Exploring the ChessBase Opening Encyclopedia: Dorian Rogozenco Shows Current Opening Trends

New to this year’s issue of the Encyclopedia of Openings are Grandmaster Dorian Rogozenco’s videos on opening trends. The grandmaster briefly explains the opening trends of world-class chess.

In three videos he explains the tendencies after 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4/1.Sf3. Trend variations and selected game patterns are presented.

Video content is based on fashionably and critically selected opening variations on high-level chess, e.g. key openings from the 2021 Candidates Tournament, World Championship match Carlsen vs. Nepomniachtchi (24 November – 10 December 2021) and other major events. Each video has a duration of 25 to 35 minutes.

Take a look at part of Rogozenco’s video with opening tendencies after 1.e4:

Here he explains the Steinitz variation in the French defense that could occur after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5. The diagram shows the sharp appearing after 7…cxd4 8.Nd4 Qb6, which was played in 2021 with Black by Grandmaster Alexander Grischuk.

This is a position of the four Sicilian knights. In Duda vs Nisipeanu, European Tag Team Championship, November 2021, White won a model game with the critic 6.Nxc6.

Here Rogozenco discusses the line with 7.Nd5 in the Sveshnikov. A critical match in this line was M. Vachier-Lagrave vs. A. Giri of the Candidates Tournament 2021.

Trends in Caro-Kann – here Rogozenco focuses on the line 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4. His model game is Caruana against Firouzja, Fide Grand Swiss Riga 2021

More 1.e4 trends selected by General Manager Dorian Rogozenco in this year’s Opening Encyclopedia 2022:

Trends: Petroff with 3.d4 (-> you will find more information in “Ideas for your Repertoire” by GM Kapnises in ChessBase Magazine #206)

Trending in: The Ruy Lopez Anti Marshall of the 2021 Carlsen-Nepomniachtchi World Championship Match

Sicilian Taimanov with new 6.Be3 and 7.g4. (Side note: ChessBase also published a 60-minute lesson by GM Sipke Ernst for those looking for repertoire against the Taimanov.)

Sicilian Najdorf 6.Bg5 Poisoned Pawn, which was tested in the 2021 Candidates Tournament.

Opening Encyclopedia 2022 – All novelties at a glance:

• Over 1,300 opening articles with professional analysis.
• Grandmaster Dorian Rogozenco presents world-class chess opening trends.
• 60 selected opening videos (in English). Total autonomy: 22 hours
• Opening tutorials showcasing all known chess openings for beginners to learn about the different openings – with links to more detailed opening articles
• 7,347 opening previews, including 388 newly created by GM Lubomir Ftacnik
• Intuitive menu structure, sorting openings by name, convenient access

Learn more about the new Opening Encyclopedia 2022…