The author introduces Boris Spassky in the following way: "If I was to describe Spassky's most characteristic trait, I would say that he used to develop his pieces actively and harmoniously and then started to throw them at his opponent's position, no matter if this implied serious material sacrifices." The database includes 35 model games and 20 test positions. The material is divided into 9 thematic sections
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The Owen Defence is one of the most interesting and original among hyper-modern openings. It combines ideas from several different openings, such as the Queen's Indian, the Bogo-Indian, the Nimzo-Indian and the Dutch. Black completely refrains from occupying the centre with his pawns and controls it with his pieces from afar, frequently involving the f-pawn in the process. This database aims to offer a complete Owen repertoire against 1.c4 that avoids transpositions to the Queen's Indian or other main openings. The database consists of 24 theoretical chapters and 16 interactive test positions.
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To describe Fischer in a few words while comparing him with the other players I have written databases about: He was practical to a no lesser extent than Karpov, but more accurate than him (especially when analysing). His tactical skills were comparable to Tal's, but he did not incite fireworks for the sake of fireworks but chose the moves he found most promising to achieve the desired results. His style was no less universal than Kortschnoj's. At a superficial glance, he may seem less deep than Viktor L'vovich, but this may be an illusion provoked by the fact that his methods of using his understanding were more straightforward. Time has come to examine in some detail the multiple facets of Fischer's style. The database is divided into the following sections: Classical Strategy, Positional Attack, Flexible/Dynamic Strategy, Development/Initiative, Tactics/Calculation, Endgame Technique, Persistence in the Endgame, Grandiose Fights. The database also includes 20 test positions which are attached to the different sections.
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Welcome to the second (and final) database dedicated to the Bogo-Indian Defence. Our starting position arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 There is a small psychological paradox connected with this move. It is true that 4.Bd2 avoids any early commitments, and is likely to maintain the fluency of White's play. But at the same time we have seen that with a minimum of accuracy, Black usually obtains a rock-solid position with good chances of counterplay. After 4.Nbd2 things are more double-edged strategically. While the knight is not optimally placed on d2, White launches an open invitation to what he hopes to prove an improved Nimzo-Indian, by forcing the exchange on d2 with a2-a3, thus avoiding the doubled pawns on the c-file. But at the same time, the last move restricts White's choice of plans, allowing Black to more or less dictate the middlegame structure.
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The suggested repertoire for Black in the Bogo-Indian with 4.Bd2 is both rock-solid and ambitious. Despite White’s space advantage and apparent superior activity, Black can not only keep his own but also find promising ways to counterplay. Many of Black’s wins were possible because of White’s over-optimism in the attempt to use his trumps. The magic of this system is even more obvious when comparing with the King’s Indian, a supposedly more aggressive opening leading to similar structures but with the dark-squared bishops on board. This repertoire does not require memorizing long forced lines, as the focus is on understanding the typical structures.
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In the introduction to the current database, Mihail Marin writes: "During the years I played over Karpov's games with his own comments, there are were a few things I discovered to be typical for his play. 1) An experienced trainer told me at that time that for Karpov, the "global piece cooperation" was essential. I would re-formulate this now as "harmony". His inner instinct (or native talent backed up by accumulated experience and knowledge) allowed him to maintain his position's harmony during the long strategic manoeuvring phases. Many times, this element alone was enough for a win, causing his play to seem effortless (and, at a superficial glance, even boring). 2) This is a continuation of the idea expressed above. Chess is a strategic, but also a concrete game. Karpov could not avoid (and he did not even try) to reach moments when his plan would clash with his opponent's. It was in such situations when it became clear that apart from a fine positional feel, he also had excellent calculating skills. With his army more harmoniously displayed than the enemy one, Karpov used to find the tactical (or attacking) solution to prove his advantage. Apart from the games examined in this database I also recommend the excellent examples Karpov-Spassky Moscow 1973 (used as a test in my attacking trilogy published earlier by Modern Chess) and Karpov-Topalov Linares 1994 (in the main database of the same article series). Sometimes tactics remained behind the scene, when they were having a strong influence over the strategic battle. This was the case in Karpov-Gligoric Leningrad interzonal 1973, from the same series of databases. 3) Karpov was also an expert in what we call domination. His pieces would occupy key squares, keeping the enemy army under control, restricting its activity or even paralysing it completely. It feels almost like he was playing alone, at least in some extreme cases. 4) For Karpov, the three main phases of the game (opening, middlegame, ending) were tightly connected. His endgame technique was dreaded by his opponents, but I will not focus on this particular aspect."
