This week's ChessVibes Openings has the spectacular Carlsen-Nakamura as Game of the Week - a sharp Sicilian Najdorf with an early g4. Furthermore, we give the latest updates on the Ruy Lopez Moeller/Archangelsk, the Scotch Mieses and the hot Gruenfeld. Top notch theory, explained by IMs Merijn van Delft and Robert Ris!

The latest novelties in your mailbox

Which openings are hot in top level chess? Which are not? Receive the latest opening novelties right in your mailbox with ChessVibes Openings, a weekly PDF magazine (+ PGN!) covering the latest openings news, co-authored by International Masters Merijn van Delft and Robert Ris and published by ChessVibes.

What is ChessVibes Openings?

Every issue consists of a PDF Magazine and the accompanying PGN file. The PDF consists of four pages (A4 size) with the following contents:

• What's hot? A round-up of this week's important opening developments, with statistics about the frequence and score of the week's most important opening novelty (page 1)
• What's not? Which openings are not recommended at the moment, according to the top players? And why not? (page 1)
• Game of the week Each week you'll find the theoretically most important game analysed by our two IMs, with a detailed survey of the opening phase (page 2).
• This week's harvest Four more new important opening ideas from this week (page 3) revealed and described with explanation of the opening and early middlegame (page 3).
• It's Your Move An interactive element: every week two exercises, of which the solutions/explanations will follow one week later. This will improve your understanding of certain opening, middlegame or even endgame themes even further.

How to pay? Click on one of the buttons:

Payments can be done directly via Paypal, or by credit card after creating a Paypal account which takes a minute. Please drop us an email if you prefer to pay by bank transfer!

For Dutch clients it's possible to pay via iDEAL, the Dutch online bank system with which you can pay safely, secure and comfortably.

This week's issue: #108, January 26, 2011

ChessVibes Openings #108 This week we discuss the games of the Tata tournament played between the first and second rest day, that is, rounds 5-8. Next week we'll cover the final part. With the exception of Grischuk, all the favorites are still in the running for tournament victory. All about the Sicilian Najdorf with an early g4 which was analysed in our Game of the Week Carlsen-Nakamura, Wijk aan Zee 2011.

Other lines that are covered:

• Ruy Lopez, Moeller
• Scotch, Mieses
• Gruenfeld, Exchange
• Gruenfeld, Fianchetto

Last week's issue: #107, January 19, 2011

ChessVibes Openings #107 The Tata Steel Chess Tournament has a very attractive field again this year. World Champion Anand seems to be very focused, while Carlsen makes a rather distracted impression. We cover the main theoretical issues of the first four rounds. All about hypersharp Botvinnik Variation of the Semi-Slav which was analysed in our Game of the Week Giri-Smeets, Wijk aan Zee 2011.

Other lines that are covered:

• Ruy Lopez, Archangelsk
• Scotch, Mieses
• Nimzo-Indian, 4.Qc2
• Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch

Previous issue: #106, January 12, 2011

ChessVibes Openings #106 We take a look at the last three rounds of Reggio Emilia. Karjakin-Nepomniachtchi at the Russian State Social University Championship was a copy of the Russian Championship showdown, this time with Karjakin the winner. All about the Scotch (Mieses Variation) which was analysed in our Game of the Week Vallejo-Onischuk, Reggio Emilia 2010-11.

Other lines that are covered:

• French, Tarrasch
• Caro-Kann, 4...Nf6
• Slav, 6.Nh4
• Gruenfeld, Exchange

Please note that this issue contains a 23-page index of all opening variations treated in issues 0-105 in the PDF file!

Previous issue: #105, January 5, 2011

ChessVibes Openings #105 This year's Reggio Emilia tournament has been a pleasure to follow, with a very attractive field and spectacular games. We also take a look at the Groningen Open and one of us [RR] was on the spot in Las Vegas. All about the French Defence (3.Nc3 Nf6) which was analysed in our Game of the Week Short-Vallejo, Reggio Emilia 2010-11.

