Publishing Schedule

Hi guys! Back from holiday and ready to look at when the books will be ready. As you will no doubt understand, we have a lot of responsibilities, so sadly not everything has worked out exactly as I have wanted it. The good news is that Michael Roiz has finished his draft of Grandmaster Repertoire – The Nimzo-Indian. The sad news is that we cannot finish editing it before the Olympiad, so it will have to wait till after Baku. This delays it with a few weeks. It will be out in October only. Sorry.

This is the current list of what is coming… It is VERY UNOFFICIAL with the exception of the accurate dates.

Parimarjan Negi GM Rep – 1.e4 vs The Sicilian III 31 August 2016
Boris Avrukh GM Repertoire 1B – 1.d4 The Queen’s Gambit 31 August 2016
Boris Gelfand Dynamic Decision Making in Chess 31 August 2016
Victor Mikhalevski GM Rep 19 – Beating Minor Openings September
Ilya Smirin King’s Indian Warfare September
Yuri Razuvaev Key Concepts of Gambit Play October I hope
Michael Roiz The Nimzo-Indian October I hope
John Shaw Playing 1.e4 – Sicilian & French Autumn
Carl Portman Chess Behind Bars Autumn
Richard Pert Playing the Ragozin Autumn
Tibor Karolyi Mikhail Tal’s best games 3 – The Invincible Autumn
Thomas Luther Luther’s Chess Reformation Autumn
Vassilios Kotronias King’s Indian – Volume 5 Hopefully Autumn

 

284 thoughts on “Publishing Schedule”

  1. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    “King’s Indian Warfare” is a Black repertoire, or a set of games depicting the KID, something like Gufeld’s “The Art of the King’s Indian”?

  2. The last Playing xxx books contained a full repertoire. Will the coverage of the Ragosin start with move 5, or will it also provide advice for some earlier deviations?

  3. Hey Jacob, will there be a store selling the Quality Chess books at the Olympiad? I’d be keen to buy the Negi, Avrukh and Gelfand books from you at the tournament, if you’ll have them there. Cheers.

  4. Another great line-up! Not counting the 3 August books, which are almost there, I’m particularly looking forward to the KID books and GM Rep 19 (one more month 🙂 ), but also to Tal volume 3 and Shaw volume 2. And though I play the KID and Benoni myself against 1.d4, I’ll probably end up buying the books on the Nimzo and Ragozin as well…

  5. I’m also keen to know a bit more about the Ragozin book. Move order and whether it’s s complete repertoire. I suspect it will start after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4.

    Good companion for the NID book, but you’ll have to find your own way against 3.g3

  6. If you already play the Modern Benoni it’s easy to add the Nimzo to your repertoire, since you don’t have to worry about 3.Nf3 and 3.g3 🙂

  7. RB :
    Will the Nimzo and the Ragozin be GM Reps?

    The Nimzo book by Roiz will be a GM Repertoire.
    ‘Playing The Ragozin’ will be a repertoire, but in the “Playing the” style, not part of the GM Repertoire series.

  8. @Krokohol

    @The Doctor

    The plan for ‘Playing the Ragozin’ is to give a …Bb4-based repertoire for Black after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6, including 3.Nc3, 3.Nf3 and 3.g3. That means the book also needs to give an anti-Catalan line, and it does.

    What the book will not cover are the unusual (non 2.c4) second moves.

  9. @ The Doctor:

    I’m hoping this will be covered in GM Rep 19, since that’s an English Opening. But I have the feeling Mikhalevski won’t cover this 🙁

  10. Ray :
    @ The Doctor:
    I’m hoping this will be covered in GM Rep 19, since that’s an English Opening. But I have the feeling Mikhalevski won’t cover this

    I would ;like him to cover this line as it would be a good companion to the GM Rep Benoni book, but i suppose he can’t cover everything. I’m guessing he’ll recommend 1…e5 with some sort of Nogard line

  11. I guess the big question would be whether or not the Ragozin could be tied in with the Nimzo-Indian?

    For example:

    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 – Nimzo-Indian
    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 followed by 6…a5 – My favorite Catalan line for Black, and the one that gives me the most fits as White as well!

    Where the Ragozin would come into play is against 3.Nf3. Been trying to figure out which line would be best for me. Bogo-Indian, Queen’s Indian, never considered the Ragozin though.

    It seems to me that after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 and then:

    4.Nc3 Bb4 is of course the Ragozin
    4.g3 is of course a direct transposition to the Catalan

    But then what other moves does Black have to consider? The one that seems to stand out like a sore thumb is 4.Bg5. I wonder if the Ragozin book would cover that line at all? Using their move order, that would be 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bg5.

  12. Is the GrandMusic Repertoire: “Build your b/w guitar from 32 wooden pieces & 1 board” scheduled for 2016 or 2017? Just curious 🙂

  13. @ The Doctor:

    I agree. I do think it’s a serious omission from the GM Rep Benoni book though, since this line is mostly reached by declining the Benoni, and especially at club level it is not a rare line.

  14. There is a new DVD by IM Breutigam about “The King’s Indian – A modern aproach”. Against the Classical he recomends 6…c5 ( 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6. 0-0 c5).

    I knew about this line from an old book about the “Accelerated Dragon” by Hansen and Nielsen but did not like it because I thougt White could force Black into the Maroczy Bind, but Breutigam shows Black is not forced to do that.

  15. I always thought the problem with 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6. 0-0 c5 was that white plays 7.d5 and re-takes with the e-pawn on d5, if black plays e6 followed by exd5. It’s been a while since I looked at that line, so perhaps black has found some new resources (either somehow avoiding e6/exd5 or finding some active options afterwards)?

  16. If 6…c5 works Black has many playable options in the KI: 6…e5, 6…Na6 / 7…Na6, 7…e5xd4 and finally 6…c5, maybe 6…Nbd7 is also playable against weaker oponents…

  17. I.m.o. any ‘real’ KID player should go for …e7-e5 whenever possible / playable, since that move is most in the spirit of the KID. So against the Classical black should play 6…e5 or at least 6…Na6. If you want to play 6…c5, why not play the Modern Benoni instead, which is quite playable and has lots less theory than the KID? It’s just my opinion of course…

  18. @Douwe
    I promise I will share pictures of the final product; although it is probably in everybody’s interest if I do not share anything with me actually playing it!

  19. I never liked this 6…c5 approach. The best outcome is a Benoni, where indeed White can take with the e-pawn and Black is solid, but a bit passive. Then why not the superior Slav or QGD? But on top of this I always found the 7.0-0 lines bothersome. Taking on d4 is uninviting and 7…Nc6 8.d5 is an improved Benoni for White.

