Search results for ""everyman chess""

Prominent opening specialists take a revolutionary look at a popular group of openings - the Anti-Sicilians - and select a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both Black and White.

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Three well-known opening experts get together to take a revolutionary look at Flank Openings. They concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colours.

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All top chess players agree that to keep your tactical muscles in shape it's imperative to continue training, and the easiest and most fun way to do this is by performing tactical exercises. Even solving a few puzzles for ten minutes each day can be of utmost benefit for the aspiring player. But where can one find the required number of suitable puzzles to satisfy this demand? Look no further than "The Complete Chess Workout". In this book, tactics expert Richard Palliser presents the reader with a massive 1200 puzzles, all checked for accuracy by the latest computer engines. There is something for players of all levels here: many basic tactics - forks, pins, skewers and checkmates - to appeal to beginners and improvers, and a considerable number of brain-teasers that will tax even the strongest of players. Palliser has meticulously collected puzzles from practical play in recent years - a large percentage of the exercises here will be completely new to most readers. All the important tactical themes are covered, while there are special sections on opening traps and end games. Work your way through this book, and your opponents will soon be on the receiving end of your increased tactical powers!

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The English is a sophisticated opening which is very popular at all levels of chess: from up-and-coming players to World Champions such as Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. It has many attractions, including flexibility and diversity: White can play either aggressively or quietly, and positions are rich in both strategy and tactics.In Play the English, Craig Pritchett provides an active repertoire for White, offering answers to Black's key defences both in the main lines and sidelines. Drawing upon his wealth of experience in this opening from both sides of the board, Pritchett highlights the positional and tactical ideas for White and Black, and the subtle move-order nuances so important in the modern game. This book contains all you need to know to play the English with confidence in your own games.

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The King's Indian is an exciting, challenging opening which is very popular at all levels of chess. It is favoured by ambitious and aggressive players such as the two chess legends Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov who perfected the King's Indian into an opening weapon to be feared throughout the chess world. In recent years, however, White players, led by World Champion Vladimir Kramnik, have hit back hard with many important new ideas. Most experts agree that the Classical Variation is the critical test of the King's Indian. Pulling no punches, White questions Black's entire strategy and seeks nothing less than a direct refutation; it could be said that the reputation of the King's Indian rests entirely on the assessments of this hotly debated subject. In The Classical King's Indian Uncovered, Krzysztof Panczyk and Jacek Ilczuk, theoreticians renowned for their original analysis, uncover the secrets behind this contentious opening and share their discoveries with the reader. Using illustrative games, they study both the fashionable main lines and the tricky sidelines, and provide a thorough grounding in the key tactical and positional ideas for both White and Black.

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International Master Richard Palliser studies the Closed Sicilian in a clear-cut way, introducing the crucial initial moves and ideas and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them, something that is sometimes neglected or taken for granted.

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Rudolph Spielmann was one of the most fearsome attacking players in the history of chess. He was very much from the so-called "Romantic School," where gambits were always accepted and checkmating the king was the only real thought of the players. His love of the King's Gambit and similar aggressive openings earned him the respect of his peers early in his career and he went on to become one of the strongest Grandmasters of his time. His philosophy on chess could be summed up by his quote: "A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused." In this book, Neil McDonald takes a look back at how Spielmann overcame his opponents in dazzling style, carefully choosing and analyzing some of Spielmann's most glorious attacks and famous combinations. A deep study of his games cannot fail to entertain and inspire any true chess enthusiast.

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From relative obscurity to one of White's favorite queen's pawn openings, the rise in popularity of the Trompowsky Attack over the last decade or so has been quite staggering. Even the World number one Garry Kasparov has tried his hand at this dynamic opening. The Trompowsky is an ideal weapon for club and tournament players. From as early as move two White stamps his authority on the game and gives Black difficult problems to solve. Grandmaster Nigel Davies presents readers with up-to-date coverage of this ever-expanding opening. Using model games for both White and Black, he studies the key strategies and tactics associated with the Trompowsky.

