8/6/2021 – In ChessBase Magazine #201 (May/June 2021) IM Robert Ris presented an interesting line in the Sicilian Four Knights Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Ne4 Qc7 9.f4 and now 9...Rb8. The rook move is an interesting alternative to the deeply analysed main line 9...Qb6. Meanwhile, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in particular has tried 9...Rb8 in a number of games, and Levon Aronian recently came up with an entirely new move: 9...Bb7. In the current issue of ChessBase Magazine Extra #202 Robert Ris analyses these new developments on a video. Take a look!
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 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.
In this video course, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov explores the fascinating world of King’s Indian and Pirc structures with colours reversed, often arising from the French or Sicilian.
€39.90
Update in the Sicilian Four Knights Variation
Robert Ris checks the latest trends, 9...Rb8 and 9...Bb7
After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Ne4 Qc7 9.f4, one of the main lines of the Sicilian Four Knights Variation, the following position arises:
The reference function of ChessBase 16 and the Mega Database 2021 show that a) 9...Qb6 is by far the most popular move though b) 9...Rb8 is a trendy alternative!
In ChessBase Magazine #201 (May/June 2021) IM Robert Ris published an opening article about the line 9…Rb8 – an interesting alternative to the main line where some lines are analysed to death until the 30th move and beyond: "In practice, Black has excellent results with this variation, which I don't think is surprising because his position is easier to play. Beautiful tactical ideas were demonstrated in various games. White, with his king stuck in the center, suffers from a lack of coordination." (Robert Ris in CBM 201)
Meanwhile, 9…Rb8 has been tried by a number of top players, first of all by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. In the CBM Extra #202 Robert Ris provides an update to the most recent developments after 9...Rb8 when White answers with 10.a3 and 10.Le3.
In the second part of Ris' update he looks at another new idea: 9…Bb7 – Levon Aronian used this move to win a brilliancy against GM Alan Pichot in May. After 10.c4 Bb4+ 11.Ke2 0-0 Black sacrificed a piece for a pawn, a strong center, and an exposed white king!
The video in CBM Extra #202 is 35:55 minutes long. Here's a sample:
Video analysis by Robert Ris from CBM Extra #202 (sample)
Video runtime in CBM Extra 202: 35:55 min
In the second opening video in CBM Extra #202 Mihail Marin takes a look at the English Opening with 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Bc5 – taking the game Wesley So - Fabiano Caruana from the Superbet tournament in Bucharest 2021 as a point of departure. Video runtime: 28:39 min.
You will learn how Black's dynamic piece activity and structural counterplay more than compensate for White's extra tempo in the colour-reversed setups.
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.
€169.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.