    I am not saying that you cannot find something clever and playable in these positions; I am rather saying that I always found that the strain on Black to do so was too burdensome for it to be practical.

  20. Dear Jacob

    Are you able to estimate publishing date of “Thinking Inside the Box”? Will it be released at Christmas or is it too brave (optimistic) date? Just curious how advanced this work is and how many pages it is going to be. Any comments?

  21. Perhaps I would be asking too early,
    but are there any plans for Avrukh’s GM2A, GM2B or even GM2C?
    Would the first part (GM2A) be Gruenfeld/KID, Dutch or old indian/other defenses?
    Would there be any major change in recommendation,
    say something other than g3 against KID, etc.?
    I am excited to know if we would receive “reinforcements” in the arms race of white g3 repertoire.

  22. Reading Negi III excerpt, I’m a bit sad he didn’t go for Be2/Be3 systems against Scheveningen & Taimanov, he could have given a true masterclass here. Instead his treatment of the Taimanov is a bit uninspiring. see his conclusion after the Qb6/Qc6 dance line in the English attack :
    “The most likely outcome is some kind of opposite-coloured-bishop scenario where White enjoys some initiative, while Black’s prospects for counterplay are limited.”
    A polite way of saying “White has nothing”.
    As for the Scheveningen, do you agree with his statement that Black doesn’t play it because of the Keres attack ? instead, the play is very rich in the Be2 lines, perhaps balanced but very slippery. It would be nice to have a book on these systems.

  23. Maybe John Shaw will cover Be2-lines. After all, apart from the Keres Attack (which Negi already covered) I see no other good lines against the Scheveningen. Well, there’s also the English Attack of course, but that’s also already covered by Negi against the Taimanov, so to give a consistent repertoire which is not too similar to Negi’s, lines with Be2 would seem to make sense.

  24. @Ray
    Ya! This is one of my major concern. How would Avrukh tackle/sidestep this problem?
    Actually both are not easy – the KID final volume is comming out!

  25. @Cowe
    No, I do not read this comment that way. I read it as: Black has a very sad position and is playing for two results, but will have to play better than his opponent to hold the draw. Chess is objectively a draw, so such a position is a big achievement for White. Boris calls this the champagne moment: the one time a year you get an advantage from the opening…

    What you say about Be2 on the other hand is really a way of saying White has nothing, but that you like the positions. Negi is writing a GRANDMASTER repertoire. A strong GM expects his opponent to know the slippery move orders and so on and would rather have a real advantage than playing for his opponent’s ignorance.

    I think that if they do not know the theory in an objectively harmless line, my chances are even better in a line where I might get something as well.

  26. Ray :
    Maybe John Shaw will cover Be2-lines. After all, apart from the Keres Attack (which Negi already covered) I see no other good lines against the Scheveningen. Well, there’s also the English Attack of course, but that’s also already covered by Negi against the Taimanov, so to give a consistent repertoire which is not too similar to Negi’s, lines with Be2 would seem to make sense.

    I do not think Shaw will go for Be2 and Be3 in the Scheveningen. It has been said in this blog that Shaw is unlikely to make something similar of Taylor, and Taylor in his slaying the sicilians propose exactly that system.

    I would say Shaw will go for the english attack against everything, but certainly I would prefer the more posicional Be2 and Be3 against the Kahn, Taimanov and Scheveningen complex.

  27. @Jacob Aagaard
    Regarding Be2 scheveningen : surely “equal chances in a rich position” doesn’t mean “harmless” ?
    I you consider Be2 lines to be totally de-fanged, a leaflet with key concepts in the main lines (with or without a6, a4 vs Kh1, Qe1…) would be very interesting, both for Black and White.

  28. @Cowe
    I do not entirely agree with your evaluation of Be2, but I cannot see why this statement is not less enticing than the one you were negative about from Negi. I gave my reasons.

  29. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    Jacob Aagaard :
    @The Doctor
    Yes, behind the scenes things are moving; slowly. This is all the news I can give you. And maybe a 12 months max assurance.

    A true phantom book! Ftacnik succeeded in making a hell of 2nd edition 🙂

    I’m truly amazed how no one qualified can’t make a manuscript worthy of Quality Chess. Perhaps we must ask Karjakin to finish it!

    A real disappointment for Najdorf players.

  30. LE BRUIT QUI COURT :

    Jacob Aagaard :
    @The Doctor
    Yes, behind the scenes things are moving; slowly. This is all the news I can give you. And maybe a 12 months max assurance.

    A true phantom book! Ftacnik succeeded in making a hell of 2nd edition
    I’m truly amazed how no one qualified can’t make a manuscript worthy of Quality Chess. Perhaps we must ask Karjakin to finish it!
    A real disappointment for Najdorf players.

    Kasparov is going to finish the job!

  31. I pressed enter before saying that I bought Yusupov’s Revision and Exam. I imagine I have my work cut out now.

  32. @FM To Be
    I am constantly working on Chess from Scratch, which is a bigger project and also on the Boris books. I will be helping John a lot with finishing Playing 1.e4 II and I will get back to Thinking Inside the Box hopefully in September. The last project is the one I dream off….

    Of course I am also busy as a coach. At the moment I have Sam Shankland staying. We have worked hard the last few years and it seems it is paying off. He has won four of the last five tournaments he has played in, as well as made it to the Olympiad squad once again.

    Finally, I am the typesetter and layouter of all of our books. I also design our promotional material, assist in the financial planning, work directly with some authors and various other small things.

    But the biggest and most important project will of course be to build my own electric guitar, starting on next Saturday. It will take four days to do the woodwork and then the guitar is carried away for painting. I will have a Scottish flag on the front and a Danish flag on the back! Wacky I know, but it will truly be one of a kind.

    Finally, I am long term working on another series (to follow up from Grandmaster Preparation). The first volume will come in 2017 or 2018. I doubt it is really needed, but I wanted to write it, so there you go.

    Thanks for asking.

  33. Two questions
    Does the book “Playing the Ragozin ” will be based on annotated games ?
    At what level is played and the grandmasters used it with black ?
    Thanks

  34. @ Jacob Aagaard

    Sounds interesting and quite some work 🙂 Looking forward to your new series! You write you doubt it is really needed, but at least I gathered from your interview with Gelfand that he has a constant need for new exercises. Who knows that might apply to more people 🙂

  35. @Ray
    I am sure that there will be a small audience. Obviously, I never stopped working… I like this job and I see no reason not to do it seriously. Actually, this is my life strategy: do things as if they were important.

