We successfully uploaded three books to the printer, they are all for sale in the webshop:
They will all be out on the 21st December, unless something goes wrong. We really wanted them out for the New Year tournaments and hope people will reward our effort by buying them. John is out cold btw. and have taken two days off to sleep…
We have also put Grandmaster Repertoire – The Nimzo-Indian for sale, although it is not uploaded and do not have a publication date. We could not manage all four books for the 21st sadly, but we will get this done pretty soon and go from there. We will most likely publish it on its own, something we rarely do. My guess is that we will get it out in January, but no promises.
I will finish the formatting of the World Championship Quiz and put in the answers as they look so far. Hopefully today.
John, Nikos and I are working hard on Playing 1.e4. I think it will be out early in the spring.
I also put up a poll with two days. We will get back to having weekly polls. Suggestions to questions would be nice.
The Vlog will be recorded today. We will make a habit of posting them on Thursdays, I think.
I will definitely by all three books 🙂
Great to hear by the way to hear your estimation on the publication of the second Playing 1.e4 book. I really like the first volume, so I’m very much looking forward to this one as well! I’ll most probably stick to Negi’s Sicilian repertoire, but I might change from 3.Nc3 to 3.Nd2 against the French (depending on what you’re coming up with 🙂 ).
Will the Gambit Play book be on Forward Chess? The other 2 are listed on their website but this one is not there.
Does that mean that if I order one of the 3 books, they should arrive in Denmark in a couple of days?
@Pabstars
I don’t think so. They aren’t published yet. If you look at the Forward Chess site, they are listed in the forthcoming section.
James
Can you give some sort of clue as to what the repertoire in the Nimzo book will look like?
http://www.qualitychess.com doesn’t get updated anymore.
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk works fine.
I was pleasantly surprised that you guys are still publishing books.
Publication date is 21st December and 14th December for Forward Chess (aim).
@mr
We will check that out, thanks. The .com address is supposed to automatically forward to the .co.uk page, but maybe it is not working as designed.
No, the Razuvaev book will not be on Forward Chess.
@MN
They hardly ever give anything away like that before the PDF excerpt is up. Jacob had said this many times so don’t expect any reply
@MN
@The Doctor
You can expect a reply, just not the level of detail you are hoping for. We prefer not to go into detail so early for various reasons, including that content can change, and so detailed answers now may turn out to be wrong when the book is published.
Luther’s book excerpt is fine . Could be titled ” How to beat the French ” ?
@MN
Maybe i can help with that!
I helped a bit Mihail with this book, so i’ll share with you my impression.
I think that this is a “different” book that most Nimzo-repertoire books out there. If you expect to see a slow, strategic, “dark-square strategy” repertoire then you’ll surprised to find out that the modern Nimzo-Indian is dynamic, full of sharp lines (if Black choses to go there, in most cases Black has solid alternatives in all main lines) where Black can play for the initiative. Mihail’s book is probably the first modern Nimzo book (that i am aware of) that presents this kind of new shiny, 21st century side of the Nimzo-Indian!
So, don’t expect the usual short-cuts many authors offer (with …d6-e5 set-ups). Roiz presents and analyses in depth what seems to be the choice of the top super-GMs of our time. Hope this helped! 🙂
@Nikos ntirlis
Excellent, that’s exactly what I was hoping for! Thanks 🙂
@Nikos ntirlis
Start by learning our author’s names Nikos 😉
@John Shaw
I would have thought the project was far enough advanced that the lines would not change significantly
@The Doctor
That is almost certainly true. But we will still keep the details vague at this point on Michael’s/Mihail’s work. I think both names are right!? It will be Michael on the book’s cover, but he’s Mihail on Skype.
Part of the reason is that we end up with “just another question…”
Out of interest are there any planned books on the English coming up and any move to get Marin’s English Opening books on Forward Chess please?
@Steve
Hi Steve,
I’ve noticed that there is a new English book coming out from a different publisher in December. I’m not plugging any other publisher, but they begin with ‘E’. It looks interesting too. Anyway, I won’t say anymore about it.
