Editorial Reviews:
The Benko Gambit is undoubtedly one of Black’s most dynamic openings. In return for his pawn investment Black gains long-term pressure, which is often so powerful it continues right through into the endgame. White must decide whether to grab the pawn and try to hold on, or to choose a more aggressive approach. Either way, Black generally succeeds in his aim of unbalancing the position from a very early stage. In this book, Nicolai V. Pedersen presents a concise and practical repertoire for Black within the Benko Gambit. Using illustrative games, he examines the critical main lines of the gambit, the tricky sidelines and also explains how to meet the various options White has of avoiding the Benko. Studying this book will allow you to play the Benko Gambit with confidence in your own games.

Editorial Reviews:
The Old Indian Defence is considered to be a sound way for Black to meet 1 d4. Some might argue that it is steady rather than spectacular, but is this reputation totally deserved? Grandmaster Alexander Cherniaev disagrees, and in this book he has re-examined this ancient opening and the result is a “new” Old Indian. In this modern interpretation, he has introduced ambitious and aggressive ways for Black to play in the main lines. He constructs an improved version of a repertoire he has himself utilized with great success against grandmaster opposition. Using illustrative games, he studies the fundamental tactical and positional ideas for both sides, and also covers what to do if White avoids the Old Indian. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the New Old Indian.

Editorial Reviews:
The Dutch Defence is one of Black’s most enterprising answers to 1 d4. Black strives to unbalance the position by creating an asymmetrical pawn structure on the very first move, giving himself every opportunity to fight for the initiative from the outset. In this book, Neil McDonald tells you everything you need to know in order to play this opening successfully. He provides the reader with a comprehensive repertoire against 1 d4, with the dynamic Leningrad Variation as Black’s main weapon. Read this book and play the Dutch with confidence!

Editorial Reviews:
In this easy-to-use guide, Richard Palliser studies the basics of the Torre Attack and its numerous variations, illustrating the key strategies, ideas and tactics for both White and Black.

Editorial Reviews:
Former US Open Champion Timothy Taylor takes a contemporary look at one of Black's most ambitious counters to 1 e4, the Alekhine Defence. This is a sharp opening in which Black attacks from the very beginning, luring White's central pawns forward in the expectation of destroying them later on. The Alekhine is a favorite among creative players such as Nigel Short, Vassily Ivanchuk and Hikaru Nakamura. By studying the most important games and also drawing upon his own experience in the opening, Taylor constructs a practical repertoire for Black, ideal for the modern-day player. All the key tactical and positional ideas for both players are covered, and crucial move-order nuances are highlighted. This book provides everything you need to know to play the Alekhine with confidence. It presents a dynamic repertoire for Black. It provides answers to all of White's possibilities. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players.

Editorial Reviews:
Are you tired of playing the same old openings again and again? Perhaps it's time for a change and here's the answer: choose Dangerous Weapons and amaze your opponents with new and exciting opening ideas! In this book, three renowned opening experts get together to take a revolutionary look at the Dutch Defense, one of Black's most ambitious answers to 1 d4. In doing so they take the road less traveled and concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations - selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colors. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover! "Dangerous Weapons" is a series of opening books which supply the reader with an abundance of hard-hitting ideas to revitalize his or her opening repertoire. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking, incredibly tricky, or have been unfairly discarded. However, the one thing they have in common is that they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponents off balance. This book presents the Dutch defense in a completely new light. It is packed with original ideas and analysis. It is ideal lines to shock your opponents.

Editorial Reviews:
The Reti is a popular opening at all levels of chess. The great advantage it possesses over other openings is that it's a thematic system which can be adopted against many different defenses, and because of this it's a firm favorite amongst those who prefer the understanding of ideas over dry memorization of moves. In this book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald examines the Reti by going back to basics, introducing the key moves and ideas, and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them - something that has often been neglected or taken for granted in other works. "The Starting Out" series has firmly established itself as the leading guide to studying openings for up-and-coming chess players. These books are ideal for enthusiasts who don't necessarily have extensive knowledge of the openings in question and who wish to appreciate the essential principles behind them. This book features user-friendly design to assist readers. It concentrates on the fundamental principles of the openings. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players.

Editorial Reviews:
In this book, three renowned opening experts get together to take a revolutionary look at Flank Openings. Instead of travelling down well-trodden and analysed paths, they concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover!

Editorial Reviews:
The Budapest Gambit is an ambitious and adventurous opening for Black, who offers a pawn as early as the second move in return for active and rapid development. It has always been a particular favourite at club level, where it still provides a surprise weapon, but it has also been utilized with success by top-class Grandmasters. In this book Timothy Taylor offers an in-depth study of the Budapest Gambit. He presents up-to-date analysis, makes recommendations for Black and White, and covers the typical plans for both sides. This book provides everything you need to know about this fascinating opening.

