CHESSBOOK REVIEWS


Latest book reviews of 1 June 2010
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg


                                 Chess Books & Magazine's


Starting out: Open games by Glenn Flear
2010
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
318 pages
Price $27.95
ISBN 978-1-85744-630-2


GM Glenn Flear comes in this latest Starting Out book with a readable overage of the Open games where I found a very understandable explanation of the following
openings: The Italian Game, Two Knights Defence, Evans Gambit & Giuoco Piano,Four Knights Game,Scotch Game,Central Gambits, King’s Gambit, Vienna Game, Other
White Systems as the Elephant
and Latvian Gambit, Black avoids 2…Nc6,Philidor Defence and Petroff’s Defence.
Please don’t expect to find ever played line of for example from the King’s Gambit,this section is only covered with five model
games,but dear reader they are all a must for lovers of this romantic line,for instance the following game is well analysed with 6,5 pages of text.
And please see  the fantastic King’s walk starting with 51.Kg4! {Stronger than 51.Nxe1 Qxe1 52.Kg4 Qe2 with a draw.{Flear}
Mista,Aleksander (2537) - Azarov,Sergei (2585) [C30]
EU-ch 9th Plovdiv (10), 01.05.2008
1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.d3 a6 7.Nd5 h6 8.f5 Na5 9.Qe2 b5 10.Nxf6+ Qxf6 11.Bd5 c6 12.Bb3 d5 13.Be3 d4 14.Bd2 Bb6 15.g4 Qe7 16.Qg2 Bb7 17.Qg3 Nxb3 18.axb3 Bc7 19.Rg1 f6 20.h4 c5 21.g5 hxg5 22.hxg5 0-0-0 23.Ke2 Qd6 24.Rh1 c4 25.Rxh8 Rxh8 26.gxf6 gxf6 27.Qg7 Rd8 28.bxc4 bxc4 29.Rh1 c3 30.bxc3 dxc3 31.Bxc3 Qc5 32.Bd2 Qxc2 33.Ne1 Qc6 34.Rh6 Qb5 35.Rh7 Qd7 36.Qg6 Qd6 37.Qf7 Rd7 38.Rh8+ Rd8 39.Rh7 Rd7 40.Qg8+ Rd8 41.Qc4 Kb8 42.Rf7 Rh8 43.Nf3 Bb6 44.Bb4 Qd8 45.Qe6 Rg8 46.Be7 Rg2+ 47.Ke1 Ba5+ 48.Kf1 Qxd3+ 49.Kxg2 Qe2+ 50.Kg3 Be1+ 51.Kg4 Qxe4+ 52.Kh5 Qxf3+ 53.Kg6 Qg2+ 54.Kh7 Bf2 55.Bxf6 Ka7 56.Bxe5 Qh1+ 57.Kg8 a5 58.f6 Qe4 59.Rd7 Qg2+ 60.Rg7 Qf3 61.f7 Bc5 62.Bd6 Bxd6 63.Qxd6 Bd5 64.Qc7+ Ka6 65.Rg6+ Kb5 66.Rb6+ Ka4 67.Qc2+ 1-0
All together there 68 heavy loaded model games in this book,where I even fond some pages spend on the Latvian Gambit!
Flenn quotes from the game Huschenbeth – Schlenker,German Championship,Bad Wörishofen 2008,but white’s tenth move 10.Na4?! is not the best, simple play {1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.Nc4 fxe4 5.Nc3 Qf7 6.Ne3 c6 7.d3 exd3 8.Bxd3 d5 9.0-0 Bc5} 10.b4!! and after  Bd6 11.Nexd5 cxd5 12.Re1+ Kd8 13.Bc4! white is winning in no time!
But I agree with Flear when white knows his stuff, black gets into difficulties in both the Elephant and the Latvian Gambit.
The even more experienced player can have a lot use from Flear his suggestions, for instance in the Scotch game
he gives between the lines the suggestion 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4!? 5.Nb5 Bc5!?
And in the good old Moller Attack 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+
7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.d5 Bf6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 h6 14.Qe2 hxg5 15.Re1 Be6 16.dxe6 f6
17.Re3 Glenn Flear goes for the winning move 17…c6!
Conclusion: A very instructive read on the Open Games!



Play like the PROs by Danny Gormally
2010
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
206 pages
Price $26.95
ISBN 978-1-85744-630-2


GM Danny Gormally reveals in this book with words the difference between the very best and the rest.
Danny Gormally believes that a chess player’s ability to improve is unlimited, and today high technology world ,with super computers and so on, the opportunity to do so is greater than at any point in chess history.
Gormally analyses besides the exercises, 39 model games where all phases of the game are honest and well analysed, specially his own games,which are one for one  jewels of chess.
Instructive are for example his words after the following moves of his game against  Dunnington, with black,Britisch League 1997: 1.d4 d6 2.Bg5 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3 Nf6 5.Be2 c5 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.0-0 Nc6 8.c3 h6 9.Bh4:What plan should black instigate now?
Remember that is important to think in concrete terms-the stronger the player,the more they will take time to think or what their plan should be in early middelgame.
It might be said that playing against the Torre Attack is akin to hitting your head against a brick wall {or trying to head butt Mike Tyson}.White has few weaknesses;on the other hand,he isn’t threatening to do anything quickly,just building up his position slowly and methodically.
It’s no surprise that the Torre Attack attracted players like Petrosian,who favoured a safety first approach. If you want to gain at least a draw in a key game,it’s a good choice of opening.
All together this game is packed with over pages of instructive text!
Very useful for the modern chess player  is chapter three ,Taking on transwerp the use of modern chess engines as Fritz.
Interesting are words from Gormally here: I believe real improvement in chess comes through studying our own games in a very detailed manner, without the assistance of an artificial program.
Pleasant to mention are the large amount of modern games as Dominguez Perez,Leinier (2717) - Karjakin,Sergey (2706) [B90]
Corus Wijk aan Zee (13), 01.02.2009
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bc1 Nf6 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Bg7 12.h3 Nf6 13.Qe2 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxe5 0-0 17.g4 a5 18.h4 Bxg4 19.f3 Bf5 20.hxg5 hxg5 21.Qe3 a4 22.Qxg5 Bg6 23.Bd3 a3 24.b4 Qb6 25.Rh4 Nh7 26.Rxh7 Kxh7 27.0-0-0 Qxb4 28.Rh1+ Kg8 29.Bxg7 Kxg7 30.Qh6+ Kf6 31.Ne4+ Ke6 32.Rd1 Qb2+ 33.Kd2 Kd7 34.Qf4 Rfd8 35.Ke2 Ke8 36.Rh1 Ra5 37.Qc7 Rad5 38.Ke3 Kf8 39.c3 Rxd3+ 40.Kf4 f6 41.Rh8+ Kf7 0-1 and good for a small six pages of text.
Conclusion: A very useful learning book that certainly will improve your playing skills!



