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.

    Play the 4. f3 Nimzo-Indian
    The Most Aggressive Response to the Nimzo Explained by One of it's Leading Exponents
    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.
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    Play the 4. f3 Nimzo-Indian
    The Most Aggressive Response to the Nimzo Explained by One of it's Leading Exponents
    Catalog Code: B0035GB
    Our Price: $14.95

    Play the King's Indian
    A Complete Repertoire for Black in the Most Dynamic of Openings
    The King's Indian has always been one of the sharpest, most complex and popular openings that Black can play; it still provides the setting for many encounters at the elite level of Grandmaster chess. Straight from the start, Black fights for the initiative and in many variations, while White pursues material gains, it is Black who has the psychological advantage of trying checkmate the opponent's king.
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    Play the King's Indian
    A Complete Repertoire for Black in the Most Dynamic of Openings
    Catalog Code: B0290EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Starting Out - Grunfeld
    The Grunfeld is an energetic and popular defense to queen's pawn openings and is a favorite of the world number one Garry Kasparov. From the start of the game Black allows White to build an apparently strong centre but then attacks it with all his forces. Play can become extremely sharp and theoretical and this opening very much appeals to dynamic players.
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    Starting Out - Grunfeld
    Catalog Code: B0274EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Tactics in the Chess Opening - VOLUME 1
    Sicilian Defence
    Every chess player loves to win, but nothing compares to winning with a flourish. How happy we are when the tactics work and we decide a game with a cunning trick, a devilish trap or a delightful coup de grace.
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    Tactics in the Chess Opening - VOLUME 1
    Sicilian Defence
    Catalog Code: B0001TITO

    Regular Price: $21.95

    Special Price: $8.78


    Encyclopedia of Chess Openings - BOOK B
    The fourth thoroughly revised and updated edition of the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, Volume B, brings an additional 104 pages of brand new material.
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    Encyclopedia of Chess Openings - BOOK B
    Catalog Code: B0002ECO
    Our Price: $39.95

    Secrets of Opening Surprises - VOLUME 2
    No Time to Study Opening Theory? Shock Your Opponent with an SOS!
    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."
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    Secrets of Opening Surprises - VOLUME 2
    No Time to Study Opening Theory? Shock Your Opponent with an SOS!
    Catalog Code: B0002SOS
    Our Price: $21.95

    Encyclopedia of Chess Openings - BOOK D
    The fourth thoroughly revised and updated edition of the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, Volume D, brings an additional 56 pages of brand new material on 1. d4 d5 & 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 followed by 3...d5: Queen's Gambit (Slav, QG Accepted, Orthodox, Tarrasch, Tartakower, etc.), Gruenfeld, Queen's Pawn, etc.
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    Encyclopedia of Chess Openings - BOOK D
    Catalog Code: B0004ECO
    Our Price: $39.95

    Starting Out - Queen's Indian
    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.
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    Starting Out - Queen's Indian
    Catalog Code: B0011EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Opening For White According to Anand 1. e4 - VOLUME III
    The third volume of the popular series "Opening for White according to Anand -1.e4" deals with the Caro Kann Defence. It has the reputation as the opening of the chess-academics. Capablanca, Botvinnik, Petrosian and Karpov - this list of great chess-champions that have been life-long devotees of the Caro-Kann Defence can be easily extended.
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    Opening For White According to Anand 1. e4 - VOLUME III
    Catalog Code: B0022EU
    Our Price: $28.95

    Controversial Samisch King's Indian
    The Samisch variation is commonly recognized as being the sharpest way of meeting the popular King's Indian Defence, although in its modern use by White, one is just as likely to see positional queenside play as any deadly assault on the black king. In this innovative opening book, Grandmaster Chris War takes a look at its transformation over time.
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    Controversial Samisch King's Indian
    Catalog Code: B0041BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    Two Knights Defence
    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.
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    Two Knights Defence
    Catalog Code: B0057EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Main Line Ruy Lopez
    The Ruy Lopez (also known as the Spanish Game) is an extremely popular opening and one of the oldest in the history of chess. It has been played by virtually all the greats of the game, providing the battle scene for many world championship clashes involving the likes of Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov and Kramnik. Now, for the first time in many years, Grandmaster Glenn Flear investigates the main line of the Lopez, outlining the crucial ideas and tactics for both White and Black.
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    Main Line Ruy Lopez
    Catalog Code: B0122EM

    Regular Price: $24.95

    Special Price: $9.98


    Offbeat King's Indian
    Lesser Known Tries to Counter this Most Popular of Defences
    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.
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    Offbeat King's Indian
    Lesser Known Tries to Counter this Most Popular of Defences
    Catalog Code: B0167EM

    Regular Price: $19.95

    Special Price: $7.98


    Scandinavian
    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!
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    Scandinavian
    Catalog Code: B0172EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    The Meran System
    Unravels the Mysteries of a Rich and Complex Chess Opening
    The Meran is an opening rich in both strategy and tactics, making it ideal for players seeking to win with either colour. It occupies an important place in the repertoires of many of the world's top players, with Anand, Kramnik, Kasparov and Karpov regularly taking one side or the other.
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    The Meran System
    Unravels the Mysteries of a Rich and Complex Chess Opening
    Catalog Code: B0006GB

    Regular Price: $21.95

    Special Price: $8.78


    Play the Open Games as Black
    What to Do When White Avoids the Ruy Lopez
    his book fills a gaping chasm in chess literature. For years, those who wish to take on the black side of the Ruy Lopez have had to muddle their way through against the variety of alternative openings at White's disposal. This book gives a choice of systems for Black, to counter anything White might try in order to avoid the Ruy Lopez - the Scotch, King's Gambit, Italian Game, Four Knights, etc.
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    Play the Open Games as Black
    What to Do When White Avoids the Ruy Lopez
    Catalog Code: B0015GB
    Our Price: $23.95

    Easy Guide to the Nge2 King's Indian
    Winning with the Hungarian Attack
    This book guides you through the main themes of the Hungarian Attack and presents you with a well-organized repertoire, which also includes lines against Benoni. The co-author Forintos is the world's leading expert on this opening and this guide contains a complete and potentially deadly system against the King's Indian and has the first thorough coverage of an aggressive system with surprise value.
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    Easy Guide to the Nge2 King's Indian
    Winning with the Hungarian Attack
    Catalog Code: B0045EM

    Regular Price: $18.95

    Special Price: $7.58


    Modern Defence
    The Modern Defence leads to sharp and dynamic positions from the very first few moves. Black concedes space in the center with a view to launching a counterattack based on his powerful bishop fianchetto. As leading grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, Mikhail Gurevich and Jon Speelman himself have shown on numerous occasions, when it works, the Modern Defence is truly a spectacular weapon. This book will show you how to put it to use in your own games.
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    Modern Defence
    Catalog Code: B0165EM
    Our Price: $19.95

    Improve Your Opening Play
    Grandmaster Chris Ward explains the important ideas behind every major opening, unravelling among others the secrets of the Sicilian, the mysteries of the Modern and the fundamentals of the French. He emphasizes the need to understand the key elements of each opening rather than simply memorize a series of complicated variations which leave you stranded if the opponent varies from the expected route.
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    Improve Your Opening Play
    Catalog Code: B0214EM

    Regular Price: $14.95

    Special Price: $5.98


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