Timothy Taylor takes a contemporary look at one of Black's most ambitious counters to 1 e4, the Alekhine Defence. He constructs a practical repertoire for Black, ideal for the modern-day player.
Alekhine Defense is a bold choice for Black, challenging the classical chess rules from the very beginning of the game yet proving itself to be a flexible system. Black can choose to head for mind-boggling complications or carefully manoeuvre within the 6th to 8th ranks, waiting for the right time to strike out at the center. Although once a favorite of Bobby Fischer and occasionally played by Magnus Carlsen, the lack of Alekhine Defense games at the level of elite Grandmasters today means that many lines and ideas remain untested in practice. As a result, this opening leads to lively, often open positions with chances for both sides. With l...Nf6 Black signals that he is playing to win.This book, consisting of 16 parts and 87 chapters, not only covers the traditional Alekhine lines but also takes a comprehensive look at variations rooted firmly in the 21st century. Moreover, thanks to the use of modern technology and the authors' deep analysis the evaluations of many well-known lines have been revised. The authors have strived to write a lively work which is useful for both players with high ELO ratings and club players.
The number of hours you can spend on opening preparation is endless. Books, videos and databases offer hundreds of ever-widening variations. But how do you find your way through this labyrinth? Where do you start? And, maybe even more importantly: where do you stop? International Master Jeroen Bosch provides a solution to those answers. He presents a structured approach to the study of openings and the preparation for a club match or a tournament game. Every time-strapped chess improver will love Bosch’s approach: instead of studying more hours or memorizing more lines he advises you to start making smart choices. The goal is not to reach a slight advantage in every possible line. The goal is to dictate what will happen on the board. You want to get a position you understand and are happy to play, and make your opponent feel uncomfortable. Jeroen Bosch provides you with all the tools you need to dominate the opening phase of the game: how to use move order and how to use tactics. He explains when to play a main line, when to come up with an opening surprise, or when to risk a gambit. And much, much more.
This guide to learning, playing and winning with Alekhine's Defence is designed to be of interest to the chess player at all levels. Alekhine's Defence is one of the most provocative openings at Black's disposal and has always been popular with uncompromising players, such as Alexander Alekhine himself and Bobby Fischer, both former World Champions. In this up-to-date book the principles of play for both sides are explained via complete illustrative games. These provide the reader with a concise means of understanding practical ideas alongside essential theoretical knowledge of the critical main lines.
Alekhine's Defence is a sharp and controversial opening in which Black attacks from the very first move, provoking White into lunging forward in the center. White is often able to construct an impressively large central pawn formation, but Black's hope is that this becomes over-stretched and disintegrates in the face of a vicious counterattack. Unsurprisingly, Alekhine's Defence has always been a favorite amongst uncompromising players such as Fischer and Alekhine himself, while more recently it's been utilized by the likes of Ivanchuk and Short. In this easy-to-read guide, openings expert John Cox goes back to basics, studying the essential principles of Alekhine's Defence 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. *User-friendly lay out to help readers absorb ideas *Concentrates on the key principles of Alekhine's Defence *Ideal for the improving player
Former US Open Champion Timothy Taylor presents weapons for Black against the hugely popular Spanish Opening, basing his repertoire on the Modern Steinitz Defence. This opening can lead to razor-sharp lines, such as the Siesta Variation, where one slip by either player could prove to be fatal. But a major attraction of the Modern Steinitz is its flexibility, as Black can also choose to play in a more positional manner. Taylor studies in depth the critical main lines, and also what to do if White avoids these. Read this book and be ready to slay the Spanish!
One of the hardest tasks competitive chess-players face is the development of an opening repertoire suited to their own style of play. In view of the limited time most players have to study, an economic and well designed repertoire is essential, but it is sometimes difficult to know where to start. In this book, translated by Ken Neat, Grandmaster Gufeld makes the job easier by providing an ideal framework for a practical opening repertoire, specifically tailored for those who relish attacking play.