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:
Grandmaster Ruslan Scherbakov examines an opening system for Black based on the Semi-Slav Triangle, an ambitious way to fight the ever-popular Queen's Gambit. Black's weapons include the Abrahams-Noteboom Variation - a dynamic counter-attack which takes White out of his comfort zone and offers Black the chance to dictate the game from the outset. Scherbakov also considers options for Black against the aggressive Semi-Slav Marshall Gambit, as well as White's quieter tries such as the Exchange Variation. Scherbakov has over 20 years' experience in studying and playing these opening variations, which have been tried and tested successfully at grandmaster level and are specially designed for players who want to challenge White in the opening. It is written by a renowned Semi-Slav Triangle expert. It is packed with new ideas and critical analysis. It explains typical plans and tactics for both sides.

Editorial Reviews:
The Sniper is a dynamic and universal opening weapon for Black which can be used against all mainline openings. Black’s system of development with ...g6 and ...Bg7 initially allows White to occupy the centre but, in true hypermodern style, Black strikes back immediately with ...c5. The Sniper can lead to original or barely-known positions in which Black can strive for the initiative. It’s also rich in move-order possibilities, with potential transpositions into Sicilian, King’s Indian or Benko-type positions.

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:
It’s no secret why the London System is such a popular opening, especially at club level. White’s development plan is very easy to learn, and it can be employed against virtually any defence. What’s more, depending on mood, style or opponent, White can choose either to attack directly or to instigate a more positional strategy. Many players admit they hate facing the London System, which is surely another good reason to play it! In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala presents a reliable repertoire for White with the London System. Using illustrative games and drawing upon his vast experience in the opening, Lakdawala reveals all his secrets and explains in detail the typical plans and tactics for both sides. This book tells you everything you need to know about the London System.

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:
Anyone who plays 1 e4 as White must be prepared not only for Black's main defenses but also an assortment of less popular lines which, when added all together, still represent a significant proportion of what you are likely to face. Dealing with these openings is often a daunting task, especially against opponents who tend to specialize in them and thus know them inside out. This book provides the perfect solution. International Master and renowned opening expert Andrew Greet gets to grips with each of these tricky openings. He identifies how to both exploit their weaknesses and avoid their strengths, and provides White with a practical and dependable repertoire. Read this book and you will never have to worry about facing the unknown again. It has everything a 1 e4 player needs to know about facing unusual defenses. It is full of original ideas and analysis. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players.

Editorial Reviews:
The Ponziani Opening enjoys a long history, but for some unknown reason it has been neglected in recent times. Don't be fooled by its apparently harmless reputation: the Ponziani is full of tricks and catches many unsuspecting opponents by surprise. It's also a perfect weapon for those who don't fancy learning the masses of theory associated with more high-profile openings like the Ruy Lopez. In "Play the Ponziani", Dave Taylor and Keith Hayward present a comprehensive guide to this intriguing opening. They provide coverage of all the main lines, identify the best lines for both White and Black, and highlight the key tactical and positional ideas. This book provides everything you need to know to play the Ponziani in your own games. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players. It presents bonus coverage of what to do if Black avoids the Ponziani. It is packed with original ideas and analysis.

Editorial Reviews:
Do you wish to set your opponents problems from the very start of the game? Are you happy to roll the dice and take some risks? Then enter the intriguing world of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit! The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit is a dangerous attacking opening which has amassed a cult following amongst club players, a loyal band of supporters like no other in chess. White sacrifices a pawn in return for a strong initiative which tests Black's defensive capabilities to the limit. Some experts have questioned its objective soundness, but there's no doubting its success and popularity over the board, where pressure and a ticking clock often means it's impossible to find the right defence. In this book, openings guru Christoph Scheerer takes a modern look at the gambit. He covers in detail the most promising lines for White and the most resilient defences for Black, discusses the key ideas for both sides and highlights the many tricks and traps awaiting the unsuspecting player. This book covers everything White needs to know. It is packed with original ideas and analysis. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players.

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:
Grandmaster and well-known Sicilian Dragon expert Simon Williams takes a totally fresh look at this famous opening. Concentrating on his favourite Dragadorf Variation, Williams constructs a cutting-edge repertoire for Black, one which is perfect for the modern Dragon player who wishes to cause his opponents maximum problems in the opening. The Sicilian Dragon is a highly popular opening, ideal for players of all levels. It enjoys such a great appeal because it leads to fascinating and fun-to-play positions in which both players regularly attack each other’s kings with total inhibition.

