The Advance Variation is a popular and direct way of meeting the ultra-solid French Defence. Very early on in the game White opts to fix the pawn structure and establishes a genuine space advantage, upon which he later hopes to mount a serious attack. This method of playing against the French Defence has become a firm FAVORITE amongst uncompromising Grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, England's Nigel Short and the rising star in Russia, Alexander Grischuk.
In this book openings expert Sam Collins explains the strategy and tactics of this dynamic opening, studying both the main lines as well as the more offbeat variations. Through the use of model games for both White and Black, he provides a thorough grounding in the key plans and ideas, so that readers can quickly and confidently begin to use the French Advance in their own games.
*Ideal for club and tournament players
*Explains the basic elements, strategies and tactics for both sides
*Provides everything you need to know to start playing the opening straight away
Sam Collins is a former Irish Champion who has represented his country at various team tournaments around the world, winning the individual gold medal at the 2002 Bled Chess Olympiad. Despite his young age, he already has a wealth of writing experience, being a regular columnist for CHESS, Chess Mail and Chess Today, while he has also coached some of Ireland's top junior players. This is his first book for Everyman Chess.

Such has been the acclaim for John Watson's ground-breaking works on modern chess strategy and his insightful opening books, that it is only natural that he now presents a strategic opening repertoire.
It is the chess-player's holy grail: a flexible repertoire that gives opponents real problems but doesn't require masses of memorization or continual study of ever-changing grandmaster theory. While this book can't quite promise all of that, Watson offers an intriguing selection of lines that give vast scope for over-the-board creativity and should never lead to a dull draw.
The repertoire is based on 1 d4 and 2 c4, following up with methodical play in the centre. Watson uses his vast opening knowledge to pick cunning move-orders and poisonous sequences that will force opponents to think for themselves, providing a true test of chess understanding. Throughout, he discusses strategies for both sides, so readers will be fully ready to pounce on any inaccuracies, and have all the tools to decide on the most appropriate plans for White.

The Caro-Kann Defence remains a very popular option for Black at all levels of chess. It has always enjoyed a solid reputation, but if anything its popularity has increased in recent years with the realization that the Caro-Kann can also be employed with the intention of reaching sharp dynamic positions, rich in possibilities for both sides and with a guarantee of genuine counterplay for Black. In this book, International Master Jovanka Houska presents the reader with a complete Caro-Kann repertoire, which is based primarily on her own repertoire she has used with success over many years at international level. Houska provides a comprehensive update on her popular 2007 book Play the Caro-Kann and focuses on key new developments since then. She offers solutions against all of White's main options and efficient methods to deal with tricky sidelines. She examines important tactical and strategic plans for both sides and deals with key move order issues. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the Caro-Kann. *An complete repertoire to 1 e4 *Packed with new ideas and analysis *Written by a Caro-Kann expert

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." - Abraham Lincoln There's no escaping the fact: if you want to win chess games, you have to attack at some point. Many players are happy solving combinations in winning positions, when the hard work is already done, but the key to a successful attack undoubtedly comes much earlier. No-one can attack effectively if they haven't prepared properly, and yet planning in chess can be a difficult technique to master, even for experienced players. This book provides a solution. Using an abundance of illustrative games and examples, Gary Lane answers the questions which constantly puzzle players of all levels. Where are my opponent's weaknesses? Do I have enough pieces in the attack? When should I strike? Do I need to sacrifice? Should I cash in or continue to attack? Read this book, discover the answers and attack with confidence! *An essential guide to attacking chess*Introduces easy-to-learn techniques*Focuses on planning and strategy

This is the ideal book for serious adult players who want to improve. It describes a study plan that 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 twelve 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. (6 1/4 x 9 1/4, 128 pages, diagrams)

Batsford's Chess Bible is a landmark, full-colour chess instruction book, ideal for both beginners and more experienced players wanting to improve their game. The book takes the form of a course, with quick-start guides to help to retain the information you've learned and puzzle sections for you to test yourself as you go. To illustrate more advanced strategy and tactics, author Sean Marsh uses world-class chess 'heroes', such as Anatoly Karpov and Mikhail Tal, to bring the concepts to life. Essential topics include: *Pieces and Moves: the very basics, covering the chessboard, notation, the names of the pieces and how they move, plus an overview of chess etiquette *What Chess is All About: an exploration of chess culture and history *Winning, Drawing and Losing: Covers the various ways of winning at chess, and how games are drawn *Six Openings for Life: Coverage of six of the best chess openings, each illustrated by a different 'chess hero' *Tactical Weapons: An examination of forks, pins, skewers and other tactical devices, followed by illustrative games from Tactical Hero Mikhail Tal *Positional Play: Looks at good and bad positions, plus the art of planning, seen through the games of Positional Hero Tigran Petrosian *Human Factors: Typical mistakes and blunders to avoidEasy to follow, yet thorough and challenging, this book is an essential companion for all budding chess champions.

