The book you hold is the first work of GM Sethuraman and contains his efforts to find new paths and fresh perspectives on these two variations of these famous Sicilians. We hope you gain from information in this book as well as simply enjoy the games themselves.

I decided to write about something that I would be interested to learn myself. In this book I show what preparation for a game by a 2650 player looks like. In chess, we only see the game on the stage, and can only guess at what is hidden behind the scenes. Top players can't reveal this, nor can their seconds, so I decided - who, if not me? I show my preparation for games, accompanied by analyses that I consider enough to apply the opening line. I show how I outplay opponents, not with powerful opening preparation, but by leading them into positions that are pleasant for me or unpleasant for them. I explain things that many players do not pay attention to in terms of opening preparation and preparation for an opponent. Aleksandr Rakhmanov, May 2021.

Albin Planinc was born in the middle of the Second World War, on 18th April 1944, in the little village of Brise, near the small town of Zagorje ob Savi, approximately 30 kilometers from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. He spent his childhood with his mother Ljudmila (unofficially Milka), a simple, uneducated woman who earned money from various unskilled jobs'. This fascinating biography of over eighty-five annotated games and stories are being presented by grandmasters Georg Mohr and Adrian Mikhalchishin. It covers Planinc' entire life and chess career, including his most fascinating games. This fitting tribute of a forgotten chess genius should be found in anyone's chess library. Thanks to this colorful book Albin Planinc will continue to inspire us all and will keep his spirit alive.

This book is about the Marshall Attack and the lines which can be grouped together under the banner of the so-called Anti-Marshall. The theory has developed so much in the last decade that there is more than enough material to be going on with just in those areas, but I also decided to include a detailed look at an important line in the Exchange Variation. Black's key concept in the Marshall is giving up a central pawn in return for activity, and I have tried to give as many lines as possible which adhere closely to this principle. Why is this so significant? Well, for starters, usually in the Ruy Lopez Black is looking for long, slow games in solid, closed positions. The Marshall flips this on its head and Black tries to accelerate the play and radically change the character of the game at an early stage. Let's briefly discuss the material of the book itself and the lines that I have decided to give. First of all, I started off with the standard Marshall Attack, after the initial moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5. I have given direct analysis wherever possible and I have tried to cover all the essential lines. Of course, with the passing of the years and the continual development of theory we can see how the popularity of some positions has shifted and, in some cases, how certain lines have simply been rendered obsolete. I also discovered, to my surprise, that there are still new, unexplored, and interesting paths for further analysis.

The English (1 c4) is a fine choice for players who like to enjoy a wide variety of middlegame positions. One of its great attractions is flexibility and diversity: White can play either aggressively or quietly, and the resultant middlegame positions are rich in both strategy and tactics. In this book, International Master David Cummings presents the reader with a complete English repertoire. The English is, by its nature, highly transpositional. Black can opt for a King's Indian-type set-up, a Queen's Gambit Declined-type set-up or aim for a reversed Sicilian position. David identifies promising methods to meet all Black's main options and efficient methods to deal with awkward sidelines. The English often leads to situations where there are opportunities to employ tricky move orders. David explains how to navigate through these successfully and avoid any unfortunate pitfalls. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the English. *How to play 1 c4 with confidence*Emphasis on plans and strategies*Written by an English expert

Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, Mastering the Opening by Byron Jacobs and Mastering the Middlegame by Angus Dunnington in one volume. These books are ideal for keen club players who want to improve and are seeking to better their understanding of these key stages of a chess game: the opening, when the battle lines are drawn and the middlegame when the armies commence hand to hand combat. Both books are written in a user-friendly style with plenty of notes, tips and warnings to illustrate key points. The authors are experienced at writing for players of all levels and are particularly noted for their ability to explain ideas in a clear and straightforward fashion. The books are particularly useful for those players who honed their skills with the earlier Everyman Chess books Improve Your Opening Play and Improve Your Middlegame Play.

Emanuel Lasker was world champion for a remarkable 27 years (1894-1921) and is generally regarded as having been way ahead of his time in his understanding of chess. He primarily regarded chess as a fight and considered that the strongest move in a position was the one that created greatest problems for the opponent and not necessarily the one that was objectively "best". His strengths included: ----- * His skill at accumulating small advantages with quiet manoeuvring. --- * His astonishing ability to find tactical resources in defence. --- * His uncanny knack of provoking errors in balanced positions. ----- Lasker was, essentially, a complete chessplayer and his games feel thoroughly modern. Indeed many contemporary elite players (the most obvious one being the current world champion Magnus Carlsen) exhibit a very similar style. ----- The Move by Move series provides an ideal format for the keen chessplayer to improve their game. While reading you are continually challenged to answer probing questions - a method that greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of chess knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study chess while providing the best possible chance to retain what has been learnt.

There is much published on chess tactics, strategy, openings and endings, but little on how to come up with imaginative solutions through logical thinking and evaluation. This book is dedicated to that task and provides over 700 'fresh' positions, incorporating a variety of schemes of thought for the reader to solve. The examples emphasise the power of logical and resourceful thinking, quick wit and imagination. In each chapter the author presents little-explored concepts, such as progressive and reciprocal thinking, to help the reader achieve decisive results and to make fewer mistakes in calculation. The material has been accumulated by the author over many years as a trainer and will be of great benefit to competitive players seeking to improve their methods of thinking.

