Courses

Introduction

Fundamentals

5 Exercises

1
Symmetrical fianchetto
Course preview
1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O
1. c4
  We control d5 without committing too early. This is the basis of the repertoire.
2. g6
  Black announces a fianchetto, so we choose a simple and reliable structure.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports d5 and keeps e4 available later.
4. Bg7
  The bishop aims at the center, but it does not interfere with our plan yet.
5. g3
  We prepare a very strong bishop on g2 in open structures.
6. d6
  Black consolidates, but the play remains a little passive.
7. Bg2
  The fianchetto is in place and castling becomes immediate.
8. Nf6
  Black’s development is normal, so we continue without deviating.
9. Nf3
  We finish minor-piece development and control e5 and d4 better.
10. O-O
  Black’s king is safe, so we complete our setup.
11. O-O
  Above all, remember this setup: fianchetto, castle, then play in the center at the right moment.
2
Mirror system
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.d4 d6 6.Nf3 Nbxd7 7.O-O
1. c4
  We control d5 without committing too early. This is the basis of the repertoire.
2. Nf6
  Black also stays flexible, so you need to recognize the mirror setup quickly.
3. Nc3
  The knight holds d5 and prepares a future center.
4. g6
  Black’s fianchetto calls for a very healthy symmetrical response.
5. g3
  We build the same setup, but with the idea of playing d4 at the right moment.
6. Bg7
  Black completes the fianchetto without taking central space.
7. Bg2
  Our bishop controls the long diagonal and secures the dark squares.
8. O-O
  Black castles quickly, which gives us time to occupy the center.
9. d4
  We break the symmetry at the right moment and take more space.
10. d6
  Black consolidates, but the center remains modest.
11. Nf3
  We support d4 and prepare very natural play.
12. Nbxd7
  Their development remains healthy, but it does not challenge our space advantage.
13. O-O
  Here the key idea is clear: copy the structure, then break the symmetry with d4.
3
Fianchetto against f5
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 f5 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2
1. c4
  We control d5 without committing too early. This is the basis of the repertoire.
2. e5
  Black takes space, so we develop calmly.
3. Nc3
  The knight attacks d5 and keeps the center under pressure.
4. d6
  Black supports e5, but the structure becomes more rigid.
5. Nf3
  We develop without committing the central pawns too early.
6. f5
  Black gains space, but already weakens the dark squares.
7. g3
  The fianchetto is the right response to exploit these weaknesses.
8. Nf6
  The knight develops normally, without fixing the holes left by ...f5.
9. Bg2
  The key takeaway is simple: against ...f5, the bishop on g2 becomes a major piece.
4
Laser bishop on b2
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.b3 O-O 6.Bb2 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.d4
1. c4
  We control d5 without committing too early. This is the basis of the repertoire.
2. e6
  Black prepares ...d5, so we choose a clear positional plan.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports the whole center and keeps several structures possible.
4. d5
  Black occupies the center without preventing our ideal development.
5. e3
  We open the f1-bishop and keep the d4 push in reserve.
6. Nf6
  Black’s development is logical, so we simply continue.
7. Nf3
  We prepare to castle and keep good central control.
8. Be7
  Black announces a classical and fairly slow setup.
9. b3
  We prepare the b2-bishop, very useful against an expanded black center.
10. O-O
  Black’s king gets to safety, but the b1-h7 diagonal will matter.
11. Bb2
  The bishop lands on its best square in this structure.
12. c5
  Black looks for space, but makes d5 more sensitive.
13. cxd5
  We reduce their center before it grows too large.
14. exd5
  The recapture opens a structure our b2-bishop will like.
15. d4
  Remember this plan: b3, Bb2, then pressure on Black’s center.
5
Breaking the pin
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.Ne5
1. c4
  We control d5 without committing too early. This is the basis of the repertoire.
2. c6
  Black prepares a solid Slav-type setup.
3. Nf3
  Here this knight comes out first to keep more options.
4. d5
  Black takes the center, so we develop without forcing anything.
5. e3
  We free the f1-bishop and prepare Nc3 cleanly.
6. Nf6
  Black’s development is natural, but the bishop can become a target.
7. Nc3
  Our knight reaches its ideal square and is already looking at d5.
8. Bg4
  The pin wants to hinder our development, but it also exposes itself to a loss of time.
9. Qb3
  The queen attacks b7 and removes much of the pin’s effect.
10. Qb6
  Black defends, but the queen becomes fixed a little too early.
11. Ne5
  The idea to remember is clear: against this pin, we activate the pieces with tempo.

