Tiger Lilov´s Opening School
When selecting your opening repertoire as a beginner, you have to choose lines you like to play.
IM Valeri "Tiger" Lilov helps you with this video series to find openings that suit your playing style.
Not what you were looking for? Back to the video guide.
The Petroff Defence Valeri Lilov teaches the Petroff Defence for beginners. An interesting opening with Black attempting to equalize in the first moves of the game. This system is not for the faint-hearted, with many pitfalls for black. Lilov navigates lethal attacks and blunders to be avoided for both sides in this very interesting beginner's introduction to the Petroff Defense.
The Torre Attack The Torre Attack is a favorite weapon of many players, allowing white to comfortably develop all their pieces without early complications. Valeri Lilov shows us the game in which Grandmaster Torre first introduced the opening, explaining both opening and middlegame ideas.
The Italian One of April's featured authors starts a new video series this weekend, designed to answer a reoccurring question from many of our beginning chess players: What are the most popular openings I need to know before playing in tournament chess? Well, over the next few months Valeri Lilov will be bringing you all the answers! We start with one of the most commonly seen openings throughout the history of chess...
The Ruy Lopez Lilov follows up his popular introduction to this series with a video lecture on perhaps the most commonly played opening in chess history! A favorite of players like Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. Lilov keeps it simple and general, only highlighting some of the critical lines that beginning chess players would need to know.
The Caro Kann Lilov brings us the third installment in his new video series designed just for beginners! Take notes on this "simplified breakdown" of the fundamental concepts behind the Caro Kann. Beginner players can use this video as a launching pad to dive into IM Pruess and GM Shankland's ongoing "Complete Caro" video series.
The Two Knight's Defense Lilov's fourth installment to his new, highly popular video series comes to us today on the subject of the Two Knight's Defense! TigerLilov covers all the critical "ins-and-outs" that beginner players must know about this variation. This extremely aggressive opening should be played with caution by both beginners and experienced players alike!
The Sicilian Defense Lilov is back with the next installment to his "Openings for Beginners" video series. Today he discusses one of the most popular defenses for black at any level in chess: The Sicilian Defense. He breaks it down to its most basic and "easy to digest" principles and ideas for our beginner members!
The Nimzowitsch Defense Valeri Lilov is back again with another opening lecture for beginners! Today he covers the defensive ideas of the great Aron Nimzowitsch, and even though this opening is not considered "the most mainline choice," FM Lilov stresses that it should not be overlooked either and that Black indeed does possess some tricks in this variation.
The French Defense The Tiger returns today with another great video lecture in his series about opening play for the beginner level! Today he discusses a dynamic and mainline weapon for Black against 1.e4: The French Defense! Lilov explains more principles that beginner players must know and apply in the first stage of a chess game, and he dives into the details of the French along the way.
The Queen's Gambit This weekend Valeri Lilov transitions into the "Queen's Pawn Game" by reviewing the main lines of the Queen's Gambit from the beginner player's perspective. This opening, a much more positional approach to chess when compared to 1.e4 openings, is good for all players to know. The queen's pawn can be just as lethal as the King's Pawn!
The Old Indian Defense In the next installment in his ten-part video series on Openings for Beginners, Valeri Lilov reviews one of the oldest, and yet still playable openings of any level. The Old Indian Defense is a solid approach for black against 1.d4 that requires patience and a good understanding of positional play. Enjoy!
The English Opening The English Opening has been considered one of White's most solid approaches to the first stage of a chess game for more than two centuries! As Valeri Lilov explains, if you want to improve your positional understanding, as well as your understanding of the coordination between your pieces and the pawn structure, learning the English Opening should be something you consider!
Scholar's & Other f7 Tricks With his latest video lecture targeted towards beginner level players, Lilov reviews the common traps and tricks white might play for against the "Achilles Heel" of Black's position. He reviews the scholar's mate as well as other early tries to exploit the f7-square. He points out the importance of beginners being prepared for these ideas, as they are not normally given "official attention" in chess books. Beginners, enjoy!
Liver and Lolli To aid the beginners' perspective, Lilov provides a follow-up video to GM Kaidanov's lecture last weekend. Tiger Lilov covers the basic tricks and traps associated with the Fried Liver, the Lolli Attack, and other "messy variations" surrounding tactics on f7.
Countering the King's Gambit To bring his video series on opening traps that all beginner players should know to a close today, FM Lilov gives his recommendation for facing the King's Gambit. He suggests fighting fire with fire! He recommends the Nimzowitsch Counter-Gambit as Black's most interesting, aggressive approach, and he provides analysis on the critical ideas to back it up.
The Pirc When selecting your opening repertoire as a beginner, you have to choose lines you like to play. Watch this introduction to the Pirc—if you like fast development and imbalanced action, it might be the opening for you.
