Alright, I promise I have looked through the past few pages of threads here and I didn't see (although I might have just missed) any threads that discussed good books on openings. I would judge myself, according to my rating and time spent playing, a straight-down-the-middle intermediate player, so what books would be good? I don't want an encyclopedia of openings with barely any analysis (like the one I have now 🙁 ); I want a book that focuses on just one or a handful of common openings (sicilian, ruy lupez, king's gambit, queen's gambit, French, etc.). Any suggestions?
I've just bought Revolution In The 70s by Kasparov. It centres purely on openings (in some depth), covered are: Hedgehog System; Chelyabinsk Variation (Sveshnikov to you & me) Sicilian; 6. Be3 vs Najdorf Sicilian; 12...h5 in the Dragon Sicilian; Classical Schevenigen Sicilian; Schevenigen Sicilian without ...a6; Siclian 'Labyrinths'; Main Exchange Variation of the Grunfeld; Hungarian Variation against 4 Qb3 in the Grunfeld; Classical Caro-Kann with 4...Bf5; Caro-Kann with 4. e5; Sicilian 2. c3; French with 3. e5; Zaitsev Variation in the Ruy Lopez; Arkangelsk Variation in the Ruy Lopez; changes in the Nimzo-Indian; 4. a3 in the Queen's Indian; Queen's Gambit Accepted with 3. e4; Semi-Slav; Benko Gambit; and there's a few other odds and ends.
Hope this was useful.
Originally posted by wondercatThanks, I'll look into it. 🙂
I've just bought Revolution In The 70s by Kasparov. It centres purely on openings (in some depth), covered are: Hedgehog System; Chelyabinsk Variation (Sveshnikov to you & me) Sicilian; 6. Be3 vs Najdorf Sicilian; 12...h5 in the Dragon Sicilian; Classical Schevenigen Sicilian; Schevenigen Sicilian without ...a6; Siclian 'Labyrinths'; Main Exchange Variati ...[text shortened]... ; Semi-Slav; Benko Gambit; and there's a few other odds and ends.
Hope this was useful.
Originally posted by wittywonkaAfter looking at some of your G.I.P I see you're trying a bit of everything.
Alright, I promise I have looked through the past few pages of threads here and I didn't see (although I might have just missed) any threads that discussed good books on openings. I would judge myself, according to my rating and time spent playing, a straight-down-the-middle intermediate player, so what books would be good? I don't want an encyclopedia ...[text shortened]... enings (sicilian, ruy lupez, king's gambit, queen's gambit, French, etc.). Any suggestions?
Do you prefer open or closed games?
Try to keep it simple & perhaps stop the scatter-gun tactics of trying everything (it may work for a future GM like EveRyDay😉 ) but settle on a repertoire that suits your style of play & buy specific opening books for those.
The "starting out" series are very good indeed, though I've heard the Ruy Lopez one is a let down.
The one-size-fits-all opening guides should be avoided other than for use as opposed to a database, as they usually don't describe why the signature moves are important & unless you want to invest in a mammoth openings bible, they rarely give more than a few example games or lines.
Originally posted by SquelchbelchThanks, that helped. Definitely prefer open games...can't stand and am not very good at closed games. Yeah, I went to wholesalechess.com and they offered tons of "starting out" books, so I'm hoping to choose a few of them. Thanks again.
After looking at some of your G.I.P I see you're trying a bit of everything.
Do you prefer open or closed games?
Try to keep it simple & perhaps stop the scatter-gun tactics of trying everything (it may work for a future GM like EveRyDay😉 ) but settle on a repertoire that suits your style of play & buy specific opening books for those.
Edit(s): Lol, having some formatting difficulties...
Originally posted by wittywonkaI prefer open games & as white made the decision to quickly stick to a repertoire based on:
Thanks, that helped. Definitely prefer open games...can't stand and am not very good at closed games. Yeah, I went to wholesalechess.com and they offered tons of "starting out" books, so I'm hoping to choose a few of them. Thanks again.
Edit(s): Lol, having some formatting difficulties...
