This is the first volume of the new series "Key Concepts of Chess". The idea is to deal with middlegames in which a certain structure or essential theme becomes central. The idea of starting this series is in line with the "Understanding before Moving" series because the aim, is to improve the understanding of club chess players. According to the author, playing an opening should be 'hung up' on stereotypical ideas and concepts belonging to this structure. The thorough exploration of middlegame structures is beyond the scope of opening books, hence it makes more sense to expose it in this complementary series. In this first volume, the "Hedgehog System" is discussed in detail. Apart from being part of the author's repertoire, this typical set-up deserves to be widely highlighted. Although in the second part of the trilogy on the Sicilian, the Hedgehog has already made its appearance, in this book the seemingly fragile, but oh so treacherous creature can reconsider its spines in an extensive way.

San Luis 2005 is the most celebrated chess tournament of the decade. There, Bulgarian Grandmaster Veselin Topalov triumphed and proved that he is a worthy successor to World Champions such as Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. In this ambitious work Gershon and Nor analyze all the games from the tournament, but there is no danger of the reader drowning in masses of variations, as the authors clearly explain the ideas behind the moves. Tournament books used to be a familiar part of chess literature with Zurich 1953 a classic example, however such books are rare because of the huge effort they demand from the authors. Gershon and Nor have risen to the challenge and produced a book that is destined to become a modern classic, a magnificent book worthy of an extraordinary tournament. Many color photographs of the event and the surrounding Argentinean scenery help the reader feel what it was like to be at San Luis 2005.

From a theoretical backwater to a fully blown main line opening, the rise of the Scandinavian Defence (1 e4 d5) has been nothing short of meteoric. Over the past fifteen years the Scandinavian has become more and more popular both at club and Grandmaster level. It even managed to obtain an ultimate seal of approval when Vishy Anand employed it in his World Championship match with Garry Kasparov!
In this book Grandmaster John Emms explains the strategies and tactics of this dynamic and fashionable opening. Through the use of model games for both sides, the author provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas, so that players of all standards can quickly and confidently begin to use the Scandinavian in their own games.
This book provides a complete update of Emms's original and best-selling edition of The Scandinavian, published in 1997. Since then there have been many new and important discoveries from both sides of the board, and these are included here.
*Ideal for club and tournament players
*Explains the basic elements, strategies and tactics for both sides
*Written by a leading expert on the Scandinavian
*Provides everything you need to know to start playing the opening straightaway

Building and maintaining an opening repertoire can be a demanding task - for a start there are an enormous number of different lines to choose from. There's a strong temptation amongst beginners and improving players to opt solely for tricky lines in order to snare unsuspecting opponents, but this approach has only short-term value. As you improve and your opponents become stronger, very often these crafty lines don't stand up to close scrutiny, and suddenly you're back to square one with no suitable opening weapons. In "Starting Out: 1 e4!" Neil McDonald solves this perennial problem by providing the reader with a strong and trustworthy repertoire with the white pieces based on the popular opening move 1 e4. The recommended lines given here have stood the test of time and are regularly employed by Grandmasters. Reading this book will give you the confidence to play these variations against all strengths of player and provide you with reliable opening armoury for years to come. This book is written in "Everyman Chess's" distinctive 'Starting Out' style, with plenty of notes, tips and warnings throughout to help the aspiring player. Presents a Grandmaster-style opening repertoire, written by a 1 e4 expert that is ideal for improving players.

Jose Capablanca's classic instructional manual Chess Fundamentals first appeared in 1921, the year he defeated Emanuel Lasker for the world championship title. This handbook is packed with timeless advice on different aspects of practical play and illustrated by Capablanca's own games.

This book by International Grand Master Yasser Seirawan provides a move-by-move account of the best chess games of the last 25 years, played by the world's foremost chess competitors. With an authoritative voice that is by turns poetic and analytical, Seirawan serves as host of a fascinating excursion of the most brilliant chess games, providing insights into and explanations of each and every move.
Seirawan begins each game with a description of the historical atmosphere of the chess world - and sometimes the world at large - at the time the game was played. When he delves into the game itself, he starts with the reasoning behind the opening moves. From there he provides both a play-by-play description of the game and an analytical commentary, all the while examining the moves in terms of piece development and possible tactical and strategic opportunities. Along the way, a handful of the players are profiled in biographies.
In Winning Chess Brilliancies you'll get a taste of the most dazzling chess combinations devious strategies, and downright cruel blows as world champions risk it all! This book is truly a celebration of the sport of chess.

