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Magic of Chess Tactics Chess Tactics are the art of combat command. When tactics dominate concrete action is required immediately in order to put a plan into practice or to grab an opportunity. However in complicated positions and with determined resistance basic tactics are often insufficient and intuition, imagination and precision are necessary. The Magic of Chess Tactics DVD helps to develop these qualities and hereto offers a multitude of highly interesting, thoroughly analysed examples as well as detailed explanations and exercises.

How should systematic chess coaching be structured so that students are able to use their freshly acquired knowledge in their own games? Author Stefan Becker came to an astonishingly simple answer. The solution to every chess problem lies on the board. So it’s quite logical that we should ask our pieces what they think about their future. But what do these discussions sound like, and what happens if the pieces have different or conflicting interests? This DVD provides the answers to these questions and more by working through a number of selected masterpieces. Suddenly it becomes clear how world-class players come up with their brilliant ideas. Stefan Becker illustrates his concept, talking to the pieces, by taking the role of the player in a number of games. German Grandmaster Dr. Karsten Müller lends his voice to the pieces and tries to express their feelings, aims, plans, wishes and fears. Becker then demonstrates how this feedback, together with calculation and new questions, leads to the right decisions over the board. Becker’s didactic concept can also be used by teachers to explain the inner workings of chess to their students. Video length: 4 h 17 min.

The more reduced the material, the more important it is to correctly assess the potential of your own and the enemy pieces. This is particularly true in endgames with unbalanced material. On DVDs 9 and 10 of his endgame series Dr. Karsten Müller explored symmetrical material constellations with two pieces against two pieces, and this DVD begins with a discussion of asymmetrical material balances, including

• rook against bishop
• rook and knight against two bishops
• two rooks against rook and bishop
• queen and rook against queen and bishop
• rook and knight against bishop and knight
• rook against two bishops

These endgames allow one to study the important characteristics „coordination“ and „harmony of the pieces“ in detail and lead to interesting practical insights. For instance, Müller shows that rook and knight are markedly superior to bishop+knight whereas the two bishops cope much better. With the help of a large number of examples the internationally renowned endgame expert explains the pertinent winning motifs of the side with the rook, such as returning the exchange, opening lines for the rook and restricting the bishop. Another factor that is of great importance in converting one‘s advantage is the question when and when not to exchange“. Video running time: 8 hours 26 min.

Karsten Mueller’s endgame course has already taken its place amongst the modern classics in the study of the endgame. Whereas the first 4 DVDs of his series were systematically organised according to the distribution of material, Volume 6 continues the explanation of general endgame principles begun in Volume 5. The principles dealt with in this DVD are domination and prophylaxis, not being over-hasty, zugzwang and schematic thinking. Domination is the goal of methods involving restraint and restriction. Gradually keep on forcing your opponent on to the back foot – that is often the simplest route to victory. Strategies for the restraint of the individual pieces are demonstrated, with a lot of emphasis on keeping knights on a short leash. Prophylaxis is an individual and extremely important way of thinking. You spot your opponent’s ideas and plans early on, so that you can take counter-measures in good time. The principle of not being over-hasty is one that has to be observed not only in the ending. Let Karsten Mueller show you the conditions under which you should take heed of it and specifically how you should employ it. Zugzwang, on the other hand, is a typical endgame phenomenon. Important techniques such as triangulation and the battle for reserve tempi are dealt with in detail. Schematic thinking is one of the few areas in which the human being is still superior to the computer. But be careful! No amount of schematic thinking can ever replace concrete calculation, and every rule of thumb has its exceptions. This DVD will help show you what to watch out for. Video runnig time: 5 hours.

(1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5) is an excellent choice for Black, especially for players at club level. Offering Black the kind of free piece play that is missing from other defences, it was a great favourite of World Champions Boris Spassky and Garry Kasparov, not to mention its originator Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch. Amongst the many advantages of the Tarrasch is the fact that it can be used against the English and Reti Openings. On this DVD Davies introduces the viewer to the various plans and ideas, showing how Black should react to the various plans and variations White can adopt. Armed with this material the viewer will be able to play the Tarrasch with confidence. Video running time: 3 hours 50 min.

Pendant 4 heures, Karsten Müller présente les finales les plus sensationnelles auxquelles on a pu assister!