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Do you wish to surprise your opponents on the first move? Do you enjoy playing creatively from the beginning of the game? Look no further than 1 b4! With this aggressive pawn lunge White takes the game into relatively unknown territory and forces Black players onto their own devices. Those facing 1 b4 are not allowed to fall into the comfort zone of established theory; instead they have to think for themselves from very early on.

Readers of this series can ignore large areas of the ever expanding chess opening theory. They can concentrate on these surprising ideas, because SOS variations deviate very early from the regular lines in mainstream openings. Ideal for players who don't have enough time to keep abreast with main line theory. Appears twice a year. Ready-to-go chess opening ideas."

Sicilian miniatures of games 20 moves or less. They are arranged by Encyclopedia of Chess Openings classification system. Light notes are added at critical positions.

The Schliemann Defense is one of the most difficult and dangerous defenses in chess that Black has available. It starts with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 !!!!

This is not considered a Gambit because it would be useless for White to take the pawn with 4. exf5. Passive Defense is likely to give White a bad game. So, White must counter with 4. Nc3.

There are now two main branches. This book was previously published as a two volume work. However, most players of the Schliemann prefer the second and more risky line, so the two volumes have been combined into one book here.

This is an update with the latest new games and analysis on the two main branches of the Schliemann Defense. These branches arise after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4. The more conservative move favored by most strong players was 5. …. Nf6. The more dangerous and risky line is 5. …. d5, allowing 6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Nxc6 Qg5. This was thought to have been refuted but now grandmasters and others have proven that it is perfectly playable.

One of the main reasons the Sicilian is the most popular opening is that is it promotes such bold and aggressive chess. But as White it's not enough just to attack; you must do so in the right way, using the appropriate weapons. In this book Yury Lapshun and Nick Conticello introduce, categorize and analyse the "Seven Deadly Sacrifices" White has at his disposal.

The Grunfeld Defence is a dynamic and popular weapon for Black against queen's pawn openings. Former World Champion Bobby Fischer and current world number one Garry Kasparov head a long list of grandmasters that have utilized this opening with continued success.

This book provides a repertoire for Black with the ever-popular "Queen's Gambit Declined". Opening expert John Cox covers not one but two key options for Black. The Tartakower Variation is a sophisticated defence used successfully by world champions such as Kasparov, Karpov and Kramnik.

No matter what White plays, Black plays 1..e6 making believe he is going into a French defense. White is fooled for whatever he does, Black plays toward a Benoni 2..c5.