KARPOV'S SEAL OF APPROVAL: A MUST FOR CARO KANNERS



Karpov's Caro Kann
Advanced & Gambit Variation

Local bookstores: RM 90.90 and RM 95.50
My price : RM 80.00










Karpov's Caro Kann Panov Attack
Local bookstores: RM 90.90 and RM 95.50

My price RM 80.00











I had almost forgotten to advertise these 2 books. These 2 books can be regarded as the final words from its most outstanding exponent, Anatoly Karpov. I had been studying Karpov's game since his classics 4 volumes: OPEN GAMES IN ACTION, SEMI OPEN GAMES IN ACTION, CLOSED GAMES IN ACTION, SEMI CLOSED GAMES IN ACTION. As usual, Karpov's explanation usually easily understood and whatever inside his mind is clearly revealed to the readers. The most notable feature is that the harmony of the pieces in various position in his games. Some may say, he is a boring player. At least that was my first impression and perception about Karpov, not until I had read his books, when I discover that, there are rather abundant of interesting features in his games. He will always be in the same class as Fischer and Kasparov.

As usual I shall present a notable game (or notable games) which in my opinion worth studying, but the game may not be found in the advertised book, instead, it will be taken from my personal database and shall be relevant with the books I advertise to highlight the need of having knowledge through reading.

[Event "Malaysian Chess Festival Blitz"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rizal A Kamal"]
[Black "Yeoh Chin Seng"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B19"]
[Annotator "Rizal,A"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5
Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. O-O-O Ngf6 14. Rh4 Bd6
15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nf6 17. Qe2 O-O-O 18. g3 Rhe8 19. Ne5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Nd5
21. Rg4 f5 22. exf6 Nxf6 23. Rg6 Rd5 24. c4 Rxh5 25. Rxf6 Re5 26. Qxe5 Qxe5 27.
Rf7 g5 28. Bc3 Qe2 29. Rdd7 Qf1+ 30. Kc2 Qxc4 31. Rc7+ Kb8 32. Rxb7+ Kc8
1/2-1/2



[Event "R1, Table 1"]
[Date "2006.03.11"]
[White "Siti Zulaikha"]
[Black "Haslindah Ruslan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B18 Caro Kann"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2006.03.11"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. h5 Bh7 8. Nf3
Nf6 9. Bd3 e6 10. Bxh7 Nxh7 11. Qe2 Be7 12. Bd2 Qb6 13. b3 Nd7 14. c4 Nhf6 15.
Rd1 Bb4 16. O-O Bxd2 17. Rxd2 O-O 18. Rfd1 a5 19. Ne5 Qc7 20. f4 Nb6 21. Ne4
Nxe4 22. Qxe4 Qe7 23. f5 exf5 24. Qxf5 a4 25. Rd3 axb3 26. axb3 Ra2 27. Rg3 Qe6
28. Qxe6 fxe6 29. Ng4 Kh7 30. Re1 Rf5 31. Rxe6 Ra1+ 32. Kh2 Rxh5+ 33. Rh3 Rxh3+
34. Kxh3 Rd1 35. Re7 Rd3+ 36. g3 Nc8 37. Rxb7 Rxd4 38. Rc7 Nd6 39. Rxc6 Ne4 40.
Ne5 Ng5+ 41. Kg2 Rd2+ 42. Kf1 Ne4 43. g4 Ng3+ 44. Kg1 Ne2+ 45. Kf1 Ng3+ 46. Kg1
1/2-1/2

MORE NEW BOOKS IN STORE!!

Play The French by John Watson

As far as I am concerned, this is a very good news for the 'French Defenders' as this very thick book provides all the French defenders need to know to the extend that it also provides chapter dealing with the King Indian attack against the French. It is the most up to date and by far very comprehensive.

Local bookstore: RM112.90 (MPH)

My price RM 100.00 only
[Event "MAKSAK, Melaka"]
[Date "2005"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Rizal A Kamal K LUMPUR"]
[Black "Sotimin Muhalip TGANU"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C13 French Classical"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 a6 7. Qg4 g6 8. O-O-O
h5 9. Qf4 c5 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Bd3 cxd4 12. Ne2 Nc5 13. Nexd4 Nxd3+ 14. Rxd3 Bd7
15. a3 Rc8 16. Kb1 Na5 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Ng5 Rc7 19. Rhh3 Kf8 20. Rhf3 Bc8 21.
Rc3 Nc4 22. Nxf7 Rh7 23. Ng5+ Kg7 24. Ngxe6+ 1-0




Scandinavian Defense The Dynamic 3...Qd6 by Michael Melt

The Scandinavian 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6!? is one of the most bizarre looking move which often provokes white players to try to punish black's Queen position which seemed positioning in the way of other pieces. This is now considered a fresh new ideas and a playable one as proven by some notable GMs such as Hikaru Nakamura and Ian Rogers. In our local scene, NM Kamal Arifin and his brother Khair also seemed to had stucked with this dynamic defensive system. I myself was easily crushed in the hand of NM Kamal in our personal encounter in 2007. This book is a compliment to the book "IDEAS BEHIND THE BLACK'S OPENING" by IM Gary Lane.