Structures

6 Exercises

1
Punishing the center
1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 e6 6.e4 Bb4 7.Bd3
1. c4
  We take d5 under control and wait for Black’s first overextension.
2. d5
  Black plays ...d5 anyway, so we eliminate it immediately.
3. cxd5
  We refuse their center and already open useful lines.
4. Qxd5
  The queen comes out too early and gives us a clear tempo.
5. Nc3
  We develop while attacking the queen, which is ideal in the opening.
6. Qd8
  This retreat makes Black lose the benefit of ...d5.
7. Nf3
  We develop again and finally prepare our real center.
8. Nf6
  Black catches up a little, without equalizing the game.
9. d4
  We take space while their pieces still lack activity.
10. e6
  Black consolidates, but the c8-bishop remains trapped.
11. e4
  We now get the full center that the English often prepares.
12. Bb4
  The pin looks active, but our center holds well.
13. Bd3
  The important picture here is simple: we provoke Black’s queen, then build a big center.
2
Breaking symmetry
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 O-O 8.O-O
1. c4
  We take d5 under control and wait for Black’s first overextension.
2. c5
  The symmetry looks healthy, but we will choose when to break it.
3. Nc3
  The knight reinforces d5 and prepares natural development.
4. Nc6
  Black keeps copying, so the right plan is to stay simple.
5. g3
  We place the bishop on g2 before opening the center.
6. g6
  The mirror continues and makes our future d4 even stronger.
7. Bg2
  Our bishop controls the dark squares and supports the central break well.
8. Bg7
  Their bishop does the same thing, but without any special initiative.
9. Nf3
  We finish minor-piece development before breaking the symmetry.
10. Nf6
  Black develops without stopping White’s plan.
11. d4
  We open the game at the moment of our choice and claim the activity.
12. cxd4
  Black trades, but that gives us good central squares.
13. Nxd4
  The centralized knight becomes a model piece in this type of position.
14. O-O
  Black castles, but the structural initiative is already ours.
15. O-O
  Remember that in the mirror setup, d4 should come when our development is ready.
3
Bishop hunt
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.e3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.exd4
1. c4
  We take d5 under control and wait for Black’s first overextension.
2. e5
  Black takes space, so we prepare an active reply.
3. Nc3
  The knight holds d5 and quickly prepares the center.
4. Bc5
  The bishop comes out early, which makes it vulnerable to a central push.
5. e3
  We prepare d4 without exposing our structure.
6. Nf6
  Black develops, but does not control the center enough.
7. d4
  We strike immediately and gain time on the bishop.
8. exd4
  Black trades, but opens lines that suit us.
9. exd4
  The guide is simple: against a bishop developed too early, d4 takes space with tempo.
4
Bishop outpost
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 f5 3.d4 e4 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.e3
1. c4
  We take d5 under control and wait for Black’s first overextension.
2. e5
  Black takes space, so we prepare an active reply.
3. Nc3
  The knight holds d5 and quickly prepares the center.
4. f5
  This move seeks space, but it durably weakens the dark squares.
5. d4
  We answer in the center without waiting and refuse to be passive.
6. e4
  Black closes the position, but gives us the f4-square.
7. Bf4
  The bishop actively settles on a very good square.
8. Nf6
  The knight develops without being able to chase our useful bishop.
9. e3
  The idea to remember is clear: against ...e4 and ...f5, the bishop on f4 makes perfect sense.
5
Calm squeeze
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 d6 6.Nd5 Bc5 7.a3 a5 8.b3
1. c4
  We take d5 under control and wait for Black’s first overextension.
2. e5
  Black takes space, so we prepare an active reply.
3. Nc3
  The knight holds d5 and quickly prepares the center.
4. Nf6
  The knight defends e4 without stopping our plan.
5. Nf3
  We attack e5 and force Black to clarify intentions.
6. Nc6
  Black defends, so we switch to a more positional setup.
7. e3
  We prepare d4 and keep a still-flexible center.
8. Bb4
  The pin is active, but it does not create a real problem.
9. Qc2
  The queen protects c3 and removes the idea of doubling our pawns.
10. d6
  Black supports e5, but the play becomes heavier.
11. Nd5
  The knight settles in the center and already disrupts all their coordination.
12. Bc5
  The bishop retreats, but remains poorly placed against our space.
13. a3
  We prepare to gain space on the queenside.
14. a5
  Black slows down b4, but leaves b5 weak.
15. b3
  The plan to remember is to slowly squeeze the position before activating the b2-bishop.
6
Central exchange
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.e5 d4 5.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 Qxf6 7.Nf3
1. c4
  We take d5 under control and wait for Black’s first overextension.
2. Nf6
  Black develops healthily, so we quickly take space.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports e4 and controls d5 well.
4. e6
  Black is aiming for ...d5, so we occupy the center before they do.
5. e4
  We build a big center and force a precise reaction.
6. d5
  Black challenges logically, but the structure will become tense.
7. e5
  We gain space and chase the f6-knight.
8. d4
  Black advances in turn, creating very concrete play.
9. exf6
  We remove an important defender before facing central pressure.
10. dxc3
  Black captures on c3, but delays development even more.
11. bxc3
  We recapture toward the center and open the b-file.
12. Qxf6
  Black’s queen takes a pawn, but comes out too early.
13. Nf3
  The lesson here is clear: in these exchanges, our priority remains rapid development.

