Welcome to ''Learn From The Best: Mikhail Botvinnik: Part II: 1939-1948'', the second volume of my exploration into the chess career of Mikhail Botvinnik, one of the most brilliant minds in the history of the game. In this second volume I contin...
Step into the mind of one of chess history’s greatest pioneers with ''Learn From The Best - Mikhail Botvinnik Part I: 1927–1938''. This meticulously crafted book offers an immersive journey through the early career of Mikhail Botvinnik...
In his last game with White, Gukesh came prepared to face the French Defence. 5.Nce2 was indeed a deviation from the main line (I have seen Magnus using it in rapid and blitz with success) but Gukesh avoided the critical setup with Nf3, Bd3(e2), N...
The word "outplayed" isn't enough to describe Ding's masterpiece today. I wasn't very optimistic about him but now I'm more than sure that this guy, Ding, produces his best chess when is forced to do it! Need more content? Visit www.dimitrisfarm...
A tragic day for Ding as he failed to capitalize from what looked like a very promising position out of the opening. He invested once more a huge amount of time in the opening and when the pressure mounted on both his position and his clock he fai...
Not much excitement today as Ding with White repeated the London system, going this time for the rare 5.Be2. I guess it's no coincidence that Ding's second GM Rapport has played it before. The ide behind 5.Be2 is to follow up with c2-c4, Nc3, cxd...
Today is a rest day in the World Championship Match, so I thought I can post an instructive and beautiful game of another World Champion. Enjoy! Need more content? www.dimitrisfarmakis.com
Oh boy! This guy, Ding, he is really living dangerously! Gukesh's extremely rare continuation in the Catalan caught Ding by surprise, although we have seen this move (10.Bc3) this year in the Giri-Niemann match last summer in Utrecht. Niemann re...
Another exciting game today! Who could prevail? Ding with the bishop pair or Gukesh with the big strong center? Let's find out! Need more content? Visit www.dimitrisfarmakis.com
What a fighting draw today! The challenger managed to confuse the champion in the opening. Ding spent too much time in this so called Neo-Grunfeld opening trying to decide which set-up to adοpt. His pawns on c6 and c4 were asking him...
Another draw today in the match. Ding, just like in his previous title match with Nepo, he played the London system in game 6! Gukesh responded well, as always in this match, opting for a Bd6 setup with the aim to play the freeing e6-e5 move. Afte...
Today Gukesh with White "served" from the right side, which made me think that he has prepared something in the French Defence. Ding confident enough and with no hesitation went again for the French Defence awaiting to see what Gukesh has prepared...
Game 4 of the match and the World Champion surprised the challenger with the Zukertort system. Gukesh responded with the London set up, not a bad idea when you face all these Nf3 systems. Ding refrained from occupying the center with his cen...
Ding blunders and Gukesh strikes back! In the third game of the match Gukesh opened this time with 1.d4 and used a rare continuation involving a cunning idea which Ding either underestimated or missed it. Score is level now 1-1. Need more c...
Game 2 of the World Championship Match and it seems that none of the two players wanted to press hard. Gukesh equalised easily in the opening (isn't really that hard after all in the Italian Four Knights to equalise) and he even had some chances t...
With the World Championship Match going on I thought it's a good idea to update my blog with the games annotated. I don't focus much on the variations, I prefer to explain the reason a move has been played and what the player had in his mind. ...
Today we are gonna have a look at a highly instructive game of Botvinik. If you like closed positions and maneuvering then you will enjoy it. Interactive chess board at the end of the post. For more content visit www.dimitrisfarmakis.com Botvi...
Surprise your opponents in Rossolimo Sicilian with 3...Qc7, a new sneaky idea which aims to bind and outplay White as early as from the opening! In the following exemplary game the four black musketeers outplayed White, who was left with no count...
The Taimanov-Korchnoi Attack is an out of fashion old line in the King's Indian Defence, where the Black King very often lacks a pawn shield, whilst the typical blocked King's Indian Defence centre is not blocked at all! Those two factors signific...
Zaslavsky, A. - Botvinnik, Mikhail Leningrad-5ch sfLeningrad, 1926 (Interactive board at the end of the post) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Qa5 This was Botvink’s favourite system back in those years. Black is go...
A beautiful and instructive strategic game with the Stonewall Dutch by teenager Botvinnik (Interactive board at the end of the post) 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nf3 d5 The Stonewall Dutch just as the King’s Indian ...