  36. @Jacob Aagaard

    I have recently developed a liking for exercise books, with my newest buy composed of Volokitin’s book, John Nunn puzzle book and the last one of Dvoretsky on piece play (that has not arrived yet sadly), and the one prior to that included all your GM Preparation series in hard back. So if you make a new series of exercise books, I will surely buy them. Maybe your audience is small, but faithful.

  37. @Gollum
    Hahaha. Thanks. Of those the Volokitin book is by far the greatest, although of course his name is only there to help sell it. John’s book, Quality Chess Puzzle book is on par with all of those, and can often be gotten as a free-bee with orders of three books or more for EU territory people…

  38. Yeah, QC Puzzle book is a very good book. I already have it 🙂 and it certainly has more exercises than Nunn’s.

    I’m a little bit afraid of Volokitin’s book because it seems the level is a lot higher (although in Shaw’s book the latest exercises from each chapter were hell turn into a chess problem), but my dream is to reach 2400, so I have to work hard.

  39. @ Jose

    1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5 is a bad version of the Exchange Variation, since black can develop his light-squared bishop to f5 and has no problems whatsoever. So I don’t think there is a need to try to transpose to a Ragozin.

  40. I agree the QC Puzzle book is great! I.m.o. it’s really a shame you (have to) give this as a freebee, since people should pay for this great book.

  41. Any detail in the body shape of the guitar? A classic guitar (strat/flying v/teardrop etc) or chess themed? Bad bishop or raging rook design maybe…

  42. @Jacob Aagaard
    Ya, would like that too. I am looking for an electronic puzzle book for a vacation, but the QC puzzle book unfortunately is not available in the Forward Chess store. Probably that has its own business reasons, but, as a customer, I hereby declare my need for an electronic puzzle book :-). I find the electronic format quite convenient for solving puzzles.
    Besides that, yesterday I worked with the calculation chapter of “Pump up your rating” (pmpitupmpitmpit) in the Forward Chess app. Unfortunately, there are some serious problems. The app`s board does not always fit with the book`s notation and at some point the app even closes business on its own volition (reproducable). Don`t know whether this is breaking news, maybe not. But I can provide more details in case fixing it is considered.

  43. @Bulkington
    Please send an email with all these details to Forward Chess directly. The issue is not with the written word, I can promise you :-). There are always bugs and both we and FC are learning how to weed them out to make better and better products. But we need your help in order to do so.

  44. Jose :
    @John Shaw
    It will cover 3.e3?

    I presume this question is about the Ragozin book. After 1.d4 d5 c4 e6, then 3.e3 is an unusual move, but the book will cover both 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 and 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3, so at the very least it will be covered by transposition, I guess. Unless White plays 3.e3 and then never puts either knight on c3 or f3.

  45. I tweeted to Forward Chess. They have to wait for someone in the US to activate the books. So expect the three books later in the day.

    “@MarkTWIC all 3 should be coming today, but a bit later in the day. They should be checked/activated from US. They r still sleeping there…”

  46. I managed to buy the Avrukh but am getting an error for the Gelfand book. It says I’m not logged on to my google account but that can’t be the case as I bought the other book no problem.

  47. @ray

    I do know I read more chess material with apps. I have so much material now that I’m looking for a decent tablet to make reading easier. But am also coming to understand that getting a chess set out is also good. I have my key opening books in digital and hard copy.

  48. @Mark Crowther
    To me a big disadvantage of opening books on Forward chess is that they are not in PGN-format. So I have to enter them in my repertoire database anyway. Therefore I might as well buy the hardcover paper book – it’s much easier using a book with my computer than to use a tablet and a computer.

  49. @Ray

    I’d have to say that I like general reading / instructional chess books like the Gelfand better than pure opening books. But also my house is full of books which means for ones I want to just consult they’re also good. But I have read a lot more opening theory since I started getting electronic books.

    The problem with providing PGN/ChessBase (and indeed PDF) files is the ease of bootlegging. Which as you observe is a problem as this is a very useful format.

    There was also talk of puzzle books earlier in the thread. I prefer hard copy for those. I don’t think Forward Chess has got the format for them completely right.

  50. @Mark Crowther
    On the exercise/puzzle books I think they started to put in a format where it showed the puzzle and you could choose to hide the answer. Which I thought was ideal. I say “think” as this is based on the sample of the latest Dvoretsky book – given I’m still going through his previous book I’ve still to upgrade to the full version.

  51. Question prior ordering…
    I am going to pre-order Negi III and Avrukh 1B – both in hardback. They are both issued in a same day, so my question is as follows: how they will be sent. If they are sent with courier (because of the weight) when I place my order I will choose my office address and it will be delivered there instead of losing 1-2 days dealing with couriers not able to reach me at home, but if they are sent with regular mail I will choose my home address and will collect the parcel from the post office (as I do usually when ordering a single volume). I am based in Bulgaria if that matters.
    Thanks in advance

  52. @Milen Petrov
    It depends if you order two or three books. Three are sent with UPS, as it is cheaper. They will also be sent up to a week before publication. (now!). If you order only two, they will be sent from Glasgow, by post, probably Monday.

  53. @Daniel

    Hi Daniel,

    The answer is that it varies. If there’s a major update, we often update the Forward Chess files. For example, when we reprinted Gelfand’s ‘Positional Decision Making in Chess’ a couple of pages changed, so we updated the FC files. But I don’t think we have updated 6A on FC yet. There is never enough time to do all the things we want to.

  54. thx for the info, John. I got the book yesterday and I’m super impressed. I don’t have a smart phone and I’ve been waiting for a windows or mac app to come out but after a year I just gave up on it and decided to try my luck on an android emulator. Well, it worked and I’m so happy with the forward chess app and of course the awesome book. Really looking forward to QC’s upcoming releases.

  55. @John Shaw

    @John,

    Are this updates also available for those who bought the “paper book”?
    I’ve seen in your website a cbv or pgn file to download with a lot of games, but I can’t see any reference to Gelfand’s book. Are they there? are they in another place to download?

    Thanks

  56. @Jacob Aagaard & John Shaw

    Hi.Will Boris Avrukh be having a new repertoire/line against the King’s Indian and Grunfeld in his Grandmaster Repertoire 1.d4?

  57. I think uboshna meant to ask if Avrukh will propose a different repertoire against the KID and Gruenfeld than he did in the first edition. To which my guess would be no 🙂

  58. @middlewave

    That’s correct.That’s my question to Jacob Aagaard & John Shaw.

    Since Boris Avrukh change his repertoire against the Queen’s Gambit Accepted from 3.e3 to 3.e4.

  59. @John Shaw : here and in your 1.e4 book, you found out the Pirc to be quite resilient. Could it be worthy of a GM book for Black ? that would imply no “draw or be worse” scenario for Black.

