CLEARANCE - The Popular Italian - Victor Bologan

When we are kids we are mostly taught to play 1.e4, and the first mate we see is the one with Bc4, Qh5 and Qxf7++.

It looks like chess theory is turning back to its roots when the move 3.Bc4 was much more popular than 3.Bb5. Nowadays all top tournaments are full of Italian games, and it proves much more difficult for Black to achieve equality there than in some Marshall or Berlin variation of the Ruy Lopez. In the Italian, the focus of the battle is transposed from the opening to the middle game which requires from both sides good knowledge of typical plans and ideas - and thus a totally new concept of opening preparation which is exactly what you find on the DVD!

On this DVD, Bologan covered all answers by Black against 3.Bc4, especially 3...Bc5, presenting all relevant possibilities for White. It is full of positional ideas and plans, and it it will definitely raise your chess understanding to the highest standards.

• Video running time: 6 hours 12 min. (English)

• With interactive training including video feedback

• Extra: Analysis file by the author plus 50 Model Games

• Including CB 14 Reader

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 trainer and has also published five chess books and 23 ChessBase DVDs.