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.

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Items 1 to 36 of 37

    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

    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


    The Slav
    The Slav Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6) has been one of Black's most reliable defenses to the queen's pawn since its adoption by World Champions Alekhine and Euwe in the 1930s. Nowadays it is very popular both at grandmaster level (it is used regularly by Ivanchuk, Lautier and Short) and with club players. In this book, Grandmaster Matthew Sadler explains the strategy and tactics of this perennial favorite. Through the use of model games for both sides, the author provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas so readers can quickly and confidently start to use the Slav in their own games.
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    The Slav

    Catalog Code: B0113EM
    Our Price: $19.95

    The Complete Najdorf 6. Bg5
    The Definitive Guide to Fischer and Kasparov's Favorite Chess Opening
    The Najdorf Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6) is the most important, popular, and talked about opening in chess. Its name is synonymous with such luminaries as Tal, Fischer, and Kasparov.
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    The Complete Najdorf 6. Bg5

    The Definitive Guide to Fischer and Kasparov's Favorite Chess Opening
    Catalog Code: B0012BT
    Our Price: $26.95

    Leningrad Dutch
    Strategy and Tactics
    This book arms the reader with a dynamic counter to White's 1. d4 and includes up-to-date game references along with fresh analysis and numerous original suggestions. Many 1.d4 players have a secret dread for the Leningrad Dutch and rightly so! Discover why increasing numbers of serious players are turning to the Leningrad Dutch in answer to White's solid 1. d4.
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    Leningrad Dutch

    Strategy and Tactics
    Catalog Code: B0014HY
    Our Price: $9.95

    Beating the King's Indian and Benoni
    Shock Your Opponents with the Four Pawns Attack!
    It seems unfair that Black gets all the attacking chances in the normal lines of the King's Indian. Readers can now take a tip from the World's leading expert of sharp systems and shock their opponent with the Four Pawn Attack! Black has countless ways to go wrong, while White is risking little if well-prepared. Vaisser's hitherto unpublished analysis will give readers the edge they need to send Black's King to the guillotine.
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    Beating the King's Indian and Benoni

    Shock Your Opponents with the Four Pawns Attack!
    Catalog Code: B0051BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    The New Classical King's Indian
    This book focuses on the King's Indian variations that have undergone the most dramatic change in the 1990's: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0. The system with ..Na6 receives full coverage, together with the traditional main lines of 7..Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 followed by Ne1 or Nd2.
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    The New Classical King's Indian

    Catalog Code: B0067BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    Queen's Gambit Accepted
    The Queen's Gambit Accepted is one of the oldest and most dependable ways for Black to meet White's queen's pawn opening. It leads to dynamic positions with free piece play in which the more enterprising player is likely to prevail. When Nigel Short used the QGA in his match with Anatoly Karpov in 1992, the opening became highly fashionable and it currently features prominently in the repertoires of grandmasters Joel Lautier and Matthew Sadler, among many others. This book provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the Queen's Gambit Accepted available. With an emphasis on currently fashionable lines that readers are likely to encounter in their own games, it provides everything you need to know to play the opening with White or Black. Iakov Neishtadt is an international master at correspondence chess and author of numerous books, including Winning Quickly with White and Winning Quickly with Black.
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    Queen's Gambit Accepted

    Catalog Code: B0178EM

    Regular Price: $24.95

    Special Price: $9.98


    Caro-Kann Advance
    The Advance variation of the Caro-Kann (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5) is a highly aggressive method of countering one of Black's most solid defenses. White immediately seizes ground in the center and lays the basis of a middlegame attack. Over the past few years Alexei Shirov, Nigel Short, Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky have made major contribution to update the theory of this variation and their example has inspired thousands of club and tournament players to adopt it into their own repertoires. In this book, International Master Byron Jacobs explains the strategy and tactics of this highly fashionable variation. Through the use of model games for both sides, the author provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas, so that readers can quickly and confidently start to use the Advance Caro-Kann in their own games.
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    Caro-Kann Advance

    Catalog Code: B0180EM
    Our Price: $19.95

    Dutch Leningrad
    The Dutch Leningrad (1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6) is one of Black's most dynamic responses to the queen's pawn opening. From the first move, Black stakes a strong claim on the kingside, laying the groundwork for a potential attack on the white king. The Leningrad variation is a popular choice at club and tournament level as well as amongst grandmasters; it is a regular feature in the repertoires of Vassily Ivanchuk, Veselin Topalov and Mikhail Gurevich.
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    Dutch Leningrad

    Catalog Code: B0235EM

    Regular Price: $19.95

    Special Price: $7.98


    500 Sicilian Miniatures
    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.
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    500 Sicilian Miniatures

    Catalog Code: CB0005XX
    Our Price: $9.95

    Nimzovich Attack: Norfolk Gambits
    This is Volume 1 in the author's new series Chess Openings For Hustlers. "You will find similar lines of attack and similar combination situations in several different lines. These can be either very useful (if you take the time to learn them) or very treacherous. The one thing the Norfolk Gambit should not do is bore you"-author. "Be warned: If you are a `bean counter' obsessed with saving pawns for an extended end-game, do not play these gambits! However, if you are willing to commit to an attack which will decimate the 'bean counters' of the chess world, this book is for you"- Phillip A. York.
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    Nimzovich Attack: Norfolk Gambits

    Catalog Code: CB0018CD
    Our Price: $4.95

    King's Indian Defense: Yugoslav Variation 6 ...c5
    There is no reason that the variation 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 c5 fell out of fashion. Soltis proves this by giving you excellent analysis and strategy in this variation. He brings back a 1950's variation to surprise your opponents. This system has a bit of a Benoni feel to it by attacking white's center with 6..c5 instead of 6..e5. This should be called the Gligoric system since it was the veteran GM Svetozar Gligoric who first demonstrated Black's resources most successfully. This system is a dangerous surprise weapon in the King's Indian that can be employed at all levels.
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    King's Indian Defense: Yugoslav Variation 6 ...c5

    Catalog Code: CB0029CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    Winning with 1. c4
    Winning with 1. c4
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    Winning with 1. c4

    Catalog Code: CB0041CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    Black Defensive System for the Rest of Your Chess Career
    Many top flight chess players do well with an armory of different completely unrelated openings. But they are, as we said, top flight players. For the player who is stil learning, we propose an opening repertoire that forms an organic whole using Black's ..d5 and ..c6 in the Queen's Gambit Slav Defense and the Caro-Kann Defense. We give defenses to all other White openings using the same moves(such as Reti, English, King's Indian Attack, Catalan, etc..). The point of this book is to develop an opening system for playing the Black pieces. What we present is not just a series of random variations - which taken individually may be good - but a system that forms a cohesive whole based on common ideas.
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    Black Defensive System for the Rest of Your Chess Career

    Catalog Code: CB0078CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    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

    Winning with the Leningrad Dutch 7...Qe8
    No matter what white plays, you are given a black winning answer. Many games of the strong GM Dutch defense expert Malaniuk are given. Also games by leading GM's such as Ivanchuk, Beliavsky, and Bareev are demonstrated. This book shows how to play one of the most dynamic, strategically rich defenses in chess.
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    Winning with the Leningrad Dutch 7...Qe8

    Catalog Code: CB0004CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    Inside Chess Openings
    International Chess Enterprises:"Just as every golfer who wants to lower his score practices chipping and putting above all, the ambitious chess player studies the opening. Covering all openings, this book provides and concise and authoritative summary of the best opening moves. No attempt is made to explain the reason behind the moves, though all variations are evaluated using internationally-accepted language-less symbols, thoroughly explained in the preface. The tournament player who wished to brush up on his favorite opening cannot do better than to take a look at Inside Chess Openings before the game."
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    Inside Chess Openings

    Catalog Code: CB0010XX
    Our Price: $9.95

    Beating the King's Indian and Benoni Defense with 5. Bd3
    GM Soltis: "Against the King's Indian Defense and the Benoni Group(all of them: Czech, Modern, etc..)there is a simple, relatively new, yet ambitious setup that can be played effectively against each member of the family...the key element here is the bishop on d3(5.Bd3!)". This book also tells you how to play against the Old Indian and Modern defenses.
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    Beating the King's Indian and Benoni Defense with 5. Bd3

    Catalog Code: CB0022CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    Beating the Caro-Kann
    New opening ideas are created frequently, but few have had the meteoric career of Nigel Short's system against the Caro-Kann defense. Virtually unknown before 1988, it has become a regular customer in super tournaments since the 1990's. And yet it is so simple to handle that a Class B player can master most of the strategies in an afternoon. The British GM's system consists of playing the Advance variation of the Caro-Kann with a relatively modest form of development- modest yet it can pack quite a wallop. What short discovered was not just a new move, but a new concept. Despite the presence of the annoying bishop on the excellent b1-h7 diagonal, Black had not equalized, he announced. Short demonstrated that the bishop could, in fact, become a liability that would be attacked in the general expansion of white's pawns on the kingside. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5(as well as 3..c5 and 3..Na6)-new strategy against each one.
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    Beating the Caro-Kann

    Catalog Code: CB0024CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    New Sicilian Gambits
    GM Soltis: "If white gets to attack in the Sicilian Defense anyway, why should he offer a pawn or two for the privilege? The answer is that black gets to counterplay in the Sicilian and his counterplay is usually as good as white's. That, in fact, is what makes the Sicilian popular. There are plenty of familiar Sicilian gambits(like the Smith Morra and Wing, which this book doesn't even cover). But in the last few years, a number of new ideas arising out of positional variations, have been discovered and found to pack a wallop for white". Here are six new white gambits against the Sicilian that the reader will have to attempt to destroy black!
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    New Sicilian Gambits