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Being able to solve puzzles and combinations is one of the principal components of a successful chess player. But how can one improve on such an important skill? How can one acquire combinational vision? The answer lies within the pages of this book! Experienced chess writer Jacob Aagaard explains how tactical intuition and ability develops and uses pattern recognition to improve the reader's tactical ammunition. It's also no secret that the continued practice of puzzles and combinations helps to sharpen the chess brain, and here there is a wealth of exercises and problems to solve accompanied by the full solutions and explanations. This book is a must for the serious competitive player. *Improves tactical vision *Ideal for club and tournament players *Written by a battle-hardened expert

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These books are perfect for enthusiastic chess players who are starting out in the game, and who are seeking to understand the basic principles behind these important openings: the Pirc/Modern and the Grunfeld. Both books are written in a user-friendly style with an abundance of notes, tips and warnings scattered throughout, while key strategies, ideas, and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. The authors of these books are very skilled and experienced chess writers, who are used to writing for players of all levels and are renowned for their ability to explain ideas in a lucid and straightforward manner. These books will be especially beneficial to those players who have previously sharpened their chess skills with the earlier books Starting Out in Chess, Tips for Young Players and Improve Your Opening Play. *User-friendly design to help readers absorb ideas *Concentrates on the fundamental principles of the openings *Ideal for the improving player

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Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of the English Opening. The English is a sophisticated and popular opening system that is suitable for all types of players and can lead to both positional and tactical middlegames. Many of the world's top players, including Kasparov and Kramnik, include the English in their openings weaponry. In this groundbreaking book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald revisits the basic principles behind the English and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide the reader is aided by a wealth of notes, tips and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player. * Written by an openings expert * All the important lines are covered * A back-to-basics look at one of the most important openings

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The Queen's Gambit is one of the most popular and fundamental chess openings of all time and it has been the battleground for countless world-class encounters throughout the history of chess. Adherents include a long list of World champions, including Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Vladimir Kramnik. With his first two moves, Black creates a super-strong foothold in the center, one that is incredibly difficult to break down. In this book, John Shaw revisits the basic principles behind the Queen's Gambit and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide readers are aided by a wealth of notes, tips, and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas, and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player. *Written by a seasoned Queen's Gambit expert *All the important lines are covered *A back-to-basics look at one of the most important openings

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The Nimzo-Indian is one of the soundest and most popular defences against 1 d4, offering Black the chance to unbalance the game early on and play for a win without undue risk. Advocates include virtually all of the world's top players, including Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand and Anatoly Karpov. In this revolutionary book, Grandmaster Chris Ward revisits the basic principles behind the Nimzo-Indian and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide the reader is helped along by a wealth of notes, tips and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player.

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The Kalashnikov Variation is one of the most modern variations of the Sicilian Defence. As early as move four, Black lashes out in the centre and sets the tone for the rest of the game. Play can often become quite sharp and as is normal with many Sicilian lines, the best prepared player is usually the successful one. In this handy battle manual Jacob Aagaard and Jan Pinski take a deep look at all the critical ideas and variation of an opening which has received little coverage in chess publishing until now. *Coverage of all the hottest theory * An ideal new weapon for club and tournament players * Written by prominent opening experts

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Grandmaster Chris Ward explains the fundamental principles which must be mastered by players wishing to improve their game. Taking examples from his own games & those of other players, he shows how drawn positions can be converted into victories.

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An up-to-date survey of the always popular Main Line Caro-Kann, which remains one of the most dependable ways for Black to meet 1 e4 and plays a key role in the repertoires of such stars as Anatoly Karpov and Jon Speelman. The author looks at the key variations and concepts for both sides and offers plenty of new ideas for those who wish to explore less well-chartered waters.

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The opening phase of the game throws up difficult questions for those keen to study and improve their chess. Should I open with 1 d4, 1 e4, or something else? What is the best strategy as Black - immediate counter-attack or solid development? Should I learn numerous different systems or concentrate on a few specialist lines? In Mastering the Opening, international master Byron Jacobs asnwers these and other key questions. * Deals with every major opening * Numerous test positions enables readers to guage their progress * Revolutionary layout allows readers to absorb the key ideas

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This book provides an inside account of Khalifman's life and chess career, describing his emergence from promising junior to FIDE World Champion.

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A chess handbook which contains over 450 test positions and a course on how to develop combinational skills, based on the recognition of key themes.

