ChessBase Opening, Middlegame and Endgame Training CDs & DVDs
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specified otherwise.
| 1000 x Checkmate £17.50 |
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Slovak GM Lubomir Ftacnik provides you with 1,000 tests: mate
in 1, 2 or 3 moves.
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 ABC of the Chess
Openings DVD-ROM £17.50 |
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In the all-new ABC of Chess Openings, IM Andrew Martin
explores the diverse possibilities available to everyone in
the opening phase of the game. The material is broken down logically
into Open Games, Semi-Open Games, Closed and Semi-Closed Games,
Flank and Irregular Openings. Invaluable advice is given about
what to look for and how to play each specific category, and
the instruction is enhanced by the use of recent, thematic master
games to complement this advice. General instruction about how
to play the opening is also included. Running time: 5 hrs 09
min. There is something here for everyone. Strong and even very
strong players will enjoy the investigations into some excellent
modern novelties, whereas the average or elementary player will
pick up a wide range of interesting ideas for use in their games.
The author‘s love for the game comes through in this work,
which he tries to communicate to the viewer.
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 ABC
of the Middlegame £17.50 |
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Gary Gauthier explains all the basics themes with the help
of selected master games. The games are annotated and explained
in a way that makes it possible for even the rank amateur to
follow, while graphic commentary enables you to grasp the main
ideas at a glance. Each chapter has a video clip with an introduction
by GM Daniel King.
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 ABC
of Endgames £17.50 |
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This is an elementary guide to the endgame, consisting of
13 inter-linking texts and 176 Chessbase positions with analysis.
It's a well-structured endgame resource for the less experienced
player and will appeal to those who prefer learning via a computer
to slogging through a book. One irresistible feature of this
CD is the video footage of a post-mortem between Kasparov and
Karpov of their king and pawn ending from Las Palmas 1996, with
a running commentary from the admirable Karsten Müller.
This must rank as the finest implementation of Chessbase’s
built-in video capability to date. One day all published chess
analysis will be like this.
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 ABC
of the Benko Gambit (DVD-ROM) £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
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The Benko Gambit is one of the most profound contributions
to opening theory of the 20th Century. Black sacrifices a pawn
as early as move three for enduring positional pressure. On
this new ChessBase DVD-ROM, IM Andrew Martin traces the history
of the Gambit from the games of Opocensky, Lundin and Stoltz
back in the 1930s, through the golden age of Bronstein, Benko
and Browne all the way to the present day, where the gambit
is as popular as ever. Martin describes the main themes and
ideas of the Gambit and gives sound guide lines, so that any
one who wants to play for the initiative with Black and play
the Benko Gambit, will be very well equipped. Do you want to
play for the initiative with Black? Then the Benko Gambit is
surely for you. Contains more than 4 hours of video lessons,
the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader as well as an unannotated database
of the contents. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at
300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows
XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive.
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 ABC
of the Czech Benoni (DVD-ROM) £18.99
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By Andrew Martin. The Czech Benoni has never quite made it
to the top of the charts as a reply to 1 d4. Perhaps it is the
very nature of blocked central positions which put people off.
Thus after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e5 the first impression is
that the Black position could become rather passive and it's
not difficult to find excellent games by White where all the
life is stifled out of Black's game. Repertoire books are similarly
pessimistic about Black's chances but it could be that the best
Black wins have been overlooked, with players of the calibre
of Nisipeanu, Ivan Sokolov, Milidanovic taking a fresh look
at the opening and using the Czech Benoni with success in recent
games. Thus by playing 3...e5, you angle the game into a path
of your own choosing, which is very much the modern style and
very difficult to do with Black. Some fascinating chess, demonstrating
that the Czech Benoni is well worth playing. Video playing
time: 4 hrs. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz
or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive,
mouse, soundcard
|
 ABC
of the Kings' Indian (DVD-ROM) £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
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In this original and entertaining DVD, IM Andrew Martin takes
you on a guided tour of this fascinating and creative opening.
Through the use of complete games, both classic and modern and
some repertoire suggestions, Martin paints a comprehensive picture
of the current state of play and looks towards the future. This
DVD will inspire all players and demonstrate that the King‘s
Indian is very much alive on the modern master scene. 1st Chapter:
• Introduction 02:32 min • Ljukmanov vs. Martin 21:10
min • Ljukmanov vs. Martin solution 00:38 min • Martin
vs. Buckley 20:27 min - 2nd Chapter: Classical games intro and
Donner-Gligoric 18:49 min; • Kortschnoj vs. Fischer 13:09
min • Ftacnik vs. Cvitan 09:44 min • Summerscale vs.
Hebden 14:58 min • Vitiugov vs. Khismatullin 14:21 min
- 3rd Chapter: 4 pawns attack intro and Daces-Mrdja 11:43 min
• 4th Chapter: Sämisch variation intro and Karpov-Kasparov
13:06 min • Platonov vs. Shamkovitch 08:23 min • Some
thoughts on 6. ...c5 06:57 min • Analysis against 6. Bg5
07:25 min - 5th Chapter: Fianchetto intro Mattonen-Vooremaa
09:28 min • Burmakin vs. Morozevich 09:35 min • 6th
Chapter: Systems with an early Bg5 intro and Schandorff-Nataf
14:15 min • Averbakh 6 ... Na6 analysis 05:47 min •
Chernin vs. Cebalo 11:38 min - 7th Chapter: Other white systems
intro and Behrmann-Tartar 08:38 min • Williams vs. Gallagher
08:27 min • 8th Chapter: Closing remarks 02:11 min - total
running time: 3 h 53 min. System requirements: Fritz
8, PC 233, 64 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows
XP, 2000, Me, 98 SE, Windows Media Player 9.Attention:
this course is a supplementary program for Fritz8 and can only
be run if the chess program Fritz8, Shredder8, Junior8, Hiarcs9
or Tiger15 is installed on the PC. Neither Fritz8, ChessBase
9.0, Shredder8, Junior8, Hiarcs9 or Tiger15 is supplied with
this training course.
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 ABC
of the Modern Slav (DVD-ROM) £18.99
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By Andrew Martin. 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 - The Slav
Defence to the Queen's Gambit - has always had a solid reputation,
dating right back to the days of Lasker, Alekhine and Capablanca,
but it's only in the last 15 years that the popularity of the
opening has really taken off and taken off at all levels. Naturally,
Slav set-ups and ideas can also be used against the other flank
openings (1 Nf3, 1 c4, 1 b3, etc.) and so by learning the Slav,
in a way you are learning a universal approach. Coming to this
DVD, we will find ideas for Black which can be used by amateur
and professional alike, predominantly featuring the trendy new
approach to Black's armoury involving a very early ...a7-a6.
The ...a6 Slav offers Black solidity, dynamism and variety couched
in an easy-to-understand setting. Perhaps this is why grandmasters
of the calibre of Kasparov, Shirov, Morozevich, Bologan and
Dreev, among many, have all used the opening with success and
continue to do so! Video playing time: 3½ hours.
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher,
64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard.
|
 ABC
of the Ruy Lopez (DVD-ROM) £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
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The venerable Ruy Lopez is one of the most interesting of
chess openings. In this diverse and instructive DVD, IM Andrew
Martin explains how the opening works, with the help of (mostly
recent) complete master games, although there are some classics
too! The most important ideas are highlighted and there are
some repertoire suggestions too, all presented in the light,
easy, relaxed style for which this author is noted. Running
time: 3 hours 33 minutes. System requirements: PC 233,
64 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000,
Me, 98 SE, Windows Media Player 9. Attention: this course
is a supplementary program for Fritz8 and can only be run if
the chess program Fritz8, Shredder8, Junior8, Hiarcs9 or Tiger15
is installed on the PC. Neither Fritz8, ChessBase 9.0, Shredder8,
Junior8, Hiarcs9 or Tiger15 is supplied with this training course.
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| Accelerated Dragon £17.50 |
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By Claudio Minzer & Gustavo Albarran. Comprehensive coverage
of the opening (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 g6) with
21 texts by the Argentinian authors, more than 9,500 games in
a database, 20 training positions to test understanding and
a tree of variations. The texts include content on the fundamentals
of the Accelerated Dragon, a history of its earliest exponents
(with photographs and games) . A well-organised and worthwhile
guide.
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 Albin
Counter Gambit
£14.50 |
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By Luc Henris. This gambit (1 d4 d5 2 c4 e5) is one of the
less worn by-ways of the Queen's Gambit but it is one that appeals
to Black players of either a counter-punching or romantic streak.
The initial text files are well structured and lead in efficiently
to the most interesting examples on the database, which numbers
over 3,600 games, 150 of which have some annotations. As usual,
the games have also been built into a tree of variations, and
there is a separate training database where the reader can try
his skill on some typical Albin problems and positions.
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| Basic Principles of Chess Strategy, Vol.1 £17.50 |
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Professor Bartashnikov's comprehensive introduction to the
secrets of chess strategy. With 68 extensively annotated games,
this volume of the Basic Principles of Chess Strategy shows
how to treat the opening and middlegame successfully. Everything
about fast piece development, safety of the king and fighting
for the centre. Test your fresh knowledge in ten test games
with training tasks fighting against the clock.
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| Basic Principles of Chess Strategy, Vol.2 £17.50 |
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Professor Bartashnikov's goes on to discuss the middlegame
with a further 68 annotated games. Strong/weak squares, piece
activity, attack on the king... ten more test positions to put
your new knowledge to the test.
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| Basic Principles of Chess Strategy, Vol.3 £17.50 |
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By Prof. Alex Bartashnikov. This well-structured multimedia
primer covers the elements of chess strategy for the intermediate
player who has some experience of practical play and wants to
study some theory. The course examines in turn such subjects
as the centre, development of pieces, pawn structure, strong
and weak squares, open lines, the bishop pair and the position
of the king. This particular volume concentrates on Middlegame
Strategy and Endgame Strategy. Some 80 positions are used to
exemplify the topics under consideration and it is easy to navigate
from text files to game positions. When the time is ready, the
student proceeds to the ten tests, and can review performance
in the Test Overview section.
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 The
Basics of Winning Chess (DVD-ROM) £17.50 |
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By IM Andrew Martin. Modern chess is a tough relentless game,
which demands that all chess players, regardless of strength,
keep their command of basic technique in tip-top shape. On this
instructive and entertaining DVD, Andrew Martin takes you on
a tour of the basics of winning chess, so that you never have
to worry about this part of the game again. Through the use
of classic games and game fragments, Martin charts a survival
course through the competitive minefield. His firm conviction
is that everyone is capable of great improvement, if the right
mental attitude is combined with a strong grasp of essential
chess ideas. This DVD will guide you in the right direction.
