The Open Games for Black

From a theoretical backwater to a fully blown main line opening, the rise of the Scandinavian Defence (1. e4 d5) has been nothing short of meteoric. Over the past fifteen years the Scandinavian has become more and more popular both at club and Grandmaster level. It even managed to obtain an ultimate seal of approval when Vishy Anand employed it in his World Championship match with Garry Kasparov!

In this book, openings theoretician Jan Pinski guides the reader through both the well-trodden paths of the main lines plus the less fashionable side variations of this most complex opening. Using illustrative games, Pinski studies the key ideas and tactics for both Black and White.

Chess College is a new series of books to take intermediate players to new levels of chess understanding. New ideas are introduced and immediately illustrated by a number of entertaining and instructive examples, many drawn from the author's own practice.

Volume 3: Technique features topics including the central break, bishop vs. knight, standard sacrifices against the castled position, opposite-coloured bishops, and immobilization, and discussions on topics such as how to handle won positions and lost positions, and positions with small advantages, together with a wealth of training tips.

The Queen's Indian is one of Blacks most dependable and respected defences to the queen's pawn opening. Is an established favourite amongst world-class grandmasters such as Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand, Michael Adams and Judit Polgar, not to mention Anatoly Karpov, who has been a loyal Queen's Indian supporter and theory developer for over three decades.

It is widely accepted that learning chess has a very positive effect on children. Many parents want to help their children to study chess, but don't know how to do it. This book is the solution. It is a practical handbook that teaches the mysteries of chess with a light touch.

The King's Indian is one of the most exciting and complex defences that black can employ against the queen's pawn opening. The main lines of the King's Indian are very sharp and tactical but they are also incredibly theoretical in nature it can be a full time job simply keeping up with the latest developments and fashion. So it is not surprising that many playing white choose to look elsewhere for something to counter this popular opening. In Offbeat King's Indian distinguished openings expert Krzysztof Panczyk studies unusual and less theoretical systems for white, ones that are tricky and are likely to throw the King's Indian player off his or her stride early on in the game. Variations investigated include lines with an early Bd3, ones with Nge2,l and ones involving a swift Bg5. By studying this new book, white players can arm themselves with a while new weaponry of lines against the King's Indian, while those playing Black can look closely for the recommended antidotes.

Improve your understanding and play of these most important endings with comprehensive but clear explanations by one of the most respected chess instructors of our era. As most chess players know, rook endgames represent approximately half of all endings reached in master games. Therefore, it is absolutely vital that chess players wishing to improve their skill must thoroughly familiarize themselves with this critical part of endgame study.

The Nimzo-Indian is an extremely popular and reliable defence, upon which most world champions have relied at some point in their careers. Black controls the vital e4-square with his pieces, and retains total flexibility with his central pawns. By playing 4. f3, White challenges Black's idea head-on. Either Black grants White control of e4, or else he must commit his pawn to d5, whereupon White can begin concrete action in the center.