There’s a giant half about Chessable programs that we generally overlook – they’re dwelling issues. Errors are fastened, principle will get up to date, and authors react to the newest pupil questions.
So in our new sequence Going Above and Past, we’re highlighting authors who go above and past to maintain their programs updated, reply your questions, and make their programs the most effective they are often.
At present we’re celebrating GM Àlvar Alonso Rosell’s newest replace to his Lifetime Repertoires: Alonso’s Catalan. Àlvar is a powerful Spanish grandmaster and the 2nd youngest Spanish Chess Champion in historical past. His greatest success got here in 2018 when he gained the tremendous robust Sitges Chess Competition, forward of Vasyl Ivanchuk and Dmitry Andreikin!
He’s been enjoying the Catalan for over 20 years, and for those who observe him on social media, you’ll realize it’s very a lot his favourite opening.
On this replace, he covers the newest tendencies within the Catalan and retains you updated with principle. This replace additionally includes a new twist from Àlvar’s personal video games towards the Benoni – he performs the repertoire in critical video games and ensure it stands as much as the hardest competitors.
We sat down with Àlvar for some Q&A:
What made you resolve so as to add these new updates to your course?
Howdy! For a lot of causes:
First, I needed to share my ideas with the neighborhood. Some variations have been fairly new, so it was arduous to anticipate how Black would react (for example within the Bb4+ Bd2 Be7 major line) after they have been dealing with new positions. After a 12 months, I had many video games of my very own, from college students of the course and different chess gamers basically, so it felt becoming to speak about these video games.
Secondly, I needed so as to add some variability to the traces I felt have been obligatory. Particularly the 4…dxc4 traces the place I created a brand new devoted video.
Lastly, I had numerous enjoyable checking some deep new concepts and a few loopy variations, so some additions (4…bxc4 & 5…c6 and Qc2 within the Closed Catalan particularly) will give college students the chance to understand deeper preparation. Not with the intention to memorize them, however to make use of them as a coaching instrument or simply to have them say “okay Àlvar, you didn’t want so as to add all of this!”
Are there any variations in your course that you’re particularly happy with or get pleasure from?
This line was particularly cool because it took me greater than 2 months to resolve which variation to go for towards 5…Be7. Then I managed to show it was an honest attempt towards very robust opposition as I used to be the primary to play this concept. Lastly, it was tremendous cool to see somebody like Nakamura quoting Chessable really getting a win within the Grand Swiss with it!
I additionally needed to say this enjoyable sideline, because it helped me obtain 4th place within the European Blitz in 2022. Not too long ago, it was performed within the Candidates by Praggnanandhaa!
What else are you engaged on today?
An excessive amount of! I’m ending a thesis on financial evaluation. I’m additionally doing a pair extra programs on Chessable. One is a 100 Repertoires (the place I might be capable to speak deeply about how I create repertoires) and one other secret one.
Alternatively, I’m having fun with teaching rather a lot and attending to play with robust gamers.
Oh, I nearly forgot crucial factor! I’m additionally competing in desk tennis, so please Chess.com set up a Chesspong occasion.
What’s your philosophy on target creation?
The important thing idea for me is progressivity. The final word purpose of a repertoire is to observe it, so it didn’t make a lot sense for me to provide a repertoire the place it is advisable to know each important line to play it. Alternate options are obligatory in a full-scale repertoire to cowl your self when you be taught the important traces. A reasonably clear instance is the Change Slav overlaying the Slav + Chebanenko + Semi-Slav. It was so clear I nearly completely depend on the Change Slav.
What I really like probably the most is when college students ship me their video games they usually win as a result of they understood “the sensation”, not essentially as a result of they memorized the variation. So my philosophy wasn’t actually to provide the target finest traces towards every thing, however to provide a cohesive repertoire the place the identical concepts seem all over the place.
One other related strategy, contemplating my expertise as a coach, is that I really like so as to add worth with tactical/strategical/endgame/aggressive ideas right here and there to spark curiosity and reward people who dig by the whole course.
On a ultimate be aware, it’s not sufficient to have data! My major purpose is to see college students have enjoyable and benefit from the course of by the intricate methods of the 64 squares!
Remember to try Lifetime Repertoires: Alonso’s Catalan in the present day to see the updates and get a whole repertoire for the white items!