  60. uboshna :
    @middlewave
    That’s correct.That’s my question to Jacob Aagaard & John Shaw.
    Since Boris Avrukh change his repertoire against the Queen’s Gambit Accepted from 3.e3 to 3.e4.

    But If you play a g3-based system there are connexions/transpositions between openings while after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dc4 3.what you want don’t influence QGD,Tarrash,slav…

  61. @uboshna

    It’s too early to say for sure, but I think Boris Avrukh really believes in the Fianchetto line against the KID, so that’s my guess. But no guarantees.

  62. Also have you any plans on a Sicilian line for Black involving 2…e6 systems like the Taimanon, Kan or Scheveningen?

  63. @Cowe

    The Classical still offers White good chances of an edge in my opinion, and is a good companion to the lines offered in Shaw’s book.

  64. The Doctor :
    Also have you any plans on a Sicilian line for Black involving 2…e6 systems like the Taimanon, Kan or Scheveningen?

    There is no need for such a book because of “The sicilian Scheveningen” by Garry Kaparov & Alexander Nikitin

  65. James :
    It says Avrukh in book 1B has a new weapon against the Tarrasch. Is it 6 dxc5?

    Obviously Avrukh wanted to suggest something without g3 and changed his mind after GM 1A was published, because White can be move ordered into a g3 setup anyway. The whole thing is a bit confusing and now you have to constantly switch between 1A and 1B to deal with the Tarrasch and some move orders. It might be a bit telling that in the introduction of GM 1B (available via excerpt) the new ideas against the Tarrasch are not mentioned at all (in contrary to Slav, QGA etc.), but only referred in an obscure way.
    Compared to GM 1 the deviation is at move 8.

  66. @Reyk

    Really? Avrukh showed a way to avoid the g3 mainlines in the first chapter where black plays 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 c5.

  67. Yes, and he is constantly referring to this chapter in GM 1B – just with some necessary supplements for the move order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5.

    His original plan for the Tarrasch in GM 1B via 1.d4 d5 according to GM 1A was something without g3 altogether though (not only without g3 main lines). And this plan has obviously changed out of necessity. Something Boris Avrukh is probably not happy with.

    As he has to refer constantly to GM 1A, he doesn’t explain the concrete changes in comparison with GM 1 at all which is a pity. He usually does this in other cases like 10.Bf4 at the Benoni.
    But it seems already to be clear from GM 1A that there is nothing for White in the traditional g3 main lines, covered in GM 1. I’m a bit sceptical about the supposed advantages in the now proposed g3 lines with a slightly different setup including an early Qc2 to have Rd1 at hand and not determine the Bc1 early, but let’s wait and see.

  68. It’s been out of print since some time, and it might be a little but outdated, but other than that it’s a brilliant book i.m.o.!

  69. I have been enjoying Niko’s 1 e4 e5 book over the summer. I would like to ask if there are any plans for Niko to do a repertoire book for black based on 1 d4? Thank you.

  70. @Ray

    I had it yes ago and it’s is completely outdated and doesn’t cover anything on the current main lines.

    I feel the Scheveningen and QGD are not written about much as they usually occur from other move orders.

    Nearly all QGD occur via NID move orders and Scheveningen usually occurs via Najdorf or Taimanov move orders.

  71. James2 :
    I have been enjoying Niko’s 1 e4 e5 book over the summer. I would like to ask if there are any plans for Niko to do a repertoire book for black based on 1 d4? Thank you.

    Mmm…. Yes on the QGD/Catalan would be cool.

  72. The Doctor :

    James2 :
    I have been enjoying Niko’s 1 e4 e5 book over the summer. I would like to ask if there are any plans for Niko to do a repertoire book for black based on 1 d4? Thank you.

    Mmm…. Yes on the QGD/Catalan would be cool.

    Yes, I was thinking along those lines too. Apart from King’s Chessbase dvds, I am trying to think of a recent book from the black perspective that recommends a line against the Catalan. I can’t think of one offhand. Also, if it was the QGD/Catalan and 1 d4 variants, then if you weren’t satisfied with the QGD it would be possible to transplant the upcoming Ragozin and Nimzo Indian book lines (albeit with a bit of manipulation). I also can’t think of a recent QGD repertoire book (Cox Everyman not included). I know Avrukh has done a 1 d4 sidelines book, but I like the ‘whole overview with full games approach’ that Niko uses. Reminds me of the old Batsford ‘Winning with….’ but much better.

  73. @JohnShaw

    Just wondering whether Avrukh’s change with his 3rd move in Volume 1B of the QGA (3 e3 to 3 e4) has anything to do with a loss of confidence in e3 (which I rather like) or more about him simply feeling that 3 e4 gives white slightly better chances under current theory?

    Thanks

  74. @Patrick
    I wasn’t aware of that Patrick, thank you for letting me know. However, call me old fashioned but I like having a physical book I can review at my leisure, reflect on, and then keep going back to it.

  75. @Michael
    He always wanted to give 3.e4, but when he did the first book, we also had the Schandorff books, so they both had to make a bit of space for each other, choosing different lines. This time around it is not an issue. He simply think 3.e4 is best. 3.e3 is still nice. Personally I would play like that, but of course update the theory.

  76. @Reyk
    I find the lines a bit annoying for Black on first sight, but haven’t looked closely yet. I’d be more than happy to hear your thoughts against Avrukh’s Tarrasch! (In comparison, I find it rather easy to find a decent, draw-ish line to counter Negi’s recommendation/novelty against the Kalashnikov)

  77. I am excited about this line-up. I play the French and Nimzo-Indian and was having trouble deciding what to play if my opponent does not play an immediate Nc3 after d4. I never really thought about the Ragozin. I would definately get this when it comes out to use in my repertoire.

    I’m not sure if this was mentioned or not, but since the article by Isaac Lipnitsky was not in the Quality Chess book “Questions of Modern Chess Theory”, I wonder if there are many people like me who would love to see this article in the new Ragozin book coming out. I understand this article deals with the Ragozin and the ideas in this opening.

  78. @Kevin Stevens
    The New in Chess book builds on the Lipnitsky article to some extent. To be honest, I found the stuff rather dated and uninteresting. Not in the NIC book, but in the old 1956 book.

  79. @Jacob Aagaard
    Does this mean that the excerpt for Mikhalevski will be uploaded before tomorrow? Also, I’m very excited about Niko’s new 1 d4 project. Any ideas when we can hope to hear more about that please?

    Thank you

  80. @Tobias
    I’m not sure how much content from the book we should reveal. So I will discuss with reference to the book(s) only and won’t give complete lines.

