New in Chess Yearbook 141 (K-339/141)

Forum
In the FORUM Section, René Olthof analyses a spectacular game by Russian GM (and Yearbook author!) Alexander Predke which might just feature the best novelty of 2021. Han Schut investigates Magnus Carlsen’s combination of 4.h4 with Nadanian’s old bizarre move 6.Na4 in the Grünfeld – is it worth a try? And Viktor Moskalenko is back – not, this time, with a French novelty, but with a special twist to a well-known gambit in the Trompowsky. There are also new insightful letters by Wayne R.Gradl and Rafal Ogiewka.

From Sadler’s Engine Room
Matthew Sadler’s second column on computer chess openings focuses on the famous TCEC SuperFinals between the Stockfish and Leela Zero engines. We get a glimpse (well – an extensive look) behind the scenes of which openings are chosen for these SuperFinals by Jeroen Noomen and… Matthew Sadler! As always, the top engines have their own, often quite surprising, approaches to these opening lines.

Reviews

Glenn Flear reviews a new book on the hot London System by Oscar de Prado – the Spaniard’s second work on this opening, this time with a quite different angle, is called The London System in 12 Practical Lessons. Fabiano Caruana has turned his DVD Navigating the Ruy Lopez into a book called Caruana’s Ruy Lopez, and it features some extremely instructive explanation from the World’s No. 2. Of course Flear also had to find out what his compatriot Gawain Jones had made of the attractive-sounding concept of Coffeehouse Repertoire (Volume 1), and finally he compares Mihail Marin’s two recent books on one opening: Leningrad Dutch and Dutch Sidelines.

1.e4 openings

Sicilian Defence - Moscow Variation 3..b5+ - Ganguly

Sicilian Defence - Najdorf Variation 6..g5 - Zwirs

Sicilian Defence - Dragon Variation 9.0-0-0 - Golubev

Sicilian Defence - Sveshnikov Variation 9..d5 - Van der Wiel

Caro-Kann Defence - Advance Variation 4..f3 - Rodi

Ruy Lopez - Berlin Defence 4.d3 - Warmerdam

Ruy Lopez - Berlin Defence 6..a4 - Timman

Ruy Lopez - M'f8ller Variation 5....c5 - Flear

Ruy Lopez - New Arkhangelsk Variation 6....c5 - Gupta

Ruy Lopez - New Arkhangelsk Variation 6....c5 - Ris

Ruy Lopez - Zaitsev Variation 12.a3 - K.Szabo

Italian Game - Giuoco Piano 6...d5 - Pijpers

Italian Game - Giuoco Piano 6..g5 - Ganguly

Vienna Game - Azerbaijan Variation 3.d4 - Ponomariov

1.d4 openings

Queen’s Gambit Declined - Early Divergences 4...dxc4 - Vilela

Slav Defence - Slow Slav 4.e3 - Panczyk and Ilczuk

Tarrasch Defence - Semi-Tarrasch 6.e4 - Mchedlishvili

Queen’s Gambit Accepted - Two Knights Variation 4..c3 - Ikonnikov

Queen’s Gambit Accepted - Classical Variation 7..c3 - Adams

Grünfeld Indian Defence - Exchange Variation 5..d2 - Olthof

Grünfeld Indian Defence - Exchange Variation 7..f3 - Vigorito

King’s Indian Defence - Early Divergences 3.h4 - Sokolov

Queen’s Pawn Openings - 3.g3 Line - Fogarasi

Queen’s Pawn Openings - 3.g3 Line - Gledura

Others

Réti Opening - Early Divergences 2....d7 - Karolyi