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A illustrated introduction to the fundamental principles of chess, which explains the important concepts of the game, with details of ninety exercises to test key chess skills.

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An up-to-date and complete coverage of opening systems beginning with 1c4 written by a Soviet grandmaster and acknowledged expert in this line of play. After an apparently modest beginning the game can take either a strategical or tactical path into the middlegame. Whether you are attacking or defending, "The English Opening" is an attractive choice regardless of your individual style of play.

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In 2018 DeepMind published the shocking results of their chess-playing artificial intelligence software, AlphaZero. Chess players looked in disbelief and immediately wondered how AI would affect the future of chess. Less than a year later, a whole new wave of chess engines emerged that were based on using neural networks to evaluate positions in a completely new way. This book is about the extraordinary impact that AI has had on modern chess. The games of top chess players since the end of 2018 have reflected the use of these new engines in home analysis. They have significantly developed opening theory as well as the general understanding of middlegame concepts. By analysing these games with the help of neural network engines, FIDE Master Joshua Doknjas discusses numerous exciting ideas and examines areas of chess that had previously been overlooked. With thorough explanations, questions, and exercises, this book provides fascinating material for masters and less experienced players alike.

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The Italian Game (sometimes referred to as the Giuoco Piano) is one of the oldest openings around, and also one of the first lines a player learns when he or she is introduced to chess. It leads to play that is easy to understand: both sides develop their pieces logically and begin attacks on the opposing kings. The Italian Game gives both White and Black the opportunity to play either aggressively and in gambit fashion, or in a restrained and positional manner. One of White's most exciting and attacking options is the legendary Evans Gambit, which has been brought back into the limelight in this modern era by such uncompromising players as World number one Garry Kasparov, Alexander Morozevich and England's Nigel Short. In this book, openings expert Jan Pinski investigates the different strategies and tactics in the Italian Game and Evans Gambit. Using model games for both White and Black, Pinski provides crucial coverage of both the main lines and offbeat variations. This book arms the reader with enough knowledge to play the Italian Game and Evans Gambit with confidence. Pinski delves into the secrets of the Four Knights for the first time in this other book, studying the strategic ideas for both white and black players. He covers both the fashionable main lines and the tricky sidelines, bringing the reader up to date with the expanding theory.

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This instructive book for competitive players, based on Edmar Mednis' classic Practical Endgame Lessons, provides the reader with a wealth of useful instruction in endgame play, reinforced by a a series of tests presented as simulations of tournament play. Explains the fundamental principles of endgame play . Deals with all standard types of endgame: pawn endings, bishop endings, rook endings, etc . Contains more that twenty test endings to help develop your skills . Uses many examples by the world's leading endgame exponents: Smyslov, Karpov, Korchnoi, etc. Grandmaster Edmar Mednis is one of the world's leading endgame exerts.He is a regular contributor to Chess Life magazine and is author of How to be a complete Tournament Player, From Opening to the Endgame and From the Middlegame into the Endgame. International Master Colin Crouch is one of England's most highly regarded analysts and writers.

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This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practicing of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge. The Pirc Defense is a dynamic counter-attacking option for Black. The initial strategy is to allow White to construct an impressive-looking pawn center, but the plan is to attack this center later on with both pieces and pawns, with the ultimate aim of destroying it completely. This ambitious and provocative approach by Black carries some risk but it can often lead to rich rewards, and the Pirc has always been popular among players who are aiming for more than just dry equality. In this book, Grandmaster Nigel Davies invites you to join him in a study of the Pirc Defense and its many variations. He shares his experience and knowledge with the opening, provides repertoire options for Black, offers answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about playing the Pirc Defense. *Essential guidance and training in the Pirc *Written by a renowned Pirc expert *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

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Starting Out: Open Games is a further addition to Everyman's best-selling Starting Out series. Grandmaster Glenn Flear revisits the fundamentals of Open Games, examining the key moves and plans for both sides.

