Anti-Antoshin

White to play.

I have posted some notes on my favorite Anti-Antoshin line, which I played in a recent ICC game. The more standard Anti-Antoshin approach to the Philidor Defense with Bf4, Qd2, and queenside castling, followed by throwing all your kingside pawns forward (as first demonstrated in Kashdan-Koltanowski, London 1932) is not possible when White is committed to Bc4 (as in the Urusov Gambit move order that I favor). In my line, White still throws all his kingside pawns forward, it's just that he has castled kingside! It makes for an interesting game....

Oh, the Humanity!

Fritz vs. Kramnik, after 34.Nxf8

Black to play. What's the best move?

Fritz vs. Kramnik, after 34....Qe3??

White to play and mate in one.

I am still not sure I believe it. But, yes, it is true. The worst ever blunder by a World Champion--and by the man considered the least blunder-prone of any champion in history--was committed today before a stunned and saddened chess world. After demonstrating for the second time that a human could still get slightly the better of a machine (while holding the draw in hand), Vladimir Kramnik walked into a mate in one. Incredible. See the story at the Daily Dirt Chess Blog, the Susan Polgar Chess Blog, or the official Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz match website.

Raymond Keene on Spielmann

Raymond Keene's "An Appreciation of Rudolph [sic] Spielmann" at Chessville is worth a look, if only for the wonderful annotated game Rubinstein-Spielmann, San Sebastian 1912 which accompanies it. You can see more games by Rudolf Spielmann at Chessgames.com.

We should mention that in Chess Notes #3686, Edward Winter established (based on signature) that the correct spelling of Spielmann's first name was actually "Rudolf" and not "Rudolph."

Links to Chess Opening Analysis

There is an incredible amount of usable opening analysis available free on the web, so that many club and online players these days likely never buy chess books but rely completely on what they can find online. Here are a few good resources for accessing chess opening analysis:

Chess Opening Links
I have been planning to update my links to opening analysis, because I noticed recently that it has accumulated quite a few broken links and I know there is lots of new stuff to add since my last update (including practically everything I've written at my blog!) Unfortunately, I did not think to organize my listings by ECO codes, which would have made it much easier to use (especially those not familiar with the English names for the openings they like.) It is still a very good resource.

World Chess Links: Theory
Follow the links on the left to navigate to either general resources or links to specific opening lines, by ECO categories and common names. Then be sure to use the page buttons to access everything. This is a very strong and deep site with more information than my own. It is relatively new (less than a year old), so most of the links are fresh and good.

Thomasollo.info
Described as a directory or a database of opening analysis links, this seems a very promising site, only recently re-opened. They also publishe some original analysis, including an excellent and detailed article on the Alekhine's Defense, Two Pawns Attack.

The Chess Portal (Schackporalen): Chess Theory: Specific Openings
One of the better links collections, but like my own rather out of date. Written in multiple languages.

Chessville: Openings
I think my own site is more up to date than this one, which means it is very out of date indeed.

MECCA - CLINK! - Click the link - Theory: Openings
This one also seems a bit out of date, but it does offer lots of links.

Will the Perreux Never Die?

Black to play.

I have lately begun playing the Two Knights Defense as Black more often than I do as White, and was surprised by how often I've had to face the Perreux Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5). I suppose it is what I deserve for having popularized it with my website.... I now think the line basically stinks, but it is certainly hard to prove in blitz games, where sharp tactics, a good memory for theory, and a bit of nerve can change a bad opening into a winning middlegame. My recent game with "joesixpack" was more proof, however, that the Perreux should be laid to rest...