    Catalog Code: CB0025CD
    Our Price: $6.95

    Beating the Sicilian Defense with the Short-Nunn Attack
    Wanted: Opening system needed to combat the most popular defense to 1.e4. Must be sound, flexible, and aggressive. Experience against all Black formations essential. GM's Short and Nunn came forward in the late 1980's and early 1990's to give us one catch-all system. First it was proven successful against one Black setup, and then against another and another. Its successes were registered at the highest levels. Fischer played it against Spassky in the 1992 return match! Still the most popular system against the Najdorf today.
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    Beating the Sicilian Defense with the Short-Nunn Attack

    Catalog Code: CB0037CD
    Our Price: $6.95

    Winning with the Reti Opening
    Smith & Hall: "Nowadays the Reti(1.Nf3 d5 2.c4) is a staple opening of many strong GM's in top tournament play. There is a steady stream of theoretical discoveries for both White and Black. In this book we analyze in depth the main lines of play in this opening. Often we give several good choices for white - just in case Black finds a "new move" in a main line setting. By thorough study of this book you will be well armed to outmaneuver your opponent with White, in the complex and fascinating pathways of the hypermodern Reti."
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    Winning with the Reti Opening

    Catalog Code: CB0052CD
    Our Price: $6.95

    Max Lange Attack and the Anti-Max Lange
    Max Lange Attack and the Anti-Max Lange
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    Max Lange Attack and the Anti-Max Lange

    Catalog Code: CB0061CD
    Our Price: $4.95

    Beating the English Opening
    Beating the English Opening
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    Beating the English Opening

    Catalog Code: CB0062CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit
    Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit
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    Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit

    Catalog Code: CB0064CD
    Our Price: $6.95

    Play the Dutch Defense against 1. c4 and 1. Nf3
    The authors combine their talent to create an excellent work which supplements works on the Leningrad Dutch and fills in the gaps for players wishing to make the fighting modern Dutch their standard defense. Not only does it give coverage to the neglected English-Dutch(against 1.c4) and Reti-Dutch(against 1.Nf3) formations, but it also contains a comprehensive treatment of Black's best lines against the Lisitsin Gambit(1.Nf3 f5 2.e4) and other irregular White openings as well. All lines of the 1..e5 English Opening where Black plays 1..f5 in the first five moves are covered by transposition, Although the writers concentrate on how to play these lines as Black, White's best moves are shown, making this book a must for White.
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    Play the Dutch Defense against 1. c4 and 1. Nf3

    Catalog Code: CB0073CD
    Our Price: $4.95

    Beating the Pirc/Modern with the Fianchetto Variation
    One of the most solid and consistently successful systems available against 1..d6 and 1..g6 is the subtle Fianchetto. If you play 1.e4, you will want to know how to beat the Pirc/Modern. If you play either of these 2 defenses, you will want to know what will be played against you. The White setup is pawns at e4, d4, and g3, White Knights at c3 and e2, and Bishops at g2 and usually e3 - then attack, attack!
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    Beating the Pirc/Modern with the Fianchetto Variation

    Catalog Code: CB0074CD
    Our Price: $4.95

    Winning with the King's Gambit - Decline - VOLUME II
    When you play 1.e4 e5 2.f4, you hope your opponent plays 2..exf4 where you can blow him off the board. But there is quite a bit to know about the King's Gambit Declined if Black does not play the Accepted Variation. This Volume 2 covers all Declined variations from the Classical Defense, Counterattacking 2..Nf6, Falkbeer, and all others. With the two volumes, you can play the Romantic King's Gambit, an opening for adventurers.
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    Winning with the King's Gambit - Decline - VOLUME II

    Catalog Code: CB0080CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    The Baltic Defense to the Queen's Gambit
    In the past many masters have tried to solve Black's problem of developing the Queen's Bishop after blocking it in by 2..e6(1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6). But there is another school that thinks Black should solve the Bishop problem first, with 2..Bf5. A number of them from the Baltic nations were GM Mikenas and GM Keres. The modern generation is lead by GM's Bagirov, Shirov, and Rausis. We believe books have overlooked 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Bf5 or 1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Bf5 or 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bf5.
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    The Baltic Defense to the Queen's Gambit

    Catalog Code: CB0082CD
    Our Price: $7.95

    The Fighting French
    The Fighting French
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    The Fighting French

    Catalog Code: CB0104CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    How to Play Against the Staunton Gambit
    How to Play Against the Staunton Gambit
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    How to Play Against the Staunton Gambit

    Catalog Code: CB0108CD
    Our Price: $4.95

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