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Middlegame Secrets Vol.1 - The Power of the Queen
Queens are the true ladies of the chessboard. They are dangerous attackers, but poor defenders. They dislike dirty work, and often wait until other pieces prepare space for them. Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!
Middlegame Secrets Vol.2 - The Potential of the Rook
For a chess player, chess pieces are like specific tools in a toolbox. We need to know how to use them best, like a craftsman knows their tools. We shouldn’t use a screwdriver to hammer in a nail; and we shouldn’t use the queen just for defence.
This series will show you in great detail the specific qualities of each chess piece, so that you can maximize their effectiveness and thus improve your game. Everyone knows that a rook is dangerous on the 7th rank, and that it belongs behind the pawn. However, there is so much more to learn about this inconspicuous piece! Let us explore together how the rooks should enter the game in the early middlegame, how they operate on open files and how they sometimes join a deadly attack, being transferred in front of the pawn chain. We will also discuss the cooperation of the rooks and many more topics.
Jan Markos is a Slovak chess grandmaster, coach, and author, a former European Youth Champion. His book “Under the Surface” won the ECF Book of the Year Award in 2018. His most recent chess book “The Secret Ingredient”, co-authored with GM David Navara, focuses on practical aspects of over-the-board play.
For ChessBase Jan writes a column for the news "The winning Academy", has a magazine video column "Practical Tips for the tournament player" and now also a Fritztrainer series "Middelgame Secrets".
Markos knows how to convert complex issues into rules of thumb that viewers can easily put into practice.
Jan Markos - Middlegame Secrets Vol.1 - The Power of the Queen
The Queen is a bad defender but an excellent attacker
Jan Markos - Middlegame Secrets Vol.2 - The Potential of the Rook
The 7th rank
