How I Drew with Tal
Fifty years ago, on 2 November 1973, I apparently found myself on the threshold of my chess journey. I had been able to play real chess for about 2 years (before that, my sister and I made up somewhat altered rules), but like many other young chess players, I was literally kicked into action by the match for the chess crown, which the whole world – not just the chess world – watched with bated breath. In the summer of 1972, the title holder Boris Spassky faced challenger Robert Fischer in Reykjavik… A draw with Mikhail Tal eventually led me to the thought that chess would always come first in my life. When I was about 17, a teacher, as he did with all the other pupils, asked me what I wanted to be, and I replied without hesitation: „I'm going to make a living from chess!“ The teacher turned pale and I think he didn't sleep much that night… Continue reading
A Brilliant Combination by Radosław Wojtaszek: “Young man, this isn't blitz!”
could have said the experienced and likeable Polish super-grandmaster to his opponent, the very young Belarusian blitz „madman“ Denis Lazavik, who has surely already crossed the threshold of at least several tens of thousands of online blitz games played. The brilliant combination witnessed by the spectators may well become the greatest creative highlight of the currently ongoing strong tournament in the town of Douglas on the Isle of Man...
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The Tragedy of Arjun Erigaisi at the Qatar Masters
I closely followed the major tournament in Qatar, which ended a few days ago. Many elite grandmasters took part, including Magnus Carlsen. However, this time I am not writing this post because of ‚the greatest chess player of all time and all nations‘, nor because of the numerous suspicions of cheating, but due to a huge sporting tragedy that unfolded in the final round! The likeable current Indian number six, 20-year-old grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, was leading the entire chasing pack by half a point after round 8, and in the event of a draw in the last round would have at least shared first place… Continue reading
Medical Report: Health at 105 Years Excellent! Name: Marshall Attack
One could almost say that the Marshall Attack in the Spanish Game has experienced the same fate as the main character in the film ‚The Curious Case of Benjamin Button‘ (2008). It was born a crippled old man, only to grow younger and stronger throughout its life! It is not entirely clear whether there was ever a significant period when the counterattack was outright rejected, but the fact remains that the final verdict—perhaps already delivered by computers—is: fully sound, in excellent health! Continue reading
Cozio Defence
Or rather, the Cozio-Steinitz Defence of the Ruy Lopez arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7. The following contribution serves as a taster for the ‚Black‘ database, which you can order and purchase in the Services section on Jan Bílek's Chess School website. Continue reading
About Coaches
How can you tell a good coach from an average, below-average or even downright poor one? You might think it's no big deal. A coach simply ‚explains‘, demonstrates, analyses. However, if you care about improving your performance (whether your own or your child's) and are therefore looking for a quality coach, without having experience and not wanting to throw money away, it's certainly good to know how such a quality coach works... Continue reading
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa among the candidates for the World Championship match
As many readers will know, in the final of the World Cup, former World Champion Magnus Carlsen eventually defeated the young star of today in the tiebreak and became—at least for those who do not believe in determinism—the ultimate winner, with a huge slice of luck. Continue reading
Magnus's Acting Oscar and a Ticket from a Parallel Reality
, and not so far from our own! In round 4 of the World Cup in Baku, the former world champion lost to the German hope, 18-year-old Vincent Keymer. In the return game the following day, he therefore had to win at all costs (admittedly, with White) to take the mini-match to a tiebreak. How did the return game on 10.8.2023 unfold? What does it have in common with an Oscar-winning film and, moreover, with a certain plane ticket? Continue reading
Forgotten Lessons of Two Strategic Themes… in Two World Cup Games
The World Cup in Baku, apart from the World Championship match, was surely the most important event of this year. There were so many interesting encounters that picking the best is practically impossible. So I took a slightly different approach. I selected for readers two games in which Black—the world number one and number two—committed serious strategic errors at a certain moment, but the ‚young white players‘ failed to capitalise. Would you be able to spot their mistakes? Perhaps yes, perhaps not, but if you master two strategic themes a little better and can connect them, then I believe you certainly will! Continue reading
After Magnus? Not at all! He wins everything he can
…in blitz tournaments… I must admit that since Magnus Carlsen gave up defending his world champion title (for the first time in history, apparently due to ‚laziness‘), he has become the centre of attention to an even greater extent, at least in every YouTube video. Almost every other one analyses one of his latest brilliant performances… in blitz, less often in rapid. Continue reading
Jan, Would You Care for a King Cobra?
This is just the sort of question one of the world’s top theoreticians and super-grandmaster Daniil Dubov could have asked his opponent, Jan Nepomniachtchi, in the final round of the World Blitz Championship at the end of last year! „But what does the King Cobra have to do with the World Championship and our beautiful game?“ the reader may ask. Well, few people know that there really is an opening line called the Cobra… Continue reading
Love Is Love, Fashion Is Fashion: In the Opening, the Old Faithful Dragon Came to Black's Aid, but with Sharpened Teeth, While Online Blitz Is Now Ruled by the Old Stafford Gambit.
In today’s article, we’ll focus on the changing fashion of two variations that have recently become all the rage. We’ll touch on the Dragon Variation, in which Black calmly allows the ever-dangerous Rauzer Attack. But our main focus will be on the white killer; well, mainly in blitz games. Have you ever heard of the Stafford or Staunton Gambit? We’ll also advise you how to deal with it as White… Continue reading
Chess quote
Chess is the touchstone of intellect.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Chess quote
Chess, like music and love, has the power to make a person happy.
Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch