3/21/2012 – "A competitive player always needs a back-up opening for when things just
aren't going right or you know your opponent is booked-up on your pet line,"
writes Setven Dowd in Chess Cafe. "The
Nimzo-Indian is my back-up opening. That is why I particularly wanted to review
this DVD and I was not disappointed." This new Fritz Trainer includes a
database of 360,000 Nimzo-Indian games.
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In this two-part course the emphasis will be on typical pawn-structures. “Open and half-open files” and “the pawn chain” will be covered extensively on this video course. New: now also available as stream!
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€79.90
Sergei
Tiviakov: No fear of 1.d4 (Vol. 2)
Review by Steven B. Dowd
No Fear of 1. d4! Vol. 2, Nimzo-Indian (DVD), Sergei Tiviakov, ChessBase,
Playing Time: 5 hours, 36 minutes. $34.95 (ChessCafe Price: $28.95)
A competitive player always needs a back-up opening for when things just aren't
going right or you know your opponent is "booked-up" on your pet line.
The Nimzo-Indian is my back-up opening. It is a defense that stresses active
play while remaining positionally sound. This was one reason I particularly
wanted to review this DVD and I was not disappointed. Tiviakov is a lifelong
player of the Nimzo-Indian, and is an enthusiastic presenter. Included on the
DVD is a database of 360,000 Nimzo-Indian games, a database of all Nizmo-Indian
games played by the author, and a database of selected, annotated Nimzo-Indian
games.
Tiviakov is also a very honest presenter and notes your repertoire won't be
complete unless you also buy Volume
One of this series, covering the Catalan and Queen's Indian. The one great
weakness of the trainer is that almost all the real analysis starts in the middlegame.
So, those who have no experience in the opening may be disappointed.
There also seems to be too much focus on specific moves rather than the ideas
behind the opening. Recent trainers have all explored ideas in greater depth
than this one, and I believe that to be a very good thing. This makes the DVD
less useful for lower-rated players. who need to learn the ideas first, and
for players who, like me, were never good at memorizing opening sequences (and
age hasn't helped). When Tiviakov does hit on an idea, it is brief and quickly
over with comments such as, "White cannot organize an advance of the pawn
majority." Just a few seconds on the "why" would have been of
great assistance. A big help in understanding why a line was equal or better
for one side is to explore the lines with Fritz.
Where ideas are given more attention is in the late opening and early middlegame
structures. For example, the real analysis and discussion occurs at move fourteen
in the following game:
[Event "Voronezh"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1986.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Obukhov"]
[Black "Tiviakov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/ppq2ppp/2n2n2/2p5/3PP3/P2B1N2/2Q2PPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 14"]
[PlyCount "21"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2012.03.22"]
{Black played} 14... Bg4 $1 {The game continued} 15. Qxc5 (15. e5 Bxf3 16. exf6
Nxd4 17. Bxh7+ Kh8 18. fxg7+ Kxg7 19. Bb2 Rad8 20. gxf3 Rh8 21. Kh1 Rxh7 22.
Rg1+ Kh8 23. Rg3 Qe5 24. Rag1 Rh4 $6 25. Qc1 $1 {with the idea of Qf1-g2.} (25.
f4 Qe7 26. f3 {as a means of line-clearance to get the white queen to g2 looks
even better to me.}) 25... Kh7 (25... Qh5 {may hold.}) 26. Qb1+ Kh8 27. Qf1 {
and White is winning, as in the famous loss by Garry Kasparov against Sokolov
at Wijk aan Zee, 1999.}) 15... Bxf3 $1 16. gxf3 Qd7 17. d5 Ne5 18. Be2 Qh3 19.
Qe3 Nxd5 20. exd5 Ng6 21. Qg5 Rxe2 22. Qg4 Qxg4+ 23. fxg4 Re4 24. Rd1 Rxg4+ {
and Black won the endgame, his advantage is clear.} 0-1
This DVD is a good investment if you are serious about the Nimzo-Indian and
can follow the theoretical lines in this depth. A lower-rated player should
consult a book that covers the basic ideas of the opening before proceeding.
At about 1600, you can probably digest everything the presenter gives you with
multiple viewings. Recommended, with the above reservations.
