First Steps is a new opening series and is ideal for improving players who want simple and straightforward explanations.
This book tells you everything you need to know in order to take your first steps with the French Defence. The key ideas are emphasized with notes, tips and warnings and the reader’s understanding is tested with frequent exercises. In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala explains the basic ideas in the French and examines the important variations. With the first two moves, Black creates a solid foundation in the centre and seeks to put pressure on White’s position in the early middlegame. The French Defence is a highly reliable response to 1 e4 which is popular at all levels. The strategies he explains will, unlike ever-changing chess opening theory, remain valid as long as chess is played, and so the time spent studying this book will be rewarded many times over. This knowledge will equip players to succeed in the opening up to good club level, and provide a superb grounding in opening play on which to build a more sophisticated repertoire. Paul van der Sterren instead offers a wealth of ideas and explanation, together with the basic variations of each and every opening. This is not a book that provides masses of variations to memorize. It is essential to play purposefully and to avoid falling into traps or reaching a position that you don't understand. * The perfect survival guide to the chess openings * All openings covered * Detailed verbal explanations of plans for both sides * Up-to-date and featuring many tips and recommendations * Insights into the 'character' of each opening * Written by one of the world's foremost opening experts The first moves of a chess game define the nature of the whole struggle, as both players stake their claim to the critical squares and start to develop their plans.
* Comprehensive: covers all main variations likely to arise * Easy-to-use: important moves and key positions are highlighted in colour * Long-lasting: it doesn’t outdate because it is about basics – not the latest fashions * Complete: explains the plans and counterplans for both Black and White * Down-to-earth: simple, verbal introductions (not a database dump full of dead trees) * Convenient: every opening is illustrated with a number of instructive games * Prize-winning: received the Golden Award of the Italian Chess Federation This book helps beginners to develop a solid understanding of fundamental opening play, gives casual players the ability to choose the opening that suits their style and taste, and is a tool for club players to test and review their opening repertoire.įCO Fundamental Chess Openings Book Review: Explains what you should be trying to achieve, with clear indications for further study. Provides a solid foundation to build your opening repertoire on.
The ideas & plans behind ALL chess openings! Volume 2 of an accessible primer and reference book about chess openings. * Comprehensive: covers all main variations likely to arise * Easy-to-use: important moves and key positions are highlighted in colour * Long-lasting: it doesn’t outdate because it is about basics – not the latest fashions * Complete: explains the plans and counterplans for both Black and White * Down-to-earth: simple, verbal introductions (not a database dump full of dead trees) * Convenient: every opening is illustrated with a number of instructive games They include the main alternative responses and give clear indications for further study. Beginning and improving chess players should get this powerful book before they buy ANY other chess opening book! *Helps beginners to develop a solid understanding of fundamental opening ideas *Gives casual players the ability to choose the opening that suits their style and taste *A tool for club players to test and review their opening repertoire *A reference book to which advanced players keep returning The authors do not propagate forcing tactical variations to be memorized mechanically, but explain what you should actually be trying to achieve when playing the opening of your choice. In addition, it also points at the various middlegame plans that apply after the opening has ended. It gives a flavour of how every opening works and explains the similarities with other openings, as well as the differences. Chess Opening Essentials has exactly the right balance and is an accessible primer and a reference book at the same time. Most chess opening books are either too detailed or too shallow.