Editorial Reviews:
Tired of constantly defending passive positions with the black pieces? Looking for something new and exciting to unleash at the chessboard? This book provides an answer to these perennial questions. International Master and renowned openings theoretician Richard Palliser presents a complete repertoire for Black against queens pawn openings based on the dynamic and very much underrated Black Knights Tango. Using illustrative games, Palliser gives a thorough grounding on the key tactics and strategies behind this ambitious opening, while also highlighting the various tricks and traps that both sides have to watch out for. Studying in depth both the main lines and Whites more offbeat tries for an advantage, Palliser gives the readers the required knowledge and confidence to immediately try the Tango in their own games.

Editorial Reviews:
From relative obscurity to one of White’s favourite queen’s pawn openings, the rise in popularity of the Trompowsky Attack over the last decade or so has been quite staggering. Largely inspired by a group of English players headed by Julian Hodgson and Michael Adams, the ‘Tromp’ has been enthusiastically taken up by club players and Grandmasters alike. Even the World number one Garry Kasparov has tried his hand at this dynamic opening.

Editorial Reviews:
This book is a study of all the crucial Benoni systems apart from the Modern Benoni. It presents diverse and practical options against the queen�s pawn opening for dynamic, tactical players and solid, positional players alike. Included are such daring defences as the controversial Blumenfeld Counter-Gambit and the Benko Gambit, a favourite with uncompromising Grandmasters such as Veselin Topalov and Vassily Ivanchuk. On the other hand, Black also has the opportunity to adopt solid, respectable defences such as the Czech Benoni and the Schmid Benoni. Whether Black likes to sacrifice and take the initiative, or whether he prefers to play in a more restrained manner, there is something here for all types of player.

Editorial Reviews:
The Dutch Defence is an ambitious and underrated counter to the queen's pawn opening. With his very first move Black creates an asymmetrical pawn structure, thus unbalancing the position from a very early stage and allowing both White and Black players to fight for the initiative. Black also has many options within the Dutch Defence, from the ultra-solid Stonewall formation through to the fluid Classical System and the dynamic Leningrad Variation.

Editorial Reviews:
Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of the Modern Benoni. The Modern Benoni is one of Blacks most ambitious and audacious defences to the queens pawn opening, and it has been used with devastating effect by such legends as Mikhail Tal, Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. From the very start Black creates an exceptional imbalance in the position, one which leads to dynamic play and gives Black real chances to seize the initiative. Both players must be fearless in their approach, as hesitation in the Modern Benoni often leads to disaster! In this user-friendly book, International Master Endre Vegh goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the Modern Benoni and its many variations. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips, warnings and exercises to help the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated.

Editorial Reviews:
The Reti Opening has been a popular choice at all levels of chess for many years and is a favourite among hypermodern players who like to control the centre with pieces. Yet there remains a dearth of published material on this subject ... until now. In The Dynamic Reti, Grandmaster Nigel Davies redresses the balance and advocates a repertoire for White based on this refined opening. Davies outlines the typical ideas and tactics for both White and Black, and studies both the fashionable main lines and the tricky sidelines. If you already play the Reti or are looking for a sophisticated new opening weapon, then this is essential reading.

Editorial Reviews:
The Symmetrical Variation is one of Black's most popular and reliable methods of meeting the English Opening, which in itself has become one of the most prominent openings. International Master David Cummings examines the various strategies for both white and black players.

Editorial Reviews:
Grandmaster Daniel King explains the basic elements, strategies and tactics of the popular English Defence, at which he is a renowned expert. This is the first book on the English Defence for many years. It provides everything you need to know to start playing the English Defence straight away, focusing on the key themes and providing a backbone of theoretical knowledge.

Editorial Reviews:
The 1...e5 variation of the English Opening, sometimes referred to as the reversed Sicilian, leads to a variety of stimulating positions. From wild tactical melees to slow positional battles, there are variations here to suit all styles. These opening lines provide the battleground for many top Grandmaster clashes, including those of Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and others belonging to the world's elite. In this book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik explain in detail the positional and tactical possibilities for both White and Black. Using illustrative games, Raetsky and Chetverik outline the current fashions in both the main variations and the tricky sidelines. Whether approaching the line as Black or White, this book is crucial reading for those wishing to play this opening. With up-to-date coverage of a fascinating opening and written by leading openings experts, this is an ideal battle manual for competitive players

Editorial Reviews:
The English is a sophisticated and popular opening system that is suitable for all types of players and can lead to both positional and tactical middlegames. Many of the world's top players, including Kasparov and Kramnik, include the English in their openings weaponry. In this groundbreaking book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald revisits the basic principles behind the English and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide the reader is aided by a wealth of notes, tips and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player.