Online Summer Camp 2020
Introduction and Free Preview
We have the pleasure to offer our first Online Camp in the form of a digital product. This product includes all the videos from the camp as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of approximately 10 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 129 files!
You will find the following lectures:
How to Play for a Win in Symmetrical Structures - GM Petar Arnaudov
Transformation of Advantages - GM Boris Gelfand
Converting an Advantage - GM Arturs Neiksans
Practical Rook Endings - GM Mihail Marin
Dynamic and Static Decision Making - GM Pavel Eljanov
Master Positions with a Bishop Pair - GM Boris Avrukh
Methods of Playing in Positions with a Space Advantage - GM Grigor Grigorov
In this article, we will briefly present some interesting moments taken from the lectures.
How to Play for a Win in Symmetrical Structures - GM Petar Arnaudov
In this lecture, besides providing the most important general principles of playing in symmetrical positions, GM Arnaudov deals with 3 types of symmetrical structures:
Exchange Slav Structure
Exchange French Structure
KID/KIA Type of Symmetrical Structure
Free Video Fragment
Below, you can take a look at 1 model game related to each one of the first two types of symmetrical structures.
The entire lecture of GM Arnaudov consists of 11 model games and 8 test positions.
Transformation of Advantages - GM Boris Gelfand
In this lecture, GM Boris Gelfand deals with one of the most important topics in high-level chess - Transformation of Advantages. Transformation of dynamic advantages into static ones and vice versa is the cornerstone of this concept. The former World Championship contender presents the topic by analyzing his games against Korobov and Nakamura. In these games, Gelfand took the most important strategic decisions by using the concept of transformation of advantages.
During the lecture, participants highly appreciated Gelfand's interactive teaching approach. In the most critical moments of the game, Boris would always ask the students to think on their own for a few minutes. He firmly believes that thinking on our own helps us to better grasp the essence of the material.
Below, we provide a fragment of the lectures as well as 1 of the test positions.
Free Video Fragment
Black has more active pieces and positional advantage. It is time to transform this into a mating attack
Converting an Advantage - GM Arturs Neiksans
In this lecture, the Latvian GM Arturs Neiksans provides you with the most important principles of converting an advantage. Neiksans considers the World Champion Magnus Carlsen to be the best technician nowadays. Therefore, all the games provided in the lecture are taken from the practice of Magnus Carlsen.
The author breaks the topic into the following sections:
1) Define Your Plan
2) Simplify the Position
3) Patience and Prophylaxis
4) Play for a Checkmate
5) Two Weaknesses Rule
6) Know Your Endgames
Each one of these points is illustrated by two model games. Below, you can find one of the model games featuring the two weaknesses rule as well as a fragment of the lecture.
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Practical Rook Endings - GM Mihail Marin
In this lecture, GM Mihail Marin deals with one of the most difficult subjects in chess - Practical Rook Endings. In the PGN version of the lecture, Marin writes:
Rook endgames occur very often in practice. That's why every ambitious chess player should study them in detail. As always, we divide the endgames into two parts:
1)Theoretical Positions
2)Practical Endgames
The more theoretical positions we know, the bigger is our chance for a positive result in the game.
The most common idea in the practical rook endgames is to transpose into a theoretical position which we already know, but very often this is not possible and we need to learn how to handle the positions. There are 4 critical factors which we should look for: 1. King's Activity 2.Rook's Activity 3.Passed pawns 4.Advanced pawns.
The lecture consists of 6 examples and 5 test positions.
Below, we provide you with a fragment from the lecture as well as 1 example.
Free Video Fragment
Dynamic and Static Decision Making - GM Pavel Eljanov
In the introduction to the PGN version of his lecture, GM Pavel Eljanov describes the topic in the following way:
Dynamic and Static Decision Making is probably one of the most important topics in high-level chess. Before start examining the model games, we should make some theoretical clarifications concerning dynamic and static advantages. Dynamic advantages are unstable and change over time. Such advantages are development and piece activity, opponent's passive pieces and so on. When you have a dynamic advantage, you should play energetically. Otherwise, such an advantage would disappear. On the hand, static advantages are stable. Examples of such an advantage are the material advantage, better pawn structure, bishop pair, etc. Some advantages can be either dynamic or static. A typical example is the vulnerability of the opponent's king. Depending on the concrete position, vulnerability can be temporary or permanent. When you have a static advantage, you should mainly prevent the counterplay of your opponent by using the concept of prophylactic thinking. You should prevent your opponent from changing the nature of the position. Personally speaking, I can say that I am a player who mostly values static advantages. I will start examining some of my memorable games against a truly dynamic player - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Quite naturally, such clashes of different styles feature a number of dynamic and static decisions. By examining these games, you will see how my understanding evolved in the process.
The lecture includes four model games and two test positions.
Below, you can take a look at the video fragment of the training session.
Free Video Fragment
Master Positions with a Bishop Pair - GM Boris Avrukh
Obviously, everyone of you is familiar with the bishop pair. In all the positional manuals, you will find many examples which demonstrate the power of the bishops in an open position. Of course, in the same books, you will find different methods of fighting against bishop pair.
In this lecture, Avrukh decided to go for a different approach. Hel covers the topic by dealing with a specific line. What is more important, he examines the position for White and Black. Regardless of whether you play this line yourself, this lecture will help you to get a better feeling of the positions with a bishop pair.
The main position of interest arises after the moves 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Bg4 3.Bg2 e6 4.c4 c6 5.0-0 Nf6 6.cxd5 Bxf3 7.Bxf3 cxd5
This variation is currently very popular. Top-level players are playing it for both colours. White has a bishop pair while Black has a solid position without weaknesses. Since the pawn structure remains flexible, the bishop pair could be an important long-term factor.
By examining the subtleties of this specific line, you will get a better feeling of the bishop pair. In his explanations, GM Avrukh teaches you how to evaluate the potential of the bishop pair in closed positions and how to seize the right moment to open the position. Additionally, in some of his model games, the author demonstrates the best ways to handle endgame positions with a bishop pair.
Below, you can take a look at one of the model games.
Free Video Fragment
Methods of Playing in Positions with a Space Advantage - GM Grigor Grigorov
In the PGN version of his lecture, GM Grigorov makes the following presentation of the topic:
The space advantage is one of the most important positional advantages in chess. Since the space advantage is usually defined by the pawn structure, we can call it static (stable) advantage. When you have more space, you can easily manoeuvre your pieces. Therefore, playing on both wings is a typical way of handling such positions. Since the opponent's pieces are restricted, they can not build a stable defence on both wings. In positions with a space advantage, we usually avoid exchanging pieces. At this point, however, I need to clarify. The pawns of the side with a space advantage usually restrict mainly the opponent's minor pieces. On the other hand, even having less space, the opponent can still open files for the heavy pieces by means of different pawn breaks. Therefore, we can formulate the following rule: The side with a space advantage should avoid exchanging minor pieces while the exchanges of major pieces can often be advisable. The most important ability in such positions, however, is the prophylactic thinking. In general, prophylactic thinking is the most important tool when it comes to converting a static advantage. Before proceeding with our plan, we should always try to figure out what our opponent wants.
The lecture consists of 9 model games and 16 test positions.
Below, we provide one model game and a video fragment.
Free Video Fragment