openings - tag
Chess openings are akin to the initial strokes on a canvas, setting the stage for intricate struggles that unfold as the game progresses. Each system beckons players to embrace their strengths and craft their unique take on the board. In this exploration of various chess opening systems, we journey through a collection of strategic approaches […]
Ratings serve as significant indicators of personal and professional success for chess players. Ranging from 1000 to 2800+, the ultimate goal for many enthusiasts is to achieve an 1800 Elo rating. Surpassing this milestone places a player statistically better than 95% of all others. The pursuit of 1800 Elo is indeed an attainable ambition for […]
Queen’s Indian Defense is named because the queen’s bishop is developed with a queenside fianchetto. The opening was first played by Nimzowitsch in 1914 and it started to gain popularity in the next decade when it was adopted by top leading players of the time like Alekhine, Capablanca, and Bogoljubow.
Bishop’s opening (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4) is one of the oldest known starting lines. Luis Ramirez Lucena first mentioned it in a manuscript. Philidor thoroughly examined the Bishop’s Opening, which gained popularity. Philidor preferred 2.Bc4 over 2.Nf3 because it allowed the pawn thrust f2-f4 to gain a spatial advantage and fight for the center with pawns. […]
Practical chess has a time limit. You can only make a certain number of moves with high think time. It’s a well-known fact that the number of possibilities in a game increase exponentially as the number of moves increases. Therefore, it makes sense to study the initial part of the game and try to prepare […]
Are you tired of spending countless hours on opening preparation with nothing to show for it? Many club players spend tons of time trying to learn openings, memorize variations, and book up on theory… but at the end of the day, this doesn’t help them to win any more games. Why? There are 3 biggest […]
Looking for a dynamic opening for White, full of sacrifices and aggressive play? Look no further. IM Zaur Tekeyev recommends the Modern Vienna Game.
If you’re looking to add a new surprise weapon to your opening repertoire, I have some exciting news for you. The Hanham Variation offers Black good control of the center, along with positional and strategic advantages. It is a solid and reliable opening based on Philidor Defense.
As you keep improving in chess, there comes the point where you have to learn a chess opening to better fight for the advantage. However, learning a chess opening can be a huge task for beginners and even intermediate players. There are so many openings, having different ideas and concepts, variations, and subtleties. How can […]
Ultra flexible. Check. Trusted by Super-GMs. Check. Plenty of tactics and attacking play. Check. Neo-Catalan is an “improved” version of the already solid Catalan Opening.
