Editorial Reviews:
Opening, middlegame and endgame are the three universally recognized stages of a game of chess, but what about the art of preparation? Winning starts with planning before the game, teaches legendary chess trainer Vladimir Tukmakov in this enlightening and entertaining work on a neglected subject.
Exploring and understanding, prior to the game, the strengths and weaknesses of your next opponent and being aware of your own strong points and shortcomings, are a key to success. Tukmakov describes how planning has become a systematic process, how methodical preparation works, and which critical steps you have to take.

Editorial Reviews:
Nobody doubts that intuition in chess exists. It is part of the arsenal of every chess player, next to well-known weapons such as tactical skills, the ability to calculate variations and endgame technique. But how does intuition in chess work, and where does it take us?
Intuition is by far the vaguest and hardest to grasp subject in chess, and consequently the least studied. Acclaimed author and experienced chess trainer Valeri Beim takes the bull by the horns and explains, with hundreds of well explained examples, when intuition comes into play, why some players have better intuition than others, what the functions of intuition are, how it differs from pattern recognition, and why your intuition gets weaker as you get older.
Valeri Beim deeply analyses and dissects how chess players think and demonstrates that each of us has the power of making intuitive decisions. You will learn how you can train and develop this human gift. Beim uses plain language and illustrates his findings with sparkling tales about Fischer, Carlsen, Tal and other greats in chess as well as with instructive examples of practical play. A thought-provoking, yet highly accessible work.

Editorial Reviews:
Every competitive chess player needs to decide which openings he wants to play. Selecting a set of moves to employ, with either white or black, against each likely countermove by your opponent is a daunting challenge that takes a lot of time and effort. Grandmaster and former senior world champion Larry Kaufman provides a ready-to-go repertoire for both colors that is based not on what on what is objectively ‘best’ (meaning the most popular in recent grandmaster play), but on what is easy to digest for amateurs. Kaufman has selected a range of sound lines that do not outdate rapidly, do not require the memorization of lots of theory and can be played with confidence. The recommended openings are not razor-sharp but contain enough venom for the white side to strive for a clear advantage and for sufficient counter-chances on the black side. Kaufman presents his material with a good balance between narrative and variations and also provides common-sense guidance on how to evaluate positions. This manual, a completely revised and updated edition of ‘The Chess Advantage in Black and White’, provides a practical and reliable chess opening repertoire for a broad audience.

Editorial Reviews:
This manual fills a big gap in chess literature. After 1.d4, probably the most widely played opening move in the world, Black can avoid main line theory by deviating into a whole variety of irritating unorthodox sidelines. White players often stumble into unknown and dangerous territory where their tricky opponent awaits them, fully prepared. Acclaimed chess author Valeri Bronznik provides sound and user-friendly answers to no less then nineteen unusual variations and gambits. Against the Budapest Gambit, Marshall Defence, Englund Gambit, Baltic Defence, Schara-Hennig Gambit, Keres Defence and many others, chess amateurs are presented with easy-to-learn plans and comprehensive counter-attacks. After studying this book, club and internet chess players will be fully armed to deal with all of Black’s offbeat tries. From now on they will be able to beat the guerrillas!

Editorial Reviews:
Combining beauty and practicality, the endgame study is one of the subtle wonders of the Royal Game. Training with studies is a vital part of improving your endgame technique: it develops your general understanding, your calculation skills and your resourcefulness. But endgame studies, with their elements of artistry, science and hidden beauty, are at the same time highly entertaining. Jan Timman is one of the few famous chess players who also have a distinguished career as a study composer. In The Art of the Endgame Timman has collected a magnificent selection of studies, relating how they have inspired him, and presents his own best material. This is a labor of love which is not only a must-read for specialists and a source of joy, but also a practical tool for club players who want to deepen their understanding of the endgame.

Editorial Reviews:
The Ragozin Complex is a flexible and versatile chess opening system that, despite its popularity, rarely has been a subject of serious study in chess literature. A hybrid of the Queen’s Gambit and the Nimzo-Indian Defence, the Ragozin featured in a famous book by Soviet theoretician Lipnitsky in the 1950s. Bobby Fischer decided to learn Russian to be able to read that work and immediately afterwards started playing the Ragozin. In recent years the Ragozin has had a tremendous revival and is now being used at top level by players like Vladimir Kramnik, Levon Aronian and Vasily Ivanchuk. In this book, the first monograph on this important system, acclaimed chess author Vladimir Barsky provides a comprehensive coverage of themes and variations, both for Black and for White. For the first time in history, amateur players can acquaint themselves with the important Ragozin System and start playing this flexible opening with confidence.

