Carlsen and his hippopotamus

by ChessBase
7/6/2023 – The column "All in One" was introduced in in ChessBase Magazine about four years ago. On the basis of a single, but very extensively annotated game, you learn everything you need to know about a specific opening line. A compact format with which you can improve your know-how without much effort. In the current ChessBase Magazine #214 Igor Stohl introduces you to the Hippopotamus setup, a system that can be used with Black against practically anything.

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Carlsen and his hippopotamus

Igor Stohl presents the Hippopotamus setup

Igor Stohl devotes this time to the so-called Hippopotamus setup, which can be used by Black against almost any white opening. His sample game starts with Black's normal moves of the Modern Defense: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 (...Nf6 here and in the sequel would lead over to the Pirc Defense) 5.a4 b6

Thus the black double fianchetto is programmed. 6.Bc4 ((of course White has a variety of development options, which are also explored by the author, Carlsen himself chose 6.Bd3, for example) e6 7.0-0 Ne7

The black king's knight is developed. In contrast to the Pirc move ...Sf6, the Bg7 keeps a clear view and the possible white center advance e4-e5 would come to nothing. 8.Re1 Bb7 9.Bf4 (9.Be3!? prevents later ...g5 with tempo) Nd7 10.Qd2 h6

With this, Black has made all 10 moves that characterize the 'Hippo'. He has an extremely flexible pawn formation, which makes it difficult for the opponent to find a concrete plan - ideal for games with short time limit. White, of course, has the advantage of space. The game continues with 11.Rad1 (10.h4 prevents the following expansion, but leaves a square weakness: 10...Nf6 11.Rad1 Ng4!) 11...g5 12.Bg3 Ng6 13.h3 0-0

Black has completed the development and gained some space on the kingside, where he plans to become active at the right moment with the advance ...f5. White should by no means rely only on his 'healthy position', but try to find starting points for concrete play on his part. After 14.Nh2 Kh8 (14...Kh7 was probably more accurate) 15.Nf1 Nf6 16.Qe2 Qd7

White took the initiative in the rapid game Tomashevsky,E - Carlsen,M 0-1 with 17.e5! (finally contact with the enemy!).

You can find the detailed analysis by Igor Stohl in the new ChessBase Magazine #214!

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Highlights of CBM #214

From the World Championship match Ding Liren against Ian Nepomniachtchi to repertoire ideas for Dutch, Najdorf or Scandinavian or the series "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" Part 4 by Dr. Karsten Mueller:

Over 7 hours of video playing time with U14 World Champion Ilamparthi, Ivan Sokolov, Jan Markos, Mihail Marin, Dorian Rogozenco et al.

Top games and master analyses

World Championship 2023: Anish Giri, Hou Yifan, Sam Shankland and Wesley So comment on the most important games of a highly entertaining duel.

TePe Sigeman: The veteran Peter Svidler put several young top players in their place at the tournament in Malmö. Analyses of the tournament winner as well as Abhimanyu Mishra, Boris Gelfand, Nils Grandelius and Jorden van Foreest.

Special: Boris Spassky

CBM authors analyse their favourite game of the 10th World Champion. An exclusive collection of 27 annotated games from the period 1949 to 1989 awaits you!

All in One

The Hippopotamus Defence – a setup against everything! Igor Stohl dissects the game Tomashevsky-Carlsen with the opening moves 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 5.a4 b6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 Ne7 8.Re1 Bb7 9.Bf4 Nd7 10.Qd2 h6

Ilamparthi: How I got U14 World Champion

With 9.5 out of 11, the now 14-year-old Ilamparthi won the 2022 U14 World Championship. Play through the decisive moments of his games together with Sagar Shah and the young champion - in interactive format with video feedback!