The Scandinavian (also known as the Centre Counter Defence) occurs when Black meets White's 1 e4 with 1 ... d5, immediately countering in the centre. White invariably continues with 2 exd5 when Black can choose between two systems, both of which are covered in this book. Firstly 2 ... Qxd5, which regains the pawn immediately but exposes the black queen early on - a feature that complicates the play for both players. Secondly 2 ... Nf6, which invites White to risk attempting to hold onto the d5-pawn. If White goes down this path then a complex tactical struggle can easily develop. ----- 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.

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: Heroes of Classical Chess: Learn from Carlsen, Anand, Fischer, Smyslov and Rubinstein by Craig Pritchett. In Heroes of Classical Chess, Craig Pritchett selects five great players whose style exemplifies classically direct, clear, energetic, tough, ambitious yet fundamentally correct chess playing attributes. Pritchett studies the major contributions they have made, compares their differing styles and discusses the critical influences they have had on the development of chess, on their peers and on all our games. Chess Secrets: The Giants of Strategy: Learn from Kramnik, Karpov, Petrosian, Capablanca and Nimzowitsch by Neil McDonald. The chess world has been blessed with some wonderful strategists, innovators of the game with their instructive play and profound teachings. In The Giants of Strategy, Neil McDonald chooses his selection of the most prominent ones and highlights the major contributions they have made. He examines their differing approaches and styles, and from Nimzowitsch to Kramnik, how they followed in each other's footsteps. A careful study of this book will help you to understand and improve in one of the most crucial elements of the game.

A chess match seems as solitary an endeavor as there is in sports: two minds, on their own, in fierce opposition. In contrast, Gary Alan Fine argues that chess is a social duet: two players in silent dialogue who always take each other into account in their play. Surrounding that one-on-one contest is a community life that can be nearly as dramatic and intense as the across-the-board confrontation. Fine has spent years immersed in the communities of amateur and professional chess players, and with Players and Pawns he takes readers deep inside them, revealing a complex, brilliant, feisty world of commitment and conflict. Within their community, chess players find both support and challenges, all amid a shared interest in and love of the long-standing traditions of the game, traditions that help chess players build a communal identity. Full of idiosyncratic characters and dramatic gameplay, Players and Pawns is a celebration of the fascinating world of serious chess.

Spend more study time on whats really decisive in your games! The average chess player spends too much time on studying opening theory. In his day, World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker argued that improving amateurs should spend about 5% of their study time on openings. These days club players are probably closer to 80%, often focusing on opening lines that are popular among grandmasters. Club players shouldnt slavishly copy the choices of grandmasters. GMs need to squeeze every drop of advantage from the opening and therefore play highly complex lines that require large amounts of memorization. The main objective for club players should be to emerge from the opening with a reasonable position, from which you can simply play chess and pit your own tactical and positional understanding against that of your opponent. Gerard Welling and Steve Giddins recommend the Old Indian-Hanham Philidor set-up as a basis for both Black and White. They provide ideas and strategies that can be learned in the shortest possible time, require the bare minimum of maintenance and updating, and lead to rock-solid positions that you will know how to handle. By adopting a similar set-up for both colours, with similar plans and techniques, you will further reduce study time. Side-stepping Mainline Theory will help you to focus on what is really decisive in the vast majority of non-grandmaster games: tactics, positional understanding and endgame technique. Gerard Welling is an International Master and an experienced chess trainer from the Netherlands. He has contributed to NIC Yearbook and Kaissiber, the freethinker's magazine on non-mainline chess openings. Steve Giddins is a FIDE Master from England, and a highly experienced chess writer and journalist. He compiled and edited The New In Chess Book of Chess Improvement, the bestselling anthology of master classes from New In Chess magazine.

Over a quarter of a century ago, the first edition of this book (published in East Germany in 1981) was a huge best seller. Yet unfortunately it was never reprinted and it soon became a scarce collector's item. The reason: one of its co-authors, the chess trainer Gerhard Schmidt, left for the West. He thus became persona non grata in East Germany and the book was banned there. Despite the book's excellent qualities, which were acclaimed in chess circles, from then on its success could only be an underground one. However, the subject of the book is timeless and transcends frontiers, and so at last we have a new edition, fully revised by the original authors themselves to include modern games by world-class players such as Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand, Vladimir Kramnik and Judit Polgar. The book explains, clearly, systematically and comprehensively, the strategy and tactics associated with the open file: how files are opened, blocked, occupied and exploited as roads along which to invade the enemy position. A brief introduction lays the theoretical foundations and is followed by carefully selected and organised material in the form of illustrative games, in all of which the open file is the dominant or deciding factor. In each game there is a pause at a key position where a clear verbal assessment is given; these assessments alone are of huge instructional value, since they do nothing less than teach the reader how strong chessplayers think: what to look for, how to assess, how to plan. The book benefits not only from Gerhard Schmidt's experience as a trainer but also from the huge knowledge and skill gained by Grandmaster Wolfgang Uhlmann during his long and successful career in top-class chess, which at one point brought him close to the world title, and made him indisputably one of Germany's greatest ever chessplayers.

