This Week's ChessVideos Show: Quick Ruy XXIV, Neo-Archangelsk Part 2

We move boldly on to part XXIV of our series on the "Quick" Ruy, which I hope to finish before receiving solicitations from AARP. (I remain optimistic!) We've been looking at the Archangelsk variations and are now 2/3 of the way through with the Neo-Archangelsk, which begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5. Last time we examined lines where White plays Nxe5 before Black gets in ...d6; this time, we look at positional lines starting with 7.c3 and 7.a4.

While the most principled lines are the sharpest and most theory-intense, it's possible for White to "just play chess" too, and some players will find that the most attractive option. So for those who do, or for those who play this with Black and need to know what to do about it, this week's ChessVideos show is for you. Next time, we move on to the absolute main line, which can arise after various move orders, e.g. 7.a4 Rb8 8.c3 d6 9.d4 Bb6 10.Na3 0-0 11.axb5 axb5 12.Nxb5.

The video is available for free (free registration is required, if you haven't done it already) and on-demand for the next month or so. Enjoy!

This Week's ChessVideos Show: Quick Ruy XXIII: Part 1 on the Neo-Archangelsk

In this week's ChessVideos show, we continue our theoretical investigations in the Ruy, moving on to the Neo-Archangelsk variation that arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5. In this video, which is part one of three on the Neo-Archangelsk, I do three things.

First, I compare this with the regular, old Archangelsk with 6...Bb7. In quite a few lines Black is better off in the Neo- version, but not in every case; the old line has its distinctive points as well.

Second, I offer an overview of the Neo-Archangelsk, so viewers get a sense of the lay of the land, outlining the territory for the next two shows as well.

Finally, we get to the meat, examining lines with a quick Nxe5: 7.a4 Rb8 and now both 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.d4 and 8.axb5 axb5 9.Nxe5 Nxe5 10.d4. These are important sidelines, and if you play either color of the Neo-Archangelsk you'll want to know these variations!

The show is free as always (registration is required but free, easy and one-time-only) and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy XXII: Archangelsk Part 3

As Kramnik will resign game one of the match with Aronian at any moment (full analysis forthcoming!), those needing another chess fix can tune into this week's ChessVideos show. We resume our exploration of the Ruy Lopez by concluding our coverage of the Archangelsk Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7). We've already looked at 7.c3 and examined 7.d3 as well, considering 7...Bc5 and 7...Be7. Two lines remain, however: 7...Bd6 is an interesting try suggested by some viewers, and there's also 7.Re1 as a third White possibility. Both are covered this time around, so in our next Ruy show we'll move on to the Neo-Archangelsk Variation that starts with 6...Bc5.

As always, the show is free (one-time only free registration is required) and will be available on-demand for at least the next month or so.

Last Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy, Part XXI

The show was a little late getting posted, and I'm reporting it a bit later still because I was out of town playing in a tournament, but that's okay - it means those of you who wait for the notification on here will have two ChessVideos shows this week from me rather than just one!

The topic for this show is again the Archangelsk Variation, but this time we cover the 7.d3 line that makes the variation somewhat problematic for Black. White leaves Black's bishop on b7 biting on granite, as the old phrase puts it, and as he didn't even have to spend a tempo on h3 to persuade it to go there White is doing a bit better than usual for a typical Closed Ruy. It's playable for Black, but White's results have been very good and many fans of the Archangelsk have migrated to the Neo-Archangelsk with 6...Bc5. (We'll cover that in forthcoming Quick Ruy shows.)

The aforementioned video is here and is available to all for free (a one-time only free registration is required) and on demand for at least the next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy XX, Archangelsk Part 1

We bravely trudge on in our seemingly eternal series on the Ruy Lopez with part one of what will probably be three videos on the Archangelsk/Neo-Archangelsk Variations. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Black can choose between 6...Bb7, the Archangelsk, and 6...Bc5, the Neo-Archangelsk. In both cases Black commits one bishop to remain flexible with its counterpart. Thus in the Archangelsk Black delays developing his dark-squared bishop, waiting to see how White handles the central pawns, while in the Neo-Archangelsk he commits the dark-squared bishop and waits to see if White plays an early h3. If he does, then the light-squared bishop goes to b7; if not, it's off to g4.

