New: Ivan Sokolov: Understanding Middlegame Strategies, Vol. 7, Vol. 8 & Vol. 9

by ChessBase Shop - 24/11/2023

Ivan Sokolov's long awaited "Understanding Middlegame Strategies" continues! The dutch Grandmaster and star coach released three new volumes on the French Winawer, Catalan Structures, and the French Tarrasch Variation. Vol. 1 Dynamic Pawns and Vol.2 Practical Play launched in 2020, Vol. 3 + 4, Vol. 5 Sicilian Rossolimo and Maroczy. and Vol.6 Ruy Lopez Structures released last year. Now you can get Vol. 7, 8 and 9. You can also get Vol.1 to 9 if you have not got the earlier volumes. So grab these Fritztrainers and increase your middlegame strategical understanding right away from one of the strongest elite players and also the trainer of many successful elite players. Photo: ChessBase

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 7, 8 and 9 by Ivan Sokolov

New: Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 7 - Dynamic Catalan

Many young top-players are opting for the trendy “Dynamic Catalan” where, against the triangle or semi-slav structures, White can sacrifice a pawn to gain immediate initiative. This sacrifice can lead to long term positional advantage, but often White can unleash dangerous threats upon the black king with a central pawn break.

Many games will become attacking adventures for White, with various opportunities to sacrifice material and create stunning threats. The “Dynamic Catalan” can be your choice of opening - if you are willing to take the game into your own hands from the very beginning; and with this video course, you will add a sharp weapon to your repertoire.

The author GM Ivan Sokolov has been on the white side of the “Dynamic Catalan” in many top-level games, against players such as Caruana and Vallejo Pons, and “felt comfortable playing it: space, initiative, safe king.”

• Video running time: 4 hours 48 minutes (English)

• With interactive training including video feedback

• Extra: Training with ChessBase apps - Play “Dynamic Catalan” positions against Fritz on various levels

New: Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 8 - French – Winawer

The French is a complex opening and can lead to a wide variety of middlegames. The Winawer after 3...Bb4 is Black’s most proactive option, immediately weakening White’s pawn structure by doubling their c-pawns.

While Black gets to play against the weak square d4, White often gets attacking chances on the kingside and a space advantage. Structurally, this line can lead to closed positions after ...c4, or open and dynamic play by white’s structural exchange dxc5.

“My game selection is aimed at explaining the most important plans of these strategically complex positions.” (Author GM Ivan Sokolov)

• Video running time: 3 hours 55 minutes (English)

• With interactive training including video feedback

• Extra: Training with ChessBase apps - Play “French: Winawer” positions again

New: Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 9 - French – Tarrasch

In the Tarrasch variation, White seems to be doing great, but initial evaluations can be deceptive and Black certainly has trumps, creating complicated and fascinating positions.

“The French´s household-name proponent is the legendary Victor Kortschnoj - arguably the best player to have never become world champion - so naturally, I have included a number of his games.”

He played these positions in two of his World Championship matches in 1978 & 1981 against Anatoly Karpov - who many consider to be the most precise player against isolated pawns - not losing a single game.

French middlegames are very rich and tricky to master, but with this video course you will gain a better positional understanding and learn precise strategic planning.

• Video running time: 3 hours 50 minutes

• With interactive training including video feedback

• Extra: Training with ChessBase apps - Play “French: Tarrasch” positions against Fritz on various levels

Buy Volume 7-9 Combo

Buy Volume 1-9 Combo

System Requirements

Minimum: Dual Core, 2 GB RAM, Windows 10 or higher, DirectX 11 graphics card with 256 MB RAM, Windows Media Player 9, ChessBase 14/Fritz 16 or included Reader and internet access for program activation.

Recommended: PC Intel i5 (Quadcore), 4 GB RAM, Windows 10, DirectX11, graphics card with 512 MB RAM or more, 100% DirectX10-compatible sound card, Windows Media Player 11 and internet access for program activation.

Mac OSX

Minimum: MacOS "Yosemite" 10.10

About Ivan Sokolov

Ivan Sokolov is a Dutch chess Grandmaster and author of popular chess books. He was Yugoslav champion in 1988 and Dutch champion in 1995 and 1998. For more than two decades he has been one of the elite players and has beaten many of the strongest players in the world.