Playing blitz is one of the great joys in every chess player’s life. In modern times, faster time controls have become more important than ever. Every day, innumerable numbers of rated blitz and rapid games are being played in online and over-the-board competitions and championships. In blitz, even more than in ‘classical chess’, it is important to make the right decisions quickly and almost instinctively. That is why world-famous opening expert Grandmaster Evgeny Sveshnikov and his son, International Master Vladimir Sveshnikov, have created a chess opening repertoire for club players that is forcing, both narrow and deep, and aggressive. The aim is to be in control as much as possible. You want to be the one who decides which opening is going to be played, you want to dictate the technical and strategic choices. And you want to keep the pressure, increasing your opponent’s chances to stumble. In designing their repertoire, father and son Sveshnikov have made a crucial choice: they do not want you to end up in positions where finding the theoretically best move is all-important, but in positions where it is relatively easy to keep finding the moves with the greatest practical effect and use. If you play the lines the Sveshnikovs have selected, your results will improve. You may even end up playing their variations in ‘slow chess’ as well.

The Queenside Fianchetto Factor In the first full book to examine 2.b3 against the Sicilian, French and Caro-Kann, mainlines, interesting sidelines and current theory are reviewed. In addition, what actually happens in modern practice is surveyed. The authors are optimistic for White, and concentrate on the best continuations while trying to be objective. It is in that spirit that they conclude that 2.b3 is sound against the Sicilian, fun against the French, and curious against the Caro-Kann. In all three cases, the objective is to sabotage Black’s play, to take him out of his comfort zone. The word “sabotage” has historically derived from throwing a clog into machinery, or in other words, throwing a monkey wrench in the works; here the wrench is a queenside fianchetto. White aims his light-square bishop toward the right flank; he typically delays Ng1-f3 so that he may play Qd1-f3 or advance his f-pawn, and use his light-square bishop to build a full-scale kingside attack. Queenside castling often occurs, hoping for a kingside pawn storm. Yet, despite all these characteristics of 2.b3, White may still retains the option of d2-d4 for a more conventional-looking 1.e4 opening. With 2.b3, you will have one more arrow in your theoretical quiver to battle Black. And, like it or not, Black will be compelled to do deal with the queenside fianchetto factor.

In amateur chess games, the most popular opening move for White is 1.e4, and the most reliable reply for Black is 1..e5, says FIDE Master Or Cohen. In this book, Cohen has created a vibrant and robust opening repertoire for Black after 1…e5, based on the Petroff Defence. Cohen presents inventive ways for Black to fight for the initiative in this dependable opening. He covers the entire spectrum, the main variations as well as the most unexpected and bizarre sidelines. In case White does not allow the Petroff, Cohen offers a set of recommendations for Black that is no less important and principled; his repertoire against the Vienna and the King’s Gambit, for example, is new and explosive. Most amateur White players faced with the Petroff will think that they will have an easy time, based on the peaceful reputation of this great opening among top grandmasters. Black players who have studied Or Cohen’s book will make their life quite miserable. ,

The Sicilian Defence is the most popular reply to 1 e4. With 1...c5 Black comes out fighting, immediately challenging any sense of a “natural white advantage”. Sicilian Defence players are often very well prepared theoretically and the tremendous dynamism of the Sicilian can often disturb their opponents. In this book, German FIDE master Jonas Hacker provides a complete repertoire for White when facing the Sicilian. The recommended systems are based on solid strategic considerations. The backbone of the repertoire is the line 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 f3!? This is a perfect line to throw Najdorf and Dragon players off their stride. White will (usually) follow up with c2-c4 and establish a useful space advantage. Many of the other recommended lines are also based around the space-gaining c2-c4 advance providing cohesion across the whole repertoire. In Opening Repertoire: Beating the Sicilian, Jonas Hacker guides the reader through the complexities of the Sicilian 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. * A complete repertoire for White against the Sicilian. * A question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.