The Open Sicilian 1by Milos Pavlovic
2010
Quality Chess
168 Pages
Price €21,99
ISBN 9780-1-906552-57-2

The well known chess theoretician Milos Pavlovic handles in this brand new cutting edge openings book, the following lines: the Sveshnikov with the moves:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6
10.Nd5 f5 11.Bd3 Bg7 12.Nxb5 axb5 13.Bxb5 and 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b3 Kh8 17.Nce3 g6, The Rauzer: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f4 b5
Chinese Dragon:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rb8,Dragon:1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8
11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 Re8,Dragon Topalov variation 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8
11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 Re8 ,Taimanov English Attack 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Be7,
Taimanov1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3,Kan 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0-0 Bc5
and the Kan with the move order:1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 which 5.Bd3 is white most popular option against the Kann.
The material is well balanced with text and lines,where the former Yugoslav Chamoion is not afraid to give some secrets away,as for example the move:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b3 Kh8 17.Nce3 g6 18.h4 Bxh4 19.g3 Bg5 20.f4 exf4 21.gxf4 Bh4+ 22.Ke2! Pavlovic writes: Surprisingly nobody seems to have played this move,nor have I seen any comments about it.After spending some time on it I have
concluded that it is not so strong as the main line,but I thought it would neverthheless be worthwhile to share my findings here.
Conclusion: Impressive and overloaded  with latest developments!


Gewinnen mit Katalanisch by Nigel Davies
2010
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
201 pages
Price € 24,95
ISBN 978-3-942383-00-4


This German translation from Nigel Davies 2009 work, Play the Catalan is more than impressive, not only the paper feels better but the whole work is also covered in hard cover!
In this case the translation is better than the original print!
Yes even the summary’s are perfectly translated by FM Johannes Fischer.
Inside everything is the same so I can do with my older review:
Grandmaster Nigel Davies provides the white player with a reliable repertoire overview of the Catalan opening,where Davies prefers to reach the Catalan via Flank Openings
or throw the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3.
Many Catalan players start out with 1.Nf3 to avoid certain defensive systems. For example, black can meet the ‘Main’Catalan move order of 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 with 3…c5,when 4.d5 exd5 5.exd5 cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 leads into a Modern Benoni {Davies}
Going throw the 66 model games and summary’s of this book,we can conclude that Davies has managed to create a good and understandable repertoire book of the Catalan Opening which is someway connected to the Catalan nobleman Count Ermengol of Urgell.
Many of the model games in this book,{23 of them} come from the year 2008!
Chapter one,Main Line runs with the moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2,where Davies writes:
From a club player’s point of view this chapter should probably be seen as nothing more than fodder for building pattern recognition and as a point of reference
from which to follow top level Catalan  games.
In the Main line all moves as 10.Bf4,8.a4,7.Ne5 and 6.Qc2 and 6.Nc3 are getting in this book an important turn.The closed Catalan is described with the
moves:1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Qc2, 7.Nc3 and the alternative 4….Bb4.
The Open Catalan is related to moves as 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Bb4+,5…c5,5…Nc6,5….a6,5….b5.
Also included is the Open Catalan 5.Qa4+ where Davies writes in his summary:
Given the fact that such friendly Grandmasters as Ulf Andersson and Bojan Kurajica play 5.Qa4+,I would really have liked to say something better about it.
Unfortunately I cannot escape  the conclusion that it’s dull as dishwater.
Conclusion: For the first time there is a understandable repertoire book for white on the Catalan!


Gefährlich Waffen Pirc und Moderne Verteidigung by Richard Palliser,Colin McNab & James Vigus
2010
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
239  pages
Price € 24,95
ISBN 978-3-942383-01-1

The popular Dangerous Weapons books are now also translated into the German language,and this book is excellent translated by no less than IM Dirk Poldauf.
Pleasant to mention is the hardcover of this readable works which makes it a treasure for every chess lover.
If you don’t fear moves as 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 Bg7 5 Qd2 0-0 than this exciting heavyweight from Palliser,McNab and Vigus could be the openings book for you!
Many Dutch players will be surprised to see the classic game Ree- Donner,ZierikZee 1967 as model game, where Donner,a expert on the Pirc, castled with out a trace of  fear into the storm of Ree his pawns.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f3 Bg7 5.Be3 0-0 6.Qd2 e5 7.Nge2 c6 8.0-0-0 Nbd7 9.Bh6 b5 10.h4 Re8 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.h5 Qe7 13.g4 Nf8 14.Ng3 Kh8 15.Be2 Bb7 16.Rdg1 Ne6 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Qh6 Qg7 20.Qh4 Nd4 21.Bd1 Nd7 22.Nb1 Qe7 23.Qh6 Nf8 24.Nf5 Qc7 25.c3 Nde6 26.Bb3 Nf4 27.Rh2 c5 28.Qh4 Qd8 29.Qh6 Qc7 30.Qh4 Qd8 ½-½
Interesting are the words from James Vigus:,{yes he is responsible for the chapters:1,2 and 5} and  after the move 15.Be2: Fritz evaluates this as almost winning for white,but it’s hardly so simple,since no breakthrough is possible without quite a major sacrifice.15.dxe5 dxe5 16.g5 N6d7 17.Nf5!? gxf5 18.exf5 Nb6 19.f6 is one direct attempt, but 19….Qb4 20.g6 Ne6! Holds for black.Another plausible try is 15.g5 N6d7 16.d5 b4 17.Na4,though black has good counterplay after 17…Nb6!
Indeed there is nothing wrong to castle into the Argentinean storm!
Complete different,kind of set-up is Benjamin’s rare looking 6...e6.: (1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 e6,indeed it is not completely creeping around the edges but more in the style of when is white going wrong.
A fine example is the model, correspondence game Tiemann – Zyvlt corr.2002: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 e6 7.Re1 Nc6 8.h3 a6 9.Bf1 h6 10.Bf4 b5 11.a4 b4 12.Na2 a5 13.Nc1 Bb7 14.Bh2 Ne7 15.Bd3 c5 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Nd7 18.Nb3 Qc7 19.Nbd2 Nb6 20.Nc4 Nxc4 21.Bxc4 Rfd8 22.Qe2 Bc6 23.Nd2 Bxa4 24.Rxa4 Qd7 25.Rea1 Qxd2 26.Qxd2 Rxd2 27.Bd3 Nc6 28.Bf4 Rxd3 29.cxd3 Rd8 30.Rc1 Nd4 31.Re1 Nb3 32.Re3 g5 33.Bg3 c4 34.dxc4 Rd1+ 35.Kh2 Nd2 36.h4 Nf1+ 37.Kh3 h5 38.hxg5 Nxe3 39.fxe3 Rh1+ 40.Bh2 Bxe5 41.g3 Bc7 0-1.
This game is well analysed with nearly seven pages of text!
But first I would like to go back to the contents of this book:
1 Castling into the Argentinean Attack
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 Bg7 5 Qd2 0-0 6 0-0-0)
2 Castling into the 150 Attack
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 Bg7 5 Qd2 0-0 6 others)
3 A Neglected Approach in the Classical
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 c6 7 Bf4)
4 Benjamin’s Flexible 6...e6
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 e6)
5 A Cunning Sidestep
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 c5 6 Bb5+ Bd7 7 e5 Ng4 8 e6 Bxb5 9 exf7+ Kf8)
6 The Delayed Spike
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be2 Bg7 5 Be3 0-0 6 g4)
7 Not the 150 Attack!
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be2 Bg7 5 Be3 c6 6 Qd2)
8 Spicing up the Fianchetto Variation
(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 g3 Bg7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 Nge2 e5 7 h3 a6)
9 Meeting 4 Bg5 in Dragon Style
(1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nc3 d6 4 Bg5 Nd7)
10 Blunting White’s Bishop on c4
(1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nf3 d6 4 Bc4 e6)
11 An Early Lunge
(1 e4 g6 2 h4)
12 Trumping a Tricky Transposition.(1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 f3 c5)
Where Colin McNab is responsible for the chapters 3,9,10 & 11.
Palliser wrote the lines 4,6,7 and 8.
Pleasant to mention is the Austrian Attack: 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 c5 6 Bb5+ Bd7 7 e5 Ng4 8 e6 Bxb5 9 exf7+ Kf8,a move that scores on visual-shock value,Vignus yes his contribution in this book are truly superb!
The lazy ones under us can go for 1.e4 g6 2.h4!? but as McNab writes the critical 2…d5,which I have seen adorned with a exclamation mark,is by no means as good for black as some annotators seem to believe.
Conclusion: A hell of a openings book!



Gefährlich Waffen Köningsindisch by Richard Palliser,Colin McNab & Jelena Dembo
2010
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
298  pages
Price € 24,95
ISBN 978-3-942383-02-8

This latest dangerous weapons book handles the good old King's Indian,one of the sharpest defence to 1.d4 and once the favourite pet line of the legendary Bobby Fischer,
but first at all, which lines can we expect in this dangerous loaded weapon book?
After the standard moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7:we reach with chapter 1: Attacking the Fianchetto 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 c5
chapter 2:The Four Pawns Attack doesn’t prevent 6..e5 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 e5,
Chapter 3:The pawns that bind,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 c5 7.dxc5,Chapter 4:Showdown, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 c5 6.d5 0-0 7.Nf3 e6 8.dxe6.Chapter 5: Continuing to roll forwards, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 Na6 7.e5,Chapter 6:Hold that d-pawn,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0 5.f3 Nc6.
Chapter7:Striking into d4,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nge2 Nd7,Chapter 8:Advance that h-pawn,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nge2 Nbd7 6.Ng3 e5 7.d5 h5,Chapter 9:Cramp and provoke,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5,Chapter 10:Further constriction with the Averbakh, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5 Na6,Chapter 11:The Karklins –Ilincic Variation,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nh5,Chapter 12: The return of ..Nbd7:part one,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Be3 Re8.
Chapter 13: The return of ..Nbd7:part two,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Qc2 Nh5 and the return of …Nbd7:part three, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Nbd7.
Glen Flear wrote the chapters,3,4,9 and 10,Yelena Dembo 1,6,12,13 and 14;and Richard Palliser was responsible for the chapters 2,5,7,8 and 11.
Spectacular is the move 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 e5,this move did not make it into the classic  work from Barden,Keene and Hartston in there famous King’s Indian Defence work.
Important for the theory of the move 6...e5 is the game: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov,– Peter Svidler,Baku FIDE GP Baku (1), 21.04.2008
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Nxe5 Qxd1+ 9.Kxd1 Na6 10.Be2 Rd8+ 11.Kc2 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Bf5 13.Bf3 Nc5 14.Re1 Bxe5 15.fxe5 Rd4 16.Kc3 Rd3+ 17.Kc2 Rd4 18.Kc3 Rd3+ 19.Kb4 Na6+ 20.Ka5 b6+ 21.Kxa6 Bc8+ 22.Kb5 Bd7+ 23.Ka6 Bc8+ 24.Kb5 Bd7+ 25.Ka6 and draw,yes indeed 6…e5 was a blow for the over 2700 elo playing Mamedyarov.
After Konikowski & Soszynski in there Fearsome four pawns attack,white has a clear superiorty,the lines after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Nxe5 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 f6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Kf2,indeed this position is difficult to estimate, but as Palliser writes:12.Kf2 gives white an extra pawn,but Svidler must have believed that white’s central holes give black enough compensation.
Palliser: Meeting the Four Pawns Attack with 6..e5 is likely to come as a shock to yiur opponent.It is an approach which may especially appeal to those who have some experiance to the 6...Na6 variation,but that is far from essential to take up 6..e5.
The closed centre choice of 7.fxe5 dxe5 8.d5 shouldn't present to many problems after 8..c6,facilitating ideas of both ..Qb6+ and ..b5.
I would,though,exspect that variation from stunned opponents,whereas those with some theoretical knowledge are more likely to try 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Nxe5.However,with the forcing 9....Nxe4 black obtains decent play for his pawn and it's not too hard to see why this presumably appealed to Svidler.
The excellent translation comes Dr.Klaus H.Schmidt,and ofcourse all in hard cover!
Conclusion: One of those books that every King’s Indian players wants to have!