My assessment of this product: Good (four out of six stars)
Video sample: No fear of 1.d4! Vol. 2 - Nimzo-Indian
Sergei Tiviakov, roving reporter
Sergei Tiviakov, born in 1973 in Krasnodar (Soviet Union), was a member of
the Smyslov school and gained the titles of World Youth Champion at the U16
and U18 levels. In the PCA World Championships he reached the Candidates' Matches
in 1994; in the same year he represented Russia in the Chess Olympiads. Although
he has considered himself a professional chess player since 1989, Tiviakov also
finished a degree in agricultural economics. Since 1997 Tiviakov has been living
in Groningen and has become a naturalised citizen of the Netherlands. With his
new home country he won the title in the European Teams Championships in both
2001 and 2005, and was victorious in the championship of the Netherlands in
2006 and 2007. Tiviakov celebrated his biggest success in 2008, when he won
the Individual European Championship.
The author of our latest DVD has a professional hobby: to play in tournaments
in distant, geographically and culturally interesting places. He not only descends
on exotic locations, usually winning the tournament – he also finds time to
take a large number of pictures and send us reports with descriptions of what
he has seen. Here is a selection of recent articles:
Tiviakov wins First Panama Chess Open 09.11.2011 – Do not ask us how he does it –
we have no idea! But Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov somehow manages to (1) travel
to the most exotic places in the world, (2) win the tournaments staged
there, and (3) send us a huge batch of photos he has taken during his
stay. Here are his pictorial impressions of a rare Middle American event,
and the solution
to our Panama Canal quiz question.
Tiviakov wins 5th Leiden Chess Tournament 18.07.2011 – One round before the end it looked
as though Predrag Nikolic would wrap it up. But the Bosnian GM had to
face his closest rival, GM Sergey Tiviakov of Holland, who won the crucial
game and the tournament. Sergey not only did that, but periodically supplied
us with pictures from Leiden and, this time, Scheveningen, where a famous
opening was invented. Final
report.
Tiviakov wins and reports on the Eforie Nord Festival 02.07.2011 – This event was marred by a warning
issued by the Romanian Chess Federation that the tournament had not been
sanctioned and organisers were not to be trusted. The final winner, GM
Sergey Tiviakov said that he was well treated and received good conditions.
The Black Sea venue was spectacular and Sergey went on not just to win
the tournament but also send us this beautiful
pictorial report.
Chess and general impressions from Luanda 22.05.2011 – The CUCA International Chess in
Angola's capital of Luanda is a generously staged event in an exotic part
of the world. We have problems coming by the games, but two of the participants,
Romanian-born WGM Alina l'Ami and GM Sergey Tiviakov, originally Russia
– both now live in Holland – took time off to explore the town and its
culture. From them we have received this giant
pictorial report.
CUCA International in Angola 18.05.2011 – In a sign of the enormous reconstruction
efforts being made in Angola, the CUCA international Chess event is being
held in the capital Luanda. The Open brought star chess globetrotters,
Nigel Short and Sergey Tiviakov, not to mention the generous prize fund,
and the Women's event has also been given its due. With his tireless camera,
here is a large
pictorial by Sergey Tiviakov.
Tiviakov wins 19th Fajr Open – and goes caving! 10.03.2011 – In another display of Iran's vibrant
chess community, after the recent world records set in giant simuls, the
19th Fajr Open was held, bringing together 25 GMs, 15 IMs and 10 FMs.
This event allows Iranian players a rare opportunity to seek title norms
in their home country. It was won by Sergey Tiviakov. No games are available,
but Sergei sent us underground
photographic impressions.
19th Fajr Open under way 28.02.2011 – This exotic open tournament is
staged regularly in the north-western part of Iran, very close to eastern
Turkey, northern Iraq, southern Armenia and Azerbaijan. Amongst the participants
are 25 GMs, 15 IMs and 10 FMs. Nine GMs are rated 2600+. After three rounds
there are 24 players with perfect scores. One of them, GM Sergey Tiviakov,
sent us this pictorial
report from Fajr.
Wijk 04: Ivanchuk beats van Wely, Shirov wins yet again 19.01.2010 – Vassily Ivanchuk needed 26 moves
to finish off Loek van Wely. Magnus Carlsen had Nigel Short on the ropes,
but let the British GM escape with a draw. Kramnik was in trouble against
Tiviakov but survived. Alexei Shirov scored his fourth win in succession,
to lead with a 4.0/4 score and a 3483 performance. You'd think that was
a record, but he will have to win the next five games to do that. Curious?
Tiviakov takes Univé Hoogoveen with a single win 24.10.2009 – Certainly an unusual four-player
double round robin. In this "Crown Group" all games but one were draw,
so that the winner of that game, Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov, came in first,
and the loser, Judit Polgar, last. Vassily Ivanchuk and Anish Giri scored
50%. In the Univé Open English GM Steward Haslinger was first by a full
point. Final
report.