James
@James2
I have seen it and I think comes out next week. However, it does not favour 2. G3 – making it so interesting. A Marin FC book would be great, alongside a GM repertoire on a version of this line too.
Hi John,
The recent vlog re the Sicilian sideline seems to have overshadowed the fact that the upcoming 1 e4 book will also be on the French! I notice that in the Tarrasch (C06), 11..Qc7 12 h3 seems to have been scoring well in the databases, with hardly any games. I’m hoping to see this line in your book.
Keep up the good work.
James
@James2
We have not finalised the line against 3…Nf6, so we will certainly look at it. We had another idea, I think, but I am always letting the analysis guide my opinion.
@Jacob Aagaard
Hi Jacob,
Thank you for your reply. I given the opening labyrinths covered in this book I would not be surprised if volume 2 weighed in at another 500+ pages. I’m looking forward to the recommendation against the Najdorf and also hoping for 7 Qf3 in the Taimanov (which has also been scoring well).
Thanks very much all at QC.
James
@James2
Chess Stars are bringing out a book on. Qf3 v Taimanov next month so I’d hope for something different
@The Doctor
Yes, I’d seen that too.
It hasn’t been covered too much so far, and I would like to see QC’s coverage on it. However, I think it might not fit within the ethos of what the Shaw repertoire is about anyway, and it wouldn’t be analysed.
Maybe we will get a Kan/Taimanov fianchetto or maybe some Be2 lines? What do you think Doctor?
James
When will Chess From Scratch be available … ? Still waiting for it …
@Leaf
If you are on this blog, you probably already know how the pieces move.
It will be a while.
Wish to use this book to introduce chess to more kids …
Know how to play chess, but doesn’t know how to teach kids chess …
Non-book announcement:
I am reliably informed that IM Jovanka Houska (our current or former 4ncl teammate, depending on which QC person we are talking about) will be on Newsnight tonight on BBC 2. The programme starts at 10.30pm. Talking about the Carlsen – Karjakin play-off, I expect.
What Will roiz recommend versus 4 E3 and 4 qc2 in his nimzo book?
And What Will Ntirlis recommend versus the Queens gambiet
I’ve put all my current chess book purchases on hold till Playing 1e4 – Vol.2 is released, so as to save on shipping. Really looking forward to Vol.2, and hopes it offers some challenging and effective stuff, particularly against the French.
Godspeed,
Tops
@ Franck Steenbekkers
I think I can predict the answer…
So can I ?
Hi All,
I was thinking about the upcoming second volume of Playing 1 e4, and specifically about the move order 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 g6. While I’m not asking about the lines against the Dragons, what I wanted to know is will 2..g6 be treated as a way to transpose to a main line (3 d4 others will need to be analysed anyway) or can we hope for a different variation, such as 4 Qxd4?
Thank you.
James
@James2
We were just going with the transposition so far, but maybe John will change his mind.
@Jacob Aagaard
Sound like you’re still some way off this book been finished!
@The Doctor
We are having a three way process. Nikos comes with original ideas, I look through them and John writes the book. Nikos has done almost all his work, I am catching up and John has done a good deal already. But yes, it will be 2017…
@Jacob Aagaard
Thanks Jacob. I’m sure you could actually have put together multiple books for book two, but you have to make decisions somewhere.
I’m thinking it will be the Maroczy Bind against the Accelerated Dragon anyway, but it would be nice to see the Hyper Accelerated treated in a different way. I suppose going for the transposition will save time for you, and we know that it won’t be 3 c3 as this is mentioned in book one (in the chapter on 1..g6 if black then plays 2..c5.
James
I had this variation recently:
4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Qa4 d6 7. e5 dxe5 8. Nxe5 Bd7 9. Nxd7 Qxd7 10. Be3 Bg7 11. Rd1 Qc8 12. Be2 0-0 13. 0-0 a6 14. Qh4
Andrew’s book calls this equal after 14.- Qf5. IMHO this gives white a little bit of something, though. At least the bishop pair for free.