Editorial Reviews:
The Catalan is a sophisticated and wide-ranging opening system which is popular at all levels of chess. In recent years it has been catapulted into the limelight by Vladimir Kramnik, who has revitalized it with many new ideas and has utilized it with great success against the world’s strongest players – on occasion making it look like a forced win for White! In this book, Grandmaster Nigel Davies presents a major study of this important opening. Drawing upon his wealth of personal experience with the Catalan, Davies provides a reliable and dynamic repertoire for White, covers the keys plans for both sides, and tackles crucial modern day issues such as move orders.

Editorial Reviews:
The Ruy Lopez is incredibly common at all levels of chess, and everyone who plays 1 e4 e5 as Black needs to have a reliable antidote to this powerful opening. In this book, Milos Pavlovic provides the answer, devising a sound and yet ambitious repertoire for Black, the basis of which is provided by the legendary and ever-popular Marshall Attack. The Marshall is a perfect weapon for Black, as it avoids passive positions and the so-called ‘Spanish torture’ of many other variations. In contrast, with the Marshall Black’s objectives are clear-cut and often involve a direct mating attack against the white king!

Editorial Reviews:
The Queen’s Indian is a dynamic and flexible way to meet 1 d4, and it leads to complex and intricate positions rich in ideas both sides. Such is the high regard for the Queen’s Indian that virtually all the world’s top players have utilized it at one time or another.
In this book Andrew Greet presents a complete repertoire for Black. He reveals his secrets, offers answers against all of White’s possibilities, and highlights the principal tactical and positional plans. This book tells you everything you need to know to play the Queen’s Indian with confidence.

Editorial Reviews:
The Nimzo-Indian is one of Black's most universally popular and respectable answers to 1 d4. It could be said that no other opening allows Black to play for a win from such a sound positional basis, while its flexibility gives rise to a multitude of different positions rich in tactical and positional play. The list of Nimzo-Indian admirers runs like a who's who of the chess world: Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand, Anatoly Karpov, and Michael Adams are just a handful of top Grandmasters who have utilized it with great effect.

Editorial Reviews:
The Ruy Lopez is an incredibly popular opening at all levels of chess; this is perhaps unsurprising given that it’s recognized by most experts as White’s greatest chance of obtaining a lasting advantage after the moves 1 e4 e5. Also known as the Spanish Opening, the Lopez is steeped in rich tradition, having provided the battleground for countless clashes between World Champions of past and present: Kasparov, Fischer, Karpov, Topalov, Kramnik, Anand – the list is endless! Given its immense popularity, one issue a prospective Lopez player has to face up to is the mountain of theory that has gradually developed over the years. In this book, however, Andrew Greet circumvents this potential problem by advocating a comprehensive and yet concise repertoire for White, one that can be assimilated into an opening armoury with relative ease.

Editorial Reviews:
There's no denying that the opening is one of the most daunting phases of the game for newcomers to chess. There are literally hundreds of different opening lines, many with unusual sounding names, and some of these go up to twenty or so moves of theory. What is a chess player supposed to do: memorise countless variations? Don't panic! In Discovering Chess Openings John Emms argues that studying openings doesn't have to be hard work at all – indeed, it can be both enjoyable and enlightening.

Editorial Reviews:
The Advance Variation is a popular and direct way of meeting the ultra-solid French Defence. Very early on in the game White opts to fix the pawn structure and establishes a genuine space advantage, upon which he later hopes to mount a serious attack. This method of playing against the French Defence has become a firm favourite amongst uncompromising Grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, England's Nigel Short and the rising star in Russia, Alexander Grischuk.

Editorial Reviews:
The Ruy Lopez Exchange (or Spanish Exchange) is a classical and well-respected opening that is a favourite amongst Grandmasters and club players alike. It has provided the battle scene for many heavyweight clashes between the world's elite, including (amongst others) Alexei Shirov, Jan Timman, Nigel Short and Michael Adams. Very early on in the game, a distinctive pawn structure is obtained, and in this particular opening it's the understanding of key ideas, plans and structures that's more important that the memorisation of long theoretical variations.

Editorial Reviews:
The Italian Game (sometimes referred to as the Giuoco Piano) is one of the oldest openings around, and also one of the first lines a player learns when he or she is introduced to chess. It leads to play that is easy to understand: both sides develop their pieces logically and begin attacks on the opposing kings. The Italian Game gives both White and Black the opportunity to play either aggressively and in gambit fashion, or in a restrained and positional manner. One of White's most exciting and attacking options is the legendary Evans Gambit, which has been brought back into the limelight in this modern era by such uncompromising players as World number one Garry Kasparov, Alexander Morozevich and England's Nigel Short.