Starting from queen maneuvers to positional pawn sacrifices to opposite side castling positions, this is not yet another course on chess strategy - it is much beyond that. It shows how a real-life Grandmaster thinks during the different stages or unpredictable positions of a game.
The Black bishop targeted the queen on f3. It escaped to the g3 square.
The bishop in turn went back to the f5 square.
Seems like a natural move.
However, White has a secret agenda in mind.
Why do you think White played its queen again to the f3 square?
Is it looking for a draw?
Because Black’s bishop can again land on the g4 square, right?
GM Tornike Sanikidze played this game as White when he was rated around 2200…
And goes on to say how he wanted his opponent to think that he was looking for a draw – thus making him waste thirty minutes on whether the draw was a favorable result for Black.
As a result, White instantly got a psychological advantage over his opponent and went on to win the game.
This is one of the examples that Sanikidze goes over in his brand-new training, Grandmaster’s Planning, covering the different aspects of planning like a Grandmaster in chess.
Starting from queen maneuvers to positional pawn sacrifices to opposite side castling positions, this is not yet another course on chess strategy – it is much beyond that. It shows how a real-life Grandmaster thinks during the different stages or unpredictable positions of a game.
Here is what you will learn:
- 13…c5 with an ulterior motive. Black wanted to open his light-squared bishop before White did. Time above a little pawn, right? However, if White were to open up his bishop first, it would make Black’s game tougher than it was supposed to be. Black’s bishop would be locked behind the c6-pawn – and not even move to keep defending it! You see now? More in Chapter 9.
- Bravado in time. If you want to play like a Grandmaster, you have to think like a Grandmaster. This means you shouldn’t shy away from taking risks. Like the knight landed on the e5 square. Think for a second – what could happen if Black captures the knight? The whole scenario turns into a mess! Can you see who comes out standing from that mess? That’s how deep a GM sees in a position.
- Knight and bishop dances. The last move was 22…Nd7 – and it was simply genius! Why? Because White intends to play h4 the next move. See why the knight is hopping over to the other side of the board? It is trying to cover the h4-square in the next 3 moves. Aronian won this game against Giri in this 2012 Tata Steel Match. Check Sanikidze’s commentary in Chapter 7.
It always helps to pick the brain of a Grandmaster, especially the one who won the Georgian Championship not so long ago and represented Georgia twice at the Chess Olympiad.
Here’s what you get: 9.5 hours of high-quality video lessons, supplementary PGN files for quick review and an online practicum with lifetime access, and much more.
Outline:
Introduction
Chapter 1. Middlegame Planning
Chapter 2. Queen Maneuvers
Chapter 3. Positional Pawn Sacrifice
Chapter 4. Positional Pawn Sacrifice Game Example
Chapter 5. Opening Plans in Catalan for Black (part I)
Chapter 6. Opening Plans in Catalan for Black (part II)
Chapter 7. Knight & Bishop Maneuvering
Chapter 8. Positional Piece Sacrifice
Chapter 9. Planning a Counter-Play
Chapter 10. Planning in Dynamic Positions
Chapter 11. Planning in Dynamic Positions Game Example
Chapter 12. Incorrect Planning Fighting for a Draw
Chapter 13. Opposite Side Castling Positions
Chapter 14. Middlegame Strategical and Tactical Understanding
Chapter 15. Planning Based on Psychology
Chapter 16. Planning with Closed Center (part I)
Chapter 17. Planning with Closed Center (part II)
Chapter 18. Planning with Closed Center Game Example
Chapter 19. Wrong Decisions in Dynamic Positions
Chapter 20. How to Calculate One Move Deeper than Your Opponent
Chapter 21. Positional Play – Middlegame Planning (part I)
Chapter 22. Positional Play – Middlegame Planning (part II)
Chapter 23. Positional Play – Middlegame Planning (part III)
About the Author:
GM Tornike Sanikidze [2616 FIDE]
is a Georgian chess grandmaster. He was awarded the titles of International Master in 2005 and Grandmaster in 2008. GM Sanikidze won the Georgian championship in 2009.
He has represented Georgia at the Chess Olympiad in 2012 in Istambul as well as in 2016 in Baku.