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Studying Tal’s attacking games will definitely induce a new dimension to your play, making it more enjoyable (for yourself first of all) and effective. I can testify for that based on my own experience. A few things one should focus on when examining his games 1) his unparalleled imagination 2) the ability to find resources in long lines far away from their beginning 3) train your calculating abilities by trying to find his lines and moves or, in other cases, refute his flawed but nonetheless difficult to deal with, combinations. 4) chess can be pure joy, and if we take it this way our results should also improve. The database is divided into the following sections: Tal's Magic, Tal's Philosophy, Development, King in the Centre, Attacking, Better Coordination, Hosting the Opponent, Domination, The Swan's Song. While each section includes extensively annotated games, most of them also contain test positions.
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In this database, Mihail Marin provides a complete Black repertoire which is based on the so-called Open Spanish. The basic position of this line arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6. In the introduction, GM Marin writes: "The Open (or Tarrasch) Variation in the Spanish Opening has fascinated me ever since the 1978 and 1981 Karpov-Kortschnoj matches, during which the challenger regularly used it, coming up with many new ideas. Before that, the system did not enjoy a good reputation, but the intense rehearsal during the matches provoked a real boom of the opening. For many years I had an intense but purely "platonic" sympathy for it. I finally decided to include it in my repertoire when I understood that playing the Sicilian against players like John Nunn was pure suicide. And as a reward, my first game with the Open Spanish ended in a draw against the same Dr Nunn, who one year earlier had made me the unwilling co-author of a brilliancy prize in the Najdorf! The aforementioned matches also induced a new fashion trend from White's point of view, but during the '80s, Kortschnoj introduced many new ideas in tournament games. Around 1990 a serious crisis happened, after a crucial loss of Kortschnoj to Hjartarson. I managed to play it for a few more years, switching systems when I feared concrete opponents' preparation, but around 1994 I had to resign to the evidence: Many of my favourite lines did not look playable anymore. Revisiting the variation after such a long time was refreshing. When writing this database I understood that at this stage of theory there are certain systems (mainly 9.Nbd2) in which Black has to go for dynamic play (and not for static positions, as I used to do)."
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What should we expect from the Leningrad Bird? Does it offer White an advantage? Is White's extra tempo with respect to the Dutch essential? First of all, we should expect a long strategic struggle, with many original positions and structures, which the computer does not always understand from the beginning. Quite typically, the engines' scepticism vanishes gradually. This makes the opponents' preparation quite difficult. It is right to say that in the complex middlegame the better strategy is likely to win, but we should also take into account that many interesting dynamic or tactical moments can arise.
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Welcome to the second and final database dedicated to Queen's Gambit Declined. In Part 1, GM Marin has dealt with all the systems based on Bg5. This database mostly features the lines in which White opts for Bf4 via different move orders. The repertoire is very practical. When possible, Marin suggests rare and relatively unexplored continuations. Of course, all the lines have a solid positional foundation. The database includes three sections - Pawn structures, Theoretical Part, and Test Section.
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The Tartakower System has the reputation of being one of the most complicated lines in Queen's Gambit Declined. By playing early ...b7-b6 followed by ...Bb7, Black solves his main problem in QGD positions - the development of the light-squared bishop. Since the arising positions are very dynamic, this is a perfect variation for ambitious players. The current database is dealing with the systems in which White plays Bg5. Before diving into the deep theory, GM Mihail Marin covers 6 structures you should know. Armed with this structural knowledge, the reader can easily understand the theory. The database contains 6 pawn structures, 18 theoretical lines and 30 interactive test positions.