In which season will Nikos’ QGD be available next year … ? Looking forwards to it …
Good evening QC HQ,
I was reviewing Playing 1 e4 volume 1 this evening, and I found myself eager for volume 2 to complete the full white repertoire, irrespective if Negi’s books could do that. For a player of my level, I think sometimes Negi might be a little too dense with theory, plus I like John’s writing style.
Anyway, I was wondering if you have more of an idea when Playing 1 e4 volume 2 might be out in 2017? I am very much hoping for April/May or sooner, but think this might be ambitious.
Thank you all at QC.
James
@James2
A great amount of work has gone into the book already. I hope we will be making good progress. But obviously, it is a huge territory to cover…
@Jacob Aagaard
Yes, the French and the Sicilian are massive areas in and of themselves, let alone typing up the book itself and getting it printed.
I’m sure I’m not the only one waiting for volume 2, and it will be worth the wait, I’m sure. Hopefully Niko’s 1 d4 d5 book will be out at a similar time!
Thank you Jacob.
James
@James2
That will be after, but hopefully not too much.
Are there any plans to publish your previous works on FC or is this platform reserved only for the new books?
I really like Petrovs book on the Benoni.
But does anybody know a book with decent coverage of the Benoni declined?
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. Nc3 cd4 5. Nd4 Nc6 ? Or 5.- a6? Or ??
I wasn’t able to find anything convincing.
Sorry, surely I’ve missed it, but there will be an update on GM6?
I guess it’s coming next year from Kotronias as a GM6b?
@ Thomas
I had the same isse. There is not much coverage on the Benoni declined (or actually the symmetrical English). The book ‘Attack with Black’ (on the Benkogambit) gave the gambit line with …e7-e5. I used chesspublishing.com to find a decent line. I remember correctly it was a line with …Nc6 and …Qb6. It’s quite sharp and has been played on top level.
By the way, in the meantime I have switched to the Leningrad Dutch, because white has no way to chicken out against the Dutch.
@Capodoglio
Kotronias did a Sveshnikov book. There will be a Najdorf book next year, I hope, but not by him.
@Ray
Thank you Ray. Topalov also played Nc6 and Bc5. Watson has a little bit about that lines.
But I agree, the dutch is an option….
Thanks for the clarification!
Of course I possess all three books, do you feel the Sveshnikov book is holding up well?
Magnus’s rapid win using the 5. f3 line (instead of Nc3- a known anti dragon/Najdorf and other 2…d6 system) impressed me as how easily he was able to control things. I have the Experts vs Anti book and Colin briefly covers the line (though not Magnus’s Nc1 retreat) but do any of the other QC ‘sicilian as black’ books cover it? The Kotronias ANti Sicilian or Jones’ dragon books don’t seem to from the excerpts, the excerpt from the original Ftacnik sicilian is as clear as mud. Could you clarify things and as you have mentioned the new Najdorf book in the pipeline will this cover this anti najdorf system even though the pawn structure has lots of similarities especially after f3 e5?
Thanks
@johnnyboy
Colin claims he did mention Carlsen’s 9.Nc1. It’s on page 423. Admittedly it’s just a brief mention, but the move was rarer when that book was published. We will be sure to cover 5.f3 more in future Sicilian books.
Yes agree got it wrong it is mentioned- N3d2 as mainline was what I remembered- an old lenier Dominguez game featured Nc1. peter Svidler mentioned a recent Oparin game that had a big impact (b4 pawn sac to trap the queen on a5)
John- that wasn’t quite clear- I’m presuming you mean it wasn’t covered before but can i check it is not in any of the other books I mentioned. I have the Negi sicilian books so know about them
@Johnnyboy
I haven’t checked all our books, but I do recall that “forgetting about 5.f3” became an unwanted tradition in our Sicilian books.
