Play with Honor Pin

Professionals know that during the course of a game, the value of chess pieces change. And they use this knowledge to decide which pieces to exchange--and when. International grandmaster Andrew Soltis, the author of Bobby Fischer Rediscovered, helps pass this important information on to novices so they can benefit, too.

The Fighting French

New opening ideas are created frequently, but few have had the meteoric career of Nigel Short's system against the Caro-Kann defense. Virtually unknown before 1988, it has become a regular customer in super tournaments since the 1990's. And yet it is so simple to handle that a Class B player can master most of the strategies in an afternoon. The British GM's system consists of playing the Advance variation of the Caro-Kann with a relatively modest form of development- modest yet it can pack quite a wallop. What short discovered was not just a new move, but a new concept. Despite the presence of the annoying bishop on the excellent b1-h7 diagonal, Black had not equalized, he announced. Short demonstrated that the bishop could, in fact, become a liability that would be attacked in the general expansion of white's pawns on the kingside. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5(as well as 3..c5 and 3..Na6)-new strategy against each one.

GM Soltis: "If white gets to attack in the Sicilian Defense anyway, why should he offer a pawn or two for the privilege? The answer is that black gets to counterplay in the Sicilian and his counterplay is usually as good as white's. That, in fact, is what makes the Sicilian popular. There are plenty of familiar Sicilian gambits(like the Smith Morra and Wing, which this book doesn't even cover). But in the last few years, a number of new ideas arising out of positional variations, have been discovered and found to pack a wallop for white". Here are six new white gambits against the Sicilian that the reader will have to attempt to destroy black!

A lively, personal, and wonderfully informative look at Bobby Fischer, his personality and his playing. Although three decades have passed since Fischer won the world chess title from the former Soviet Union, he still remains a source of fascination and admiration for all players.

One of the most solid and consistently successful systems available against 1..d6 and 1..g6 is the subtle Fianchetto. If you play 1.e4, you will want to know how to beat the Pirc/Modern. If you play either of these 2 defenses, you will want to know what will be played against you. The White setup is pawns at e4, d4, and g3, White Knights at c3 and e2, and Bishops at g2 and usually e3 - then attack, attack!

Written by one of our biggest-selling and best-loved chess authors, in his trademark chatty, accessible but always informative style, this book is filled with practical exercises and test games that will reveal the secrets of how to join chess's elite ranks.

Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit