In 2019, we redesignedChessBase Magazine adding a new more accessible layout, and revamped theMega Database 2020 layout as well. Then there's the new Fritz 17 with multiple engines including Fat Fritz, arguably the strongest chess playing entity on the planet as we head into the new year.

We've implemented several improvements to the FritzTrainer line of instructional videos, notably adding Mac compatibility to our flagship releases. An independent iPad version is also available. Now we've asked prolific reviewer Davide Nastasio, who's probably spent more time with the FritzTrainers than just about anyone, for his top picks of the year. Here are ten video series not to be missed!

For coaches and chess teachers the series of FritzTrainers by Pert on typical mistakes is fundamental in Nastasio's opinion.

Within the video series there are several chapters, and each chapter comprises a theme for games played between players rated between 1000-1600. Several games are explained and then there are many interactive examples for the viewer to have a go at themselves.

In every game of chess, there comes a moment when one is confronted with the question: what should I do now? Often, the solution involves more than finding just one single move, and you are rather challenged to work out a complete plan instead. In order to make an effective plan, one needs to delve deeper into the position just determining which pieces are good and bad normally is not enough to find your way.

Five key elements of positional play are discussed which help you formulate the right plan:

After going through the 12 examples from the theoretical section, its time for you to get actively involved! The author has collected no less than 50 instructive examples with multiple questions to test your positional understanding. On top of that, another 50+ examples have been added in a separate database, while there is also a new feature in the Fritz app to play out various positions.

The current World No.2, being a 1.e4 player his entire life, has shared his deep knowledge about the Ruy Lopez in a 3-DVD series, acclaimed by amateurs and professionals alike. In 2018, Fabiano Caruana achieved one of the most prestigious honours in the history of the game: he qualified for a match for the World Chess Championship. He lost, but left many surprised as to how he out-prepared and out-played Magnus in the classical portion of the match.Read the review.

Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

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The London System with 2.Bf4 Reloaded

Over the last couple of years nearly all the worlds elite grandmasters have been employing the London System, and on this DVD Simon Williams shows what we can learn from their practice. The Ginger GM takes a look at all the latest developments whilst t

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Why bother learning hundreds of complex variations when you can play a simple yet deadly opening the London System with 2.Bf4. Over the last couple of years nearly all the worlds elite grandmasters have been employing the London System, and on this DVD Simon Williams shows what we can learn from their practice. The Ginger GM takes a look at all the latest developments whilst teaching you all the basics that you need to know in order to play this opening with success.

Following his first bestseller on the London System, Williams new work not only updates previous analyses but is also packed with new and original ideas which can be used even at the highest level - a must for players who want results, yet do not have much time on their hands. If youre not a practitioner of the London System yet, in fact the only question remains: Why Not?

The London System is becoming increasingly popular, both at grandmaster and club level. The theory of the opening is developing quickly, with new things being tested all the time. This, in return, gives rises to fresh tactical ideas which should belong to the basic arsenal of any London devotee after all, tactics remains the be-all and end-all of the game. On this DVD, Simon Williams shows all the complications in the London System one has to know as White, giving you the tactical tools for a successful practice the player who knows the typical motifs has an advantage over the board. Using the interactive FritzTrainer format which invites the viewer to answer questions by entering the moves on the screen, the Ginger GM, intensively and systematically, makes your familiar with a multitude of typical tactical finesses in positions of the London System. Of course, those who dont yet have this opening in their repertoire can also profit after all, a sharp combinatorial vision is always useful in chess.

Of course Black has something to say about the opening as well. In this FritzTrainer, GM Yannick Pelletier offers Black a repertoire against the London System that you can employ no matter which opening (Systems with d5, systems with g6, Queens Indian, Queens Gambit, Benoni, Benko, Dutch) you usually play against 1.d4 followed by 2.c4. Thematic games explain and illustrate the theory and ideas of the repertoire Pelletier proposes. At the end of the DVD you are invited to test your knowledge. The author pauses at key moments and asks you to find and to play the best move, after which he gives feedback. A database with carefully selected and annotated games helps you to understand and play the opening better and to counter the London System with success.

Is Bird's opening an audacious attempt by chess mavericks? Or a slightly offbeat way for White to get an advantage in today's hyper-engine-analyzed opening landscape? Can the Bird's be a way to disorient our opponents using a lesser-known opening? The Bird's is an opening for players who are free spirits. IM Lawrence Trent in his latest work addresses this need, covering all of Black's answers, and proudly finding new moves in old lines. If you are a club or a tournament player, searching for a surprise weapon, the Bird's can give a boost to your wins! Read the review.

Always wanted to play like a World Champion? Search no further! With Magnus Carlsen using the Sveshnikov variation as his weapon of choice in the World Championship match against Fabiano Caruana, this DVD could not be better timed. The Dutch grandmaster Erwin LAmi (former second of Veselin Topalov and currently seconding Anish Giri), guides you through this dynamic opening variation. The DVD offers a complete overview of this fascinating opening that has inspired generations of chess players!

See also:Fast and Furious: The Sveshnikov surge

Nastasio noticed a flaw in many chess biographies of world champions. They all have an index for the opponents, they have an index for the openings, but there is no index for the interesting endgames. Often we find a 400 or 500 page biography with tons of games, yet no idea how to find typical middlegame themes or endgames to learn from. In the latest FritzTrainer from GM Karsten Mueller, however, you'll find the world champions' best endgames, each deconstructed using Mueller's great endgame insight and teaching experience.Read the review.

In Master Class Vol.11: Vladimir Kramnik,Dr. Karsten Mller, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Yannick Pelletiershowyou how to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess, how to successfully organise your games strategically, how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure and how to bring your games to a successful conclusion with accurate technical endgame play. Through Vladimir Kramniks games it is possible, moreover, to follow the history and development of numerous popular openings and thus obtain a better understanding of the ideas behind them.

Master Class Vol.11: Vladimir Kramnik

This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Pelletier, Marin, Mller and Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep y

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For a player who wants to learn a wide range of different middlegame positions, the English should definitely be high on the list. Flexibility in move orders can mean the difference between quiet or aggressive play.Marin, who previously authored one of the biggest literary works on the English opening and has now brought his experience to the video format in a new, updated repertoire. Glimpse his deep knowledge, acquired through years of practice, in order to gain confidence in this new opening weapon suitable in every type of setting, from long time control tournaments to online blitz.Read the review.

Looking for a holiday gift for your chess-fan friend or relative? We've got you covered! You'll find all these and much more in the ChessBase Shop!

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Top FritzTrainers of the year - Chessbase News

LUDHIANA: In what could be a satisfying result against India's top rated Grandmaster and fifth seeded Sasikiran Krishnan, city's only GM Raunak Sadhwani got success in holding his experienced opponent in the sixth Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival at Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday.

Defending brilliantly well with his black pieces the 13-year-old played out a marathon 63-move contest to hold country's top ranked Indian GM participating in the tournament. With this draw, both Raunak and 2656 Elo Sasikiran Krishnan maintained their joint fourth position.

While Raunak gave one of his best performances so far, Divya Deshmukh ended her two-game winning drought with a facile victory over Candidate Master Shahil Dey. Sankalp Gupta, however, found higher ranked Spanish GM Larino Nieto David tough to handle in the eighth round.

For 2507 Elo Raunak the day brought satisfactory result. On the 10th board, Raunak opted for the Ruy Lopez opening which had an Anti-Marshall Variation against the King Pawn start done by Sasikiran. Both the Indian masters fought for over 4.5 hours before they finally split the points with Raunak down by a piece in a double-rook end game.

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Raunak holds India's top rated GM Sasikiran in Spain - Times of India

The Premier Leagues official fantasy football league has over seven million entrants. And as of a few days, World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen was number one in the league. As of this writing, he's down to third place.

