12/17/2022 – The Dragon grandmaster is back with an interesting game for all you Sicilian lovers. Two U16 talents battled it out in the last European Youth Chess Championship 2022. But before this game is thoroughly presented by Chris Ward, first, we take a closer look at a recent game between Arjun Erigaisi and Fabiano Caruana. Nonetheless, in the second game, the Topalov Variation is on the board, and the British GM shows us some very interesting lines, plans, and ideas with this system. | Photo: John Upham
Tata Steel 2023: Analyses by Giri, Van Foreest, Praggnanandhaa, Donchenko and many more. "Special" on Anthony Miles. Kasimdzhanov, Marin and Zwirs show new opening ideas from Wijk in the video. 11 opening articles with repertoire ideas and much more!
In this first part, the emphasis is on themes and ideas whereas Part 2 and 3 focus on theoretical knowledge!
With the new ChessBase series "The Monthly Dragon", the passionate Salsa dancer is showing us the newest tactics, plans, and development of this fascinating opening.
Lucky for us, the dragon is an opening, played by some of the best players in the world. This means, Chris probably won't run out of fuel for new content.
Full analysis by Chris Ward
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1.e4
1,165,570
54%
2421
---
1.d4
946,474
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
281,312
56%
2441
---
1.c4
181,937
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,688
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,236
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,886
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,796
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,753
48%
2380
---
1.a3
1,197
54%
2403
---
1.e3
1,068
48%
2408
---
1.d3
948
50%
2378
---
1.g4
662
46%
2361
---
1.h4
446
53%
2374
---
1.c3
426
51%
2425
---
1.h3
279
56%
2416
---
1.a4
108
60%
2468
---
1.f3
91
47%
2431
---
1.Nh3
89
66%
2508
---
1.Na3
42
62%
2482
---
Please, wait...
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g66.Be3Bg77.f30-08.Qd2Nc69.Bc49.0-0-0d510.exd5Nxd511.Nxc6bxc612.Bd4Bxd413.Qxd4Qb614.Na4Qc715.Nc5Rd816.Bc4Bf517.Bb3Nb618.Qe3Rxd1+19.Rxd1Qxh220.g4Nd521.Qd4e522.Qd2Qxd2+23.Rxd2Be624.Re2Kg7?!24...Nf425.Rxe5Bxb326.axb3Rd827.g5Rd525.g5!Bf526.Bxd5cxd527.Rxe5Rd828.b4Kf829.Kd2Rd630.f4f631.Re3Rb632.a3d433.Re1a534.c3dxc3+35.Kxc3axb4+36.axb4fxg537.fxg5Rb838.Ra1Ke739.Ra7+Kd640.Rxh7Ra841.Kc4Ra142.Kb5Rb143.Rh2Ke544.Rf2Kd445.Ka5Kc446.Rf4+Kd547.Kb6Rg148.b5Rxg549.Rf2Rg450.Rd2+Rd451.Rf2Rb452.Na6Rb153.Nc7+Ke454.Kc5Ke355.Rg2Be456.Rh2g50-1 (56) Caruana,F (2766)
-Erigaisi,A (2718) chess.com INT 20229...Bd710.0-0-0Rc811.Bb3Nxd412.Bxd4b513.Nd513.h4a514.a4?bxa415.Nxa4Bxa416.Bxa4Rc413.Bxa7b414.Nd5Nxd515.exd5Qa516.Bd4Rxc2+17.Qxc217.Bxc2Qxa217...Rc813.e5dxe514.Bxe5Bc613...Nxd514.Bxg7Kxg715.exd5a516.a3Qb6The main focus being on the immediate withdrawal of
the king from exposure via16...Kg8For example17.Rhe1Rc518.Re3b419.axb4axb420.Qxb4Qa8In this game though Black adopts a different
approach although activating the queen in this manner now, covering the
d4-square and supporting a ...b4 advance isn't unusual.17.g4First and
foremost this deprives Black's light-squared bishop access to f5 although
played here with the rook still on h1, the inference is that White could still
have an h-file assault on the black king in mind.I don't think17.Qd4+Qxd418.Rxd4offers White anything. When a white pawn transfers to d5, there
is always going to be pressure along the e-file but whilst Black will have to
negotiate defending the e7-pawn, actuallyf5feels like a reasonable
response. Sure a hole is created on e6 but the bishop covers that whilst f6 is
made available as an active safe-haven for the black king.Instead17.Rhe1Rfe8Also intriguing though is17...h5intending18.Rxe7Bf5
A serious threat is ...a4 to help get at c2 whilst19.c3could be met by
the immediate 19...b4 or the activatingRfe8e.g.20.Rde1Rxe721.Rxe7Qg1+with clear counterplay.18.g4sees a black rook tied down to
guarding e7 first but there is no h-file threat looming and so evenRb8
seems plausible, not yet committing to ...b4.17...Rc7Potentially looking
to offer lateral support to the e7-pawn and of course the bishop but most
pertinently preparing to gang up against c2.Given White opted not to force
Black's king's rook to e8, Black could certainly take advantage of that through
17...f5whilst17...e518.dxe6Bxe6is also playable. Probably19.Kb1is then best with perhaps a little niggle.19.Qxd6??Qxd620.Rxd6Bxb3blunders a piecewith19.Bxe6fxe620.Qxd6Qxd621.Rxd6Rxf322.Rxe6Rf223.c3b4offering Black adequate action for the pawn.18.h418.Kb1Rfc8(threatening ...a4)19.Rc1feels a tad passive withRb8then
preparing ... a4 followed by ...b4. e.g.20.Rhe1a421.Ba2b422.axb4Qxb423.Qxb4Rxb424.Rxe7Rcb725.b3Rf418...a4There isn't time for18...Rfc819.h5!a4now because20.hxg6is a crushing h-file attack.19.Ba2The same can't of course be said about19.h5?axb320.hxg6Rxc2+
as White needs the queen!19...Rfc820.Bb1Black was definitely looking
to trade the rooks for the white queen with for example20.h5?Rxc2+21.Qxc2Qe3+!22.Kb1Rxc223.Kxc2Qxf3massively in his favour.The text
of course looks passive but the alternative20.c3b4!21.axb4Qxb4
would have left Black with a handy queenside initiative and after22.h5
, crashing through withRxc3+!23.bxc3Rxc3+20...h5!?Basically
fighting for control of the f5-square so the bishop can park itself there to
continue the assault on c2.20...b421.Qxb421.axb4?a3?22.bxa3Qa6?23.Qd4+f624.Rd3was suddenly good for White in the only other outing
of this type Weichhold,P (2133)-Wesolowski, E (1866) Chotowa 2009 but 21...
