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.

    The Veresov
    Surprise Your Opponents with the Tricky 2. Nc3!
    The Veresov could be the one for you! It's a surprisingly tricky system that, in the right hands, can be forged into a powerful attacking weapon. White forgoes the normal queen's pawn opening ideas in favor of speedy development of the queenside pieces. One advantage of this underrated line is that players with the black pieces are less likely to be familiar with all the subtleties here than in a more mainstream opening.
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    The Veresov
    Surprise Your Opponents with the Tricky 2. Nc3!
    Catalog Code: B0284EM

    Regular Price: $24.95

    Special Price: $9.98


    EBOOK - Starting Out: The Pirc/Modern
    The authors of these books are very skilled and experienced chess writers, who are used to writing for players of all levels and are renowned for their ability to explain ideas in a lucid and straightforward manner.
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    EBOOK - Starting Out: The Pirc/Modern
    Catalog Code: E-B0014EM
    Our Price: $19.95

    Starting Out: The Pirc/Modern
    The authors of these books are very skilled and experienced chess writers, who are used to writing for players of all levels and are renowned for their ability to explain ideas in a lucid and straightforward manner.
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    Starting Out: The Pirc/Modern
    Catalog Code: B0014EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Opening Developments
    School of Chess Excellence - VOLUME 4
    The fourth in Mark Dvoretsky's School of Chess Excellence series, this book analyzes opening problems that players may face in any game. As always, there are numerous examples to help illustrate the best choices to make for chess success.
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    Opening Developments
    School of Chess Excellence - VOLUME 4
    Catalog Code: B0004OE
    Our Price: $34.95

    Complete Defense to King Pawn Openings
    Win Against Any King Pawn Opening!
    Based on the powerful Caro-Kann, a favorite weapon of great players, you'll learn how to come right out of the gate and defend against 1.e4, the most popular first move in chess. This is a great beginner's book because readers need to learn just one strong opening system, and it can be used to combat all of White's 1.e4 openings.
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    Complete Defense to King Pawn Openings
    Win Against Any King Pawn Opening!
    Catalog Code: B0008CZ
    Our Price: $18.95

    Starting Out - Ruy Lopez
    Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of the Ruy Lopez.

    The Ruy Lopez is one of the most famous of all chess openings. It has a long and distinguished history and has been played by virtually all of the strongest Grandmasters: Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand - the list goes on!
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    Starting Out - Ruy Lopez
    Catalog Code: B0016EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire
    A User-Friendly Guide to Choosing and Planning Your Openings
    In this book, the first to focus on these issues, Steve Giddins provides common-sense guidance on one of the perennial problems facing chess-players. He tackles questions such as: whether to play main lines, offbeat openings or 'universal' systems; how to avoid being 'move-ordered'; how to use computers; if and when to depart from or change your repertoire.
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    How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire
    A User-Friendly Guide to Choosing and Planning Your Openings
    Catalog Code: B0019GB
    Our Price: $19.95

    Opening For White According to Anand 1. e4 - VOLUME II
    his volume is devoted to the main lines of one of the most popular and interesting openings in chess theory - the Ruy Lopez.
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    Opening For White According to Anand 1. e4 - VOLUME II
    Catalog Code: B0021EU
    Our Price: $31.95

    Unorthodox Chess Openings
    The Complete and Definitive Reference to Unorthodox Chess Openings
    This exciting guide to all the major unorthodox openings used by chess players, contains more than 1,500 contentious, unconventional, arrogant, and outright strange opening strategies. From their tricky tactical surprises to their bizarre names, these openings fly in the face of tradition. You'll meet such openings as the Orangutang, Halloween Gambit, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation, Double Duck, and even the Drunken King.
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    Unorthodox Chess Openings
    The Complete and Definitive Reference to Unorthodox Chess Openings
    Catalog Code: B0022CZ
    Our Price: $24.95

    Starting Out - English
    Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of the English Opening. The English is a sophisticated and popular opening system that is suitable for all types of players and can lead to both positional and tactical middlegames. Many of the world's top players, including Kasparov and Kramnik, include the English in their openings weaponry.
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    Starting Out - English
    Catalog Code: B0024EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Starting Out - The French
    The French is one of Black's soundest defences to 1 e4 and is very popular at all levels of chess. Club players enjoy its super-solid structure, while at the top it's played by famous grandmasters such as Vishy Anand and the young Russian star Alexander Morozevich.
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    Starting Out - The French
    Catalog Code: B0039EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    The Sveshnikov Sicilian
    The Sveshnikov Sicilian is arguably the most dynamic line in the whole of the Sicilian Defence. Black takes on certain structural weaknesses but gains active piece play as compensation, which is very much in keeping with the modern style of play. Black is not content to equalize but from the very startsets out to wrest the advantage from his opponent's hands.
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    The Sveshnikov Sicilian
    Catalog Code: B0042BT
    Our Price: $21.95