Local bookstore: unknown. My price : RM 100.00
SOLD TO NM KAMAL ARIFIN

[Event "MAKSWIP, Risda Ampang"]
[Date "2007.??.??"]
[Round "4.1.1"]
[White "Rizal Ahmad Kamal KDRM"]
[Black "NM Kamal Ariffin DBKL A"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B01 Scandinavian defence"]
[WhiteElo "2022"]
[BlackElo "2090"]
[Annotator "Rizal A Kamal"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 {Kamal said that this is one
of the most dangerous line. " Kasparov's line!" exclaimed Zambri} Nbd7 6. Nge2
a6 7. Bf4 Qb6 8. O-O e6 9. Re1 Be7 {9.Rb1 or 9.Na4 is indicated by the computer Fritz8} 10. d5 Nc5 11. Bc4 O-O { Our post morterm indicated that, white just lost after this} 12. a3? exd5! 13. Nxd5 (13. Bxd5 {was also tried in our post morterm after the game. It just loses} Rd8) 13...Nxd5 14. Qxd5 (14. Bxd5 Rd8 19 {and white cannot survive due to this very annoying pin}) 14... Be6 15. Qd4 Bf6 {And the rest is a matter of formality. I just wanted to keep onplaying just to make sure not to frustrate my team by resigning early} 16. Be5
Bxe5 17. Qxe5 Bxc4 18. Nf4 (18. Ng3 Ne6 (18... Nd7) 19. b3 Bb5 20. Nh5 {May be trickier but I think Kamal should be able to defend it}) 18... Ne6 19.Nh5 Qc5 20. Qc3 Qxh5 21. Qxc4 Rad8 22. h3 Rd2 23. Re4 Qc5 24. Qxc5 Nxc5 25. Rc4 Ne6 26. Re1 Rfd8 27. f4 g6 28. Kh2 R8d4 29. Rxd4 Nxd4 30. Re8+ Kg7 31. c3 Ne6 32. f5 gxf5 33. b4 f4 34. Kg1 Rd3 35. Rb8 Rxc3 36. Rxb7 Rxa3 37. Ra7 Rb3 38. Rxa6 Rxb4 39. Kf2 Rb3 40. Rc6 Kf6 41. Rc4 c5 0-1





Play 1.b4 by Yury Lapshun
1.b4 is also known as Orangutan or Polish or Sokolsky opening (Quite many names!!) IWhen I browsed through this book, I was surprised to find out among others that Bobby Fischer also had played this! Other big names are such as Spassky and Capablanca. In our local perspective, I could not help myself from remembering Ghazali Che Cob. I think he is the Malaysian player who had played the biggest number of 1.b4!. There is also one story cited by the IA Ibrahim Yaacob that Mohd Noor Yahya onced used 1.b4 to defeat Peter Long to become the MSSM champion. I do not verify how far the truth of this story, but I would love to save the record of the historic game if it is still exist.
Local bookstore (BORDERS) : RM94.90 My price : RM80.00


NOTE; SOLD TO NM KAMAL ARIFIN WAHIDUDDIN


Note: I shall update by substituting with a few relevant games from my personal database

The Sicilian Sveshnikov

When my friend Wan Ismail met me during the last National Aged Group, he told me that he had a problem to teach his son on how to face the Sicilian Sveshnikov which is quite popular among the youngsters. Well I did show him my personal preference and dislike against the Sveshnikov and in fact I also shows the strategy against those who play the Kalashnikov, instead of the Sveshnikov.

I have a good personal record against the Sicilian Sveshnikov. Despite being part of repertoire (black side) of the chess giants such as Kramnik, Shirov and not to forget Kasparov himself, I still enjoy playing the white side of this setpiece.

