Something in the multiverse has shattered, and now the universe is bleeding. Throughout Mega-City One there are reports of invaders wreaking havoc. Celtic barbarians in Ezquerra Block. Russian nobles in Apetown. And rumours of fragments of other universes, waiting to be claimed. Head to the streets of Mega-City One with Judge Dredd: Helter Skelter, a new miniatures board game combining Martin Wallace's critically-acclaimed Wildlands rules with the worlds of 2000 AD. Four unique factions bring iconic characters from Slaine, Nikolai Dante, and Strontium Dog crashing into Mega-City One, all intent on finding the shattered fragments of their own universe and crushing anyone who gets in their way. Things are going to get rough, but one thing is certain. No matter what universe you are from, you still have to answer to the Law! Players: 2-4 Ages: 14+ Playing Time: 30-60 minutes Contents: 20 unique ink-washed miniatures, 188 cards, double-sided playing board, counters and tokens

Are you searching for a new weapon against 1 e4? Look no furtherchoose the Killer Sicilian! In this book, opening expert Tony Rotella presents a Sicilian repertoire for Black, the backbone of which consists of the Kalashnikov Variation. The Kalashnikov is an ideal choice for those looking to take up the Sicilian. Black follows an easy-to-learn system of development, with clear strategic aims. What's more, in many lines Black can choose between aggressive and positional options. It's no coincidence that the Kalashnikov has attracted such attacking talents as World Championship candidate Teimour Radjabov and four-time US Champion Alexander Shabalov. Rotella critically examines the main lines and explains the key positional and tactical ideas for both sides. He also demonstrates what Black should do against White's numerous Anti-Sicilian options. Read this book and unleash the Killer Sicilian! *A Sicilian repertoire for Black*Includes Anti-Sicilian coverage*Packed with new ideas and analysis

It all began with one small step. Game Changer is the story of how a twenty-three-year-old waiter from Seattle had the outrageous dream of beating industry giants Milton Bradley and Mattel at their own game. With no experience, Rob Angel used his guts, drive, and intuition to create one of the most beloved board games of all time: Pictionary. Rob did it his way. He produced the first 1,000 games by hand in his tiny one- bedroom apartment, disrupted the market by selling to nontraditional retail outlets, and did countless demonstrations at the bottom of the escalator at Nordstrom" "a store with no game department. Anything to succeed. Getting there wasn't easy; Rob had to navigate his way through production mishaps, cash flow troubles, and countless copycats trying to scratch their way past Pictionary. Still, within three years, Pictionary became the bestselling board game in North America, and shortly after, the world. When Mattel acquired Pictionary in 2001, a staggering 38,000,000 games had been sold in 60 countries. In Game Changer, Rob shares the remarkable inside story of taking Pictionary from simple idea to iconic global brand by breaking rules and breaking records, never giving up or giving in, and working harder when most would walk away all while having the time of his life. Candid and compelling, Game Changer is as much a captivating memoir as it is a blueprint to personal and professional success.

The Grunfeld is an exciting and dynamic answer to 1 d4, and has become very popular at all levels of chess. A major reason for this is that it has been a long-time favourite of the World's strongest-ever chess player, Garry Kasparov, who used it many times in his numerous World Championship battles. The Grunfeld very much relies on the principles of the hypermodern school of chess: Black allows White to erect an impressive-looking centre on the assumption that in the long run it could prove to be more of a liability than an asset. Play often becomes very complex and tactical, one of the reasons the Grunfeld appeals to ambitious players.
Despite its attractions, some prospective Grunfeld players are discouraged by the necessity of needing to learn numerous different variations in such a complex opening. In "Play the Grunfeld," however," "opening expert Yelena Dembo circumvents this problem by producing a comprehensive and yet workable repertoire for Black, offering a solution against each of White's tries, whether it's a critical main line or a tricky sideline. After reading this book, you will have the required knowledge and confidence to begin playing the Grunfeld in your own games.
*Written by a renowned Grunfeld expert
*Covers all of White's main tries
*Reveals the tactical and positional ideas for both sides
Yelena Dembo is a young International Master from Greece with numerous tournament successes to her name, including the bronze medal at the 2005 European Women's Championship and one Grandmaster norm. She's a renowned chess coach, who has taught students from over 30 countries. She's also an experienced chess writer and a regular contributor to the qualitypublication "Chess Informant," This is her first book for Everyman Chess.

