Courses

Introduction

Fundamentals

5 Exercises
  1. 1

    Central counterattack

    Course preview

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Qf3 Nxe4 4.Qd3 Qxe4 5.Qxb7 Rb8

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Qf3

      The queen attacks e4, but 5...Cc6 develops and already prepares ...Cd4.

    6. Nxe4

      We should not recapture too quickly. 6...Cd4 creates a concrete threat against the queen and c2.

    7. Qd3

      The retreat keeps the queen in play, but she remains poorly placed.

    8. Qxe4

      White wins back a pawn, but 8...Ff5 immediately restores the pressure.

    9. Qxb7

      This pawn draws the queen away from the king, which serves our plan.

    10. Rb8

      Remember this simple mechanism: pressure on the queen, then a jump to c2.

  2. 2

    Bishop pin

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Qf3 Bb5 4.Nxe4 Qxe4 5.Qe2 Qh4+

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Qf3

      The queen attacks e4, but 5...Cc6 develops and already prepares ...Cd4.

    6. Bb5

      This pin tries to bother our knight, but it does not change the essence of the position.

    7. Nxe4

      We recapture in the center and keep the lines open toward the white king.

    8. Qxe4

      The white queen comes out, and 8...Fd5 forces her to play under pressure.

    9. Qe2

      This retreat gives the king a little protection, but it loses more time.

    10. Qh4+

      When the queen reaches h4, Black’s initiative becomes very easy to play.

  3. 3

    Bishop against f7

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Nxe4 Bc4 4.Qh5 Qe2 5.Qxe4 Bf5

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Nxe4

      The exchange simplifies, and our d-pawn will recapture while keeping Black’s momentum.

    6. Bc4

      The bishop targets f7 and sometimes prepares Dh5, so we need to play calmly.

    7. Qh5

      The threat on f7 exists in appearance, but it does not work tactically.

    8. Qe2

      The queen retreats and loses the rhythm of the attack.

    9. Qxe4

      White takes a pawn, but the queen exposes herself once again.

    10. Bf5

      Above all, remember that the g6 push removes the danger, then our pieces gain time.

  4. 4

    En passant in the center

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Nxe4 d4 4.Bxd3 g3 5.Nf3 Nc6

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Nxe4

      The exchange simplifies, and our d-pawn will recapture while keeping Black’s momentum.

    6. d4

      White wants a big center, but that center is not stable.

    7. Bxd3

      The bishop recaptures and leaves the white king’s diagonal more sensitive.

    8. g3

      This move blocks the check, but it permanently weakens the dark squares.

    9. Nf3

      White adds a defender, so we add an attacker.

    10. Nc6

      Here, the key idea is simple: destroy White’s center, then attack e5.

  5. 5

    Solid development

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Nf3 d4 4.Bd2 Bb5+ 5.O-O O-O

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Nf3

      This move is more restrained and aims to finish development without immediate risk.

    6. d4

      White gains space, so we must challenge this center without delay.

    7. Bd2

      The c3 knight protects the center well, which justifies our counterplay on c5.

    8. Bb5+

      The check mainly tries to slow us down, but it creates no lasting threat.

    9. O-O

      White finally castles; we do the same and keep the tension.

    10. O-O

      When both kings are safe, our better development is already enough to equalize very comfortably.

Common mistakes

5 Exercises
  1. 1

    Rook trap

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 exd5 3.fxe5 bxc3 4.g3 Qe2 5.Qxh1

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. exd5

      This detour avoids the main line, but it does not pose a real problem.

    5. fxe5

      White keeps the pawn, and we immediately launch our tactical motif.

    6. bxc3

      White’s structure cracks, and the b-file offers no quick compensation.

    7. g3

      This move protects the king, but it leaves the h1 rook in a tactical line.

    8. Qe2

      The queen has to cover, which pins her to a bad square.

    9. Qxh1

      Remember this clean trap: ...Dh4+, ...De4+, and the rook falls.

  2. 2

    King on the march

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 exd5 3.fxe5 bxc3 4.Ke2 Nf3 5.d4 O-O-O

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. exd5

      This detour avoids the main line, but it does not pose a real problem.

    5. fxe5

      White keeps the pawn, and we immediately launch our tactical motif.

    6. bxc3

      White’s structure cracks, and the b-file offers no quick compensation.

    7. Ke2

      The king moves to save the rook, but becomes a central target.

    8. Nf3

      White blocks, but their development remains completely disorganized.

    9. d4

      They finally try to consolidate the center, but we can already activate the other rook.

    10. O-O-O

      When the white king moves so early, castling long gives us a very simple attack to conduct.

  3. 3

    Central pin

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 exd5 3.Nxd5 fxe5 4.Nf3 Be2 5.Nxe5 Qxe5

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. exd5

      This detour avoids the main line, but it does not pose a real problem.

    5. Nxd5

      White exchanges early, which helps us centralize the queen without risk.

    6. fxe5

      They keep the pawn, but we have no reason to rush.

    7. Nf3

      White’s development looks natural, but the pin will hinder everything else.

    8. Be2

      White finally wants to castle, but Black’s pressure keeps increasing.

    9. Nxe5

      The recapture seems logical, but our queen remains ideally placed in the center.

    10. Qxe5

      The guiding thread is simple: active queen, knight recaptured, then lasting pressure on White’s castled position through the pin.

  4. 4

    Queen trap

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Nxe4 Qe2 4.g4 Kd1 5.Nf3 Bxf3

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Nxe4

      The exchange simplifies, and our d-pawn will recapture while keeping Black’s momentum.

    6. Qe2

      White often targets e4 and then wants to castle quickly.

    7. g4

      This push neglects the king and creates weak squares around him.

    8. Kd1

      The king runs, but the white queen remains pinned on the bishop’s diagonal.

    9. Nf3

      This move develops, but it comes too late to hold the position.

    10. Bxf3

      The point to remember is very concrete: g4 weakens the king and the white queen gets trapped.

  5. 5

    Pressure on e5

    1.e4 Nc3 2.f4 fxe5 3.Qf3 Nxe4 4.Qc3 Ne2 5.Ng3 Qd5

    1. e4

      We take the center right away and keep the game within a simple framework.

    2. Nc3

      The Vienna appears, and 2...Cf6 prepares our standard response.

    3. f4

      White is looking for the initiative, but 3...d5 breaks the gambit at its base.

    4. fxe5

      This choice opens the center and gives us very direct play.

    5. Qf3

      The queen attacks e4, but 5...Cc6 develops and already prepares ...Cd4.

    6. Nxe4

      We should not recapture too quickly. 6...Cd4 creates a concrete threat against the queen and c2.

    7. Qc3

      The queen remains active, but she does not stop our recapture in the center.

    8. Ne2

      White wants to stabilize, so we reposition the knight to a useful square.

    9. Ng3

      This move defends e4 and sometimes prepares F b5, but the black queen enters the game perfectly.

    10. Qd5

      Here, remember the cumulative pressure on e5 more than any immediate tactic.