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CDs, DVDs, Software Part 32

Beating The French: Volumes 1, 2 & 3 By Rustam Kasimdzhanov

System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP or Windows Vista, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive.

Rustam Kasimdzhanov defeated a string of world-class players to win the FIDE world chess championship title in 2004. He is a very deep player, who is able to explain chess ideas in an eloquent, lucid style, with a fine touch of humour. All three DVDs take the form of video tutorials using the Fritz8-Chess Media System. All of the lectures are presented in their entirety with video pictures and synchronised chess graphics.

The first DVD is nearly 4hrs in length and covers the lines arising from 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5. Winawer lines are rich in positional and tactical play in which the pawn on e5 secures the first player a space advantage in the centre and on the queenside. In 13 video lessons the author shows how White has to use his trumps to get an attack on the king or a better endgame. During 3.5 hours of analysis, featuring mostly topical games of top grandmasters, Kasimdzhanov conveys valuable knowledge of attacking ideas, typical manoeuvres and plans in an easily understandable way.

The second DVD deals with the Steinitz Variation which arises after the moves: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 and is nearly 3½hrs in length. Very often this leads to a queenless middlegame or endgame with a white knight on d4 versus a bad bishop on c8 which offers White excellent winning prospects.

In 12 video lessons Kasimdzhanov explains, in detail and easy to understand, how White has to proceed to be successful in this position. For players who prefer a dynamic middlegame with queens, he also shows (with games of Kasparov, Shirov and Kramnik, among others) how White can sharpen the fight and go for an attack on the king.

The third DVD covers the Rubenstein Variation arising after the moves: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4, and is just over 3 hrs in length. White has a space advantage in the centre, (pawn d4 versus e6), yet Black strives for equality by piece exchanges and the break c7-c5.

Explaining top grandmaster games, Kasimdzhanov shows how White can fight for the advantage. In 11 video lessons he reveals the most important strategies and plans, analysing both sharp attacking performances and patiently won endgames. This way, studying Kasimdzhanov’s commentaries will not only help you to master to a particular opening variation, but also vastly improve your chess understanding in general.

I not only enjoyed Kasimdzhanov’s teaching style but also his use of new and old games such as the classic game Fischer–Pachman,Leipzig 1960 in Vol 3 and the Sultan Khan games of 1931, along with some history on Sultan Khan, in Vol 2. It’s well worth buying all three of these DVDs.

My Best Games in the Spanish Vol. 2 By Alexei Shirov

Shirov’s first Ruy Lopez DVD found an enthusiastic reception by the audience. In this second and current volume, Alexei Shirov continues his presentation – with topical games of his own, starting in October 2006. At the high-class tournaments of last year and also during the candidate matches in Elista (versus Adams and Aronian), Shirov was trusting the Spanish Opening both with the White and the Black pieces. As Black, he most successfully returned to the system 5... b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 (5 games). As White, he had to face the difficult question how to deal best with the popular Marshall Attack (8. ... d5) (3 games). Further topics of discussion are the Berlin Defence as well as so important systems of the Closed Ruy Lopez like the Breyer, the Flohr-Saitzev or the Chigorin. Enjoy six hours of chess with one of the best players of our times.

Mega Database 2008

This is now out and contains more than 3.75 million games from 1560 to 2007 in the highest ChessBase quality standard. 61,000 games contain commentary from top players, with ChessBase opening classification with more than 100,000 key positions, direct access to players, tournaments, middlegame themes, endgames. Buy it, It’s the best database going.