The French Defence A complete black repertoire by Nikita Vitiugov
2010
Chess Stars
www.chess-stars.com
228 pages
Price € 24,95
ISBN 978-954-8782-76-0

GM Nikita Vitiugov provides in this latest chess star book with complete black repertoire based on the French Defence.
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 he goes for the good old Winawer with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 and these are really deeply covered,specially after the
moves 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 cxd4!? where Vitiugov does not fear to cover the sharpest of al lines,where black offers two pawns
on the kingside in return for counterplay.
The most repertoire authors as John Watson in his famous Play the French go for the easy going 7…0-0.
A pity that Vitiugov did not cover the Tait line, that runs with the moves: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4
4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 cxd4 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 Bd7 12.Qd3 dxc3 13.h4!? which is very popular under correspondence chess players,but to be honest,there are nearly no references to correspondence games in this book at all.
Covered by Vitiugov is also the old 10.Kd1,which is fairly rare but complex,but there where after 10..dxc3 11.Nf3 Nbc6 12.Ng5 Nxe5
some theoretical discussions, and these lines are all well covered by the young GM.
Included in the book are some white site suggestions as the Steinitz variation with 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 but not mentioned in this book  is the move 4.Bg5 so I have to disappoint in this case,
all fans of the MacCutcheon!
Conclusion: With this work you can win from out the book!



The London System by Marcus Schmuecker
2009
www.123chess.de
163 pages
Price €22,00

The German chess amateur and first board player from Iserlohn Marcus Schmuecker, provides you in this small booklet with a detail study of the London System.
This system arises after the moves 1.d4,2.Nf3,3.Bf4,4.e3,5.c3 and 6.Nbd2 and it does not matter what black plays,white simple continues to his plan.
Yelena Dembo wrote in her book Fighting the anti-King’s Indians that the London System is fairly popular at club level  for the simple reason that it is not a set of concrete variations, but rather a set-up which is applicable against practically every black set-up.
Yelena Dembo prefers a kind of King’s Indian set-up against the London System  but Schmuecker goes more for lines as 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.c3 Nf6 4.Bf4 e6 5.e3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3 Qe7 8.Ne5 Nd7 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Qa4 Bb7 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.Qa3 where he writes: 7…Qe7 is a good try, but white can keep the better prospects with 9.Nxc6!? or 9.f4.But no attention has been paid to 7…Nh5!?
Throw the moves 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e3 cxd4 4.exd4 we reach the Exchange Variation of the Caro – Kann and on page 142 Schmuecker digs in it,with a 3 small pages of text.
Conclusion:Win with the London System from Johnsen & Kovacevis stays the most important reference work on the London System but this book from Schmuecker,is certainly good enough for some interesting ideas!


British Chess Magazine No.5
Volume 130
May  2010
Price: £4,05


The 7th world chess champion, Vasily Vasilievich Smyslov, died at a heart attack.
For several years after the end of World War II he was considered as the second strongest player in the world behind just after Mikhail Botvinnik.
Garry Kasparov one wrote , he was the strongest player in the world in the mid-1950s
He was the man who won the 1953 Candidates Tournament in Zurich, two points ahead of David Bronstein, Paul Keres, and Sammy Reshevsky
A major part of this issue is related to the life and career of the master of Harmony and this all is good for 16 pages!
Other readable contributions are:4NCL of the British Team Championship,The 19th Melody Amber tournament, Games department from IM Sam Collins,News in Brief, European Championship, Easter  Congresses, Quotes and Queries, Endgame studies, Reviews and new books etc.
Conclusion: Buy it for the excellent tribute on Smyslov!   

Chess CD's & DVD's


Opening Encyclopaedia 2010
2010
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISBN 978-3-86681-172-0
Price € 99,90
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard

The new ChessBase Opening Encyclopaedia holds now over 3.7 million games exactly counted  3671204 games,the 2009 edition had to do
with 3355793 games,also there are on this DVD over 79000 annotated games,4800 openings surveys,506 theory databases, a special made big tree of all games for a
excellent overview of all lines a useful statistics, simple to see the results of a move.
Plus a bright made ChessBase 9 with access to all files on this DVD.
This DVD holds all openings lines and is a perfect start for all who want to start with a own database,where you shall find to start a separate directory with 506 theory databases
all taken from the highly regarded ChessBase Magazines,where I found 69 new  ones compared with the previous issue of 2009.
The theory surveys are impressive and often made by a filed of expertise as Marin,Postny,Ribli,Rogozenko,Stohl,Krasenkow,Kortchnoy,H”bner,Jussupow,Avrukh and Anand!
The price looks at first high but don’t forget for the price of 5 chess books you get access to a complete library of chess books,these files hold more information than all the Informators and New in Chess Books together!
All together there is 4.2 GM of information on this DVD and that is included ChessBase reader and installation files.

