♟️New Ideas in the Opening

The revolutionary idea of the Niemann-Kramnik team.

Recently, Italian makes a claim to dethrone the Ruy Lopez as the best White system after 1.e4 e5.

But only this new idea seems to actually manage to do it!

What's that? Let's see🧵👇 The main line of the Modern Italian for ages, has been

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. c3 d6 6. O-O h6 7. Re1 a6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Nf1 Ba7 (D)

This defensive set up (sources attribute it to Karpov) is unbreakable.

Black's threat is Na5, as well as Re8+Be6. 🧵👇

Are you aware of the "Rainbow Mate"?

Let's enjoy together one of the craziest attacking games ever!

We are in 1988. The opponents: Malinin and Savinov. Good players, but in no way famous.

Still, they produced a masterpiece.

Black to play (D). Any suggestions?

A thread 🧵 Not an easy choice for Black. My 🖥️ proposes ...Nf8. Not inspiring, right?

Savinov came up with 14...Nxd5!?

What do you think? Any ideas for White?

🧵

♟️The h2-h3 trend is real!

Let us see how it can help you challenge the Sicilian Defense 😁

Our starting position is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 and we basically pre-move 3.h3 as it works well whatever Black plays on move 2!

Here's a 🧵 with some basic presentation of the main ideas 👇 The move h2-h3 is useful in many Sicilian main lines. It is also a main move in various Anti-Sicilians.

By playing 3.h3, White challenges Black to come up with a useful move that will still allow them to play their favorite main line Sicilian.

That's not easy!👇

♟️Here's how you can meet one of the most annoying defenses against 1.e4: The Scandinavian♟️

You'll actually be shocked by the new approach I propose 😆 (you cannot say that you didn't see it coming...)

A completely new concept on move 3!

It all starts after 1.e4 d5!?...
🧵👇 White has no other option than to take that pawn:

2.exd5 Qxd5 and now, what are White's options?

3.Nc3 is of course natural.

The practical problem though is that Black now has 3 solid systems:

3...Qd8
3...Qd6, and
3...Qa5

I have actually played Qa5 in my corr games.

🧵👇

♟️ New Ideas in the Opening

Do you want to smash 1.e4 e5 as White?

Let me show you how the cool kids do it these days!

An incredibly dangerous and easy-to-play attacking line that some White players recently discovered!

A thread 🧵👇 You can get this line in a couple of ways, but possibly the simplest way is from

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3!? Nf6 (by far the most popular) 3.d4!? exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3!

(Another way is via 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qd3, although now Black has the extra option of 4...d5!?)

♟️Get Serious with 1.e4!

1/ I started this series of 🧵s some time ago, to share fresh and challenging ideas that everyone can use in their repertoire.

Many asked me when I will deal with the French Defense.

This time has come! 2/

The French has been my favorite childhood opening. A while ago, together with a co-author that needs no introduction (@GMJacobAagaard ) we wrote a well-received opening book in this great opening.

The idea that I'll show, wasn't considered by the authors back in 2014...

The Modern Benoni, a source of sorrow or a playable dynamic system?

Maybe both!

In this 🧵I'll give recommendations for Black, against 3 main systems, and I'll discuss a bit the fascinating history of its name.

Let's dive in! In the first diagram, I highlighted the d6-pawn in red. I'll get back to that later 😉

We'll study 3 systems:
- 7.f4 (Taimanov Attack)
- 7.Nf3 and h3 (Modern Main Line)
- 7.Nf3 and Be2 (Classical Main Line)

👇

White repertoire books suck!

👉They become obsolete quite quickly.
👉They overpromise, and end up underdelivering.
👉Shortly after they get printed, the recommendations get neutralized.

Then why did I write a White repertoire book?

And why it took me 5 years to finish? 🧵 In any major opening, if Black plays well, they equalize.

The challenge is remembering how to nullify White's ( tiny) advantage.

I have helped many players (including GMs) prepare their openings.

Doing it for Black, was straightforward.

But for White was not fun...🧵

♟️Get Serious with 1.e4!

In this series of 🧵I recommend practical, fresh and theoretically challenging lines for repertoire with White.

Today, we meet the Pirc and Modern (1.e4 d6 and 1.e4 g6). 2/ Although there are many ways to put these openings under some pressure, I have to say that the Pirc and the Modern are sound that cannot be refuted.

That's why it makes sense to play against them a less theoretical system, but with clear ideas and practical value.

📖 You HAVE to know your Classics! #4

McDonnell - De labourdonais, 1834

It is Black's move.

An ancient attacking technique, still used today by all top GMs!

Let's dive in!🧵👇 2/ Our story starts in London, in a match between the two top players of that time.

When the brilliant Labourdonais discovered this idea, McDonnell had to abandon this opening for the rest of their match!

1...Ng4!!