    First of all Tarrasch devotees seem to know and handle the g3 IQP positions well. So the prospects given in GM 1A about something entirely different were exciting and an important point of interest for me to buy GM 1B, as I handle the Slav differently than Avruk’s proposal e3 anyway. So I’m not happy it wasn’t clear from the introduction to GM 1B that these plans have changed. I still would have bought the book anyway 😉

    I can’t say of course, I have found a clear path for Black to equalize – I’m just a bit sceptical right now.
    I played through line C1 from GM 1A a bit. To begin with: While I understand the point of Qc2 early, it looks a bit funny there given the open lines. So first I played around the alternatives at move 11 not to put the bishop at c7 to gain a possible tempo via Rc8. After 11…Re8 12.Nb6 Qb6 (12…a;b I wasn’t looking at closely till now) 13.Bg5 there is also Ng4 to prevent Be3, but probably White is better after h3, exchanging a pair of knights and not allowing Bg4. So this seems to be fine for White, who will often play Qd2 or Qd3 later, but still might profit from an early Qc2.

  81. At move 16 of the main line with 11…Bc7 Black might try 16…Qd7 instead of 16…Qe7 – after all Bh3 is a typical plan. If White continues like in the main line with Nc3 Black simply saved an important tempo in comparison to Avrukh’s line with Qe7 first and Qd7 later. 17.Nc5 Qe7 accepting the pawn with 18.Nb7 Bb6 doesn’t look promising for White imho – so he might have to show something else.

    This line maybe refuted easily – I don’t know 😉 But in general I also dislike that the C1 line ends with Bh1 by White. I remember a quote from a Marin article (referred to another book, maybe Yermo) that this maneuver is often overestimated. With no access to f1 for a rook White has to be worried about a possible …Qf5 (and once there is no white knight on c3 Ne4) with some pressure against f2 or h2 after maybe …g5 at some point. If you are really interested, you might want to look up a game I’ve played (Schaefer – Barthel in Reykjavik), where Black had all the fun. I’ve found it difficult to make progress – not enough squares for all White’s minor pieces. That said I might be simply to week as an audience for the book to handle those positions well.

    The supposed Negi Kalashnikov drawing line is discussed elsewhere?

  82. @Jacob Aagaard
    I have to say, I like Lipnitsky’s article. It’s quite good imho put in historical context and given his advise on opening studies in general and the verbal part about the Ragozin in particular.

    That said I’m glad we will have an update on the theory, as the NiC book is also already a few years old.

    @Kevin: Ragozin is a very natural companion to the Nimzo. It might you safe some time. At club level 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 is quite frequent, once White allowed the Nimzo after all. Now you don’t have to learn 4…c5, but could transpose via 4…d5 instead. Or maybe as a supplement/surprise element ocassionally chose it over 4…c5 or whatever your typical Nimzo reply is.

  83. Why wasn’t it mentioned in the introduction of 1B that the line in the Tarrasch was changed. Since it was promised to be without g3 and now it is still with g3.

  84. @Reyk
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Reyk. I shall take a look at 16. … Qd7 directly.

    About the Kalashnikov: In line B2, after Negi’s a4, I’d just follow his line with a5 and play 20. … Na7. It looks a bit passive passive, but I haven’t found a way how White could break through – but then I’m not a strong player myself.
    It seems just a bit easier to play with White, but on the level I’m playing, I’ll be happy to play this position for all three results, with Black.

  85. @Tobias
    Quite a few of the Negi lines are more or less equal. For instance, in his new book the main line Kan is just equal. I think in this computer age white players just have to get used to reaching a more or less equal position from the opening. It’s more important i.m.o to reach a position you like and understand. For example, I play 4.Qc2 against the Slav. This is more or less equal (but so is the main line 6.Ne5, but after a lot more theory), but I like white’s preponderance in the centre. Three books on the Sicilian with the main lines reaching equality (the Accelated Dragoin with …Re8!?, the 6.Bg5 Najdorf with …Nd5!? and the ending in the Rauzer are other examples), does make you think however, if it’s not more practical for club players (or even GMs 🙂 ) to play less critical lines with white against the Sicilian.

  86. @Jacob Aagaard
    Section 1C in GM Repertoire 1A, “I intend to recommend…” could be interpreted as a promise. Denying that is lawyer-talk 🙂
    Personally I don’t mind, glad to see the Tarrash is still fine, but I’d also like to know why Boris went down a different road.

  87. @Tobias
    If you say that one of our authors changed their minds, I would assume it is very plausible. If you think it is layer-talk for me to ask where, then we are not really on the same page. I really do not read all 5000 pages we put out each year, which might disappoint you. And even if I did, I would not remember it all.

    I do think Boris originally wanted to do 6.dxc5. I have no idea what changed.

  88. Tobias :

    Personally I don’t mind, glad to see the Tarrash is still fine, but I’d also like to know why Boris went down a different road.

    I was already hinting at it. Boris says in GM 1B that he realized between 1A and 1B, there are too many ways to move order White into g3 lines. Hence my impression that he wanted to choose something totally different. I have no idea though.

  89. Reyk :
    But in general I also dislike that the C1 line ends with Bh1 by White. I remember a quote from a Marin article (referred to another book, maybe Yermo) that this maneuver is often overestimated. With no access to f1 for a rook White has to be worried about a possible …Qf5 (and once there is no white knight on c3 Ne4) with some pressure against f2 or h2 after maybe …g5 at some point.

    Just to make it more clear: There was a similar recommendation about Bh1 in GM1 in the 10 Na4 lines.
    In the top level games I had difficulties to find this maneuver. Instead White often played an earlier h3 to prevent imho the Bh3 idea altogether. This is also discussed in the pdf update on GM 10.

    In general the whole Tarrasch covering in GM 1A and 1B makes the impression that Boris wants to move order Black outside GM 10. This of course speaks for the quality of Nikos’/Jacob’s book.

    It’s a different affair with Boris’ own ground – the Slav. In GM 17 he disregards his recommendation in GM 1 as being equal after all. Now in 1B he says that very shortly after GM 17 came out there was a new idea for White that gives him advantage again. I admit though, that he is very honest about it and it’s always very difficult to write against yourself.

  90. Tobias :
    About the Kalashnikov: In line B2, after Negi’s a4, I’d just follow his line with a5 and play 20. … Na7. It looks a bit passive passive, but I haven’t found a way how White could break through – but then I’m not a strong player myself.
    It seems just a bit easier to play with White, but on the level I’m playing, I’ll be happy to play this position for all three results, with Black.

    Thanks for sharing – I will have a look. Just too much going on at olympiad right now …

  91. @Jacob Aagaard
    As it was mentioned earlier on the blog, I thought you knew about it already – sorry for implying, no offense meant!

