The Berlin Wall: from London 2000 to 2026
In 2000 the Berlin endgame helped decide a world championship. A quarter of a century later it is still on the board at the top level, in 4,330 master games and counting.
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Every ChessCanvas Blog article tagged Learn: stories, guides and lessons with playable boards and checked evidence.
Caruana vs Carlsen, Norway Chess 2015: winning the 'drawish' Berlin endgame
The Berlin endgame is famous as a drawing line. Here is how White turned it into a win against the world champion, move by move, with Stockfish 19 checking every turning point.
The French Defence: a guide to the main lines, with master-game evidence
What the French is for, White's four main answers and how each scores, Black's main replies, and the two pawn breaks every French player needs. Built on 179,938 master games.
The "safe" 3.exd5 scores worst against the French
Club players often swap on d5 to avoid French theory. In 179,938 master games it is White's lowest-scoring main move, and Black wins more often than White.
Tired of the Pirc? The h3 + a4 system and the 10.Qd6 trap
Two quiet pawn moves take the sting out of Black's main plans, and one natural recapture walks into 10.Qd6. What 1,053 master games and Stockfish 19 say.
The Queen He Saw Coming: how Geller stunned Karpov, and how Karpov answered a year later
In 1976 Efim Geller sacrificed his queen against the world champion, and Karpov saw it coming. A year later Karpov answered with a queen sacrifice of his own. Two games, verified move by move.
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