1/30/2024 – In the final instalment of the problem-solving experiment, we invited Prof. Dr Vera Spillner to solve the unorthodox chess puzzles, present in the Dec. 31 article! We have already seen a grandmaster, and a former world problem champion solving the problems, so how about a chess amateur and enthusiast? Read on more to find out!
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Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
This video course provides a comprehensive and practical White repertoire in the Ruy Lopez! Through instructive model games and in-depth theoretical explanations, you will learn how to confidently handle both main lines and sidelines.
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I got a chance to know more about Vera via this video interview and realised how inspirational she is for the younger generation. Even though Vera is just a chess aficionado (and does not hold a GM title unlike our previous solvers), she too was able to solve the puzzles relatively quickly, demonstrating that these problems require a logical thought process rather than a calculative chess mindset!
Who is Vera Spillner?
At just 30 years of age, Prof. Dr Vera Spillner is a quantum physicist who has a PHD in string theory at the Institute of Theoretical Physics in Heidelberg!
Vera explaining quantum collisions and black holes to Aruna and Vishy Anand
Vera has many different expertises, one of which being a violinist! Check out her, playing “Ave Maria” (the same piece GM Leon Luke played in Budapest after their online zoom sessions).
A couple of years ago Vera trained a young grandmaster who was stranded in Budapest to play the same piece. Leon Mendonca then played it in one of the one of the largest churches in Hungary. Here is the story.
Back to chess, Vera is also an avid chess player and enthusiast! So, let’s see how an amateur handles the unusual chess compositions!
If you are interested in solving and composing chess problems, stay tuned for the next chess composition competition!
Anirudh DagaAnirudh was born in Delhi, India, and now lives in Singapore. He is one of the world's most promising young problem composers, specializing in positions that are fascinating and unconventional. He became interested in chess composition after winning the Christmastide Solving Contest, at the age of twelve. Anirudh grew from strength to strength, competed at the World Chess Solving Championships, and composed numerous problems that have all found their due place in reputable problem magazines. It is his goal to spread the joy of chess composition and solving!
Throughout the video course, Sasikran shows various examples from his career to explain sacrifices for initiative, an attack, a better pawn structure and much more.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
The Trompowsky is especially suited for faster time controls as you don‘t have to memorise endless lines of theory, and you push your opponent out of their comfort zone after your second move.
Trompowsky Powerbook 2025 is based on 53,000 computer games from the engine room of playchess.com as well as 49,000 games from Mega and correspondence chess.
Trompowsky Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 8727 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 316 are annotated.
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Powerbook based on more than 618 000 games in which White already sidesteps the main variations of the Sicilian on move 2.
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