The Catalan is one of the most popular openings and a favorite of many of the world's leading players. Its rich tactical and positional subtleties provide an excellent platform for players wishing to improve their overall understanding of the game. In this groundbreaking book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik provide a comprehensive coverage of this opening, outlining the most common plans and tactics for both White and Black, and studying the latest theoretical developments in the most important variations. This book is a must for die-hard Catalan fans and those wishing to take up this fashionable opening.
*Played by the world's top Grandmasters
*Written by leading openings theoreticians
*Ideas, strategies and tactics discussed for both sides

Are you constantly struggling with the black pieces? Can't make up your mind which openings to play? Are you looking for something new: an all-in-one solution to your problems? Look no further!
In this original book, Christoph Wisnewski, who is renowned for his innovative and adventurous opening ideas, provides the reader with an ambitious and all-encompassing repertoire for Black against every main line opening that White can play, based on the initial move 1...Nc6. The principal components of this black repertoire are the uncompromising Chigorin Defence, a long-time favourite of the brilliant Russian Grandmaster Alexander Morozevich, and the equally tricky Nimzowitsch Defence, advocated by Britain's first ever Grandmaster, Tony Miles.
Drawing upon his wealth of practical experience in this opening, which has produced a remarkable success rate and some notable Grandmaster scalps, Wisnewski uncovers the secrets behind 1...Nc6 and divulges his findings to the reader. He examines both the critical main lines and the tricky sidelines, and provides a thorough grounding in the crucial tactical and positional concepts for both White and Black. Reading through this book will allow you to begin playing 1...Nc6 with skill and assurance in your own games.
*Coverage of a dynamic repertoire for Black
*Written by a 1...Nc6 expert
*Deals with all of White's main openings
Christoph Wisnewski is an International Master from Germany with a string of tournament successes to his name, including winning the 2001 Kiel Open. Despite his young age, he's already an experienced coach, having taught at the Internet Chess Club, the World's largest online chess facility, for six years.This is his first book for Everyman Chess.

A book for chess players who want to build their skills on solid foundations. Yusupov guides the reader towards a higher level of chess understanding using carefully selected positions and advice. This new understanding is then tested by a series of puzzles.

Brought together in one volume as part of Everyman Chess's series of compilation books: Play the Najdorf: Scheveningen Style by John Emms and Play the King's Indian: A complete Repertoire for Black in this most dynamic of openings by Joe Gallagher. The Najdorf Sicilian is one of the most sharp, dynamic and popular openings that Black can play and is a firm favourite amongst the world's elite players, including world number one Garry Kasparov. From very early on, Black unbalances the game to a reach a position in which one can play for the win without exceptional risk. The soundness of the Najdorf has never been questioned, but some players can be put off by the ever-spiralling amount of theory amassed on this great opening. In Play the Najdorf, however, Grandmaster and openings expert John Emms condenses this mountain to produce a workable black repertoire against all of White's possible options. The King's Indian has always been one of the sharpest, most complex and popular openings that Black can play; it still provides the setting for many encounters at the elite level of Grandmaster chess. Straight from the start, Black fights for the initiative and in many variations, while White pursues material gains, it is Black who has the psychological advantage of trying to checkmate the opponent's king. Despite its many advantages, some prospective Kings Indian players are put off by the seemingly endless amount of theory one is supposed to learn. In Play the Kings Indian, however, Grandmaster and life-long Kings Indian devotee Joe Gallagher has produced a comprehensive and yet workable black repertoire against all of Whites most dangerous possibilities.

Are you fearless in your approach to chess openings? Do you like to attack your opponents from the very beginning? Are you happy to take calculated risks? Do you loathe trivial positional chess? Do you feel the need to sacrifice pawns early in the game? Are you a Gambiteer? If the answer to these questions is 'yes!' then this is the book for you!
In his two-volume "Gambiteer "series, opening expert Nigel Davies produces a complete opening repertoire which is certainly not for the feint-hearted: uncompromising and wild attacking ideas for both colours. This first volume deals with a gambit-style approach for White; the second volume will concentrate on an ambitious black repertoire. All of the opening lines Davies advocates in this book lead to positions of open warfare, where sharp, tactical play completely dominates dreary positional subtleties. Are you ready for the battle? Then cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!
*A complete opening repertoire for White
*A feast of blood-thirsty chess
*Ideal for the attack-minded player
Nigel Davies is both an experienced Grandmaster and chess trainer. A former British Open Quickplay Champion, Davies is the author of several successful chess books and is highly experienced in chess publishing. Previous works for Everyman Chess include "The Trompowsky "and the highly acclaimed "Play 1 e4 e5!."

