Editorial Reviews:
This is a new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening 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 any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.
In this book, Grandmaster John Emms invites you to join him in a study of the Nimzo-Indian – an opening which is highly popular at all levels of chess and has been his favourite defence to 1 d4 for over 30 years. Here he shares his experience and knowledge, examines the opening from both sides of the board and offers answers to all the key questions.

Editorial Reviews:
This is a new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening 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 any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.

Editorial Reviews:
The Benko Gambit is undoubtedly one of Black’s most dynamic openings. In return for his pawn investment Black gains long-term pressure, which is often so powerful it continues right through into the endgame. White must decide whether to grab the pawn and try to hold on, or to choose a more aggressive approach. Either way, Black generally succeeds in his aim of unbalancing the position from a very early stage. In this book, Nicolai V. Pedersen presents a concise and practical repertoire for Black within the Benko Gambit. Using illustrative games, he examines the critical main lines of the gambit, the tricky sidelines and also explains how to meet the various options White has of avoiding the Benko. Studying this book will allow you to play the Benko Gambit with confidence in your own games.

Editorial Reviews:
Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov, part 1 is the first book in a major new three-volume series. This series will be unique by the fact that it will record the greatest chess battles played by the greatest chessplayer of all-time. The series in itself is a continuation of Kasparov’s mammoth history of chess, comprising My Great Predecessors and Modern Chess. Kasparov’s historical volumes have received great critical and public acclaim for their rigorous analysis and comprehensive detail regarding the developments in chess that occurred behind the scenes. This new volume and series continues in this vein with Kasparov scrutinising his most fascinating encounters from the period 1973-1985 whilst also charting his development away from the board. This period opens with the emergence of a major new chess star from Baku and ends when Kasparov finally clinches the world crown – becoming, at 22, the youngest player ever to do so. It had been known in Russia for some time that Kasparov had an extraordinary talent but the first time that this talent was unleashed on the western world was in 1979. The Russian Chess Federation had received an invitation for a player to participate in a tournament at Banja Luka and, under the impression that this was a junior event, sent along the fifteen year old Kasparov (as yet without even an international rating!). Far from being a junior tournament, Banja Luka was actually a major international event featuring numerous world class grandmasters. Undeterred Kasparov stormed to first place, scoring 11.5/15 and finishing two points clear of the field. Over the next decade this “broad daylight” between Kasparov and the rest of the field was to become a familiar sight in the world’s leading tournaments.

Editorial Reviews:
Grandmaster Ruslan Scherbakov examines an opening system for Black based on the Semi-Slav Triangle, an ambitious way to fight the ever-popular Queen's Gambit. Black's weapons include the Abrahams-Noteboom Variation - a dynamic counter-attack which takes White out of his comfort zone and offers Black the chance to dictate the game from the outset. Scherbakov also considers options for Black against the aggressive Semi-Slav Marshall Gambit, as well as White's quieter tries such as the Exchange Variation. Scherbakov has over 20 years' experience in studying and playing these opening variations, which have been tried and tested successfully at grandmaster level and are specially designed for players who want to challenge White in the opening. It is written by a renowned Semi-Slav Triangle expert. It is packed with new ideas and critical analysis. It explains typical plans and tactics for both sides.

Editorial Reviews:
The Old Indian Defence is considered to be a sound way for Black to meet 1 d4. Some might argue that it is steady rather than spectacular, but is this reputation totally deserved? Grandmaster Alexander Cherniaev disagrees, and in this book he has re-examined this ancient opening and the result is a “new” Old Indian. In this modern interpretation, he has introduced ambitious and aggressive ways for Black to play in the main lines. He constructs an improved version of a repertoire he has himself utilized with great success against grandmaster opposition. Using illustrative games, he studies the fundamental tactical and positional ideas for both sides, and also covers what to do if White avoids the Old Indian. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the New Old Indian.

Editorial Reviews:
In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala examines the universally popular Slav Defence which has been his main choice against 1 d4 for many years. Here he shares his experience and knowledge of his favorite opening, presents a repertoire for Black and provides answers to all the key questions.

Editorial Reviews:
Imagine you are a club player who has been given the opportunity to talk at length with a famous grandmaster. How would you make the most of this opportunity? Club players are unaware of the subtleties that exist in grandmaster chess. Great players can analyse chess at a depth that is unfathomable to amateurs. However, having reached such a high level can make it difficult to understand what is lacking in the mind of the amateur. Lessons with a Grandmaster bridges this gap between grandmaster and amateur through a series of conversations between teacher, the renowned Grandmaster Boris Gulko, and student Dr. Joel R. Sneed, a professor of psychology and amateur chess player. The lessons are based on Gulko’s own battles against fellow grandmasters, and there is particular focus on strategy, tactics and the role of psychology in chess competition.

Editorial Reviews:
The Sicilian Defence is by far the most popular chess opening. If you play 1 e4 as White, on average you are likely to meet the Sicilian in virtually every other game! You need to be prepared to face the Sicilian at all times, and a ready-to-use repertoire against it is an indispensible weapon.

Editorial Reviews:
Former US Open Champion Timothy Taylor presents a repertoire for Black against the universally popular Spanish Opening (Ruy Lopez). The backbone of Black’s repertoire is based on the Modern Steinitz Defence, which has justifiably earned a reputation as an important alternative to the main lines. The Modern Steinitz may lead to razor-sharp gambits, such as the Siesta Variation, where just one slip by either player could prove to be fatal. But perhaps the main attraction of the Modern Steinitz is its flexibility, as Black can also choose to play in a more positional and solid manner.

Editorial Reviews:
The Sniper is a dynamic and universal opening weapon for Black which can be used against all mainline openings. Black’s system of development with ...g6 and ...Bg7 initially allows White to occupy the centre but, in true hypermodern style, Black strikes back immediately with ...c5. The Sniper can lead to original or barely-known positions in which Black can strive for the initiative. It’s also rich in move-order possibilities, with potential transpositions into Sicilian, King’s Indian or Benko-type positions.

Editorial Reviews:
The Scotch Game is an ideal opening weapon for White. It’s ambitious, totally sound and leads to a wide variety of strategically complex positions. The Scotch was a particular favourite of Garry Kasparov, who invigorated it with a number of major discoveries to make it an opening to be feared throughout the chess world.

Editorial Reviews:
This book provides a repertoire for Black with the ever-popular Queen’s Gambit Declined. Opening expert John Cox covers not one but two key options for Black. The Tartakower Variation is a sophisticated defence used successfully by world champions such as Kasparov, Karpov and Kramnik. The Lasker Variation is an easy-to-learn and reliable option devised by one of the legends of the game. Cox also demonstrates how to play against White’s other tries, including the Exchange Variation and Bf4 lines. He explains in detail the typical plans and tactics adopted by both sides, whilst also tackling the tricky subject of move-order possibilities