August Workshop - Improve Your Play in Closed Positions
Introduction and Free Preview
The workshop dedicated to the conversion of an is already a digital product. This product includes all the videos from the workshop as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of approximately 7 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 107 files!
You will find the following lectures:
Psychological Mistakes to Avoid when Converting an Advantage - GM Davorin Kuljasevic
Converting an Advantage by Simplification - GM Grigor Grigorov
Restricting the Opponent’s Counterplay - GM Dejan Bojkov
Playing on Both Wings as a Method of Converting an Advantage - GM Petar Arnaudov
In this article, we will briefly present some interesting moments taken from the lectures.
Psychological Mistakes to Avoid when Converting an Advantage - GM Davorin Kuljasevic
In this lecture, GM Davorin Kuljasevic explains the most common psychological mistakes which we need to avoid when converting an advantage. In his extensive survey, GM Kuljasevic provides 13 model games and 10 test positions.
All the model games are taken from the author's practice. Besides just pointing out the typical mistakes, Davorin provides a number of useful recommendations on how to avoid such mistakes.
Below, you can find his 10 practical tips.
TIP #1
Focus on the calculation of variations - to keep you centred. After one or two minutes of focused calculation, you will feel your emotions subsiding.
TIP #2
Learn breathing techniques - to calm you down when your heart starts racing.
TIP #3
Do not ignore or oppose your undesired emotions - acknowledge them. When you do, bring your focus back to the calculation and breathing.
TIP #4
If you are feeling frustrated or emotionally drained by previous mistakes, take a few minutes to make a mental reset in your mind. Erase what has happened before and say to yourself that only the rest of the game matters.
TIP #5
If the tension over the board is too much for you to handle at that moment, make a ‘toilet move’ (or at least a non-committal one) and take a walk, refresh yourself with some water or drink/food, check other games if you have time in order to reset your psyche.
TIP #6
Never make the 41st move immediately after reaching the time control, unless it is the only legal move. Make it a rule to get out of your seat and refresh yourself when you reach the time control. This will help you reset your thinking mode from survival (or even zombie mode) to calm and focused.
TIP #7
Do not make hasty moves to show off or ‘finish the game quickly’, even if they seem obvious. Mistakes are just waiting to happen and new swindlers are just waiting to get on the list for David Smerdon’s ‘Swindler of the Year’ award!
TIP #8
Do not think that your opponent will let you convert your advantage easily - expect him to show tough defense, play the most unpleasant moves, and never give up until you force him to. Be fully focused even in completely winning positions. The game is over only when the hands are being shaken, never before that.
TIP #9
Be practical when converting the advantage, if you see one clearly winning variation, do not look for a better one - you can only play one move!
TIP #10
Play blitz and rapid training games regularly to get used to making decisions under psychological and time pressure. This way you may avoid getting into the zombie mode in a real game where you make the first move that comes to your mind.
FREE VIDEO FRAGMENT
Converting an Advantage by Simplification - GM Grigor Grigorov
In the introduction to the current lecture, GM Grigor Grigorov states, "The simplification is one of the most important tools that we use when converting an advantage. The main idea of this lecture is to make the connection between the middlegame and the endgame. When you have a better middlegame position, you should know exactly what kind of endgame you want to achieve. Only then, you shall get to the desired result by means of favourable simplifications. Therefore, the art of simplifying is closely related to the endgame knowledge. There are two types of endgame knowledge - abstract and concrete. The abstract knowledge is based on general principles which help you to evaluate complex positions. On the other hand, concrete knowledge mostly features the evaluation of theoretical positions. The more theoretical positions you know, the better you technique would be"
The lecture consists of 14 training examples and 6 test positions.
FREE VIDEO FRAGMENT
GAME 1
Restricting the Opponent’s Counterplay - GM Dejan Bojkov
Preventing the counterplay of your opponent is one of the most important abilities related to the conversion of an advantage. This ability requires the so-called "prophylactic thinking".
In his lecture, GM Dejan Bojkov provides a systematic overview of different prophylactic strategies. His easy to learn and practical recommendations will help you to tremendously improve your technique.
The PGN version of the lecture consists of 18 model games and 4 test positions.
FREE VIDEO FRAGMENT
Test Position from the Lecture
How should White restrict Black's counterplay?
Playing on Both Wings as a Method of Converting an Advantage - GM Petar Arnaudov
Playing on both wings is one of the most fundamental ways of converting an advantage. In chess literature, this concept is illustrated by the "principle of two weaknesses".
GM Arnaudov examines the application of the principle of two weaknesses both in the endgame and in the middlegame. Bellow, you can see how he make the difference.
Two Weaknesses in the Endgame
A weakness is a pawn or a square that cannot be defended by pawns. One weakness usually is not that dangerous, but a weak complex of squares or two weaknesses usually are. The reason is that one weakness usually can be defended quite comfortably but when one's positions have two weaknesses, the attacker can alternate between attacking the two or even try to create a third. The best-case scenario for the attacking side is to create the second weakness as far as possible from the first one.
Two Weaknesses in the Middlegame
In the middlegame, the problems are much more complicated. Often one side can compensate for a static disadvantage by dynamic counterplay and only very rarely is one side doomed to complete passivity. Contrary to the endgame where using the principle of two weaknesses is about playing against weak pawns or taking advantage of weak squares, in the middlegame the king safety is of great importance.
The lecture includes 13 model games and 3 test positions.
FREE VIDEO FRAGMENT
GAME 1