Mikhail Tal has a special place in the hearts of most chess players. Tal deeply loved the game of chess and believed "Chess, first of all, is Art."
Fittingly, the 2009 Tal Memorial in honor of the "Magician from Riga" is the strongest tournament of the year, and one of the strongest fields of all time. MORE INFO.
Three-time U.S. Champion GM Joel Benjamin brings you a new show every Friday at 15:00 Server Time. Joel is regarded by many as one of the best commentators and analysts' we have in the game today -- so if you want to get ahead of the game, get ready to tune-in!
In his weekly Gambit Guide series on ICC, Boris investigates gambits old and new and show that, while some may not be actively played on the grandmaster circuit these days, they are all exciting to play and at the same time instructive as they teach us all about natural development of the pieces and tactics in chess. GM Boris Alterman has an official blog where, among other things, he'll be discussing some of his choices for his Gambit Guide.
Books and songs were written about him; and the Tal Memorial now underway in Moscow, the strongest tournament of the year, further reminds us of the legacy of the incomparable genius that was Mikhail Tal. ("finger TalMemorial09")
Tal was also known as "The Magician from Riga" because of his extremely powerful and imaginative attacking style. And back in 1979 (against Englishman IM Bill Hartston), Tal unleashed on the world the “Tal Gambit” with 1 e4 c5 2 f4 d5 3 exd5 Nf6!; a move that practically overnight put 2 f4 out of business. He only drew the game in question against Hartston - but Tal’s energetic play throughout proved to be a model for how to play against 2 f4 that soon players had to resort to 2 Nc3 first followed then only by f4.
And in a tribute to Tal during his memorial event in Moscow (covered live throughout on Chess.FM), GM Boris Alterman gives us a timely reminder in his new two-part series of Gambit Guide of why the Tal Gambit is such an effective riposte to 2 f4 in the Sicilian.
GM Larry Christiansen is a three-time U.S. Champion and one of the most dangerous and respected attacking players of his generation. He is a feared competitor and attacker who authored two popular books that showcase his aggressive
style: Storming
the Barricades and Rocking
the Ramparts. Each week on the show, Larry
will feature various attacking motifs and themes and showing
you how best to play for mate.
Today's show is: "Attacking Pioneer Joseph Blackburne
"
This week (Tue., 3 November) on Chess Talk with IM John Watson will be Canadian FM Bruce Harper.
Bruce Harper, a Vancouver-based federal-government lawyer, is a leading light in the Canadian chess scene and many times B.C. champion. He collaborated with former four-time U.S. champion Yasser Seirawan on Chess on the Edge, the acclaimed three-volume homage to Canadian chess legend GM Duncan Suttles. Recently though, he’s joined forces with yet another U.S. champion, Hikaru Nakamura, to co-author Bullet Chess: One Minute to Mate - a must for every ICC’er that explores the psychology of bullet chess and the most common causes of tactical oversights and blunders.
Playing the White side of the Sicilian is a tricky business these days with all that main-line theory to remember. Indeed, if White is looking to present Black with some real problems while still avoiding mountains of theory, then the Anti-Sicilian Bb5 lines – more specifically, the Rossolimo (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) and the Moscow (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+) – might just be the way to go.
They are easy to play and often can resemble a Ruy Lopez - not what Black is looking for. Even players such as Anand, Carlsen and Svidler regularly use it - and with excellent results. So in his latest series “New Ideas In….” GM Ronen Har-Zvi examines the Anti-Sicilian Bb5 lines.
National Master Dan Heisman is a name that is synonymous with excellence in chess coaching and teaching. Dan authors the award-winning Novice Nook column (winner of three Chess Journalists of America "Best Instruction" awards), aimed at improving adults, for chesscafe.com that are clearly written and offer very practical advice and tips on how to improve your game. More info about Dan can be found here.
In the new Improve Your Chess IV series, Dan provides instruction by reviewing amateur games played on ICC and showing where the players went wrong and how to improve.
The 2nd Nanjing Pearl Spring Chess Tournament takes place 27th Sept - 9th October 2009 in Nanjing, China. The total prize fund is $365,000 (250,000 Euros) and event is part of the Grand Slam series, with the winner getting an automatic seat into next year’s Grand Slam Masters Final. MORE INFO.
Bilbao starts on Sept. 6 and runs through the 12th. ICC will have live coverage each day, along with the "Game of the Day" video.
For more information, please see the official event page.
IM Alex Lenderman provides a two-part, introductory lecture
about chess endings. Follow along as he annotates moves upon the board
for play-by-play action.
The Scandinavian Defense (or Centre Counter) has risen in a relatively short time from being a theoretical backwater to a fully-blown main line opening. Its change in name to the Scandinavian came in the mid-1980s with its rehabilitation at top level by Denmark's Bent Larsen. And its rise since then has been nothing short of meteoric, even being used with great effect by Vishy Anand in his unsuccessful 1995 world title match against Garry Kasparov.
Against 1 e4, the Scandinavian is hugely popular at club level
because Black gains a minor psychological victory by setting the agenda from
the off with 1..d5! And in his new ICC Chess.FM series on the Scandinavian,
Pete Tamburro explores the 2...Qxd5 lines in five videos (and with a two volume
set to come later on 2 ..Nf6) that will take you through all the key themes
and strategies required for Black to play this popular, and easy-to-play opening
with confidence - and sizzling success!
This service is FREE to members and non-members of the ICC as a sampler
of our full 4 hour daily shows hosted by Mig Greengard, featuring the famed
New In Chess Trivia Quiz, where each day listeners
to the show can win a 1-year subscription to New
In Chess magazine.
Full Dortmund 2009 coverage and results can be found here.
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