Modern Chess Openings

What do you you (anyone who cares to respond) think about Modern
Chess Openings by Nick De Firmian?

It's the "Bible" of chess...although ECO has 5 volumes and has more
details...MCO is the best compact opening book. Way better than
Nunn's Chess Openings (NCO) or Standard Chess Openings by Schiller.

Dave

that's what they said at Amazon.com, the "bible" of chess but I wasn't
sure if it was just an advertising spiel.

Randy Bauer doesn't agree with you, Dave. Jan

Dave, to be entirely honest with you and Shougi, I've never had the
opportunity to use the NCO. It seems, according to Randy, that both
have their merits, +s and -s. I have the MCO and appreciate Nick's et
al's work. There are drawbacks, though. E.g.: I like to play the
Scandinavian (Center Counter, as you call it over there) and the
Alekhine Defence. So far so good. But MCO does NOT give you an
answer when in the former your opponent doesn't play 2.exd5 and in
the latter 2.e5. You need a specific book on these openings then.
Why not giving just a few hints? Regards. Jan

This is very bad...in the book "The Scandinavian" by John Emms..he
has just a little info on it.

2..Bf5 or c5

Here is one example

2...c5 3.c3 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 Bf5 6.Nc3 e6 (Black has an excellnt
version of the French advance, where the bishop is outside the pawn
chain)

Hope that helps

Dave

is not the best reviewer in the world...I own NCO as well as MCO...and
I usually can find what I need in MCO...and if not..I have my
Informants...they are great for offbeat variations and things that you
cannot find in either.

But an specialized book on the opening is always the way to go.

Dave

i own both, and i personally look at NCO all the time. it has everything you
could want and a lot more than MCO. although either book is great, i prefer NCO

Yah Zumdahl......I only have NCO but it's freakin sweet!

I have the MCO and the ECO (A, B, C, D and E). Don't think there's
any justification for having both NCO & MCO. Unless you've got money
to spend.
I just bought the Fritz Powerbook 2002. That's a great help (as an
encyplopaedia) with its 1,700,000 opening positions and 649,000
related games.
But still... understanding a few sound openings for both White and
Black seems to be the sensible goal to aim at. Jan

I agree that it is important to ahve a few sound openings in your
repertoire that you understand and where you feel good with. The rest
is a matter of time, effort and ambition. But certainly not a
replacement.

And the crowd goes "BOOOOOOOOOOO"..."BOOOOOOOOO"

Just kidding...I just DeFirmian's analysis to better...but I could be just
nuts or something.

Dave

nah, i guess its just personal preference. both books are great and ive seen
grandmasters carry around both of them just in case!

Thanks for the input. In the end I bought both.

Modern Defense