It is based on the new instructional Fritz8-Chess Media System:
all the lectures are presented in their entirety with video
pictures and synchronised chess graphics. There is no better
way to explain chess. Total running time: 3 h 39 min. This is
how chess training can be real fun! System requirements:
PC 233, 64 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows
XP/2000/Me/98SE, Windows Media Player 9. This package includes
the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader.
|
 Bird
Opening £17.50 |
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By Dimitri Oleinikov. The Bird Opening (1 f4), more commonly
known as Bird’s Opening, does not get many outings at super-grandmaster
level, but the rest of us (particularly the “theoretically
challenged”) maintain a healthy respect for its potency.
This is a very well laid-out CD with some useful background
material on the opening, and on the player after whom it was
named, HE Bird. There is plenty of sensible advice (in 14 text
chapters) on the best way to play the opening. The author is
clearly a resourceful man; he wanted to know which were the
commonest ways of meeting the Bird Opening in practice, so sat
down and played 1,000 games with it on the Internet Chess Club,
and then worked it out from this prodigious sample. 47 training
tests, database of 15,093 games and a variation tree. One of
the best ChessBase opening disks so far.
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 Budapest
Gambit (2nd ed in 2005) £17.50 |
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By Dimitri Oleinkov. This CD presents the aggressive opening
system 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e5! that leads to an uncompromising struggle
from the first opening moves. Special attention is paid to the
schemes often played in club tournaments on the sub-master level.
The 2nd edition has approximately 9,000 more games in the database
(up to April 2005) than in the 1st edition, and now has 210
games in the 'Instructor' section, 44 more than in the original
1999 edition. System Requirements: Pentium, 32MB RAM, Windows
98 SE/2000/ME/XP
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 Caro
Kann Panov Attack £17.50 |
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By Zoran Petronijevic. The Caro-Kann opening (1 e4 c6 2 d4
d5) is said, possibly unfairly, to be a bit on the tame side.
But what is fascinating about it in any case is the number of
totally different playing styles to which Black must adapt himself.
One of these is the Panov Attack, (3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4), by means
of which White immediately attacks the centre, but in doing
so must also accept possible positions with an isolated d4-pawn.
A second theme on the CD is the Exchange Variation, in which
White exchanges on d5, but then does not play c4. It used to
be considered to be harmless, but attained a fair amount of
popularity after Fischer’s brilliant victory over Petrosian
(Belgrade 1970). It is a favourite of players who do not wish
to take risks. The author treats all the variations which come
under B13 and B14 in great detail. This is what makes chess
training fun: 145 database texts • approx. 800 model games
annotated by the author • more than 25000 games •
training database • reader based on ChessBase 9.
|
 Catalan
E00-E09
£21.50 |
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The Catalan is an opening in which Black may well be able
to obtain easy equality, but in which he frequently draws the
short straw in the ensuing positional battle. The reason for
this is that the player of the white pieces has usually assimilated
much better the laws governing this opening and the plans to
be adopted. With great precision and clarity, GM Marin has examined
the individual variations. Once again, as was the case with
the author’s first offering “English 1 c4 e5”,
one comes across a large number of indications of possible transpositions
and related variations, sometimes from quite different openings.
In this fashion, the learner obtains insights into a genuine
grandmaster’s opening. This is what makes chess training
fun • suitable for advanced players • 62 texts and
500 annotated model games • database with over 27,000 games
• training database • an opening tree including all
the games • includes ChessBase-Reader.
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| Check and Mate! £17.50 |
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Studying can be fun: watch and listen to the famous English
grandmaster Daniel King in this interactive, multi-media CD-ROM
as he teaches you to attack the right way. Effective attacking
patterns are presented and explained in ten chapters. Each chapter
contains a test game followed by further examples to illustrate
the main theme. Includes audio-visual commentary (see example
screen). Read
the March 2001 Review.
|
 Chigorin
Defence £17.50 |
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"At master level, the Chigorin Defence has been played relatively
seldom, and probably that's one of the reasons why it has been
analysed less intensively than other openings - good prerequisites
for free-thinkers and adventurers on the chess board!" (Breutigam).
The Chigorin Defence resulting after the moves 1 d4 d5 2 c4
Nc6 has become popular again thanks to the young Russian Alexander
Morozevich, who, with this choice, has been holding his own
even against the players of the absolute world top. It was high
time for a publication to make the subtleties of this opening
understandable also to the non-grandmaster, and this gap in
chess literature now has been filled by FIDE Master and experienced
Bundesliga player Martin Breutigam. The database has 100 entries
- 7 texts and 93 sample games. Another database includes 54
training questions enabling the user to test his freshly acquired
knowledge. The CD features a reference database of more than
4,000 games plus a big tree of all games. Read the May 2001 Review.
|
 Classical
Nimzo-Indian 4 Qc2 £17.50 |
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The Nimzo-Indian is not only one of the most solid openings
against 1 d4, but it also suits the player with Black who is
aiming from the start for the full point. In many treatments
of the opening, White runs slight risks - doubled pawns and
an isolated queen pawn are typical. At the peak of world chess,
there is thus a clear preference for the Classical System 4
Qc2, in which White usually retains the bishop pair and the
pawn structure remains intact; however on some occasions it
is necessary to make up for being behind in development.
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| Classical Sicilian £17.50 |
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By Tony Kosten. The 27 texts on this disk are particularly
well structured and linked to guide you through what is a labyrinthine
set of variations. There are 8,000 games on the database, up
to August 2000; these can also be accessed via a Chessbase tree
of variations, and there is a training database containing 25
tests of your comprehension of the opening. A well-constructed
opening guide with much to recommend it.
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|
 Colle
System
£17.50
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The Colle System is rather a playing scheme than an opening.
White plays d4, Nf3, e3, Bd3, 0-0, Nbd2 and possibly c3 - nearly
regardless of what Black replies. Opening knowledge is of secondary
importance. This is where the author starts his work, explaining
plans, patterns and typical mistakes. For example, two chapters
are titled "Ten inspirational games" and "Eight
warning games". However, Oleinikov naturally also deals
with opening theory in the classical sense and discusses the
critical variations, at one point showing himself surprised:
"To my amazement, none of my opponents has reached this
crucial position so far". Certainly a hint that the second
players know too little about the Colle System and rather play
it by ear. This CD-ROM is suited for club players • clear-cut
learning database with 380 games • opening course in 17
chapters • 100 games annotated by the author • three
topical training databases • big database with a total
of more than 21,000 games
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Note: to use and enjoy the CDs & DVDs
on this page there is no need to own any other software unless
stated otherwise. They come with Chessbase reader software.
|
 Deadly
Threats £17.50 |
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George Renko has assembled lots of juicy combinations and
tactical examples - more than 2,500 in all - to keep you occupied
for hours. It's so easy just to load the first one and do it,
then the next one, and the one after that - and soon the whole
day has wandered by. Unlike with a real board, where you have
to keep setting up the pieces, here it is a matter of a couple
of keystrokes. Very addictive!
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 Dutch
Defence A80-A85
£17.50 |
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In the third and final part of his trilogy about the Dutch,
Boris Schipkov turns his attention to the less important lines.
But some of them could well be considered main lines, since
they are played by respected grandmasters and since the statistics
are excellent from the point of view of White. For example 2.Nc3
- White immediately begins to fight for the advance e2-e4. Or
2 c4 Nf6 3 Nc3 - which is encountered so often in praxis that
it can hardly be called a sub variation. The author treats all
lines with great thoroughness. All are preceded by a text in
which Schipkov presents the underlying strategic ideas of the
variation in question and refers to the relevant model games.
All the features at a glance • 20 texts • 370 model
games annotated by the author • over 37,000 games •
training database • reader based on ChessBase 9.0
|
 Dutch
Defence Leningrad A86-A89
£15.99 |
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People who play the Dutch Defence are usually aiming for more
than a draw. This is particularly true of the Leningrad System
(involving the moves f5 and g6 against 1 d4). The author is
even of the opinion that this system is better than the King's
Indian, because you have already achieved the pawn thrust f5.
Under A86 there are also variations, in which Black plays 3...d6
and does not necessarily follow up later with g6; these are
also covered on the CD. In the chapter "Strategic principles
underlying the Leningrad System" the author tackles various
themes, such as the e2-e4 breakout, often preceded by b3 and
Bb2 (or else Black has no difficulty playing e5). Another theme
is the "queenside pawn attack", frequently played
in conjunction with an early b2-b4. But, in general, the author
is more concerned with the possibilities for Black. Author Boris
Schipkov, 42, lives in Novosibirsk and has already published
various books and articles, including the ChessBase CDs "The
Queen's Gambit Accepted" and "Dutch Defence A90-A99".
All features at a glance: 18 database texts • 142 model
games, annotated by the author • more than 15,000 games
• Training database • Reader based on ChessBase 9.0.
|
 Dutch
Defence A90-A99 £17.50 |
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Boris Schipkov deals with the variations in which Black plays
e6, mainly the Stonewall (with d5) and the Iliin-Shenevsky Variation
(with d6 and eventually e5). Defined by the pawn moves f5, e6
and d5, the Stonewall doesn't carry its name by chance. It can't
be taken by storm, it is only by long siege that White might
possibly make progress. Boris Schipkov's database contains more
than 14,000 games, 300 of which are annotated. There are 17
database texts featuring introductions to the variations, and
57 sample games have been annotated by the author. A training
database includes 20 games with 70 training tasks to check your
freshly-acquired knowledge.
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 Dvoretsky's
Endgame Manual £21.99 |
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Russian IM Mark Dvoretsky is perhaps the most respected chess
instructor in the world today. His latest work is sure to become
a classic reference book on one of the most difficult and subtle
phases in chess. “I am sure that those who study this work
carefully will not only play the endgame better, but overall,
their play will improve. One of the secrets of the Russian chess
school is now before you, dear reader!” (GM Artur Yusupov).
"Going through this book will certainly improve your endgame
knowledge, but just as important, it will also greatly improve
your ability to calculate variations… What really impresses
me is the deep level of analysis in the book... All I can say
is: This is a great book. I hope it will bring you as much pleasure
as it has me” (IM Jacob Aagaard).
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|
 Endgames
1: Basic Knowledge for Beginners DVD-ROM £21.50 |
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Endgame theory constitutes the foundation of chess. You realize
this in striking clarity once you obtain a won endgame, but
in the end have to be content with a draw in the end because
of a lack of the necessary know-how. Such accidents can only
be prevented by building up a solid endgame technique. This
is Karsten Müller's first DVD, and the grandmaster
from Hamburg and endgame expert here lays the foundation for
acquiring such a technique. The first part of his training series
can be started without any endgame knowledge. Only a knowledge
of the rules of chess is assumed. But for a lot of club players
this course will be a welcome brush-up, as a glance at the content
confirms. The topics range from elementary endings such as mating
with the queen, with rook and with two bishops and mating with
bishop and knight. The DVD also teaches the fundamentals of
pawn endings, knight vs. pawns endings, bishop vs. knight endings,
queen vs. pawns endings plus knight and bishop endings, including
endings with bishop of the same and of opposite color. Those
who have always felt that studying the endgame from textbooks
is too uninspiring or too arduous will enjoy this DVD and certainly
profit from it. Video running time: 5½ hours. Included
on the DVD is a ChessBase 9.0 Reader.