A highly adventurous repertoire designed to meet 1 e4 with 1...e5 and take the initiative! The main problem Black faces in answering 1 e4 with 1...e5 is the plethora of opening systems available to White: the Ruy Lopez, Giuoco Piano, Scotch, Ponziani, King’s Gambit, Vienna, Bishop’s Opening and so on. Each is likely to be White’s pet line, which usually means conducting the chess battle on the opponent’s turf. One solution is to study the main lines of all these openings and hope to remember what to do if they appear on the board. Another, more enterprising approach is to turn the tables and make White fight on your territory. Adopting the latter course, CC-SIM Jonathan Tait shares their investigations into a myriad of disregarded, “disreputable” responses, which can set White thinking as early as move three. These lines are greatly under-estimated by contemporary theory and include weird and wonderful variations such as the Calabrese Counter-Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 f5), the Wagenbach Defence to the King’s Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Nf3 h5), the Romanishin Three Knights (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Bc5), the Two Knights Ulvestad Variation (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 d5 5 exd5 b5) and ultra-sharp lines of the Jaenisch Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 f5). The theory of the variations in this book is generally poorly understood. This has made them successful at all forms of play, including against online computer-assisted assault.

There is an interesting paradox in the chess community - many coaches and teachers warn players of all levels against the excessive obsession with opening theory and yet the vast majority of chess materials in digital or printed form are dedicated to specific opening variations or positions. While everyone admits that memorizing variations will never guarantee success in over the board or online encounters, there is clearly a demand for products that help chess players of all levels to successfully navigate through the first stage of the game. At the same time, there is a lack of detailed discussion regarding how seasoned players (expert level and above) structure their work on chess openings, store their analysis, come up with new ideas, prepare for tournament games and so on. Rather than provide another set of variations, key positions and critical games in a specific opening area, this book is meant to fill this gap and help the reader to make sense from all the information that is out there and save as much time and energy as possible, while still building a bulletproof opening repertoire. The book is aimed at any chess player who wants to improve their opening play and is looking for some guidance in that area. Despite the large proliferation of computer chess software, there is a lack of explanation for how to tie to it effectively to one's study of openings. In the most advanced book on the subject, 'Opening Preparation', published in 1990s, the renowned coach Mark Dvoretsky, while giving great coverage for other topics, described the system for storing opening analysis on paper cards, with a side note that this was outdated and software should be used instead and that this was a large topic deserving a separate discussion. Since then there was a deafening silence on the subject in chess books, at least partially inspiring this publication, which outlines the system for storing opening analysis that served the author well for almost a decade. The goal of the book is to help the reader to increase their creativity in the opening phase of the game - both at home and during the games - whether you are a serious tournament player, or just play chess for fun at a club or on the Internet. Most of the plans and ideas are coming from Grandmaster games, with additional examples of preparation from the author's own master level games. Whether you enjoy opening preparation already, or it is your weak spot, I hope the book will give you some food for thought and practical suggestions applicable immediately upon reading the book. If rather than remember exact opening moves from the book examples, the reader is instead inspired to come up with their own ideas - the author's mission will be quite accomplished! Good opening preparation is all about picking the right direction for opening research and investing time into fine-tuning the understanding of favourable positions that are most likely to occur in our games. The basic premise throughout the book is to base one's opening preparation on 3 E's: Enjoyable - the positions that you analyze during opening preparation should appeal to your chess taste, and the process itself should feel pleasant and creative. See the section on 'Creativity' for more details. Effective - ultimately it should bring good results during tournament games, and be targeted at the positions that are most likely to occur on the board. This is covered under sections on Cutting Opponent's Options, Transpositions, and so on. Our choice of opening variations is more likely to make our work effective than anything else. Efficient - this is not as important as effectiveness, but we still don't want to waste time and analysis, so various computer tools are suggested to optimize the 'how' of opening analysis, save our work, and efficiently retrieve it. While it has plenty of examples and annotated games, this book deals with opening preparation in general. For books on specific openings, the reader might want to explore other books in the "Opening Preparation" Series: - Spanish Opening - Strategy and Tactics for White - Exchange Slav - Strategy and Tactics covers the particular opening and pawn structure for both sides - Isolated Queen Pawn: Strategy and Tactics spans multiple openings, but focuses on a single common pawn structure

