Are the classics necessary?

by ChessBase
4/17/2024 – "I am a big fan of Aron Nimzowitsch," writes IM Zoran Petronijevic, who works as a chess trainer and lives in Nis (Serbia). "In yesterday's game Firouzja-Nepo, I found some ideas by him. We can often read that the study of the classical heritage of chess is completely unnecessary for advancing in chess, that the games of the classics are outdated, and that there is no (or almost no) benefit from them. I deeply disagree with that."

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I want to cite an example from modern practice, from the Candidate Tournament, where knowledge of the classics was almost decisive for understanding the position. It is about the game Firouzja-Nepomniachtchi, played in round 9 of the Candida.

Some comments are in the games. I didn't analyze the games in depth, I intended to show how important classics are. Maybe you can find this material useful. If not, nothing, in any case, I will use it for my students.

Learn from the Classics

Sagar Shah shows you on this DVD how you can use typical patterns used by the Master of the past in your own games. From opening play to middlegame themes.

Chess Classics - games you must know

As the author explains in the introductory video, knowing the classic games from the past enriches your chess understanding in general, and helps to improve the level of your own games.

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See also

Robert Ris’ Fast and Furious: Nepo plays the Petroff

4/14/2024 – In his new Fast & Furious episode, Robert Ris analyses a couple of games from the Candidates Tournament, specifically the two encounters in which Ian Nepomniachtchi played his beloved Petroff Defence with 6...Bd6. | Fast & Furious is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can <a href="https://account.chessbase.com/en/create-account" target="_blank">register a Premium account here</a>.
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See also

The other day on the h-file

4/13/2024 – In the diagram position White had very good reasons to play 26.Rh6! Do you see what White threatens with this move?
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Video

60m Beat the Slav the classical way

The Slav has become one of the most popular defences against the advance of the d-pawn on the first move, and every ambitious d4-player faces the question how to successfully tackle this opening in tournament practice. The strongest attempt is considered to be the move 4. Nf3, leading to interesting positions which promise White good chances to get an advantage. Black's main replies are 4. dxc4 and 4. e6. On this DVD Rustam Kasimdzhanov investigates in detail the line 4. dxc4, in which he has great experience. Showing selected grandmaster games, the ex-world champion shares his knowledge with the viewer to explain how White has to place his pieces and which plans he has at his disposal.Learn the secrets of the dxc4-line and improve your chances of success with 1.d4