Editorial Reviews:
Every chess player knows that some moves are harder to see than others. Why is it that, frequently, uncomplicated wins simply do not enter your mind? Even strong grandmasters suffer from blind spots that obscure some of the best ideas during a game. What is more: often both players fail to see the opportunity that is right in front of their eyes. Neiman and Afek have researched this problem and discovered that there are actually reasons why your brain discards certain ideas. In this book they demonstrate different categories of hard-to-see chess moves and clearly explain the psychological, positional and geometric factors which cloud your brain. Invisible Chess Moves with its many unique examples, instructive explanations and illuminative tests, will teach how to discover your blind spots and see the moves which remain invisible for others. Your results at the board will improve dramatically because your brain will stop blocking winning ideas.

Editorial Reviews:
The Four Knights variation is one of the oldest chess openings, dating back to the 16th century. In recent years it has been injected with numerous fresh ideas and has shaken off the reputation of being a peaceful choice. White has quite a few ways to create tension and play for the attack. Russian International Master Andrey Obodchuk has written a repertoire book for white players based on the Spanish Four Knights variation. He covers a range positional themes as well as amazing, sharp adventures, and creates an easy-to-handle toolbox for amateur chess players of intermediate level. Players of the white pieces will discover how to build on the strong points of their position, while black players will learn how to defend. As a special extra there is an additional chapter on the Belgrade Gambit, another variation of the Four Knights Game, containing some fantastic lines, ideal for uncompromising players.

Editorial Reviews:
Yuri Averbakh (1922) is a distinguished Russian chess grandmaster who has enjoyed a long and varied career. He has been a top player, a journalist, an editor, an arbiter, a trainer and a long-time member of the board of the Soviet chess federation. Averbakh won the USSR championship in 1954 ahead of players like Kortchnoi, Petrosian and Geller and was a leading Soviet grandmaster for two decades. In this personal memoir he looks back on his days as an active player on the centre stage of chess, but also on his experiences as a quintessential insider when chess was considered a vital ingredient of life in the Soviet Union. Averbakh observes the world of chess from the moment he walked into the Moscow Chess Club as a 13-year old boy and describes his personal successes, his secret training matches with world champion Botvinnik, the mechanisms and behind-the-scenes dealings in the Soviet Union, including his involvement in the famous matches between Karpov and Kasparov. A unique, revealing and well-told story, essential reading for everybody interested in the history of chess and the Soviet Union.

Editorial Reviews:
This is the ultimate book for lovers of chess. You will embark on an unforgettable intellectual expedition in the realm of the Royal Game. The beauty, the battle, the culture, the fun, the art and the heroism of chess are the main themes of this fascinating and often surprising journey. Your private guide is Christian Hesse, a Harvard-trained professor of Mathematics and an avid chess player. Hesse has written a sparkling book that will give you many hours of intense joy. With a preface by former world champion of chess Vladimir Kramnik.

Editorial Reviews:
A power move, explains experienced chess teacher Charles Hertan, is a winning master tactic that requires thinking ahead. To become one of the best chess players in your school you need to be able to think just 1,5 moves ahead, and this book teaches the four basic tricks do so. You will learn how to weed out silly moves and just consider a few important ones. Forget about learning openings and endgames, power moves will help you win in all stages of the game. Charles Hertan introduces the four main characters who will help you to learn these basic skills: Zort (a teenaged computer from the planet Zugszwang), the Dinosaurs, Power Chess Kid and the Chess Professor . The most complete and fun kids book ever on learning how to win games!

Editorial Reviews:
Every chess player knows how difficult it can be to convert an advantage into a win. Positional technique is what you need and this book teaches exactly that in 15 thematic lessons. The training material is based on 80 games of the legendary positional genius Ulf Andersson, a world elite player from Sweden who reached number four on the FIDE rating list. Studying Andersson?s crystal-clear middlegame and endgame technique, which Kaufeld and Kern made accessible for club players by pinpointing exactly in which positions and how Andersson made the difference, will improve your strategic skills and your positional feeling.

