Matemax wrote on 02/23/08 at 15:07:07:


Perhaps White is winning after 34.Rxe7+, I am not sure;  but Black could have resisted better with 34...Kf8, it seems to me.

Nieztsche, agreed, the Kramnik DVD is just marvellous on his two Berlin games and the philosophy of the opening. Bareev's book on the matches too is interesting, not least to compare.

Matemax; great game, thanks for posting. (sighs and rushes away to update...).

I can't find this chesslecture.com thing either. If anyone does find it and can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it. (I can find the site, I mean, but not the lecture in question).

[quote author=Bibs link=1171536587/30#33 date=1198918252]John Cox,

A considered lecture by Bryan Smith @ ChessLecture.com

on
e4 e5
Nf3 Nc6
Bb5 Nf6
00 Ne4
Qe2

which is very much worth a look in terms of your forthcoming Berlin text.

Bibs,
I checked out a sample video on Chess Lecture.com and liked it very much so I'll sign up. But I never could find this Bryan Smith lecture on the Berlin. What date was it?

                          Thanks, CMA

Indeed, Sherzer was Berlin when Berlin wasn't cool.  Sort of like Bisguier 50 years ago.  In one database, Sherzer's score with it (as Black after 4...Nxe4) is +8 -1 =4 ...

Tim, Kaufman's coverage is of 9...Ke8 and 10...Be7. So all the lines he covers are in the ...Be7 chapter. As a move independent of the main 3 ways of developing I'm not big on it, no. You're right it used to be played a lot that way in the 50's and 60's, but I think there's good reason why it isn't any more.


(Actually ...Be7 is normally introduced by 9....Ke8. So it was misleading of me to call it the 9...Be7 chapter; sorry about that)

IMJohnCox wrote on 02/01/08 at 12:12:56:


This looks like an incredible book!

I've been playing around with the berlin for about a year, and some of the ideas I see played in high level games (like when to play ...g5) I have a lot of trouble understanding.

I will be buying this for sure!!

[quote author=IMJohnCox link=1171536587/30#36 date=1201867976]I haven't finished it yet, that's why!

The contents will look something like this:

1      Introduction, bibliography, brief positional introduction and illustrative game (1 game)
2      Typical endings arising (Ps, Ns, same bishop, oppo bishop, B v N, N v QB, N v KB, Rs, N/N v N/QB, N/BvB/B, N/B v N/QB, R/N v R/QB, R/B v R/KB, R/B v R/QB, R/R v R/R, N/N/B v B/B/N) – haven’t counted but about 50 fragments
3      Typical middlegame/tactical themes (for White e6 break, sacrifice of c2 pawn, N on d5, N on h5, breaking the blockade with g4, meeting …a5 with a3 or a4?, and a whole lot more I can’t call to mind at work, for Black; taking advantage of premature g4, when…Bb4xc3 is a good idea, …g5 or …g6, which exchanges to aim for, disquisitions on which piece should go where, and so forth. (also about 50 fragments)

[That sound quite crap like that, but I have a rather better list of themes at home. Both 2 and 3 are on the Berlin Endgame only)]

4      Theory of 9…Bd7 (and …Bd7 systems in general). (about 10 games)
5      Theory of 9 …Ne7 (and …Ne7 systems in general).  (about ten games)
6      Theory of 9 …Be7 and …Be7 systems in general. (about ten games)
7      Theory of Black’s ninth-move alternatives (9….Be6, 9….a5, 9…h6 or 9….Ke8 insofar as they are independent, 9 others) (about ten games)
8      Theory of White’s alternatives between moves 4 and 8 (4 d3/d4/Qe2/Bxc6, 5 Re1/Qe2, 6 dxe5 (about 15 games, I think – this section is repertoire only, from Black’s point of view.)

John, it sounds like a fantastic opening tome and just what is needed for the Berlin RL. Unlike the situation in such sharp lines as the Botvinnik Semi-Slav or much of the Sicilian, the Berlin RL is more dependent on themes and ideas than exact move sequences.
    So it looks now as if the book will be available for sale in 2/08?
     C67 is my main 1...e5 defense, so I will be looking forward to your new opus.
  I do hope you give enough space to 9...Bd7, Kramnik's original move to revive the Defense. It was never refuted; I still think it is the strongest move for Black, though it has been largely superceded by 9...Ne7.
                              Best, CMA

John,
I got a notice from Amazon about your new book,"The Berlin Wall: The Variation That Brought Down Kasparov" but it's not available there or anywhere else I could find.
   I haven't found any reviews of it. Could you give us a table of contents?
                             CMA