| Everyman Books Reviewed by IM John Donaldson Can you guess who the world�s largest publisher of chess books is? It used to be Batsford, and Gambit Publishing is coming on strong, but Everyman Chess seems to be clearly in the lead with around 100 titles currently published and a steady pipeline of new books on the way. If the name Everyman Chess doesn�t come readily to mind, it�s not surprising. Formerly, this company was known as Pergamon, then Maxwell & MacMillan, then Cadogan and finally, Everyman Chess. Some of the latest offerings by Everyman Chess reflect its diversity. Unlike some other publishers, they produce books on all topics from opening monographs to game collections to instructional tomes. Here are five of the latest offerings. Dutch Stonewall (Everyman Chess 2001, 160 pages, figurine algebraic, paperback, $19.95) by Danish IM Jacob Aagaard is primarily devoted to the modern treatment of this venerable opening where Black plays 6�.Bd6. There is a small section in the back dealing with the old Stonewall with 6�Be7 and the Scandinavian specialty �Bd6 but without �c6 (Black plans �b6, �Bb7, and sometimes �c7 c5). The Modern Stonewall enjoys a fair amount of popularity these days. It offers Black a solid position with plenty of chances to play for a win. It also differs from a lot of other openings in that it does not require the practitioner to learn huge amounts of theory because there is no direct, early contact. The author makes a very valid point in the introduction that this is a book that is better used as a game collection than exclusively as a theoretical monograph. This book is much more accessible to the average reader than the standard opening treatise. There is a fifty page (!) introduction in which the author explains the basic ideas for each side and the pros and cons of various move orders and set ups. This is not to say that there isn�t a lot of concrete theoretical treatment here. Using the typical Everyman format, Aagaard offers the reader 77 well annotated games with many more included in the notes. Readers who purchase the Dutch Stonewall will have a complete guide to the various Stonewall setups (White Nh3 or Nf3, as well as e2-e3 as opposed to g2-g3) but, they will need to find another source for anti-Dutch systems like 2.Bg5, 2.Nc3, 2.e4, etc.) Alternatively, another idea would be to answer 1.d4 with 1�e6, intending to head into a Dutch via 2.c4 f5. Note: this would require Black to have knowledge of the French Defense or the Sicilian/Franco Benoni after 2.e4 (2�d5 or 2�c5). The Dutch Stonewall is that rare opening book that can be recommended to a wide range of players from 1800 up to IMs and GMs. Recommended. The Main Line Caro-Kann (Everyman Chess 2001, 143 pages, figurine algebraic, paperback, $19.95) by GM Neil McDonald is devoted to all Black�s tries after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4. McDonald�s weighting of the material reflects current popularity. Smyslov�s System, with 4...Nd7, gets 46 pages and 15 annotated games, the Classical 4�Bf5 gets 50 pages, and 20 games, the Larsen-Bronstein System with 4�Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6, 16 pages and 7 games, and the Korchnoi System with 4�Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6, gets 14 pages and 6 games. McDonald does a good job of explaining the basic ideas of this opening. For example, in chapter four, which is devoted to the Modern Classical (1.e4 c6, 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 ), he explains the ideas behind the paradoxical 7�Nf6, which was considered to be just a blunder ten years ago, but is now fully accepted by some of the world�s strongest players. To quote McDonald, �The positional basis for this system is simple. Black goads his opponent into playing 8.Ne5 and then after the preliminary retreat, 8�Bh7, he tries to prove that the Knight is a target rather than well placed on e5. Black can undermine its support by playing for �c6-c5, or attack it directly with moves like �Nbd7, �Bd6 and �Qc7. Remember that a piece doesn�t control the square it is standing on, so by going to e5, the Knight is not only relinquishing its control of d4, but also the e5-square itself.� This book is recommended, but with a caveat that the reader will probably want to use it in conjunction with an older, more reference oriented work on the Caro. Entire books have been written just about 4�Bf5 or 4�Nf6. It�s understandable that McDonald, operating with a limited amount of space, has chosen to focus on the most important developments with some sidelines necessarily having to be left out. Recommended. |