The computer has changed the way top players think about chess. The silicon mind has no psychological barriers. It is "willing" to check moves that most humans, including top players, consider absurd and reject instantly. Thus this brave, new computer era inevitably leads to a reassessment of old axioms, principles and evaluations. In Play Unconventional Chess, the reader will discover the incredible power unconventional moves can have. These moves contradict the most fundamental principles of the "old chess", and yet most of them played by leading grandmasters. At first sight these moves look so strange that the reader can not avoid asking, "Was this grandmaster was inspired or drunk?" The answer will definitely surprise you. As we progress as chess players we quickly learn a set of guidelines which help us to formulate plans, develop typical strategies and recognize key tactics. However, chess is not an easy game, with fixed 'rules' that can be applied to every single position. In fact, blindly following such rules proves to be counterproductive and prevents a player from moving on to the next level, whereas knowing when to 'break' these rules is precisely the skill which separates the best from the rest. In Break the Rules!, Grandmaster Neil McDonald studies in depth the key components of successful rule-breaking in chess. Drawing upon his own experience and using illuminating examples from modern grandmaster chess, McDonald examines how to avoid stereotypical thinking, how to exploit typical thinking patterns, and how to confuse and beat opponents with surprising ideas.

An International Master's to essential tactical strategies and positions in chess.

A comprehensive book from the Swedish International Master Thomas Engqvist for understanding the most important tactical chess positions in the opening of a game, the middle game and the endgame. It cuts to the chase on the must useful tactical positions at each stage of the game. Knowing the positions is one thing but this experienced coach shows you how to create them, even out of nothing, in the spirit of Tal and Alekhine.

It covers other important facets of tactical play, including calculation (how to calculate with the help of stepping stones), attacking play such as defence and counter attack, and even psychological tactics. It focuses on the most important tactical devices to give you the edge, all explored in depth through real players games.

An essential strategy book by a Swedish International Master.

Many players are serious about their chess but become stuck at a certain playing strength. It's rarely a lack of talent or practice or opening knowledge that holds them back. Usually they get left behind because they don't know how to make best use of the time they have available to study chess. ----- This book addresses this problem and is your self-improvement plan. It shows you how to work on your own games to root out mistakes. It will sharpen your calculation of variations. You will be challenged to find the best middlegame strategy. Endgame technique is also covered in detail. All topics are discussed with numerous examples and puzzles from the games of modern players such as Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and Viswanathan Anand. If you want your chess to leap forward it's time to Coach Yourself! ----- * A complete self-improvement programme. --- *All aspects of the game included. ---* Utilizes a structured approach, making the most of your study time.

The Ruy Lopez (also known as the Spanish Game) is an extremely popular opening and one of the oldest in the history of chess. It has been played by virtually all the greats of the game, providing the battle scene for many world championship clashes involving the likes of Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov and Kramnik. Now, for the first time in many years, Grandmaster Glenn Flear investigates the main line of the Lopez, outlining the crucial ideas and tactics for both White and Black. Using illustrative games, Flear studies the fashionable and theoretical variations, plus the tricky sidelines. This book is perfect for those wishing to play the positions with either color.
*Written by a Ruy Lopez expert
*Up-to-date theory on the sharpest lines
*Ideal for club and tournament players

Chess is 99% tactics! This well-known maxim may sound strange but is really just an exaggerated basic truth: if you want to win more games, nothing works better than training combinations. Solving many tactical puzzles is what makes the difference for beginners and casual players.

There are two types of books on tactics, those that introduce the concepts followed by a some examples, and workbooks that contain numerous exercises. Chess masters Franco Masetti and Roberto Messa have done both: they explain the basic tactical ideas AND provide an enormous amount of exercises for each different theme.

1001 Chess Exercises for Beginners is a great first tactics book. It helps you in identifying weak spots in the position of your opponent, in recognizing patterns of combinations, and in visualizing tricks.

The opening phase of the game throws up difficult questions for those keen to study and improve their chess. Should I open with 1 d4, 1 e4, or something else? What is the best strategy as Black - immediate counter-attack or solid development? Should I learn numerous different systems or concentrate on a few specialist lines? In Mastering the Opening, international master Byron Jacobs asnwers these and other key questions. * Deals with every major opening * Numerous test positions enables readers to guage their progress * Revolutionary layout allows readers to absorb the key ideas