By going through the chapters, you will get acquainted with my way of grandmaster type thinking. I can assure you of one thing: there are better and weaker grandmasters, but you won't find a GM who is playing without ideas or, let's say, without his way of thinking! As you will find out, I am basically trying to detect the problem or goal of the position and then I am starting to scan factors which can lead to the solution. That process you will find in many examples in the book. GM Alojzije Jankovic, April 2020.

Calculation is key to winning chess games. Converting your chess knowledge into concrete moves requires calculation and precise visualisation. The bad news: calculation is hard work. You cannot rely on feeling or intuition -- you will have to turn on your brainpower. The good news: you can improve your calculation skills by training.

Set up a position on a chessboard and try to solve exercises without moving the pieces! Grandmaster Ramesh RB is the perfect coach to awaken your chess brain and feed you precisely the right exercises.

Is the ability to make combinations something you are born with or can it be acquired by practice? Russian chess trainer Livshitz, who has had extensive experience teaching a wide range of players from novices to masters, presents here a course for developing your combinational skill, based on the recognition of tactical motifs. As you work your way through this carefully graced series of tests, themes such as 'diversion, ' 'interference, ' 'X-Ray, ' and many more will become an integral part of your chess armoury, to be employed in your own games. Solving these positions will not only provide many hours of pleasure but will also enable you to test - and improve! - your chess IQ. This is book two in a three-volume series, carefully graduated in order of difficulty. Move on to: 'Test Your Chess IQ: Master Challenge' and 'Test Your Chess IQ: Grandmaster Challenge.' (6 3/4' X 9 3/4', 124 pages, illustrations)

Mikhail Tal, the 'magician from Riga, ' was the greatest attacking World Champion of them all, and this enchanting autobiography chronicles his extraordinary career with charm and humor

The Slav Defence (1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6) has been one of Black's most reliable defences to the queen's pawn since its adoption by World Champions Alekhine and Euwe in the 1930s. Nowadays it is very popular both at grandmaster level (it is used regularly by Ivanchuk, Lautier and Short) and with club players. In this book Grandmaster Matthew Sadler explains the strategy and tactics of this perennial favourite. Through the use of model games for both sides, the author provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas, so that readers can quickly and confidently start to use the Slav in their own games. Also included is a survey of the trendy new 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 a6 variation.

Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, Starting Out: The Nimzo Indian by Chris Ward and Starting Out: The Queen's Indian by John Emms, brought together in one volume. The Nimzo-Indian is one of the soundest and most popular defences against 1 d4, offering Black the chance to unbalance the game early on and play for a win without undue risk. Advocates include virtually all of the world's top players, including Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand and Anatoly Karpov. In this revolutionary book, Grandmaster Chris Ward revisits the basic principles behind the Nimzo-Indian and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide the reader is helped along by a wealth of notes, tips and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player. The Queens Indian is one of Black's most dependable and respected defences to the queen's pawn opening. It is an established favourite amongst world-class Grandmasters such as Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand, Michael Adams and Judit Polgar, not to mention Anatoly Karpov, who has been a loyal Queens Indian supporter and theory developer for over three decades. Rather than classically occupying the central squares with pawns, Black adopts a hypermodern approach and endeavours to control this key area with pieces. This procedure leads to rich and varied positions that will appeal to players who like complex play. In this easy-to-read guide, Grandmaster and Queens Indian expert John Emms goes back to basics, studying the essential principles of the Queens Indian and its numerous variations. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips and warnings to guide the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated.

John Healy's The Grass Arena describes with unflinching honesty his experiences of addiction, his escape through learning to play chess in prison, and his ongoing search for peace of mind. This Penguin Classics edition includes an afterword by Colin MacCabe. In his searing autobiography Healy describes his fifteen years living rough in London without state aid, when begging carried an automatic three-year prison sentence and vagrant alcoholics prowled the parks and streets in search of drink or prey. When not united in their common aim of acquiring alcohol, winos sometimes murdered one another over prostitutes or a bottle, or the begging of money. Few modern writers have managed to match Healy's power to refine from the brutal destructive condition of the chronic alcoholic a story so compelling it is beyond comparison. John Healy (b. 1943) was born into an impoverished, Irish immigrant family, in the slums of Kentish Town, North London. Out of school by 14, pressed into the army and intermittently in prison, Healy became an alcoholic early on in life. Despite these obstacles Healy achieved remarkable, indeed phenomenal expertise in both writing and chess, as outlined in the autobiographical The Grass Arena. If you enjoyed The Grass Arena, you might like Last Exit to Brooklyn, also available in Penguin Modern Classics. 'Sober and precise, grotesque, violent, sad, charming and hilarious all at once' Literary Review 'Beside it, a book like Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London seems a rather inaccurate tourist guide' Colin MacCabe

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.