    The Nimzo-Indian - 4. e3
    Comprehensive Coverage of the Long-Established Main Line of the Nimzo
    Ever since Nimzowitsch introduced his flexible, dynamic defence to the queen's pawn, debate has raged over White's best reply. Many variations have been in and out of fashion, but one line in particular has proved an enduring weapon - the sound and solid 4 e3 line, known as the Rubinstein Variation. The 4 e3 Nimzo is extraordinarily rich in strategy. All manner of different central pawn-structures can arise, such as the blocked centre characteristic of the Hübner Variation and a variety of IQP positions.
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    The Nimzo-Indian - 4. e3
    Comprehensive Coverage of the Long-Established Main Line of the Nimzo
    Catalog Code: B0078GB

    Regular Price: $23.95

    Special Price: $9.58


    Understanding the Leningrad Dutch
    An Experienced Chess Trainer's Guide to a Dynamic Opening System
    For many years, the Leningrad Dutch was viewed with some suspicion in view of the slight positional weaknesses created in Black's position. However, in the 1980s, dynamic new approaches were introduced by such players as Sergei Dolmatov, Evgeny Bareev, Mikhail Gurevich and especially Vladimir Malaniuk that changed the way people thought about the Leningrad Dutch. These players showed how an active approach could compensate for these defects, and offer Black excellent winning chances.
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    Understanding the Leningrad Dutch
    An Experienced Chess Trainer's Guide to a Dynamic Opening System
    Catalog Code: B0083GB
    Our Price: $21.95

    Winning Chess Openings
    An Introduction to the Moves, Strategies, and Philosophy of Chess Openings from one of the World's Top Chess Players
    The two greatest challenges for beginning chess players are not only to survive the openings phase, but also to choose appropriate attack and defense formations in the process. WINNING CHESS OPENINGS shows you how to do both. In Yasser Seirawan's entertaining, easy-to-follow style, you're shown formations that can be used with other White or Black pieces.
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    Winning Chess Openings
    An Introduction to the Moves, Strategies, and Philosophy of Chess Openings from one of the World's Top Chess Players
    Catalog Code: B0194EM
    Our Price: $24.95

    Sveshnikov Sicilian
    The Sveshnikov variation of the Sicilian Defense leads to dynamic positions with free piece play and provides enterprising players with the type of active game on which they can thrive. It became fashionable in the 1970s under the influence of Evgeny Sveshnikov and other grandmasters from Chelyabinsk, and has remained at the cutting edge of opening theory ever since. In recent years it has been a favorite of the exciting young stars Vladimir Kramnik and Alexei Shirov, and of the author himself, all of whom have introduced important new ideas.
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    Sveshnikov Sicilian
    Catalog Code: B0209EM

    Regular Price: $19.95

    Special Price: $7.98


    New Ideas in the Sveshnikov Sicilian
    The Sicilian Defence features many dramatic variations, but for sheer violence, few can equal the Sveshnikov. Black aims for maximum piece activity at the cost of a shattered pawn structure. Black's aim is to seize the initiative, regardless of the cost. If he is successful, then the pawns will look after themselves. On the other hand, white is looking to use black's weaknesses as spring-boards for a ferocious attack of his own.
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    New Ideas in the Sveshnikov Sicilian
    Catalog Code: B0045BT

    Regular Price: $9.95

    Special Price: $3.98


    Beating the Anti-King's Indian
    This book provides a complete repertoire for King's Indian players against all of white's attempts to avoid the main lines. How to defuse attacking systems such as the Four Pawns. Aggressive lines against Exchange Variations. Recommended psychology against unambitious opponents
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    Beating the Anti-King's Indian
    Catalog Code: B0050BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    The Fianchetto King's Indian
    This is White's fianchetto against the King's Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3. An ideal choice for those who want to deny King's Indian players their usual attacking plans. White's harmonious scheme of development, envisaging strong pressure against Black's queenside, has appealed to many of the all-time greats - Alekhine, Botvinnik, Karpov, and Kasparov.
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    The Fianchetto King's Indian
    Catalog Code: B0063BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    Understanding the Spanish
    Understanding an opening is more important the knowing a mass of variations. For no opening is this more true than for the Spanish. The most famous of chess openings leads to a deep strategic maneuvering battle. Experienced GM's seem almost clairvoyant when handling the positions. It is not a sixth sense, but a knowledge of the typical maneuvers and themes that enable them to have their pieces where they need them, when they need them. This book provides a complete course in helping the reader to understand those themes.
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    Understanding the Spanish
    Catalog Code: B0070BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player
    The average club or tournament player has little time for an exhaustive study of opening theory, but does need to obtain a satisfactory middle-game position. This work is intended to provide all he needs to know to reach interesting and sharp positions which offer good prospects for the imaginative player. The authors give one line against each popular variation, with particular care being taken to choose systems which will suit the attacking player's style.
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    An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player
    Catalog Code: B0113BT
    Our Price: $12.95

