Looking for an easy-to-learn yet super-solid repertoire for Black against everything, which doesn’t require endless memorization of sharp theoretical lines? It’s here – and it was voted the best opening course on Chessable by the users of the most popular chess learning platform.
In this book, YouTube personality IM Christof Sielecki, aka ‘Chessexplained’, presents a complete solution to chess players of all levels for their opening choices with the Black pieces. With this one-volume repertoire, you will not only safely navigate the opening phase, but you will actually understand what is happening and how you can play for a win.
You’ll learn to fight 1.d4 and 1.c4 or 1.Nf3 with the Queen’s Gambit Declined, using the early a6-variation favoured by Magnus Carlsen. This tried-and-true opening will stand up to master level play and offer a few nasty surprises to your opponents.
Against 1.e4, your main weapon will be the rock-solid Caro-Kann, well known as one of the toughest openings for White to crack. You will be able to cut through the theory and go straight for interesting middlegames with good winning chances. Also included are weapons against almost all sidelines.
Why is the repertoire called simple? For the simple reason that the variations are straightforward, easy to remember and require little or no maintenance. But, as IM Sielecki puts it, ‘simple does not mean boring!’
Christof Sielecki is an International Master from Germany. He has been teaching and training chess for many years, runs an extremely popular YouTube channel called ChessExplained, and is one of the most popular authors on Chessable. New In Chess has published his books: Keep it Simple 1.e4 and Keep it Simple 1.d4.
GM Matthew Sadler (New In Chess magazine)
“A very good course full of interesting and useful ideas. I was particularly interested by Sielecki’s recommendations in a line of the Queen’s Gambit Declined that was always thought to be clearly good for White in the pre-computer age.”
IM Gary Lane (Australian Chess)
“I do like the way that the author tries to keep the amount of moves needed to reach a decent position to the minimum. A repertoire book that will help Black reach the next level.”
Twenty more years?
Magnus Carlsen has said that he may stay at the top for another 20 years. And who can argue with the World Champion? He's been dominating top-level chess with an iron fist and has rightly highlighted the lack of consistency from his potential rivals.
When Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen burst onto the chess scene, there was no doubt whatsoever about their future destiny: sooner or later they were going to become World Champion. How different is the situation today, when there seems to be no such player.
New In Chess contributing editor Anish Giri presents ten chess players that may challenge Carlsen's hegemony in the years ahead. Or may not. Giri not only shares his insider's knowledge about his colleagues in his lucid and witty notes to their games, he also provides the reader with valuable lessons in all phases of the game.
Anish Giri (1994) became a Grandmaster at the age of 14.
J.H.Donner (1927-1988) was a Dutch Grandmaster and one of the greatest writers about chess of all time. He was a chess reporter and a chess columnist, as well as an annotator of the game. Above all he was a witty and unpredictable commentator of everything and everybody, both inside and outside the chess world.
THE KING spans a writing career of more than thirty years during which Donner slowly developed from chess player-writer into writer-chess player.
Donner's favourite themes are: Bobby Fischer, the blunder, chess as a game of luck, why women can't play chess, madness, and poor Lodewijk Prins, his rival for the Dutch National Championship for many years, who, according to Donner, "couldn't tell a bishop from a knight."
'THE KING' is a book full of insults and ironies, but Donner wouldn't be Donner without a considerable amount of self-mockery.
"After I resigned the last game with perfect self-control and solemnly shook hands with my opponent in the best of Anglo-Saxon traditions, I rushed home where I threw myself onto my bed, howling and screaming, and pulled the blankets over my face."
Shortlisted English Chess Federation 2006 Book of the Year
The first unabridged English edition of this classic
Lubosh Kavalek, The Washington Post:
"[An] acclaimed masterpiece. The late Dutch Grandmaster was a brilliant, amusing, provoking and self-mocking author, a master of vertical hyperboles and shortcuts."
Taylor Kingston, ChessCafe:
"His reportorial style reminds one of the 'gonzo journalism' of Hunter S.Thompson fame, and his polemics are reminiscent of such great scourges of hypocrisy as H.L.Mencken (...) If you do not buy this book, and you later realize just how good it really is, and what a treasure you have missed, you will feel depressed, and deservedly so."
Raymond Keene, chess columnist of The Times (London):
"Absolutely wonderful."
Harry Mulisch, author of 'The Discovery of Heaven':
"This book is about chess only in appearance, and I hope that no one will allow himself to be scared off by the diagrams and the annotations. It is in fact a magnificent self-portrait of Hein Donner, the player, the equally fearless and hilarious provocateur, who, when the chips are down, will always be found on the right side."