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Endgames 2 - Rook Endgames DVD-ROM £21.50 |
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By Karsten Müller. Endgame theory forms the basis for
chess. This becomes painfully clear as soon as a player has
reached a clearly won endgame, yet must finally content himself
with a draw because he lacks the necessary know-how. Does this
sound familiar? Then avoid such accidents and make endgames
your strength - by building up a solid endgame technique. With
this second volume of his endgame training series, grandmaster
and endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller from Hamburg continues
to lay the solid foundations for the last phase of the game.
After dealing with basic endgames from giving mate with the
queen to the basics of pawn endgames in part 1, part 2 is dedicated
exclusively to rook endgames: rook versus pawn, rook and pawn
versus rook, rook and rook pawn versus rook, rook and two connected
pawns versus rook. Those who have always found studying endgames
with chess textbooks too dry and tedious will enjoy this DVD
with its comfortable training system and benefit enormously
- in brilliant endgames at the actual board. Complete video
running time: 5 hours.
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Endgames 3 - Major Piece Endgames DVD-ROM £21.50 |
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By Karsten Müller. The third part of the endgame series
tackles queen endings, rook against minor pieces, queen against
rook and queen against two rooks. Queen endings are not nearly
as mysterious as they appear at first sight. Knowing a few rules
of thumb and principles will make things very much easier for
you. In the case of rook versus knight or bishop, you should
not only know how to draw a pawnless endgame, but also when
a fortress can be set up and when not. The case for queen against
rook is rather similar, except of course that when there are
no pawns the queen wins against the rook. In the duel against
two rooks, further aspects come into play such as the coordination
of the rooks. Those who have always found studying endgames
with chess textbooks too dry and tedious will enjoy this DVD
with its comfortable training system. System requirements:
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98
SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD
drive. Complete video running time: 7 hours.
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Endgames 4 - Strategic Endgames DVD-ROM £21.50 |
|
By Karsten Müller. In the fourth volume of the endgame
series a lot of themes with more material are included like
rook and minor piece vs rook (and minor piece), rook vs two
minor pieces, double rook endings, queen and knight vs queen
and bishop, the bishop pair and endgame principles. Typical
topics are: the so called Fischer endgame rook and bishop vs
rook and knight, which occurs quite frequently in practical
play and is very often favourable for rook and bishop; with
opposite coloured bishops the presence of one rook each greatly
increases the winning chances of the attacker compared to the
pure opposite coloured bishop endgame (see DVD 1); when are
queen and knight stronger than queen and bishop; which drawing
methods exist in the pawnless endgame rook and bishop vs rook,
which is quite often won over the board. Those who have always
found studying endgames with chess textbooks too dry and tedious
will enjoy this DVD with its comfortable training system and
benefit enormously - in brilliant endgames at the actual board.
Complete video running time: approx. 6 hours. System requirements:
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98
SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Media Player
9.0 or later, DVD drive.
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|
 English
1 c4 e5 £18.99 |
|
By Mihail Marin. With the move 1 c4, you can avoid some of
the openings and lines to be feared after 1 d4. Following 1
c4 e5 – this move order is also called the Reversed Sicilian
– there arises an independent opening which still leaves
space for many transpositions. To deal with the vast amount
of material requires expert skill and great knowledge of the
variations, both qualities distinguishing the author, Grandmaster
Mihail Marin. The total number of 69,000 games on the CD shows
the gigantic field he managed to cover. His enormous work is
reflected in no less than 60 database texts and 330 games, exclusively
annotated for this CD-ROM. There are another 1,500 annotated
games plus a training database with 46 games.
|
| Franco-Benoni £17.50 |
|
Pioneered by Barcza, and later revived by Larsen, the Franco-Benoni
(1 e4 e6 2 d4 c5) is, as the name suggests, a cross between
the French and the Benoni. This resilient, spring-like pawn
structure is especially effective against unsuspecting 1 e4
players and can serve as a universal black defence against 1
e4, 1 d4 or 1 c4. Black has to be prepared to meet Benoni lines
after 3 d5 but most 1 e4 players hang back from d-pawn structures
and opt for Sicilian Paulsen or c3 systems. 13,000+ games (800
annotated, a discussion of basic ideas and patterns, openings
tree and 37 training positions. By Don Maddox, strong correspondence
player and former editor of Chess Life.
|
 The
French Defence £18.99 |
|
DVD-ROM - The French Defence is a very powerful opening against
1 e4 players who plays aggressively. Against the French you
have to understand the underlying positional themes, if not
you will quickly get a difficult position. As all major openings
the French defence is full of concepts and variations. Many
books leave the students with lines and ideas that are easy
to mix up. In this DVD you will be presented a coherent strategic
opening repertoire against 1 e4 The main theme is to always
attack White's centre with the f- and c-pawns, and then with
the pieces until nothing is left of it. The recommended repertoire
is based on understanding rather than memorization. The pedagogic
idea is to give you an integrated understanding which will help
you to solve all kind of problems over the board. You will learn
which pawn formations in centre to strive for, to be able to
implement powerful manoeuvres and to recognise small strong
moves. You will also learn when it is time to switch to an attack
against the opponents king. The recommended lines are solid
and it will be able to play the lines many years without having
to bother too much about recent developments. This CD covers:
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 - 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7
- 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 - 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3
Nf6 4 Bg5 Be7 - 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 - 1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3
Nc3 - 1 e4 e6 2 d3 (King's Indian Attack) - 1 e4 e6 2 Qe2 -
1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3 b4 (Wing Gambit). Video running time:
6h 48min System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or
higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP,
Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive.
|
| French with 3 Nc3 £17.50 |
|
Knut Neven covers all variations after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3.
The main database contains more than 44,000 games, of which
about 1,000 are annotated * 15 database texts * training positions
* variation tree suitable for Fritz Opening Book use.
|
| French without 3 Nc3 £17.50 |
|
Another enjoyable work from Knut Neven, editor of Canada’s
national magazine En Passant, and features 73,000 games
in three separate databases. The principal variations looked
at are the Advance (3 e5), Tarrasch (3 Nd2) and Exchange (3
exd5); the scope is basically the same as that covered by ECO
codes C00 to C09. 37 training positions, plus an opening tree
incorporating 65,000+ games from the databases. Many games up
to year 2000.
|
 Fritz
Technique Trainer 2
£14.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
|
Winning won positions - this vital chess skill can be acquired
and improved with the CDs of the Fritz Technique Trainer
series. "The tasks on this CD deal exclusively with the
creative work of the 1st official world champion Wilhelm Steinitz.
He was the first to describe the fundamentals a promising attack
is based upon. Thus most exercises are about showing how a successful
attack is conducted" (Schlossner). Each exercise starts
with a won position from a Steinitz game which you are to play
against Fritz. It is rarely about finding a combination to solve
the problem. Usually the win can be achieved in different ways.
But there are always a few obstacles to be swept out of the
way and then you will experience the sweet smell of success.
Attention: this course is a supplementary program for
Fritz8 and can only be run if the chess program Fritz8, Shredder8,
Junior8, Hiarcs9 or Tiger15 is installed on the PC. Neither
Fritz8, ChessBase 9.0, Shredder8, Junior8, Hiarcs9 or Tiger15
is supplied with this training course.
|
 Fritz
Trainer: Middlegame Strategy and Tactics £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
|
This CD by Peter Wells addresses advanced players. It contains
an introduction and five lectures which deal with purely practical
subjects: the calculation of variations and how errors arise.
These are important themes where a grandmaster trainer is able
to draw on his rich and varied experience and provide chess
students with valuable tips. There are five more lectures on
positional chess. The CD contains a total of over three hours
of high-quality video lectures and training. The following
subjects are part of the CD: Introduction 5:34 min • Calculation
29:23 min • Commitment and Defence 17:02 min • Zwischenzug
16:56 min • Anatomy of Blunders I 19:49 min • Anatomy
of Blunders II 15:44 min • Positional Pawn Sacrifice I
8:35 min • Positional Pawn • Sacrifice II 20:08 min
• Bad Pieces I 20:25 min • Bad Pieces II 22:14 min
• Blockade 20:00 min • Note: you must have
one of the following programs – Fritz 8, Shredder 8, Hiarcs
9 or Junior 8 – running on your computer to use this disk,
plus the latest interface which can be obtained from playchess.com
|
 Fritz
Trainer Middlegame: Attacking Chess Vol. 1 £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
|
By Danish IM Jacob Aagaard. The author has chosen a very
beautiful example for his introduction, which illustrates important
factors required for a successful. This is followed on this
CD by 10 more files in Chess Media Format; these constitute
an entertaining and instructive introduction to the art of conducting
an attack. In total there are more than three hours of top class
video training on the CD. The CD is based on the new instructional
Fritz8-Chess Media System: all the lectures are presented in
their entirety with video pictures and synchronised chess graphics.
There is no better way to explain chess. This is how chess training
can be real fun! System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM,
CD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, Windows
Media Player 9. • Note: you must have one
of the following programs – Fritz 8, Shredder 8, Hiarcs
9 or Junior 8 – running on your computer to use this disk,
plus the latest interface which can be obtained from playchess.com
|
 Fritz
Trainer Middlegame: Attacking Chess Vol. 2 £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
|
By Danish IM Jacob Aagaard. For the second part of his work
on the attack in chess, Jacob Aagaard has selected some more
instructive examples, which he has analysed and presented on
camera. There are 12 files in Chess Media Format; these show
typical attacking methods. In total there are more than three
hours of top class video training on the CD. The Danish International
Master Jacob Aagaard, 30, has already published a whole array
of chess books, including the prize-winning “Excelling
at chess”. The CD is based on the new instructional Fritz8-Chess
Media System: all the lectures are presented in their entirety
with video pictures and synchronised chess graphics. There is
no better way to explain chess. This is how chess training can
be real fun! System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM,
CD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, Windows
Media Player 9. • Note: you must have one
of the following programs – Fritz 8, Shredder 8, Hiarcs
9 or Junior 8 – running on your computer to use this disk,
plus the latest interface which can be obtained from playchess.com.
|
 Fritz
Trainer Middlegame: Basic Positional Ideas (DVD-ROM) £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
|
Danish IM Jacob Aagaard presents six video lectures on the
most important principles of positional play in chess. Weak
squares, good and bad pieces, prophylaxis and pawn weaknesses
are concepts which should belong in the toolbox of every chess
player. The lectures are followed by 50 exercises. In total
there are more than four hours of high-class training on this
DVD. The DVD-ROM is based on the new instructional Fritz8-Chess
Media System: all the lectures are presented in their entirety
with video pictures and synchronised chess graphics. There is
no better way to explain chess. This is how chess training can
be real fun! System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM,
DVD-ROM drive, sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me,
98, Windows Media Player 9. • Note: you must
have one of the following programs – Fritz 8, Shredder
8, Hiarcs 9, Junior 8 or Tiger 15 – running on your computer
to use this disk, plus the latest interface which can be obtained
from playchess.com.
|
 Fritz
Endgame Trainer £17.50
important: this is not a stand-alone product - check specification
information before buying
|
|
The Fritz Endgame Trainer shows the fascination of
pawn endings in a practical way, making you ready for practice.