    An Opening Repertoire For the Attacking Player
    One of the hardest tasks competitive chess players face is the development of an opening repertoire suited to their own style of play. In this book, Grandmaster Gufeld makes the job easier by providing an ideal framework for a practical opening repertoire, specifically tailored for those who relish attacking play.
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    An Opening Repertoire For the Attacking Player
    Catalog Code: B0265EM
    Our Price: $17.95

    Inside Chess Opening Novelties: KID Bayonet Attack
    White attacks the Queenside with 9.b4 in the Classical Variation of the King's Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7. The Introduction explains what is happening, then each of ten chapters has a short comment on theory. There is a total of 200 games with the main ones having notes.
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    Inside Chess Opening Novelties: KID Bayonet Attack
    Catalog Code: CB0003XX
    Our Price: $9.95

    Chess Openings Lexicon
    If you're looking for an easy-to-use guide for identifying, classifying and describing all of the Chess openings and their variations, look no further than this book!!

    When it comes to the chess openings, most chess players are completely confused by the endless number of openings and their variations.
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    Chess Openings Lexicon
    Catalog Code: CB0017CD
    Our Price: $6.95

    The Anti-Meran Botvinnik
    Recent analysis and forgotten ideas on this Slav Defense variation where White plays 5.Bg5 and a later sac 9.Nxg5. Any 1.d4 player who hopes to fight for an advantage against the otherwise solid Semi-Slav must be prepared from both sides of the board.
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    The Anti-Meran Botvinnik
    Catalog Code: CB0017XX
    Our Price: $9.95

    The Fighting Fajarowicz
    The Budapest, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5, is really a counterattack rather than a defense. It appeals to players who like to challenge White for the initiative early in the game. This particularly applies to the Fajarowicz Variation, 3.dxe4 Ne4, in which(by contrast with the 3..Ng4 main line of the Budapest) Black puts more emphasis on fighting for key squares than on seeking the early recapture of the pawn he has given up. This book contains 3 different sections: 1)Ideas for black to aim for and areas to avoid; 2)A 12 chapter Analysis section(including one with explanation on what to do if white avoids the Fajarowicz on move 3; and 3)A Complete Games section with well over 300 games ranging from unannotated to lightly annotated for you to study.
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    The Fighting Fajarowicz
    Catalog Code: CB0019CD
    Our Price: $7.95

    The Dynamic Philidor Counter-Gambit
    Black defends his King's pawn before proceding with similar play as in the Greco Counter-Gambit. Suddenly White does not have positional play against a Philidor Defense, but is thrown into tactical complications of this gambit. You, as Black, will know what to do while your opponent eats time on his clock trying, repeat trying, to find his way. Black is playing to win.
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    The Dynamic Philidor Counter-Gambit
    Catalog Code: CB0068CD
    Our Price: $5.95

    Winning with the Giuoco Piano and the Max Lange Attack
    here are 30 important theoretical revisions in this 2nd edition. Nine chapters cover 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4. Learn both a positional and a dynamic attacking weapon to shatter your opponents' King's pawn defenses.
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    Winning with the Giuoco Piano and the Max Lange Attack
    Catalog Code: CB0070CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    How to Play the Torre Attack - Second, Thoroughly Revised Edition
    White plays 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 followed by Bg5. The Torre Attack is a very flexible opening employed by white which involves quick development and fight for control of the e4 square. A standard setup would involve placing the queen's knight on d2, light-squared bishop to d3, king's rook to e1 after a quick castling, and pawn to e3 or e4. However, there is a flexibility that allows for many different setups, depending on the strategic path that the white player wishes to employ and black's setup. This flexible, dynamic system has been employed by virtually every top GM at some point in their career, even at the World Championship match level. Schiller shows why this opening system should be part of every player's repertoire.
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    How to Play the Torre Attack - Second, Thoroughly Revised Edition
    Catalog Code: CB0075CD
    Our Price: $4.95

    Evan's Gambit and a System vs. 2 Knights
    Evan's Gambit and a System vs. 2 Knights
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    Evan's Gambit and a System vs. 2 Knights
    Catalog Code: CB0096CD
    Our Price: $7.95

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