Seven years after his acclaimed and bestselling The Kaufman Repertoire for Black and White, Grandmaster Larry Kaufman is back with his new repertoire book, covering the entire scope of chess openings in one volume. Two important developments made this new book necessary. Larry Kaufman, who routinely himself plays the lines he advocates to others, discovered that after 1.d4 (the recommendation in his previous book) it became nearly impossible to show a consistent advantage for White, especially against the Gruenfeld and the Nimzo/Ragozin defenses. The other factor was that chess engines have become so much stronger in recent years. Komodo, the top chess engine that computer expert Kaufman helped develop, is now able to apply the celebrated Monte Carlo Tree Search algorithm. With Komodo MCTS it is now possible to abandon lines that may be theoretically best against other computers, and instead choose lines that are likely to succeed in actual practice against strong human opponents. Larry Kaufman presents a completely new White repertoire with 1.e4 aiming for an objective advantage in the simplest practical manner. You are presented with two options, while you don’t have to play the sharpest lines. The Black repertoire has been thoroughly revised and updated, with some crucial chapters replaced. Kaufman’s New Repertoire for Black and White is the first opening book that is primarily based on Monte Carlo search. The highly original analysis has resulted in many improvements on existing theory. This is a ready-to-go and easy-to-digest repertoire with sound, practical lines that do not outdate rapidly and are suitable for masters while accessible for amateurs.

The Petroff Defence has traditionally been regarded as a reliable defensive mechanism to counter the aggressive 1 e4. It also has a reputation for being one of the most drawish of all openings and a choice that Black only makes when content to achieve a draw. However, in recent years, this has all changed. A new generation of players, spearheaded by the 2018 World Championship challenger, Fabiano Caruana (whose qualification route was built heavily around the Petroff), are re-interpreting this ancient defence. While recognising the impressive solidity of the Petroff they are honing it into a fine counter-attacking weapon. Opening Repertoire: The Petroff Defence 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 suggested lines for Black are based around the very latest games and analsysis. * A complete repetoire for Black in the Petroff Defence. * A question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.

New edition ! Based on latest top chess programs (based on neural networks), 2024. The book contains an overview, selection, and improvement of chess openings; both for (post-)beginners and intermediate players up till advanced level. Including a unique and timeless 'repertoire', carefully selected for home player level (1.e4) and/or more advanced (chess club) players. For the latter, in addition to a second, more in depth repertoire with 1.e4, an optional repertoire is given with 1.d4 (besides some gambits, or general opening systems as well). The most suitable opening moves were selected by thorough analysis, to build up a rock-solid B/W 'repertoire', for two categories of players. Not only mentioning of the opening names, but also of most sub-variations. Compared with up to date opening books and actual GM games. Many diagrams to enhance memorization and understanding. An ideal study guide, and only opening book most chess players ever need until master level.

Grandmaster Damian Lemos presents a repertoire for White against both the King's Indian and Grünfeld defences. Many players struggle to find suitable lines to challenge these two popular and dynamic openings, or find the masses of theory in the main lines difficult to digest. Lemos solves this perennial problem by advocating a solid system of development based on the fianchetto system, where understanding ideas is more important than move memorization. By playing a very early g3 and Bg2, White protects his kingside, denies Black much of the counterplay typically associated with the King's Indian and Grünfeld, and creates long-term pressure on the queenside. Lemos's choices in this book are largely based on his own repertoire he used on the way to becoming a Grandmaster. Using illustrative games, Lemos examines the typical tactics and strategies for both sides and highlights key move order issues. This book tells you everything you need to know about playing the Fianchetto System against the King's Indian and Grünfeld.A repertoire for White after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6Includes the King's Indian, Grünfeld and Symmetrical EnglishExamines the key tactical and positional ideas