One of the first lessons you learn in chess is to bring your king into safety by castling – be it on the kingside or the queenside - after having developed your minor pieces. By ignoring this rule of thumb, not only may your king end up in trouble, but your other pieces and in particular, your rooks, may never end up playing much of a role, and before you know it, things are looking grim. Even at the highest level, the consequences of neglecting this basic element of opening theory has been frequently underestimated. In this first volume of the new Mating Guide series, the emphasis will be on how to exploit a vulnerably placed king in the centre. With 10 chapters, 20 illustrative games and key themes including a lead in development, preventing castling, the open e-file and different kinds of sacrifices, this DVD will show you everything you need to know to master mid-board showdowns. The level of the content means it is relevant to both beginners as well as master level players - as both elementary examples (also from my own practice) as well as classical attacking games by elite grandmasters are analysed in detail. After thoroughly studying the training material, you will be challenged to test your knowledge by solving the 10 training exercises. A must-have for ambitious chess players who want to improve their own attacking skills or enjoy the beauty of attacking play!

• Video running time: 5 hours (English)
• With interactive training including video feedback
• Exclusive database with mating examples
• Including CB 12 Reader

Born in 1988, Robert Ris is an International Master who has represented The Netherlands in various international youth events. Nowadays his main activities in the Amsterdam area consist of teaching in schools and chess clubs as well as coaching private clients. On top of that, he is also an active online trainer with a number of students from a host of different countries. Robert has made several appearances as a live commentator for prestigious events, such as the Dutch National Championships 2011-2013 and the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in 2013 and 2014.