Other lines that are covered:

• Evans Gambit
• Najdorf, Poisoned Pawn
• Queen's Gambit Declined
• Dutch Defence

Previous week issue: #104, December 29, 2010

ChessVibes Openings #104 We examine the last two rounds of the 63rd Russian Championship in which Nempomniachtchi took the title after sharing first place with Karjakin. We also look back at the second year and forward to the third year of CVO. All about the Nimzo-Indian with 4.Qc2 c5 which was analysed in our Game of the Week Vitiugov-Zvjaginsev, Russian Championship 2010.

Other lines that are covered:

• Sicilian, Paulsen/Taimanov
• Nimzo-Indian, 4.Qc2 0-0
• Open Catalan
• Queen's Gambit Declined, Lasker

Ehm... can I have a look?

Here's what ChessVibes Openings #16 (April 22, 2009) looks like:



FREE SAMPLE ISSUE - ChessVibes Openings #16 - click to download!

• What's hot? A round-up of the most important opening developments of mid-April, including statistics about the frequence and score of the Chebanenko position after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5 Nbd7 6.Bf4 Nh5 7.Bd2 Nhf6
• What's not? This week 1.e4 e5 was hot, as the top players categorically avoided the Semi-Open Games. Interestingly, the classical 1...d5 was also much more popular than the more modern answers to 1.d4, at the FIDE Grand Prix in Nalchik.
• Game of the week "I didn't spend much time on it before the game, but I prepared seriously for this tournament and we did investigate this line", Peter Leko said at the press conference in Nalchik, after his game against Sergei Karjakin. Page two has a closer look at this highly interesting draw in the Chebanenko.
• This week's harvest For more opening ideas from the Ruy Lopez Marshall, Sicilian Taimanov, Queen's Indian and Ragozin Defence.
• Opening expert This week Rustam Kasimdzhanov is highlighted. The former FIDE World Champion and current second of Anand has a broad repertoire, switching from hypersharp openings like Dragon and Anti-Moscow to positional Queen‚Äôs Gambit lines.

FREE SAMPLE ISSUE - ChessVibes Openings #16 - click to download!

What does it cost?

As a subscriber you'll receive the PDF Magazine and accompanying PGN files in your mailbox every week.

A one-year subscription is € 25 (that's less than € 0.50 per issue!) - for price in US $ click here

How to pay? Click on one of the buttons:

Payments can be done directly via Paypal, or by credit card after creating a Paypal account which takes a minute. Please drop us an email if you prefer to pay by bank transfer!

For Dutch clients it's possible to pay via iDEAL, the Dutch online bank system with which you can pay safely, secure and comfortably.

July 1, 2009: Eugene Manchester reviews ChessVibes Openings for ChessCafe

In the July 1 issue of ChessCafe's Book Review (mirror here) ChessVibes Openings was reviewed by Eugene Manchester. Some quotes: "So, who-ya-gonna-call? Opening busters? Not quite. For the reasonable price of 25 euros per year, once a week you can receive intelligent, interesting opening surveys and analysis presented by a team lead by Dutch IMs Merijn van Delft & Robert Ris."

"The format and presentation are consistently of high quality, with variety of coverage and opening analysis."

"The cost per year is roughly equivalent to a good chess book. Each week you get a four- page issue packed with opening analysis, at least two thoroughly annotated games with one or more of that week's featured openings, a glimpse into the world of the latest opening novelties, in short, a quality weekly opening report."

May 7, 2009: GM Hedinn Steingrimsson reviews ChessVibes Openings for Chess Today

In issues 3103 (Thursday, May 7) of Chess Today, the daily chess newspaper which also comes into your inbox by email in PDF, ChessVibes Openings was reviewed by GM Hedinn Steingrimsson from Iceland. Some quotes: "What I like about ChessVibes Openings is their focus on the trend and discoveries that are revealed in super tournaments and by very strong players. It makes sense for all tournament chess players and opening theoreticians to follow these developments and getting an overview from ChessVibes Openings definitely saves time."

"I find it positive that there is consistency in the openings covered so that the readers will with time have a certain repertoire available based on different theoretical articles from ChessVibes about e.g. the Anti-Moscow Variation."

"For those that really want to find out how to get a better position out of the opening and are willing to enter complications and do some homework in order to succeed, ChessVibes Openings can be recommended."