In my stock are 2 books of Sveshnikov, one of them in mint (new) very good condition and the other one was my personal reference when I taught Mumtaz Muhammad of UIA about a decade ago. The last news I received from her was that she had safely gave a birth to her first baby in General Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Sicilian Sveshnikov
by GM Neil McDonald
published 1999
(mint) very good condition
My price : RM80.00


Sicilian Sveshnikov
by Mikhail Krasenkow
published 1996
used condition
My price : RM50.00 only


(sample stock photo)

Here I present my notable victories against the Sveshnikov
[Event "USM open (team)"]
[Date "2004"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Rizal A Kamal IIUM KNIGHT"]
[Black "Tan Eu Hong MMU"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B33 Sicilian Sveshnikov"]
[Annotator "Rizal,A Kamal"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8.
Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Rb8 12. Nc2 O-O 13. Bd3 a5 (13... Bg5)
14. O-O (14. a3 a4 15. Ncb4 Na5 16. Qe2 Bd7) 14... b4 15. Nce3 Bg5 16. Qa4 Ne7
17. Bb5 bxc3 18. bxc3 Bxe3 19. Nxe3 Be6 20. Rfd1 Qb6 21. Rab1 Qc7 22. c4 f5 23.
exf5 Bxf5 24. Rb2 (24. Nxf5 Rxf5 25. Bd7 Rxb1 26. Be6+ Kf8 27. Rxb1 Rf6) 24...
Nc6 25. Nd5 Qa7 26. Qa3 Nd4 27. Qxd6 Bc2 28. Rd2 Nxb5 29. cxb5 Ba4 30. Ne7+ Kh8
31. Nc6 Rbc8 32. Qxf8+ (32. Nxa7 Rc1+ 33. Rd1 Rxd1+ 34. Qxd1 Bxd1 35. b6 Rb8
36. Nc6 Rb7 37. Nxa5 Rb8 38. b7 Ba4 39. Rb4 Bd7 40. Rc4 Kg8 41. Rc7 Be6 42. Nc6
) 32... Rxf8 33. Nxa7 h6 34. h3 Rb8 35. b6 Kh7 36. Re2 1-0




[Event "Catur OKU berpasukan"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2007.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Rizal A Kamal"]
[Black "Fariz Shafruddin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B33"]
[PlyCount "73"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 (3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 (6. c4)
6... a6 7. Na3 b5 8. Nd5 Nge7 (8... Nf6)) 3... Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6.
Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 h6 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. c3 Bg7 12. Nc2 f5 13.
a4 (13. exf5 Bxf5 14. Nce3 Bg6 15. h4 h5 16. a4 Rb8 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ra6 Qd7
19. Be2 f5 (19... O-O 20. Rxc6 Qxc6 21. Ne7+) 20. O-O f4 21. Nc2 Ne7 22. Nxe7
Qxe7 23. Nb4) 13... bxa4 14. Rxa4 fxe4 15. g3 O-O 16. Bg2 f5 17. O-O a5 18.
Nce3 Rb8 19. b4 Ba6 20. Re1 Bb5 21. Ra3 f4 22. gxf4 (22. Nc2 f3 23. Bh3 Be2 24.
Be6+ Kh8 25. Qd2 Qe8 26. Bg4 axb4 27. Ncxb4 (27. cxb4 Nd4)) 22... exf4 23. Nxf4
Rxf4 24. c4 axb4 25. Ra2 Nd4 (25... b3 26. Qxb3 (26. cxb5 bxa2 27. bxc6 a1=Q
28. Qd5+ Kh8 29. Rxa1 Bxa1) (26. Ra3 b2 27. Qd5+ (27. cxb5 Rxb5) 27... Kh8 28.
cxb5 Ne7 29. Qh5) 26... Ba6 27. Qa4 Bb7) (25... Bxc4 26. Nxc4 b3 27. Ra6 Ne7 (
27... Nd4 28. Rxd6) 28. Rxd6 Qf8 29. Re2) 26. cxb5 Qg5 27. Kh1 Rbf8 (27... Qxb5
) 28. Rg1 Rxf2 (28... Qxb5) 29. Rxf2 Rxf2 30. Ng4 Rd2 31. Qc1 d5 (31... Nxb5
32. Qc8+ Kh7 (32... Kf7 33. Qd7+ Kg6 34. Bxe4+ Kh5 35. Nf6+ Bxf6 (35... Qxf6
36. Qg4#) 36. Qe8+ Kh4 37. Rxg5 Bxg5 38. Qxb5) 33. Bxe4+ Qg6 34. Nf6+ Bxf6 35.
Bxg6+ Kg7 36. Qd7+) 32. Qc8+ Kh7 33. b6 Ne2 34. b7 Be5 (34... Ng3+ 35. hxg3
Qh5+ 36. Nh2 Be5 37. b8=Q (37. Bh3 Kg7 38. Qd7+ Kg6 39. Qe6+ Kg7 40. Qe7+)
37... Bxb8 38. Qxb8) 35. Nxe5 Ng3+ (35... Nxg1 36. Qd7+ Qg7 37. Qf5+ Kg8 38.
b8=Q+) 36. hxg3 Qh5+ 37. Bh3 (37. Bh3 Rf2 38. b8=Q) 1-0