Tactics

6 Exercises

1
Raid on g7
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 Bb4 4.e5 Ng8 5.Qg4
1. c4
  We control d5 and quickly prepare e4 depending on Black’s structure.
2. Nf6
  Black develops normally, but can quickly neglect the kingside.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports e4 and keeps the center under pressure.
4. e6
  Black aims for a solid setup, so we take space first.
5. e4
  We build a big center and announce concrete play.
6. Bb4
  The pin looks active, but the bishop moves away from defending the king.
7. e5
  We chase the knight and close the e4-square to their pieces.
8. Ng8
  This retreat is very passive and leaves g7 vulnerable.
9. Qg4
  The picture to remember is immediate: as soon as g7 lacks defense, the queen rushes there.
2
Knight trap
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 Bb4 4.e5 Bxc3 5.bxc3 Ne4 6.Qg4 Ng5 7.h4
1. c4
  We control d5 and quickly prepare e4 depending on Black’s structure.
2. Nf6
  Black develops normally, but can quickly neglect the kingside.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports e4 and keeps the center under pressure.
4. e6
  Black aims for a solid setup, so we take space first.
5. e4
  We build a big center and announce concrete play.
6. Bb4
  The pin looks active, but the bishop moves away from defending the king.
7. e5
  We chase the knight and close the e4-square to their pieces.
8. Bxc3
  Black captures on c3, but gives us the bishop pair.
9. bxc3
  We recapture toward the center and keep a strong attacking push.
10. Ne4
  The knight advances, but becomes a tactical target.
11. Qg4
  The queen attacks e4 and g7 at the same time, overloading Black’s defense.
12. Ng5
  Black tries to protect everything, but the knight gets trapped.
13. h4
  Remember this motif: Qg4 followed by h4 is often enough to win the knight.
3
Attack and recovery
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.e5 Nfxd7 5.cxd5 Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.dxe6 Bxe6 8.d5
1. c4
  We control d5 and quickly prepare e4 depending on Black’s structure.
2. Nf6
  Black develops normally, but can quickly neglect the kingside.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports e4 and keeps the center under pressure.
4. e6
  Black aims for a solid setup, so we take space first.
5. e4
  We build a big center and announce concrete play.
6. d5
  Black logically challenges the center, which opens a tactical line.
7. e5
  We gain space and chase the f6-knight.
8. Nfxd7
  The knight retreats, but no longer participates in the center.
9. cxd5
  We open the position at the right moment to exploit their delay.
10. Nxe5
  Black takes a pawn, but the knight becomes exposed.
11. d4
  We take back the center with tempo and immediately attack that knight.
12. Ng6
  The retreat confirms that Black has lost time.
13. dxe6
  We recover material while opening useful lines.
14. Bxe6
  The bishop recaptures, but it also becomes vulnerable to a push.
15. d5
  The lesson to remember is clear: we attack one piece, then another, until Black is suffocated.