Bob Long, Chessco:
"Totally absorbing. Any insightful person should have this book."
Paul Motwani, The Scotsman:
"An irresistible gem of a book, that weighs in at 390 pages, yet never looses the seemingly magical lightness of its text."
John Saunders, British Chess Magazine:
"A work that all chess players should own. It would probably be my only 'desert island' chess book."
Malcolm Pein, chess columnist of The Daily Telegraph:
"Donner was the wittiest, most irreverent writer of his generation. The book is a triumph."
John Donaldson, Inside Chess Magazine:
"Donner was witty, opinionated and often cranky, but he was always fun to read - assuming of course you weren't the object of one of his attacks."
Sarah Hurst, Chess Moves:
"The most outrageous chess book money can buy."
Jeremy Silman, author of 'How to Reassess Your Chess':
"Far and away the finest chess writing ever seen (...) Trust me, you don't want to be without this book."
Tim Krabbé, author of 'The Vanishing':
"Eminently readable for chess players and non-chess players alike."
If you want to amaze your friends with your chess skills, this is exactly the book you have been looking for. To become one of the best chess players in your school you need to play Power Moves, winning tactics that require thinking ahead.
But how do you find Power Moves? Experienced chess trainer Charles Hertan will show you and help you to become a very dangerous player!
• You will learn how to weed out silly moves and just consider a few important ones.
• You will learn how to start seeing great moves you never thought of before.
• You will learn the two easiest ways to think one-and-a-half moves ahead:
1. Takes Takes Bang!
2. Check Moves Bang!
Charles Hertan introduces the four main characters who will help you to learn these basic skills: Zort (a teenaged computer from the planet Zugszwang), the Dinosaurs, Power Chess Kids and the Chess Professor. The most complete and fun kids book ever on learning how to win games!
Charles Hertan is a FIDE master from Massachusetts who has been teaching kids formore than thirty years. He has written a chess book for advanced players called Forcing Chess Moves: the Key to Better Calculation, which was shortlisted for the Guardian Chess Book of the Year Award and won the ChessCafe Book of the Year Award.
Edward Scimia, About.com-CHESS:
"I really enjoyed 'Power Chess for Kids'. Just as importantly, the kids I work with got a kick out of it, too (..) The fact that kids can read this book on their own and be entertained while they learn to improve their chess is an added bonus."
Martin Rieger, Rochade Europa Magazine:
"I myself have three children and when my youngest son (8 years old) saw the book, he immediately got excited. The drawings and the child-friendly lay-out had a magic impact on him."
Dr Alexey W. Root, former US Women's Chess Champion, author of 'Children and Chess':
"The organization of the book is stellar, the layout is cheerful (with cartoon-style characters) and the material is important for chess improvement."
Marshtower Chess Reviews:
"Cartoon characters and a very lively writing style make this an appealing book for young juniors. Chess teachers and coaches will be able to put the material to good use, too."
Neha Batt, Outlook India:
"Recommended reading for young chess players to sharpen tactics and strategy."
Marcia Duran, chess parent:
"Charles Hertan is the perfect chess teacher for kids. He has a great grasp of the material and, even more importantly, he makes learning chess fun, and understandable for kids of all ages."
The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence continues to be extremely popular. Advocated by great fighting champions like Garry Kasparov and Bobby Fischer, this flexible, wonderfully rich system offers one of the best ways for Black to play for a win.
Young Armenian grandmaster Zaven Andriasyan has developed and successfully employed his very own attacking repertoire for Black in the Najdorf.
In this book he points out ways to avoid the most dangerous white systems, such as the English Attack, and presents ideas for Black to fight for the initiative right from the start.
Revisiting all major Najdorf battlegrounds, Andriasyan challenges accepted views and sheds new light on this great opening. In his search for new paths he has found a great number of radical improvements, resulting in a complete, surprising and punchy repertoire.
After you have read and studied Winning with the Najdorf Sicilian, you will be ready and happy to take on 1.e4 players at all times!
With a foreword by Levon Aronian.
Zaven Andriasyan (1989) was both European under-18 and World under-20 champion in 2006. He is currently one of the strongest grandmasters in Armenia. Zaven Andriasyan regularly writes for the New In Chess Yearbooks.
