Quality Chess Blog

We are happy to announce that one of our favourite authors, GM Mihail Marin, is writing a book for Quality Chess about the legendary player Bent Larsen. So we have a great author, fascinating topic, ideas for the cover based on a specially-commissioned painting, but we have one problem – we can’t decide on a title.

We have been playing with ideas based on Larsen’s characteristics: optimism, creativity, fighting spirit, and so many more. Titles such as:
“The Lethal Optimist”
“The Warrior Optimist”
“The Fighting Optimist”
“The Immortal Optimist”
“The Eternal Optimist”
One of us even suggested:
“Hell-Bent on Winning”

So what do you think? Do you like any of the above? Any better ideas? New ideas are welcome – it certainly does not have to be based on any of the above.

If we use your suggested title, we will mention you on page 2 of the book, and send you a free copy of the book you helped to name.

As John said in a previous blog, Quality Chess has just published The Exhilarating Elephant Gambit. In that connection, Killer Chess Training is organizing a Gambit weekend.

For any reader of Quality Chess who wants to join the simul tomorrow, the 5th of December, 17:00-19:00 UK time, just join the team.

Also, you can join our Blitz tournament on Sunday for free here.

Now, for anyone who wants to join for the whole weekend for free, we came up with a special offer. Whoever takes a photo of their brand new Exhilarating Elephant Gambit book and upload it on social media, tagging Killer Chess Training – The rebranded 365chessacademy using the @KillerChessTraining shortcut for Facebook and Instagram, will get a free pass for the whole weekend. Bonus point if you tag also The Exhilarating Elephant Gambit page @ElephantGambit.

If your book has not arrived yet, you can make a post tagging the pages and you can use the book cover photo.

Yes, if you buy your copy now, you can still get the Gambit weekend for free.

Afterwards, go to the Killer Chess Training e-shop, add the Gambit Weekend Camp and check out without paying.

Send us an email to KillerChessTraining (a) gmail (dot) com with your order number and we will activate your pass. We can guarantee the pass for the first 50 people.

You will own the product and have access to the recordings indefinitely, so even if the live classes are not compatible with your schedule, it is still worth it signing up.

If you are not a social media person, we respect that. Go to the website, add the Gambit weekend camp to your basket, checkout without paying, send us and a photo of your book and we will activate your pass.

We are continuing our free-fourth-book offer – if you buy three books or more and live in the normal European Union zone (as defined by UPS – for example, they exclude some islands and remote areas) we will send you an extra book free.

The previous default option on the free book was The Secret Life of Bad Bishops. For December and January we will switch the default option to CHESS BEHIND BARS. But if you already have that book, or would prefer a different free book, then send us an email to salesgroup@qualitychess.co.uk with your order, asking to have it replaced with one of the following titles:

ATTACKING THE SPANISH
CARLSEN’S ASSAULT ON THE THRONE
CHAMPIONS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM
CUTTING EDGE 1: THE OPEN SICILIAN
CUTTING EDGE 2: SICILIAN NAJDORF 6.Be3
GRANDMASTER BATTLE MANUAL
GRANDMASTER VERSUS AMATEUR
LUTHER’S CHESS REFORMATION
REGGIO EMILIA 2007/2008
THE ALTERMAN GAMBIT GUIDE – WHITE GAMBITS
THE ALTERMAN GAMBIT GUIDE – BLACK GAMBITS VOLUME 1
THE ALTERMAN GAMBIT GUIDE – BLACK GAMBITS VOLUME 2
THE SECRET LIFE OF BAD BISHOPS
SAN LUIS 2005

Two new books are at the printer, and expected to be published on November 25th.

Sicilian Warfare by Ilya Smirin is a follow-up to the author’s warmly-received King’s Indian Warfare. Brilliant games and world-class insight into 1.e4 c5. You can read an excerpt here.

