Generally recognized as the world's greatest expert on the c3 Sicilian, Russian grandmaster Evgeny Sveshnikov has written the definitive book on this fascinating opening. Sveshnikov covers all lines of the c3 (or Alapin) Sicilian and explains the history, the basic ideas and the latest developments from recent grandmaster practice. With hundreds of games, accessibly explained, and many exercises. A special and attractive feature is a listing of 'opening catastrophes' in the c3 Sicilian. A magnificent, up-to-date, clear-headed and well-structured book.
Even in the Sicilian Defense, one of the most popular and well-developed chess openings, it is possible to surprise your opponent at move four! With the Kalashnikov Variation, Black immediately forces the opponent to make a difficult decision. It all starts with a Black pawn, kicking White's knight off the central d4-square. This push will lead the game into turbulent waters where your rapid development, attacking options, sound pawn structure and superior preparation will leave your opponent bewildered.
Grandmaster Daniel King knows what it takes to play the Sicilian with success, and his articulate explanations and practical approach to playing and learning will help you score your own Sicilian victories. This course is a repertoire for Black, focusing on the most important lines. In addition, there is a selection of well-annotated master games demonstrating key strategic concepts in practical settings. Once you hear about the Bad Bishop Bounce, Liberation Station, and The Trojan Horse, you will be eager to introduce them into your own games. The book also explains how to punish the sidelines you are most likely to face in club and online play, often allowing you to reach a superior position straight out of the opening! This complete repertoire includes answers to all possible alternatives for White after the moves 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e5.
Daniel King is an English chess grandmaster, coach, journalist and broadcaster. He has authored dozens of chess books and courses on topics ranging from opening preparation to the historical biography Sultan Khan. With his frequent posts on his PowerPlay YouTube channel, he reaches a broad audience.
Jan Sybren Zagema (Schaaksite.nl)
“King provides a very accessible introduction to the Sicilian and a practical and dynamic repertoire for Black. The precise wording and themes ensure that the various variations stick much better than with most other opening books.”
The English Opening is typically a solid and reliable opening for White, one where both sides develop their pieces to reasonable squares before the combat begins in earnest. The gambits covered in this book change that manuscript entirely. Before either side has completed any kind of development, Black tries to grab the initiative by sacrificing a pawn. Both gambits arise after 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4!? 4.Ng5. The Adhiban Gambit then continues by Black playing 4...c6!?, intending to meet 5.Ngxe4 with 5...Nxe4 6.Nxe4 d5, gaining time and space in the center, whereas the Bellon Gambit instead sees Black opt for the flank gambit 4...b5!?, hoping to build a large center. The Adhiban Gambit has only recently found its way into the limelight, whereas the Bellon Gambit has been around for more than 50 years and was once thought refuted, but is once more considered playable. Prepare to give White a ruthless wake-up call!
This book is a logical follow up of Semkov’s previous work on the Nimzo-Indian Defence. It covers the Exchange Variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 against the Queen’s Gambit Declined. Practical results of 63% in White’s favour and the endorcement of Carlsen, Gukes, Caruana, Aronian, Sarana and many others of the elite confirm the prominent status of this system.Lately second players tend to deviate from the traditional main lines and resort to 3...a6, 3...h6, 3...Be7, 5...Bb4 and other exotic set-ups, so the author analyses them in separate chapters.
Black versus The Tromp and Torre Attacks
The Trompowsky and Torre Attacks, played regularly at club level, may be quite risky to face if you are not prepared. In this comprehensive treatment of both openings – highlighting play from Black’s perspective – popular authors Vassilios Kotronias and Mikhail Ivanov, present solid paths to dynamic equality for the second player.
The common thread in both these systems is Bc1-g5 by White. In the Trompowsky, White plays it on the second move, while it is on the third move in the Torre. In addition, there is a separate chapter on a dangerous cousin of the Tromp and Torre, the “Barry-Tarzan” Attack, which usually features pawn storms after castling on opposite wings.
All three have their own QuickStarter! section. This covers the major lines, allowing the reader to begin playing these systems sooner rather than later.
There is no longer any reason for Black to fear these potentially dangerous debuts. Let GMs Kotronias and Ivanov prepare you to face the Trompowsky and Torre Attacks with confidence.
About the Authors
Greek Grandmaster Vassilios Kotronias, has won the championship of Greece ten times and has represented his country many times in team competitions. He is one of the most respected opening analysts in the world today.
Russian-Serbian Grandmaster Mikhail Ivanov has been successful in many European tournaments, including the 2002 Neckar Open. He is a respected chess coach and trainer. He has co-authored several books with GM Kotronias for Russell Enterprises.
A Dynamic Positional Enterprise
More than a half-century ago, Hungarian-American Grandmaster Pal Benko crafted a strategy for Black to meet 1.d4. A Benoni-style pawn structure is followed by a strike on the queenside – ...b7-b5! While this tactic had already been known, it was Benko who shaped it into a dynamic, dangerous system.
In this first book of a two-volume set, the authors examine the Benko Gambit Accepted in great detail. In addition, understanding that the opening analysis should not stand alone, they examine over 300 endgames arising from these lines. The result is an incredibly thorough and comprehensive treatment of one of Black’s most energetic defenses.
In his Introduction, Grandmaster Vassilios Kotronias points out that overall, the Benko Gambit is really a dynamic positional enterprise. Black sacrifices a pawn for open lines on the queenside while at the same time, the black king is relatively safe.
Three-time U.S. Champion, Grandmaster Lev Alburt has been a powerful proponent of the Benko:
An impressive work by excellent authors. I particularly like the QuickStarter! Section and the chapter on the endgames arising out of the Benko Gambit.