Many thanks John
@JacobAagaard Does Quality Chess plan to publish a book about the Dutch Leningrad Variation? Would be glad to see it. Perhaps by such experts as Erwin L’Ami, David Anton Guijarro, Friso Nijboer or Roland Pruijssers
As far as I can see there is no plan to update the “White Sniper” by Marin…
@RB
Or Malaniuk…
@Ray yes sure. I didn’t want to mention him, as he already wrote a book about it for Chess stars. I would like to see a coverage of this opening by Quality Chess
From tomorrow (December 14) ‘Playing the Ragozin’ by Richard Pert, and ‘Luther’s Chess Reformation’ by Thomas Luther will be available on Forward Chess.
I am reliably informed they will be available from 9 am Boston, USA time, or 14.00 UK time.
Awesome and thank you. I will enjoy learning and playing the Ragozin.
Welcome
When Will kotronias KI be published? Summer 2017?
I think a publishing schedule is in order ?
@Franck steenbekkers
Hopefully something like March.
@The Doctor
Christmas Day perhaps?
When is the raxuvarvbook On forwardchess
Whenis the gambitbook On forwardchess
@Franck steenbekkers
We don’t have the digital rights
I’m not sure where to post this, but just a heads up (just in case you weren’t aware 🙂 ) that chess24 today published videos by Jan Gustafsson on the Nimzo, which would likely be relevant for the Nimzo GM Repertoire
@MN
Thanks for the information. We did take into account Gustafsson’s previous video against the Nimzo-Indian, but this new video was published just too late for us. We uploaded earlier today. Glancing very quickly now at the video, our lines seem to be mainly different, though there must be some overlap. Not a problem.
An excerpt from ‘The Nimzo-Indian Defence’ by Michael Roiz can be seen at the following link:
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/Nimzo-IndianDefence-excerpt.pdf
So from what I’ve ascertained from the table of contents, it’s the Karpov against 4 e3 and 4…d5 5 cxd5 Qxd5 against the Classical. What’s the given line against 4 f3?
Dear quality chess team,
I enjoy reading Pert’s Ragozin so far and I found a nice thing there. In the D2 line of chapter 3 he talks about a blitz game between Seirawanand Aronian and says it isn’t recorded. Well, here it is right? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uKOz0cPOtWY
@MN
Would you say after 5.a3 we get 5…Bxc3 6.Qxc3 0-0 then 7.Nf3/Bg5 as given in the NID Mive by Move?
That’s what I thought, yeah
@The Doctor
You mean this tanspose to 4. Dc2 0-0 5. a3 Lxc3+ 6. Dxc3 d5 line ?
Less pages than in the Ragozin book (my Christmas present, not received yet). I thought Nimzo was more theory-heavy than his counterpart.
Thx
@Xavi
Ragozin book does cover Catalan lines too
Xavi: I bought and have received the Ragozin book, which I like a lot. The author put a section in the book on 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 that is 50 pages to make the book a complete repertoire against 1 d4 2 c4 as opposed to the opening being a complement to the Nimzo. That is the extra 50 pages which is the difference in page length between the books.
The other wrinkle is that against 5 Bg5 he recommends 5…dxc4 instead of 5….h6 which is very theory intensive. He also analyzes 5 cxd5 exd5 6 Bg5 in another chapter which can transpose to 5 Bg5 h6 if white plays 6 Bxf6 Qxf6 7 cxd5. The section on 5…dxc4 is 114 pages. The section on 6 Bg5 h6 is 18 pages.
My quibble with the book, being an older player is given the length of the book, 5…h6 6 Bxf6 Qxf6 7 e3 could probably have been covered in 40 pages and while less theory intensive also contains some quite interesting lines. Also, 5…h6 6 Bh4?! dxc4! is a quite interesting error by White I would have liked to have seen some definitive analysis on. There is an alternative in the 5 Bg5 dxc4 line, 6 e4 b5!? that takes up 21 pages, I would have been happy to have replaced with the additional theory on 5…h6.
Those are minor quibbles on my part. Overall it is a great book and the aim is to provide an entertaining comprehensive repertoire, which it did.
Yes
I don’t mind on the length of the books, but on his quality. And I am happy to see people like the Ragozin book. By the way, I am going to play more Catalan & Ragozin games than Nimzo, so the best coverage possible the better.