Opening videos

Ivan Sokolov checks Gukesh's novelty and pawn sacrifice 9.Qc2 in the Catalan from the Menorca Open 2023 - "excellent preparation by Gukesh!" Sipke Ernst examines the novelty 8.h4 in the Ragozin Variation, which was discussed in the duel between his compatriots Van Foreest and Giri at the Tata Steel tournament 2023. And Mihail Marin takes up the opening line 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Be2 Nc6 5.0-0, which came up on the board in the 12th game of the World Championship match, among others.

Ivan Sokolov: Catalan
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Bg2 b5 7.Ne5 a6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.Qc2
Sipke Ernst: Queen's Gambit Ragozin Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 Ne4 7.Rc1 Nc6 8.h4
Mihail Marin: Queen's Pawn Opening
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Be2 Nc6 5.0-0

New ideas for your repertoire

From the Dutch to the King’s Indian –ChessBase Magazine #214 comes with 11 opening articles and lots of new ideas!

Kapnisis: Dutch 1.d4 f5 2.e4Lorenzini: Scandinavian 3…Qa5 with 7.Ne5
Postny: Caro-Kann Exchange Variation 6.h3 e5
Ris: Sicilian Sveshnikov 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nab1
Quintiliano: Najdorf Poisoned Pawn Variation (I)
Papp: French Winawer Variation 5.Bd2 (Part I)
Grigoriants: Italian for insiders 10...Re8
Rosell: Ruy Lopez Delayed Steinitz 4.Ba4 d6
Kuzmin: QG Exchange 6.Bf4 c6 7.e3 Bf5 8.Nh4!?
Sumets: Catalan 6.0-0 dxc4 7 Ne5 Qd6
Szabo: King's Indian 5.Be2 0-0 6.h4

Topical opening traps

"Queens: flexible, lively or even dancing" - Rainer Knaak presents eight traps from current tournament practice. Including three FritzTrainer videos!

Move by Move

Robert Ris chose the eighth game of the World Championship match between Ding Liren and Ian Nepomniachtchi for his interactive video – a fascinating game in which the new World Champion missed the win, however.

Modern Classics

The Karpov-Yussupov game (1983) is a "real masterpiece of positional play". In this game, the then World Champion demonstrated in an exemplary manner how to prevent any active play on the part of his opponent through perfect prophylaxis.

Practical tips for the tournament player: Symmetrical positions

Should you aim for symmetrical positions if you want to play safe in a game? Jan Markos explains what is important in these positions and why small differences are of great importance!

All-rounder Boris Spassky

Strategy expert Mihail Marin sheds light on the strategy of the 10th World Champion on the basis of games before he won the World Championship title in 1969 - because as Korchnoi once said, Spassky played his best chess sometime between 1958 and 1963.

Tactics all the way!

In the tactics article with 45 games, our expert Oliver Reeh has compiled material for more than one training session. His four favourite combinations are best solved move by move in the interactive video format with feedback function!

Fundamental Endgame Knowledge Part 4: King+Pawn vs. King+Pawn

Karsten Mueller continues his training series. Following an introductory video, your technique is called for in three interactive videos! In addition, Mueller provides a contribution with the most beautiful endgames by Boris Spassky (video introduction + analyses). 

 Order now in the ChessBase Shop  – Single issue € 21.90!

ChessBase Magazine trial subscription with 33% savings advantage and thank you bonus!*

Try out ChessBase Magazine now! Order the ChessBase Magazine taster package!
Read ChessBase Magazine for 6 months (= 3 issues) for the special price of only € 44.90 € (instead of € 65,70 for buying them individually). As a thank you, you will also receive 3 months ChessBase Premium Membership free of charge. 

*Bonus for new subscribers only, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months!

ChessBase Magazine one year subscription - plus original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB *

Save twice with ChessBase Magazine: For the annual subscription to ChessBase Magazine you’ll pay only € 109.90 per year (compared to € 131.40 for the 6 individual issues).

* Bonus only for new subscribers, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months! As a new subscriber you will receive the original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB


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