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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Not a word about a new DVD? (Read 14951 times)
califax
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #18 - 08/23/17 at 12:27:43
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TN wrote on 08/22/17 at 20:00:45:
By the way, I didn't find Vidit's delivery (with frequent ums) to be a problem, while his use of arrows definitely helped me to understand some positions that I'd failed to grasp from studying the other books listed here.


I don't mind the ums as well, but the superficiality of the videos compared to the analysis files is. I'm not sure how the editing process for videos is in this case. But you rahter much get the impression that they wanted to record once and take it no matter what.

TN wrote on 08/22/17 at 20:00:45:
I'd say the DVD was more useful for me than the other Caro-Kann books I have, but I think coverage of 7...Nd7 and a second recommendation against the Advance (even if it was some one-game weapon like 5...Bb4 or 5...Nd7 6.0-0 Bb4) would have given the DVDs considerably more durability.


Which line exactly do you mean by "coverage of 7...Nd7"?
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #17 - 08/22/17 at 20:00:45
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I'm not quite sure how I feel about the DVD. On first watching it, I absolutely loved it, as it had transformed my weakest opening into my strongest! However, as I played and analysed the lines more, I found that I wasn't satisfied with the Advance Variation recommendation in particular as it felt to me that Black was memorising a lot of concrete moves for a maximum result of a draw.

So I tried playing lots of alternatives to 5...c5/6...cxd4, but with very mixed results, and couldn't find anything I was satisfied with. Furthermore, I subsequently found a hole in his Capablanca Variation and Two Knights analysis where White is just better - though in fairness to Vidit, the ideas hadn't been played at the time he recorded the DVD.

By the way, I didn't find Vidit's delivery (with frequent ums) to be a problem, while his use of arrows definitely helped me to understand some positions that I'd failed to grasp from studying the other books listed here. I'd say the DVD was more useful for me than the other Caro-Kann books I have, but I think coverage of 7...Nd7 and a second recommendation against the Advance (even if it was some one-game weapon like 5...Bb4 or 5...Nd7 6.0-0 Bb4) would have given the DVDs considerably more durability.
  

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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #16 - 08/22/17 at 13:27:37
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Thank you for your detailed response califax.
  
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califax
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #15 - 08/22/17 at 07:46:32
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WSS wrote on 08/04/17 at 16:17:08:
I've been interested in exploring the Caro-Kann and was wondering which would be a better resource (with respect to the lines chosen and the content) - this DVD set or Houska's "Opening Repertoire: The Caro-Kann"?  Generally speaking a book will have more content but I'm curious if any of the C-K regulars have looked at both and would offer an opinion?  Or is there another resource you would suggest instead?  Thanks.



As I wrote in my answers to mn: To explore the Caro Kann Houska's book and the already mentioned by Eric Wells book are way better imho.
I would also mention Lakdawala in thix context, whereas Schandorff and Vidit are good sources to deepen your knowledge.

Every source has it's drawbacks and positives - so of course it would be best to combine all of them Wink
Wells is just a (very good) introduction and rather old. But has easy to grasp explanations.
Houska and Lakdawala have good explanations and passion too. Houska's new version is considerably improved in the Panov section, but still does avoid the main lines against the Advance variation. Whether this is a problem at club level, I'm not sure about.
Lakdawala ducks the classical with 4...Bf5 in favour of the Symslov variation. I would say the same here as I said about Houska/3...c5 against Advance. He also presents an entertaining alternative against the fantasy (3...Qb6). But overall I have the impression that other authors handle the Q & A format better (Emms on Nimzo comes to mind). This might, however, just be personal taste.
Schandorff is a bit more prosaic than the rest and has the disadvantage of being puslished before Negi. So he doesn't hold at this very topical and theoretical line. Otherwise QC quality and probably the most comprehensive coverage of all the mentioned sources.
As for Vidit see my previous posts.

As interesting additional material I would suggest to any Caro Kann addict Garry Kasparov's "Revolution in the 70's". It contains two excellent articles:
1) Describing the development of the classical line from Black castling long to castling short thanks to Larsen and others
2) Describing the developments in the Advance variation and how it became a main line after overcoming the famous Nimzowitsch - Capablanca game.

And is overall my favourite book from his whole series (including predecessors) by a big margin.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #14 - 08/22/17 at 05:52:50
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Thank you for your replies! I will certainly strongly consider getting this DVD.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #13 - 08/21/17 at 23:07:04
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fjd wrote on 06/07/17 at 22:10:14:
As a White player, it's rather unfortunate that 3...Nf6 is beginning to replace 3...Bg4 as the universal recommendation against the Two Knights  Cheesy

I don't have the DVD, so if anyone has purchased it, I have two questions:

1. What's his opinion of [1 e4 c6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e5 Ne4] 5 Qe2 - ?


I've checked it quickly: He doesn't seem to mention it in the videos. There is 5.Ne2 as the main line and 5.Be2/5.d4 are sidelines.
He does mention 5.Qe2 in the analysis file and wants to improve a Nepo - Karpov rapid game on move 14.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #12 - 08/21/17 at 22:00:42
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fjd wrote on 06/07/17 at 22:10:14:
2. In the Classical Variation with 7...e6, where does his analysis meet Negi's?


First of all: The DVDs do contain some refreshing stuff, for instance against the Fantasy variation (not repeating ...d;e from Schandorff/Houska, but the attmittedly by Bezgodov strongest 3...e6) or two knights system.

At the same time there are quite some slips of the pen in the videos and you will have to study the accompanying analysis files to overcome this. This and the presentation overall is exactly why Sadler gives the DVDs only 2 (vol 1) resp. 3 stars (vol 2) in NiC 5/17 (admitting that his assesment would be better on the content alone). There is btw. another (and this time quite favourable) review (of vol 2 only at the moment) at chess.com by IM_Kgwm. But I'm probably still too new as a user to be allowed to post links. So check it out.