Sam Collins, Chess Today:
"Andriasyan has an excellent writing style (..) He often interrupts dry analysis with explanations about which pieces to trade, why he likes certain manoeuvres and dislikes others. This is all entertaining and instructive and makes the material much easier to digest and remember. His line selection is also excellent, frequently giving a choice for Black but always explaining why he prefers the variations he recommends (..) One of the very best opening books I've ever seen."
Dennis Monokroussos, The Chess Mind:
"I learned new things not only for Black, which is what you'd expect, but for White too. He is very even-handed, and quite regularly shows a main line for Black that has troubles, so that he can better motivate and explain his preferred line. That makes this an even more valuable resource - it's a good source of ideas for the first player too."
Adam Hunt, British Chess Magazine:
"Excellently researched with some very interesting ideas and novelties along the way (..) There is also a chapter at the end on Najdorf exercises, which I enjoyed very much (..) It will become my new Najdorf reference and if you are serious about this opening I would recommend you get yourself a copy."
Max Euwe Center, Amsterdam:
"All variations of the Najdorf are being treated and the objective is for Black to be the first to deviate from the main lines (..) Andriasyan concludes that the Najdorf is the best way for Black to play for a win."
Richard Vedder, Schakers.info:
"Andriasyan advocates a sharp but rather narrow repertoire for Black to play for a win (..) Within that repertoire he presents comprehensive analyis with various tips and tricks (..) White players, as well, can pick up a few things as well."
‘Fischer gets up, tall, overweight, and slightly clumsy. He tries to fulfil the duties of the host and shakes hands, but his nervously darting eyes betray his unease with the situation. This is not a man accustomed to receiving visitors.’
Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam’s encounter with the reclusive American world champion in war-torn Yugoslavia, is the apotheosis of a unique collection of interviews with chess legends and stars that was first published in 1993.
Why did Garry Kasparov think Bobby Fischer was an alien? How many stamps does Anatoly Karpov have? Was it really Caruso who appeared in Vassily Smyslov’s dream to teach him how to sing?
Brimming with anecdotes and revealing insights these interviews bring together champions past and present. From Botvinnik, Najdorf, Portisch and Spassky to modern stars like Anand, Kramnik, and Judit Polgar.
Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam is editor-in-chief of New In Chess, the chess magazine with readers in 116 countries.
Sean Marsh, CHESS Magazine (UK):
"It is good to see this book back in print, as it is, quite simply, the finest collection of chess interviews yet assembled."
Edward Winter in Chess Notes:
“Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam brings to the task painstaking preparation, wide knowledge and sharp intelligence.”
Chris Wainscott, ChessIQ:
'The interviews individually are fascinating glimpses into the lives of chess immortals. As a whole they are something even greater. They are the very fabric of the chess history of 20 and 30 years ago. Go buy this book. You will not regret it"
British Chess Magazine:
"A vintage collection and very valuable, thorough and carefyully structured."
"A master interviewer."
Max Euwe Centre, Amsterdam:
"Ten Geuzendam's interviews always result in rich conversations."
British Chess Magazine on 'The Day Kasparov Quit':
"Ten Geuzendam somehow manages to get the confidence of his subjects despite asking them sharp and challenging questions."
Winner of the 2015 Best Book Award of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA)
Shortlisted for the English Chess Federation 2015 Book of the Year Award
THIRD, EXTENDED EDITION
Pawn endings do not arise out of nowhere. Before emerging as endgames with just kings and pawns, they 'pre-existed' in positions that still contained any number of pieces.
Liquidation is the purposeful transition into a pawn ending. It is a vital technique that is seldom taught. Strange, because knowing when and how to liquidate can help you win games or save draws.
In this book, former US Chess Champion Joel Benjamin teaches you all you need to know about successfully liquidating into pawn endgames.
He focuses on the practical aspects: what to aim for and how to get there. When to start trading pieces and how to recognize favorable and unfavorable liquidations.
Enter a fascinating world of tempo play (triangulation, zugzwang and opposition), breakthroughs, king activity, passed pawn dynamics, sacrifices and counter-sacrifices.
Exercises will test your growing skills.
This is a ground-breaking, entertaining and instructive guide.
This New and Extended 3rd edition presents 50 new examples, besides other additions and corrections.
At thirteen years of age Joel Benjamin broke Bobby Fischer's record as the youngest ever US master, and this was followed by countless tournament successes. He won the US Championship three times and was the chess consultant for IBM's Deep Blue computer, which made history by beating World Champion Garry Kasparov in an epic encounter.
IM Frank Zeller, Magazine Schach:
"Benjamin has managed to create an excellent guide to a difficult theme that has been badly served in chess literature (..) If you are really serious about improving your chess, you should work on your Benjamin!"