♟️Get Serious with 1.e4! #4

In this new series of 🧵, we will develop a formidable repertoire! I'll share practical, fresh and theoretically challenging lines for White. And I'll invite several strong GMs to comment!

Today, we take a look at some Classical Ruy Lopez! 2/ Our starting position comes after:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5! a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1! b5 7. Bb3 d6 (D)

Forget what everyone else will tell you! We know that these are the best moves for White, for the last 150 years! 😁

📖 You HAVE to know your Classics! #3

Bogoljubov - Alekhine, 1923

We all know that in the endgame, we need to activate our king. In this position, Alekhine did just that, by playing ...Kf8.

It is White's to move.

A forgotten technique! 🧵👇 2/ White played h4! and followed up with Kh2-Kg3-Kf4! (and btw won the game)

This technique, to activate the king, seems to be something that many top players do regularly in their games. Let us see more examples! 👇

♟️Get Serious with 1.e4! #2

In this new series of 🧵, we will develop a formidable repertoire!

I'll share practical, fresh and theoretically challenging lines for White.

And I'll invite several strong GMs to comment!

We continue with 2 main line Sicilians today 👇 The Dragon Sicilian:

After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 (D) conventional wisdom says that White should play f3-Qd2 and castle long.

Let's challenge that!

♟️Get Serious with 1.e4! #1

In this new series of 🧵, we will develop a serious opening repertoire with 1.e4!

I'll share serious, practical, fresh and theoretically challenging lines for White.

And I'll invite several strong GMs to comment!

We start with the Sicilian! 👇 2/ In particular, two Sicilian lines are considered among the soundest defenses for Black:

1. The Najdorf, and
2. The Sveshnikov

Let's try to crush them! 😎

What's Trendy in Opening Theory #14

An aggressive gambit idea in the Slav that overturned decades of known opening wisdom.

And is today an essential opening theory knowledge, as it is seen in various similar openings.

And yes, I was the one that made it popular 😎

A 🧵👇 2/ It was the year 2011 that I started working with a few GMs, feeding them with opening ideas. This was one of my ideas that nobody wanted to play! That's how bad they thought it was!

I was proven to be correct later, when this became a huge trendy line.

What's Trendy in Opening Theory #13

The Berlin CAN be challenged. In this 🧵I'll show you how.

We start with
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 2/

Pay attention! If 6...Nxb5? 7. Nxc6+ wins the Black queen!

If 6... Nxe5 7. Rxe5+ Be7 will transpose to the main line. So, we have

6...Be7 7. Bf1 and now we have two main lines
👇

What's trendy in Opening Theory #12

What is the safest and most practical opening against 1.e4?

The Petroff! In this 🧵I'll present to you a simple repertoire, which I tested in high-level corr games, and you can start playing today!

No kidding! Let's see...👇 2/
After
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 a move that we need to take seriously is 3. d4!?

After 3... Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 the main line has always been 5...Nbd7. I believe that 5...Bd6!? is at least as good and more interesting!

The key idea comes after 6. O-O O-O 7. c4 c5!

What's trendy in Opening Theory #11

A super novelty for White in the Reti!

After 1.Nf3, there is nothing more solid than 1...d5 and play a QGD set-up.

In this 🧵I'll talk briefly about Black's options, and I'll show you a novelty to meet the most critical defense. 2/

Our starting position comes after

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. c4 O-O 6. b3

White can of course transpose to the Catalan with 6.d4, but isn't this what Black wants?

After 6.b3!? Black's most popular move is 6...c5 👇

What's trendy in Opening Theory #9

The most annoying KID line and how to meet it as Black!

The KID was the opening that helped me to become ICCF IM. In this thread 🧵, I'll share with you my secret. The line I used to hate to face.

And my current antidote!👇 2/
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1!

I hate this move! It is great! It actually stops Black's main positional threat. Which is to play ...c5!

Let's see why. If 9.Ne1 c5?! 10.Nd3 Ne8...

What's trendy in Opening Theory #8

A practical Anti-Catalan weapon for Black!

In this thread, I am going to share a "secret" I have kept for years 😊 Undervalued by both the engines and the theoreticians. Time to change that!

Details in the thread 🧵
1/ 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Nbd7!? is considered second-rate by theory since the match Kasparov-Korchnoi,1983.

Black's main strategic challenge in the Catalan, is to put the Bc8 in the long diagonal. I claim that in this line, Black can do it rather easily.

2/

What's trendy in Opening Theory #7

In this thread, I am going to examine the status of the 8.h3! Anti-Marshall Spanish.

I believe that's a great opening line for White, that can be played by amateurs up to Wch contenders.

This will be the longest thread I have made so far! 2/ What's the idea of 8.h3?

After
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 (D)
- 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 is the Main Line Spanish and
- 8.c3 d5! is the famous Marshal Gambit

I propose 8. h3! and if 8...d6 9.c3! and we transpose to the Main Line Spanish