Best 3 Chess Gifts

Quality Chess Education

“ If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." – Derek Bok 

Promoted Pawn Package

The book "A Promoted Pawn: My Chess Journey" summarizes the most valuable lessons from 20+ years of GM Smirnov’s extensive chess practice, both as a player and a coach. You’ll learn what does work best for your chess progress. You’ll be warned of typical pitfalls or will see the way out if you're already stuck.

"You will definitely enjoy reading a book full of interesting stories and witty advice. It may give a whole new meaning to your own chess study…"

Additionally, it includes "Your Top Chess Questions, Answered"

Some of the key points that you will learn in this course:

1. How to get maximum benefit when training with a computer?

2. What is "Universal approach" and how to utilize it into your game?

3. Opening skill development process.

4. The very powerful technique to train your attacking and anti-blunder skills.

5. How to progress in chess when you are an adult?

6. How to open the opponents position?

7. Psychological barriers in chess; how to overcome them.

GM Level Positional Understanding

"What is the main difference between a Grandmaster and an amateur? It is the understanding of positions on a very fundamental level, or what’s called the positional understanding." 

Dedicated Link -> Positional Chess

Here’s WHAT you will LEARN:

Chapter 1 – Improving Your Worst Piece

Chapter 2 – Knight vs. Bishop

Chapter 3 – Aiming for the Weakness

Chapter 4 – The Problem of Queen’s Exchange

Chapter 5 – Advanced Techniques

A good positional understanding allows you to:

1. Rapidly evaluate any kind of chess positions.

2. Instantly come up with a winning game plan.

3. Assess which pieces should be left alone, and which need to be exchanged.

4. Determine which pieces need to be improved and how that can be done.

5. Find weaknesses in the opponent’s position and exploit them.

*** Looking for a systematic day-by-day chess training program? Get ACCESS >> 21 DAYS TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR CHESS 

GM Smirnov Bundle

Get to know the unique techniques most players are not familiar with. These are real TRAINING, which develops your SKILLS.

All GM Igor Smirnov’s Premium Videos and Webinar recordings.

Dedicated Link -> GM Smirnov's Bundle

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

1. The Art of Endgame

2. How to win a won game?

3. My Thinking System

4. How to Press your opponents like Carlsen?

5. Play like Nakamura

    Plus FREE Webinar - "The art of Defense in Chess"

Fischer's Maneuver

The Fischer Plan

“You must have a plan!" – Bent Larsen 

In the middlegame, one needs to create an attacking plan either against the opponent's weaknesses or an assault directed to the opposing King. This is something you have to do for a game to make progress. 

Now let me share with you one of the many favorite games taken from Bobby's arsenal, illustrating an original and highly inventive plan of attack.  

Fischer,R. - Andersson,U. 

Siegen, 1970

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 Be7 5.a3 0–0 6.Qc2 Re8 7.d3 Bf8 8.Nf3 a5 9.Be2 d5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nbd2 f6 12.0–0 Be6 

After the first dozen moves, we reached a typical and very playable hedgehog structure by opening transposition. Both sides have accomplished their opening objectives and looks ahead for the ensuing middlegame battle. 

13.Kh1 (D)

The start of what to became known as the "Fischer Plan". White regroups his forces toward the kingside with the aim to break down Black's very solid position.

Position after Fischer's 13th move

The plan is in operation consisting of three stages: (1st) concentration of forces, (2nd) creation of weaknesses in an opponent's position (3rd) break through the opponent's defense.

13...Qd7 14.Rg1 Rad8 15.Ne4 Qf7 16.g4!? (D) 

White is going to gather his forces diligently on the kingside with Rg3, Rag1, followed by a timely Nh4-f5 bringing all resources into the attack.

16…g6 17.Rg3 Bg7 18.Rag1 

Obviously, White is very insistent with the realization of his plan. He knows very well that for an attack to be successful, one should have more attackers (concentration of forces) than defenders.

18...Nb6 19.Nc5 Bc8 20.Nh4 Nd7 21.Ne4 Nf8 22.Nf5! (D)
The knight cannot be taken by 22...gxf5?? 23.gxf5 (activating connected rooks), is winning on the spot.

22...Be6 23.Nc5 Ne7 24.Nxg7! 
Winning small material (knight for a bishop) and exchanging one of the key defender, thus further weakening Black's castle.

24...Kxg7 25.g5! 
This pawn advance helps White to make use of a bishop without counterpart (dark-squared bishop) maximally and increase his positional advantage.

25...Nf5 26.Rf3 b6 27.gxf6+ Kh8 
Temporarily holding-off the strong pressure along the long a1-h8 diagonal, but there's no escape from the inevitable - break through the opponent's resistance.

The game concluded as follows...
28.Nxe6 Rxe6 29.d4 exd4 30.Bc4 d3 31.Bxd3 Rxd3 32.Qxd3 Rd6 33.Qc4 Ne6 34.Be5 Rd8 35.h4 Nd6 36.Qg4 Nf8 37.h5 Ne8 38.e4 Rd2 39.Rh3 Kg8 40.hxg6 Nxg6 41.f4 Kf8 42.Qg5 Nd6 43.Bxd6+ 1–0

Morphy's Grand Strategy

Early and Rapid Development

In 1846 at the age of nine, Paul Charles Morphy became a recognized child prodigy. It was in these formative years that he began practicing his trademark strategy of "early and rapid development." 