    Btw., a bit off-topic: it was Nico’s update on the GM10 that made me buy the book and trying out playing the Tarrasch. I hope you’ll have such detailed updates more often, for more of your books.

  92. @Jacob Aagaard
    In reply to your question, I quote Avrukh repertoire book 1A on page 14:
    5 cxd5 exd5 leads to a Tarrasch Defence, but I intend to recommend something other
    than the g2-g3 variation against that opening, as you will see in Volume 1 B.

  93. @Jan
    I intend, does not mean promise. Clearly he changed his mind. I assume people prefer the line that Boris thinks is the most useful, rather than so sort of keeping a promise?

  94. @Jacob

    Actually I would prefer two books: the ‘promised version’ and the ‘most useful version’. I like choice.
    Of course what I really want is the ‘future-proof’ version: includes all innovations for the coming 10 (15 for hardcover) years.

  95. @Jacob

    Hi Jacob,

    I was just wondering if it might be possible to let us know a bit more about the black 1 d4 repertoire Nikos is working on, if that is possible at this stage? Thank you.

  96. @Franck steenbekkers
    There will be 2 more books. I believe one will be on everything else not covered, except for the Ruy Lopez and the other will be on on the Ruy Lopez. Presumably the Ruy Lopez book will come out as the last book to ‘crown’ the series off nicely, rather than a book on a mish mash of ‘secondary openings’. This is just pure conjecture on my part, but ultimately there are two books (this has been mentioned in various threads before).

  97. I’m also very much looking forward to the excerpts of the Nimzo- and KID books, now that all the QC staff have returned to the office 🙂

  98. Jacob Aagaard :
    @Jan
    I intend, does not mean promise. Clearly he changed his mind. I assume people prefer the line that Boris thinks is the most useful, rather than so sort of keeping a promise?

    A French politician famously said: “the only people tied by promises are those who believe them”.

  99. @Jacob Aagaard
    It would be interesting when John has woken up and Andrew is back from Cornwall to hear about the Olympiad from the Scots perspective……hopefully one of them could find time for a post next week…

  100. Any possibility of producing a deck of cards with instructive/typical/theoretical positions?

    Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Brain-Life-Deck/dp/0307464571/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474081461&sr=8-1&keywords=Brain+deck+cards

    For example, I just read that Kosteniuk made flashcards for the 100 positions in Villa’s “100 Endgames You Must Know”

    I would love to have something like this for endgames, pawn structures, positional ideas, strategical ideas, attacking schemes, etc

  101. Boris Gelfand: “I first played against Ilya in 1980, when we were both in our early twenties”.

    Definitely Boris should improve his calculation abilities :-).

  102. By the way, this is really a great book – I really like the way Boris desribes his decision making process, and it’s kind of reassuring to see the type of mistakes even top GMs make 🙂 Also great to see that there are at least two more volumes following (one on the endgame and one on the opening)!

  103. @Paul H
    Probably will be in 1-2 days. We are talking most likely 8 days, but there were some problems with versions and conversion and everyone being in Baku, so please do not hang me if this turns out to be wildly wrong (likely).

  104. @Jacob Aagaard
    The GM Repertoire 19 book looks fantastic and it will definitely fill some never-ending gaps in my repertoire. I’m very much looking forward to that one.

    On a slightly different matter, how is John getting on with his second white 1 e4 book please? Is there any chance of it being on my Christmas list this year? Thank you very much for you time.

  105. Kings Indian Warfare looks great. I will definitely buy it.

    Regarding GM 19 it looks like there is not much in there for the kingsindian player.
    Against 1.Nf3 the variations seems more suited for a Grunfeld player.
    I will not buy it although I am convinced that it is a great book.

  106. I like the proposed options against 1.Nf3 and 1.c4, so I’ll definitely buy it. But the category of KID players who play …Nf6/g6.Bg7/0-0/d6 against everything probably don’t need a repertoire book against ‘minor openings’ anyway…

  107. @Ray

    Black needs to know what to play against:

    1.c4, g6 2.g3, Bg7 3.Bg2, Nf6 4.Nc3, 0-0 5.e4

    1.c4, g6 2.g3, Bg7 3.Bg2, Nf6 4.Nc3, 0-0 5.d3, d6 6.Bg5

    1.Nf3, Nf6 2.g3, g6 3.Bg2, Bg7 4.0-0, 0-0 5.c4, d6 6.Nc3, e5 7.d3

    1.g3, g6 2.Bg2, Bg7 3.e4 aiming för a pirc after 3.-d6 4.d4

  108. Maybe Kotronias can write something on Anti-Kingsindians.
    Apart from the above variations it would be interesting to see
    what he recommends against the Trompowsky, Torre and London.
    I know Avrukh did a great job on these, but his recommendation against the Trompowsky 1.d4, Nf6 2.Bg5, Ne4 3.Bf4, d5 is not suitable for a KID-player.

  109. Of course it’s all a matter of taste, but in m.i. a little bit of flexibility in one’s opening choice wouldn’t hurt, even for a KID player. For example, I play KID / Modern Benoni myself, but have no problem with Avrukh’s recommendation against the Trompowsky. To be honest, I don’t see why this would be unsuitable to a KID player, unless one assumes a KID player would want to avoid playing …d7-d5 at all cost and keep his d-pawn on d6 for the entire game. I prefer to play the best lines, so against the Tromp that means I don’t object to 2…Ne4 3.Bf4 d5. The same goes for the English: why desperately try to reach the KID (which is exactly what white players are expecting and will avoid most of the time anyway) when you can also gain space in the centre with 1…e5?

  110. Yes some flexibility is good. I currently play the KID, Leningrad Dutch and the Dutch Stonewall against d4, c4, Nf3, g3. I know it is a matter of taste but I do not like 3.-d5, both 3.-c5 and 3. d6 appeals to me more. It is only subjective but I prefere the dynamic pawn structures. Is 3.-c5 in some kind of theorethical trouble? Why is 3.-d5 better?

  111. @Bebbe

    I don’t know if 3…c5 is in trouble, but I think 3…d5 is theoretically very sound. Anyway, like you said it’s largely a matter of taste, and that’s why I was objecting to your statement that 3…d5 is not suitable for ‘a KID player’. Now I understand that actually you meant that you don;t like 3…d5. As I said, I’m a KID player myself and have no problems with 3…d5 against the Tromp. By the way, I don’t think you can call the Stonewall pawn structure very dynamic.

  112. @Ray

    Yes you are right, I do not like 3.-d5.

