| Starting Out:1d4! (Everyman Chess, www.everymanchess.com, 2006, 239 pages, figurine algebraic, paperback, $23.95) by IM John Cox proposes an ambitious repertoire for the d-pawn practitioner that sidesteps shortcuts and trick variations in favor of well-established main lines. This is not your typical dumbed down opening repertoire book but correspondingly makes big demands on the reader. This will become clearer when you look at Cox's suggestions. Kings Indian ( Classical with 9.b4 and 10.Re1) Gruenfeld ( Exchange Variation with 8.Rb1) Nimzo-Indian ( 4.Qc2) Modern Benoni ( Nf3, Bd3 and h3) Benko Gambit (Accepted with 7.g3 and 8.Bg2) Queen's Gambit Declined ( Exchange Variation) Queen's Gambit Accepted ( 7.Bb3) Semi-Slav ( 5.Bg5) Slav ( 6.Ne5) Dutch ( main lines with g3) Yes, this is a repertoire of many strong GMs! There is no junk here and plenty of study in store. Of course several of these openings ( 9.b4 in the KID and 8.Rb1 in the Grunfeld to name two) could have a whole book on them so Cox has had to cut some corners. The material he gives is more than sufficient for those under Master but probably a bit too much for those below 2000 despite the lucid explanatory prose, helpful hints and well selected model games. Those rated 2200-2400 will find this a very helpful introduction that they can supplement with other works. On the heels of their successful Chess Openings for Black, Explained, the team of GMs Lev Alburt, Roman Dzindzichashvili and Eugene Perelshteyn are back with a look at White's prospects after 1.e4 with Chess Openings for White, Explained. This 548 page paperback, published by Chess Information and Research Center, proposes the following repertoire: Sicilian ( 2.Nc3 and 3.f4) French ( 3.Nc3) Caro-Kann (3.exd5 and 4.Bd3) Pirc ( 4.Nf3 and 5.h3) Alekhine (3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6) Double King Pawn ( 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4) If this looks familiar to those of you have watched GM Dzindi's tapes, don't be surprised. The basic repertoire is taken from Roman's videos but the analysis is greatly expanded. If I had to guess I would say Alburt was responsible for the concept, Dzindzi the proposed repertoire and Perelshteyn the actual book. This repertoire was the staple of the latter as he was growing up and learning under the tutelage of Roman. Many of these lines were also used by Hikaru Nakamura in his formative years as his stepfather Sunil Weeramantry is a longtime Grand Prix ( 2.Nc3 and 3.f4) fan versus the Sicilian. Who is this book for and how optimistic/realistic is it about White's chances? Let us take a look at two critical lines: In the Sicilian after 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.0-0 Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d5 8.exd5 ( 8.e5 is the alternative) 8...a6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.d4 a critical position is reached that has not been tested much. The consensus is that Black should play 10...c4 as 10...Nxd5 11.dxc5! Nxc3 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.bxc3 leads to a position where dynamic factors ( better development and King safety) trump pawn structure. After 10...c4 there are very few examples. Probably the best known, Hodgson-Rowson, Rotherham (4) 1997, continued 11.Ne5 but after 11...Nxd5 12.Qf3 e6 13.f5 gxf5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5 Black was fine. Chess Openings for White, Explained proposes 11.Qe2 going after the c-pawn in another way. The analysis continues solely with 11...b5 which is judged to be better for White but more testing is 11...Nxd5 12.Qxc4 Be6 as played in Perelshteyn(!)-Lawson, Montreal 2005. White was probably a little bit better after 13.Nxd5 Bxd5 14.Qe2. Another line where the authors go against the theoretical canon is in the seemingly worked out ancient line of the Giuoco Piano 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Viktor Kortchnoi came up with 10...Na5 against Tony Miles in South Africa in 1979. After 11.Qa4+ Nc6 Black renewed his threat to trade off the White light squared Bishop ( with ...Nb6) and play ended peacefully after 12.Qb3 Na5. Chess Openings for White, Explained proposes 11.Qa4+ Nc6 12.Ne5 0-0 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.0-0 c5 16.Rac1 cxd4 17.Rxc7 Bb7 18.Nf3 which leads to the position the authors feel is key for the assessment of the line. They give supporting variations in this pioneering position suggesting White's chances are preferable. Although Chess Openings for White, Explained is a big book it is actually aimed at the amateur player who doesn't have unlimited study time. The layout is very spacious with typically four diagrams per board. I think a wide range of players will find it useful from 1600 to Master. Autographed copies of the book are available from America's newest GM, Eugene Perelshteyn, for $30 with free shipping. Contact him at [email protected] or 406 Paradise Rd. #2J, Swampscott, MA 01907. Also, a few copies of Chess Openings for Black, Explained are also available. Recommended Chess Results 1921-1930: A Comprehensive Record with 940 Tournament Crosstables and 210 Match Scores (McFarland & Company - www.mcfarlandpub.com, 2006, paperback, $35) is the third in a five part series of books by the Italian chess archivist Gino Di Felice that cover the world of competitive chess from 1747 to 1940. This colossal project will end up covering over 4000 tournament crosstables and almost 1500 matches when completed. Clearly this is an incredible piece of work and the latest volume, number three in the series is no exception. Di Felice adds to the pioneering efforts of the chess world's most famous archivist Jeremy Gaige, who incidentally will be inducted into the US Hall of Fame at next year's US Open in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. This induction, long overdue, is one example of how the work of the chess archivist is finally getting its due. The physical production of Chess Results 1921-1930 is up to the usual McFarland production standards which means outstanding. The crosstables and match scores are clearly laid out, the paper is good and the book well bound. It is indexed by both player and event. All of this would make Chess Results 1921-1930 the definitive book and Gaige's work obsolete except for one important point that has plagued Di Felice throughout this series. While this book and others in the series have a proper bibliography there is no way to find out what source was used to verify a particular crosstable. Gaige cited his source below each crosstable but Di Felice unfortunately never does. Therefore if there is an error or inconsistency there is no way to check with the original. It would be interesting to know why Di Felice chose not to as several reviewers have mentioned this important point when discussing earlier volumes in the series. It's a pity that he hasn't changed his ways and one hopes that the last two volumes will correct this deficiency. It is still not too late to produce an addendum, tying crosstables to sources, for all volumes in this important series. |