Conclusion: The best filled Chess DVD that money can buy!

Nigel Short Greatest Hits
2010
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISBN 978-3-86681-174-4
Price € 32,90
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard

Nigel Short belongs  to one of the best players in world but he also has the pleasant reputation of being one of the  most famous chess player of all time!
His career started as a chess prodigy, as a school boy he qualified for the national men’s final at the age of eleven and since than,his career went sky high.
This DVD holds some of Short greatest encounters as his fascinating win against Jan Timman from Tilburg 1991,Short bescribes this game as the one that will be remembered when I go to heaven: Short,Nigel D (2660) - Timman,Jan H (2630) [B04]
Tilburg Tilburg (4), 1991
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg7 7.Qe2 Nc6 8.0-0 0-0 9.h3 a5 10.a4 dxe5 11.dxe5 Nd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Re1 e6 14.Nd2 Nd5 15.Nf3 Qc5 16.Qe4 Qb4 17.Bc4 Nb6 18.b3 Nxc4 19.bxc4 Re8 20.Rd1 Qc5 21.Qh4 b6 22.Be3 Qc6 23.Bh6 Bh8 24.Rd8 Bb7 25.Rad1 Bg7 26.R8d7 Rf8 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.R1d4 Rae8 29.Qf6+ Kg8 30.h4 h5 31.Kh2 Rc8 32.Kg3 Rce8 33.Kf4 Bc8 34.Kg5 1-0.
As Short explains on this DVD he is not sure if Timman was aware that Short was familiar with the position after move 13..e6,but the most amazing move of all is move 31.Kh2!!
A fascinating king walk can be found in the following game, well explained by the chess star Short: Short,Nigel D (2630) - Ljubojevic,Ljubomir (2610) [B66]
Euwe mem Amsterdam (4), 15.03.1988
[Nigel Short]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 h6 9.Be3 Bd7 10.f4 According to the database, I have played this move three times, twice against Ljubojevic and once against Kramnik, scoring three points. That said, it is perhaps better, as Kasparov prefers, to head for an English Attack set-up with [10.f3 because a) White's e-pawn requires support and b) the d7 bishop occupies the natural retreat square for the f6 knight which means that an eventual g5 thrust will prove embarrassing.] 10...b5 11.Bd3 Be7 12.Kb1 useful both for the protection of the a-pawn (in the event of b4) and preventing any nasty Be7-g5 skewers, which crop up in all sorts of variations. 12...b4 A touch premature, in my view. One of Black's main ideas is Nxd4 Bxd4 Bc6 threatening (italics) b4, which forces either a clumsy defence, such as Qe3, or the release of tension with e5. By driving the White over to the kingside he deprives himself of this possibility. 13.Nce2 0-0 14.h3! The h6 pawn provides a convenient object of attack: in just two moves (g4 and g5) lines will be opened in front of the Black king. 14...Qc7 [14...e5!? has its merits, but after 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.fxe5 (this exchange can also be ommitted for the time being) 16...dxe5 17.Ng3 threats slowly start to mount against the king.] 15.g4 Qb7 16.Ng3 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Bc6 18.Rhe1 The assault on the e4 has brought no reward. White is poised to strike, but Black is far from generating any meaningful counterplay.  18...Rfe8?! Catastrophe befalls Black after this modest move. It was essential to play consistently with  [18...d5! 19.g5 (19.e5 Ne4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Qe3²) 19...hxg5 20.fxg5 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 dxe4 22.Qf4 Rfd8! and the outcome is still not clear.(Not 22...Qb5 23.Bf6! Qc5 24.Nh5! with a winning attack.) ] 19.g5 hxg5 20.fxg5 Nd7 [After 20...Nh7 I intended the simple 21.h4 after which it can only be a matter of time before the White forces break through.] 21.Bxg7!! Kxg7 22.Nh5+ Kg6 There was not much choice. [If 22...Kg8 23.g6 fxg6 24.Qh6;
or 22...Kf8 23.g6 Bf6 24.Rf1;
Lastly 22...Kh8 23.g6 Bf8 24.Rg1! fxg6 25.Rxg6 Ne5 26.Rh6+ leads to destruction.] 23.e5+! Kxh5 24.Qf4 This quiet move seals Black's fate. The king is enticed further forward to its doom. 24...Bxg5 25.Qxf7+ Kh4 26.Qh7+ Kg3 27.Qh5 Kh2 28.Qxg5 [I am ashamed to say that I missed the quickest forced mate by 28.Qe2+! Bg2 29.Rh1+ Kg3 30.Qg4+ Kf2 31.Qxg5 with Rf1 to follow. MInd you, the text, does not spoil anything.] 28...Rg8 29.Rd2+? This one however lets mate slip altogether. [29.Re2+! Bg2 30.Qf4+ Rg3 31.Rh1+! Kxh1 32.Qxg3 Qf3 33.Re1+ Bf1 34.Be4! decides on the following move.] 29...Bg2 30.Qf4+ Rg3 A fortress - if I may so term such a delicate construction - has been erected. It does not help though. 31.Be4! Qxe4 32.Qxe4 1-0.

Conclusion: Facinating!


