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Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit is the chess opening that starts with the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 It is one of the oldest openings and is still commonly played today. It is traditionally described as a ''gambit'' because White appears to sacrifice the c-pawn; however, this could be considered a misnomer as Black cannot retain the pawn without incurring a disadvantage. History The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known openings in chess. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analyzed by Gioachino Greco in the 17th century. In the 18th century, it was recommended by Philipp Stamma and is sometimes known as the Aleppo Gambit in his honor. During the early period of modern chess, queen pawn openings were not in fashion, and the Queen's Gambit did not become commonplace until the 1873 tournament in Vienna. As Wilhelm Steinitz and Siegbert Tarrasch developed chess theory and increased the appreciation of , the Queen's Gambit grew more popular, reaching its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Semi-Slav Defense
The Semi-Slav Defense is a variation of the Queen's Gambit chess opening defined by the position reached after the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 c6 :3. Nf3 Nf6 :4. Nc3 e6 The position may readily be reached by a number of different . Black's supporting pawns resemble a mixture of the Orthodox Queen's Gambit Declined, e6, and the Slav Defense, c6. Black is threatening to capture the white pawn on c4 and hold it with ...b7–b5. White can avoid this in a number of ways. About 80% of games continue 5.Bg5 or 5.e3: the former constitutes a sharp pawn sacrifice, while the latter restricts the dark-squared bishop from its natural development to g5. Other possible moves are 5.Qb3, 5.g3 and 5.cxd5, the last of which, after 5...exd5, leads to a line of the QGD Exchange Variation where White's early Nf3 enables Black's queen bishop to freely develop, which should give equality (''ECO'' codes D43 and D45). It is worth noting that 5.Bf4 is considered somewhat inaccurate, as 5...dx ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Closed Game
A Closed Game (or Double Queen's Pawn Opening) is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. d4 d5 The move 1.d4 offers the same benefits to and as does 1.e4, but unlike with the king's pawn openings where the e4-pawn is undefended after the first move, the d4-pawn is protected by White's queen. This slight difference has a tremendous effect on the opening. For instance, whereas the King's Gambit is rarely played today at the highest levels of chess, the Queen's Gambit remains popular at all levels of play. Also, compared with the king's pawn openings, transpositions between variations are more common and important in the closed games. Specific openings The Richter–Veresov Attack, Colle System, Stonewall Attack, Torre Attack, London System, and Blackmar–Diemer Gambit are classified as Queen's Pawn Games because White plays d4 but not c4. The Richter–Veresov is rarely played at the top levels of chess. The Colle and London are both ', rather than specific opening ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queen's Gambit Declined
The Queen's Gambit Declined (or QGD) is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 e6 This is known as the ''Orthodox Line'' of the Queen's Gambit Declined. When the "Queen's Gambit Declined" is mentioned, it is usually assumed to be referring to the Orthodox Line; see " Other lines" below. The Orthodox Line can be reached by a number of different , such as 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5; 1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5; 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4; 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4; and so on. General concepts Playing 2...e6 releases Black's dark-squared bishop, while obstructing his light-squared bishop. By declining White's temporary pawn sacrifice, Black erects a solid position; the pawns on d5 and e6 give Black a foothold in the . The Queen's Gambit Declined has the reputation of being one of Black's most reliable defenses to 1.d4. In this situation, White will try to exploit the passivity of Black's light-squared bishop, and Black will try to rel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macmillan Publishers (United States)
Macmillan Inc. is a defunct American book publishing company. Originally established as the American division of the British Macmillan Publishers, the two were later separated and acquired by other companies, with the remnants of the original American division of Macmillan present in McGraw-Hill Education's Macmillan/McGraw-Hill textbooks, Gale's Macmillan Reference USA division, and some trade imprints of Simon & Schuster that were transferred when both companies were owned by Paramount Communications. The German publisher Holtzbrinck, which bought the British Macmillan in 1999, purchased US rights to the Macmillan name in 2001 and rebranded its American division with it in 2007. History Brett family George Edward Brett opened the first Macmillan office in the United States in 1869 and Macmillan sold its U.S. operations to the Brett family, George Platt Brett Sr. and George Platt Brett Jr. in 1896, resulting in the creation of an American company, Macmillan Publishing. Even wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Marshall (chess Player)
Frank James Marshall (August 10, 1877 – November 9, 1944) was the U.S. Chess Champion from 1909 to 1936, and one of the world's strongest chess players in the early part of the 20th century. Chess career Marshall was born in New York City, and lived in Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from age 8 to 19. He began playing chess at the age of 10, and by 1890 (aged 13) was one of the leading players in Montreal. He won the 1904 Cambridge Springs International Chess Congress (scoring 13/15, ahead of World Champion Emanuel Lasker) and the U.S. Congress in 1904, but did not get the national title because the U.S. champion at that time, Harry Nelson Pillsbury, did not compete. In 1906 Pillsbury died and Marshall again refused the championship title until he won it in competition in 1909. In 1907 he played a match against World Chess Champion, World Champion Emanuel Lasker for the title and lost eight games, winning none and draw (chess), drawing seven. They played their match ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marshall Defense
