Andrew Martin: Pure propaganda

It's ... the Andrew Martin Radio ChessBase Show

This week's radio show targets the subject matter for three Chessbase DVDs, two which are just out and the other about to be made.

The first game focuses on the Modern Slav with 4...a6, where GM attention is currently fixed on 5 c5, without doubt the most critical response. However, let's take a cheerful look at the following game, where after only 17 moves, Black has his d-pawn right in the middle of white's guts.

Krush,Irina (2436) - Arencibia,Walter (2539) [D15]
Montreal Empresa-B Montreal (4), 08.08.2006
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5 Nbd7 6.Bf4 Nh5 7.Bd2 Nhf6 8.Rc1 g6 9.h3 Qc7 10.g3 Bg7 11.Bf4 Qd8 12.Bg2 Nh5 13.Bd2 e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.e4 d4 17.Ne2 d3

We move then to the Alekhine, which I hope to demonstrate is still in fighting shape. Check out the following game, where 5...c6 will be examined.

Skripchenko,A (2456) - Conquest,S (2543) [B04]
II GM-Tage Pulvermuehle GER (9), 26.02.2004
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6

The Czech Benoni is an underrated weapon, an opening one either likes or dislikes intensely. Lev Aronian plays it extremely well

Zhao Xue (2478) - Aronian,Levon (2724) [A56]
WchT 6th badly-timed f4 Beersheba (7), 08.11.2005
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 Be7 6.Bd3 Nbd7 7.Nge2 h5 8.f3 h4 9.Be3 g6N

This is a very thematic game by Black where he does virtually everything right:

1. Keeps control of e5 thus nullifying f2-f4
2. Denies White access on the queenside
3. Exchanges off his bad bishop at just the right moment.
4. Eventually crashes through with a Kingside attack.

This week's puzzle

The puzzle....shouldn't be too tough for you this week . Please send your entries to andrew@andrewmartinchessacademy.com by 16:00 GMT this Wednesday.

Huschenbeth-Hebbinghaus, Hamburg 2005

White to move. Assess the position.

Solution to last week's puzzle

Solution: 1.Ba7!! f6 2.Nb6! Ke3 3.Nc4+ Kf3 4.Nd2 mate. With a beautiful symmetrical setting and superb long-range key move, this puzzle is almost unsurpassable in terms of quality. An outstanding problem.

There have been a few comments about the timing of the Radio Show. All I can do is apologise and state that I am going through a difficult divorce right now which is disrupting my life temporarily. Sorry. Thus this week's show will take place on Wednesday at 16:00 GMT / 17:00 CEST. I hope to get back to normality soon.

The Andrew Martin Chess Academy offers a personal game annotation service; a regular newsletter written by AMCA staff; the best online tuition in terms of value and quality; a series of tournaments for children aged under 14; all aspects of chess training, including specific opening preparation; an AMCA room at PlayChess.com, where lessons may be held in complete privacy with our expert tutors – all at a time that is best for you at any time of day or night, anywhere in the world. The motto: "Join us, Improve and enjoy your chess!"

Andrew Martin, chess trainer and teacher

He is not some unknown in the world of chess. Andrew Martin was the star commentator in the 2000 London match between Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, and he gained recent international fame and popularity with his live audio commentary on Playchess.com during the FIDE world championship in San Luis.

Andrew is also a prolific chess trainer, not just live in British scholastic circles, but also in a series of training DVDs he has produced for ChessBase, taking full advantage of our Chess Media System. His lively, entertaining style, combined with a good dash of humour, makes any lesson with him a delight to follow.

Andrew Martin is 47 years old and lives in Sandhurst, England, with his wife and four children. His book King‘s Indian Battle Plans for Thinkers Press was an international best-seller.

Each week Martin will cast his eye over the contemporary chess scene, presenting a veritable pot-pourri of interesting topics. We look forward to the pleasure of your company.

Andrew Martin: The Trompowsky – The easy way