Daniel King Power Play 13: The Squeeze
2010
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISBN 978-3-86681-164-5
Price € 32,90
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard

The Squeeze is a terrifying project from GM Daniel King where he learns you to squeeze slowly the life out of your opponent.
It is all a matter of being in control of your position and  these important techniques can simple be learned with the instructive examples and explanations from Daniel King!
The following example comes Bobby Fischer who played against one of John Collins former prodiges, Raymond Weinstein,who by the way came from a famous chess playing family.
This game never had much attention in the books but King has pleasantly  provide for us with three
separate video files of this highly instructive game: Fischer,Robert James - Weinstein,Raymond Allen [C96]
USA-ch New York (8), 28.12.1963
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bb7 13.d5 Bc8 14.Nbd2 g6 15.b4 Nb7 16.a4 Bd7 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Re3 Qc8 20.Ra3 Qc7 21.Nb3 Nh5 22.Bd3 Rc8 23.Qf1 Nf6 24.Bg5 Rb8 25.Ra7 Qd8 26.Qa1 Qe8 27.Qa6 Qc8 28.Nxe5 dxe5 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 30.Qxf6 Qc3 31.Nc5 Nxc5 32.bxc5 Be8 33.Bf1 Qxc5 34.Re7 b4 35.d6 Qb6 36.Bc4 1-0.
Weinstein has been described as having a "ruthless killer instinct" before he squeezed the life out of his 83 year old roommate.
Now Raymond is searching for inmates for a good game of chess at  the Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Manhattan's Ward's Island.
A other fascinating position of squeezing comes from the great Tigran Petrosian:
Petrosian,Tigran V - Bertok,Mario [E85]
Bled Bled (14), 24.09.1961
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.g4 c5 10.h4 Nd7 11.Ng3 Re8 12.Bd3 a6 13.h5 Nf8 14.Qd2 Bd7 15.a4 Nc8 16.Kf2 f6 17.a5 Re7 18.Rhb1 Be8 19.h6 Bh8 20.Na4 Rc7 21.b4 Bxa4 22.Rxa4 Nd7 23.b5 Nf8 24.Ra2 Rf7 25.Rab2 axb5 26.Rxb5 b6 27.axb6 Rb7 28.Bf1 Rxb6 29.Rxb6 Nxb6 30.Qb2 Na4 31.Qc1 Nd7 32.Ra1 Nab6 33.Rxa8 Qxa8 34.Qc2 Kf7 35.Ne2 Qa4 36.Qxa4 Nxa4 37.Ng3 Ndb6 38.Bc1 Nc3 39.Ke1 Ke7 40.Kd2 Nca4 41.Kc2 Nc8 42.Kb3 Nab6 43.Bh3 Kd7 44.Bd2 Ne7 45.g5+ Ke8 46.Ba5 Nec8 47.Nh1 fxg5 48.Nf2 Bf6 49.Bg4 Bd8 50.Nh3 Bf6 51.Bd2 Ne7 52.Nxg5 Bxg5 53.Bxg5 Kf7 54.Bd2 Nec8 55.Bxc8 Nxc8 56.Bg5 Nb6 57.Bd8 Nc8 58.Ka4 Ke8 59.Bg5 Kd7 60.Kb5 Kc7 61.Ka6 Nb6 62.Bd8+ 1-0,unfortnatley forgotten by Keene in his Petrosian vs the Elite,Batsford 2006.
Running time is over 5 hours!!
Conclusion: There is no better way to learn chess than with these DVD's from King!

O'Kelly Sicilian by Andrew Martin
2010
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISBN 978-3-86681-170-6
Price € 27,50
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard

IM Andrew Martin digs this time in the O’Kelly system that runs with the move 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6,some say that white has a much better game when he plays 3.c3 or 3.c4 but as Marin explains on this DVD is all not so clear at all.
Strange enough the orginator of this line was the Polish grandmaster Savielly Tartakower who tried it for the first time against Reti in there 1919 match.
But is was the Belgian chess genius Alberic O’Kelly who analysed and use this variation in the 1950s.
Thanks to the surprise effect it became a dangerous weapon in the hands of  a players who prefer fast development.
In the 1960s black played usually moves like as 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 e5 7.Nf5 d5 8.cxd5 Bxf5 9.exf5 Nd4 10.Bd3 Nxd5 11.0-0 Bb4 12.Be4 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 14.Rb1 0-0 15.Qg4 Qd6 16.Rd1 Rac8 17.Rd3 Rc4 and now 18.h4! a invention of the Dutch chess amateur G.H.Kets from Doetinchem.
But as Andrew Martin shows us on this DVD black must play like this:
Hagara,Eduard (2383) - Baklan,Vladimir (2655) [B41]
AUT-chT 0910 Austria (1.3), 06.11.2009
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Qc7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Bg5 Bb4 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Qd3 Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Be2 Rb8
12.a3 Bd6 13.b4 c5 14.b5 Be5 15.a4 Ra8 16.Rc1 Bb7 17.Bf3 axb5 18.cxb5 c4 19.Qe2 0-0 20.g3 Bxc3+ 21.Rxc3 Rxa4 22.0-0 Rb4 23.Rfc1 d5 24.exd5 exd5 25.Re3 d4 26.Re8 Rxe8
27.Qxe8+ Kg7 28.Be4 d3 29.h4 d2 30.Rd1 c3 31.b6 Rxe4 0-1
Or Thorhallsson,Gylfi (2219) - Roussel Roozmon,Thomas (2479) [B28]
Reykjavik op Reykjavik (4), 27.03.2009
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Nb3 Bb4 7.Bc4 Qc7 8.Qe2 d6 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nbd7 11.Ba3 Nb6 12.Nd2 0-0 13.Rfd1 Rd8 14.Bb3 Be6 15.Nf1 Rac8 16.Rab1 Qc6 17.f3 Nc4 18.Bc1 h6 19.Ne3 b5 20.Bxc4 Bxc4 21.Nxc4 Qxc4 22.Qxc4 Rxc4 23.Rd3 Ra4 24.a3 Kf8 25.Rb4 Ke7 26.Kf2 Rc8 27.Rxa4 bxa4 28.g4 Ke6 29.g5 hxg5 30.Bxg5 Nd7 31.Be3 g6 32.Ke2 f5 33.Bg1 Nf6 34.exf5+ gxf5 35.h4 Nd5 36.Kd2 Nf4 37.Re3 Ng2 38.Re2 Nxh4 39.Rf2 Rg8 40.Bh2 Nxf3+ 41.Kd3 e4+ 42.Ke3 Nxh2 43.Rxh2 Ke5 44.Rh7 Rg3+ 45.Kd2 Rg2+ 46.Kd1 e3 47.Ra7 f4 0-1
,is all well analysed by Martin,where the running time of this DVD is over four hours!
Conclusion: Surprise and outplay your opponent with the good old O’Kelly system!

