Want to get your hands on cutting-edge chess ideas — which are sure to surprise the competition and tip the game into your favor?
Then you can’t ask for a better resource than the Chess Informant.
Sure, you can browse online databases and tournament websites for the latest games. But unless you can work through the raw game scores — so you can pick out useful nuggets to add to your game — then they won’t do you much good.
Enter Chess Informant.
Since 1966, every issue of the magazine serves you the best games from the previous quarter — complete with done-for-you analysis from the players themselves. This way, you can pick out the issue’s best tactics, strategies, and opening innovations…and use them in your very next game.
In Issue #148 — the first one ever to be converted into Chessable’s MoveTrainer format — Woman Grandmaster Sabina Francesca Foisor shows you some of…
The Finest Attacking Gems
She’s Uncovered So Far In 2021
Let’s start with the position below. Black’s position looks solid…but it doesn’t look like he has an angle for an attack. Or does he?
Antipov, M. – Esipenko, A.
Sochi 2021
Black to play
10…h6 11.a3 (Taking control of the b4-square and preparing the usual c4. But White doesn’t have the time as Black shows.) 11…Qc7 12.Nbd2 g5!? (The idea. Black gets his pawns rolling before White can break through with his c-pawn.) 13.c4?! (The first player proceeds as planned, but…) 13…Rd8 (The c-pawn has become a “hook” for Black, and …dxc4 followed by …Nxd4 is an idea White must watch out for.) 14.c5? (With the center closed, Black gets a “free hand” on the kingside.) 14…Ne4! (Blocks the e-file and prepares …h5 and …g4. After which, White must defend his king all game.)
The lesson: Even solid-looking structures can turn into a lethal pawn storm given enough time!
Replay Antipov, M. – Esipenko, A. Sochi 2021
In our next example, Nakamura just played 22.h4? trying to lure the pawn away from g5 so he may use the f4-square. But Carlsen had other plans.
Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M.
New In Chess Classic 2021
Black to play
22…g4! (Nakamura gets the f4-square…but he must now find a way defend all of his kingside weaknesses.) 23.Qc3 Ngh5 24.Qe1 Rxe5! (This positional exchange sacrifice would’ve made World Champion Tigran Petrosian proud. Black now penetrates through the weak dark squares.) 25.dxe5 Qxe5 26.Qc3 Qg3! (It didn’t take long for Carlsen to convert this position.)
Replay Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M.
New In Chess Classic 2021
Finally, here’s the final example where the new challenger takes advantage of White’s uncastled king and sleeping pieces.
Artemiev, V. – Nepomniachtchi, I.
Chessable Masters 2020
Black to play
20…Bb1! 21.Kg1 Re1+ 22.Nf1 Qd3 23.Qg4+ Kh8 24.Be2 Rxe2 25.Rxb1 Bc5 26.h4 Rxf2 27.Re1 Rf4+ 0-1 White loses the queen, while the attack against his hapless king rages on.
Replay Artemiev, V. – Nepomniachtchi, I.
Chessable Masters 2020
If you enjoyed these flashes of brilliance, then you’ll love WGM Foisor’s column in Chess Informant Issue #148 — along with the fresh opening novelties, middlegame strategies, and exciting games from modern chess.
