tag: reviews - Page 4

ChessBase 13: In search of a treasure trove

5/2/2016 – In spite of the release of ChessBase 13, the newest version of our flagship program, many players continue to use the older versions. There is nothing wrong with this, but it does mean missing out on the latest features and functions. Here is a review precisely by someone who was using the older program until he found the new power house.

Attacking with the Benkö Gambit - Part 2

3/14/2016 – The Benkö is an attractive weapon against 1.d4. GM Alejandro Ramirez (photo) has used this opening successfully for years. In part 1 of his two volume series on the gambit he explains what Black should do if White enters Benkö lines. In part 2 of the series he shows how Black should react if White avoids the Benkö. Good to know - not only for Benkö players.

Review: The Classical French

2/5/2016 – Former FIDE-World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov enjoys the reputation of being one of the world's best theoreticians. A lot of top players and federations are very keen to hire him as opening trainer. For ChessBase users things are more easy: they only need to get hold of one of his DVDs. For instance about the Main Line of the Classical French. Review...

Sagar Shah: Learn from the Classics (2)

1/4/2016 – This is clearly sound advice – play through the games of Alekhine, Botvinnik and Capablanca to improve your understanding of chess. But just sitting back and enjoying them does not do much for your own playing strength. Sagar Shah tells us how to actually absorb the classics, as he did, and use the ideas in one's own games. His DVD contains a wealth of historical and training material.

The strategical opening exchange sacrifice

12/30/2015 – Opening theory evolves at a startling rate, and most instruction deals with concrete variations and lines to wield the openings in battle over the board. However, in this series of lectures, the erudite GM Adrian Mikhalchishin discusses the evolution of the exchange sacrifice in opening theory and its many manifestations. A fascinating and entertaining course.

Sagar Shah: Learn from the Classics (1)

12/23/2015 – How often have you heard the above advice – coaches exhorting you to study the ABC of chess: games of Alekhine, Botvinnik and Capablanca. But just sitting back and enjoying them does not do much for your own playing strength. In this DVD Sagar Shah tells us how to go about absorbing the classics, as he did, and using the ideas in your own games.Review by IM Nisha Mohota.

Victor Bologan: The Berlin Wall explained

11/18/2015 – As you can see in yesterday's European Team Championship report, it was raining Berlins in Reykjavik. For IM Nisha Mohota that used to be a problem: "I never understood what went on in these ‘boring’ positions." That all changed when she got hold of a Fritztrainer by GM Victor Bologan. Now she understands the ideas and plans – and has also generally become a better player!

Simon Williams: The English Opening - Vol 2

11/9/2015 – Since his junior days Simon Williams has been in love with the English Opening. A rewarding love - as Williams points out, the opening helped him to become a grandmaster. Williams now wants to share what he knows and on two DVDs he offers White a solid and aggressive English repertoire. Davide Nastasio tried it out. Here is his review of volume 2.

Robert Ris: Attacking the Semi-Slav with g3

11/6/2015 – Ever been to a tournament all by yourself? Players often feel handicapped when there is no coach to guide them at times of crisis. However, help is at hand! IM Nisha Mohota explains how Robert Ris's 60 Minutes lesson, Attacking the Semi-Slav with g3, bailed her out in a difficult situation. Casually watching it before an important game left ideas in her mind and helped her find killer moves.

Daniel Gormally: English Attack

10/14/2015 – Are you an 1.e4 player? And are you looking for an effective weapon against the Sicilian? English GM Daniel Gormally might help you. He recommends the English Attack, one of the strongest ways to fight the Najdorf and the Scheveningen. On his first ChessBase DVD Gormally teaches how to play against the Sicilian and entertains by showing famous and exciting games.

New In Chess review: Marin’s Power Strategy 2

10/12/2015 – The subject of Mihail Marin's DVD is playing with stable pieces, usually a knight, placed on well-protected squares – a theme he associates with the Soviet Chess School. NIC reviewer GM Matthew Sadler found the product a slightly mixed experience (he was struck by an error in a subvariation), "though the best stuff is really very good!" In the end he awards it four out of five stars.

New In Chess reviews: Kasimdzhanov and Ramirez

10/8/2015 – He spent a month "relaxing with a bottle of wine and some chess DVDs". GM Matthew Sadler reviewed them for the magazine New In Chess. Of Rustam Kasimdzhanov on the Nimzo-Indian with 4.Qc2 he says: "I do like his DVDs a lot ... excellent insights!" And on Alejandro Ramirez' Ragozin: "He does a super job of structuring the material and delivers it with enthusiasm and clarity." NiC reviews.

