent top game was played earlier this year in the Tata Steel Masters 2022: the World Champion tried 4...cxd4 against Sam Shankland and faced no opening problems in the game.
Video analysis by Robert Ris from CBM Extra #206 (excerpt)
Total video playing time CBM Extra #206: 33:58 min
In his video analysis Robert Ris not only provides you with a large number of concrete variations, he also presents typical strategic motifs (such as the move h7-h6 followed by the advance of the g-pawn to g4) and numerous tactical finesses, which often arise quite naturally thanks to the active play of Black’s pieces and the White’s lack in developmental. White therefore finds it difficult to maintain an advantage in this sharp opening against Black’s compensation. And if White feels compelled to return the extra pawn, Black will usually keep active play and often the initiative. "A lot of strong White players have gone wrong in the opening or even in an early middlegame. Just try it out in one of your own games and you will understand what sort of compensation Black is aiming for!"
Mihail Marin: The Fianchetto System against Gruenfeld and the King's Indian
The game between Magnus Carlsen and Jorden van Foreest at the Tata Steel 2022 saw a sharp battle, with the young Dutchman sacrificing two pawns and being rewarded with a draw in the end. At the start of the game the World Champion with White had chosen the Fianchetto System - a setup which Mihail Marin made his main weapon against the Gruenfeld and the King's Indian a good 30 years ago. In his video he explains - with recourse to games by Predrag Nikolic and other games by Carlsen and Van Foreest - the strategic ideas for both sides as well as typical plans (for White, for example, the move sequence Qd1-e2, Rf1-c1, Bg2-f1, followed by the advance of the queenside pawns). "The system is quite consistent for White. It can be played endlessly. Of course it does not guarantee that White will win but it offers him very good chances for a stable advantage and he can just play in a flowing way."”
"The brilliancy” of this issue is the game between Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Magnus Carlsen from the 2021 World Rapid Chess Championship - analysed by Anish Giri! A great fighting game in which the 17-year-old Uzbek downed the World Champion in 83 moves. And a few rounds later Abdusattorov was crowned the youngest ever world rapid chess champion!
In addition to “The brilliancy”, no less than 83 other games with detailed commentary await you in the "Lucky Bag" of this issue! Among them are analyses by Nijat Abasov, Romain Edouard, Anish Giri, Spyridon Kapnisi, Marie Sebag, Andrey Stukpoin and many others.
And last but not least: the Update service provides over 30,000 new games for your database!
Once again, almost the entire world's top players are represented!
The games of the Update Service are also included in the Mega Update Service 2022, which you can use with a ChessBase 15/16 program (and a corresponding subscription).
GM Blohberger presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
GM Blohberger presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
GM Blohberger presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
Opening videos: Sipke Ernst brings the Ulvestad Variation up to date + Part II of ‘Mikhalchishin's Miniatures’. Special: Jan Werle shows highlights from the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 in the video. ‘Lucky bag’ with 40 analyses by Ganguly, Illingworth et al.
In this video course, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov explores the fascinating world of King’s Indian and Pirc structures with colours reversed, often arising from the French or Sicilian.
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