Important to me, as Doug pointed out, sometimes it’s interesting to analyse briefly popular dubious lines, because we non-master players face them a lot.
Merry Christmas
I also have a comment on the Ragozin book by Pert:
Inspiring!
After 10 minutes inside the book I decided to give that opening a try.
Looks like great stuff to me.
For heaven’s sake, no! Chapter 7 is one of the highlights of the book!
Thomas:
The book is great and anyone interested in Nimzo Indian type structures should buy this book. I went right to Chapter 7 and spent quite a bit of time on this. Here is my thought process. In the variation given in the book after 7 a4 c5 8 axb5 cxd4 9 Bxf6 as in Gelfand – Aronian Tata Steel 2014, while the positions are interesting, they quickly get down to a lot of positions that are two results orientated White wins or draws. Objectively they seem equal with computer analysis. But playing a couple games against the computer, it quickly became obvious that finding equality was practically hard for Black.
The author correctly pointed out in the line 5…h6 6 Bxf6 Qxf6 7 e3 0-0 8 Rc1 dxc4 9 Bxc4 c5 10 0-0 exd4 White can practically force a draw with 11 Nxd4. That was the reason for recommending 5…dxc4. If White plays 11 exd4 the lines are very interesting. I think Black has a lot more chances to win in the position after 11 exd4 than after 9 Bxf6 with substantially less risk.
As I indicated, I am a bit of an older player, 52, trying to play some high level competition. I am happy with the book and highly recommend it. I was merely pointing out that the main line recommendation with 5…dxc4 with transposition to the Vienna took up a lot of space, is a line that can provide high upside if you can play it well, but, it puts a lot of stress on an aging player due to the memorization required in many lines. Seirawan demonstrated to me a couple…
Hi Quality Chess HQ,
Happy Christmas to all. I’m looking forward to the updated publishing schedule, hopefully soon into the New Year.
Best wishes,
James
@Aagaard
1) merry xmas to you and all at QC incl. your respective families 🙂
2) when will your “thinking inside the box” actually land ?
3) what is the news on Kotronias’ 5th and last book to complete the series on the KID ?
Best wishes,
Alexander
@Alexander
1) Thank you. Best wishes from Denmark where I am chilling with my kids, my mum and my sister.
2) My hope is March/April. I am in turbo mode; I hope I can keep it going…
3) It is being edited. So similar or earlier.
My chess book for Christmas was Keres’ book on then WCH 1948.
A wonderful book.
John Shaw and Ari Ziegler were also involved in producing the book, besides the translator & publisher Jan Verendel.
Thomas – do you know what edition of Keres’ book was used as the basis for the translation?
@John Hartmann
There’s no introduction from the publisher.
But the Estonian version from 1949 is named as the original.
Does roiz the so called karpovvariation recommend versus 4 e3
Thanks to all at QC for their efforts this year! Of the 12 books I count published, I bought 10 (remaining two I will pick up in due course).
All great titles of course, but for me at least Nikos book is the standout, and of course Gelfand is great. Pert’s book too looks very good but need more time to digest fully.
Hopefully 2017 will see Jacob’s return to publishing a title under his own name!
I’m really hoping for a Najdorf book to be out in the next 6 months, but I’m not hopeful based on what I’ve heard. Reading between the lines I don’t think there is even an author for it yet.
P.S.I love the Ragozin book and am looking forward to the Nimzo-Indian book and the 2nd 1.e4 book!!
@Franck steenbekkers
Yes
@The Doctor
There is an author, but things have gone slower than expected.
And I will finish Box this coming spring.
Hello John, Jacob, and Nikos – I’m an adult player, 1643 FIDE and climbing. I’m wondering what is the target rating range for the Playing 1.e4 books. Is the repertoire appropriate for a player of my caliber? Too sophisticated for my level? My modest lifetime goal is 2100 FIDE and I’m looking to put together a decent repertoire to carry me that far (and beyond!?).
Thank you and Happy New Year!