I've found additional confusing stuff to the one mentioned by Sadler when checking out the classical 4...Bf5 line you were asking about.
To begin with, Vidit gives the impression - both in the general introduction and in clip 06, that already 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 d;e 4.N:e4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 e6 is completely new and not covered in recent literature. He even mentions at the beginning of clip 6 that the line is too new for Negis "otherwise excellent" (Vidit) book.

In fact, Negi does cover 7...e6 and even gives it a ! mark.
They meet (or rather separate) at Negi, page 419 after 8.Ne5 Bh7 9.Bd3 B:d3 10.Q:d3 Nd7 11.f4, when Vidit proposes 11...Be7.

Negi: "11...Be7 is not terribly important, and White simply replies 12.Bd2. Now 12...Ngf6 transposes to the later variation B2, while the greedy 12...Bh4 13.0-0-0 gives White a huge lead in development and is much too risky for Black."

Negi continues with his main lines for Black (11...c5 and 11...Ngf6).

Now, Vidit goes indeed for the greedy pawn grap, but only after 12...Ne5 13.f;e B:h4.
He has very new games by Giri, Mamedyarov, Ragger on his side with excellent results for Black, and this is the point where he should have mentioned "the line is too new for Negi's book."

I cannot say of course whether his lines will stand the test of time. But it becomes very sharp and so far the most critical lines haven't been played otb.

I'd just like to mention two of the confusing things I spoke about.
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Here Vidit says in the video "White can't take on e7 because of 20.Q:e7 R:d2 21.R:d2 Q:h1+." and continues with the bishop moves. In fact, you might seriously consider 20.Q:e7, but of course not 21.R:d2, but 21.Q:d8 instead when White gets two rooks for the queen after all. It's probably equal anyway and a long line in the accompanying file shows it. But the video is not only shortened, but kind of contradicting here.

So, Vidit mainly analyses now 21.Bc1 and 21.Bc3 in the diagram position. After 21.Bc3 Nf5 22.Rh7 (not his main line).

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he says something like "Black plays 22...Qe4 and is winning." (and repeats it at the end of the clip).

While Black is probably ok after 22...Ne3, the position after 22...Qe4 23.Rc1 might even be bad for him instead of winning. Only when you check the analysis file, you realize that Vidit probably mixed up this line with 21.Bc1 Rd7 22.Rh7, when 22...Qe4 is indeed the right move (and mentioned in the file).

So as I wrote: lots of refreshing stuff and good ideas. But you have to compare the video with the files. Probably better for players who already know the opening than as an introduction to it.

I haven't checked your other question yet.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #11 - 08/04/17 at 19:05:44
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WSS wrote on 08/04/17 at 16:17:08:
I've been interested in exploring the Caro-Kann and was wondering which would be a better resource (with respect to the lines chosen and the content) - this DVD set or Houska's "Opening Repertoire: The Caro-Kann"?  Generally speaking a book will have more content but I'm curious if any of the C-K regulars have looked at both and would offer an opinion?  Or is there another resource you would suggest instead?  Thanks.


I really liked Peter Wells' Grandmaster Secrets: the Caro-Kann as a very good overview of the opening.  It's more detailed and more theoretical than most "Move by Move" books, for instance, but is still easily digestible and covers all Caro lines.  If you don't have prior experience I'd start there, and then pick whatever more recent books to get deeper in the theory.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #10 - 08/04/17 at 16:17:08
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I've been interested in exploring the Caro-Kann and was wondering which would be a better resource (with respect to the lines chosen and the content) - this DVD set or Houska's "Opening Repertoire: The Caro-Kann"?  Generally speaking a book will have more content but I'm curious if any of the C-K regulars have looked at both and would offer an opinion?  Or is there another resource you would suggest instead?  Thanks.
  
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Keano
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #9 - 08/03/17 at 10:54:27
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ErictheRed wrote on 08/02/17 at 16:54:40:
Yeah, it looked as though it was done in good spirits, just sporting fun on Tal's part.  It's not as though he was distracting him during a critical moment of the game or anything like that.


psychological warfare Smiley
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #8 - 08/02/17 at 16:54:40
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Yeah, it looked as though it was done in good spirits, just sporting fun on Tal's part.  It's not as though he was distracting him during a critical moment of the game or anything like that.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #7 - 08/02/17 at 08:57:13
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I remember doing that same joke as a kid (only in the Spanish where I "faked" a Marshall and went ...d6 instead). We both had a nice laugh about it.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #6 - 08/01/17 at 10:40:45
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Bit cheeky by Tal that. Fischer was not too impressed. I would have had a word with my opponent if he tried that on.
  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #5 - 08/01/17 at 08:14:03
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JEH wrote on 08/01/17 at 07:14:05:
"Tal fakes the move 1...c6 before giving the pawn a shove to c5, then offers a priceless smile to Fischer, who remains impassive."


Such a young RJF.  Another historical bit:  Edmar Mednis in his 1974 book "How to Beat Bobby Fischer" reckoned that 11. f5 was "The Losing Moment" (but would have been advantageous if played before castling).
« Last Edit: 08/01/17 at 09:20:11 by kylemeister »  
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Re: Not a word about a new DVD?
Reply #4 - 08/01/17 at 07:14:05
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Keano wrote on 07/31/17 at 22:35:41:
Fischer was onto something all those years back  Wink


"Tal fakes the move 1...c6 before giving the pawn a shove to c5, then offers a priceless smile to Fischer, who remains impassive."



http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2016/5/4/a-mildly-sadistic-joke-in-fischer-tal-...
  

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