Nunn - John Nunn's Chess Course

Pressure Play by Neil McDonald. Have you ever been tortured at the chessboard? If so, then you have probably been a victim of pressure play.

Elite players are brilliant exponents of pressure play. In situations where they have either a tiny advantage or no advantage at all they are highly adept at constantly setting problems for their unfortunate opponents. The position on the board may appear lifeless but they can probe and find plans and regroupings that will constantly ask their opponents difficult questions. These can be countered only by continual alert and accurate defence and we all know how difficult and wearing that can be.

The arch exponent of pressure play is world champion Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen is superb in this area of the game and consistently defeats world class opposition from simplified positions where he has no advantage whatsoever. How does he do it?

In this book, the highly experienced author and coach Neil McDonald analyses the finest examples of pressure play. In doing so he teases out the fundamental concepts that enable players like Carlsen to torture their opponents mercilessly.

• Paralyse the enemy pieces.

• Target the weakest squares on the board.

• Increase and exploit a space advantage.

Master pressure play and it will be your opponent on the rack, not you.

352 bladen

Pièces Staunton Meghdoot en sheesham (palissandre indien) triple plombage, feutrées cuir. Ces pièces conviennent à un échiquier dont les cases mesurent 55 ou 60 mm.

Pièces d'échecs en buis teinté, plombées-feutrées. Ces pièces conviennent à une taille de case de 50 mm.

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.

« Créatif », c’est le moins que l’on puisse dire… parce que 2.Ca3 contre la Sicilienne, fallait quand même oser. Sérieusement, ça porte quel nom, cette variante ? L’attaque Bison Bourré ?

Universal mon En fait, ce DVD est consacré au système 1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5, plus quelques à-côtés. Pour avoir un vrai système ' universel ', vous êtes priés d'acheter en sus le Pirc Defence du même Davies.

Most chess openings have been around for centuries; the first book on the Ruy Lopez was written in 1561. Not so the Jobava System. This is a thoroughly modern opening that has only achieved prominence in the last decade or so. It is named after the Georgian chess visionary Baadur Jobava, a highly imaginative and creative grandmaster. The Jobava System is based around the opening moves 1 d4 d5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Bf4. For many years this was considered to be a quiet and unassuming backwater of chess theory. No longer!

Thanks to the efforts of Jobava and others this system has been honed into a fierce attacking weapon. As this opening is so new the correct defensive methods are not well understood. This makes the system extremely dynamic and dangerous.

In this book, Simon Williams (the Ginger GM) delves deep into the Jobava and offers up a complete repertoire based on this exciting new system. The advantages are clear:

– There is very little existing theory

– Black cannot play safely on “auto-pilot”

– It is fresh and it’s fun!

Avec Nunn, c'est tout l'un (études hyper-fouillées à l'attention du spécialiste motivé) ou tout l'autre (catalogues de trucs et astuces simples à l'usage de l'amateur moyen). Ici, c'est donc tout l'autre : 100 chapitres de deux pages pièce, exposant en quelques exemples légèrement commentés les b-a-ba, b-e-be et b-i-bi (mais pas plus) des finales simples. De quoi apprendre sans peine à bien utiliser le matériel restant et à ne pas tomber dans les pièges typiques.