"Entertainment is never far away (..) The material, which feels very fresh, provides an impressive series of easily digestible lessons."
Schach Magazin 64:
"Strongly recommended (..) In transitions into pawn endgames a lot can be gained and a lot can be lost."
GM Daniel King, creator of the Power Play DVD series:
'Well written and thoroughly researched. The selected examples have a strong practical value (..) This is an instructive work for players at any level above beginner - but it's not a dry endgame manual. The games contain some beautiful ideas and overall I found the book very entertaining.
GM Matthew Sadler, former British Champion:
"The book works quite addictively (..) It's dealing with one of the big moments of uncertainty in practical chess."
IM Gary Lane, Chess Moves Magazine:
"A labour of love that has produced an outstanding book."
The Judges of the ECF Book of the Year Award:
"An attractive and entertaining book."
GM Daniel Naroditsky, Chess Life Magazine (US):
"Benjamin tackles one of the most important (and underappreciated) aspects of endgame practice."
GM Karsten Müller, author of 'Fundamental Chess Endings':
"An excellent new book. The theme of the right exchange is underrepresented in chess literature and Joel Benjamin manages to highlight its importance by investigating the transition into a pawn endgame in deep detail."
Uwe Bekemann, German Correspondence Chess Federation:
"Engages itself with a theme on which there is not a lot of literautre (..) It will doubtlessly enrich players with a new aspect of the art of playing chess."
WINNER of The Guardian 2009 Chess Book of the Year Award
WINNER of The British Chess Federation 1995 Book of the Year Award
In this modern chess classic David Bronstein, one of the greatest chess artists of all time, shares his insights in his wonderful games – 237 of them played between 1938 and 1996, a career spanning 58 years.
Bronstein was famous for the joy he derived from teaching the game and this spirit permeates his writings. His explanations and analyses are invariably lively and easy to understand for players of all levels who want to improve their chess.
David Bronstein’s achievements and his legendary creativity have ensured him a unique position in chess history. He drew a match for the World Championship, won Soviet Championship twice and took first place in numerous international tournaments.
This revised and expanded edition, published two years after Bronstein passed away, contains a lot of new material and two moving In Memoriams, one by Bronstein’s widow Tatiana Boleslavskaya and one by his co-author and friend Tom Fürstenberg.
Furthermore, 32 pages of unique photographs have been included, as well as extensive new articles by Bronstein himself.
This unconventional book is a fitting homage to one of the eternal chess greats, fascinating and rich in ideas, and written with contagious enthusiasm.
Arne Moll, ChessVibes:
"Bronstein was not only a fantastic chess player, but also a great chess explicator. The book is full of very useful and instructive explications (..) There's lots of cool new stuff compared to the first edition."
Angus Dunnington, CHESS Magazine:
“There are many tips for the non-genius and it is a very useful book for those who want to improve.”
IM Malcolm Pein, The Guardian:
“There are photographs, personal history, anecdotes and advice. Above all it is a wonderful record of Bronstein's great achievements. A splendid addition to any chess library.”
"Those who already own the earlier edition should be pleased by the new edition too. I think there is enough new material to justify an upgrade for one's library."
The Judges of the Guardian 2009 Chess Book of the Year Award:
"Our book of the year is an unusual, personal, inspirational and endearing work."
IM John Donaldson:
"This revised and expanded edition (..) contains a lot of new material (..) It belongs in every chessplayer's library"
John Henderson, The Scotsman:
"Deserves a place on every chess player's bookshelf."
SHORTLISTED: English Chess Federation Book of the Year 2013 Award!
Winning starts with planning before the game, teaches legendary chess coach Vladimir Tukmakov. In this ground-breaking book he shows how chess preparation has become a systematic process and how today’s top players make their game plans.
The most important aim of modern preparation, both for professionals and for ambitious amateurs, is to get a playable position that you understand better than your opponent.
The role of the computer in preparation has grown tremendously and Tukmakov explains how top grandmasters use their ‘Metal Friend’. He warns that professionals should not put too much trust in chess engines and should analyse more deeply themselves.
Club players, on the other hand, should reduce their time in front of the machine to a minimum. Tukmakov explains what amateurs should do in order to arrive at the board well-armed: study the classics, analyse your own games without a computer, and know yourself.
A special chapter is devoted to must-win situations: when the outcome of a tournament, a match or even a whole life depends on a single game. With lots of brilliant examples, inside information and amusing anecdotes, Modern Chess Preparation is not only highly instructive, but also a joy to read.
“Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, and having a sober awareness of your own shortcomings, will pay dividends at any level, from beginners up to World Champions.”
A former Ukrainian champion, Grandmaster Vladimir Tukmakov (born 1946 in Odessa) won many tournaments and came second in three Soviet championships. After his active career he became an esteemed chess coach. He was non-playing captain of the Ukraine team that won gold at the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, 2004.
"Tukmakov has created a unique symbiosis: a training book with stories. Qualifications such as 'brilliant' or 'wonderful' are really far too stale for this work (..) This book will most probably become a classic in chess literature."
IM Jeremy Silman, author of 'How to Reassess Your Chess':
"A fascinating and original (useful!) book about chess prep, but not the kind you've ever been exposed to before (..) Exhilarating reading (..) This chapter [2: 'The Computer Era'] is nothing less than brilliant (..) Overall this book is beautifully written and deeply thought out."
Carsten Hansen, ChessCafe:
"The last chapter, 'Deciding Games', makes for fascinating reading. It is clearly a subject that has not been covered in great detail in any book that I can think of. It discusses how to approach those key games that can be last-round deciders, but even crucial games earlier in the tournament against key opponents."
Jonathan Adams, Australasian Chess Magazine:
"Easy to follow by the avarage club player."
GM Luke McShane:
"I really like this book (..) Tukmakov's discussion of the modern game is highly astute."
Babs Wiilders, Nederlands Dagblad:
"Covers all stages of the game, with both strategic and tactical perspectives (..) Splendid instructional material for every chess player who wants to get ahead."
IM Arthur van de Oudeweetering, ChessVibes:
"There is a lot of thought-provoking stuff in the book."
John D.Warth, Chess Club of Southern Indiana:
"Tukmakov's discussion is a broad one, citing games dating from 1891 up to 2011 (..) Along the way the author peppers his survey with advice, tidbits and common sense, with strong writing and a balanced approach (..) An important book on a much-neglected top ic."
Henk Prins, Reformatorisch Dagblad:
"The book gives important recommendations, also for amateur chess players, about how to use the computer."
"Tukmanakov's writing style is very interesting, that is why 'Modern Chess Preparation' also entertains."
Elburg Chess Reviews:
"Well known chess coach Grandmaster Vladimir Tukmakov does not only provide the reader with a wealth of readable games, 91 of them, but above all, offers instructive advice that truly helps you to become a better player."
Harry Schaack, KARL Magazine:
"An original mix of chess history and tips for the modern praxis."
"At the end of each chapter the author gives recommendations for amateurs."
"Vladimir Tukmakov puts you on a trail that should lead to better results."
SHORTLISTED: British Chess Federation 2002 Book of the Year!
In 1972 a boy from Brooklyn broke the hegemony of Soviet chess.
Bobby Fischer, the greatest genius the game had ever seen, completed his crusade against the ‘commie cheaters’ by defeating Boris Spassky in Reykjavik.
The Match of the Century electrified the world. No one wanted to miss even the slightest detail about the struggle of Fischer against the superpower that for decades had exploited its superiority in chess as an irrefutable justification of communism.
Almost a year before the first move was made at the board, the infighting started. The world looked on in anxiety as Bobby quarrelled about the venue, the number of games, the prize-fund, the television rights, the camera’s, the lighting, and about the chairs.
The acclaimed classic Fischer World Champion! conveyes the full drama of the clash, both on and off the board.
Here is the inside story of the bloody prelude, written by the late Max Euwe, at the time President of FIDE. Euwe’s diplomatic skills and iron will saved the match against incredible odds.
With the original analysis of the games by Jan Timman, one of the world’s finest analysts.
Fischer World Champion! will let the reader relive one of the great moments in chess history.
This New Edition commemorates the death of Fischer in January 2008 with a tribute by former World Champion Garry Kasparov and an essay by Jan Timman on the life and chess of Bobby Fischer.
From the introduction by Garry Kasparov:
“Bobby Fischer created a global boom and single-handedly dragged chess into the professional era we live in today. Chess has lost its greatest knight.”
ChessVille:
"Outstanding"
The Judges of the British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award:
“There is no better book on the most famous of all World Championship Matches”
"One of the most insightful accounts of Fischer the chess player"
The Final Years in Iceland, a Saga of Friendship and Lost Illusions
Helgi Olafsson was fifteen years old when in 1972 Bobby Fischer defeated Boris Spassky to become World Chess Champion. Breathlessly, young Helgi followed the Match of the Century and even attended a number of games in Reykjavik’s Laugardalshöll.