The Marshall Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 Nf6?! The Marshall Defense is a fairly dubious variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. It was played by Frank Marshall in the 1920s, but he gave it up after losing with it to Alekhine at Baden-Baden in 1925. It is no longer used by experienced players . White may choose to ignore Black's provocative second move with 3.Nc3, which will usually transpose into normal lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined (after 3...e6), the Slav Defence (after 3...c6), the Queen's Gambit Accepted (after 3...dxc4) or the Grünfeld Defence (after 3...g6). 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.e4 A common continuation, though White may be playing e4 too early. If Black deviates with 3...Qxd5, 4.Nc3 Qa5 5.Bd2 is strong, e.g. 5...Qb6 6.Nf3 Qxb2?? 7.Rb1 Qa3 8.Nb5, winning . After Black retreats the knight with 4...Nf6, White can continue 5.e5 attacking the knight, or they can get a clear advantage with 5.f3, or a small advantage wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Symmetrical Defense
The Symmetrical Defense (or Austrian Defense) is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 c5 First described in print by Alessandro Salvio in 1604, the opening is often called the Austrian Defense because it was studied by Austrian chess players including Hans Haberditz (c. 1901–57), Hans Müller (1896–1971), and GM Ernst Grünfeld. The Symmetrical Defense is an uncommon variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. It poses the purest test of Queen's Gambit theory—whether Black can equalize by simply copying White's moves. Most opening theoreticians believe that White should gain the advantage and at best Black is playing for a draw. 3.cxd5 White often replies 3.cxd5, but other moves are playable and may lead to transpositions into more well-known variations such as the Queen's Gambit Accepted and the Tarrasch Defense The Tarrasch Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. d4, d4 b:Chess Opening Theory ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baltic Defense
The Baltic Defense (also known as the Grau Defense, or the Sahovic Defense) is a chess opening characterized by the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 Bf5!? The Baltic is an unusual variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD). In most defenses to the QGD, Black has difficulties developing his . This opening takes a radical approach to the problem by bringing out the queen bishop immediately. The Baltic has not found widespread acceptance among chess masters, but some world-class players have used it including grandmasters Paul Keres and Alexei Shirov. The '' ECO'' code for the Baltic Defense is D06. White responses White has several replies to this opening, including 3.Nf3, 3.cxd5, 3.Qb3, and 3.Nc3. Play might continue: 3.Nf3 e6 * 4.Qb3 Nc6 * 4.e3 Nf6 5.Qb3 Nc6 * 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Qb3 Nc6 * 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qb3 Nc6 3.cxd5 :3...Bxb1 4.Qa4+ Qd7 5.Qxd7+ Nxd7 6.Rxb1 Ngf6 7.Nf3 3.Qb3 :3...e5 4.Qxb7 Nd7 5.Nf3 Rb8 6.Qxd5 Bb4+ 7.Nfd2 (7.Bd2 Ne7 Webb–Sinclair, England 1971) Ne7 8.Qf3 exd4 a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander Morozevich
Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich (russian: Александр Серге́евич Морозе́вич, translit=Aleksandr Sergéevich Morozévich; born July 18, 1977) is a Russian chess player. He was awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE in 1994. Morozevich is a two-time World Championship candidate (2005, 2007), two-time Russian champion and has represented Russia in seven Chess Olympiads, winning numerous team and board medals. He has won both the Melody Amber (alone 2002, shared 2004, 2006, 2008) and Biel (2003, 2004, 2006) tournaments several times. Morozevich is known for his aggressive and unorthodox playing style. His peak ranking was second in the world in July 2008. Career His first win in an international tournament was in 1994, when at the age of 17 he won the Lloyds Bank tournament in London with a score of 9½ points out of 10. In 1994 he also won the Pamplona tournament, a victory he repeated in 1998. In 1997 Morozevich was the top seed at the World Junior ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chigorin Defense
The Chigorin Defense is a chess opening named for 19th-century Russian master Mikhail Chigorin. An uncommonly played defense to the Queen's Gambit, it begins with the following moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 Nc6 The Chigorin Defense violates several classical principles: Black does not maintain the center pawn at d5, the c-pawn is blocked, and Black must be willing to trade a bishop for a knight. In return, Black gets quick and piece pressure on the . Although opening assessments change as improvements are found for each side, the Chigorin is generally considered for Black, and it is useful as a surprise weapon against the Queen's Gambit. Alexander Morozevich is perhaps the only modern grandmaster who regularly plays the Chigorin Defense; in the 1980s, Vasily Smyslov did employ the opening against Garry Kasparov, achieving a draw. Morozevich has also published a book on the Chigorin Defense,Alexander Morozevich & Vladimir Barskij, ''The Chigorin Defence According to Morozevich'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Initiative (chess)
Initiative in a chess position belongs to the player who can make threats that cannot be ignored, thus putting the opponent in the position of having to spend turns responding to threats rather than creating new threats. A player with the initiative will often seek to maneuver their pieces into more and more advantageous positions as they launch successive attacks. The player who lacks the initiative may seek to regain it through . Discussion Due to moving first, White starts the game with the initiative, but it can be lost in the opening by accepting a gambit. Players can also lose initiative by making unnecessary moves that allow the opponent to gain tempo, such as superfluous "preventive" (prophylactic) moves intended to guard against certain actions by the opponent, that nonetheless require no specific response by them. The concept of tempo is closely tied to initiative, as players can acquire the initiative or buttress it by gaining a tempo. The initiative is important in al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albin Countergambit
The Albin Countergambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 e5 and the usual continuation is: :3. dxe5 d4 The opening is an uncommon defense to the Queen's Gambit. In exchange for the gambit pawn, Black has a central wedge at d4 and gets some chances for an attack. Often White will try to return the pawn at an opportune moment to gain a positional advantage. In the ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' the Albin Countergambit is assigned codes D08 and D09. History Although this opening was originally played by Cavallotti against Salvioli at the Milan tournament of 1881, it takes its name from Adolf Albin, who played it against Emanuel Lasker in New York 1893. Though it is not played frequently at the master level, Russian grandmaster Alexander Morozevich made some successful use of it in the 2000s. Main line The main line continues 4. Nf3 Nc6 (4...c5 allows 5.e3 because Black no longer has the bishop check) and now White's primary opt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