( 1837 - 1884 )

To aptly describe Morphy's play: he always aimed to seize the initiative and possess an excellent understanding in the coordination of forces. He managed to dazzle opponent after opponent with his "dynamic and power play", up until he captured the United States chess champion title in 1857 at age 20.

Morphy's "Magnum Opus"

Paulsen, L. - Morphy, P.

First American Congress, New York 1857

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bc5 5.0–0 0–0 6.Nxe5 Re8 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.Bc4 b5 9.Be2 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Bf3 Re6 12.c3 Qd3 13.b4 Bb6 14.a4 bxa4 15.Qxa4 Bd7 16.Ra2 Rae8 17.Qa6 (D)

17...Qxf3!!

" White cannot be blamed for not seeing the most wonderful combination that the opponent had prepared... One of the most charming poetical chess compositions that has ever been devised in practical play." ~ Wilhelm Steinitz

18.gxf3 Rg6+ 19.Kh1 Bh3 20.Rd1 Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3+ 22.Kf1 Bg2+ 23.Kg1 Bh3+ 24.Kh1 Bxf2 25.Qf1 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Re2 27.Ra1 Rh6 28.d4 Be3 0–1

Morphy's Chess Puzzle

This little chess problem (D), said to have been composed by the young Paul (and his only chess problem) before he was ten.

White to play and win.

Morphy's Dynamic Play

Morphy, P. - Anderssen, A.

Match, Paris (10), 1858

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 f5 (D) 8.N1c3! f4 9.Nd5 fxe3 10.Nbc7+ Kf7 11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.Bc4 Nd4 13.Nxf6+ d5 14.Bxd5+ Kg6 15.Qh5+ Kxf6 16.fxe3 Nxc2+ 17.Ke2  1–0

Anderssen after his defeat retorted: "Morphy wins in 17 moves, whereas it took me 7 more.", possibly referring to his "immortal game" against Kieseritzky in London 1851.

Sadly, Paul Charles Morphy went crazy (unexplained mental illness) in 1875 and died from congestion of the brain during the mid-afternoon of July 10, 1884. Truly, the chess world had lost an "Uncrowned Champion"...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

PAUL MORPHY 

He played a glorious game: in open field, 

Whate’er the opening was, he met the attack, 

And almost always hurled it grandly back; 

And when he did his rival’s fate was sealed. 

‘Tis wrongly said the greatest art’s concealed 

Behind art, for he never strove to hide 

His forte to see beyond the opposing side! 

And deadly mesnes many a time revealed 

To his surprised and quite defenseless foe 

That move of ten moves back a master-coup, 

Who vainly deemed it lost at any rate. 

Most dreaded was he when he seemed to throw 

Piece after piece away, for then all knew 

Swiftly approached the inevitable mate.

                                                             ~ Sheriff
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The Cochrane Defense

The W-Maneuver

Know By Hand

Win or Draw?

Interestingly, these two endgame positions appeared several times during the “2015 World Chess Blitz and Rapid Championship”. Even more intriguing is the fact that winning games were drawn and some drawn games turned to decisive ones, as seen from the Grandmasters' practice. 

Do you know how to win or draw even in blitz?

The first diagram theoretically is an easy win while the second position should hold for a draw. But, in practical play (during the heat of the battle) this may or may not be the case. You'll definitely be a better player if you "know it by hand".

W-maneuver: This is a knight maneuver (in shape of letter ‘W’) needed to force mate with bishop and knight against a lone king. The main aim is to drive the enemy king from safe corner (h8 or a1) to the edge (a8 or h1: mating corner) where it can be mated. The knight must cover key dark-colored squares that the bishop can't reach, while confining the King in a cage to deliver mate.

  

White's turn

Task #1: Suggest the possible moves leading to White's win.

Check comments here: >> The W-Maneuver
1.Nf7+ Kg8 2.Bg6 Kf8 3.Bh7 (D1) Ke8 4.Ne5 Kf8 5.Nd7+ Ke8 6.Ke6 Kd8 7.Kd6

     

     

7...Ke8 8.Bg6+ Kd8 9.Bf7 Kc8 10.Nc5 Kd8 11.Nb7+ Kc8 12.Kc6 (D2) Kb8 13.Kb6 Kc8 14.Be6+ Kb8 15.Nc5 Ka8 16.Bf5 Kb8 17.Na6+ Ka8 18.Be4# 1–0

  ________________________________ 

Cochrane Defense: The simplest defensive setup to adopt for this type of R+B vs R endings. The defender's rook pins the bishop along one of the central lines (files or ranks) in a way that the distance between the kings is two or more rank (or file) long. The defending king waits on the edge of the same file and be ready to move in opposite direction when the superior king unpins.

Black's turn

Task #2: Suggest the possible sequence leading to Black's drawing procedure.

Learn the Cochrane defensive setup...

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Premium Chess Training
If you want to improve your chess, you need to have a clear study plan. 

If you aim for a dramatic improvement at chess you need to work on all the essential elements of the game in a systematic way:

- tactics

- attacking skills

- positional play

- classic game analysis

- endgame technique

- psychological preparation

- and much more...

21 Days to Supercharge Your Chess: Complete Training Program

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1. The 21 Day Course Only

(21 Day Chess Training Course, The Book + Member's Area Only)

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(21 Day Chess Course, The Book + Member's Area Only, Positional Package, Extra 14 days training, extra homework and GM games )

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