The Austrian Attack in 60 minutes

9/30/2015 – Among the many variations that White can employ against the Pirc Defense, the sharpest and no-compromise line is the so-called Austrian Attack. This swift pawn push for central domination, sometimes transitioning into an all-out attack, is one of White’s most fearsome weapons. In just 60 minutes, IM Valeri Lilov gives a quick theoretical lecture.

Simon Williams: The English Opening Vol. 1

9/23/2015 – Simon Williams knows the English Opening - and loves it. After all it helped him to get his titles. He likes that you do not have to know much theory to play the opening and that White often can claim a space advantage. In his two DVDs about the English Williams now offers White a good, solid repertoire. Davide Nastasio looked at the first volume and was happy.

Learn the Anti-Bayonet Attack in 60 minutes

9/3/2015 – The King’s Indian Defense is one of the most intriguing and feared defenses for Black, and among the most direct methods of countering it is the so-called Bayonet Attack, with White striking immediately with 9.b4, hoping to neutralize Black’s ambitions before they can start. Mikhail Marin instructs Black how to deal with it showing the key theory and plans.

Corr 2015 - Fearless games, fantastic gambits

8/15/2015 – When one talks about the highest quality of chess, and games, the usual knee-jerk response is the world champion or anyone in the top ten. However, there is usually one source of games that go beyond even that in sheer depth and quality of analysis: correspondence chess. These are games defined by fearlessness, openings exploration, and fireworks. Here is an update to the ultimate collection.

Basics of Winning Chess 2.0

8/10/2015 – Have you ever wondered at the words "and the rest is a matter of technique" as if there were some magical formula that will take a winning position and inexorably end it in your favor? We often think of these words as applying only to top players, but IM Andrew Martin disagrees with this and proposes to not only show what technique is about, but how to develop it at all levels.

Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual - ChessBase edition

8/3/2015 – In the ChessBase catalogue, it is understandable to be attracted and curious about the latest and greatest products, but some items, even many years old, just never lose their luster or value. The biggest problem is knowing what those are. Among them, one of the absolute greatest is the ChessBase version of Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, a book that is rightly considered a modern classic.

Master Class vol.5 - Emanuel Lasker

7/28/2015 – It is interesting that the World Champion of 27 years, Emanuel Lasker, is also one of the hardest to define. In the fifth volume of the Master Class series, the topic is not only the breakdown of all the individual features of his play, from openings to endgames, with all the videos and games you could hope for, but a remarkably deep investigation of the secret of his success.

Sam Collins: Attack with the Schliemann

7/17/2015 – Some players like to sacrifice. They gambit pawns in the opening and later give their queen to mate the king. Others are more careful with their material and refuse to sacrifice even a pawn in the opening. But maybe they should once in a while. It leads to interesting chess and it helps to improve your rating - and your chess understanding.

Viktor Bologan: the Queen's Indian Defense

6/28/2015 – Once ranked world no.18, Viktor Bologan continues to share his extensive opening knowledge without restrictions, and in his latest work, the Moldovan grandmaster casts his eye on the reputable Queen's Indian Defense. IM Narayan Srinath, an experienced player in the opening, looked at it, and says that had he known the DVD before his results would have been even better.

Typical mistakes by 1600-1900 players

6/25/2015 – It goes without saying that such a title is not merely about helping players identify their mistakes, but rectify them. English GM Pert, National Head Coach for the English Chess Federation, proposes to do just that, highlighting common issues with 57 videos on lessons and tests to aid the player plug the holes in his game and prevent it from sinking prematurely.

ChessBase Magazine 166: Always evolving

6/23/2015 – Over the decades, ChessBase Magazine has evolved into a unique full-fledged multimedia magazine, always true to its roots, and always bringing more high quality content. In this latest edition, the subscriber or buyer will find everything they could want, from opening articles, powerful novelties, tactics and strategy lectures, and a fantastic Benko Endgame video course.

Nicholas Pert: The solid Slav Defence

6/5/2015 – Solid, yet aggressive, popular among the world's best players but easy to learn, strategically and tactically rich and complex - that is the Slav Defence. One of the biggest Slav experts is English GM Nicholas Pert. He has played it for years with an overwhelming score. Now he presents a comprehensive Slav repertoire and explains the attractions of this opening.
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