Opening Databases
Moscow Variation against the Sicilian - Complete Repertoire against 2...d6
Nowadays the Moscow variation is extremely popular, and one of the reasons is the current World Champion Magnus Carlsen. His approach to the chess has changed the way of thinking for many - not to strive for advantage in the opening, but get an easy play with a logical development of the pieces. Don't be mistaken though - Magnus Carlsen may play off-beat variations but he does know them really well. Right now pretty much all of the top level players who choose 1.e4 play a decent amount of the Moscow variation as well.
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Play The Catalan - Complete Repertoire for White - Part 3
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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Play The Catalan - Complete Repertoire for White - Part 2
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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Play The Catalan - Complete Repertoire for White - Part 1
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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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.
Features: Downloadable in PGN Interactive tests
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.
Features: Downloadable in PGN Interactive tests
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.
Features: Downloadable in PGN Interactive tests