First Steps in Positional Play, Andrew Martin
A.D. Martin: First Steps in Positional Play
A strong command of middlegame skills often makes the difference between winning and losing a game. The art of positional play must be included in any list of those skills. ‘First Steps in Positional Play’ attempts to equip the viewer with all the information he or she needs to begin to tackle this aspect of chess. Players below Elo 1500 will benefit from this basic advice. The more experienced will enjoy the detailed examination of many current master games. This is an enjoyable tour of positional play from which everyone can learn. DVD running time: 3 hours 20 min. www.chessbase.com.
Andrew Martin is BCM’s Games Editor. He is a professional writer and, of course, IM.
K. Mueller: Chess Endgames 9, Rook and Minor Piece
A deadpan delivery, full of wisdom, almost a complete education one might say!
A game the author puts through the microscope:
White SH Bouaziz
Black AE Karpov
The Master Game, Hamburg, 1982
Giuoco Piano C54
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 d3 Nf6 5 0–0 d6 6 c3 a6 7 Bb3 Ba7 8 Nbd2 0–0 9 Nc4 h6 10 Ne3 Be6 11 Re1 Re8 12 Bxe6 fxe6 13 h3 Qd7 14 Ng4 Rf8 15 Be3 Nxg4 16 hxg4 Bxe3 17 Rxe3 Qf7 18 Qe2 Qg6 19 Nh2 Rf6 20 Rf3 Rxf3 21 Qxf3 Qg5 22 Qe3 Qxe3 23 fxe3 g5 24 Rf1 Kg7 25 Kf2 (We join the discussion here) 25…Nb8 26 Nf3 Nd7 27 Kg3 Nc5 28 Rd1 a5 (‘to stabilise the knight and prepare …Ra6.’) 29 Kf2 Ra6 30 Ke2 Na4 (‘he misses the threat.’) 31 d4 Rb6 32 dxe5 Rxb2+ 33 Kf1 Nxc3 34 exd6 cxd6 35 Rxd6 Rb1+!(‘these nice little moves. Now the knight is forced onto a passive square.’) 36 Ne1 Kf6 (‘Black’s queenside majority wins but first he activates his king.’) 37 Rd2 b5 38 Rc2 b4 39 Kf2 Ra1 40 e5+ Kxe5 41 Nf3+ Ke4 42 Nd4 Kd3 0–1
DVD running time: 7 hours 38 min.
www.chessbase.com.
Karsten Mueller is a German Grandmaster.