4 NEW CHESS BOOKS IN MY STOCK


The Scandinavian Defence
by James Plassket
Published year : 2004
Local bookstore : RM 114.90

My price : RM 95.00

A very important reference for those who has problem facing variety variations of the Scandinavian including the tricky and provocative 3...Qd6!? (after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6) and the weird 3...Qe5+. Also very useful reference for the Scandinavian defenders




The Controversial Samisch King's Indian
by Chris Ward
published year 2004
Local bookstore price : RM 114.90

My price: RM 95.00

This book is aimed for white players to take over the solid King's Indian by agressive setup, that is the Samisch

NOTE: SOLD TO SHAMSUDIN MAT ISA




Rethinking The Chess Pieces
by Andrew Soltis
published in 2004
Local books price : RM 104.90
My price : RM 90.00
I am recommending for those who really wants to learn the basic chess (but in detail's level). This is truely an excellent and outstanding book to understand the correct concept of pieces in general and specific according to the demand of the position on the board. This book is also an ideal reference for chess coaches to enable them to explain in details and accurate about the chess pieces concept to their students



The Ultimate King's Indian Attack
by Angus Dunnington
Published and reprint 2001
local bookstore's price: - unknown

My price RM 80.00

An ideal all rounded opening system for those who are lazy or simply too busy or has no time to study the opening




Coming soon in stock!

Miguel Najdorf (RM 90.00)
The Scandinavian Defense (Michael Melt) - 3...Qd6 (RM100.00)

The National Age Group 2009 had just ended. I was not involved directly or indirectly - I simply too busy with my personal and family matters. However, I did visit my friend, Wan Ismail Wan Yusof who had travelled all long way from Kota Bharu, just to accompany one of his sons, Wan Muhd Imran who contested in this tournament.

When I met him and his son, it was already at the end of round 4. So we had some beverages refreshment and we proceeded to our main business, that is transaction of some chess books.
Wan Ismail bought "Beating The Caro Kann" wrote by Vassilios Kotroniasbecause he said that, his son has the trouble facing the solid like rock Caro Kann and yet there is so few players in Kelantan who adopts it regularly.

In the end, I sold 3 books to him because he badly needs some books as references for his son, including one of my personal books (not meant for my business) that is Sicilian Accelerated Dragon publlished by Batsford.

After that I helped him to get the bus tickets at the Putra Bus Station for him and his son to return to Kota Bharu the next day. Subsequenytly we returned to his room at the Pearl Hotel. There, while having light meals, I, by off hand, gave free chess consultation to his sons as regards to :-
i)the opening strategy and most common opening traps
ii)my personal pass experience,
iii) knowing the opponent strategy
iv) style of the great players - Karpov, Tal, Fischer, etc.

I stopped at about 11.30 pm when I had to go back to my house and wished him and his son good luck ( I still do not know the achievement of Wan Muhd Imran up to the point I am writing here in this blog)

Below is a part of Wan Muhd Imran's game which we discused briefly:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2


Here I explained that, the sharpest is actually 8.g4 whereby black must choose between:-
a) the sharp and quick Queenside counterplay approach by 8..Nfd7 follows by Nb6 and N8d7, Bb7, Rc8 etc; or
b) the temporary stopper 8..h6

In the actual game Wan Muhd Imran played something like 8...Bb7 9.0-0-0 Be7 . (Well I do not remember exactly the move order, but it is something like this, whereby I had to critic the move Be7 as this is normally delayed) The game sontinued (after g4 ) with Nfd7 follows by Nb6, N8d7 and Rc8 without touching the f8 Bishop yet. And now, any act leaving the knight on c3 (example Qf2) is naturally answered by the thematic exchange sacrifice Rxc3 follows by Na4, Qa5(or c7), Ndb6 or Ndc5 , 0-0 follows by Rc8 pressuring white's shattered Queenside. (See for example Movsesian vs Kasparov; Bosna Super GM Sarajevo 2000)

Well, as my explanation was made off hand, therefore, I cannot produce all the details of analysisi here. However, readers who love to play the English attack against Sicilian Najdorf Scheningen or the defender of Najdorf Scheveningen on the blackside may look into the details from the following books:-

1. The English Attack - Sammalvuo Tappani
2. Play The Najdorf Scheveningen Style (EVERYMAN)
3. Kasparov's Greates Games Vol 2 (Igor Stohl) - GAMBIT

Chess video mentioned on
[Letsplaychess.com Chess video forum]

Exchange sacrifice on c3 in Sicilian: Movsesian-Kasparov