This time around we start with the Archangelsk, and after 6...Bb7 White chooses between 7.c3, aiming to build an ideal pawn center with d4, and 7.d3. The latter move is more patient and has a modest appearance, but may well be the best choice, aiming to blunt the fianchettoed bishop on b7. 7.d3 will (likely) be the subject of next week's video; this time around it's the 7.c3 approach we'll focus on. As we'll see, Black is doing quite well, as long as he's willing to play bravely and able to handle active, sacrificial chess.

The show is here and it's free - as always. (One-time free registration is required.) Eventually it will be archived, but for the foreseeable future it will be available on demand.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: Quick Ruy XVIII

This week we continue our series on the Ruy Lopez, and we're close to wrapping up the section on the Open Ruy. Having finished with 9.Qe2, 9.Be3 and 9.Nbd2 it's time for 9.c3, and this time around I take a look at the very sharp lines with 9...Bc5. This is some very entertaining theory, so even those of you who wouldn't touch either side of the Open Ruy with a proverbial 10-foot pole might still find the show enjoyable.

Have a look here and see for yourself. The show is free, as always (free one-time only registration required), and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: Quick Ruy XVII; Part Five on the Open Ruy

If this gets any "quicker" today's teenagers will be grandparents by the time I finish. Nevertheless, the "Quick" Ruy series marches on, and in this week's installment I complete my look at 9.Nbd2 against the Open Ruy - at least when it doesn't transpose into a 9.c3 variation - which is what we'll look at next time. If you play the Open Ruy with either side, I'd recommend having a look!

The show is free, as always (one-time only free registration is required), and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy, Part XVI

This week's episode is part 16 overall, and the first part of a two part series on the 9.Nbd2 line of the Open Ruy. Both sides have some options here, and this time around I focus on the glamor line 9...Nc5 10.c3 d4 11.Ng5, as famously played by Karpov against Korchnoi in their 1978 world championship and successfully played by Kasparov against Anand in their 1995 title bout. In fact, Kasparov's spectacular win in game 10 of that match is the centerpiece of the show, both because it's a beautiful game and for its theoretical significance. As always, though, there's an antidote, and I show current theory's best answer for Black.

The show is free, as always, as long as you've gone through the simple, free, one-time only registration process, and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.

Enjoy!

This Week's ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy XV - The Open Ruy with 9.Be3

Progress continues on our "quick" series on the Ruy, and I'm still hopeful that we'll finish before 2013! We're up to part XV now, our second on the main line of the Open Ruy. Last time we looked at Keres' 9.Qe2, and the next two Open Ruy shows will cover 9.c3 and 9.Nbd2. In between is this week's show, which features the logical developing move 9.Be3.

It's a sensible try, developing a piece and immediately joining the fight for the important c5 square. I think that with accurate play Black can hold the balance here, but accurate play is required, as several very natural tries leave White with an advantage. It might be a bit much to call 9.Be3 a surprise weapon, but I suspect that it could prove more effective at the club level than the more common 9.c3 and 9.Nbd2.

Watch the 9.Be3 video here; it's free (one-time only free registration is required) and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.

New ChessVideos Show: The Quick Ruy, Part XIV: The Open Variation with 9.Qe2

After taking some time off from the "Quick Ruy" series, we resume with a look into the Open Ruy; in particular, the Keres Variation with 9.Qe2. Within this system I examine three lines. First, there's the interesting but dubious 9...g5. This can work against an unprepared opponent, but if your opponent knows what he's doing you might become road kill. The other two lines are in the main thoroughfare with 9...Be7. After 10.Rd1 there's the dynamic 10...Nc5, inviting wild complications after 11.Bxd5, and there's the solid, stable and reliable main line with 10...0-0.

The 9.Qe2 Open Ruy video is here, and as always, it's free (one-time only free registration required) and will be available on-demand for the next month or so.