Norway Chess and Shjarjah Masters 2023: Highlights with analyses by Giri, Erigaisi, Cheparinov, Oparin, Nguyen and others, videos by Rogozenco, "Special" on Hikaru Nakamura, opening videos by Sokolov, King and Ris, 11 repertoire articles and much more.
In his column for CBM, Rainer Knaak analyses traps from the last few months, this time including players with a rating below 2000.
Caro-Kann B17: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 h6
Remember. Deep Blue-Kasparov, Philadelphia 1997, the decisive sixth game. Kasparov tries to trick the computer and is himself overrun. After that, the h-pawn move was considered dubious, but never disappeared from practice. Today, with engine help, one can make fairly safe statements. Thus it is clear that after 8.Nxe6 Kasparov's 8...Qe7? is to be replaced by 8...fxe6 9.Bg6+ Ke7. This already creates an important position. Because 10.0-0, which is played almost automatically in around 80% of games, allows 10...Qc7 together with ...Kd8 with an unclear position in which material could prevail in the long run. If White wants to gain an advantage, they must play 10.Bf4!.
Trompowsky Attack: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 c5 3.c3
With 3.c3 White has just avoided the theory. But can you already be at a disadvantage with that? Take a look at the analysis!
King's Indian E94: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Na6 8.d5 Nc5 9.Qc2 a5 10.Rb1
The white rook move 10.Rb1 is a mistake, because Black can now capture on e4 and wins an important pawn. This is also true in similar positions, only when the bishop has moved to c1 is the rook move to b1 an option.
English A21: 1.c4 d6 2.d4 e5 3.Nc3 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd2 Nf6
White plans a double fianchetto - g3, Bg2 as well as b3, Bb2. But where to start? It is an exaggeration to say that by playing 6.g3 White is falling into a trap. But he no longer has any prospects of an opening advantage. The problem is that b3 is hardly possible any more, while conversely after 6.b3 later g3 is well playable.
Sicilian B30: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.e5 Nxb5 6.Nxb5 Nd5 7.Ng5 h6 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Qf3+
Actually, 7...h6 is considered questionable, but here again the engine shows that this is not so. Black only falls into the trap with 9... Ke6?, after 9...Nf6 Black's position is perhaps difficult to play, but objectively completely okay.
Sicilian B32: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qc7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nxe4 7.Nxe4 Qe5
Winning the pawn with 6...Nxe4 has long been considered doubtful, but after 8.Nb5, which is mostly played in the diagram position, White's advantage is not too big. Yet the evaluation of 8.Bd3! in Let's Check is over one pawn unit. One explanation could be this: The knight on b5 has to retreat soon anyway, and in the similar positions after 8.Bd3! the white pieces are simply better placed.
Italian C57: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bd5 Rf8 7.0-0 d6 8.h3 Qe8
In the Traxler Attack 4...Bc5 the dangers lurk not only after 5.Nxf7?! but also after 5.Bxf7+. With 8.h3 White has already missed getting a decent advantage, but this is the most played move. In the position after 8...Qe8 the attacking player faces big challenges. Most often what happens is 9.d3? Qg6, after which Black already has considerable attacking chances on the kingside. With 9.c3 White can still get an advantage, but afterwards he has to find many only moves.
Ruy Lopez C68: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0- 0 Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 8.Be3 Ne7 9.Nbd2 Ng6
Black has played very risky (8...Bxf3 results in an equal endgame after 9.Qxf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Bd6) and hopes that after 10.hxg4 hxg4 White will not find the right move. In fact 11.Ng5?? is often played and instead of winning – with 11.Bg5! – after 11...Nf4 a fierce black attack is in the offing. The trick is here: 12.Qxg4? Qxg5! 13.Qxg5 Ne2 mate.
You can find the detailed analyses of all eight opening traps as well as three videos by Rainer Knaak in ChessBase Magazine #215.
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From Hikaru Nakamura's last-minute win in Stavanger to new repertoire ideas for the Caro-Kann, Sicilian or Nimzo-Indian to Part 5 of Karsten Mueller’s video series "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge":
Over 7 hours of video playing time with Ivan Sokolov, Daniel King, Jan Markos, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and many more! World-class chess explained in video: Dorian Rogozenco shows two wins of Hikaru Nakamura from Norway Chess 2023, including the decisive last-round game against Fabiano Caruana – Sharjah Masters 2023: Analyses by tournament winner Arjun Erigaisi as well as Ivan Cheparinov, Grigoriy Oparin, Thai Dai Van Ngyuen and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan – “Special” on Hikaru Nakamura: exclusive collection of 19 encounters with detailed commentary from 2007 to 2023 – Action in the centre: Christian Braun's Anti-Sicilian recipe 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5!? - "Nakamura's strategy in practice": Mihail Marin sheds light on the US American's skills, incl. two interactive videos and a large collection of exercises – Rossolimo á la Carlsen: Daniel King recommends the cutting-edge 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!? for Black. - "Basic Knowledge" Part #5: Karsten Mueller reveals tips and tricks in the endgame with two pawns against one. incl. two interactive training videos and much more!
