10/4/2023 – Nine teams still have a perfect score after three rounds in the open section of the European Club Cup in Albania. Offerspill, led by Magnus Carlsen, is one of these nine teams. The former world champion won his second consecutive game after replying to 1.e4 by 1...a6 against IM Bojan Maksimovic. In the women’s section, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana and Garuda Ajka BSK are sharing the lead with 6/6 match points each. | Photo: Niki Riga
new: Fritz 20
Your personal chess trainer. Your toughest opponent. Your strongest ally. FRITZ 20 is more than just a chess engine – it is a training revolution for ambitious players and professionals. Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of serious chess training, or already playing at tournament level, FRITZ 20 will help you train more efficiently, intelligently and individually than ever before.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before. FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
Renowned for its solidity and strategic soundness, it has been a cornerstone of the repertoires of elite grandmasters including Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi, who relied on it successfully in the Candidates Tournament.
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Nine teams still perfect
The nine teams with the highest rating averages in the open section of the European Club Cup all have collected 6/6 match points in the first three rounds of the event. Superchess, the top seeds, were the ones that had the toughest time in round 3, though, as they signed five draws against Azerbaijan’s Vugar Gashimov — Bogdan-Daniel Deac was the hero of the day for the Romanian squad, as he got the only win of the match.
All the remaining eight co-leaders scored at least 4 points on Tuesday. Offerspill, for example, beat SK Zmaj by a 5½-½ score. Magnus Carlsen, on the top board, played 1...a6 and still defeated Bojan Maksimovic. IM Robert Ris analysed the game on his YouTube channel.
In this video course, twenty-nine examples with multiple questions are presented in the interactive format, which is ideal for a range of playing strengths. Step by step you will be taken through the complex positions.
Richard Rapport and Vishy Anand made their debuts for Superchess in this year’s edition — both super-GMs signed draws | Photo: Niki Riga
Women’s: TAJFUN SK Ljubljana and Garuda Ajka BSK co-leaders
The results in the women’s section have not been as predictable, as only two teams still have a perfect score after three rounds: TAJFUN SK Ljubljana (5th seeds) and Garuda Ajka BSK (3rd). Ljubljana beat Superchess thanks to wins by Nataliya Buksa and Zala Uhr, while Garuda Ajka got the better of Teuta, with Zsoka Gaal scoring the sole victory for the Hungarian squad.
The Jobava London System is a minor form of the London System. White tries to play Lf4 quickly followed by Nc3.
The co-leaders will face each other in round 4, while the top seeds, Monte Carlo, will try to remain in the fight for first place by beating SP Gaz Ukraine.
Teuta vs. Garuda Ajka BSK, with Antoaneta Stefanova facing Bella Khotenashvili on the first board | Photo: Niki Riga
Carlos Alberto ColodroCarlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
Keep it simple. Stay objective. Watch the clock. Sometimes take the risk. GM Loek van Wely explains the ten principles that decide real games. They aren’t about theory. They’re about what you do at the board when it counts.
2026 Chess Olympiad with analyses by Abdusattorov, Donchenko, Duda, So and many more – ‘Rooks love open files’: Tactics training with Oliver Reeh – ‘Don’t underestimate it’: Caruana’s blitz weapon 1.e4 e5 2.d3 – Total Video playing time: over 6 hours!
Most players don’t lack the urge to attack, they just strike at the wrong moment, and GM Sipke Ernst shows you which signals tell you to go for the king and which tell you to choose another plan.
How grandmasters win without fireworks: GM Jan Markos shows you 11 very practical tips from "How to play in a lost position" to "Be patient like Carlsen" that will improve your tournament chess.
The Nimzo-Indian has stood the test of time for over a century: Still a top choice for elite players today, from Magnus Carlsen to Praggnanandhaa, it remains one of Black's most reliable ways to fight for real chances against 1.d4 2.c4 3.Nc3.
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