The Exhilarating Elephant Gambit by Jakob Aabling-Thomsen and Michael Agermose Jensen. Lively, detailed and enthusiastic coverage of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5!?. You can read an excerpt here.

365 Chess Academy is hosting a three-day camp to celebrate the publication of the 2012 World Championship Challenger Boris Gelfand’s two new endgame books; Technical Decision Making in Chess and Decision Making in Major Piece Endings by Quality Chess.

GM Boris Gelfand is returning as a guest lecturer to 365 Chess Academy. He will be joined by some of our regular coaches, such as GM Jacob Aagaard, GM Sam Shankland, GM Julen Arizmendi, and IM Renier Castellanos.

This camp is completely free for 365 subscribers and is offered at a hugely discounted price for non-subscribers; only $49!

We highly recommend that you subscribe at least with a monthly membership ($99), so that you can enjoy all these great chess trainers on a regular basis. Click here to go to the shop.

Schedule (UK timings)

Friday 9 October

17:30 GM Jacob Aagaard – Deep analysis in the Endgame.
19:30 GM Sam Shankland – Low on time? Being Practical in Modern Endgames

Saturday 10 October

17:00 GM Julen Arizmendi – Tricks, traps and tactics in the endgame
19:00 GM Boris Gelfand – Technical Decision Making in Chess
21:00 Simul with GM Sam Shankland

Sunday 11 October

17:00 IM Renier Castellanos – The five rules of opposite coloured bishop endings
19:00 GM Boris Gelfand – Decision Making in Major Piece Endings

Check out the timings of the camp in your local time zone here, using our Google Calendar.

We are continuing our free-fourth-book offer – if you buy three books or more and live in the normal European Union zone (as defined by UPS – for example, they exclude some islands and remote areas) we will send you an extra book free. This seems like a fine time for a reminder that we will publish three new titles on September 30th.

Please note that if you buy a Special Offer and are in the EU zone, we will add one free book. For example, if a European buys the Special Offer on our award-winning Grandmaster Preparation series, then we would send the 6 hardcovers, plus one free extra book.

The previous default option on the free book was Luther’s Chess Reformation. For the last few days of September and for October and November we will switch the default option to THE SECRET LIFE OF BAD BISHOPS. But if you already have that book, or would prefer a different free book, then send us an email to salesgroup@qualitychess.co.uk with your order, asking to have it replaced with one of the following titles:

ATTACKING THE SPANISH
CARLSEN’S ASSAULT ON THE THRONE
CHAMPIONS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM
CHESS BEHIND BARS
CUTTING EDGE 1: THE OPEN SICILIAN
CUTTING EDGE 2: SICILIAN NAJDORF 6.Be3
GRANDMASTER BATTLE MANUAL
GRANDMASTER VERSUS AMATEUR
LUTHER’S CHESS REFORMATION
REGGIO EMILIA 2007/2008
THE ALTERMAN GAMBIT GUIDE – WHITE GAMBITS
THE ALTERMAN GAMBIT GUIDE – BLACK GAMBITS VOLUME 1
THE ALTERMAN GAMBIT GUIDE – BLACK GAMBITS VOLUME 2
SAN LUIS 2005

On September 30 we will publish the next two volumes in Boris Gelfand’s celebrated Decision Making series. They are Technical Decision Making in Chess and Decision Making in Major Piece Endings. Excerpts of both books are now available – there is the Technical excerpt and the Major Piece excerpt.

On the same date, we will also publish Negi’s 1.e4 vs Minor Defences and you can also see its excerpt.

GM Swapnil Dhopade will be joining 365 Chess Academy for a lecture based on his book, Playing the Petroff, published in July.

The session will take place on Monday the 31st of August, 14:30 UK time.

For those of you interested in attending, we have made arrangements for a few free spots. You will need a Zoom account to attend the class.

All you have to do is send a message to 365ChessAcademy (a) gmail.com, or use the template on the website or send a message on their Facebook page.