Russian-Serbian Grandmaster Mikhail Ivanov has been successful in many European tournaments, including the 2002 Neckar Open. He is a venerable chess coach and trainer. He has partnered with GM Kotronias on several books for Russell Enterprises.
The fundamental purpose of Black’s aggressive and provocative move with the d-pawn is to create immediate central tension and to exploit the latent power of the queen on her starting square. Remember Lasker’s observation: “Black’s idea is to make use of the great fighting power of the queen in the opening”. Black’s audacious pawn move effectively compels White to lose a tempo by capturing the pawn, creating an imbalance in the center. Black’s strategy seeks the dissolution of the center, as the immediate asymmetry reduces the significance of So, is the Scandinavian, in essence, a ‘refutation’ of 1 e4, as Black has already activated his queen far ahead of his opponent, while weakening White’s kingside pawn structure? Isn’t White essentially punished for aiming for early kingside development with his first move? Structurally, Black has achieved an ideal exchange, and the core of the Scandinavian lies in the control of the d5-square. Black must, under no circumstances, allow White to support a pawn thrust with d4-d5, as this typically means White has effectively countered Black’s pawn structure both technically and psychologically.
All the lines presented in this book are very old, some even dating back to medieval times! Lots of things were known about these systems before chess engines started to become very strong, but now we have completely new ideas from not only a tactical, but also positional, point of view on positions that have simply resurfaced in recent times. The rebirth of these lines has become so popular that during my work on this book I was amazed to see such a level of popularity. To make this book readable I broke some positions into smaller files wherever I could. In all my books I try to present at least the basics of many openings and lines: the problem is that basic knowledge about openings is growing even bigger, and it is not an easy job to comprehend and assimilate all that material. That’s why I have also tried in this book to be as concise as possible. After all, reading a book should not only be an aesthetic/interesting endeavour, but also a practical/useful thing at the same time.
Why Play the Catalan Opening?
If you’re looking for an opening that combines strategic depth with long-term pressure, the Catalan Opening is a top-tier choice. It’s favored by world champions like Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen for good reason: the Catalan blends solid positional play with dynamic potential.
By fianchettoing the king’s bishop and exerting long-range pressure on the center, White builds a solid yet flexible structure. This opening is ideal for players who prefer a quiet buildup that leads to deep middlegame plans, rather than immediate tactical fireworks.
Whether you’re an ambitious club player or a seasoned tournament competitor, the Catalan gives you a strong foundation with plenty of room to outplay your opponent in a positional battle.
Key benefits:
– Reliable opening with a rich strategic backbone
– Proven success at the highest level of play
– Excellent choice against both 1…d5 and 1…Nf6 setups
– Ideal for players who value control, initiative, and clarity
Everyone knows that the Petroff is one of Black's most solid options to King's Pawn openings, which has endured for centuries. Most people DON'T know that the Damiano Variation - a subset of Petroff - is equally sound and not a beginner's trap into which we fell. The lines of the Damiano may be tailored from the same cloth as Petroff, yet they are quite different. One "Damiano-is-bad" critic wrote on my page: "...selling the Petroff Damiano line as a sure-fire draw for Black seems to me to be overselling it." Actually, incorrect. You CAN hold a draw with the Damiano if you are willing to put in some work of learning the critical lines and the defensive ideas. When I began to look deeper into the line, I came to the shocking realization that there is zero reason to believe in the "refuted" verdict since the engines are on the Damiano's side, not White's!
For whom would I recommend playing the exchange variation of the French Defense?
First of all, for those players who strive for a clear and understandable game with good endgame technique. We would also like to surprise our opponent to some extent, throw him off his preparation, and dull his vigilance. With good knowledge, we can not only claim a theoretical advantage, but also exert some psychological pressure, since the opponent will lose his chances of winning. Perhaps they will become bored, and this will contribute to some kind of aggressive action on the part of our rivals; perhaps this will only lead to a weakening, which is what we are trying to provoke.
In the Caro-Kann Defense, I recommend playing 2.с4!?, the so-called English variation!
So-named because the English maestro Elijah Williams played 2.c4 for the first time in 1845. The idea of exploring this option also came about by chance. I always liked to study the opening and look for new, interesting and non-standard ideas. At some point, the old ideas became boring to me, and I wanted to look for something new. My gaze and attention was drawn to how Oleksandr Bortnyk plays against the Caro-Kann defense. I began further study after the moves: 1.е4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.exd5 Nf6. I was surprised by the move: 5.Qа4!? You could say that I immediately fell in love with this move. Later, analyzing this option with engines a lot, I decided to create a file on my computer. The analysis expanded, I found interesting and new ideas, and then I started playing them in online games and the results surprised me.
The Scandinavian (also known as the Centre Counter Defence) occurs when Black meets White’s 1.e4 with 1...d5, immediately countering in the centre. White invariably continues with 2.exd5 when Black can choose between two systems, both of which are covered in this book. Firstly 2...Qxd5, which regains the pawn immediately but exposes the black queen early on – a feature that complicates the play for both players. Secondly 2...Nf6, which invites White to risk attempting to hold onto the d5-pawn. If White goes down this path then a complex tactical struggle can easily develop.
First Steps is a new opening series and is ideal for improving players who want simple and straightforward explanations. First Steps emphasizes:
– the basic principles
– the basic strategies
– the key tricks and traps
First Steps books are based around carefully selected instructive games which demonstrate exactly what both sides are trying to achieve. There is enough theory to enable the improving player to get to grips with the opening without feeling overwhelmed. If you want to take up a new opening, First Steps is the ideal place to start.
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