In more than 100 training positions, you can try to win or draw
endgames against Fritz (note - you must own Fritz6 or upwards
to use this disk). In view of its well-known endgame strength,
this is clearly a most difficult task. Experienced author and
chess trainer Martin Weteschnik has systematically split up
the training positions into six chapters with extensive explanations
and 'workshops', i.e. commented videos explaining the
proceedings on the screen. The range of tasks is immense, reaching
from elementary endgames to examples from the practice of the
world champions. If you have solved even the sophisticated tasks,
you can choose from the 50 studies from a second database to
play them against Fritz. The Fritz Endgame Trainer is suitable
for Fritz-friends who want to learn the basics of pawn endgames
through playing as well as for strong club players who want
to check their technical skills against Fritz and broaden their
horizon. System Requirements: you must have Fritz
6 or higher on your computer to use this disk.
|
Note: to use and enjoy the CDs & DVDs
on this page there is no need to own any other software unless
stated otherwise. They come with Chessbase reader software.
|
 Giuoco
Piano C50-54 £17.50 |
|
Whoever plays 1 e4 as White, has to ask himself what he intends
to do after 1…e5 2 Nf3 Nc6. If you do not feel up to
the heavy positional demands made on you by the Ruy Lopez,
you more or less have to turn to 3 Bc4 and after the strongest
reply, 3…Bc5, you are into the Giuoco Piano. This opening
set-up is reckoned to be one of the oldest known in the history
of chess and the author is right to comment: “This opening,
more than any other, reflects the very development of the
game of chess. This means that the Giuoco Piano is the best
suited for those making a start in opening theory.” The
author Reinhold Ripperger has put great emphasis on his training
database, so that the learner can check the knowledge he has
gained in an interactive fashion, struggling against the clock.
That is how chess training can be fun: • suitable for
club players • 11 texts and 240 annotated model games
• training database with more than 160 questions •
2 supplementary databases with more than 44,000 games •
includes the ChessBase Reader.
|
 Great
ABC of Tactics £18.99 |
|
As is usual with CDs by George Renko, his latest publication
provides a wealth of training exercises. Before that he even
explains the rules of chess. Then several thousand one movers
provide practice of even the simplest tactical patterns. And
for those who quickly master this stage, the CD offers many
further tactical exercises. Contains: Training material in 7
databases • Over 11,000 training exercises • ChessBase
9.0 Reader
|
 Grunfeld
£21.99 |
|
The Grünfeld is one of the most aggressive openings against
1 d4, and it’s no wonder that Garry Kasparov has included
it into his opening repertoire. Playing with White, one is well-advised
to accept the challenge since in the harmless variations it’s
usually already Black who dictates the course of action. In
the main lines, however, theoretical knowledge is of great importance.
Knut Neven has taken on the great task of arraning the huge
amount of data – all more than 67,000 games divided up
into three sections depending on Informator codes, and another
200 are annotated by the author. The learning database contains
600+ games and texts and is particularly well organised. Plus
the usual training positions and exercises.
|
 Fritz
Technique Trainer
£15.99 |
|
Winning won positions – who would not like to be able
to do that, but has often enough fallen down on the job? For
many people it is even the main problem when playing chess:
they often have such good positions and nothing comes out of
it. What then could be closer to their heart than training to
convert winning positions – naturally with Fritz! To bring
this about, Henrik Schloessner has sought out positions, which
can be won even against the cool program itself. It is rarely
about finding combinations to solve the problem. Usually the
win can be achieved in different ways. But there are always
a few obstacles to be swept out of the way, and then you will
always experience the sweet smell of success. 102 winnable game
positions • explanations as how to go about things •
appropriate examples of how to win • classified according
difficulty • with multimedia database “Brains in Bahrain”
System Requirements: you must have Fritz 7 or
higher on your computer to use this disk.
|
 How
to Play The Nimzo-Indian
£14.50
|
|
By Reinhold Ripperger. Study material for the Nimzo-Indian,
with 17 introductory texts and a 345-game annotated database.
Comes with a 35-game training database, and a 47,000 database
of unannotated games.
|
 How
to Play The Najdorf Vol. 1 by Garry Kasparov
£21.50
(DVD) |
|
The Najdorf system in the Sicilian Defence has a legendary
reputation as a defensive weapon for Black. It is an opening
where people often strive for a full point, instead of simply
defending the position with the black pieces. Many great players
have contributed to the development of this complex opening.
There were two world champions who formed much of their careers
using the Najdorf system as their weapon of choice against 1
e4: Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov celebrated spectacular
successes with it. Both players used the Najdorf (pronounced
“ny-dorff”, rhyming with “high-dwarf”) during
their child prodigy years and retained it as an important part
of their repertoire during their entire careers.
For Garry Kasparov this added up to experience
with the Najdorf at the very highest levels of chess. For chess
amateurs and professionals alike it is a great moment when the
world's leading expert shares all the secrets in his favourite
opening. In part one Garry Kasparov introduces the various sub-systems
of the Najdorf, including the central “Poisoned Pawn”
variation. The development of each line is placed in historical
perspective and examined in great depth, with Kasparov's characteristic
intensity. More than 2½ hours of first-class private
tuition.
The DVD can be played both on a PC and a DVD
player, using your living-room TV set (PAL). It contains subtitles
in English, German, Spanish, Italian and Turkish. The package
includes the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader, a big reference database
featuring more than 16,000 Najdorf games, as well as a complete
opening book that can be used to practice what you have learnt
with Fritz. Introduction 12:37 • possible deviations 9:43
• 6.Bg5 Nbd7 18:35 • 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qf3 19:21 • Gothenburg
variation 19:59 • Poisoned pawn variation 9.Rb1 19:36 •
Poisoned pawn variation 13.e5 22:46 • Poisoned pawn variation
13.Be2 and 9.Nb3 27:49 • Poisoned pawn variation 8.Nb3
17:24 • Example (1:43). System requirements: PC (minimum
233 MHz and 32 MB RAM, recommended 1 GHz, 256 MB), DVD drive,
Windows98 SE, ME, 2000 or XP, Sound card, Windows Media Player
9 or higher (for the multimedia lessons). Alternately: standard
DVD player and TV set (PAL).
|
 How
to Play The Najdorf Vol. 2 by Garry Kasparov
£21.50
(DVD) |
|
The Najdorf system in the Sicilian Defence has a legendary
reputation as a defensive weapon for Black. It is an opening
where people often strive for a full point, instead of simply
defending the position with the black pieces. Many great players
have contributed to the development of this complex opening.
There were two world champions who formed much of their careers
using the Najdorf system as their weapon of choice against 1
e4: Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. Both players celebrated
spectacular successes with it, both used the Najdorf during
their child prodigy years and retained it as an important part
of their repertoire during their entire careers. For Garry Kasparov
this added up to experience with the Najdorf at the very highest
levels of chess. For chess amateurs and professionals alike
it is a great moment when the world's leading expert shares
all the secrets in his favourite opening. In part one Garry
Kasparov introduced the various subsystems of the Najdorf, including
the central Poisoned Pawn variation. Part two is devoted to
the main lines against 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4. This includes the legendary
Polugaevsky Variation. This DVD-ROM contains more than two
hours of first-class private tuition. The package includes
the latest Chess Base 9.0 Reader, a big reference database featuring
all relevant Najdorf games, as well as a complete opening book
that can be used to practice what you have learnt with Fritz.
System requirements: PC (minimum 233 MHz and 32 MB RAM, recommended
1 GHz, 256 MB), DVD drive, Windows98 SE, ME, 2000 or XP, Sound
card, Windows Media Player 9 or higher (for the multimedia lessons).
Note: this DVD is not playable on standard TV DVD players.
|
 How
to Play The Najdorf Vol. 3 by Garry Kasparov
£26.99
(DVD) |
|
The Najdorf variation in the Sicilian Defence has a legendary
reputation as a counter-attacking weapon for Black. It is an
opening where people often strive for a full point, instead
of simply defending the position with the black pieces. Many
great players have contributed to the development of this complex
opening. Two world champions used the Najdorf variation as their
weapon of choice against 1 e4: Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov.
Both players celebrated spectacular successes with it, retaining
it as an important part of their repertoire throughout their
entire careers. For chess amateurs and professionals alike it
is a great moment when the world's leading expert shares all
the secrets of his favourite opening. In part one Garry Kasparov
introduced the various subsystems of the Najdorf, including
the central 'Poisoned Pawn' variation. Part two was devoted
to the main lines against 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4, including the legendary
Polugaevsky Variation. In Part three he examines the move 6
Be3 which is today considered the main line of the Najdorf.
The DVD contains more than five hours of first-class private
video tuition. The package includes the latest ChessBase
9.0 Reader, a big reference database featuring all relevant
Najdorf games, as well as a complete opening book that can be
used to practice what you have learnt with Fritz. System requirements:
PC (minimum 233 MHz and 32 MB RAM, recommended 1 GHz, 256 MB),
DVD drive, Windows Vista or XP, sound card, Windows Media Player
9 or higher (for the multimedia lessons). Note: this DVD
is not playable on standard TV DVD players.
|
 How
to Play The Queen's Gambit by Garry Kasparov
£21.50
(DVD) |
|
Wherever he appears, chess fans gather in crowds. Garry
Kasparov is the strongest chess player of our time –
and a great personality who can represent the sport like no
other chess professional. Now Kasparov comes into your home
and shares with you his knowledge of one of the great openings
in chess. Garry Kasparov took to the Queen’s Gambit at
a relatively late stage of his chess career, but then had the
best training anyone could imagine: in his first match for the
world championship against Anatoly Karpov, this opening appeared
on the board no less than 19 times. Now he shares his knowledge
with you. With great eloquence Kasparov speaks about variations
and ideas of the Classical Queen’s Gambit, the basics of
which were laid by the champions of their times – Steinitz,
Lasker, Rubinstein, Capablanca and Alekhine. Kasparov does not
just work through the variations one by one – fluent transitions
make the chess students understand the ideas and see new connections.