When can we expect a New update
I hope the Najdorf book will cover the Gelfand variation. I am not aware of any book that covers all the variations that white can play in this variation in any depth. It is a pity since the variations are really exciting with lots of sacrifices, counter sacrifices, strange material imbalances and king hunts.
I am really looking forward to the last Kotronias on the KID. Then the most ambitious opening theory project ever will be completed. Champagne to QC and Kotronias! I have all previous volumes. The big question is of course what he will recommend against the Sämisch.
@Bebbe
I’m betting it will be 6…c5.
If only because the Panno has already been covered by Kornev, and 6…Nbd7!? in the recent book by Pavlovic. The latter book by the way contains some exciting analysis on the the Classical with 7…exd4!? and the Gligoric with 7…exd4.
@Ray
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the …e5, …c6 line against the Samisch…Kotronias has played this himself and has tended to favour the more classical approach for Black in the other four volumes.
Interesting comment of yours re the Pavlovic book and the 7…exd4 response to the Classical, thanks.
Many interesting Ragozin at Doha : Aronian lost with black in the …b5 Line R. Pert proposed in his book ( against Vienna ) but nothing wrong with the opening ; Mamedyarov won an interesting game with white against Inarkiev , just to quote a few .
Hi everybody!
What will be the next coverage of Roiz? Queen’s Indian+Catalan or Bogo-Indian?
@Ray
I think it will be e5, c6. But c5 is also a possibility. I agree with you that it will not be the Panno, it was also covered by Vigorito a few years ago. What does Korneev recommend after 7.-exd4 8.Nxd4, Re8 9.f3? Is it Nc6 or c6?
@Bebbe
Pavlovic recommends Glek’s 9…Nc6!?
And after 10.Be3,Nh5 11. Rfd1 I thought that White is somewhat better from a solid position. I cannot see any real counterplay for black here.
It is incredible that Pavlovic missed a very critical continuation in his Saemisch chapter, which is very critical, very new and it is a killer in both OTB and Corr chess! Sometimes, having a good editor is very important… 🙂
Which line?
Please see my comment under Luther’s Reformation
I am talking about his coverage of the …c5 Saemisch line
@Nikos Ntirlis
Dear Nikos,
I’m GM Romain Edouard, Chief Editor of Thinkers Publishing.
Please tell me exactly what have been missed in the Saemish, so I can come up with an answer or suggestion.
We are a relatively new company and during the learning process, couple of mistakes can happen.
Let me however add that over my career as a player I came through hundreds of opening books, and never found one with no major hole.
Regards,
Romain EDOUARD
@Nikos Ntirlis
I agree. I noticed at several places that Pavlovic didn’t give the best white move by the way. It is essential to have your own engine running alas…
That being said, he has some nice fresh ideas! @ Bebbe: 11.Rfd1 is impossible in your line, since there is still a queen on d1… His main line is 11.Nc2! f5, but to be honest I don’t trust this (of course with the aid of my engine). But he also gives 11…Be5 and that seems playable, though here too he doesn’t give some logical moves (such as 21…Rb8!? in the line with 15.cxd5!?).
Waiting for Nikos’s answer . Seems Pavlovic finished his book in May , maybe the terrific new line was unknown yet ?
@Ray
Indeed: this is not a book aimed for the very highest level. Milos made a repertoire so an average player can play the KI with many fresh, tricky and new ideas. In many places, you will find a way to improve both White’s and Black’s play if you look deep. The ideas are concrete, but the long lines are often just examples of how the game can continue.
I will stay around to comment on the problem found by Nikos!
@Romain Edouard
Hello, sorry for my late reply. I had no idea that this observation of mine would raise such interested from your side. I am impressed by that and this is a good sign for the future of Thinkers Publishing. Readers love editors who care!