Apparently, Norwegians tend to do well in the league:

Carlsen, like many Norwegians, is obsessed with both the Premier League and its fantasy league spin-off. In 2017, eight players from Norway were in the top 50 FPL players in the world.

Along with a "phenomenal memory for Premier League details," Here's his strategy:

Writing for EGM, Alexis Ong looks at Neurocracy, SCP Foundation, and other gameful hypertexts. It reminded me of SCP-3308, which describes a disturbing Ikea. The location seems to be a typical Ikea, but once you enter, youre transported to an infinite space that looks like, but is not quite an Ikea: SCP-3008-1 is inhabited by []

I remember buying Westwood Studios (miss those guys) point-and-click Blade Runner game to play on my old ThinkPad, back in the late 1990s. It was the first game I can recall owning that spanned multiple disks. While I was surprised to find that the main character in the game neither looked or sounded like Harrison []

Writing for Vice, Gabriel Soares takes a look at Civilization and why a standard playthrough tends to get more boring as the player reaches modern day technology: what is progress in an historical 4X game? To be blunt, its the elimination of difference. The closer you are to us, the more you have progressed. []

A good vaporizer is a preferred method for casual smoking for a reason. Theres just something about the operation thats calming, and definitely preferable to lighting up. Combine that with CBD, and youve got a daily ritual that can not only melt your stress but chronic aches and pains too. This Jane West CBD Vape []

Anybody can be a creator. All you need is something to say. Those are great platitudes when youre building up the confidence to start your YouTube channel or vlog, but lets be honest: If you want to be heard, you need to look and sound presentable first. And were not just talking about your diction []

Want to class up your walls? There comes a time when we all must move out of the dorm room and its comfortable movie posters. A time when we might even consider purchasing actual art by actual living artists. Believe it or not, theres tons of great art out there and you might not []

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Current chess champion Magnus Carlsen is also one of the top fantasy soccer players in the world - Boing Boing

Chess, they say, is the gymnasium of the mind. And so, when one sees, a young eight-year-old trapezing through it, so effortlessly, it becomes a fascinating feat to behold. Alana Meenakshi Kolagatla is such a champion. A cute and lean-looking girl, its when you challenge her to a game of chess, that the mean-thinking machine in her comes leaping out. Focussed and composed, she quickly beats you at a game, with moves youve least expected.

At the age of five and a half, when most kids were trying to use crayons and colour inside the line, this young girl was already making highly strategic moves. It all started when I brought home the game of chess, and laid out the board in front of her. I simply told her the names of each of the pieces, and showed her a few basic moves, shares Dr. Aparna, Alanas mother. Without giving it a second thought, the box was brought out the next day, and Alana recalled not only all the pieces but their positions as well. Dr. Aparna being a junior level chess player herself, was quick to identify her talent, and slowly started to encourage her child. It would be casual games at home in the beginning, but I soon felt that I wasnt doing this right. She had interest and needed time and attention. A coach could really help her understand and explore the game better. Alana soon became part of a summer camp at YMCA, and despite being the youngest, her coach Chiranjeevi saw the spark in her, when she began beating opponents at matches.

It was from this juncture that Alana started getting into serious training. She participated in competitions, at district and state levels, acing in all of them. By the end of 2018, Alana had played in different formats and even won medals for the country. This included winning four medals at the 14th Asian Schools Chess Championship, in Sri Lanka, which comprised of a gold, a silver and two bronzes in the Under 7 girls category. She went on to bag the gold in Classic format and also the Women Candidate Master (WCM) Title. Alana next participated in the 32nd Under-7 girls nationals Championships in Karnataka and was tied for gold. She went on to win at the Under 8 girls category in the Asian Youth Chess Championship, in Sri Lanka in 2019 and won two gold medals for India in the rapid format in both individual and team. Riding the wave of victories, she next represented India at the World Cadet Chess Championship 2019 in China and finished in the top 15. This was closely followed by the Western Asian Junior and Youth Chess Championship at New Delhi where Alana dominated all the Chess formats in the Under-8 girls category, as she finished with two gold in Rapid and Blitz and one bronze in Classic format. Having finished 47 brilliant matches, in a short span of 37 days, she has moved from one victory to another, as she was defeating children her age, and many opponents who were older than her too. It was encouraging to see her improve at every game, analysing mistakes and learning from them., says her mother Dr. Aparna.

Having started to play very early on, life has been far from typical for this chess player. However, it hasnt affected her much. When shes home, shes chilled out, plays with her friends, paints, and draws. When shes travelling, she adapts to new places quickly, shares her father Madhu Kolagatla. It did take a while to adjust to food options in different countries, and for a while, my wife would carry a cooker to provide the type of food that Alana was used to. But soon, that wasnt required as well, as Alana started adapting to new environments and foods. When asked what the extended family and relatives had to say, Dr. Aparna dismisses by saying, There was some criticism initially, but slowly support started growing when they saw her winning, she adds.

After her gold at the Asian Youth and Western Asian Chess Championship, Alana now eyes the dream of becoming the youngest Grandmaster. Currently undergoing training, at Chennais Chess Gurukul, this chess player is honing her skills. Shes building patience, technique, and skill, to tackle the games that come her way in the future. Having been an official Indian representative for this years Under-8 girls Chess World Youth Cadet, Asian Youth, Common Wealth, Western Asian Youth and Under-9 girls Chess Championship for World Schools, Asian Schools, and Indian Nationals, she has shouldered plenty at her young age. And as she readies for upcoming competitions, this young star is set to shine further.

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Meet Alana Meenakshi, the 8 year old chess player making Vizag proud - Yo Vizag

These two wily operators are circling each other warily. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

To read most press accounts, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and his closest allies are fighting a lonely battle to keep the impending impeachment trial of Donald Trump short and bereft of witnesses. Meanwhile, Trump himself, House Republicans, and maybe some Senate renegades like Ted Cruz want a trial focused on the alleged corruption of the Bidens that the president was supposedly pursuing in his conversations with the president of Ukraine, while airing some of the vast conspiracy theories about the origins of the witch hunt Democrats have pursued to torment the poor, defenseless POTUS.

And now comes Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer with his own demands for a longer trial with witnesses, as the Washington Post reports:

The top Senate Democrat on Sunday called for subpoenaing several senior Trump administration officials who have yet to testify in the Houses impeachment probe as witnesses for President Trumps likely trial part of an opening salvo in negotiations that could determine the parameters for the Senate proceedings next month.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) outlined a number of procedural demands that Democrats say would make the Senate trial fair and able to be completed within a reasonable period of time.

That includes subpoenas issued by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. for acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; Robert Blair, a senior adviser to Mulvaney; former national security adviser John Bolton; and Michael Duffey, a top official at the Office of Management and Budget. Mulvaney, Blair and Duffey had been subpoenaed by the House committees and defied the summons; Bolton has not been subpoenaed but indicated he would fight one in court.

Schumers demands, it should be understood, are in the context of a possible (but not at all mandatory) bipartisan resolution laying out the details of an impeachment trial beyond the broad outlines set by the Constitution and the standing Senate rules. Such a resolution was enacted prior to the Clinton impeachment trial in 1999, to the great surprise of observers at the time. Absent a deal, the Senate majority can easily impose a set of rules of its own by a simple majority. And items not covered by those ad hoc guidelines may trigger rulings from the chair (in this case, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts) and/or additional Senate votes, with 51 needed for a decision (except for procedures that require amendment of the standing Senate rules, which will require a supermajority).

Yes, Democrats particularly in the House, where the White Houses obstruction of efforts to secure testimony from high-ranking administration officials led to an entire second article of impeachment would love to get the opportunity to question Mulvaney, Blair, and Duffey, and have reason to think a subpoena issued by the chief justice in a Senate trial would not be challengeable in federal courts. But the White House and Senate Republicans are very unlikely to agree to such a stipulation. So what Schumer is probably conducting is a dual gambit to satisfy Democrats who want a deeper impeachment investigation than the House was able to pull off, while signaling no deal to McConnell on a bipartisan rules package even as he talks the language of bipartisanship.

