The Sicilian Taimanov arises after the opening moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6, and is an ideal weapon for Black in the modern era. It is theoretically sound, and strikes a perfect balance between solidity and dynamic counterattacking potential, which makes it a popular choice among club players and top grandmasters alike. GM Antonios Pavlidis is the ideal guide to this opening. A keen theoretician, he has been using the Taimanov as the backbone of his repertoire for many years. As a lifelong 1.e4 player, he is also adept at seeing the position from White’s perspective, making his insight all the more valuable to the reader. In this book, Pavlidis shares top-class analysis as well as the expert knowledge he has gained from his many years of experience with the Taimanov.
Volume 2B completes the series by providing cutting-edge antidotes to tricky defences such as the Dutch, various Benoni set-ups, Benko and Budapest Gambits, and anything else not covered in volumes 1A, 1B & 2A. With innumerable updates and improvements to the author’s previous work, this book is essential reading for any ambitious 1.d4 player.
In this companion volume to the author’s highly-regarded The Nimzo-Indian Defence, the starting point is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6. The main focus is on 3.Nf3 b6 while Roiz also covers 3.g3 (Catalan) and miscellaneous options."
TACTICS TRAINER AVAILABLE!
Improving chess tactics is crucial for many reasons including calculation skills, pattern recognition, decision-making speed, broader board vision and awareness, and confidence. The Woodpecker Method, authored by GM Axel Smith and GM Hans Tikkanen, is an innovative tactics training approach that focuses on developing these skills through repetitive and structured practice.
The book is organized around solving over 1,100 tactical puzzles, advancing from beginner to intermediate and advanced levels. This systematic approach ensures that players can progressively build and reinforce their tactical knowledge and “re-program” their unconscious mind. They will notice a significant improvement in their games as a result.
In the last of three volumes on 1.e4, GM John Shaw completes his state-of-the-art White repertoire by tackling the biggest challenge of all: the main lines of the Sicilian Defence. Including the Dragon, Taimanov, Sveshnikov and concluding with the nefarious Najdorf, this book provides everything you need to face all the major Sicilian systems with confidence.
Playing 1.e4 - French Defence and Sicilian Sidelines
This is the second volume of John Shaw’s acclaimed three-part White repertoire after 1.e4 (Volume 1 covered the Caro-Kann, 1...e5 and minor lines). Here the focus narrows to two big jobs: the French Defence in full, and the first instalment of the Sicilian.
Against the French, Shaw advocates his own favourite weapon, the Tarrasch Variation (3.Nd2). He covers the entire French landscape through that lens — the various 3rd-move tries, the ...Nf6 main lines, the ...c5 systems with both recaptures on d5, and the solid Rubinstein and Fort Knox set-ups after 3...dxe4 — giving a clear recommendation and the plans behind it in each case.
The final section opens the "mammoth task" of the Sicilian by mopping up the tricky sidelines: Black’s rare second moves and the various 2...e6, 2...Nc6 and 2...d6 move orders that try to avoid the main roads. These get tidy, ready-to-use answers so nothing catches you off guard.
A serious, fighting repertoire for club players and above. With Volume 1 and the concluding Volume 3 (the main-line Sicilians), it forms one of the most respected complete 1.e4 repertoires available.
There are hundreds of opening books available, full of deep analysis, but many of them fail to explain the reasons for choosing one computer line over another. And how top players distinguish between good and bad opening lines remains a mystery to most of the chess world. Grandmaster Opening Preparation addresses such questions as how to balance computer preparation with human considerations, along with a wealth of practical advice on how to go about building the opening repertoire which is right for you. The book also provides an in-depth treatment of the evolution in understanding of Isolated Queen’s Pawn positions, which will enable the reader to become more effective in a multitude of openings, with either colour.
The correct handling of pawns is one of the hardest things to teach in chess, because the guidelines are rarely spelled out. In this book, American grandmaster and former US Champion Sam Shankland sets out to do exactly that — reduce pawn play to a set of clear, memorable principles any player can actually apply.
The structure follows the simple truths that make pawns unique. The four parts are built around the facts that pawns cannot move backwards, can be compelled forwards, seldom move sideways, and can be forced to do so — and each principle is developed through themed chapters with names like “Protecting Your Children,” “Driving on Open Roads,” and “Keeping Your Door Locked.”
Shankland begins with strikingly simple positions and then raises the level steadily, repeatedly showing how even grandmasters could have made better decisions had they applied the book’s guidelines. Each chapter ends with exercises so you can test the idea before moving on.
The approach is practical rather than encyclopaedic: instead of cataloguing every structure, Shankland teaches a way of thinking about pawns that transfers to your own games. Suitable for club players and above who want their positional understanding to rest on principles they can state out loud.
This ebook is a part of Bundle: Pawn Play Bundle
The King’s Indian Defense and the Grünfeld are two of Black's most ambitious and dynamic responses to 1.d4. Sharp, deeply studied, and rich with counterattacking resources, meeting them well requires more than preparation!
In Grandmaster Repertoire: Volume 2A, Grandmaster Boris Avrukh presents a complete repertoire based on the Fianchetto System — a weapon he has refined and trusted throughout his career at the highest level.
Key Features:
- Complete Fianchetto-based repertoire against the King's Indian and Grünfeld — coherent, deeply analysed, and built for serious tournament play.
- Extensive coverage of the King's Indian across 11 chapters, addressing every major variation Black can employ.
- Original analysis developed in collaboration with GM Boris Gelfand, including fresh ideas in the Grünfeld and critical King's Indian lines
- Fully updated treatment of the 6...Nc6 complex, the Reluctant Benoni, and a tricky 3...c5 move order overlooked in previous coverage
About the Author:
Grandmaster Boris Avrukh is one of the world's leading opening theoreticians, with decades of experience competing and coaching at the highest level. His Grandmaster Repertoire series established him as one of the most trusted voices in opening preparation for serious players worldwide.
In this volume, he distills his decades of experience as a top-tier coach and player to help you navigate the complex trenches of 1.d4 with absolute precision.
Jacob Aagaard shares his simple three-step tool of positional analysis that he has used with club players and famous grandmasters to improve their positional decision-making. Working from the starting point that all players who aspire to play at international level have a certain amount of positional understanding, Aagaard lays out an easy-to-follow training plan that will improve everyone’s intuition and positional decision-making.
This ebook is a part of Bundle: Grandmaster Preparation
Endgames are often the sharpest and most decisive phase of the game. They demand accuracy, clear calculation, and strong decision-making under pressure.
In Sharp Endgames, IM Esben Lund presents a practical and innovative framework for mastering this stage. His method is built around 16 key parameters that guide your thinking and help you choose the right plan in complex positions.This book will help you:
Whether you’re a club player or a serious tournament competitor, Sharp Endgames gives you the tools to play with clarity and confidence when the game reaches its most important phase.
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