Sicilian Najdorf 6.Bg5 by Alexei Shirov
2010
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISBN 978-3-86681-167-6
Price € 32,90
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard

GM Alexei Shirov explains and digs in one of the most interesting lines of the Sicilian Najdorf with the move order: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5,
as Shirov explains in the introduction file he does not trust the Polugayevsky 6…e6 7.f4 b5 and does not like either the queen move 7…Qc7 because after 8.Bxf6 gxf6 black has to face some weak pawns.
No Shirov is impressed how Anand handles the Najdorf with his knight to 7….Nbd7 and this setup gets a lot of attention from the instructive speaking
Shirov: Shirov,Alexei (2755) - Anand,Vishy (2799) [B96] Linares 2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Rhe1 Qb6 12.Nb3 Rc8 13.Qh3 Rxc3 14.bxc3 Qc7 15.Kb1 Be7 16.e5 dxe5 17.f5 Nd5 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qg3 g6 21.Rd2 Rc8 22.Qg5+ Ke8 23.Qg4 Nxc3+ 24.Ka1 Bd5 25.Re3 Nf6 26.Qh4 Qe7 27.Bf1 Bxb3 28.cxb3 Nce4 29.Rb2 Rc1+ 30.Rb1 Qc5 0-1,Running time of this video file is 28 minutes!
By the way Shirov also handles between the lines the move 10.e5with the sacrifice 12.Nxe6
See game: Luther,Thomas (2532) - Shirov,Alexei (2726) [B96]
Bundesliga 0809 Germany (9.2), 14.12.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.e5 Bb7 11.Qh3 dxe5 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Qxe6+ Be7 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Be2 h5 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Nb6 18.Bxh5+ Rxh5 19.Qg8+ Bf8 20.Qe6+ Be7 21.Qg8+ Bf8 22.Qe6+ ½-½
After Shirov it is white who has to fight for a draw but my databases with engine games give a other conclusion.But I would agree with the opinion of Shirov!
Very instructive is the file: Latest news and corrections:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 [6.Be3] 6...e6 [6...Nbd7 7.Bc4 (7.f4 Qc7) 7...Qb6! (7...h6 8.Bh4 Ne5 9.Bb3 g5 10.Bg3 e6 11.h4 Rg8 12.hxg5 hxg5 13.Nf3 Qa5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Qf3 Rg6 (15...Be7 16.Rh6 (16.0-0-0) 16...Nd7 17.0-0-0 g4) ) 8.Bb3 (8.0-0 Qxb2 9.Qd2 Qb6) 8...e6 9.Qd2 (9.Be3) ] 7.f4 Qb6 [7...Qc7 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Qf3 (9.Be2) 9...b5 10.0-0-0 (10.a3 Bb7 11.0-0-0 (11.Qh5 Qc5) 11...h5) 10...b4;
7...Nbd7 8.Qe2 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.a3 Be7 11.g4 Rb8 (11...Bb7 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.g5 Bxd4 14.Rxd4 e5) 12.Bg2 b4 13.axb4 Rxb4 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nc6;
7...Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.e5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.fxg5 Nd5 12.Ne4 Qb6;
7...Be7 8.Qf3 h6 (8...Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5 Nc5 14.f6 gxf6 15.gxf6 Bf8 16.Rg1 Bd7 17.Rg7 Bxg7 18.fxg7 Rg8 19.e5 d5 20.Qf6 Qd8 21.Qh6 (21.b4 Nb7 22.Bd3) 21...Qe7 22.Bd3 Nxd3+ 23.Rxd3 0-0-0 24.Nxd5 exd5 25.Qxa6+) 9.Bh4 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.Be2 (11.f5 e5) 11...b5 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.e5 Bb7 14.Qg3 dxe5 15.fxe5 Nd5 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg6+ Kd7 18.Bg4 Qxe5 19.Nxd5 Qg5+ (19...Bxd5 20.Rxd5+ Qxd5 21.Rd1) 20.Qxg5 Bxg5+ 21.Kb1 Bxd5 22.Rxd5+] 8.Qd2 [8.Nb3] 8...Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 [10.f5] 10...h6 11.Bh4 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nfd7 [12...g5 13.exf6 (13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Bf2 Nd7) 13...gxh4 14.Be2 h3 15.g3] 13.Ne4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 [15...Bc5 16.Nxe6 Bb4+ (16...Qxe6 17.Nxc5 Qb6 18.e6 0-0 19.Be7! (19.exd7 Nxd7 20.Bf2 Nf6) 19...fxe6 a) 19...Re8 20.exf7+ Kxf7 21.Bc4+; b) 19...Nxc5 20.Bxf8 (20.Bxc5 Qa5+ 21.c3 Bxe6 22.Bxf8 Kxf8 23.Be2 Nc6 24.0-0 Kg8) 20...Qa5+ (20...Kxf8 21.e7+ Ke8 22.Rd8+) 21.c3 Nxe6 22.Bb4 Qc7 23.Be2 (23.Bd3) ; 20.Bxf8 Nxf8 21.Kf2 Nbd7 22.Ne4 Qxe3+ 23.Kxe3) ] 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Re8 21.Qg3 Nc6 22.0-0 f5 23.Qg6 Qd8 24.Rd3 [24.Bc4 Kh8 25.Ng5 Qxg5 26.Qxe8+ Kh7 27.Qxe6 Nf6] 24...Re7 [24...fxe4 25.Rf7 (25.Rg3; 25.Rg3 Re7) 25...Qf6 (25...Qb6+ 26.Kh1 Qb2 27.Rg3) 26.Rxf6 Nxf6 27.Rg3] 25.Rg3 fxe4 [25...Nd4] 26.Bxe7 [26.Qxh6 Nd4] 26...Qxe7 27.Bh5 Nde5 28.Qxh6.
Running time is over five hours!
Conclusion: The analyses from Shirov belong to the best!

The Slav and Semi-Slav Revisited by Alexei Shirov
2010
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISBN 978-3-86681-173-7
Price € 32,90
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard

GM Alexei Shirov provides you on his second ChessBase Opening’s DVD on the Slav and Semi Slav with a wealth of latest developments.
Included on this DVD are also some last discoveries on the line that carries the name of Shirov, the so feared  Shirov/Shabalov Attack.
Nowadays we see Shirov also a lot on the white side of the board, as we can see in the next short cut: Shirov,Alexei (2726) - Fridman,Daniel (2630) [D16]
EU-Cup 24th Kallithea (7), 23.10.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 cxd4 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Nxd4 Qc7 12.b3 Ne5 13.Ncb5 Qb8 14.Ba3 Bxa3 15.Nxa3 b6 16.Rac1 Bb7 17.Ba6 Rc8 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.f4 Ned7 20.Nc4 Qa6 21.Qf3 Nc5 22.Nd6 Rf8 23.b4 Ncd7 24.b5 Qxa4 25.Ra1 1-0,the opening is very interesting played where Rogozenko write to this game in the ChessBase Magazines: A popular modern set-up: Black started with the Slav and now transposes into a Queen's Gambit Accepted (QGA) type of positions with a tempo down. He considers that this tempo is not so important and that he can manage without the move ...a6 (in a similar position of the QGA the black pawn is already on a6 instead of a7, since here Black lost a tempo by playing first ...c5 in two steps).
Included are also other interesting analyses on this DVD as the Botvinnik system,which we can see in the following game,where Shirov has to stand up  against the bright Magnus Carlsen!
Carlsen,Magnus (2770) - Shirov,Alexei (2745) [D44]
Sofia MTel Masters 5th Sofia (4), 16.05.2009
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.exf6 Bb7 12.g3 c5 13.d5 Qb6 14.Bg2 0-0-0 15.0-0 b4 16.Na4 Qb5 17.a3 exd5 18.axb4 cxb4 19.Qg4 d4 20.Bxb7+ Kxb7 21.Qe4+ Qc6 22.Qxd4 Bd6 23.Rfe1 Rde8 24.Re3 Ne5 25.h4 Re6 26.Bf4 Rhe8 27.Bxe5 Rxe5 28.Rxe5 Rxe5 29.Qg4 Ra5 30.h5 Rxa4 31.Rxa4 Qxa4 32.h6 Qc6 33.Qh5 c3 34.bxc3 bxc3 35.Qxf7+ Bc7 36.Qb3+ Bb6 37.Qf7+ Bc7 38.Qb3+ Bb6 39.Qf7+ Bc7 ½-½
Krasenkow wrote about this game: Positions arising in the Botvinnik system are usually crazy and hard to assess.
Running time is over eight hours,indeed this is a hell of a DVD!
Conclusion: Shirov provides you on this DVD overwhelming analyses which I could not find in any printed book!


ChessBase Magazine extra issue 135
May  2010
Videos by Leonid Kritz and Valeri Lilov
ChessBase

 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail
info@chessbase.com

ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99

This issue is good for nearly 20.000 games!
Exactly counted there are a impressive 19692 games, all taken from tournaments as the Amber tournament in Nizza,with Ivanchuk and Carlsen on the first place. The 19th Melody Amber tournament was sponsored by the Dutch billionaire Joop van Oosterom.
Also I found the following Championships of Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany and Vietnam.
Amusing is the next shortcut:
Matein,Antoan - Georgiev,Dimitar (1950) [C40]
Sofia Asenova&Ivanova Memorial Sofia (1), 21.04.2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.exf5 e4 4.Nd4 Qf6 5.Nb3 d5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.Be2 Bxf5 8.0-0 Bd6 9.d4 Nd7 10.c3 h5 11.Bxh5+ g6 12.Bg4 Bxh2+
13.Kh1 Qh4 14.g3 Bxg3+ 15.Bh3 Qxh3+ 16.Kg1 Qh2# 0-1
The extra video files come from Leonid Kritz who shows us a classic beauty between Lasker and the great Capablanca, played at the WorldChampionship of 1921
 and Valeri Lilov has recorded two videos from Spassky-Tal,Tallinn 1973, and Kramnik-Deep Junior played in back in 2000.
The play of  Kramnik is superb and the annotations from Lilov are super instructive but he must try to slow his speed down.
Conclusion: A must for all modern chess players!





Roman's Lab: Volume 91
Practical killer traps and super sharp lines for the 1.e4 player
http://www.chessondvd.com/
Price $21,95


GM Roman Dzindzichashvili goes in Roman’s Lab:volume 91,for the following  lines:
First against the Alekhine Roman prefers to the moves 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.Nc3.
In the Caro-Kann he goes for the Panov Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 or throw the Scandinavian Defence but than black has to play 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6.
And in the French Dzindzichashvili goes for the old move 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3,
This line is closely related to the move 4.Qg4 where you must be ready to sacrifice your d pawn.
Running time of this DVD is 110 minutes,more than enough to learn the basics of these attacking lines.

Roman's Lab: Volume 92
New theory covered in Sicilian g3,Scotch,Accelerated Dragon.
http://www.chessondvd.com/
Price $21,95



M Roman Dzindzichashvili explains here  in a small 90 minutes, the following lines:
The Sicilian with a delayed g3,The Scotch with the moves:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 and the Accelerated Dragon that runs with the moves: 1.e4 c5 2.
Nf3 g6,once a old pet line of Dzindzichashvili himself. After 2...g6 the most common continuation is 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 leading to an
Accelerated Dragon,but white has also interesting alternatives
as c3!? and 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4. For my taste Dzindzichashvili  does not dig deep enough on this
DVD ,but it is perfect for a first understanding of the Accelerated Dragon!
Conclusion: Easy learning!