CHESS OPENING BOOKS

The first phase of a chess game is known as the Chess Opening. It is during this phase of the chess game that the initial moves are made. Similarly, those moves are commonly referred to in the chess world as the “Chess Opening”. While there are literally billions of possible positions after the first 4 moves have been made in a game of chess (288 billion to be exact), only a small number of these chess openings have been studied by chess professionals and chess computers and deemed to be sound for practical play.

To help differentiate one chess opening from another, each chess opening is given a unique name to identify it. While it is common for a chess opening to be named after the player/s that introduced them to popular play, including the Benko Gambit (after Grandmaster Pal Benko), the Sicilian Najdorf (named after Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf) and the Philidor Defense (named after Francois-Andre Danican Philidor), this is not always the case Some chess openings are named after the locations and/or cultures in which they originated, including the London System, the French Defense, the Sicilian Defense, The English Opening and the Vienna Game. While others are named after the pieces that are moved during that opening, including the Queen’s Pawn Gambit and the King’s Indian Defense.

There are 6 basic objectives during the chess opening. They are Piece Development, Control of the Center of the Board, King Safety, Prevention of Pawn Weakness, Piece Coordination and to Create positions in which the player is more comfortable than the opponent.

    Counter-Gambits
    Black to Play and Win

    Publisher: Dover
    Author: T. D. Harding
    Year of Publication: 2001 Pages: 208
    Notation Type: Algebraic (AN)


    Book Description As noted British chess author T. D. Harding explains in the preface to Counter Gambits: Black to Play and Win, the aim of this book is to show you how to win games with Black. The method? Calculated aggression, right from move one! To offset the distinct advantage White is thought to have because it moves first, Black can engage in dynamic counterplay to avoid those openings that give White the opportunity of early exchanges. Following a brief explanation of symbols, this excellent guide covers such topics as dynamic counterplay, counter-gambits in open games, Black sacrifices in the half-open games, counters to the Queen's Gambit, Indian counter-gambits, and an index to openings and variations. Seventy-seven games, including ten new to this edition, are fully annotated, while more are found in the theoretical notes, with commentary. Among the counter-gambits used in the quest for dynamic counterplay are the Budapest, Blumenfeld, Falkbeer, and Latvian — all illustrated in great detail. A new update "Update 2001," written especially for this edition, examines developments in the field since this book was first published in the 1970s. Players at all skill levels — beginner to advanced — are sure to benefit from this expert analysis of gambits and counter-gambits.
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    Counter-Gambits

    Black to Play and Win
    Catalog Code: B0047DV
    Our Price: $8.95

    More Chess Openings - Traps and Zaps - VOLUME 2
    200 Brand-New Openings for Players of All Levels
    The opening is one of the most important parts of the chess game. Weaken your pawns by mistake, and they're taken. Attack wildly and haphazzardly, and your pieces are picked off. Misuse your queen and she's trapped. Carelessly neglect development and you're mated. You've scarely begun, and the game is over. Fortunately, National Master Bruce Pandolfin's More Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps 2, offers drills and skills to help players of all levels avoid these perils and pitfalls.
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    More Chess Openings - Traps and Zaps - VOLUME 2

    200 Brand-New Openings for Players of All Levels
    Catalog Code: B0009SS
    Our Price: $17.95

    Chess Opening - Traps and Zaps - VOLUME 1
    202 Openings Designed to Instruct Players of All Levels, Written by America's Leading Chess Writer
    In the first completely instructional book ever written on chess openings, National Master Bruce Pandolfini teaches players how to take charge of the game's crucial opening phase.
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    Chess Opening - Traps and Zaps - VOLUME 1

    202 Openings Designed to Instruct Players of All Levels, Written by America's Leading Chess Writer
    Catalog Code: B0008SS
    Our Price: $16.99

    How to Play the Chess Opening
    With keen appreciation of the amateur's usual limitations, International Grandmaster Eugene Znosko Borovsky explains the importance of rapid development of the pieces, occupation of the center, the relation of the opening to the general plan of the player, and significance of control of the center.
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    How to Play the Chess Opening

    Catalog Code: B0039DV
    Our Price: $7.95

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