https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?board=berlin Berlin - ChessPub Forum en-us ChessPub Forum Wed, 19 Aug 2026 02:27:32 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 30 https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1640187549 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1640187549 Thu, 3 Feb 2022 17:11:32 GMT <a href="https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1640187549/45#45">fluffy wrote</a> on 02/03/22 at 13:44:05:<br /><div id="202A3320203F4600">which they stole from Metropolitan Chess. not sure it can be a flagship brand considering some of the offerings with that moniker. </div><!--202A3320203F4600--><br /><br />Do you know for sure that Thinkers stole the "Modernized" brand from Metropolitan Chess? From memory Metropolitan produced 3 or 4 books under this brand then stopped producing books. Perhaps there was some agreement reached around the use of Modernized, the chess publishing community is pretty small and they all seem to know each other. https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1576864901 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1576864901 Sat, 16 May 2020 21:38:28 GMT If you don't mind being very slightly worse, I think 7...Nf5 is worth considering. https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1559111892 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1559111892 Fri, 31 May 2019 20:09:25 GMT <a href="https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1559111892/2#2">gillbod wrote</a> on 05/30/19 at 08:57:34:<br /><div id="5D53565658555E3A01">instead of recapturing the knight, try and exploit the non-standard position of the bishop with 5...c6. After 6.Bc4 exd4, the threat of Nxe4 is much stronger compared to the regular centre attack because the knight can be reinforced with ...d5.<br /> </div><!--5D53565658555E3A01--><br /><br />A quick look at the database would suggest that white seems to be doing pretty well after 7Qxd4 ? https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1422758625 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1422758625 Sun, 17 Mar 2019 06:53:36 GMT To me, a more interesting question is: What should White play after 4...Bc5? Fressinet's lines on chess24 look solid, maybe White even has to resort to amusing stuff like Carlsen's 5.Ba4 if he wants Black out of his comfort zone early. https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1326363432 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1326363432 Fri, 1 Jun 2018 16:22:02 GMT <a href="https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1326363432/56#56">IsaVulpes wrote</a> on 06/01/18 at 13:41:09:<br /><div id="26202C2423242D24241402">Does anyone other than the chessmind-blog have an opinion on this book by now?  <img rel=";&#45;&#41;" src="https://www.chesspub.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gif" alt="Wink" title="Wink" /> Somehow all discussion stopped after it was actually released.<br /><br />I really like the two Chess Stars books I own (Attacking the Flexible Sicilian / Attacking the English+Reti), and would like to add the Berlin to my repertoire for days where I don't feel like discussing the Marshall.<br /><br />Is this book still a good idea despite being obviously dated by now? Don't really feel like I need any cutting edge theory at ~1900 level, but perhaps some of the lines are outright 'refuted' by now?<br />I was planning to learn the Endgame with Cox and use this for a start into the Anti-Berlins; can always update concrete lines later manually by checking out what people play nowadays (I presume that particularly the 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bc6: line has had some major developments in the last 6 years).<br /><br />How does it stack up compared to the much more recent "Berlin Defence Unraveled"? <br />The excerpt of that one didn't read as nicely; felt more confuddled and denser than the neat Introduction-StepbyStep-CompleteGames format of the CStars books, which I've grown to love. <br />Should I get it anyway because 2012 is just 'too old' (even for a low rated OTB player rather than Correspondence GM)? <br /><br />Or are there any other general problems with the Lysyj/Ovetchkin tome? Feedback would be lovely, thanks! </div><!--26202C2423242D24241402--><br /><br />I found no problems with either Cox or Lysyj/Ovetchkin (whatever endorsement that entails) when I was looking for ways to play against the Berlin with White (the conclusion I reached was to play 3.Bc4 or 2.Bc4). For me: Cox > Lysyj > Bernal (I only read Bernal's excerpt). <br /><br />I would just read the book whose style you like best. In the Berlin understanding of typical positions, common maneuvers/patterns/formations is what matters. Concrete variations and innovations matter less than in pretty much any other opening. <br /> https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1496997163 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1496997163 Thu, 1 Mar 2018 10:17:21 GMT <a href="https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1496997163/3#3">nestor wrote</a> on 06/11/17 at 09:12:38:<br /><div id="6763616F643B3866700A03">As a 2000ish OTB player I find the balance of text and analysis to be pretty good, particularly as this isn't an opening where you live or die by forced tactical sequences. I also appreciate the author sometimes concluding that (e.g.) White is a bit better but Black should hold, rather than asserting that Black has equality everywhere. </div><!--6763616F643B3866700A03--><br /><br />As a 2200ish OTB player who has taken up 1. e4 only recently I approve this. I have been using this book in order to get to know the Berlin for three months now and I am satisfied. The whole Berlin seems to be devoid of joy, but then again, I have been grinding Caro-Kann endgames happily for years. It's not a repertoire book but a thorough explanation of the Berlin for both sides. This book is clearly written for reference.<br /><br />The editing is indeed somewhat sloppy, but the physical copy was shipped with an errata sheet. Moreover, the editing errors are only a minuscule inconvenience. I do not concur with calling it unreadable. https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1444430250 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1444430250 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 15:47:54 GMT Great game by Yi Wei in Wijk aan Zee today with the d3 and Bxc6 line. Very impressive. https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1436975293 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1436975293 Tue, 21 Jul 2015 07:04:11 GMT <a href="https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1436975293/6#6">SupaKoopaTroopa wrote</a> on 07/20/15 at 13:59:17:<br /><div id="496F6A7B5175756A7B4E6875756A7B1A04">I wonder what the stats are in this line for say players over 2300 to 2400... </div><!--496F6A7B5175756A7B4E6875756A7B1A04--><br /><br />There are hardly any games with Carlsen's .. Ba6 idea. <br /><br />A month later, Grishuk preferred 11. Rd1 against Andreikin in the Baku edition of the Grand Prix. They continued with 11. .. Bb7 12. Bf4 Bb4 which had been played, amongst others, in Stellwagen v Carlsen at Wijk back in 2009.<br /><br />As with many variations in the Berlin, it isn't so much individual moves that make a difference, as the broad sweep of plans and piece placement. <br /> https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1301976882 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1301976882 Fri, 21 Nov 2014 18:54:58 GMT <a href="https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1301976882/20#20">trw wrote</a> on 11/14/14 at 00:29:53:<br /><div id="584F48545B5D5F3A05">It isn't a "serious" move because it gives up any attempt for advantage on move 4. It makes Berlin players happy and justifies our playing 3... Nf6. </div><!--584F48545B5D5F3A05--><br /><br /> <img rel="&#58;-?" src="https://www.chesspub.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/huh.gif" alt="Huh" title="Huh" /> <img rel="&#58;-?" src="https://www.chesspub.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/huh.gif" alt="Huh" title="Huh" /> <img rel="&#58;-?" src="https://www.chesspub.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/huh.gif" alt="Huh" title="Huh" /> https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1392524102 ChessPub Forum/Berlin https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1392524102 Thu, 20 Feb 2014 12:38:14 GMT Most definitely Cox, unless you are a titled player.<br />You could also find useful the Kritz DVD at Chessbase, where the deal is the extremely solid Ke8/Be7 line, which is just fine, but Black should not expect something more than a draw if white is not a total patzer.