Drozdovskij, wins Bhubaneswar Open 18.06.2009 – The First SCS International Open
GM tournamnent hosted more than 80 title holders, was held in the state
of Orissa, India. Five players tied for first, with Ukrainian GM Yuri
Drozdovskij taking first on tiebreak points. We bring you games and results,
plus a spectacular travelogue on this very popular tourist spots in India
by GM Sergey Tiviakov. Enjoy
the temples and animals.
ChessBase photo reporter Tiviakov wins Politiken Cup 28.07.2008 – He spends an inordinate amount
of time taking pictures, selecting and sorting them, giving them proper
file names, so that the editors can make proper reports. Somewhere in
the middle of it all Dutch GM Sergey Tiviakov finds time to actually participate,
play his games – and even to win. He took the Politiken Cup 2008 in Helsingør,
Denmark on tiebreak points. Illustrated
(of course) report.
IV Torneo Internacional Abierto de Ajedrez “Alajuela
2008” 14.07.2008 – We ask you: is it polite to belch
sulfurous steam, smoke and ash behind a strong grandmaster? Well that
is what Volcan Poaz, just a few meters higher than Sergey Tiviakov's Elo
rating, did in Costa Rica, where the the Alajuela chess event was held.
We don't have all the games, but we did get some spectacular images, including
GM Tiviakov's impressions
of tropical Central America.
Dominguez Perez wins the 43rd Capablanca Memorial 22.05.2008 – It was the 43rd edition of a great
and prestigeous event, and was won by Cuba's top GM Lenier Dominguez Perez,
who took clear first with 6.0/9 points. Unfortunately no games are yet
available from Havana, Cuba, where the event took place. But: we have
received splendid pictures and impressions from one of the players. Enjoy
part one of Sergey Tiviakov's pictorial
report from Cuba.
The fascinating Maroczy System 16.11.2007 – Sergei Tiviakov is not only one
of the leading Dutch grandmasters but also a fighter for creative chess
– for instance in the Sicilian Maroczy system, which is the topic of one
of his new training DVDs. As John Donaldson put it in his review, "no
one in the world understands the Black side of the Maroczy as well as
Tiviakov". Buy
'The Marcozy System' now or read more.
IV Calvia Chess Festival in Magaluf 15.10.2007 – This annual event started on October
6th (with an amateur open). It is taking place in Majorca, which is part
of the Balearic Islands archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Which means
the climate is balmy and the landscape lush. The big International Open
begins today, with lots of grandmasters. One of them, Sergey Tiviakov
of Holland, has submitted a pictorial
report.
Chinese dragon wins Canadian Open 16.07.2007 – Chinese super-GM Bu Ziangzhi is
a man of few words, but many powerful moves. He demonstrated his class
last week at the 2007 Canadian Open Chess Championship in Ottawa, the
capital of Canada. In a field crowded with more than twenty GMs, including
Nigel Short, Vadim Milov, Sergey Tiviakov and Kamil Miton, Bu finished
clear first. Big
illustrated report.
Tomsk wins the Russian Team Championships 13.05.2007 – The team from Tomsk-400
won the Russian Team Championship with a perfect 9/9 score. The victorious
team included Morozevich, Jakovenko, Karjakin, Kasimdzhanov and Bologan.
Second was Ural Ekaterinburg, which fielded Radjabov, Grischuk,
Shirov and Akopian. Big photo report by Sergey Tiviakov, who for some
reason mainly concentrated
on the women's section.
Russian Team Championships in Sochi 03.05.2007 – Two high-class fields of men's
and two of women's teams are competing, with ten GMs rated over 2700.
With Ivanchuk, Morozevich, Gelfand, Grischuk, Radjabov, Karpov and Korchnoi.
Our photo correspondent GM Sergei Tiviakov has sent us a first batch of
pictures, mysteriously only from the women's section. You will see some
well-known and some new faces. Enjoy.
Videos: Romain Edouard starts his series "Critical Lines in the Dragon", Leon Mendonca shows Caro-Kann (3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.N1e2). "Lucky bag" with 44 annotated games - analyses by Kapnisis, Mikhalchishin, Sasikiran and many others!
Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!
Let us explore together how the rooks should enter the game in the early middlegame, how they operate on open files and how they sometimes join a deadly attack, being transferred in front of the pawn chain and many more topics!
Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!
Ruy Lopez Powerbase 2023 is a database and contains a total of 10947 games from Mega 2023 and the Correspondence Database 2022, of which 1232 are annotated.
In this 60 Minutes video course you will learn the ins-and-outs of the Grivas Sicilian which starts after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6!
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