Chess Middlegame Strategies, Vol. 2: Opening meets Middlegame by Ivan Sokolov (K-5353)

In this second volume of my “Chess Middlegame Strategies” series I have decided to focus on this connection between the opening and the middlegame. 
I have selected different themes from popular openings and examined the resulting middlegames, trying to offer a sort of user manual to guide readers through these middlegames. I have also offered some ideas on the theory of the different openings. The 30 games in this book cover a wide range of different middlegame types, so I hope there is something for everyone and that studying this book will enhance readers’ understanding of middlegame strategies. 
Only one chapter in this book, “Knight Tales”, is not related to a particular opening. It concentrates on the middlegame theme of knights versus bishops. Originally I had planned to present much more pure middlegame material, but sometimes in the work process we adjust the original plan and, well... this book is the product!
Naturally I still have this pure middlegame material in my work database and I do not exclude the possibility that volume three may arrive around the end of 2018. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this book and the game selection.

Ivan Sokolov
November 2017

CONTENT:
005 KEY TO SYMBOLS

007 PREFACE

009 CHAPTER I. SICILIAN STRATEGIES

009 1.1. Rauzer Ideas

010 Game 1. J. Klovans — M. Tal (1981)

015 Game 2. V. Anand — V. Kramnik (2000)

020 Game 3. T. Baron — Z. Kozul (2010)

029 Game 4. E. Prandstetter — Z. Kozul (1988)

035 Game 5. E. Geller — B. Larsen (1966)

038 1.2. Velimirovic Piece Sacrifice

040 Game 6. D. Velimirovic — U. Andersson (1982)

048 Game 7. D. Velimirovic — L. Gutman (1988)

065 Game 8. D. Velimirovic — M. Suba (1987)

069 1.3. Fortified Knight on e5

070 Game 9. J. Polgar — V. Topalov (2006)

078 Game 10. D. Ghizdavu — B. Spassky (1974)

082 Game 11. A. Karpov — B. Spassky (1982)

087 CHAPTER II. SPANISH PIECE SACRIFICE

088 Game 12. J. Polgar — B. Spassky (1993)

093 Game 13. H. Nakamura — V. Golod (2009)

096 Game 14. A. Rasmussen — I. Sokolov (2017)

109 Game 15. J. Polgar — I. Sokolov (2003)

121 CHAPTER III. THE CARO-KANN DOUBLED F-PAWN

122 Game 16. A. Khalifman — Y. Seirawan (1991)

131 Game 17. E. Torre — V. Kortschnoj (1978)

141 CHAPTER IV. BENONI STRATEGIES

141 4.1. Positional Exchange Sacrifice

142 Game 18. T. Petrosian — N. Rashkovsky (1976)

150 4.2. Kingside Structure Transformations

151 Game 19. E. Magerramov — G. Kasparov (1979)

166 Game 20. E. Bukic — M. Tal (1967)

173 4.3. Two Typical Sacrifices

174 Game 21. L. Le Quang — Saleh Salem (2015)

179 Game 22. V. Kortschnoj — G. Kasparov (1982)

191 CHAPTER V. CATALAN SACRIFICES

191 5.1. Knight Sacrifice on f7

192 Game 23. V. Mikhalevski — A. Rabinovich (1999)

204 Game 24. A. Giri — A. Morozevich (2012)

208 5.2. Pawn Chain Break with the b2-b3 Push

208 Game 25. B. Spassky — L. Zinn (1962)

222 Game 26. Ding Liren — W. So (2016)

233 CHAPTER VI. KNIGHT TALES

234 Game 27. A. Karpov — J. Timman (1982)

241 Game 28. A. Karpov — Z. Azmaiparashvili (1983)

249 Game 29. A. Karpov — M. Taimanov (1977)

256 Game 30. I. Sokolov — A. Miles (1989)