This book is part of a series from Quality Chess examining the cutting edge of opening theory. The idea is to identify the most important theoretical battlegrounds and then analyse as deeply as possible in search of improvements. Thus the reader will be ahead of the current state-of-the-art, rather than lagging behind trying to memorise old games. The book considers the Sicilian Najdorf - a favourite opening of ambitious players at every level. This book concentrates on lines where White chooses 6.Be3, heading for the English Attack. The variations covered are: Topalov: 6...e6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2 b4 9.Na4 Nbd7; Topalov: 6...e6 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 b4 10.Nce2 e5; Perenyi Attack: 6...e6 7.g4 e5 8.Nf5; Perenyi Attack: 6...e6 7.g4 h6 8.Bg2; Perenyi Attack: 6...e6 7.g4 h5 8.g5 Ng4 9.Bc1 Qb6 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nb3; Main line: 6...e6 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.GBPd2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Bb7 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 14.a3; Main line: 6...e6 7.f3 Nbd7 8.GBPd2 b5 9.g4 Nb6 10.a4; Scheveningen: 5...Nc6 6.Be3 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f3 d5 10.Be2; 6...e5: Positional line: 7.Nf3; and, 6...e5: Vallejo Pons variation: 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g 4 b5 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 14.f4 a5 15.f5; 6...e 5: line with 10...a5: 7.Nb3 Be7 8.f3 Be6 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a5; 6...e5: Topalov variation: 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 h5.

International Master Christof Sielecki presents a repertoire for Black based on the Nimzo-Indian and Bogo-Indian defenses. The Nimzo-Indian has always enjoyed a reputation as a dynamic, reliable defense against 1 d4 and continues to be as popular as ever at all levels. When White avoids the Nimzo-Indian with 3 Nf3 or 3 g3, however, Black needs to find another solution. Sielecki solves this perennial problem by also offering a repertoire with the Bogo-Indian Defense. In both the Nimzo and the Bogo-Indian, Sielecki focuses on lines in which Black adopts a dark-square strategy. This creates a system-type approach which links the variations to a common theme, making the repertoire much easier to learn and understand. Using illustrative games, Sielecki examines the typical tactics and strategies for both sides, and highlights key move order issues. This book tells you all you need to know about playing the Nimzo and Bogo-Indian. *A repertoire for Black against mainline 1 d4 *Packed with new ideas and critical analysis *Explains the important thematic ideas

Building on his ever creative ideas, Christian Bauer found a way to take a fresh look at the current status of the Alekhine Defense. It's clear that Christian has a definite weak spot for Knights. Surely you will appreciate his best efforts to bamboozle your opponents into self-destruction by using the Alekhine.

Everyman Chess's Starting Out series has firmly established itself as the leading guide to studying openings for up-and-coming players. These books are distinguished by their easy-to-read layout, the lucid explanations of the fundamentals, and the abundance of notes, tips and warnings to help the reader absorb vital ideas. Now brought together in one volume are...Starting Out: The Pirc/Modern by Joe Gallagher. The very closely linked Pirc and Modern Defences are dynamic systems that are favoured by ambitious, counter-attacking players. Black plays very much in a hypermodern fashion, allowing White to build an unopposed pawn centre with the idea of plotting its eventual downfall. In this revolutionary book, Grandmaster Joe Gallagher goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the Pirc/Modern and its numerous variations. In this revolutionary book, Grandmaster Joe Gallagher goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the Pirc/Modern and its numerous variations. Starting Out: The Modern by Nigel Davies.In this book, Davies studies the Modern 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. The Modern Defence is a dynamic, ambitious and universal opening, one that can be used against virtually every system White can play. Black's provocative strategy is based upon allowing White to construct an imposing pawn centre in the anticipation that a well-timed strike will bring about its downfall. Both sides can play for high rewards, albeit at some risk: White can hope to succeed with a direct attack or to squash Black with a space advantage, while Black will aim to destroy White's centre and mop up the remains. All in all this can lead to intriguing battles in which one slip from either side is often fatal..

Three brilliant books from Everyman Chess in One volume and an essential guide to to the new chess player. Starting Out in Chess by Byron Jacobs Rapid Chess Improvement by Michael de la Maza Tips for Young Players by Matthew Sadler Starting Out in Chess: International Master Byron Jacobs provides a thorough grounding of the game. This is the first book in the Starting Out series and is for newcomers to chess and those looking to improve their game. Rapid Chess Improvement is the ideal book for serious adult players who want to improve. It describes a study plan which came about thanks to a re-evaluation of standard chess teaching and includes several unique components aimed at improving deficiencies in the play of adult players.This book is the only one of its kind for the simple reason that it has been written by an author who hugely improved his own rating over a 12 month period by following his own advice. He therefore fully understands the challenges faced by enthusiastic players who are relatively new to the game. This is in sharp contrast to most books aimed at this level which are usually written by very strong players who have long forgotten what it feels like to be starting out in the game. Tips for Young Players: Grandmaster Matthew Sadler, answers key questions such as: Which openings should I play ? How do I learn to spot tactics? What do I need to know about the endgame?