    I think you are partly right about the stonewall pawn structure. I agree that it is not the most dynamic especially compared to the KID and the Leningrad. Still it is more dynamic than people think. Black can play f4, c5, e5, b5 , g5 or a5. I consider it a solid fighting opening.

  113. @Bebbe

    “Black needs to know what to play against:

    1.c4, g6 2.g3, Bg7 3.Bg2, Nf6 4.Nc3, 0-0 5.e4

    1.c4, g6 2.g3, Bg7 3.Bg2, Nf6 4.Nc3, 0-0 5.d3, d6 6.Bg5

    1.Nf3, Nf6 2.g3, g6 3.Bg2, Bg7 4.0-0, 0-0 5.c4, d6 6.Nc3, e5 7.d3

    1.g3, g6 2.Bg2, Bg7 3.e4 aiming för a pirc after 3.-d6 4.d4”

    As a lifelong KID player myself, I have always found the pure English completely hopeless against the King’s Indian. White’s most promising option is to transpose to a g3 Kings Indian. the above lines lame for White. Admittedly playing for the win with the KID against the pure English can be problematic, but black is black right. 🙂

    On a side note, I am curious as to why John chose the 3…Qd8 Scandi against Naka at the Olympiad, and it was interesting that Naka did not really achieve any Opening advantage. Could the 3…Qd8 Scandi be due for a revival?

  114. @Topnotch

    I agree that the lines are not the most challenging. Still black must know a bit, otherwise he is worse. What I want Kotronias to provide us with are something sharp against each line that can blow a weaker player off the board.

    The first line (that was recommended by Marin) is not completely toothless.

  115. @Bebbe

    “I agree that the lines are not the most challenging. Still black must know a bit, otherwise he is worse. What I want Kotronias to provide us with are something sharp against each line that can blow a weaker player off the board.

    The first line (that was recommended by Marin) is not completely toothless.”

    Indeed it would be nice to have something a bit sharper for KID players to try for the win, but in that case he would be better off avoiding the KID option altogether as the reverse Sicilians (Often by transposition) with Black going for broke with f5 and g5 etc. are simply better for white in my opinion. Actually Kotronias wrote a book some years ago concluding the same opinion, the book was called Beating the Flank Openings or something like that.

    Regards,

    Toppy

  116. @Bebbe
    Sorry I disagree. 1…e5 against the English is definitely not toothless. E.g. the repertoire recommended by Delchev is quite combative i.m.o. So no need to go for a king’s fianchetto for a fight. Some openings with …d7-d5 are among the sharpest and most dynamic in chess (for example the Noteboom, Meran, Botvinnik and Slav with 11…g5). So it all depends on the specific opening. I think you can’t generalise that a certain pawn move always gives dynamic play. E.g. I wouldn’t exactly call the KID Exchange that exciting. If white doesn’t want a fight he can always avoid it and still get an equal game. It’s just the way it is. Just my opinion of course 🙂

  117. Curiously despite the publication of the Semkov and Delchev Book, 1.c4 e5 2.g3? (Their annotation not mine) remains popular, I even saw Mickey Adams use it successfully recently. That said, I must say that I like the Delchev and Semkov recommendations, and I notice that Mr. Shaw himself has used the critical line as black even before the aforementioned book was published, which suggest that he had discovered some of the key lines independently. At the moment, the lines put forward by Delchev and Semkov would be my choice for a full blooded fight against the English.

  118. I must say I’m a little disappointed that the recommendation against the English is 1…e5 as that is what the new Chess Stars book recommends (albeit different lines).

    I was kind of hoping for 1.c4 c5 and 1.Nf3 Nf6 c4 c5 but hey I’ll probably still buy the book just because it’s by Quality Chess!

    I also agree with Bebbe in that it would be brilliant if Kotronias in his last KID series suggested how KID players meet the English/Reti just as Bologon did in his KID published by Chess Stars. It would only be an extra couple of chapters but the benefit to readers would be I huge.

  119. @ Jacob Aagaard

    That only applies to the English. Against 1.Nf3 Delchev and Semkov only give 1…d5 (which I think issue, because after 2.d4 all black players with the Indian Openings in their repertoire are move-ordered), whereas Mikhalevski gives 3 options.

  120. @Ray

    I did not write that 1.-e5 against the English is toothless.

    @The Doctor

    Thanks for the support!

    @ To use the KID against 1.d4, 1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.g3 is of course very practical.
    The same can be said about the Leningrad and the Stonewall.
    The downside is of course some lack of flexibilty.
    If I was a professional player I would probably include 1.-e5 in my repertoire against 1.c4 and 1.g3

  121. @Ray
    They are different books. An overlap due to some lines being trendy/interesting happens frequently. But a 1:1 would mean copying, and neither party had the chance. Mikhailevski’s book was written before the CS book and they only saw ours recently, as it is not out yet!

  122. Really looking forward to the last Kotronias volume on the KID.
    I have the four previous volumes and they are all excellent.

    The sämisch is really one of the toughest variations to face these days.
    What do you guys think of 5.f3, 0-0 6.Be3, a6!? (which have been played
    by some strong players lately)?

    Against 7.Bd3, c5! is strong. The critical is 7.Qd2 and now blacks best (besides 7.-Nc6 transposing to Panno) is probably 7.-Nbd7. On 8.Nh3, c5 9.d5, b5 with benko-style play.

  123. As the blog has been quiet last few days I’ll ask a few quick questions.

    1. Is the KI Warfare available in Hardback?
    2. Are there plans to do s similar style book in another opening system? (I hope so it looks really good)
    3. Do you envisage the last KID book been out the year?
    4. Do you have plans got the GM rep Najdorf been 1 or 2 books?
    5. Will the upcoming GM Rep Najdorf cover …e6 or …e5 systems or both?

    I’m sure most of these won’t get answered, but you can’t blame s man for trying ?

  124. @The Doctor
    1. Yes
    2. Not so far
    3. It will be close. The main problem could be that there is a lot of printing of Christmas catalogues in November/December, slowing down the print time. It is part of what keeps the printer in business, so we have to accept it.
    4. One book
    5. Time will tell

  125. Gosh, I enjoy Shaw’s volume one in the 1. e4 series. Do you still expect that volume 2 will be ready this autumn? I really hope it will!

  126. @Michel Barbaut
    We will bring it out in the next few months for sure. It got delayed and delayed, because we had these big theory books that were more important to bring out. But it is about 2 weeks from done, as it has been for a long time.

  127. @Franck

    I already bought GM 19, so it is definitely on forward chess (at least in the US). I saw the Kings Indian Warfare book as well.