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The dynamic phase tends to have a global character, with piece and pawn tensions all over the board and with the enemy kings only as a possible collateral victim. It does not have the linear and logical course of a combination and it is hard to anticipate its end. While the accurate calculation is useful, it is usually impossible to exhaust the position analytically, thus intuition and understanding play a very important role. A moment of crucial importance is when dynamic fireworks come to an end. If played perfectly, the evaluations of the end position and the initial position (before the fireworks) should be the same. In practical games, however, this rarely happens since dynamic play offers the stronger player countless possibilities to outplay his opponent.
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This database is designed to develop your attacking skills. Besides explaining the typical attacking methods, true to his style, GM Mihail Marin deals with the psychological aspects as well. This is a highly interactive product since the reader is supposed to learn through practice. At the beginning of each section, you are invited to think upon the most critical positions in the section. The database consists of 17 extensively annotated games (divided into 9 sections) and 29 interactive test positions (divided into 9 sections).
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With such a quantity of (many of them excellent) books on tactics, one may ask himself whether anything new can be said on this subject. Nevertheless, in many cases, the system of classification used in such books fails to reveal some essential aspects. Sorting the examples according to the central theme of the combination (a system used on most occasions) is sound, but offers only an "outside image". GM Mihail Marin considers that there are books offering a very abstract, apparently logical explanation of the tactical events, but not necessarily one corresponding to the thinking process of the players. In the current database, you will find 18 examples which are divided into 5 sections as well as 30 test positions which are divided into 6 sections. Every test position is backed up with extensive analysis and explanations that you can check after solving.
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The system based on an early h2-h3 is named after the Soviet International Master Vladimir Makogonov who has used it with success more than half a century ago. Spassky revealed the essence of this opening very clearly: "White prepares the bishop's development to e3 by defending against the threat of ...Ng4. Besides, he has g2-g4 in mind, when unlike in the Saemisch attack, the f3-square is available for the knight". In this system, Black should know very well what he is doing in order not to find himself in a strategically lost position. In Makagonov, the understanding of the positional ideas is a way more important than the knowledge of concrete lines. That is the reason why besides the theoretical knowledge, Mihail Marin provides a complete overview of the arising structures as well as 30 strategical tests.
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Carlsen was always very successful in winning almost equal endings. In this database, GM Mihail Marin tries to explain the deep reasons behind such a success. In different chapters, the author presents the most typical mistakes of Carlsen's opponents. These mistakes occur very often in practical endings and this database would help you to get rid of them. The database consists of 10 extensively annotated games and 30 interactive tests.
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This database deals with Carlsen's most important skill - his long-term strategic vision. He has an outstanding feeling of the factors which are important for the evaluation of the position. In the current database, GM Mihail Marin throws some light on the strategical thinking of the World Champion, The database includes 10 chapters and 30 test positions.
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One of the things that impress me in Carlsen's play when in top form is his apparent invulnerability. No matter how much time his strongest opponents dedicate to preparation against him, no matter how dangerous (or simply bad) his positions look at times, the reigning World Champion proves the ability to hold his own, like a cats' reflex to fall on its feet. One reason for this is Carlsen's strong sense of danger, which often leads to unexpected or apparently modest moves, parrying the threats or anticipating the dangers before they even become real.
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In the previous two databases, we have examined Andersson's virtuosity in rook endings and in knight versus bishop in minor piece endings. We conclude this series with some general aspects regarding Ulf's endgame technique. The material is divided into the following categories: 1) Simplifying to a better ending 2) Domination 3) Playing on two wings 4) Endings arising after exchange or queen sacrifices
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In the second database on Andersson's endgame mastery, GM Mihail Marin deals with the battle of minor pieces. Of course, the author does not limit his survey only to pure minor piece endings. In this database, he also explains how bishops and knights cooperate with major pieces. The database consists of 15 extensively annotated games and 30 interactive tests.
