Comments on: Play on both flanks http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/ Free lessons on chess strategy Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:46:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Tom Chivers http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-398 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:15:35 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-398 Interesting. I've always found Karpov's annotations, translated into English, quite elusive. Perhaps English doesn't capture their spirit well. Btw, Nunn says ..exf4 is still clear advantage white, but at least black gets a tiny amount of activity, and that instead after f4-f5, a breakthrough becomes inevitable on one side of the board or the other. Interesting. I’ve always found Karpov’s annotations, translated into English, quite elusive. Perhaps English doesn’t capture their spirit well.

Btw, Nunn says ..exf4 is still clear advantage white, but at least black gets a tiny amount of activity, and that instead after f4-f5, a breakthrough becomes inevitable on one side of the board or the other.

]]> by: Goran Urosevic http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-397 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:39:04 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-397 If my translation is correct - Karpov: 30…exf4 is not cheerful either, 31.Nxf4 (31…Bh6 32.Nxg6). Black is forced to yield and wait. In general, Soviet annotations are very interesting, they employ many battle/warrior expressions. If my translation is correct - Karpov: 30…exf4 is not cheerful either, 31.Nxf4 (31…Bh6 32.Nxg6). Black is forced to yield and wait.

In general, Soviet annotations are very interesting, they employ many battle/warrior expressions.

]]> by: Tom Chivers http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-396 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:03:57 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-396 The book isn't by Nunn - he just wrote the introduction. It's by Levitt & Friedgood. It's a really fascinating book though - slightly academic, but basically stuffed full of dazzling delights that they explain very well. I picked up mine cheaply via amazon. Also, here is a secret, it's the source for most of the best puzzles I've blogged. The guy who does the chessvibes.com weekly endgame studies has also featured a few from the book, this is probably just an overlap, but it ought give you a sense of the quality. I keep thinking I might do a PDF of my favourite positions from it, to share on the web; if I do I'll let you know. The book isn’t by Nunn - he just wrote the introduction. It’s by Levitt & Friedgood. It’s a really fascinating book though - slightly academic, but basically stuffed full of dazzling delights that they explain very well. I picked up mine cheaply via amazon. Also, here is a secret, it’s the source for most of the best puzzles I’ve blogged. The guy who does the chessvibes.com weekly endgame studies has also featured a few from the book, this is probably just an overlap, but it ought give you a sense of the quality. I keep thinking I might do a PDF of my favourite positions from it, to share on the web; if I do I’ll let you know.

]]> by: Goran Urosevic http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-395 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:37:18 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-395 Thanks Tom, that's really important remark about the space advantage! Unfortunately, I never had a chance to read Nunn's books, ordering a book online from Serbia is real pain. I have Karpov's book "Selected Games 1969-1977", but it's in Russian and I can't read the text. Let me ask someone for help. Thanks Tom, that’s really important remark about the space advantage! Unfortunately, I never had a chance to read Nunn’s books, ordering a book online from Serbia is real pain.

I have Karpov’s book “Selected Games 1969-1977″, but it’s in Russian and I can’t read the text. Let me ask someone for help.

]]> by: Tom Chivers http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-394 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:14:50 +0000 http://www.chesslodge.com/2007/04/play-on-both-flanks/#comment-394 In the introduction to "Secrets of Spectacular Chess", an excellent book if you don't know it, Nunn analyzes the position after 24.Ba7!! (his exclams), and said this game convinced him for the first time "that strategic ideas could have a beauty all of their own" - as opposed to tactics, his preference. His analysis has an additional emphasis to yours. Whilst he talks about the a-file plan, he also includes the slightly more abstract point that a space advantage such as white's is only useful if white can avoid exchanges. 24.Ba7 helps accomplish this. He also gives 30...f6 a ?! saying the exchange on f4 was the best try. In the introduction to “Secrets of Spectacular Chess”, an excellent book if you don’t know it, Nunn analyzes the position after 24.Ba7!! (his exclams), and said this game convinced him for the first time “that strategic ideas could have a beauty all of their own” - as opposed to tactics, his preference.

His analysis has an additional emphasis to yours. Whilst he talks about the a-file plan, he also includes the slightly more abstract point that a space advantage such as white’s is only useful if white can avoid exchanges. 24.Ba7 helps accomplish this.

He also gives 30…f6 a ?! saying the exchange on f4 was the best try.

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