2/5/2016 – Former FIDE-World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov enjoys the reputation of being one of the world's best theoreticians. A lot of top players and federations are very keen to hire him as opening trainer. For ChessBase users things are more easy: they only need to get hold of one of his DVDs. For instance about the Main Line of the Classical French. Review...
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2025 European Championship with a German double victory and analyses by Bluebaum, Svane, Rodshtein, Yuffa, Navara and many more. Opening videos by Engel, King and Marin. Training sections “The Fortress”, “The Trap” and “Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" etc.
€21.90
The Classical French - Main Line: A Review
By Robert Klenk
Rustam “Kasim” Kasimdzhanov, former FIDE-World Champion, is known as one of the strongest opening experts in the world. After his DVD on The new McCutcheon this is his second ChessBase DVD dedicated to the French Defense.
Content
Kasimdzhanov gives an overview about currently popular variations arising after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3, and now 7. ... a6 or 7....cxd4. The lines beginning with 7. ...Be7 and 7. ... Qb6 are not treated. Kasimdzhanov does not propose a repertoire, but in 26 video-clips he discusses the chances and possibilities the various lines offer both sides. At the end of each clip he offers an evaluation how the line might develop and where best to look for future novelties. Fifteen exercises finally allow the reader to test and to solidify what he or she has learned.
The four main lines are treated in four separate databases which (after adapting them to your personal preferences) might form the basis of a repertoire database. Added to this are 112 illustrative games.
Every sub-variation is given the name of a current top-player: Illustrious names such as Karjakin, Nakamura, Caruana, and many more, show that the world's best players still play and research this ageless opening.
Assessment
Depending on the character of the position „Kasim“ has a very different approach: in some lines he is very concrete and discusses the critical variations in considerable detail. In more strategic positions he first shows the basic ideas and plans and then goes into more detail.
The DVD is indeed geared to „Tournament player/Professional". If a world class player shows analyses that go 20 moves deep or even deeper, the average punter of course has a lot of questions. Without analysing on your own with the help of an engine or with a strong trainer you just scratch the surface. Personally, it worked quite well for me to have a look at everything first and then pick a variation which I would analyse in more detail - followed by some thematic blitz games with Fritz or an interested club member, and then off we go to test the line in tournaments - the others, after all, put their pants the same way on as you ...
To finish, a word about Kasimdzhanov's presentation: one can only compliment the author whose style gets more fluid and more natural with every DVD. You positively notice his routine and experience.
Summary
An ambitious, in-depth work of a world class player, which provides the target group with a lot of general ideas and even more concrete topical lines. And for French aficionados - no matter how strong they are - it is an absolute must-have anyway ...
Sample Video
Rustam Kasimdzhanov: The Classical French - Main Line
• Video running time: 5 hours 05 min (English)
• With interactive training including video feedback
• Exclusive database with over 50 essential games plus analysis of variations by Kasimdzhanov
• Including CB 12 Reader
€29.90
€25.13 without VAT (for Customers outside the EU)
$27.14 (without VAT)
This DVD can be purchased as a hard copy or it can be downloaded directly from the Internet, that way sparing you the few days needed for it to arrive by post.
In this course, you’ll learn how to take the initiative against the London and prevent White from comfortably playing their usual system by playing 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 Nh5.
London System Powerbase 2026 is a database and contains in all 11 285 games from Mega 2026 and the Correspondence Database 2026, of which 282 are annotated.
The London System Powerbook 2026 is based on more than 410 000 games or game fragments from different opening moves and ECO codes; what they all have in common is that White plays d4 and Bf4 but does not play c4.
In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
Opening videos: Open Spanish (Sipke Ernst) and Classical Sicilian (Nico Zwirs). Endgame Special by Igor Stohl: ‘Short or long side’ – where should the defending king be placed in rook endgames? ‘Lucky bag’ with 35 master analyses.
YOUR EASY ACCESS TO OPENING THEORY: Whether you want to build up a reliable and powerful opening repertoire or find new opening ideas for your existing repertoire, the Opening Encyclopaedia covers the entire opening theory on one product.
The Queen’s Gambit Declined Exchange Variation with 5.Bf4 has a great balance between positional play and sharp pawn pushes; and will be a surprise for your opponents while being easy to learn for you, as the key patterns are familiar.
€9.90
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