Rc4! would have been advantage Black.21...Qe3+22.Qd2Qxf3would be
double-edged.21.Rde1Upon21.gxh5then we would seeRxc2+!22.Bxc2Bf5when both23.Qd4+and23.hxg6Rxc2+24.Qxc2Bxc225.Kxc2Kxg623...Qxd424.Rxd4Rxc2+25.Kd1Rxb2are imbalanced endgames with about
equal chances.21...b4Not a bad move but missing the beautiful21...Rc4‼which prepares the same move but without White having the option to trade
queens. Highlighting its strength, here for example22.Rxe7b423.Rxd7or
23.axb4Rxb4with ...Rxb2 if allowed, crashing through.23...bxa3!24.bxa3Rb8would see the black queen descend on b2 (or b1!) to devastating
effect.22.Qxb4Qxb4Definitely still not bad although22...Qf2!?
might have been a little more in the spirit of things.23.axb4hxg424.Rxe7?!This doesn't work out well but actually both24.fxg4Bxg4and24.h5gxf3leave Black for preference.24...gxf3Right now things are looking
good for Black!25.Rf1?!Kf8?Sadly missing25...Bh3‼when26.Rxc7Neat is that whilst26.Ree1Bxf127.Rxf1Re8is obviously good, 26..
.Re8 is even stronger with the same concept.26...Bxf127.Rxc8f2would
leave White unable to stop Black's rampant f-pawn.26.Re3Bg4Still Black
is very much for preference but the outcome of this game is a travesty!27.c3a328.Ba2Upon28.bxa3Rxc3+29.Rxc3Rxc3+30.Kb2Re331.a4Bh332.Rf2Re2+33.Rxe2fxe2the e-pawn will promote.28...Re729.Rxe7Kxe730.bxa3Rxc3+31.Kb2Re332.Bc432.a4Bh3!would be as above.32...Bh333.Rf2f634.a4Kd8?!Black starts to lose the plot a little. Instead34...g5!35.a5Bc8!would see White's queenside pawns monitored whilst
Black's g- and f-pawns could continue their march.35.a5Bf536.b5Bd337.Bxd3Rxd338.a6Now we should be heading for a draw.Kc7Or38...Rxd539.Rxf3Rxb5+40.Kc2Ra541.Rxf6Rxa642.Rxg6Ke739.Rc2+Kb640.Rc6+Kxb541.a7Rd2+42.Kb1Rd1+43.Ka2Rd2+44.Kb3Rd3+45.Rc3Rxc3+46.Kxc3f247.a8Qf1Q48.Qb7+Ka549.Qb4+Ka650.Qxd6+Ka751.Qc7+Ka652.Qc6+Ka753.Kb4Kb854.Qe8+Kc755.Qe7+Kc856.Qc5+Kb757.Qc6+Kb858.Qd6+Kb7?Very sad with58...Kc8still drawing although it shouldn't have
come to this.59.Qd7+Kb8Or59...Kb660.Qc6+Ka761.Kc5!60.Kc5!Qe161.Qd8+Kb762.Qxf6Qa5+63.Kd6It's a lost queen and pawn ending.1–0
Arne KaehlerArne Kaehler, a creative mind who is passionate about board games in general, was born in Hamburg and learned to play chess at a young age. By teaching chess to youth teams and creating chess-related videos on YouTube, Arne was able to expand this passion and has even created an online course for anyone who wants to learn how to play chess. Arne writes for the English and German news sites, but focuses mainly on content for the ChessBase media channels.
Whether it’s a weak pawn, a vulnerable king, or poor piece coordination, this course will teach you how to pinpoint the critical targets, prioritise your attack, and execute a clear, effective plan.
Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
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