Attacking 101

The Sveshnikov variation of the Sicilian Defense leads to dynamic positions with free piece play and provides enterprising players with the type of active game on which they can thrive. It became fashionable in the 1970s under the influence of Evgeny Sveshnikov and other grandmasters from Chelyabinsk, and has remained at the cutting edge of opening theory ever since. In recent years it has been a favorite of the exciting young stars Vladimir Kramnik and Alexei Shirov, and of the author himself, all of whom have introduced important new ideas.

The French is one of Black's soundest defences to 1 e4 and is very popular at all levels of chess. Club players enjoy its super-solid structure, while at the top it's played by famous grandmasters such as Vishy Anand and the young Russian star Alexander Morozevich.

London 1922 is important for all these reasons, but it also served as the setting for the creation of the famous 'London Rules' which would for years govern the way in which prospective challengers to the title would have the right to play the champion. As an added bonus, all fourteen games of the 1921 Capablanca-Lasker title match - with annotations by Capa himself - have been added to this new 21st-century edition.

This is a complete and up-to-date work for players of all levels, and contains brand-new concepts in topical modern lines such as the Steinitz, McCutcheon and Morozevich Variations.

Are you tired of playing the same old openings time and time again? Fed up with constantly having to keep up with modern chess theory? Or perhaps you simply wish to play something new and inspiring, but cannot decide between the numerous options available? Don't despair - help is at hand!

In Dangerous Weapons: The Queen's Gambit, opening experts Richard Palliser, Glenn Flear and Chris Ward team up to investigate one of the most popular openings in chess history, but in a revolutionary way. They concentrate on little-explored and fun-to-play variations of the Queen's Gambit, 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!

Through a revolutionary testing system, Dr. Kopec is able to quantify their overall chess strength, specific deficiencies and definite abilities, allowing him to pinpoint which aspects need the most work. This book, developed with the US Chess Federation, represents the sum of Dr. Kopec's knowledge and efforts to help chess players understand and acquire the knowledge necessary to achieve chess mastery.

The Leningrad System is one of the sharpest and most interesting replies to 1. d4. Since this typical set-up is also playable against the flank openings 1. c4 and 1. Nf3, it provides the Black player with a genuine universal weapon.

Publisher: ISHI Press
Author: Ludek Pachman
Year of Publication: 2012 (Reprint) Pages: 185
Notation Type: Descriptive (DN)


Book Description Continuing his major work on strategy and tactics in modern chess, the internationalyl renowned Grandmaster, Ludek Pachman, now turns his attention to the play of the pawns and the achievement of control of the center squares. Though the pawns are the weakest pieces in chess, their importance in determining the character of the attack (and defense) and the development of strategic play cannot be underestimated. Pawns are essential to the protection of important squares and pieces. They are the best means of blockading enemy pawns and when correctly deployed, their advance can open vital files and diagonals, thereby creating weaknesses in the opposite position. Despite its limited power, the pawn has one special advantage over other pieces in that it can be promoted when it reaches the eighth rank; a successful pawn advance can completely change the balance of power and the outcome of a game. Pawns have aptly been described as "the soul of chess." Vital of chess mastery is a basic understanding of the importance of control of the center squares. The effectiveness of the pieces depend upon the strength of their position and center control creates a vital sapatial superiority. The effective play of the pawns and center control have been touched upon on other works, but seldom with the insight and lucidity revealed in this second volume of Pachman's masterwork.