Schumer is also doing McConnell the favor of giving him a talking point against Republican demands for a broader, longer trial with the witnesses Trump wants. Absent a bipartisan deal (and Schumer is no more likely to accept the idea of Hunter Biden testifying than McConnell will go along with dragging Mulvaney into the Senate), decisions about calling witnesses could wind up being resolved on individual votes, and McConnell might well fear the possibility of just enough Republicans defecting on one or more that he could lose control of the parameters of the trial. In any event, the only available compromise is for both sides to back off demands for witnesses, leading to the short-and-sweet trial and acquittal McConnell wants.

This is a tricky business, though. House Republicans and allied professional troublemakers like Ted Cruz are unlikely to stop agitating for a longer trial with witnesses until Trump publicly goes along with McConnells plans. Thats why the Kentuckian is making such a big display of his total coordination with the White House, as I noted last week:

McConnell knows that the only way to put out the MAGA fire building for an insane-a-thon in the Senate is to get Washingtons chief pyromaniac on his side. What harm is a little groveling if it keeps the lid on the craziness? Being a megalomaniac wrangler is all just part of service in Trumps army.

In other words, theres a lot of not-entirely-sincere posturing going on about how this impeachment trial will proceed. My money would be on McConnell keeping a lid on it, providing Republicans with a quick acquittal, and Democrats with protection for Joe Biden and for the five Democratic senators currently in the presidential race who could be imprisoned in Washington during a long trial.

Having said that, Cruz has helped cast some light on the fiction that senators are exactly like jurors in a criminal trial who must remain totally silent during the trial:

Senators are not required, like jurors in a criminal trial, to be sequestered, not to talk to anyone, not to coordinate. Theres no prohibition, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) said on This Week, calling impeachment inherently a political exercise and Trumps impeachment a partisan show trial.

The standing Senate rules for impeachment trials provide no avenues for senators to speak (they must submit questions for any witnesses in writing), but theres no gag order preventing them from saying whatever pops into their heads when the trial itself is not in session. Id expect senators to have a lot to say late at night and on Sundays, though some will use the juror excuse to avoid reporters and angry constituents.

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Schumer and McConnell Play Chess Over Impeachment Trial Rules - New York Magazine

by beth on December 19, 2019

Above: The Library has planned some free fun for kids after Christmas. (images from Library Facebook page, Magician Stephen Brenners website, and of Legos from flickr by Benjamin Esham)

It has been a busy time of year for public events. Thats about to quiet down, but the Southborough Library will offer some fun for kids on school break. Here are the dates to save.

First, they will be taking a break for Christmas Eve and Day, so be sure to check out materials or passes by Monday at 5:00 pm.

Theyll reopen on Thursday, December 26th.

At 4:00 pm that day, Childrens Librarian Kim Ivers will hold her annual winter break storytime with Hot Chocolate. Kids are encouraged to come in their pjs. This year, the fun will take place in the downstairs Eaton Meeting room.

On Friday, December 27th, the Library offers two drop-in choices for fun.

From 10:30 am 4:00 pm kids can build with Legos in the Eaton Meeting Room. They can build creations to be displayed in the Childrens Room. (Parent attendance is required. The activity is geared towards ages 4 and older.)

That afternoon, Drop-in Chess will take place from 2:30 4:30 pm on the main floor. All ages are welcome to play. (Thats also available this Friday, December 20th, in the Eaton Meeting Room.)

The following week, the Library is bringing in special entertainment.

On Monday, December 30th at 11:00 am, the Library will host a magic show for kids:

Magician Stephen Brenner will share magic and a surprise or two! This fun and engaging event is sponsored by Friends of the Southborough Library. All ages are welcome and registration is not required.

The Library will close early on Tuesday, December 31st for New Years Eve (5:00 pm).

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Library fun over break: Hot cocoa storytime, Lego play, chess, and magic - mysouthborough