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Sokolov, Ivan

Ivan Sokolov is a Dutch chess Grandmaster and author of popular chess books. He was Yugoslav champion in 1988 and Dutch champion in 1995 and 1998. For more than two decades he has been on of the elite players and has beaten many of the strongest players in the world.
Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 7</a>

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 7

Many young top-players are opting for the trendy “Dynamic Catalan” where, against the triangle or semi-slav structures, White can sacrifice a pawn to gain immediate initiative. This sacrifice can lead to long term positional advantage, but often White can unleash dangerous threats upon the black king with a central pawn break.

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 8</a>

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 8

The French is a complex opening and can lead to a wide variety of middlegames. The Winawer after 3...Bb4 is Black’s most proactive option, immediately weakening White’s pawn structure by doubling their c-pawns. While Black gets to play against the weak square d4, White often gets attacking chances on the kingside and a space advantage.

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 9</a>

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 9

In the Tarrasch variation, White seems to be doing great, but initial evaluations can be deceptive and Black certainly has trumps, creating complicated and fascinating positions. “The French´s household-name proponent is the legendary Victor Kortschnoj - arguably the best player to have never become world champion - so naturally, I have included a number of his games.

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 5</a>

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 5

Understanding an opening doesn’t stop after the theory. It’s essential to understand ideas and structures connected to the opening moves. Furthermore, recognizing mistakes by your opponent to gain an advantage is a key component of the middlegame.

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 6</a>

Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 6

Understanding an opening doesn’t stop after the theory. It’s essential to understand ideas and structures connected to the opening moves. Furthermore, recognizing mistakes by your opponent to gain an advantage is a key component of the middlegame.