Ginger

Sokolov Explains - Middlegame Pawn Structures DVD

(No reviews yet) Write a Review
SKU:
SOKO-MID
Region 0 DVD:
This DVD will run on all platforms – PC, MAC, games consoles and set top boxes. 625 PAL.
AUD 33.85

Description

Middlegame Pawn Structures

This is the legendary Ivan Sokolov’s first ever DVD. It is with great pleasure and honor that we are able to bring Ivan’s vast experience of our beautiful game to video. Ivan has been part of the world’s chess elite for all of his adult life. In his youth Ivan was tipped by many as being a future world champion. His career has included victories over Kasparov and a large number of the world’s elite.

Within this DVD the viewer will learn a great deal about Middlegame Pawn structures. Ivan looks at isolated pawns, symmetrical pawns and a vast array of other structures, while teaching us some valuable lessons. Ivan does this by first building up the position from its bare roots and then adding material, so each aspect of the position is understood.

In this DVD Ivan mainly concentrates on four areas relating to Pawn Structures:

1) The ‘Karpov’ Pawn Structure:
This part of the DVD was something completely new to me, showing that even GMs have a lot to learn! Sokolov explains pawn structures based around the following set up:

1.jpg


This position was reached in Karpov vs Georgiev, 1994.

How should White respond to Black’s last move …a5?

Should White:

1) Capture on a5.
2) Push on with b5.
3) Support the White b-pawn with a3?

Sokolov gives us an in-depth explanation as to what is the best approach for White. It is worth noting that this type of pawn structure often occurs from the opening moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5

2) The Isolated Pawn:

How should you play with the isolated pawn and how should you play against the isolated pawn? I found the next position especially fun:

2.jpg


This was reached in Beliavsky vs Illescas Cordoba, 1990.

What did Black play?

Illescas, who was the world’s leading expert in this type of isolated queens pawn position, now played the excellent move …Re5!! Threatening …Rh5 with a big attack.

Ivan was particularly impressed by what Ivanchuk played in the following position against Aronian:

3.jpg

Buy the video to find the correct approach for White!

3) The d5 Pawn Break

Check out Ivan’s best ever game, where he won a brilliancy prize in 2003 by defeating Judit Polgar. In the following position

4.jpg

Ivan now played the typical break d5!! to gain a strong attack.

4) Pawn Symmetry. – "One side is more equal than the other side…"

Even when things look equal, danger still lurks. Ivan shows us what to watch out for when playing symmetrical positions. One famous example he uses is from the following game:

5.jpg

Taken from Kasparov’s last win in his famous world championship match against Karpov. The position may look harmless but Ivan tells us why Kasparov is virtually winning.

System Requirements: This DVD will run on all platforms – PC, MAC, games consoles and set top boxes. 625 PAL.

View AllClose

0 Reviews

View AllClose

Why Customers Love ChessCentral!


Curated Chess products

 Free and Fast Shipping in USA

Guaranteed Safe Checkout

Live, Human, USA support

What People Say About Us

 

Cindy Rlnj

★★★★★

Customer Service Beyond Expectation

First of all, the chess set is beautiful. I gave it to my son two Christmases ago and he plays it constantly. He is very proud of it. So...when our dog captured the pawn and chewed it, my son was bummed. I contacted Chess Central and they said that they would work on it. I totally forgot about it and figured I'd never hear back. Today, guess what arrived in the mail? The black pawn! My son actually did a little jig. Thank you, ChessCentral.

Robert G.

★★★★★

This is by far the most impressive chess set I've ever seen!!

Now you have to know up front when buying online I generally look at the three star and lower reviews, so I ordered this set with a lot of skepticism, just sure something was going to be FUBAR,...... Boy was I wrong!! I got the set and carefully un-packed it and was just amazed. It is PERFECT!! Seems that all the every flaw that had been complained about in the three star and less reviews had been addressed by the manufacturer!! So being eager to show it off and being a good ole boy, I invite my buddies over and we all set out on the porch {now that the weather is finally getting nice out} and play from noon until sunset. I enjoy all the compliments this beautiful the set gets, and everyone loves to play on it!!

H. Loomis

★★★★★

I've shopped at ChessCentral three times now, and twice I've had questions about a particular product. I don't know much about chess software. Anyway, I was shocked to receive detailed answers later that same day! I mean, who does that? Shipping was fast and well packaged. All in all, a great chess website.