The book offers a complete White repertoire, based on the Bishop Opening and the Italian Giuoco Pianissimo, which are the latest trend in chess fashion.
GM Dreev analyses many different ways for White to fight for the opening advantage in two modern schemes, in the Slav Defence and in the Queen’s Gambit Deferred.
This book presents a multi-faceted approach to the Reti – 1.Nf3 d5, followed by c2-c4. The core of the proposed repertoire is the topical system 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 and 2.e3 c5 3.c4 d4 4.b4. Play often transposes to the English Opening with White having sidestepped 1.c4 e5.
For those who do not like the Reversed Blumenfeld and seek clear strategic play, the author adds three chapters on the Nimzo-Larsen System 1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 c5 3.b3. With this move order White prevents ...d4 altogether.
The book also covers 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.b4, which opens the door towards the main lines of the QGD and the Slav. It does allow the challenging 3...f6 4.e3 e5 or 3...Bg4, but is the only option if White prefers schemes without e2-e3, as 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 and 2...c6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3.
The choice on move 2 and 3 should be based on reader’s preferred way of meeting the Slav, the Queen’s Gambit Declined and the QGA.
Semko Semkov is a chess journalist and theoretician, with two GM norms. His most famous books are The Modern English, The Most Flexible Sicilian, The Taimanov-Sheveningen Hybrid, Understanding the QGA.
In the Alekhine Defence, contrary to the classical methods of playing in the opening, Black does not fight for the centre with his pawns, but begins to exert immediate pressure against White’s centre. Black’s knight on f6 attacks the pawn on e4, and if it advances, then Black’s d-pawn joins into the attack against it. The Alekhine Defence is particularly applicable in encounters against players who are inferior in class, as well as in games with a short time-control. This opening is not used so often in practice, so your opponent might lose plenty of time to recollect the opening theory. That might prove to be a very negative factor for him in the forthcoming fight.
The Queen's Indian Defence has the reputation of a very reliable system for Black. Although his chances of obtaining sharp double-edged positions are restricted, good knowledge of piece set-ups and different plans should offer Black chances of seizing the initiative even in calm variations. The opening monographs on the QID, as a rule, focus on the move order 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6. What is Black supposed to do if the opponent wishes to avoid the QID and begins the game with the moves 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4, or 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3?. How should Black deploy his pieces and what should he aim for in the middlegame? The book of the grandmaster from Saint Petersburg and chess-coach Evgeniy Solozhenkin answers these questions!
The early attack on the black knight does not allow the Nimzo, the Gruenfeld or the King’s Indian, which all require from White deep theoretical knowledge in well trodden lines. The Trompowsky brings on the board fresh, creative and complex positions.
The author proposes a full repertoire against 1.d4 and 1.c4, which is theoretically sound and leads to sharp, strategically unbalanced positions. It is based on the so-called English Defence 1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 or 1.c4 b6. A great deal of the book is devoted to White's tries to deviate from theoretical dispute and transfer the game into the Queen's Indian with g3.