Editorial Reviews:
The Scandinavian Defense is increasingly popular with club and internet players. It is easy to learn because there is relatively little theory and once White has played 1.e4 he cannot avoid Black uncorking the Scandinavian. This book is the long-awaited translation of a German bestseller considered by many to be the best book ever on the Scandinavian. It does not concentrate on theoretical lines but on the structural ideas that govern this opening. Basic strategic themes, how pawn structures dictate plans of attacks, which tactical motifs you can expect in certain typical positions, that is what this book is about. You will learn how to outplay your opponent with solid and relatively easy-to-learn moves.

Editorial Reviews:
The widely-played Winawer Variation has been called ‘the jewel in the crown of the French Defence’. It is easy to see why: This is an opening for players who love a real fight. Black immediately attacks White’s centre and the resulting positional dynamics offer chances to both sides. Viktor Moskalenko, a renowned champion of dynamic play, is the ideal guide to show you both the strategic principles and the tactical finesses. As a follow-up to his bestselling The Flexible French, Moskalenko has written another sparkling book brimming with new and original ideas. The entire spectrum of the Winawer is covered, but of course Moskalenko has his own preferences and he does not shy away from some daring recommendations. His keen eye for the essence of positions, his talent to find new resources in well-known lines and his own inimitable style will make the ‘French Magic’ work for every reader.

Editorial Reviews:
World Chess Champion Mikhail Botvinnik writes the story of the 1963 match in which he lost his title to fellow Russian Tigran Petrosian. Botvinnik, one of the greatest chess players of all time, analyses the games, reveals his match strategy and comments on the strategic choices of his opponent. Botvinnik?s revealing essay: ?Why In lost the match? is counterbalanced by Petrosian?s analysis of his win, which is also included in this important historical document. A fascinating and highly instructive report.

Editorial Reviews:
The Ruy Lopez (or Spanish Opening) is one of the oldest and most important chess openings, popular with amateurs as well as professional players. Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov presents bold, but very playable, off-beat weapons for Black, as well as dynamic new ideas and refutations in many main-line variations, for both Black and White. An accessible and inspirational book book by world-famous Ivan Sokolov who, in his rich career, has beaten world champions Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand. Much useful material for aspiring club players, said British Chess Magazine about Sokolov's previous book - 'Winning Chess Middlegames'.

Editorial Reviews:
Former Ukrainian Champion Moskalenko, who coached Vasily Ivanchuk to stardom, presents a fundamentally new approach of getting better at chess. Covering all aspects of the game, Moskalenko develops new and easy-to-apply rules-of-thumb for amateur players who want to improve. With many examples, tests and exercises, this is the ultimate modern chess skills improvement manual. Easy to read and understand; even weaker players will benefit from Moskalenko's breakdown of the material, wrote Carsten Hansen at ChessCafe about Moskalenko's previous book 'The Flexible French'.

Editorial Reviews:
The Sicilian Defense is by far the most popular chess opening, both at club level as well as with top grandmasters. Former Spanish Champion and succesful chess coach Jesus de la Villa presents a complete repertoire for White after 1.e4 c5 2. Nc3. Each variation is clearly organized with its history, ideas, statistics, examples of tactics and strategies, and instructive games. With frequent summaries of the material presented, this is an extremely accessible book for casual and improving chess players. Dismantling the Sicilian has never been easier.

Editorial Reviews:
"By organizing and explaining the nature of great chess moves Hertan has brought us all closer to being able to find them" --Former US Champion Joel Benjamin
"I love this book" --Elisabeth Vicary, US Chess Federation Online

Editorial Reviews:
SOS allows amateurs to play the opening like a pro without spending nearly all their free time studying stuffy theory. Readers of this series can ignore large areas of the ever expanding chess opening theory, because they can concentrate on these very early deviations (usually before move six!) from the regular lines in main stream openings. Ideal for club players with a basic knowledge of openings, who have not enough time to keep up with the latest fashions. A refreshing change, is what GM Nigel Short wrote about SOS in The Daily Telegraph.

Editorial Reviews:
No time to study chess opening theory? Secrets of Opening Surprises (SOS) consists of highly playable, unusual opening ideas. Because an SOS is such an early deviation from the regular lines in mainstream openings (usually before move six), the probability of you being able to bring the variation actually on the board is very high. If you are tired of main lines, if you are looking for simple but effective weapons to perplex your opponent, then you will feel very much at home in the world of SOS.

