Category Archives: opening analysis

Scacchi: Enciclopedia pratica dei Gambetti

Posted on April 25, 2010 by

Marco Saba’s Scacchi: Enciclopedia pratica dei Gambetti is an interesting resource, offering over 700 database generated opening reports for various gambits.  The ones I looked at (including the Urusov and Ulvestad) were useful, though necessarily limited by the practical games … Continue reading →

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Smashing the Finegold Defense to the Smith-Morra

Posted on April 13, 2010 by

Continuing our series on the Smith-Morra Gambit, we consider the Finegold Defense as shown in the game Esserman – Finegold, ICC 2006.  The Finegold Defense (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 d6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8 … Continue reading →

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Smith-Morra Gambit Bibliography

Posted on April 8, 2010 by

When I first developed an opening repertoire in my teens, I got most of my information from the old Chess Digest pamphlets of Ken Smith and John Hall.  The Smith-Morra Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3) thus naturally became my … Continue reading →

Posted in bibliography, opening analysis, smith-morra gambit, webliography | 2 Comments

Marshall’s 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6!?

Posted on March 26, 2010 by

Rick Kennedy’s well-researched Alekhine vs. Marshall’s 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6!? at ChessCafe (originally in Kaissiber #27) would almost lead you to believe that Frank James Marshall’s center-surrendering experiment against the Queen’s Gambit might be fully playable.  Alekhine’s notes on Alekhine … Continue reading →

Posted in chess videos, opening analysis | 4 Comments

Caro-Kann Defense, Fantasy Variation

Posted on March 25, 2010 by

There has been a lot of interest of late in the Caro-Kann Fantasy Variation (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3!?), which is looking more and more like one of the more viable alternative to the mainstream Advance Variation (3.e5), Classical (3.Nd2 … Continue reading →

Posted in opening analysis, webliography | 2 Comments

Left Hook Grand Prix Videos

Posted on March 16, 2010 by

Matt Pullin put together a great two-part series on what I like to call the Left Hook Grand Prix against the Sicilian.  I think he pinpoints some of the critical Black defenses, though he says he has played it from … Continue reading →

Posted in grand prix attack, opening analysis | 4 Comments

The Albin Counter-Gambit in Question

Posted on March 1, 2010 by

The Albin Counter-Gambit by Dorian Rogozenco at ChessBase (from CBM #134) offers everything you need as White (including full games and analysis) to learn how to put the onus on Black in this line with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 … Continue reading →

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 White Repertoire Webliography

Posted on February 26, 2010 by

I have been developing a 1.e4 e5 White repertoire based on the Italian Game or Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) where White blows open the center with an early d4 (after 3…Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 or the gambit … Continue reading →

Posted in opening analysis, webliography | 7 Comments

Unorthodox Openings Newsletter

Posted on February 20, 2010 by

If you are serious about unorthodox openings, then you will definitely want to check out some issues of the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter.  The early ones are simply a collection of various (often amateur) games featuring oddball openings.  But the more … Continue reading →

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Five Easy Pieces: White Open Sicilian Repertoire

Posted on January 3, 2010 by

Many amateur chess players are put off from playing the Open Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 followed by 3.d4) as White because of the wide range of choices at Black’s disposal and the apparently large amount of theory you need to … Continue reading →

Posted in bibliography, opening analysis | 16 Comments