Keep It Simple For Black - IM Christof Sielecki

Opening course for black by IM Christof Sielecki
Includes book, video and PGN

Language: English
Lectures: 21
Total Running Time: 29 hours 9 minutes

From the course:

A Lean, Mean, and Complete Repertoire for Black

Could it be possible? An easy-to-learn yet super-solid repertoire for Black against everything, which doesn’t require endless memorization of sharp theoretical lines?

Not only is it possible, it’s here!

And if any man can put together such a repertoire, it’s International Master Christof Sielecki - a.k.a. “Chessexplained”. The popular Chessable author brought you a full yet simple repertoire with 1.e4, did the same for 1.d4, and now he’s back to finish your entire opening repertoire with a complete arsenal for the black pieces.

Every Opening from White Covered

Yes, that’s right - this simple repertoire covers every legitimate try from White in just over 340 trainable lines - a fraction of the size of your typical Lifetime Repertoire.

Yet just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s just for beginners and intermediates (though it is perfect for them!) - in fact, IM Sielecki has used this as his personal blitz repertoire. Rest assured, from casual club games to master-level tournaments, this repertoire will prove robust.

So what’s under the hood?

You’ll learn to fight 1.d4 and even 1.c4 and 1.Nf3 with a souped-up version of the Queen’s Gambit Declined. Based on the early …a6 variation favored by Magnus Carlsen, this tried-and-true opening will stand up to master level play - and even offer a few nasty surprises to your opponents. As IM Sielecki puts it, “simple does not mean boring!”

Against 1.e4, your main weapon will be the rock-solid Caro-Kann. Well known as one of the toughest openings for White to crack, IM Sielecki explains how this beast is nowadays being used to play for a win by the world’s top players, including Alireza Firouzja. With the powerfully simple 3…c5 lines in the Advance Variation and a 2-for-1response to both the Classical and the Two Knights variations, you’ll cut through the theory and go straight for interesting middlegames with good winning chances.

But as a full repertoire for Black, of course the fun doesn’t stop at these openings. You’ll also learn how to:

♟Neutralize the London System with a sharp …c5 pawn break
♟Crush the Catalan by rapidly developing and undermining White’s center
♟Wrangle the ‘1.b3 cowboys' with a counter-attacking queenside setup
♟Bust the Bird (1.f4) with amusingly annoying moves that will wreck White’s kingside
♟ and more!

Simple, Without Cutting Corners

If it’s so simple, something must have been left out, right? Quite the contrary! “Chessexplained” lives up to his name with detailed explanations of each move, which novice and advanced players alike can follow.

With a focus on key ideas, not just moves, you’ll find you’re still comfortable even when confronted with lines not in the course. And the flexibility of his recommendations means you can apply the same ideas in multiple variations.