Chess is Fun Chess BLOGA daily chess blog featuring chess lessons, chess instruction, instructive games, great players, lessons on openings, middlegame strategy, endgames, and great games.The Zaitsev system- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Today, another challenging variation of the Benko Gambit. This is the Zaitsev system. White turns down the extra pawn and quickly achieves an unbalanced position with an aggressively posted Nb5 and the possibility of a quick attack with e4-e5.http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02062004 Benko Gambit, part 1- (Found July 2, 2008 ) I'm happy to say that some of the modern Benko lines have a genuine appeal once again. I offer 40 games in an interesting line for Black and a recent game in which Black wins almost effortlessly.http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02052004 Books by John Nunn- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Grandmasters should be required to write game collections. And none are better than John Nunn's contributions. His Secrets of Grandmaster Play followed his career through round 2 of Wijk aan Zee in 1985. John Nunn's Best Games of Chess took up right where the first book left off, covering Nunn-Lobron from round 11 of that event. The difference: these are just Nunn's games.http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02042004 Capablanca chess endgames- (Found July 2, 2008 ) "In order to improve your game," said the great Capablanca, "you must study the endgame before anything else; for whereas the endings can be studied and mastered by themselves, the middlegame and the opening must be studied in relation to the endgame."http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02032004 Games from the Aamteur Team East- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Our humble team finished up at 4-2 thanks to the first game... an amazingly quick win in the final round that spelled the difference between a team win and a team draw. The second game is a neat upset by a young player over a grandmaster. Well done young man!http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02162004 Kasparov against the World- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Garry Kasparov's Kasparov against the World, a day to day account of his 1999 internet match against the world. One book, one game. Kasparov suggests that it may be the greatest game ever played.http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02172004 An old chess classic- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Here's an obscure but wonderful old game that's worth a minute or two of your time. The opening begins as a Staunton Gambit, an opening straight from the romantic age of chess. This gambit is usually an effort by white to gain time for an attack by offering a pawn, but it's black who gains the initiative by offering more interesting material.http://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02182004 Vasily Smyslov 125 Selected Games- (Found July 2, 2008 ) All the games from this book, as well as Smyslov v Kottnauer, Groningen, 1946http://www.queensac.com/chessblog.html#chessblog03022004 Topalov-Shirov, Linares, 2004 (Round 10)- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Topalov-Shirov, Linares, 2004 from round 10, the Ruy Lopez. An excellent example of the "Spanish Torture"http://www.queensac.com/chessblog.html#chessblog03012004 Mating theme double check- (Found July 2, 2008 ) A nice mating theme with Bh7+ and Ng6 leading to a double check with 50 exampleshttp://www.queensac.com/chessblogfeb2004.html#chessblog02292004 |