The Hippopotamus Defence is just what a club player needs. Its a straightforward and clear-cut chess opening that avoids the ever growing body of mainline theory. Its universal: Black can use the Hippo against virtually all of Whites choices (1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4, 1.f4, the Colle, London, Trompowsky, Reti and others). Its not very well known and will surprise many opponents. On top of all that, the Hippo is seriously underestimated: with its characteristic double fianchetto it may look quiet, but inside there lurks a very dangerous animal. FIDE Master Alessio de Santis is one of the worlds greatest experts on the Hippo and has written a practical, well-structured and accessible manual. His book can be studied on three levels: after a first flash of 3 to 4 hours you will be familiar with the Hippos basic moves and key variations, its strategic themes and recurring manoeuvres. In the second and third stage De Santis leads you through the most important concrete lines and introduces the Semi-Hippopotamus to counter some specific White ideas. You can use the Hippo as a surprise weapon or as your main repertoire. The extensive explanations and clear conclusions make this book an easy-to-navigate manual for all club players. If you like to confront your opponents with some unexpected counter-attacks, then you need not look any further.

In Volume 2 of Excelling at Chess, we publish International Master Jacob Aagaard's Excelling at Combinational Play: Learn to Identify and Exploit Tactical Chances and Excelling at Chess Calculation: Capitalising on tactical chances. Being able to solve puzzles and combinations is one of the principal components of a successful chess player. But how can one improve on such an important skill? How can one acquire combinational vision? Aagaard explains how tactical intuition and ability develops and uses pattern recognition to improve the readers tactical ammunition. It is no secret that the continued practice of puzzles and combinations helps to sharpen the chess brain, and here there is a wealth of exercises and problems to solve accompanied by the full solutions and explanations. There are many differing opinions amongst the top players in the world of chess, but there is one thing upon which World Champions, Grandmasters and other experts all agree: the art of chess calculation is the absolute key to the success of a player. In Excelling at Chess Calculation, Aagaard tackles the subject matter head on, unravelling the many secrets behind chess calculation and arming the reader with the necessary tools to be able to calculate effectively at the chessboard. Aagaard pays particular attention to the searching practical questions like "when should you calculate?", "how can you discover candidate moves?" and "how long should you spend on critical moves?"

Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, Play The Accelerated Dragon by Peter Lalic and Play the Benko Gambit by Nicolai Pedersen , brought together in one volume. The Accelerated Dragon remains one of Black's most popular choices in the Sicilian, and the attractions are obvious. Black's opening strategy is easy to understand, and his pieces are quickly developed on active squares. Furthermore, White players hoping to attack in the same way as against the traditional Dragon will be shocked by the Accelerated Dragon's greater flexibility and possibilities for a swift counterattack. In this book, Peter Lalic presents a repertoire for Black based on this line. He outlines a reliable system of development with the aim of choosing clear, consistent plans. Firstly, he demonstrates why the Accelerated Dragon exponent need not fear the Yugoslav Attack. Secondly, if White chooses instead the positional Maroczy Bind approach he emphasizes that positional understanding is far more important than memorization of move sequences. 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.

"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.

The Old Indian Defence is considered to be a sound way for Black to meet 1 d4. Some might argue that it is steady rather than spectacular, but is this reputation totally deserved? Grandmaster Alexander Cherniaev disagrees, and in this book he has re-examined this ancient opening and the result is a "new" Old Indian. In this modern interpretation, he has introduced ambitious and aggressive ways for Black to play in the main lines. He constructs an improved version of a repertoire he has himself utilized with great success against grandmaster opposition. Using illustrative games, he studies the fundamental tactical and positional ideas for both sides, and also covers what to do if White avoids the Old Indian. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the New Old Indian. * A Grandmaster's repertoire against 1 d4 * Full of new ideas and critical analysis * Illustrative games highlight key ideas

The Barry Attack is a highly aggressive system that arises after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Bf4. Although the concept of the Barry Attack has been known for a century or so, the modern interpretation (as with a number of other dynamic white systems) has mainly been developed by English grandmasters over the past couple of decades. This "modern interpretation" is often not very subtle. If Black provides a target by castling early on the kingside, White will often let rip with moves such as Qd2, Bh6, 0-0-0 and h4-h5, playing very directly for a quick checkmate. If this strikes you as too crude to have a chance against a sophisticated and competent defender, then a quick glance through this book will undoubtedly change your mind. You will witness countless games where very strong players are destroyed on the black side in less than 30 moves. Sometimes a lot less. This makes the Barry an ideal weapon for those who love to attack. Black's defence has to be very accurate. If not, a quick annihilation is on the cards. Play the Barry Attack is the ideal guide to this fascinating opening. Anyone who reads this book carefully and studies all White's attacking ideas will have a fearsome weapon in their armoury.

Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, Play the Grunfeld by Yelena Dembo and Play the Sicilian Kan by Johann Hellsten, brought together in one volume The Grunfeld is an exciting and dynamic answer to 1 d4, and has become very popular at all levels of chess. A major reason for this is that it has been a long-time favourite of the World's strongest-ever chess player, Garry Kasparov. The Grunfeld very much relies on the principles of the hypermodern school of chess: Black allows White to erect an impressive-looking centre on the assumption that in the long run it could prove to be more of a liability than an asset. Play often becomes very complex and tactical, one of the reasons the Grunfeld appeals to ambitious players. In Play the Grunfeld, however, opening expert Yelena Dembo circumvents this problem by producing a comprehensive and yet workable repertoire for Black, offering a solution against each of White's tries, whether it's a critical main line or a tricky sideline. After reading this book, you will have the required knowledge and confidence to begin playing the Grunfeld in your own games. The Kan is an ideal choice as an opening weapon against 1 e4, as it one of the easiest variations of the Sicilian to learn and play.The Kan is relatively theory free in the traditional sense, and success is more likely to occur through the understanding of development systems and a deep study of the tactical and positional ideas for both sides. In this book Johan Hellsten draws upon his vast experience in the Sicilian Kan, revealing his secrets and showing how Black can adopt this opening and play it with confidence. He provides the reader with a dependable repertoire, demonstrating what to do in the main lines as well as how to deal with White's tricky alternatives.

The hero has no advantage whatsoever but somehow manages to keep setting the opponent problems. Their opponent goes slightly astray and suddenly hero has a tiny advantage. It's not much but now that they have a little something to work with, they are in their element. They play accurately and remorselessly and make life incredibly difficult for their opponent. Suddenly, and almost imperceptibly, their advantage increases. Further tiny inaccuracies follow, hero turns the screw and bags the full point. Their opponent is left shaking their head, wondering where on earth they went wrong. This is the squeeze and the great champions have been capable of squeezing opponents to death. Jose Capablanca, Tigran Petrosian, Anatoly Karpov and, in the current era, Magnus Carlsen are legendary in this respect. How do they do it? How do they set problems in apparently sterile positions? How can they continuously manage to defeat world class opposition from positions that others would simply give up as drawn? In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala explains the mechanisms commonly used in squeeze plays. Using examples from the world's greatest strategic masters he unpicks the secrets of the squeeze.

There is no easier way to win a game of chess than by luring your opponent into a devious trap. Similarly, there's nothing worse than being the one on the receiving end. Tricks, traps and swindles lie in wait everywhere, especially so in the opening phase of the game, and many battles can be won or saved simply through learning and mastering the most important ones.In this instructive and fun book, Gary Lane looks back though chess history and at modern times to create a list of his own favourite tricks and traps. Selecting from hundreds of contenders, Lane examines a variety of factors in order to decide which ideas are most worthy of inclusion. Discover the stories behind the most cunning tricks and traps of all time; how you can utilize them to score easy wins; and how you can avoid being tricked yourself. *An entertaining guide to the best ever tricks and traps*Invaluable advice from a seasoned tournament player*Ideal for players of all levels Gary Lane is an International Master and an experienced and successful player on the international tournament circuit. He qualified to compete at the World Cup in 2005 and is a former Commonwealth Champion. A prolific and popular chess writer, he is also a respected chess coach who has been involved in training some of England and Australia's top junior players.

White players who enjoy playing the Ruy Lopez (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5) often expect to have an easy time in the opening. Numerous Black systems allow White to complete development with natural moves which often results in a small but clear advantage. Not so The Schliemann. The Schliemann (3 ... f5) is a ferocious beast that immediately takes the fight to White. The swift counter with ... f7-f5 is undoubtedly risky but has the advantage of disturbing White's equanimity and setting difficult problems to solve as early as move three. Any White player who is not highly attuned to the nuances of this system can quickly find themselves in very hot water. This makes the Schliemann an ideal practical weapon for the aggressively-minded tactical player. ----- * A thorough theoretical coverage of a dynamic counter-attacking system --- * Discusses strategic themes as well as analysing complex tactical variations --- * Written by an expert on the Schliemann

This new 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, Cyrus Lakdawala examines the Caro-Kann, which enjoys a richly deserved reputation as one of Black's most reliable defences. It provides an ideal blend of soundness and dynamism, which allows Black to create counterplay from a solid platform. Lakdawala shares his experience and knowledge of the Caro-Kann, presents a repertoire for Black and provides answers to all the key questions. *Essential guidance and training in the Caro-Kann *Includes a Caro-Kann repertoire for Black *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

