Dear chess friends, In Issue 10 of Modern Chess Magazine, we provide you with the following articles:
Master the Grunfeld Structure - Part 1
GM Mihail Marin
In his first article for Modern Chess Magazine, GM Mihail Marin starts dealing with an extremely important structure - the so-called Grunfeld Centre.
Despite its obvious association with the Grunfeld Defence, this structure could be reached from a variety of openings - Semi-Tarasch Defence, Queen's Indian Defence, Queen's Gambit Declined, etc. That is the reason why the knowledge of this type of positions is essential for everyone who wants to progress in chess.
In the first part of his series on the Grunfeld structures, GM Marin features the position arising after White playing e4-e5. Staying true to his style, the renowned Romanian grandmaster provides the reader with in-depth strategical explanations which are combined with astonishing tactical nuances.
After reading the article, you could test your understanding by solving the exercises proposed by the author (find them in the TEST SECTION at the end of the article).
In his second article on this structure, Mihail Marin will be exploring the position arising after the advance d4-d5. Stay tuned!
Methods of Playing in Positions with Closed Centre
GM Grigor Grigorov
In his first article on the closed centre, GM Grigor Grigorov started examining the following structure:
That article was dedicated to different ideas allowing White to start active actions on the queenside. Furthermore, the readers have learned some devices which are designed to restrict Black's attacking ideas on the kingside.
The present material features the positions in which White could go for the advance f2-f4. This is very often the case in openings like King's Indian Defense, Classical Benoni and Ruy Lopez. After reading the article, you will know when to go for this pawn break and when to restrain from it. Moreover, GM Grigorov demonstrates Black's best reactions to White's idea.
In the TEST SECTION, you will have the chance to apply all the basic principles related to the topic of the present article.
KID Manual - Understand the Botvinnik Structure
GM Petar Arnaudov
GM Petar Arnaudov continues his journey through the labyrinths of the King's Indian structures. This time, he deals with the extremely important Botvinnik structure which arises when White meets the f7-f5 by means of exf5:
The knowledge of this typical position is fundamental for your understanding of the King's Indian Defence. Usually, in response to exf5, Black has a variety of options - he could take with a pawn, with a knight or with a bishop. Within the framework of the current material, GM Arnaudov explains the strategical and tactical advantages and drawbacks of these options. His analysis will not only contribute to your understanding of the King's Indian Defence but at the same time, they will increase your general chess understanding.
Of course, after reading the article, you could test your understanding in the TEST SECTION.
Practical Decision-Making - Part 1
GM Boris Chatalbashev
In this issue of our magazine, GM Boris Chatalbashev starts new series of articles - Practical Decision - Making. Despite the fact that to a certain extent, chess is a science, one should be aware of the fact that the practical aspects of the game tend to prevail. Here is what GM Chatalbashev says about the current topic:
"How top players deal with such situations? Well, generally if they feel a certain move to be the best one - they make it no matter what. But in many positions there is no absolutely best move - the engines might evaluate even 4 or 5 moves the same. In such situations, a good GM tries to understand which is the best practical decision, which moves poses most problems (both chess-like and psychological) . And it is a universal approach - one should try to make it tough for the opponent in every position - better, equal, worse or even lost.
Sometimes a player might favour such a practical decision, even in cases when he realises that a certain move is objectively suspicious. So there is some risk involved, but he hopes it might pay off.
In this article, however, I shall deal only with cases when the players find the best practical chances, make everything possible to confuse the opponent - but their moves are correct, they have just taken the best practical decisions!"
Does it sound complicated? Do not worry! In the TEST SECTION, you could check your ability to pose practical problems for your opponent.
Endgame Series - Part 10
GM Davorin Kuljasevic
The newest article of GM Davorin Kuljasevic features one of the most important endgame concepts - the Zugzwang. What makes this concept so fundamental is the fact that it could be applied in all kinds of endings. As always, GM Kuljasevic follows an extremely systematic approach of presenting the material - starting from the most basic positions, he reaches some really complicated cases of Zugzwang.
As in all the other articles, also at the end of this article, there are is a TEST section when the reader could practice.
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