Lakdawala - The Slav Opening Repertoire

Cette série porte un titre légèrement trompeur : si le premier tome s'adresse effectivement à de complets ou presque complets débutants, les volumes suivants montent assez rapidement en puissance, le quatrième s'adressant à des joueurs autour de 5 kyu, voire un peu plus. Quoi qu'il en soit, il s'agit là d'une série remarquable, dont l'étude rendra de grands services à tout débutant motivé.

Tapis de jeu en velours vert. Dimensions : 77 x 77 cm

The seconds tick down relentlessly toward zero just as your game approaches the critical stage. Your higher-rated opponent is putting your game under severe pressure, so extreme accuracy is needed to hang tough and avoid falling into a losing position. What do you do now – should you exchange pieces to relieve the pressure, lash out with a sacrifice, probe for weaknesses in the opponent's camp, or maybe just give up and get a lesson on how to bring the point home?

The answer is… none of these! At such do-or-die moments, says Steve Hrop, the first thing to do is to sit on your hands and take a few deep breaths. In Defending Under Pressure and Managing Your Emotions at the Chessboard, the author uses critical moments from his own tournament games (most of them against players rated above 2200) to describe the difficulties of thinking straight when the enemy is at the gates, and then outlines methods and techniques to clear your head, evaluate the position, and find your way to the best move. Techniques include how to avoid redundant pieces that critically limit your mobility; when visualization is more important than calculation: and “freeze-framing” positions to eliminate blunders.

Save the draw – or turn a looming defeat into an astonishing victory – with the tips in this practical training manual! 236 pages

Les illustrations sont révélées. Leur point commun : une phrase énigmatique. Mais attention : une seule des images en est la clé. A vous d'user de finesse et d'intuition pour la retrouver sans tomber dans les pièges tendus par les autres joueurs. Dixit : un jeu surprenant, convivial et jubilatoire, à savourer en famille ou entre amis.

The Semi-Slav Defense transcends its classification as a mere defensive response to 1.d4. It embodies a dynamic and multifaceted system that offers Black not only solidity in defense but also active counterplay and strategic flexibility. Here’s why the Semi-Slav is more than just a defense:

Rather than passively defending, the Semi-Slav allows Black to counterattack in the center and on the flanks. Moves like …e6-e5 and …c6-c5 often lead to sharp, tactical positions where Black can seize the initiative.

By delaying the development of the knight to f6, Black achieves a solid pawn structure with pawns on d5, e6, and c6. This structure provides a firm foundation for Black’s pieces and restricts White’s options for pawn breaks.

The Semi-Slav leads to strategically rich positions with multiple pawn breaks and piece maneuvers. Both sides must navigate intricate plans, making it a fertile ground for creative play and deep strategic understanding. Within the Semi-Slav, there are numerous variations and sub-variations, each with its own unique characteristics and strategic ideas. Players can tailor their repertoire to suit their style and preferences, whether they prefer solid, positional play or aggressive, tactical battles.

The Semi-Slav has been embraced by many top-level players, including World Champions like Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand. Their success with the opening at the highest levels of competition demonstrates its effectiveness and versatility.

In essence, the Semi-Slav Defense transcends its classification as a defensive system by offering Black a rich tapestry of strategic possibilities and dynamic play. It is a complete repertoire choice that can suit a wide range of playing styles and preferences. 173 p.

Weighted with felted bottom Supreme Staunton chess pieces, sculpted in ebony: a precious wood of great density and of a profound blackness. Perfectly polished, shiny and smooth, they are finely sequined, which gives them in light this singular glittering aspect.

They will perfectly suits on a chessboard with squares measuring 55mm.

A collection of 32 brain teasers in metal. These metal brain teasers provide for a great challenge it comes with wire pieces twisted together, to unlock the ring puzzle you need to maneuver the pieces until you will be able to separate them.  

This time, it's not you should know, but you must know... it's the crème de la crème of endgame studies (as the title indicates, there are 100), compiled and commented on by one of the world's leading specialists, the Dutch GM Jan Timman.

Divided into 5 chapters, it starts with affordable studies and ends with extremely complex positions. 231 pages