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The first two databases have been dedicated to the most popular options to meet the French - 3.Nd2 and 3.Nc3 respectively. In his third and final part, Marin is dealing with the other White's alternatives on the very first moves. He is providing adequate antidotes, both based on strategical ground and by concrete ideas or move orders. The included material resembles a small encyclopedia from Black's point of view. It is structured into 25 chapters.
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3.Nc3 is White's most active weapon against the French Defense. GM Marin provides an opening repertoire for Black based on 3...Bb4, commonly known as the Winawer Variation. While both 3...Bb4 and 3...Nf6 are principled as they attack White's center, the author has a clear preference for 3...Bb4 because it offers an early strategic plot, similar to his recommendation against 3.Nd2. The point is that in many lines of this variation, the exchange on c3 leads to strategically double-edged positions.
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In this database, GM Mihail Marin starts building a French Repertoire for Black. In the current survey, he shares his weapon against 3.Nd2. As always, Mihail goes from the structures to the theoretical lines. In this database, you will find an article about the French Isolani, 17 theoretical chapters, and 30 interactive tests which help you to develop automatic reactions in French positions.
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In the final part of his Anti-1.Nf3 repertoire, Marin deals with all systems which are different from the Hedgehog. Given the fact that the move 1.Nf3 may lead to a number of different openings, the current database will help you to increase your general chess understanding. The repertoire is designed in a way that transpositions to the Hedgehog structure would be always in the air. Also, it is important to point out that the suggested systems are ambitious and allow Black to fight for a win.
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All the variations dealt with in this database are quite ambitious for White. In the spirit of Hedgehog, Black wants to play a long game with many pieces and very complicated positions. Marin avoids variations with early exchanges and offers a fighting repertoire. He played this position during his long career, and he feels the arising positions very well. Armed with his explanations, analyses, and novelties, you should be able to face each opponent.
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With this database, GM Mihail Marin marks the beginning of a new ambitious opening project - Marin's solution to 1.Nf3. The repertoire is divided into three databases. We can say that the so-called Hedgehog Setup is the cornerstone of the repertoire. Of course, in his repertoire databases, the author also deals with White's attempts to sidestep the Hedgehog. These systems are covered in Part 3, while Parts 1 and 2 are dedicated to the subtleties of the Hedgehog System.
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The current database completes GM Mihail Marins' Catalan project. This time, he focuses on Black's attempts to avoid the Catalan. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, the author deals with two highly popular moves - 3...Bb4+ and 3...c5. True to his approach, in this database, Marin advocates positionally sound but not necessarily fashionable lines. That makes the suggested repertoire valuable from a practical point of view. By following Marin's recommendations, we have good chances to surprise our opponents.
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GM Mihail Marin continues with the examination of the theoretical subtleties of the Catalan. The current database contains 1 article about the typical Catalan Endgame, 12 theoretical chapters, and 20 Test positions. After reading the current database, the reader will learn how to deal with Black's absolute main line against the Catalan. The author provides a number of important novelties.
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The theoretical importance of the Catalan is obvious to anyone who is following the recent theoretical developments. Nowadays, you will hardly find a top player who does not have the Catalan in his repertoire. Being always on the top of the wave, Modern Chess team decided to start a project concerning this fashionable opening. GM Mihail Marin is the perfect author when it comes to a positional opening like the Catalan. Moreover, it is important to point out that Marin is playing this opening for almost 30 years.
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The third and final part of GM Mihail Marin's "Positional Gruenfeld Repertoire" is here! The trilogy is completed with an examination of popular systems that involve developing the white bishop to g5 and f4, as well as the Fianchetto system (with g3). In the final chapters, GM Marin also covers less popular alternatives, such as the interesting 3.f3!?, as well as various 4th and 6th move alternatives for white. His theoretical recommendations, as usual, have the benefit of being fundamentally strategically sound, while somewhat less explored. This is a good combination in today's computer-driven chess era, especially for those who want to avoid long and sharp theoretical battles.
