This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Berlin Finale

The series on the "Quick" Ruy moves on, but our look at the Berlin ending comes to a close in this week's show. Rather than plow through all the theory on the non-...Kc8 lines, I highlight one particular approach that has seen some very high-level tests the past year or two, and that's 9.Nc3 Ke8 10.h3 h5. I survey the different plans available there and show how superstars like Carlsen, Anand, Kramnik and Shirov have handled the position for White and/or Black. This should help make it a bit more accessible, I hope!

The video is here and is free, as always (free registration is required for first-timers), and available on-demand for the next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy, Part 8: Part 2 on the Berlin Ending

Our ironically titled series on the Ruy Lopez has reached the Berlin Ending (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8), and after our overview last week we turn now to details. This time around, we examine systems where Black meets the standard 9.Nc3 with 9...Bd7, aiming to get his king out of the way on the queenside by moving it to c8 and often b7. We also look at the practically (but not at all structurally) related 9.Rd1+, when White forces 9...Ke8 at the cost of misplacing the rook. Objectively speaking, it's not very promising, but it's important for 9...Bd7 Berliners to know it as it takes them out of their favorite setup.

The show is here and can be watched on-demand for free for the next month or so (free registration required).

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy, Part 7: Intro to the Berlin Ending

We resume our series on the Ruy Lopez this week with our first look at the Berlin endgame that arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8. In subsequent shows we'll cover some of the key variations in this ending (or queenless middlegame), but in this show, by way of an overview, we introduce the "cast". Every piece and pawn, for both sides, is discussed: what it does, where it's likely to go and why, and - at least as importantly - when it will go there.

By having an idea of what jobs each piece has, and by having some context about the timing of the various pieces' moves, following the variations in the weeks to come will be much easier than it might otherwise have been.

The show is here, it's free (free registration is required), and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy Lopez, Part 6: Part 2 on Berlin Sidelines

We continue our very long-lasting series on the "quick" Ruy Lopez this week with another look at Berlin sidelines. This time around, it's the variations 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 and 5.Qe2 that come under scrutiny. Those of you looking for ways to avoid the "Wall" may want a look, and those of you who play the Berlin almost definitely will. (Next time, we start looking at the main line, i.e. the endgame that arises after 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8.)

The show is here and it's free (free registration required), available on-demand for the  next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy, Part 5: Berlin Sidelines (Part 1)

After a few weeks off, we're returning to our possibly never-evening series on the Ruy Lopez. First we looked at Black's rare 3rd move alternatives, then covered the Schliemann, and now it's time to start on the Berlin. Before we get to the "Wall" endgame, there are the sidelines to consider. The Wall starts after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 (the official start of the Berlin) 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8. The lines with 5.Re1 and 5.Qe2 will be covered next week; this time, I at least tried to cover everything important after 3...Nf6 through White's 8th move alternatives (or in this particular case, alternative).

The show is here, and per usual it's available on-demand, free of charge for the next month or so (free registration required).

This Week's ChessVideos Show: Viewer Games

Every so often I take a look at games presented by ChessVideos viewers, and this week's show examines the latest batch. Sometimes there are a lot of attacking games full of tactics, but this time around the emphasis is on the endgame - rook endings in particular feature prominently. Whole games are covered, so you'll find middlegames and openings (the Berlin is revisited with some depth) as well - it's not just rook endings in the show.

But see for yourself. The show is free (free registration required) and available on-demand for the next month or so.