1.e4 as white
& 1...e5 or 1...c5 as black to answer 1.e4
& 1...f5 to answer 1.d4
As white:
My thinking was that after 1.e4 my opponent would most likely reply 1...e5 or 1...c5
After 1...e5
I either play 2.f4 King's Knight's gambit
or 2.Nf3 which prepares for probable 2...Nc6, when I decided I would always play 3.Bc4. This narrows black's likely 3rd moves down somewhat, generally to either 3...Bc5 - I play 4.b4 Evans gambit or 3...Nf6 when I play the forcing 4.Ng5 Fried Liver Attack
After 1...c5
I respond 2.d4 looking to play the Morra gambit, but you have to be aware that a c3 Sicilian is also possible, though 2.d4 after 1...c5 narrows likley responses hugely.
As black
Against 1.e4
I decided to play 1...c5 & learn the basics of the Sicilian. I opted for the dynamic Dragon variation if possible, as the logic behind the early fianchetto makes sense to me.
I also play 1...e5 often, looking to go 2-knight's defence or Open Ruy Lopez after I've played 2.Nc6
Against 1.d4
I play 1...f5 Dutch defence & learn the basic theory behind this way of imbalancing & opening-up a 1.d4 game.
Of course you have to be ready for other openings, such as the French defence or Petrov's, or the daft 2.Bc4 response to the Sicilian (common on here!) but you should be able to see my thought process in selecting a repertoire that suits my style of play & narrows the possible decent responses as much as I can.
I have books specifically on:
The Dutch Defence
The Morra Gambit
Italian Game/Evans Gambit
Sicilian
and several non-specific books that cover King's Gambit, French Defence, Two Knights Fried Liver Attack reasonably well.
John Emms book "discovering chess openings" (Everyman Chess) starts from the begining and deals - in a very clear way - with the principles and the ideas behind the opening moves. The chapter headings are:
1. Central Issues
2. Introducing Devlopment
3. Kings Safety
4. Delving Deeper
5 Pawn PLay
6. Chess openings in practice
Only the last chapter contains a few pages each on around 12 openings. ~Even though I know roughly quite a lot of it already it's been good to go over the basics and has given me a deeper understanding of the thinking behind the ideas. It's also recent (2006)
Yasser Seirawan has written an excellent openings book and the starting out series mentioned above are great if you know which opening you wish to study.
Originally posted by wittywonkaDepends how deep you want to go!
Alright, I promise I have looked through the past few pages of threads here and I didn't see (although I might have just missed) any threads that discussed good books on openings. I would judge myself, according to my rating and time spent playing, a straight-down-the-middle intermediate player, so what books would be good? I don't want an encyclopedia ...[text shortened]... enings (sicilian, ruy lupez, king's gambit, queen's gambit, French, etc.). Any suggestions?
Finding books for black are relatively easy.
So choose the defences you want to play and get a book on them.
My advice is to look at the "Starting out Series" by Everyman Chess. This will give you the basics on a particular opening with lots of text to help you understand the opening rather than just remembering the moves. After this when you are familiar with a particular opening then look for a more specialised book. If you want advice on which books are good post on this thread you get loads of people willing to give you advice.
For White again depending on what you want to play.....how much time/money you want to spend..........Everyman Chess have published books called:
"Starting out 1.e4"
Some Lines include
v 1...e5 (Scotch)
v Sicilian (Open Variation 2.Nf3 3.d4)
(6...Be3 v Najdorf/Scheveningen), (9.0-0-0 YA v Dragon),
(6.Bg5 v Classical) and so on......
v French (3.Nd2 Tarrasch)
v Caro-Kann (Panov-Botvinnik Attack)
v Alekhines (Exchange Variation)
and
"Starting out 1.d4"
Some Lines include
v Kings Indian (Classical Variation, Bayonet Attack (b4))
v Nimzo Indian (Classical Variation with 4.Qc2)
v QGD (Exchange Variation with Nge2)
v Slav (Variations with Ne5)
v Semi-Slav (Botvinnik Variation)
Both books look at playing down the main lines of the openings (as you should if you really want to improve). But its really again just an introduction and it is not that detailed in the analysis they give.
Chess Openings for White Explored by Chess Information & Research Center,U.S. is based around a 1.e4 repertoire
For Example
v 1...e5 (Italian Game with 3.Bc4)
v Sicilian (The Grand Prix Attack)
They also do Chess openings for Black explored
(Based on Acc. Dragon, Nimzo-Indian, Bogo Indian and Symm English)
If you really want to get VERY advanced and cover ALL the bases Opening for White according to Kramnik (Based on 1.Nf3) 5 Volumes and Opening for White according to Anand (Based on 1.e4) 8 Volumes and counting cover EVERYTHING you are every going to face!!
Hope this has been of some use!