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In this survey, GM Marin deals with some of the most critical White's responses to the Grunfeld Defence such as the classical main line in the Exchange System and the so-called Russian System. True to his creative approach to the opening, in a number of well-known theoretical lines, the author suggests original continuations which are not extensively tested in practice. Of course, every suggestion is based on solid positional grounds.
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Nowadays, Gruenfeld Defence is one of the most topical and complicated openings. Practically, every top-player has the Gruenfeld in his opening repertoire. Still, the complexity and the enormous amount of theory make a number of players reluctant to play this opening. This is the reason why we decided to start another ambitious project - complete Gruenfeld repertoire in three parts prepared by GM Mihail Marin. Being aware of the fact that it is difficult to study a new opening without knowing the typical middlegame positions which could be reached, we have decided that this database should start with some pawn structures that every Gruenfeld player should know. The coverage of the structures is based on 4 articles that GM Marin wrote for Modern Chess Magazine. After studying the arising positions from a structural point of view, the reader will better understand the theoretical part of the database.
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In our computer-driven time, the level of preparation is drastically increasing. Sometimes, even top players face difficulties to outplay regular 2300+ rated players. This problem is even bigger when it comes to playing for a win with Black. In most of the openings Black struggles to obtain a playable position. Nevertheless, exceptions exist. If you need an opening which is dynamic, strategically sound and offers plenty of possibilities to outplay your opponent, the Modern Benoni is your bread and butter. In his latest database for Modern Chess, one of the best Benoni experts in the world, GM Mihail Marin provides you with a complete Benoni repertoire.
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After dealing with all the Nf3-based systems, GM Mihail Marin completes his Modern Benoni with another amazing database. This time, he deals with dangerous systems like Three Pawns Attack, Saemisch System, Penrose System, as well as with some relatively rare variations. As always, Marin divides his database into three sections - Pawn Structures, Theoretical Section, and Test Section.
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In the preview to the current database, GM Mihail Marin writes: In this database, I have tried to illustrate several aspects of Kortschnoj's strategic understanding. There are several reasons why I have chosen the material from two main periods. The first period includes the years when the re-learning process had started and the following time. I believe that these must have been among the most inspiring years when his curiosity was wide open to what happens and may happen on the chessboard. The games from the other group were played when Kortschnoj was aged 70+ and 80. Most of his opponents from these games are top players or rising stars. This way I have advocated a surprising (and to many unacceptable) idea. If at such an advanced age, just half or less of the player he had been, he could still crush such strong opponent, what would have happened if he could have got his youth back before sitting to play with the modern elite? At the same time, I wanted to avoid as much as possible commenting games again that I had published elsewhere. This was not easy, as I have been writing a lot about Kortschnoj over the past decades. I have also left aside games I have already published for Modern Chess, even though some suited the purpose of this article very well. A good example is his win with black against Karpov using the Open Spanish. But the most painful omission is his win at the age of 80 against a 2700+ Caruana, which I have used more than once in my earlier materials. I have divided the material into three categories: Classical Strategy, Original Plans, and Critical Decisions
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If we think of endgame specialists from the late phase of the classical age, one of the first names coming up to mind is Ulf Andersson. Apart from his exquisite endgame technique and ability to squeeze a win apparently out of nothing, what impresses me is Ulf's general approach. He rarely strives for an advantage out of the opening or early middlegame, preferring to play long games in which the balance is disturbed at a late stage, typically in the phase of simplification to the endgame, or even deep in the endgame already. But once he has obtained an advantage (be it winning, minimal or symbolic) Andersson's play becomes a mixture of patient maneuvering, aimed at tiring the opponent, and flexibility accompanied by concreteness. He can change the setup or main plan according to the most subtle details, many of them revealed only after thorough analysis.
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