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Chess Secrets is a series of books which uncover the mysteries of the most important aspects of chess: strategy, attack, opening play and gambits, classical play, endgames and preparation. In each book the author studies a number of great players from chess history who have excelled in a particular field of the game and who have undeniably influenced those who have followed. In The Giants of Power Play, Neil McDonald selects five players who have excelled in the field of 'power play' - the art of putting opponents under constant pressure. The methods of doing so are numerous, including gaining rapid development in return for material to build up an initiative, preparing powerful opening ideas in advance, or even developing completely new opening systems. McDonald examines the contributions made by each player, their differences in approach and style, and from Morphy to Topalov, how they followed in each other's footsteps. A study of this book will help you to enhance your skills in one of the most crucial elements of the game. *An entertaining and instructive guide to power play *Learn from the greats of the game *Discover how famous chess minds work

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Prominent opening specialists take a revolutionary look at the Pirc and Modern Defences and select a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both White and Black.

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The Queen's Indian is a dynamic and flexible way to meet 1 d4, and it leads to complex and intricate positions rich in ideas both sides. Such is the high regard for the Queen's Indian that virtually all the world's top players have utilized it at one time or another. In this book Andrew Greet presents a complete repertoire for Black. He reveals his secrets, offers answers against all of White's possibilities, and highlights the principal tactical and positional plans. This book tells you everything you need to know to play the Queen's Indian with confidence.

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John Emms reveals the secrets of how to maximize potential and improve results in competitive play. Drawing upon years of his own experience, Emms tackles the all-important practical aspects of chess playing: studying ones own strengths and weaknesses, and those of prospective opponents; concentration and manner at the chessboard; handling time trouble; tackling cheats; playing for a win or a draw; saving difficult positions; avoiding silly mistakes; building an opening repertoire; using chess computers and software; choosing the right tournaments and much more besides.

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The Slav has a well-deserved reputation as one of Black's strongest answers to 1 d4, and it's no coincidence that it has been used by almost all the World Champions in chess history. Put simply, the Slav is a classy opening, one which combines reliability with the promise of dynamic counterplay. In this book, James Vigus presents a comprehensive and trustworthy repertoire for Black. He outlines the main ideas for both sides and highlights the tactics to watch out for. This book will provide you with enough knowledge and skill to play the Slav with confidence in your own games.

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Grandmaster Joe Gallagher studies the Sicilian Najdorf in a simplistic way, introducing the crucial initial moves and ideas and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them, something that has sometimes been neglected or taken for granted.

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This book provides the reader with a selection of puzzles to solve. However, unlike other books of the White to play and mate in three' variety, it simulates real game scenarios, offering readers a choice of tempting alternatives and requiring them to pick the best.

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What exactly makes the greatest players of all time, such as Magnus Carlsen, Bobby Fischer, and Garry Kasparov stand out from the rest? The basic aspects of chess (calculation, study of opening theory, and technical endgame ability) are of course of great importance. However, the more mysterious part of chess ability lies within the thought process. In particular: * How does one evaluate certain moves to be better than others? * How does one improve their feel of the game? This book will tackle this woefully underexplored aspect of chess: the logic behind the game. It will explain how chess works at a fundamental level. Topics include: * What to think about when evaluating a position. * How to formulate and execute plans. * How to generate and make use of the initiative. The reader also has plenty of opportunities to test their decision-making by attempting 270 practical exercises. These are mostly designed to develop understanding, as the justification of the moves is more important than the actual correct answer.

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Tired of playing the same old openings? Bored with stuffy opening theory? A Ferocious Opening Repertoire provides a welcome antidote! Former American Open Champion Cyrus Lakdawala presents a range of vicious weapons for White in a repertoire which is perfect for those who have little time for study, but enjoy taking opponents out of their comfort zones and causing them problems from the very beginning. The repertoire's backbone is provided by the aggressive Veresov Opening (1 d4, 2 Nc3 and 3 Bg5) and this weapon is accompanied by equally hostile options against other Black tries such as the French, Caro-Kann, Dutch, Benoni, Pirc and Philidor. These weapons are ideal choices for those who revel in forcing opponents into chaotic, uncomfortable positions. Are you constantly struggling with the black pieces? Can't make up your mind which openings to play? Are you looking for something new: an all-in-one solution to your problems? Look no further! In Play 1..Nc6, a complete chess opening repertoire for Black, Christof Scheerer, who is renowned for his innovative and adventurous opening ideas, provides the reader with an ambitious and all-encompassing repertoire for Black against every main line opening that White can play, based on the initial move 1...Nc6. The principal components of this black repertoire are the uncompromising Chigorin Defence, a long-time favourite of the brilliant Russian Grandmaster Alexander Morozevich, and the equally tricky Nimzowitsch Defence, advocated by Britain's first ever Grandmaster, Tony Miles. Drawing upon his wealth of practical experience in this opening, which has produced a remarkable success rate and some notable Grandmaster scalps, Scheerer uncovers the secrets behind 1...Nc6 and divulges his findings to the reader.