Little could Olafsson suspect then that 33 years on, having become a chess grandmaster himself, he would be a member of the committee that successfully worked to free Fischer from a Japanese detention centre.
On March 24, 2005 Bobby Fischer returned to the country where he had achieved his greatest triumph. He was never to leave again until his tragic death on January 17, 2008.
Olafsson first met his childhood hero shortly after his return. In the following years, the two spent countless hours together. They made trips, went to restaurants, watched movies, played games, spoke on the phone almost every day, had fun and quarrelled.
Bobby Fischer Comes Home tells the story of a unique friendship and paints an intimate and revealing picture of the last years of the man who many see as the greatest chess player that ever lived.
With a foreword by World Champion Viswanathan Anand.
Helgi Olafsson (1956) is a chess grandmaster from Iceland. He won the national championship six times and travelled the world as a chess pro. Today he is Iceland’s national chess coach and writes a chess column for Morgunbladid, the country’s number one newspaper.
"Excellent."
"Disarming honesty and gentleness of spirit (..) An essential purchase for all Fischer watchers."
Sean Marsh, CHESS Magazine:
"One of the best chess books of 2012 (..) An important piece of the overall picture because it provides a unique insight into the last few years of Fischer's life."
Ken Surratt, ChessVille:
"A fascinating read, in turns poignant and perplexing, and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone interested in the second Pride and Sorrow of American chess."
Ian Rogers, Canberra Times:
"The best insight into Fischer’s mind in his paranoid years comes from an unexpected source: Icelandic Grandmaster Helgi Olafsson."
John D. Warth, ChessCafe:
"Olafsson's poignant book delivers the fullest account yet of Bobby Fischer's triumphal and tragic years in Iceland with a thoughtful, thorough, and balanced presentation, including topics that transport us beyond the limits of its place and theme (..) [A] personal and heartbreaking account "
Gary Lane, Chess Moves Magazine:
"Relates the sort of comments and simple activities that chess fans want to hear (..) An entertaining insight into the real world of a flawed World Champion."
"'Bobby Fischer Comes Home' describes the end of the life of a brilliant chess player with dignity."
Cecil Rosner, Winnipeg Free Press:
"Olafsson doesn't apologize for Fischer in the way some of his other biographers have (..) A charming aspect of the book is how Olafsson weaves his own biographical details into the narrative."
John Donaldson, Chess Today:
"Must read for fans of the late World Champion (..) Olafsson, who became one of Fischer's inner circle, presents his subject warts and all but in a respectful manner, not a kiss-and-tell story."
"Gives a good impression of Fischers'
Coach Christof has thoroughly revised and updated his 2018 best-selling chess opening manual. It covers everything you need to know when opening with 1.e4. You will get a complete White chess opening repertoire.
Why is this opening repertoire called simple? For the simple reason that the variations are easy to remember and require little or no maintenance.
International Master Christof Sielecki has created a hit series with his reliable opening lines for chess players of almost all levels. He developed this repertoire by working with students looking for something easy to understand and learn. Sielecki always clearly explains the plans and counter plans and keeps you focused on the position's requirements. Ambitious players rated 1500 or higher will benefit from studying this extremely accessible book.
Christof Sielecki is an International Master from Germany. He has taught and trained chess for many years and runs a popular YouTube channel called ChessExplained. He won numerous awards with his course on Chessable and has created three volumes of the Keep it Simple opening manuals.
"There are a few different approaches to drawing up a complete opening course for White like this. At the extremes, you can pick a single setup or pawn structure (something like the King’s Indian Attack for example) and use it against as many Black systems as you can manage, or you take the grandmaster repertoire approach where you pick the best concrete line for each situation. Both have drawbacks of course. Sielecki manages a good blend of both approaches."
IM John Donaldson (Mechanics Institute)
“Keep it Simple 1.e4 – 2.0 is an invaluable tool for those rated 1800 to 2300 who want to play 1.e4 but don’t have the option of quitting their day job. There is plenty of explanatory prose to make this book accessible to the lower end of this rating group. There are also plenty of well-thought-out opening suggestions to make it interesting for master-level players and above. They will benefit from using the lines in this book as a starting point for further investigations.”
Cookie settings
We use cookies to deliver and improve our services, analyze site usage, and if you agree, to customize or personalize your experience and market our services to you. You can read our Cookie Policy hier.
