HOW TO PLAY THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT: MR. Kasparov Series No 1

Author: Gary Kasparov

DVD, 3 + hours

ChessBase (2004)

Reviewed by John Watson

The title and cover of HOW TO PLAY THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT (a multimedia product/video presentation) caught my attention right away. The title itself seems extremely odd, and on the same cover we see the name again: “Mr. Kasparov”, with an arrow pointing to a strange picture of Kasparov, the top of his head cut off by the package! The title is repeated as a light background graphic, with the words themselves wrapping around the side of the package! Then there is another mysterious arrow pointing off the side of the package along with the standard shadow coming out of the corner of the ChessBase symbol. Finally, the tiny words “Training with Garry Kasparov” appear below the main title. ChessBase seems to have repeated this unfortunate design with Kasparov’s Najdorf video: it has a different photo of Kasparov but keeps the head-cut-short motif.

Well, I have to have a little fun with these things once in a while. Seriously, my attitude going in was that we were likely to see a more-or-less conventional presentation of the Queen’s Gambit with Kasparov lending his name and presence on the video. Not that he wouldn’t do so genuinely enough, but I suspected that the reason for using an ultra-high-profile narrator and not another equally competent master was to ensure commercial success. Whether or not that is the case, Kasparov isn’t at all content with a formal appearance. He throws himself into an involved and enthusiastic presentation that is suffused with respect for the opening’s turns and twists as well as nostalgia for its history. He makes the material fun and fascinating without sacrificing too much detail. The coverage is to the point and an excellent fit for moderately experienced players who are interested in learning about the main lines of the Classical Queen’s Gambit.

In this case, the variation under study encompasses only the main lines of the Queen’s Gambit Declined 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6.

That’s a vast subject, but be aware of its limited breadth. The Slav or Semi-Slav with 2...c6 or 2...e6 3.Nc3 c6 are not included, although the latter is given an overview section which describes without analysis what moves constitute a Moscow and Botvinnik Variation, for example. Along the same lines, other QGDs like 2...Nc6 and 2...Bf5 are not included. Even within the Classical move order, there is no way that a single DVD can include serious coverage of the many systems involved (e.g., the Cambridge Springs, Ragozin, and Vienna), but Kasparov does include lengthy discussion of Bf4 variations, which are often given short shrift by books. In the Exchange Variation, both major setups are thoroughly examined  – the Carlsbad with Nf3 and the modern variations with f3. In the latter case he shows his own games versus Andersson and Short. All sorts of anti-Carlsbad setups are given, but Kasparov doesn’t seem to think that any of them yield an advantage.

Be aware that Kasparov doesn’t provide a complete repertoire with minute details, but you could play these lines against strong competition and be well armed.

You should know that to get the full benefit of the lectures, you’ll need some version of ChessBase 9. Fortunately the DVD comes with a ChessBase 9.0 Reader. I viewed the product directly from the disc on my PC; only someone who is indifferent to hard disk space would install the video files. But the accompanying database files don’t use up a great deal of room. Subtitles (an option that I’m not aware was available in earlier products) are in German, Spanish, Italian, and English (the language Kasparov uses).

The format is straightforward, without sophisticated audio or visual features. In front of a bare background, Kasparov is seen explaining the material step-by-step while the relevant moves are shown in separate windows on a board and in notation. The organization of material for individual systems is outstanding. He usually begins with the play of the older masters and then moves on to modern discoveries, while giving his own assessments of various lines’ playability. Kasparov enthuses over the extraordinary history of each system, respectfully detailing each master’s distinctive contribution. It’s an admirable performance that I feel reflects his genuine feelings. Examples of the depth of coverage (time in parentheses): Lasker’s Defense (16:03); Capablanca’s Variation (19:32); Exchange Variation (18:45); Alatorsev Variation (3...Be7) (13:10); Tartakower system (14:51).

These sections are full of games but they are followed by in-depth examinations of famous games in the Queen’s Gambit, including Kasparov’s own. Some typical games that he covers are three from the Karpov-Yusupov match, tests of Lasker’s Variation and the Saemisch Variation, comparing the Lasker fights with a later Kramnik-Gelfand game and Smyslov-Kasparov. Naturally he discusses classics like the Fischer-Spassky Tartakower Variation and several of the “Capablanca Variation” QGDs from the Alekhine-Capablanca World Championship match (thirty-three of the thirty-four match games were QGDs!). Generally he prefers to spend more time on individual games than breakdowns of variations.

Kasparov’s offhand comments are revealing. For example, as he describes White’s plans of e4-e5 and f4-f5 in the Exchange Variation with f3, he adds something to the effect of “Of course this is the real world and such things don’t happen.” And he dismisses many variations as being insufficient to play for advantage or essentially drawn but it’s obvious that he is thinking about a something akin to a hypothetical game between himself and Kramnik or Karpov! In several of these lines White has a small advantage (with perhaps a slight nod by theory), something the average player needs to take into account when committing to play one side or the other.

I haven’t room to talk enough about this multimedia publication, but I should say that it ranks way up there with the best products on CDs and DVDs. Anyone interested in this opening of the past and present is urged get it. HOW TO PLAY THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT is a great production by both Kasparov and the ChessBase folk, although they really should think about that cover design!

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