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Openings
10 Most Beautiful Opening Traps for Black Against 1.e4
The opening stage in chess can quickly become dangerous if one side overlooks a tactical idea. Even strong players and...
Openings
King’s Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit Explained (Intermediate Guide)
The Falkbeer Countergambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5) is one of the most historically significant and theoretically rich responses to the...
Openings
How to Play the Sicilian Kan: Full Repertoire for Black
Welcome to the ultimate guide to the Sicilian Kan (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4...
Chess Books
Book Review: Winning with the Petroff by Anatoly Karpov
For any serious student of the open games, holding a monograph written by the 12th World Champion, Anatoly Karpov, feels...
Openings
The Complete Petroff Defense Breakdown Through Anatoly Karpov’s ‘Winning with the Petroff’
For generations, the Petroff Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6), also known as Petrov Defense or the Russian Game, has carried...
Middle Game
100 Chess Middlegame Principles and Strategies Every Player Should Know
Middlegame play is the most complex and poorly-charted phase of chess, demanding creativity and deep assessment. Unlike the opening, which...
Openings
Double Muzio Gambit Tutorial: Advanced Moves, Lines & Tactics
If you thought giving up one piece early in the opening was gutsy, try the Double Muzio Gambit: White willingly...
Chess Books
Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual (6th Edition) Review
Since its first publication in 2003, Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual has been universally recognized as one of the greatest chess books...
Chess Books
Amateur to IM by Jonathan Hawkins — Full Review (Is it worth buying?)
Amateur to IM by Jonathan Hawkins is a 372-page endgame and thinking workbook that helped the author gain 400 Elo....
Openings
Volga Gambit: How Black Sacrifices a Pawn to Strangle White on the Queenside
This Volga Gambit (also known as the Benko Gambit) is a beautiful demonstration of how Black can generate lasting queenside...