Even people who don’t actually play this opening will benefit
enormously from Kasparov’s explanations, learning from
this genius’s vast knowledge of the game and his views
on chess history. More than three hours of first-class
private tuition. The DVD can be played both on a PC and a
DVD player, using your living-room TV set. It contains subtitles
in English, German, Spanish and Italian. The package includes
the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader, a big reference database
featuring more than 100,000 Queen’s Gambit games, as well
as a complete opening book that can be used to practice what
you have learnt with Fritz. Contents: Talking about Queen‘s
Gambit 8:28 min • Possible deviations 10:50 min •
Lasker defence 16:03 min • Capablanca‘s approach 19:32
min • Carlsbad structure 18:45 min • Alatorsev variation
13:10 min • Steinitz and 5.Bf4 19:39 min • Tartakower
system 14:51 min • 5...h6 - a big nuance 13:02 min •
Look at some games 1:17 min • Steinitz - Lasker 4:17 min
• Rubinstein - Salwe 10:14 min • Capablanca - Alekhine
7:45 min • Kasparov - Andersson 4:45 min • Kasparov
- Short 4:02 min • Alekhine - Lasker 3:55 min • Beliavsky
- Geller 5:39 min • Kortschnoj - Karpov 12:18 min •
Kortschnoj - Karpov 2 8:24 min • Résumé 3:55
min. System requirements: PC (minimum 233 MHz and 32
MB RAM, recommended 1 GHz, 256 MB), DVD drive, Windows 98SE,
ME, 2000 or XP, Sound card, Windows Media Player 9 or higher
(for the multimedia lessons). Alternatively: standard DVD player
and TV set (PAL) for viewing video tuition only.
|
 How
to Play the Queen's Indian
£18.99 |
|
by Dmitri Oleinikov. This CD-ROM features a database with
an overview and 16 texts, plus 368 carefully-chosen sample games,
over 100 of which the author has annotated himself; also, a
chapter which explains the basic strategy, 12 brilliant games
by Black and by White, a chapter on typical tactics including
opening traps, two chapters on typical pawn structures and on
piece behaviour, a further database on strategy with 33 game
extracts and 54 training questions, another database on tactics
with 33 game extracts and 55 training questions. There is also
a large database of over 78,000 games.
|
| Intensive Tactics Course 1 £17.50 |
|
George Renko with a course of 4,000 tactical positions with
training questions, categorized in more than 120 databases according
to the author's newly developed theme classification.
|
 Intensive
Tactics Course 2 £17.50 |
|
With almost 3,000 training positions and there over 6300 training
questions to be solved, the latest CD by George Renko is not
short on weight. The theme of the exercises is: forced variations.
These are known to be an important characteristic of combinations.
The introduction is followed by six databases on the themes:
mate, mate or material, material, perpetual check, stalemate
and special cases. These databases with between 26 and 64 examples
explain - still without training questions - important motifs.
The number of such motifs is known to be very limited, and so
they ought to be easy to assimilate. But there is only one way
of recognising them in practical play: practice, practice, practice.
|
 Isolated Queen
Pawn
£16.50 |
|
By Reinhold Ripperger. There are countless openings and lines
to a position with an isolated queen’s pawn. This is a
type of position you just can’t avoid, so you have to know
how to play it. Reinhold Ripperger presents the basic IQP techniques
and manoeuvres, demonstrating strengths and weakness of the
'isolani' in many classical games. The author says: ”The
fact is that in almost all World Championship matches, positions
with isolated pawns have played an important role. Studying
positions with isolated pawns intensively is not only great
fun, but also improves one’s strategical understanding
as well as one’s ability to spot tactics. In short it raises
one’s playing strength!” In a further database with
training questions, you can prove your freshly acquired knowledge
sweating against the clock.
|
 Killer Moves
£17.50 |
|
By George Renko. When you study chess, you store away a lot
of pictures in your memory, consciously or sub-consciously.
The more of these you can retrieve during a game, the better
you play. Author and chess trainer George Renko has compiled
a huge number of tactical positions for chess training purposes.
There are 1,600 tasks on this CD-ROM, partly composed and partly
from practical play, which can be used to sharpen up the reader's
tactical prowess. Read
the March 2001 Review.
|
King's Gambit
£17.50 |
|
Alexander Bangiev with with 30 introductory texts, each featuring
a survey on the respective variation complex, a database of
30,000+ games and a large variation tree which can also be used
as a Fritz opening book.
|
 King's
Indian Attack £17.50 |
|
Don Maddox on what is a reversed King's Indian, with the
moves Nf3, g3, Bg2, d3 generally included. In most games he
begins with 1 e4, a move that Black usually plays at a later
stage in the King's Indian. Normally building up an openings
repertoire requires a huge amount of learning, and it usually
runs into the problem of too little time. The King's Indian
Attack provides a three-fold solution to this dilemma, providing
you with (a) a universal hypermodern repertoire based on Nf3/d2-d3/g2-g3/Bg2;
(b) a customizable 1 e4 repertoire channeling virtually every
black response (except 1 d5) into familiar KIA waters; and (c)
a permanent fall-back for those times you need to rest your
regular repertoire while you fine-tune, modify or repair holes
in it.
|
 King's
Indian Defence with h3 £17.50 |
|
With the move h3 White is following a number of plans. The
Polish GM Michal Krasenkow, one of the best proponents of this
variation, explains the main one: "The general strategic
idea is to contain Black's activities on both sides of the board."
White prepares g4, which is directed against the black pawn
push ...f5. Since the black knight cannot move to g4 White can
put his bishop safely on e3 and give his position a solid support.
It also prepares a later kingside attack.
White's options are many and
flexible. After opening the g-file with an exchange on f5 he
often gets good chances to attack on the g-file. But he may
also close the position on the kingside and use his superiority
on the queenside to good effect. Black's counterplay is almost
always based on the ...f5 push, which initialises the fight
for the strategically important square e4. In any case Black
must play actively and precisely if he does not want to be forced
into inactivity and immobility. By Martin Breutigam.
|
 King's
Indian Saemisch System £18.88 |
|
By Boris Schipkov. The Sämisch System against the King‘s
Indian Defence occurs after 5 f3. There is something solid about
the move (it protects the important squares e4 and g4) and something
aggressive at the same time (it prepares g2-g4 and a kingside
pawn storm). The ideas behind this system are easy to learn.
In the large database with approximately 30,000 there are also
an introductory text and a chapter with the basic ideas of the
Sämisch System. These are followed by 18 texts which treat
the individual opening variations. The work by the author on
this CD has been influenced by his own practical experience
(mostly positive experience). Schipkov has annotated some 400
games exclusively for the CD. In addition, there is also a training
database with 30 games and almost 300 training questions. The
CD is rounded off with an opening tree of all 30,000 games.
System requirements: Pentium, WindowsXP, WindowsVista, CD-ROM
Drive, soundcard
|
| King's Indian structure with f5-f4 £17.50 |
|
A multimedia CD discussing the winning ideas for White &
Black in thematic positions. Kramnik, Shirov and Gelfand are
among those featured.
|
|
Mating Attacks against 0-0 £17.50 |
|
GM Rainer Knaak helps you practice those vital mating attacks
against the castled enemy king.
|
 Meran Variation
£17.50 |
|
By Alexei Dreev. The Meran Variation is an extremely dynamic
opening, and it is no coincidence that it belongs to the opening
repertoire of geniuses such as Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and
Shirov. The lines arising after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4
Nf3 e6 5 e3 Nbd7 6 Bd3 dxc4 7 Bxc4 b5 are often of a very sharp
nature, and Black's possibilities for active counterplay make
this choice a popular weapon on all chess levels. Alexei Dreev,
a world-class player and specialist, has compiled well over
930 games, 35 of his own. More than 500 games are annotated.
Dreev himself has provided comments on 116 encounters and another
41 are explained by German grandmaster Christopher Lutz, also
a top expert on the Meran. The big database (about 5,300 games)
and the variation tree featuring all the games have become standard
with all ChessBase opening CDs, as is the training database.
The 20 sample games, assorted according to variations and accessible
by index, contain up to 13 training questions each.
|
| Modern Benoni £17.50 |
|
Canadian IM Jean Hebert introduces the typical patterns and
motifs of the Modern Benoni. The opening tree with access to
more than 13.000 games, more than 200 of which annotated by
the author himself, makes it possible to quickly find the most
promising lines for your practice. Finally you can check your
fresh knowledge in 28 test games solving tactical training tasks
against the ticking clock.
|
 Modern Ways of Playing the Sicilian £17.50 |
|
GM Amador Rodríguez introduces six modern, partially
rediscovered systems with which Black can cause his opponent
problems without an extensive knowledge of theoretical variations.
Languageless explanations * historical reviews of current theoretical
status * training positions.
|
 The
Nimzo-Indian - The Easy Way (DVD-ROM) £17.50
|
|
Danish IM Jacob Aagaard introduces you to the secrets of
the Nimzoindian Defence (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4). In 15
lessons that last 4 hours and 4 minutes he shows you how you
can successfully play this opening by understanding key ideas
instead of memorizing long tedious variations. This need-to-know
approach has served the Danish IM, who needs only a few more
rating points to become GM, well over the years. His wins against
GM Jonathan Tisdall and GM Alexander Shabalov are only two of
the many inspiring games he presents on the DVD. This entertaining
crash course in a timeless and hugely popular opening provides
you with the complete repertoire of a grandmaster. It is based
on understanding key positions and key strategies such as targeting
the c4-pawn or square. Comes with its own ChessBase reader.
System requirements: PC 233, 64 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive,
sound card, mouse, Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98 SE, Windows Media
Player 9.
|
Note: to use and enjoy the CDs & DVDs
on this page there is no need to own any other software unless
stated otherwise. They come with Chessbase reader software.
|
 Nimzo-Indian
4 f3 and Sämisch Variation £17.50 |
|
Vadim Milov provides some well-annotated games on 4 f3 and
4 a3 Nimzo-Indian lines. There are 7,000 games on the database
(up to May 2002) with the usual trimmings such as a training
database and a variation tree. Somewhere in there you’ll
find Botvinnik-Capablanca, AVRO 1938 – with full comments
by Kasparov. That’s one to enjoy.
|
 Opening
Repertoire for Black £17.50 |
|
By IM Alexander Bangiev. A few years ago, IM Bangiev published
a CD with a repertoire for White. Since then the author has
developed a new method of training - his 'squares strategy'
- and already three CDs have been published based on it. Consequently,
Bangiev has now prepared his long-planned CD with a repertoire
for Black along the lines of the terminology and methodology
of the squares strategy. The unified system which he suggests
is based on a setup with g6, Bg7 and c5, which can easily be
applied as a reply to the main white openings. The author has
years of experience with this setup, the benefit of which he
now passes on to his students. The author's work occupies three
databases • Theory: the heart of the new CD with five introductory
texts, 149 theoretical fragments of games and 36 annotated games
from praxis • Reference database with over 100,000 games
and an opening key specially developed for this CD • Training
database with 166 exercises. The CD is suitable for club players
and contains the ChessBase Reader based on ChessBase 9. SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS: Pentium, 32 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE/2000/Me/XP
|
| Opposite-Coloured Bishops Endgames £17.50 |
|
By GM Evgeny Solozhenkin. Apart from the theory of elementary
endgames with opposite-coloured bishops, the CD treats the interesting
constellations which arise if queen, rook or knight are added
on both sides. With 30 texts and more than 150 sample games,
the Russian grandmaster systematically examines the important
criteria for the treatment of these endgames.
|
 The
Path to Tactical Strength (DVD) £21.50 |
|
By Rustam Kasimdzhanov. Despite the fact that
many books have been written on tactics in chess, many players
still find it extremely difficult to recognize tactical patterns
and calculate ensuing lines. With this disk the author (a former
FIDE champion) not only gives a large number of examples of
the most different kind, trying to cover as many ideas as possible,
but also suggests a method which will greatly help you to see
various tactical motives and systemize your calculation. Video
running time: 4h 15 min. Should be used with supplied ChessBase
Reader only (not Fritz or standard ChessBase). System requirements:
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98
SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD
drive
|
 My
Best Games in the King's Indian (DVD) £23.50 |
|
By Alexei Shirov. With this DVD on the King‘s
Indian Defence, Alexei Shirov continues the successful and highly
praised series about his best games. As in the preceding DVDs
the Latvian super grandmaster succeeds in spoiling his public
with analysis of a high quality and with exciting insights into
his games, and he does so in his own reserved, pleasant and
modest style. As is the case with many of his openings, Alexei
Shirov also plays the King‘s Indian with both colours.
The DVD concentrates on the main line of the Classical King‘s
Indian with Nf3, Be2 and 0-0. In the games, and they are almost
exclusively victories, his opponents are renowned experts in
this opening, such as World Champion Kramnik and Boris Gelfand
with White. The black side is represented, amongst others, by
the legendary King‘s Indian specialist John Nunn, but also
by Teimour Radjabov, who may not yet be a legend, but who is
reckoned at the moment to be the greatest expert in the King‘s
Indian. Video running time: over 5 hours. System requirements:
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98
SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD
drive
|
 My
Best Games in the Nimzo-Indian (DVD) £23.50 |
|
By Alexei Shirov. As in the preceding DVDs the
super-grandmaster succeeds in spoiling his public with analysis
of a high quality and with exciting insights into his games,
and he does so in his own reserved, pleasant and modest style.
The DVD concentrates on the Classical Nimzo-Indian with 4.Qc2.
But when playing against the very solid Nimzo-Indian, which
the author faced most often as White, it is enormously important
to be able to vary your opening lines and so the author himself
often switches to 3.Nf3; this then leads to games with 3.b6
(Queen‘s Indian) or 3.d5 4.g3 (Catalan). Amongst the opponents
in the games he presents are, for example, Topalov and Leko.
Video running time: over 4 hours. System requirements: Pentium-Processor
at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000,
Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive.
|
 My
Best Games in the Petroff (DVD) £21.50 |
|
By Alexei Shirov. With this DVD on the Petroff
(Russian) Defence, Alexei Shirov continues the successful and
highly praised series of his best games. Since many players
look on the Petroff with the suspicion that it is a drawish
opening, and one which at the same time is both dry and boring,
Shirov has in this DVD set himself the specific task of countering
this view of matters. Thus, he begins the DVD with a game featuring
the Cochrane Gambit. Shirov then concentrates on solid recognised
lines, and explains their deeper content. The viewer will draw
benefit not only from his remarks on the opening, brilliantly
and instructively delivered, but also learn a lot about endgames.
Video running time: over 5 hours. System requirements: Pentium-Processor
at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000,
Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive.
|
 My
Best Games in the Slav and Semi-Slav (DVD) £21.99 |
|
By Alexei Shirov. The Slav is typified by the
move ...c6 and, in the Semi-Slav, ...e6 is also played; the
relationship between the two is obvious. At some points, Shirov's
lecture is closely related to the history of the opening, because
the Spanish-registered super-GM has contributed to and advanced
the development of many lines. In the Meran Variation, Shirov's
name is linked to a line which is now known as the Shabalov
Attack. After 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 e6 5 e3 Nbd7 6
Qc2 Bd6, it was Shirov and Shabalov who introduced the move
7 g4 into chess praxis in 1992. Today there are over 1,000 games
in the Mega Database with that variation. Shirov recounts the
way this extravagant line arose and explains some of its most
important ideas. Video running time: 5 hrs 20 min. System
requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB
RAM, Windows XP or Vista, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard.
|
 Philidor
Defence £17.50 |
|
By IM Alexander Bangiev. The disk contains a database of more
than 13,000 games, 300 with annotations, plus 18 text files.
Excellent guidance on the Philidor Defence’s pawn structure,
as well as advice on typical middlegame plans for both White
and Black and discussions of a number of leading players (including
Adams, Petrosian and Kosten) who have employed the Philidor
from time to time.
|
 Pirc
Defence (DVD-ROM) £21.99 |
|
By Nigel Davies. The Pirc Defence is a highly flexible and
double-edged opening with which Black can avoid premature simplification
and go for the full point. By first developing his kingside
he waits to see how White will deploy his own forces before
striking back in the most effective way. The top exponents of
the Pirc include Gurevich, Chernin, Timman, Seirawan, Speelman,
Azmaiparashvili and Belyavsky; in the past it was a great favourite
of Botvinnik and Miles. Here Nigel Davies explains the ideas
and backs this up by showing exactly how Black should react
to White's different formations. Video running time: 7 hours.
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher,
64 MB RAM, Windows Vista, Windows XP, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard..
|
 Pirc
Defence £17.50 |
|
By Aleksei Lugovoi, of Alexander Khalifman's St Petersburg
Chess School, with game annotations by big names such as Mikhail
Gurevich, Chernin and Azmaiparashvili. There are 116 heavily
annotated games. The emphasis is on learning the opening through
understanding rather than memorization. Each main variation
is considered in turn: there are three databases, one each for
ECO codes B06, B07 and B08/09, making 79,000 games in all, of
which a small number also have annotations, plus training questions.
Another great product from the ChessBase stable.
|
 Power
Play 1: Mating Patterns DVD-ROM £21.50 |
|
By Daniel King. You think you have seen enough checkmating
combinations? It is amazing how many checkmates are missed (by
both sides) in games by the top players, let alone by us mortals.
Recognising the early outlines of mating patterns is a vital
skill, not just for an attacker, but for a defender too: surviving
wave after wave of threats can be discouraging for your opponent.
Very often we see these checkmates when they are put before
our eyes: on a puzzle page in a chess magazine, for example.
But then we must ask ourselves, why do these kind of mating
combinations occur time and again in games - at all levels?
In an actual game, when we are distracted by other factors -
positional, strategic, tactical and psychological, not to mention
our old friend time pressure - it is all too easy to miss these
mating combinations. No one stands behind us whispering ‘Stop!
It is mate in 3’ (unless you are cheating and someone has
flicked on Fritz.) Moreover, these critical moments often occur
late in the game - generally near the time control. Therefore
it is vital that we are able to recognise these patterns - quickly!
There is no excuse: now is the time to revise and rehearse those
mating patterns.
|
 Power
Play 2: Attacking the King DVD-ROM £21.50 |
|
By Daniel King. Checkmate ends the game - that’s
an undeniable fact. Yet one sometimes gains the impression that
players who gleefully and unashamedly play for the attack are
treated as a joke by their colleagues. Launching a successful
attack is a skilful business that often demands great creativity.
And like most themes in chess, this is a skill that can be honed
and polished. In this second DVD in the Power Play series, Grandmaster
Daniel King looks at attacking play and asks, what makes for
a successful attack? At the end of the DVD you can test your
attacking and defensive skills by examining a series of specially
selected test positions. The Power Play series is suitable for
anyone looking to improve their chess, but also provides ready-made
lessons and exercises for a trainer.
|
 Power
Play 3: Pawn Storm DVD-ROM £21.50 |
|
By Daniel King. Launching a successful attack is a
skilful business that often demands great creativity. And like
most themes in chess, this is a skill that can be honed and
polished. In this 3rd DVD in the Power Play series, Grandmaster
Daniel King examines more devilish methods of attacking the
castled king - this time by means of a pawn storm. But which
is the right pawn to use? And when is the right moment to launch
a pawn in the direction of your opponent’s king? At the
end of the DVD you can test your attacking and defensive skills
by examining a series of specially selected test positions.
The Power Play series is suitable for anyone looking to improve
their chess, but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises
for a trainer.System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300
Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows
XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive
|
 Power
Play 4: Start Right DVD-ROM £21.99 |
|
By Daniel King. In this day and age of opening databases
you might be surprised to find players getting caught out in
the opening. Yet one sees it all the time. Players take liberties
- they grab a hot pawn, attempt a complicated manoeuvre, or
simply develop their pieces inefficiently. Whatever our playing
strength, we need to take care in the opening. This DVD will
help you to analyse and reassess your opening play so that you
can begin the game off the right footing. At the end of the
DVD you can test your attacking and defensive skills by examining
a series of specially selected test positions. The Power Play
series is suitable for anyone looking to improve their chess,
but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises for a trainer.
Video playing time: 5 hrs 50 min. System requirements: Pentium-Processor
at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP or Vista, DVD drive,
mouse, soundcard.
|
 Queen's
Gambit Accepted £17.50 |
|
By Boris Schipkov. The database consists of 20,779 games of
which about 1,200 are annotated. There are 19 text files explaining
the different variations of the QGA, a separate database of
30 training positions and a tree of variations.
|
 Queen's Gambit with 5 Bf4 £17.50 |
|
By Rustem Dautov. The Queen's Gambit Orthodox is one of the
most solid defences for Black against 1 d4. From White's point
of view the system after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 Be7
5 Bf4 has enormously gained in adherents and nearly superseded
5 Bg5 in popularity. In view of the fantastic 63% score for
the first player, this can hardly be surprising. Rustem Dautov
has included 13 texts and 3,657 games into his database. 255
games annotated, 81 by the author Dautov himself. A second database
contains 20 games with 46 training questions.
|
 Queen's Gambit Orthodox Defence - Exchange
Variation £17.50 |
|
by Thomas Hendrichs. The Orthodox Queen's Gambit is one of
the most solid openings which you can find against 1 d4. The
continuing popularity of the Exchange Variation (D31/D35-6)
can be explained by White's unsuccessful attempts to seriously
break down the ultra solid lines of the QGD (Tartakower, Lasker,
etc). Besides the minority attack, there are quite varied ways
of playing the Exchange Variation, such as 0-0-0 for White and
then an attack on the king, or else a build-up with e3, Bd3,
Nge2, f3 and e4. This very variety has contributed to the fact
that almost all world champions have made use of the Exchange
Variation. The large databases includes 16 texts covering all
of the strategic possibilities.
|
 Queen's Indian Defence the Easy Way DVD-ROM
£18.99 |
|
by Jacob Aagaard. After 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 White players often
play 3 Nc3 allowing the Nimzo-Indian Defence. But what happens
if White plays the just as natural 3 Nf3? On this DVD IM Jacob
Aagaard follows up on his DVD on the Nimzo to by giving a recommendation
based on his own repertoire with the Queen’s Indian Defence:
3...b6. This system is a favourite of Adams, Anand, Leko, Polgar
and many others of today’s chess stars. It is well known
for mixing active and natural play with positional soundness.
Running time: 3 hrs 49 mins. System requirements: Pentium-Processor
at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM,shop Windows 98 SE, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive.
|
 Reti Opening £17.50 |
|
By Don Maddox. What is the Reti opening anyway? Okay, 1 Nf3
d5, but then? Well, almost anything, only d2-d4 should not be
played immediately (for that would be Queen's Gambit). The typical
moves are 2 c4 and 2 g3, less topical is a setup with b3 and
Bb2. The first player should be prepared to react to any black
scheme. Yes, if necessary, even d2-d4 will be played in the
end. But it's just this variability which makes the white setup
so dangerous. The Reti CD includes 32.000 games, more than 1,000
of which with annotations. The opening key contains more than
14,000 games both for 1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 and for 1 Nf3 d5 2 c4, so
most of the games belong to the ECO codes A06-A14. Because as
mentioned above, the move d2-d4 involves transpositions to other
openings, also these systems are covered on the CD with some
important variations. Don Maddox is the president of ChessBase
USA and a strong Correspondence Chess player. He has many years
experience as a chess trainer, and this definitely leaves its
mark on the CD. His presentation of the Reti openings is intended
less for the grandmaster but for the typical club player, as
particularly in the extremely flexible Reti opening it is of
great importance to understand the plans for play - merely learning
variations will not take you very far here. Furthermore, the
CD includes a tree of all games and a training database with
79 examples.
|
 Right Decisions
£17.50 |
|
Improve your decision making in chess The pair of authors
Aagaard and Lund have an important piece of advice for the up
and coming player. That is to improve one’s ability to
calculate and the power of one’s imagination by solving
demanding exercises. They offer the material needed for such
a task in their CD in the classic ChessBase format, which is
appearing in parallel to their book (“Excelling at chess
calculation”), but with a greater number of exercises.
Five databases provide the keen learner with an enormous amount
of material. The number of training questions alone comes to
approx. 4000! These are accompanied by valuable remarks and
commentaries and also 30 positions taken from games, positions
which are marvellously suited to being played out against a
chess program such as Fritz8. The individual databases are:
Exercises to help you spot opportunities (200 positions) •
Positions for calculation (89 positions) • Endgame studies
(200 studies) • Pawn endings (75 pawn endings taken from
games) • Positions for playing out (30 positions you can
play out against Fritz8).
|
 Scandinavian
Defence [Centre Counter]
£18.99 |
|
By GM Curt Hansen. The Scandinavian, or perhaps more commonly,
the Centre Counter Defence, consists of two main variations:
1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 and 2...Nf6 – both are covered in some
detail (minus transpositions to the Caro Kann Panov etc). The
introductory text is expertly presented and you are directed
to the line you are looking for with great ease. A chapter on
the evolution of the opening, plus a big database of about 28,000
games, plus text files and training games. Hansen has annotated
about 77 of the games himself. Plus a variation tree.
|
 The
Scandinavian: The Easy Way DVD-ROM
£17.50 |
|
By Andrew Martin. It’s easy-to-learn and easy-to-play.
Here is an opening for Black which will furnish good results
in the shortest possible time. Which other opening could we
be referring to apart from the Scandinavian or Centre-Counter
Defence; 1 e4 d5 ! International Master Andrew Martin haswritten
extensively on the Centre-Counter and here he turns his attention
to 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd6!? Playing flat out for the
win against 1 e4 is never easy, but here we encounter a variation
where Black can do just that! All relevant second and third
move alternatives for White are covered too! This DVD will be
a boon to all chessplayers,but particularly to the busy person
with limited time for study or those who wish to incorporate
a new defence into their Black repertoire with the minimum possible
hassle. This really is the Scandinavian - the easy way!
|
 School of Elementary Tactics £17.50 |
|
Martin Weteschnik has made a name for himself as an author
of several books on chess tactics. His first CD consists of
two parts. In the first he dwells on his theories on tactics,
while in the second he exploits the training function of the
software, to get the student ready for practice. To use and
enjoy this CD-ROM there is no need to have any other database
or chess-playing software already installed on your computer;
the CD-ROM has Chessbase Reader software on it, which you can
use to follow the lessons and the audio-visual commentary. Read
the March 2001 Review
|
| Secrets of the English Chess School £17.50 |
|
A collection of GM Daniel King’s articles written for
ChessBase Magazine over the course of 1996-2001. It is
divided up into logical chapter headings: king, queen, minor
pieces, pawns, attack, tactics, opening ideas and mixed. Each
of these chapters is sub-divided into sub-chapters which each
have around 20 or 30 annotated games illustrating the theme.
There is a video introduction from King himself, plus another
video intro for each chapter. King is the ideal ‘frontman’
for a production such as this, showing a relaxed and humorous
style in front of the camera, and providing clear and illuminating
textual commentary on the selected games. The chapters are linked
together seamlessly and navigation could not be simpler.
|
 Slav
Botvinnik and Moscow Variation (DVD) £21.50 |
|
By Loek Van Wely. On this DVD, top Dutch grandmaster
Loek Van Wely presents both the Botvinnik Variation and the
Moscow Variation of the Slav Defence, two extraordinary opening
systems marked by extreme sharpness and complexity. The Botvinnik
Variation - 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 e6 5 Bg5 dxc4 6
e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Nxg5 hxg5 10 Bxg5 Nbd7 11 exf6 Bb7
12 g3 c5 13 d5 (D44) leads to tactically explosive positions
and has been played with the black pieces by Kasparov, Shirov
and Kramnik. Van Wely explains the ideas of this system mainly
via his own white games, supplemented by the games of Ivanchuk,
Piket and Bacrot. In the Moscow Variation, tactical complications
are always on the agenda. The introductory moves 1 d4 d5 2 c4
c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 e6 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bh4 dxc4 7 e4 g5 8 Bg3 b5 (D43)
result in a dynamic position which the six-times Dutch champion
employs in practice both with Black and White. All in all, the
DVD is a fascinating reflection of modern, tactical, dynamic
chess. Even players who don't intend to adopt the mentioned
systems in their own practice (but who knows?) will doubtlessly
increase their chess understanding by watching Van Wely's presentation.
Video playing time: 5 h 30 min. System requirements:
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98
SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD
drive.
|
 Slav
Defence £17.50 |
|
GM Rogozenko was a pupil of the late Moldavian coach Chebanenko,
who gave his name to the variation (1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6
4 Nc3 a6) which, until now, has been poorly documented in chess
literature. There’s much more besides: a 32,000 game database,
a tree of variations plus a training database of 22 exercises.
|
 Sicilian
Alapin System £21.50 |
|
There is little doubt that, with its numerous sub-systems,
the Sicilian Defence represents a powerful challenge for anyone
who plays 1 e4. Of course, it is particularly tempting to think
you can master the defence with a single move 2 c3, otherwise
known as the Alapin System. And also, objectively speaking,
2 c3 is in no way inferior to the open systems. But there is
also a little downside here too: you can no longer surprise
your opponent with the Alapin System, for there has been an
enormous increase in the theory of 2 c3 in recent years. Yet
Dorian Rogozenko's CD can help you construct a strong repertoire
against the Sicilian. Because this is a major new work, which
reflects the latest state of theory and even goes beyond it.
54 database texts • 500 games annotated by the author •
large database with 75,000 games • training database •
reader based on ChessBase 9.0 • SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Pentium,
32 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE/2000/Me/XP.
|
 Sicilian
Dragon 1 B70-B74 £15.99 |
|
When playing White, if you do not want to enter sharp opening
systems, you would do well to fight against the Dragon by castling
short. These specific variations are the theme of GM Dorian
Rogozenko's CD, Dragon 1. White castles short and basically
does not try to achieve an opening advantage. But the character
of the positions is completely different from when White castles
queenside and often does not fall in with Black's plans. The
author himself came to this painful conclusion the first time
he played the Dragon; the annotations to this game alone cast
much light on the opening. 29 texts and 113 annotated model
games • 24,000+ game database • training database
• tree containing all the games • includes the ChessBase
database reader.
|
 Sicilian
Dragon 2 B75-B79 £21.50 |
|
The Dragon is one of those openings which you don't play casually,
but about which you become passionate. Many play it all their
lives, and an antidote is soon found for each and every “refutation”.
What have become the trademark variations of the Dragon are
above all the sharp ones in which White castles long and Black
castles short. GM Rogozenko has provided us with a very complete
treatment of his theme – namely those variations in which
White castles long. We benefit from his breadth of specialised
knowledge as he presents all the latest theory in 95 introductory
texts about the individual lines. Over 500 of the 1,000 annotated
games in the main database have been annotated by the author
personally. The final touch in the CD is the provision of two
training databases – one from the point of view of White
and the other from the point of view of Black. suitable for
advanced players • 95 texts and 500 annotated model games
• database with over 26,000 games • two training databases
• an opening tree including • all the games •
includes ChessBase Reader Software.
|
 The Sicilian Dragon for Experts
£17.50 |
|
By Attila Schneider. This CD covers all variations of the
Dragon System of the Sicilian Defence after the starting moves
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6. Hungarian IM
Attila Schneider has an excellent reputation among the fans
of this opening, having excelled with many publications and
discoveries in his favourite chess field. This CD is intended
primarily for players who already have some experience with
the Dragon. Contains: - a small special database featuring the
main piece of the author's work, 34 surveys with clear evaluations
of each line in words and variations. - a database with 9300
selected quality games, 500 of which with annotations. - a big
tree of all Dragon games.
|
 Sicilian
Paulsen System B40-B49 £17.50 |
|
The Paulsen System in the Sicilian Defence (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3
e6) consists, after the further moves 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4, of two
large subsections: the Paulsen (Kan) Variation (after 4…a6)
and the Taimanov Variation (after 4…Nc6). There are numerous
transpositions and it is logical for both variations to be treated
on a single CD. In addition to this, Austrian IM Norbert Sommerbauer
has also examined all the other sub-variations which are classified
under the Informator opening codes B40-B49. The CD-ROM
offers the player of the black pieces an almost complete repertoire
against 1 e4, but there are also useful recommendations for
White. Features at a glance • 34 database texts •
330 games annotated by the author • handy database prepared
by the author containing 3,725 games • large database with
89,275 games • training database with graded exercises
• database of all Sommerbauer‘s games • reader
based on ChessBase 9.0 •
|
 Sicilian
Sveshnikov £17.50 |
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GM Dorian Rogozenko is one of the greatest experts of the
Sveshnikov, and his thorough investigation of the system in
27 chapters is a treat for every ChessBase user. The very names
of the top players of our time who have taken up this line in
their repertoire is quite impressive. Kasparov, Kramnik, Shirov,
Leko, Khalifman... This is one feature Rogozenko points at in
his introduction, the other is that more than half of the games
were played within the last six years. The database contains
more than 12.000 games, many of them annotated by the author
himself. Plus training database and a big tree.
|
 Squares
Strategy 1: Tactics £14.50 |
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The first CD devoted to Bangiev’s new training method
is dedicated to tactics. In a first database “Learning”
the new training method is introduced by means of four introductory
texts and 50 annotated game fragments. A second database is
given over to practice; there are training questions to be answered
in 200 game fragments. You can test your progress by using grandmaster
games; this is because grandmasters make use of the correct
thought process, without perhaps realising that they are doing
so! • ChessBase Reader supplied (based on ChessBase 9)
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 Squares
Strategy 2: The Opening £14.50 |
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The Bangiev way of thinking is a strategy based on squares.
This means that, before every move, the piece set-up is checked
out against quite specific pre-defined criteria. The Bangiev
method does not develop your memory but rather your thought
processes: learn to understand the logic of the game by means
of a few rules! In each phase of the game, you have to ask yourself
the same restricted number of questions and then answer them.
Once you have grasped the principle, you will be happy to realise
how - after some practice - you can always find the best move
yourself. You can test your progress by using grandmaster games;
this is because grandmasters make use of the correct thought
process, without perhaps realising that they are doing so! The
second CD-ROM with Bangiev‘s new method of training is
dedicated to the opening. In a "Learning" database,
the new method of training is presented by means of 11 chapters
and 162 annotated game fragments. After that, in an interactive
training database, there are practice questions to be answered
in 27 game fragments, thus making the training method your own
through practice. With this CD, chess training is fun •
suitable for club players • databases for learning the
new method • training database with 27 game fragments •
ChessBase Reader supplied (based on ChessBase 9)
|
 Squares
Strategy 3: The Opening £14.50 |
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The Bangiev method of thinking is a strategy based on squares.
Before every move, it therefore checks the constellation of
pieces against quite specific pre-determined criteria. What
it encourages is not your memory but your thinking: learn to
understand the logic of the game by means of a few rules! It
always the same restricted number of questions which you have
to ask yourself and to answer at whatever stage of the game.
Once you have understood the principle, you can have the pleasure
of discovering that, with a little practice, you are always
able to fi nd the best move. You can check your progress with
grandmaster games, because grandmasters apply the correct thought
processes without even being aware of it! The third CD, which
is based on Bangiev‘s new method of training, is dedicated
to the middlegame. There is a "Learning" database
in which the new method of training is presented in 20 introductory
texts and 131 annotated game fragments. In a second database
there are then 69 game fragments by means of which you can put
into practice what you have learned. This is what makes chess
training fun • suited to club players • thorough learning
database • training database with 69 exercises • ChessBase
Reader based on ChessBase 9
|
Note: to use and enjoy the CDs & DVDs
on this page there is no need to own any other software unless
stated otherwise. They come with Chessbase reader software.
|
| Tactic CD £17.50 |
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By Rainer Knaak. 300 traditional problems to solve, followed
by 100 further positions where you have a choice between two
moves, one being a blunder.
|
 Test, Evaluate and
Improve Your Chess CD £18.99
|
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By Danny Kopec & Hal Terrie. IM Dr. Danny Kopec earned
his Ph.D. in computer science, concentrating on artificial intelligence.
For more than 25 years Kopec has been testing and evaluating
hundreds of chessplayers in the UK, Canada and the US in order
to quantify their overall chess strength, their specific deficiencies
and definite abilities. Test, Evaluate, and Improve Your
Chess: a knowledge-based approach, represents the sum of
Dr. Kopec's overall efforts to help chessplayers understand
and acquire the knowledge necessary to achieve chess mastery.
System requirements: Pentium 166, 32 MB RAM, Win98 SE, WinME,
Win2000, WinXP.
|
 Test Your Chess CD
£17.50 |
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By Henrik Schlossner. Test your chess skills with this superb
new CD-based quiz. 555 positions with lots of multiple choice
questions to entertain and inform. Exercises are divided up
into chapters which include: finding mate, best attacking/defensive
choices, winning material, avoidance of big mistakes, quick
decisions against the clock and positional evaluation. Easy
to use and you don't have to spend time setting up chess positions
on a board. System Requirements: Pentium, 32MB RAM, Windows
98 SE/2000/ME/XP.
|
 Trompowski Attack
£17.50 |
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By GM Rainer Knaak. This dynamic and aggressive variation
- 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 - was made famous by English GM Julian Hodgson,
and was even used by Vishy Anand to take on the Garry Kasparov
in a world title match. Knaak gives a White repertoire •
database of 6,000+ games • training positions.
|
 The Trompowsky: The
Easy Way DVD-ROM £17.50 |
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By Andrew Martin. Thirty years ago the Trompowski opening
was almost totally unknown. It took a few spectacular games
by Rafael Vaganian to bring 2 Bg5 into the limelight, and after
that, the die was cast. Today 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 is used by many
of the best players in the world and a whole body of complicated
theory has built up. In this fascinating DVD, International
Master Andrew Martin traces the history of the opening from
those early days, through the ‘golden age’ of the
late 1980’s and 1990’s, and shows how the theory and
ideas have evolved into the sharp and dangerous weapon that
the Trompowski undoubtedly is today. Martin simplifies the theory
of 2005 and creates an easy to understand repertoire for the
White player that recaptures the pioneering spirit of those
early days... with interest! He argues conclusively that 2 Bg5
can still lead to original chess. Games from Vaganian, Hodgson,
Bellon, Miladanovic, McShane, Ivanchuk and a whole cast of excellent
players help to demonstrate why.
|
 The Van Geet Opening
1 Nc3
£15.99 |
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By Don Maddox. Opening repertoires generally operate by restricting
your opponent‘s options. The downside is that you‘re
limiting your own at the same time. The van Geet operates on
the opposite principle – invite your opponent to play in
an arena where literally anything goes, where variations matter
less than understanding and agility, where experience with specific
positions is personally earned and extended each time you choose
to start a game with 1 Nc3. This CD represents both a basic
van Geet opening's manual and an up-to-date theoretical database,
designed to serve both average and advanced players. This training
CD contains: More than 9000 games • 156 annotated games,
130 specially annotated for this CD • Introductory Texts,
including a van Geet Overview • A database of 100 training
positions • An Opening Tree • Reader based on ChessBase
9
|
 The Vienna Game
£17.50 |
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Gregory Huber’s CD actually covers two openings, including
the Bishop’s Opening (1 e4 e5 2 Bc4) as well as the Vienna
Game (2 Nc3). This is logical since, in various lines of the
Vienna, Bc4 is also played and in the same fashion the Bishop’s
Opening often involves Nc3. Nor does the author omit further
possible transpositions - above all to certain variations of
the King’s Gambit - with the result that the CD offers
a complete repertoire for 1 e4 e5. The work consists of a clearly
laid out database containing 26 texts and 330 games, 220 of
which have been annotated by the author. In addition there is
a large database containing more than 27,000 games (a good 300
of which have been annotated), a training database with 124
training questions and a large opening tree constructed from
all the games. All the features at a glance: 26 database texts
• clearly laid out database by the author • containing
330 selected games • large database with over 27,000 games
• training database • reader based on ChessBase 9.0
|
 White
Repertoire 1 e4 £17.50 |
|
The main focus of Alexander Bangiev's repertoire CD is the
Grand Prix Attack of the Sicilian Defence, featuring a wealth
of introductory texts, playing suggestions and annotated games
about this sharp attacking weapon. Yet this is only the starting
point of a complete White repertoire which offers a playing
plan against all common replies by Black. The point: the suggested
lines have a lot in common, often transpose, and many times
lead to similar middlegame positions - effective opening study
guaranteed. Features: more than 600 games annotated by
the author • 8 databases with more than 60,000 games •
training database •
• 1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 followed by 3 f4 • 1 e4
c5 2 Nc3 (followed by 3 f4) or 2 f4 • 1 e4 e6 2 d4
d5 3 e5 and 2 f4 d5 3 e5 • 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 •
1 e4 d6 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 f4 • 1 e4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 f4 •
1 e4 Nf6 2 Nc3 • 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Nf6 3 Bb5+
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| Winning in 20 moves £17.50 |
|
GM Lubomir Ftacnik presents instructive traps and mistakes
from 333 miniature games.
|
 A
World Champion's Guide to the King's Indian (DVD) £21.50 |
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by Rustam Kasimdzhanov. This disk is a perfect
tool for players looking for a complicated battle against 1
d4. The author suggests the King’s Indian Defence and shows
with a number of examples how realistic Black’s chances
are in this opening to get a complex structure with the most
serious attacking potential. Apart from theoretical information,
the disk also contains structural insights and an array of ideas
which will enable you to include this opening into your repertoire
- immediately and with tangible success! Video running time:
3 h 25 min. Should be used with supplied ChessBase Reader
only (not Fritz or standard ChessBase). System requirements:
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98
SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD
drive
|
 A
World Champion's Guide to the Petroff (DVD) £21.50 |
|
by Rustam Kasimdzhanov. The great popularity
of the Petroff Defence at the highest level has attracted general
attention lately. Many strong players employ this opening with
great success and with both colours. Unfortunately the opinion
of the Petroff Defence as a sterile drawish opening seems to
be firmly implanted in many minds. The author tries to dispel
these myths and presents his understanding of the matter. He
examines the most popular lines and provides a large number
of ideas that will enable you to play Petroff successfully,
with either colour. Video running time: 3 hrs 20 min. System
requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB
RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media
Player 9.0, DVD drive
|
• CHECK OUT OUR FULL-RANGE OF CHESS SOFTWARE,
DATA AND COMPUTERS •
• Chess-Playing Programs •
ChessBase Software • Fritz/ChessBase
Data Disks • Opening, Middlegame
& Endgame Disks •
• Chess Biographical Disks •
Other Chess Databases • Desktop,
Portable and Handheld Chess Computers •
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Intermediate Players •
British Chess Magazine Home Page: www.bcmchess.co.uk
|
