"Minimal Prep, Maximum Understanding"
How much opening prep is really necessary – especially in blitz and rapid games? Inspired by my coach Chebanenko, I continue the idea of a “lazy” but smart repertoire: minimal theory, rich ideas, and easy-to-remember structures.
In this second volume, we explore practical setups for White after 1.e4. Against 1...e5, I skip the overloaded Italian Game and recommend flexible systems with d3. Versus the Caro- Kann, the modest-looking 2.Nf3 followed by 3.d3 has become my favourite – and one of the most annoying for Caro-Kann players!
Against the Sicilian, I advocate for setups echoing the Closed Sicilian – strategic and easy to learn. The French is met with the classic King’s Indian Attack, focusing on lines with Nbd2. These systems are not just practical – they’re played by Magnus Carlsen himself. Let’s learn to play smart, not hard.
3 hours 15 min video running time (English)
Victor Bologan is a pupil of the top Moldovan trainer Vecheslav Chebanenko. For many years Bologan has been the number one in Moldova and has represented his country in ten Chess Olympiads. He has won over 50 international events. His greatest successes were in 2003, when he first won the Aeroflot Open and then the famous Dortmund Tournament, ahead of Kramnik and Anand. Bologan has extensive experience as a coach and has also published many chess books and ChessBase video courses.
System Requirements:
App for Windows: Windows- PC, Windows 10 or 11 and Internet
App for Mac: Mac OS X and internet
ChessBase books: Computer (iPad, Tablet, PC etc.), current browser, internet
ChessBase video stream: Computer (iPad, Tablet, PC etc.), current browser, internet