Top games and master analyses
Norway Chess 2023: With a win in the final round against Fabiano Caruana, who was leading until then, Hikaru Nakamura won the tournament n Stavanger. Analyses by Anish Giri, Michal Krasenkow and Igor Stohl. Dorian Rogozenco shows two of Nakaumura’s wins in video.
Sharjah Masters 2023: Arjun Erigaisi took undivided first place with 6.5 out of 9, followed by seven players with 6 out of 9. The tournament winner comments on two of his best games. Plus analyses from Grigoriy Oparin, Ivan Cheparinov, Thai Dai Van Nguyen and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan.
CBM authors (Lubomir Ftacnik, Imre Hera, Igor Stohl, Viktor Moskalenko, Renato Quintiliano and many more) comment on their favourite games of "H-Bomb" - an exclusive collection of 19 encounters from the period 2007 to 2023.
Alvar Alonso Rosell presents an active concept for Black against the Catalan, with which one can put one's stamp on the game early on - and that by a transition to the Dutch!
Ivan Sokolov examines the highly topical variation 11.h4!? in the Semi-Tarrasch, especially Giri's novelty 13.Rh3 against Praggnanandhaa from the Chessable Masters. Robert Ris uses three new games by Richard Rapport to examine what White can hope for in the Vienna Game with 5.Qf3. And Daniel King gives a recommendation for the sideline 3...e5 against the Sicilian Rossolimo Variation - which has already been tested at the highest level!
Ivan Sokolov: Semi-Tarrasch
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 0–0 11.h4!?
Robert Ris: Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Qf3
Daniel King: Rossolimo Variation
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5
From the Alekhine Defence to the Huebner Variation in the Nimzo-Indian - ChessBase Magazine #215 offers 11 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire!
Grigorians: Alekhine Defence 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4
Postny: Caro-Kann Fantasy Variation 3.f3 Qb6
Braun: Sicilian 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5
Quintiliano: Najdorf Poisoned Pawn Variation II
Papp: French Winawer 5.Bd2 (Part II)
Ris: Two Knights Defence 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 d5!?
Szabo: Vienna Game 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4
Hera: Petroff 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4
Kuzmin: Slav Defence 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4
Schandorff: Tarrasch Defence with 5.e3 and 7.g3
Edouard: Nimzo Indian 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3
"With engine help in Kasparov's footsteps" – Rainer Knaak presents eight traps from tournament practice - from the Caro-Kann to the King's Indian. You can see three of them demonstrated in the video!
The 2023 World Women's Championship between defending champion Ju Wenjun and her challenger Lei Tingjie was decided in the last round. Play through the final game together with Robert Ris!
Dorian Rogozenco presents the sixth game of the 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in Reykjavik - a "very impressive game, especially the way Fischer outplayed his opponent!"
In a game of chess, very different emotions can influence decision-making to one's disadvantage. How can this be prevented? Jan Markos gives you a concrete guide and reveals which practical trick has often helped him himself!
Strategy expert Mihail Marin sheds light on the skills of the US American, who is known and feared above all as a very concrete player. Incl. two interactive videos and a large collection of exercises!
37 games peppered with many training questions await you in Oliver Reeh's tactics contribution! Solve his four favourite combinations move by move together with the IM from Hamburg in the interactive video format with feedback function!
In the introductory video, our expert presents the most important techniques. Then it's your turn in two interactive training videos! In addition, Dr Karsten Mueller provides a contribution with endgame highlights by Hikaru Nakamura (video introduction + analyses).
Order now in the ChessBase Shop – Single issue € 21.90!
Try out ChessBase Magazine now! Order the ChessBase Magazine taster package!
Read ChessBase Magazine for 6 months (= 3 issues) for the special price of only € 44.90 € (instead of € 65,70 for buying them individually). As a thank you, you will also receive 3 months ChessBase Premium Membership free of charge.
*Bonus for new subscribers only, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months!
Save twice with ChessBase Magazine: For the annual subscription to ChessBase Magazine you’ll pay only € 109.90 per year (compared to € 131.40 for the 6 individual issues).
* Bonus only for new subscribers, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months! As a new subscriber you will receive the original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB