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In this book, prolific chess author Cyrus Lakdawala recommends a repertoire for White players who like to open 1 e4. 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. ----- If you want to develop your repertoire with 1 e4 then this is the book for you. ------ * Everything you need to know to open 1 e4 with confidence --- * Solid, reliable systems that do not require a mass of memorisation --- * Written by one of the world's leading chess authors.

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The Modern Defence is an important opening that can be played by Black against absolutely any White opening system. It is an ambitious, counterattacking weapon, favoured by dynamic players. White is initially allowed to occupy the centre but Black plans to undermine this structure in the middlegame with well-timed blows from the pieces and pawns. If Black gets it right then the white centre can be dramatically swept away. However, when it goes wrong, Black can be overrun. ----- 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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In Volume 2 of Excelling at Chess ,we publish International Master Jacob Aagaard's Excelling at Combinational Play: Learn to Identify and Exploit Tactical Chances and Excelling at Chess Calculation: Capitalising on tactical chances.

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It's time to start your chess training! This is the eagerly awaited follow-up to The Complete Chess Workout, Richard Palliser's highly acclaimed chess puzzle book. Now he presents the reader with 1200 new puzzles, every one checked for accuracy by the latest computer engines. All top chess players agree that to keep your tactical muscles in shape it's imperative to continue training, and the easiest and most fun way to do this is by performing tactical exercises. Even solving a few puzzles for ten minutes each day can be of the utmost benefit for the aspiring player. Just as in his first book, Palliser provides something for players of all levels: a huge number of basic tactics - forks, pins, skewers and checkmates - to appeal to beginners and improvers, and many brain-teasers that will tax even the strongest of players. All the important tactical themes are covered, while there are special sections on opening traps and endgames. Work your way through this book, and unleash your enhanced tactical powers on future opponents! *A comprehensive training manual for chess tactics*Ideal for all levels of player*All puzzles checked by computer engines

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Vladimir Kramnik is a giant of the chess world. He firmly secured his legendary status when he won the World Championship in 2000 by defeating the previously dominant Garry Kasparov - the only player ever to do so in a match. Kramnik held on to his crown for seven years, and today he remains one of the World's elite players. In this book, former American Open Champion Cyrus Lakdawala invites you to join him in a study of his favourite Kramnik games. Lakdawala examines Kramnik's renowned skills in attack and defence, exploiting imbalances, dynamic elements, accumulating advantages and endgame play, and shows how we can all improve by learning from Kramnik's masterpieces. Move by Move provides an ideal platform to study chess. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to improve your chess skills and knowledge. *Learn from the games of a chess legend *Important ideas absorbed by continued practice *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

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This is a new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, Move by Move greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved, and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general skills and knowledge. 1...d6 can be employed as a universal defence to any White opening, which makes it an ideal practical weapon for Black. In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala examines a cocktail of challenging lines with 1...d6. He builds a repertoire for Black, studies the typical plans and tactics for both sides, and provides answers to all the key questions. *Presents a repertoire for Black with 1...d6 *Includes tactical and strategic exercises *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

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The Sniper - based on a system of development with 1...g6, ...Bg7 and ...c5! - is a dynamic weapon for Black against both 1 e4 and 1 d4. Black allows White to occupy the centre but, in true hypermodern style, strikes back at once. The Sniper is a fascinating opening that can lead to original or barely-known positions in which White is thrown onto his own resources and Black can strive for the initiative. White also has to negotiate a minefield of transpositions, typically into Sicilian, King's Indian or Benko-type positions. Charlie Storey has spent years refining his favourite opening, testing it out successfully against players of all levels. In this book he reveals all his secrets and provides you with everything you need to know about this fascinating opening.

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