Two books from the Chess Secrets series brought together in one volume. Chess Secrets is a series of books which uncover the mysteries of the most important aspects of chess: strategy, attack, classical play, opening play, endgames and preparation. In each book the author chooses and deeply studies a number of great players from chess history who have excelled in a particular field of the game and undeniably influenced those who have followed. Chess Secrets: The Giants of Power Play: Learn from Topalov, Geller, Bronstein, Alekhine and Morphy by Neil McDonald. In The Giants of Power Play, Neil McDonald selects five players who have excelled in the field of 'power play' - the art of putting opponents under constant pressure. McDonald examines the contributions made by each player, their differences in approach and style, and from Morphy to Topalov, how they followed in each other's footsteps. Chess Secrets: Great Attackers: Learn from Kasparov, Tal and Stein by Colin Crouch The chess world has witnessed a great number of wonderfully gifted attacking players, geniuses who have dazzled the chess public with their brilliant masterpieces. Everyone has their own favourites, and in Chess Secrets: Great Attackers, Colin Crouch chooses three of his own: Garry Kasparov, Mikhail Tal and Leonid Stein. World Champions Kasparov and Tal need no introduction, while Stein was a highly creative and intuitive player with the ability to destroy the world's best players with his vicious attacks.

Three brilliant books from Everyman Chess brought together in one volume. The Masters: Alexander Alekhine, Master of Attack The Masters: Boris Spassky, Master of Initiative The Masters: Mikhail Tal, Tactical Genius By Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik What separated Alexander Alekhine from the rest of his contemporaries? Why did he dominate the chess world for so long? The main reason was undoubtedly his brilliant attacking style of play. Alekhine had a combinative gift and thrilled the chess public and influenced every great chess player since. Garry Kasparov once said I fell in love with the rich complexity of his ideas at the chessboard. Alekhine's attacks came suddenly, like destructive thunderstorms that erupted from a clear sky. Boris Spassky is a true chess legend, a World Champion who, thanks to his monumental battles with Bobby Fischer, raised the popularity of the game to a level that had never been seen before. Although at the height of his powers many saw Spassky as a complete and universal player, adept at outplaying his opponents in any type of position, itis no secret that from an early age he thrived on sharp, attacking play. He was a superb practical player, and with the initiative at his hands he could conjure up wonderful combinations and deadly attacks. Mikhail Tal was simply a chess phenomenon. The magician from Riga stunned the chess world when he became the youngest ever World Champion (at that time) in 1960, and he won countless supporters for his scintillating tactical play and his infectious enthusiasm for the game. Tal's dazzling tactical style would often leave his hapless opponents in a state of shell shock. As former World Champion Vassily Smyslov once noted Tal's appearance in chess had the effect of an exploding bomb, since his style of play was distinguished by extraordinary combinative brilliance.

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 practicing 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. The Petroff Defense is a solid and reliable way to meet 1 e4. It has a strong reputation and has been employed regularly by many grandmasters, most notably former world champions Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik. By choosing counterattack instead of defense as early as the second move, Black immediately avoids many favorite weapons for White, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian Game, Scotch Game and a number of daunting gambits. This practical advantage for those playing Black in the Open Games cannot be underestimated. In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala invites you to join him in studying all the important lines in the Petroff. Using illustrative games, he explains the main positional and tactical ideas for both sides, provides answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing the Petroff Defense. *Essential guidance and training with the Petroff *Provides repertoire options for Black *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

Do you need a well-deserved break from your normal chess openings? Are you tired of constantly having to keep up with modern chess theory? Or perhaps you simply wish to try out something new and exciting, but cannot decide amongst the embarrassment of choices available? Look no further for the answer! In "Dangerous Weapons: The French", International Master John Watson takes a revolutionary look at one of the most famous and widely-played chess openings: the French Defence. Instead of travelling down well-trodden and analyzed paths, Watson concentrates on fresh or little-explored variations of the French, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover! "Dangerous Weapons" is a brand-new series of opening books which supply the reader with an abundance of hard-hitting ideas to revitalize his or her opening repertoire. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking, incredibly tricky, or have been unfairly discarded; they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponent off balance.

Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of Benoni Systems. This book is a study of all the crucial Benoni systems apart from the Modern Benoni. It presents diverse and practical options against the queen's pawn opening for dynamic, tactical players and solid, positional players alike. Included are such daring defenses as the controversial Blumenfeld Counter-Gambit and the Benko Gambit, a favorite with uncompromising Grandmasters such as Veselin Topalov and Vassily Ivanchuk. On the other hand, Black also has the opportunity to adopt solid, respectable defenses such as the Czech Benoni and the Schmid Benoni. Whether Black likes to sacrifice and take the initiative, or whether he prefers to play in a more restrained manner, there is something here for all types of players.
In this user-friendly book, opening theoreticians Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik go back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the Benoni Systems and its many variations. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips, and warnings to help improving players, while key strategies, ideas, and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated.
User-friendly design to help readers absorb ideas
Concentrates on the key principles of Benoni systems
Ideal for improving players