Three classic titles from the Everyman Chess Starting Out Series in one volume. ----- Starting Out: Pawn Endgames by Glenn Flear --- Starting Out: Minor Piece Endgames by John Emms --- Starting Out: Rook Endgames by Chris Ward ----- Endgames involving only kings and pawns are the most fundamental of all chess positions, and a firm understanding of them is required in order to become confident of tackling more complex endings that preceded them. As is commonplace with the renowned Starting Out series, there are an abundance of notes, tips and warnings throughout the book to help the improving player. ----- In Starting Out: Pawn Endgames, Grandmaster and distinguished endgames expert Glenn Flear focuses on the very basics of pawn endings. Beginning with the simplest of positions and only gradually working through to more challenging material, Flear outlines the key principles and rules, and demonstrates how these work in practical examples. As one of the priorities of such endings is to promote pawns to queens, Flear additionally deals with queen endings that arise naturally from the simpler form. ----- In Starting Out: Minor Piece Endgames Grandmaster and notable endgame authority John Emms begins with the absolute fundamentals of minor piece endings. This slowly but surely arms the reader with the essential knowledge and confidence to move onto slightly trickier positions. Using examples from practical play, Emms highlights the correct procedures as well as the typical mistakes made by both attacker and defender. ----- In Starting Out: Rook Endgames Grandmaster Chris Ward begins with the absolute fundamentals of rook endgames. He gradually arms the reader with the indispensable knowledge and confidence needed to move onto slightly trickier positions. Using examples from practical play, Ward highlights the correct plans as well as the typical mistakes made by both attacker and defender.

The opponent who answers 1 e4 with an emphatic 1...c5 (The Sicilian Defence) is often looking for a fight. Such players can be highly theoretically prepared and itching to launch into their own pet variations after White has opted for the main lines with an early d2-d4. The Closed Sicilian is an ideal antidote to such aggression. In the Closed Sicilian an awareness of the strategies and plans is far more important than the simple memorising of variations. White's play is logical and the basic ideas are simple to master. However, do not be fooled into thinking the opening is without venom. The deliberate and slow burning attack that White often builds up has resulted in numerous fine attacking victories. ----- 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. ----- * Everything you need to know about the Closed Sicilian. --- * The Q and A approach emphasizes plans and strategies. --- * Written by an expert on the opening.

The Open Spanish, Ruy Lopez is a variation that never gives a boring struggle. It's one of the most active and dynamic defenses you will find around. If Black is willing to learn the ideas and tactical twists that underpin this line, he has every chance to enjoy his winning chances. Our well known theoretician and grandmaster Milos Pavlovic will be your guide!

The Berlin Defense is one of the most popular openings for Black against 1.e4 for the last two decades in the higher echelons of the chess world. In this book, the critical ideas are explained in a way that even Club players will feel the confidence to add this evergreen opening to their repertoire by explaining the opening concepts lucidly in such a way that anyone who reads this Book will have the courage to play Berlin in their games. In this book, GM Priyadharshan Kannappan has chosen some off-beat tracks on the Berlin endgame and also has considered 4.d3 as the mainline of Berlin, the 1st for any Berlin book, but is a modern necessity due to the increasing popularity of 4.d3. The book packs enough punch in novelties for the opening aficionados, and this up to date book presents new ideas and variations that were previously never shed light on in the Berlin. GM Priyadharshan has given equal importance to the various sidelines that lead up to the Berlin endgame, and also in the Berlin endgame, and has suggested options where Black actively fights for dynamic positions, and not just gets satisfied with equal positions. The book also has 100 games suggestion that one must study to improve their overall understanding of the various pawn structures and ideas involved in the Queenless endgame.

The legendary Estonian player Paul Keres was one of the strongest players never to win the World Chess Championship. The 'Crown Prince of Chess' was universally admired for his clear-cut style of play and chivalrous personality. Three times Soviet Champion and on seven occasions a candidate for the world title, he was for over a quarter of a century one of the elite of the chess world. Egon Varnusz concludes his authoritative study of Keres' finest games with commentaries on a further 240, all this selection opening 1 e4. All are classified according to opening variation, offering both the student and connoisseur a deeper insight into the theory and practice of open and semi-open chess.