  128. @ Aagaard
    Jacob – when should we expect to see:
    1) Roiz’ exciting title on the Nimzo-Indian
    2) Your final book on GM Prep
    3) Another Marin book (sorry to always bug you with this question, but he’s my all-time favorite author)
    4) A book on the Pirc (can’t blame you if you get ideas here linked to question 3 :D)
    5) Kotronias’ final volume on the KID

    Oooh.. ow ow my wallet – I will end up buying soooo many of QC’s wonderful books 🙂

  129. @Jacob
    If I wanted to play a mindgame with you, I would suggest CHESS! In the worst case, I would learn from being beaten 😛
    Or, alternatively, I could dress up as “crazy old Ben” and say “These aren’t the booktitles you’re looking for.. move along”. Then again, I wasn’t ever that much of a StarWars-fan after all.

    But yes, I would like a publishing schedule.

  130. There’s a book on the Pirc coming up in december by Kornev (Chess Stars). I wonder if the market is big enough for two serious books on the Pirc within a short time span? If not, the good news is that Marin can take a year or two to write the definitive book on the Pirc 🙂 .

  131. @ Franck : sometimes IPad get it before IPhone , sometimes not . Seems Android get it first anyway . At least in Western Europe .

  132. @Alexander
    As much as I like QC ( I bought almost all their books), you can’t deny there are some other good publishers out there as well. I think Chess Stars are quite good as well. For example, I have Kornev’s three-volume repertoire series on 1.d4 and I quite like it. So no need to buy exclusively QC books… In general I tend to not follow blindly the recommended lines in one book, but rather take my pick from a number of books by different authors. For example, in the KID I like the Panno against the Saemisch, so if Kotronias would e.g. recommend the main line with 6…c5 I wouldn’t follow it, but use the recent book by Kornev on the KID. The same with the Fianchetto variation: Kotronias’ recommendation is just too difficult for my taste, so here too I play the Panno set-up as recommended by Kornev.

  133. Well there are lots of systems in the KID that’s not been covered for ages….for example the … e5 Saemisch lines and four pawns attack

  134. Jeg taper partiet men vinner krigen

    King Indian Warfare and GR19 are listed on “published”. Looks like it goes to the shop already ?

  135. Regarding Mikhalevski´s very good new book on Minor Openings in the chapter about the reversed Fianchetto KID I haven´t found a mention of playing a la Gallagher. In the position after 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0-0 d5 5.d3 0-0 6.Nbd2 c5 7.e4 Nc6 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Re1 e5 10.a3 h6 11.Rb1 Be6 I see only 12.c3 but not the sharper 12.c4 followed by Ne4 and b2-b4.

    Perhaps being a tempo down is not a problem for Black here but it´s certainly worth to notice.

  136. Btw, I´m also missing some (minor) independent stuff after 1.Nf3 Nf6 like 2.b3 which does not have to transpose to other lines (e.g. 2…g6 3.Bb2 Bg7 4.e4!?).

  137. @Ray
    Quite a few of the Negi lines are more or less equal. For instance, in his new book the main line Kan is just equal. I think in this computer age white players just have to get used to reaching a more or less equal position from the opening. It’s more important i.m.o to reach a position you like and understand. For example, I play 4.Qc2 against the Slav. This is more or less equal (but so is the main line 6.Ne5, but after a lot more theory), but I like white’s preponderance in the centre. Three books on the Sicilian with the main lines reaching equality (the Accelated Dragoin with …Re8!?, the 6.Bg5 Najdorf with …Nd5!? and the ending in the Rauzer are other examples), does make you think however, if it’s not more practical for club players (or even GMs ? ) to play less critical lines with white against the Sicilian.

    What is this 6.Bg5 Najdorf line with …Nd5!? you speak of? Could you post the missing moves.

    Regards,

    Toppy

  138. @Jacob, I have a couple of books on Scotch; but they are at least 6 years old. Do you plan to have anyone writing a Scotch book. I see Negi is working with Quality and I have his chessbase DVD about Modern Scotch Opening; I just wonder whether he or someone is planning to do a full book on this opening.

  139. @ TopNotch

    I don’t have the book here, so I can’t reproduce all the moves, but it’s the Poisoned Pawn with 10.e5. The move …Nd5!? is recommended in the books of Georgiev (Chess Stars) and Andrasian (New in Chess) on the Najdorf. Negi says white keeps some chances in a line that runs about 30 moves deep, but i.m.o. the draw isn’t too difficult for black.

  140. @Ray
    thanks. Just order one from your website. Seems a good book to read (from the description, John uses Nimzowitsch Attack in Petroff’s Defence – the same repertoire I am using – so one book, two stones for me!)

  141. @Ray
    “I don’t have the book here, so I can’t reproduce all the moves, but it’s the Poisoned Pawn with 10.e5. The move …Nd5!? is recommended in the books of Georgiev (Chess Stars) and Andrasian (New in Chess) on the Najdorf. Negi says white keeps some chances in a line that runs about 30 moves deep, but i.m.o. the draw isn’t too difficult for black.”

    Thanks Ray, I sometimes play 6.Bg5 so this line is of some interest to me.

    Best Regards,

    Tops

  142. Thanks, @Jacob Aagaard

    I am a Ruy Lopez guy. I started to teach my son to play Scotch two years ago. Now I decided to give it a try myself. As Kasparov said, only “Scotch and Spanish would give White any advantage for win” (something like that). So I want to have second weapon in my sleeve.

    By the way, any big Ruy Lopez books in your publish plan? (If KID takes 5 volumes to cover, my guess it would take more than 5 volumes to cover every thing in Ruy Lopez)

  143. I would just like to ask, might it be possible to have an updated publishing schedule, so we can see what is coming out before Christmas? I would imagine that you have a fair idea now given that we are in to October.

    Also, when will you be putting up the Quality Chess 2017 2 page brochure pdf, similar as to we have seen in the last couple of years?

    Thank you for your help.

    James

  144. @James2
    It is on my to do list, which is long and full of sad stuff (as writing about Mark).

    The brochure will happen in 2017, not before

    You are welcome

  145. Jacob

    Sure you answered this before but can’t find it. How are the next 2 Negi books split? Is Negi 5 purely Ruy lines and Negi 6 1…e5 lines not including the Ruy (Petroff/Latvian/Philidor etc) plus miscellaneous to complete repertoire -Scandinavian/Alekhine/Pirc-Modern- and is there a rough timeline for them both as they aren’t on your list of upcoming books?

    Thanks

  146. This may not be the right blog post, but I couldn’t find one about 1.e4 vs The Sicilian III. If I simply missed it, I am sorry in advance.

    In the first chapter, line C1), Negi recommends 12.Na4, but what happens after 12…Qa5? It seems like White has a repetition at best.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top