4
Recovery fork
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Nxc4 6.dxc5
1. c4
  We control d5 and quickly prepare e4 depending on Black’s structure.
2. e5
  Black takes the center, so we develop under pressure.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports d5 and keeps the e4-square under watch.
4. Nc6
  Black defends e5, but the bishop is going to become vulnerable.
5. Nf3
  We attack the e5-pawn and activate the play.
6. Bc5
  The bishop comes out too early, making the Nxe5 theme possible.
7. Nxe5
  This apparent sacrifice relies on a very classical pawn fork.
8. Nxe5
  Black takes the knight, convinced they are winning a piece.
9. d4
  The pawn attacks the bishop and knight at the same time, turning the situation around.
10. Nxc4
  The knight captures again, but moves too far away.
11. dxc5
  The lesson is simple: here Nxe5 works because of the follow-up d4.
5
Bishop pair
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Bc5 4.e3 c6 5.d4 cxd5 6.dxc5
1. c4
  We control d5 and quickly prepare e4 depending on Black’s structure.
2. e5
  Black takes the center, so we develop under pressure.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports d5 and keeps the e4-square under watch.
4. Bb4
  The bishop comes out early and can become exposed.
5. Nd5
  The knight immediately attacks the bishop and takes the initiative.
6. Bc5
  The retreat looks logical, but the bishop remains vulnerable.
7. e3
  We prepare d4 with a real gain of time.
8. c6
  Black chases the knight, but leaves the bishop in the line of fire.
9. d4
  We accept a temporary sacrifice to get more than equal material.
10. cxd5
  Black takes the knight, but the c5-bishop falls next.
11. dxc5
  Remember the idea: we give back a knight to win the bishop pair in a good structure.
6
Winning the bishop
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 d6 6.Nd5 Nxd5 7.cxd5 Ne7 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qxb4
1. c4
  We control d5 and quickly prepare e4 depending on Black’s structure.
2. e5
  Black takes the center, so we develop under pressure.
3. Nc3
  The knight supports d5 and keeps the e4-square under watch.
4. Nf6
  Black develops without stopping our usual setup.
5. Nf3
  We attack e5 and force a precise defense.
6. Nc6
  Black holds the center, so we switch to a positional setup.
7. e3
  We prepare d4 or a jump to d5 depending on Black’s reply.
8. Bb4
  The pin looks active, but it will become a target.
9. Qc2
  The queen protects c3 and removes the real venom from the pin.
10. d6
  Black reinforces e5, but gives up time.
11. Nd5
  The knight plants itself in the center and already threatens tactical motifs.
12. Nxd5
  Black exchanges it, but opens a forced sequence.
13. cxd5
  We recapture with a gain of space and disrupt Black’s coordination.
14. Ne7
  The knight retreats and leaves the b4-bishop more and more alone.
15. Qa4+
  The check forces a defense and prepares the material gain.
16. Bd7
  Black parries the check, but does not save the bishop.
17. Qxb4
  The motif to remember is very concrete: Nd5, then Qa4+ and Qxb4.