June 7, 2026
Matthew Sadler
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In this article we will enjoy Stoltz’ best-known game, also featured – as the author Steve Giddins mentioned in a YouTube comment – in New in Chess’ “The Most Exciting Games of Chess Ever Played” (slight digression, I did a short video series of 4 games for that book). It was former World Champion Ruslan…
June 4, 2026
Matthew Sadler
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One of the nice side-effects of reading the first part of the fabulous biography of Gideon Stahlberg (“Gideon Stahlberg – An Epoch in Swedish Chess. Volume I. The Musketeer Years 1908-1939”) by Peter Holmgren (Verendel Publishing) was that I developed a strong interest in his compatriot and rival Gosta Stoltz (May 9, 1904 – July…
November 23, 2025
Matthew Sadler
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In the previous blog, we made some general observations about the Adams-Royal game from round 6 of the 2025 English Championships. In this blog entry, I’d like to examine some of Black’s better defensive opportunities and to reflect on the lessons we can draw about the correct method of defence in such situations. We identified…
November 20, 2025
Matthew Sadler
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A little while back, Natasha and I commentated on the 6th round of the English Chess Championships. One game that round made a huge impression both on us, and on many of the other professionals we talked to afterwards: Michael Adams’ victory against Shreyas Royal on the white side of a Petroff with a symmetrical…
September 29, 2025
Matthew Sadler
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At various moments during the analysis of the Conquest-Royal game with the engines, it was noticeable that the move …cxd4 was often suggested as one of the top 3 moves. For example here: 1. b3 Nf6 2. Bb2 c5 3. e3 d5 4. Nf3 e6 5. d4 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8….