Who would be silly enough to resign a tournament game they were not losing? As Oops! I Resigned Again! shows, almost anyone – including some of the world’s best players!
Learn the stories behind the most embarrassing moment any chessplayer can suffer, while trying to outmatch the poor, unfortunate player who resigned. Indeed, this is the only chess puzzle book where you cannot do worse than the player in the game! Pit your wits against legends such as Kramnik, Nunn, Tarrasch and Timman, knowing that they failed the test and that you can, perhaps, do better.
Australian Grandmaster Ian Rogers has assembled 100 extraordinary positions in themed sets of 5 puzzles designed to both baffle and delight the solver, in a format which makes it easy to sneak a look at the answer!
With a foreword written by US Olympian Sam Shankland – baring his soul about his own silly resignation at a top level tournament – Oops! I Resigned Again! is a rare treat for chessplayers of all strengths, who after finishing the book will fervently hope never to have to say... Oops!
Oops! He’s Back!
Australian Grandmaster Ian Rogers is back with a new book of silly resignation puzzles - the only chess puzzle book where your solution cannot be worse than the player who mistakenly abandoned the game!
Pit your wits against legends from yesteryear to today, from Anderssen to Korchnoi to Gelfand, knowing that they resigned their games unnecessarily and you, perhaps, could have found a way out.
Oops! I Resigned One More Time! is the sequel to Oops! I Resigned Again!, which has gained a cult following since its release in 2021. Marvel again at 100 extraordinary positions and the stories behind them, in themed sets of five, with sneaking a peek at the answers made easy.
Australian grandmaster Ian Rogers is a journalist, author and commentator. He was Australia’s top-ranked player from 1984 until his retirement in 2007. He played 14 Olympiads for Australia and won more than 130 classical tournaments on four continents, including twice winning the Commonwealth Championship title. He resigned unnecessarily only once! This is his second book for Russell Enterprises.
Opening Originals focuses on both sound and dangerous opening ideas that have escaped wide notice.
The repertoire is based around two main themes: 1. The suggested variations for White are ones that rely far more on a generic understanding of strategic ideas rather than the memorisation of reams of opening theory. This explains the choice of the Bishop’s Opening (handled “Lopez-style”) against 1...e5 and the Bb5 variations against the Sicilian Defence. Both these lines are designed to create dynamic and interesting middlegame positions rather than attempting to score a quick knockout victory – a generally overambitious aim that often backfires 2. The variations are chosen so that White can gain space whenever possible. Therefore the Advance Variation is recommended against the French Defence (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5) and also the Caro-Kann Defence (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5). The fact that these lines often create similar middlegame structures is helpful for general comprehension of White’s plans.
The Queen’s Gambit Accepted (1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4) has a long history and has always been popular at all levels of play. However, in the past few years it has undergone an explosion of interest, thanks to many new discoveries of possibilities for very dynamic play from Black. One of these is the line 1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 e4 b5!?. This was previously thought to be a very poor line for Black but numerous recent games and investigations have completely changed this assessment. This is now almost the main line of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted and there is currently very little theoretical material on it.
Nicolas Yap analyses this line in forensic detail and also investigates other popular, counterattacking lines such as 3 e3 e5!?. The book is rounded off with suggestions to meet other White systems that involve 1 d4 but not 2 c4 (such as the London, Colle etc.) This makes the book a complete repertoire to face 1 d4.
– A complete repertoire for Black to counter 1 d4.
– The question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.
The Tarrasch Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined is a fierce counter-attacking line arising after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c5. In this variation Black gains free and easy piece play but in return usually has to accept the structural weakness of an Isolated Queen’s Pawn (IQP). In the early development of chess theory this line was somewhat frowned upon due to the vulnerability of the IQP. However, Siegbert Tarrasch, after whom the opening is named, famously declared that, “he who fears an Isolated Queen’s Pawn should give up chess”.
The Tarrasch has had many powerful adherents over the years including the legendary Garry Kasparov who made much use of it in the early part of his career. In this book Cyrus Lakdawala guides the reader through the complexities of the Tarrasch and carves out a repertoire for Black, based on a modern treatment popularised by the Russian grandmaster Daniil Dubov. He examines all aspects of this highly complex opening and provides the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on how to play the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans.
The Richter-Veresov Attack is characterized by the moves 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5. It is a great system for players who want to take their opponents away from well-known theory, force them into unfamiliar situations and make them fight on their own resources. There are various modern interpretations of the Richter-Veresov Attack which usual involve White playing f3 at some point. However, in this book, the highly experienced chess author and coach Cyrus Lakdawala focuses on the traditional treatment which generally eschews f3 in favour of more classical development with moves such as Nf3, e3 or even Qf3.
In Opening Repertoire: Richter-Veresov Attack, Lakdawala guides the reader through the complexities and carves out a repertoire for White. He examines all aspects of this highly complex opening and provides the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on how to play the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans.
In this book the highly experienced grandmaster Milos Pavlovic outlines a powerful repertoire for White based on 1 d4. The variations are very much based on strategic themes where an understanding of plans is far more important than memorisation of lines and move orders. The author focuses on important positional considerations such as:
– Which pieces need to be traded off.
– On which squares will pieces be most effective.
– What is the best way to develop the initiative.
Nowadays many strong players try to beat opponents by learning sharp lines in the opening. However, it is also possible to do the same by obtaining positions where you have a great understanding of how to conduct the middlegame and thus can consistently outplay your opponent.
In Opening Repertoire: Strategic Play with 1 d4, Milos Pavlovic guides the reader through the chosen variations and carves out a complete repertoire for White. He examines all aspects of play and provides the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans.
– A complete repertoire for White with 1 d4.
– A question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.