Editorial Reviews:
Readers of this series can ignore large areas of the ever expanding chess opening theory. They can concentrate on these surprising ideas, because SOS variations deviate very early from the regular lines in mainstream openings. Ideal for players who don’t have enough time to keep abreast with main line theory. Appears twice a year. Ready-to-go chess opening ideas.

Editorial Reviews:
Readers of this book can ignore large areas of chess opening theory by concentrating on these surprising ideas. SOS variations deviate very early from the regular lines in main stream openings. Ideal for players who don’t have enough time to keep abreast with main line theory. Appears twice a year.

Editorial Reviews:
SOS allows you to play the chess opening like a pro without spending nearly all your free time trying to memorize stuffy theory. An unprepared opponent will have great difficulties dealing with these cunning, ready-to-go early deviations from main stream openings (usually before move six). The ideas may look weird at first sight but have proven to be perfectly playable: they have all been played by Masters or Grandmasters.

Editorial Reviews:
Secrets of Opening Surprises brings you a wide variety of unusual opening ideas. They may seem outrageous at first sight, but have proven to be perfectly playable. An SOS deviates very early from the regular lines in a mainstream opening, usually even before move six! That is why it is so easy to actually bring the variation on the board. You will baffle your opponent without having studied large quantities of stuffy theory. Contributing authors: Mikhail Gurevich, Alexander Beliavsky, David Navara, Oleg Chernikov, Adrian Mikhalchishin, Carlos Matamoros, Ian Rogers, Karel van der Weide, Jeroen Bosch, Dorian Rogozenko, Mark Bluvshtein, Glenn Flear, Oleg Romanishin

Editorial Reviews:
Tired of main lines? Shock your opponent with an SOS! Contents 1 Jeroen Bosch: The SOS Files 2 Ian Rogers: Refining Fischer’s Plan 3 Alexander Beliavsky: Destroying the Benoni Wall 4 Maxim Notkin: When I was Young 5 Jeroen Bosch: Morozevich’s Pet Line in the Albin 6 Michal Krasenkow: The Dutch in the English? 7 Dorian Rogozenko: Follow the Experts 8 Jeroen Bosch: Let’s wait and see: 3...h6 in the French 9 Sergei Movsesian: Play like a Beginner 10 Dimitri Reinderman: The Haberditz Variation 11 Jeroen Bosch: Get the Edge on the Budapest 12 Igor Glek: Gambit Lines in the Glek Variation 13 Jeroen Bosch: Beating the Van Geet 14 Dorian Rogozenko: A Latvian Speciality vs the Dragon 15 Mihai Grünberg: It is Better Playing White 16 Glenn Flear: The Solid but Tricky Fianchetto Spanish 17 Jonathan Rowson: The Improved Nadanian

Editorial Reviews:
This volume helps beginners to develop a solid understanding of fundamental opening ideas, gives casual players the ability to choose the opening that suits their style and taste, is a tool for club players to test and review their opening repertoire, as well as a reference book to which advanced players keep returning. The authors do not propagate forcing tactical variations to be memorized mechanically, but explain what you should actually be trying to achieve when playing the opening of your choice. By highlighting important moves and key positions in color, Chess Opening Essentials helps you to get out of any opening in good shape and gives you a foundation on which to build your repertoire.

Editorial Reviews:
This volume helps beginners to develop a solid understanding of fundamental opening ideas, gives casual players the ability to choose the opening that suits their style and taste, is a tool for club players to test and review their opening repertoire, as well as a reference book to which advanced players keep returning. The authors do not propagate forcing tactical variations to be memorized mechanically, but explain what you should actually be trying to achieve when playing the opening of your choice. By highlighting important moves and key positions in color, Chess Opening Essentials helps you to get out of any opening in good shape and gives you a foundation on which to build your repertoire.

Editorial Reviews:
Winner of the Italian Chess Federation’s Golden Award! An accessible primer and opening reference book, providing es sential knowledge on all chess openings. It explains the basic plans and ideas for both black and white. It gives beginners the ability to choose the openings that suit their style and taste, and gives club players the opportunity to test and review their opening repertoire. Chess Opening Essentials gives a flavour of how a particular opening works, with pointers in the right direction if you wish to explore further.