Opening Databases
Practical Repertoire Against Pirc and Modern Defence
In his first database for Modern Chess, Brazilian IM Renato Quintillano is analyzing two of the most aggressive Black's choices against 1.e4 - The Pirc Defence and The Modern Defence. The author provides us with quite an interesting repertoire, not only rich in ideas, but also in new concepts of play in these setups. In the database, you can find some very sharp lines and a lot of endgame positions, which the author analyzed in depth.
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Reversed Sicilian - Avrukh's Antidote to 1.c4 (Part 2)
In the second part of his repertoire against 1.c4, GM Boris Avrukh deals with the systems based on 2.g3 and 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Against these two move orders, we cannot reach the Reversed Dragon with Bc5 which was discussed in Part 1. Of course, you can still play Reversed Dragon by employing the main line with Nb6. Nevertheless, Boris doesn't like the fact that White has too many possible options. As always, Avrukh chooses a very aggressive repertoire. Systems after 1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 and 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 are positionally unbalanced and very complex. Avrukh did a fantastic job by providing the readers with a variety of novelties and sometimes even with new concepts of play.
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Reversed Sicilian - Avrukh's Antidote to 1.c4 (Part 1)
Every chess player has faced the dilemma of how to meet the English opening. 1.c4 is objectively a weaker move than 1.e4 or 1.d4, but it is by far the trickiest option for White on move 1. With so many transpositions, different setups and move orders, White has plenty of options to turn the game into the desired setup. That’s why we are pleased to announce this database in which one of the top theoreticians in the world – GM Boris Avrukh, provides you with a complete, aggressive repertoire against 1.c4. Black has many choices after 1.c4, but the Reversed Sicilian (1…e5) is by far the most principled move. Hence it is no surprise that GM Avrukh decided to base his repertoire on it.
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Positional Gruenfeld Repertoire - Part 3
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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The Sicilian Kan - Repertoire for Black
The Paulsen Sicilian, also known as Kan variation is one of the most practical options for Black against 1.e4. A perfect mix between the Scheveningen – Taimanov – Hedgehog schemes that allows you to play a fighting game without many forced lines. Many strong grandmasters have employed it regularly and achieved great success with it, Lajos Portisch, Ilya Smirin, Vadim Milov just to name a few. Not just that, champions like Carlsen and Kramnik have played it successfully as well. The main incentive to play the Sicilian Kan is to take your opponents into a battle where talent and creativity overweight memory.
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Positional Gruenfeld Repertoire - Part 2
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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Positional Gruenfeld Repertoire - Part 1
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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Classical Anti - Scotch Repertoire
Given the fact that nowadays White experiences major difficulties to obtain an advantage in Ruy Lopez, he started looking for decent alternatives. That is why the so-called Scotch Opening became highly popular even at top level. In the recent years, modern practice showed that the Scotch offers a variety of interesting and unexplored positions. That is the reason why among it's supporters we could find the names of creative top grandmasters like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Ian Nepomniatchi, Alexader Morozevich and of course the great Garry Kasparov. The current data is designed to provide the reader with a solid Anti-Scotch repertoire which can be used at any level.
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The Steinitz Defense Deferred
The Steinitz Defence Deferred is an interesting and still relatively unexplored system against the Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5). Apparently passive, yet extremely solid and quite flexible, it has survived the test of time since the late 19th century. Chess greats like Janowski, Schlechter, Capablanca, Alekhine, Keres, Smyslov, etc. The aim of this opening survey is to provide you with an easily understandable and concrete Steinitz Defence Deferred (in further text SDD) opening repertoire against the Ruy Lopez. SDD is a relatively rare occurence on the top level, but this can be a blessing in disguise for a club or a casual tournament player. Many white players dismiss such opening variations as second-rate and pay less attention to them than to Breyers and Marshalls of the world, on which they are ready to spend countless hours of analysis. If your knowledge of SDD is solid and deep, while your opponent's is superficial and coupled with "today I play against that off-beat Ruy Lopez line" approach, guess who has the upper hand?
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Complete Modern Benoni Repertoire - Part 1
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.
Features: Downloadable in PGN Interactive tests