Simon Says: Learn from Ulf Andersson

by Simon Williams
7/27/2020 – In this "Simon Says", Simon leaves the sharp tactics aside and focuses on simplicity. In order to do so, he analyzes four games by Swedish endgame virtuoso Ulf Andersson! | Watch "Simon Says" for free and on-demand (for a limited time, or forever with a ChessBase Premium account). (Normally 16:00 UTC (18:00 CEST / 12 Noon EST). | Pictured: Andersson playing Anatoly Karpov in 1983. | Photo: Rob Bogaerts / Anefo
Simon Williams presents the London System, providing the theory you need for your games (7 h 16 min). In addition Williams also introduces into typical tactics and patterns in a seperate product. (53 games, 96 training questions and 3h 14 min)

Simplicity

Dennis Monokroussos wrote back in 2005: 

For most of us, if we're playing a peer and major exchanges occur, a quick draw is the likely result. Not so for Andersson. Even against the world's super-elite (a group in which he was included from the late 70s through the early 90s), exchanges were often not the prelude to a quick draw but the signal that it was time for his opponent to start suffering.

Every chess player should appreciate the genius and simplicity of Ulf Andersson's play. Ulf went by the philosophy of, 'Not always playing the best move, but a move which wasn't a mistake' and in this Simon Says I am going to take a deeper look at four of his games. Four games that we can all learn a great deal from.

Take a look at this position, played in Wijk aan Zee 1979. Andersson is playing none other than Georgian legend Nona Gaprindashvili.

 

White is clearly doing very well in this Endgame, but one thing that Ulf excelled at was precision in the Endgame. What very precise move did White play here?

(See the full game and the solution below)

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About Simon Says

In early 2015 Simon Williams launched his own show called "Simon says" after producing the first of his ChessBase video series. On a weekly basis (with breaks for tournaments and chess events) Simon entertains the chess world with attacking ideas, play strategies and witty manoeuvres on the chess board.

ChessBase Premium members have permanent access to the videos in the archive. Over 60 shows and counting have been published to date. Their lengths differ but most of them run for about 60 minutes.

Read more in Meeting Simon Williams.

Much more from Simon's shows in the archive at Videos.ChessBase.com

Recent Simon Says shows

Still more Simon

Simon's latest DVD series, "The Exciting Budapest Gambit" is now available. Check it out, starting with the sample below: 

Video sample

Simplicity

 

Simon Williams presents the London System, providing the theory you need for your games (7 h 16 min). In addition Williams also introduces into typical tactics and patterns in a seperate product. (53 games, 96 training questions and 3h 14 min)

Links

Simon Williams became a IM in 1998 and a GM in 2008. For the last 15 years he has concentrated on teaching, playing and making instructional chess DVDs. He also has a lot of experience commentating about chess. Being the regular commentator at the strongest and best open tournament in the world, Gibraltar. Simon Williams is the author of numerous chess books. His first chess book. 'Play the Classical Dutch' got voted, in New in Chess, as one of the top 10 chess books of all time. His playing style is very aggressive, preferring attacking chess to positional grinds. No wonder he produced two widely acclaimed ChessBase DVDs on the King's Gambit. More information about Williams can be found on his website.

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KRambo86 KRambo86 7/29/2020 11:17
Just amazing! Ulf is so instructive. Please do a part 2!
Bipolar Bipolar 7/27/2020 09:37
Simon knows, I say.
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