The King's Indian Defence is one of the great classical counter-attacking openings. The most aggressive world champions (including Mikhail Tal, Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov) have all scored brilliant knockout victories with this opening. In this book the highly experienced coach international master Andrew Martin explains the basic ideas behind all the different variations that occur after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6. The focus on strategic elements such as pawn structures, attacking plans and typical piece manouevres allows the reader to quickly gain an excellent feel for this complex opening. First Steps is an opening series that is ideal for improving players who want simple and straightforward explanations. First Steps emphasizes: * the basic principles * the basic strategies * the key tricks and traps First Steps books are based around carefully selected instructive games which demonstrate exactly what both sides are trying to achieve. There is enough theory to enable the improving player to get to grips with the opening without feeling overwhelmed. If you want to take up a new opening, First Steps is the ideal place to start.

One of the most challenging tasks in a chess game is to find the correct strategy. It is far easy to attack too randomly, to miss a vital opportunity, or even choose the wrong plan altogether. These are all mistakes frequently seen by even quite strong players. ----- Your Chess Battle Plan focuses on how Magnus Carlsen and other great masters decide on the best strategy in a position and then find the right ways to implement it. Clear advice shows you how to hone in on the most relevant features of a position in order to decide what your general plan needs to be. Factors that are addressed include when to exchange pieces, when to make long-range manoeuvres, when to offer sacrifices and how to identify and focus on key squares. Your Chess Battle Plan will get you thinking along the right strategic lines and using your pieces and pawns in a much more efficient and skilful manner. ----- * A complete self-improvement programme. --- * Advice to evaluate the current level of planning in your own games. --- * Utilizes a structured approach, making the most of your study time.

Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres is one of the greatest players in chess history. Along with Viktor Korchnoi he is one of the best never to have gained the ultimate title of world champion. He was numbered among the very top players in the world for more than three decades. He was an unusually well-rounded chessplayer, writing numerous books and, additionally, also composing problems and endgame studies. Paraguay grandmaster, Zenon Franco has long been a fan of Paul Keres and has now collected together 38 of his finest games, along with numerous extracts from other encounters. ----- The Move by Move series provides an ideal format for the keen chessplayer to improve their game. While reading you are continually challenged to answer probing questions - a method that greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of chess knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study chess while providing the best possible chance to retain what has been learnt.

The Colle and London are opening systems for White starting with 1 d4. They are very popular choices at club level and for two very good reasons: 1. Both openings are easy to learn and understand. 2. White's attacking play is based on solid foundations. In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala examines both openings in detail and provides a highly practical repertoire for White based on a mix of the Colle and the London. All the way through the reader is helped along by numerous notes, tips and exercises. This book tells you everything you need to know before taking your first steps with the Colle and London systems. First Steps is a new opening series and is ideal for improving players who want simple and straightforward explanations. First Steps emphasizes: * the basic principles * the basic strategies * the key tricks and traps First Steps books are based around carefully selected instructive games which demonstrate exactly what both sides are trying to achieve. There is enough theory to enable the improving player to get to grips with the opening without feeling overwhelmed. If you want to take up a new opening, First Steps is the ideal place to start.

This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge. In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala studies the Colle, one of his favourite opening systems. The Colle is a reliable option for White, and is easy to learn and play. White typically builds on solid foundations before unleashing an attack on the enemy king. This straightforward plan makes it particularly popular at club level, but the Colle is played successfully by Grandmasters too. Lakdawala covers both the main lines and the more aggressive Colle-Zukertort Attack, examines the key positional and tactical ideas for both sides, and tells you everything you need to know about playing the Colle. *Essential guidance and training in the Colle System *Presents a Colle repertoire for White *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

"Across the Board" is the definitive work on chessboard problems. It is not simply about chess but the chessboard itself--that simple grid of squares so common to games around the world. And, more importantly, the fascinating mathematics behind it. From the Knight's Tour Problem and Queens Domination to their many variations, John Watkins surveys all the well-known problems in this surprisingly fertile area of recreational mathematics. Can a knight follow a path that covers every square once, ending on the starting square? How many queens are needed so that every square is targeted or occupied by one of the queens?

Each main topic is treated in depth from its historical conception through to its status today. Many beautiful solutions have emerged for basic chessboard problems since mathematicians first began working on them in earnest over three centuries ago, but such problems, including those involving polyominoes, have now been extended to three-dimensional chessboards and even chessboards on unusual surfaces such as toruses (the equivalent of playing chess on a doughnut) and cylinders. Using the highly visual language of graph theory, Watkins gently guides the reader to the forefront of current research in mathematics. By solving some of the many exercises sprinkled throughout, the reader can share fully in the excitement of discovery.

Showing that chess puzzles are the starting point for important mathematical ideas that have resonated for centuries, "Across the Board" will captivate students and instructors, mathematicians, chess enthusiasts, and puzzle devotees.