I looked twice at the electronic edition of Pavlovic’s book (forwardchess) and didn’t find the following line metnioned anywhere:
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.Ng3 h5 10.Be2 h4 11.Nf1 e6
the move
12.Bg5!
is the hot move in corr chess right now, but it has been played already quite frequently OTB by titled players. I think that this is the reason some GMs still have this Saemisch line in their repertoires, as the line seen in the famous Svidler- Grischuk, London Candidates 2013 (analysed nicely by Pavlovic) had been proved to be bullet-proof for Black in many many OTB, Corr and engine games since.
Again, if there is this position analysed somewhere in the book, then i apologise, but i am pretty sure i cannot find it!
@Nikos ntirlis
In my database I have only one good level game after 12.Bg5: a blitz game between Sasikiran and Mamedov, that was easily won by Black. Pavlovic does quote it in the book with light annotations.
Unfortuately I do not have a correspondance database to see what might have been the improvements since the book has been published (or earlier). But you provided a good idea: we will get one before we publish the next openings book in order not to miss potential important things.
And yes, you are very welcome to send such remarks at romain@thinkerspublishing.com. I may have an answer, and in any case I will take a note in case there is a reprint!
There is a game in the book Sasikiran – Mamedov with the 12.Bg5 move , but it is just a short report (page 54) , anyway most of us are amateurs chess players so the book and the comments of Pavlovic book are satisfactory.
I still cannot find this game mentioned in the electronic edition of the book at forwardchess. I checked again at chapter 5 and i only see 12.f4 and 12.Nd2 analysed… Anyway, all in all Pavlovic did mention it it seems! And yes, you cannot study opening theory properly if you don’t have a corr database. You might think that most of the games in there are “engine battles”, but in fact the good players (2300+ elo) use their engines only as guiding tools and thus their games are worth studying.
@Ray
You are right. I meant the line 11.Qd2, Nf4 12.Rfd1.
Our authors are supposed to have one!
I don’t have the book with me at the moment, but I think you should find that game on p54, in the 12.Nd2 chapter.
@Nikos ntirlis
You are right. For example, Kornev gives in his latest book on the Pirc many interesting high-level correspondence games by Nyvlt, who appears to be an expert on the Pirc (judging from the high number of good games) – but I had never heard of him until I read this recent book.
Well , the line with 12.Bg5 is at the beginning of the section B – 12.Cd2
Another line i need of detailed coverage is the delayed poisoned pawn from blacks perspective. I think there are fever forced draws in the delayed PP than in the PP.
The PP is fine from a theorethical perspective but a mistake against lower rated players who wants a draw.
@Bebbe
I.m.o. Pavlovic makes a convincing case that the position after 12…Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 14.Qxd4 Nxe2+ 15.Nxe2 b6 16.Nc3 Bb7 is basically a draw. He gives some extensive analysis, which I checked with my own engine. The point is that white has to play Nd5 at some point, after which black plays …Bxb7. His weakness of the c7 pawn is then balanced by his counterplay with …f7-f5.
… I means …Bxd5 of course, not …Bxb7…
There a drawing lines in the Gelfand variation as well, but they are generally more complicated than in the PP.
@Ray
This variation can be ok to play against a grandmaster, but not against lowrated opposition. I recognize the variation you gave from Kaufmans repertoire book.
@Pinpon
Aha! This is why i didn’t find it! It is confusing to start a section with 12.Nd2 and at the start of it mention 12.Bg5. It would have been cleaner to have 12nth move alternatives before you start discussing the main moves.
Pavlovic gives 12.Bg5 exd5 13.Nxd5 (he gives that as a sideline, but this is White’s best) 13…h3 and now examines only 14.g3, but Black has a hard time after both 14.gxh3! (best) and the interesting 14.Rg1!?. After 14.gxh3 for example, i find the Italian Gaetano Laghetti having an 100% in corr games (2/2) since 2010!
To close this matter, i feel that indeed i need to apologise about claiming that Pavlovic missed mentioning the move in his book. He probably missed its importance, but of course as Mr Edouard correctly pointed out, a book without such minor flaws has never been written. And yes, as always with Pavlovic’s books (he has written a couple for Quality Chess, don’t forget!) there is interesting and inspiring analysis inside them.
Hi,
what product’s are good?
@Bebbe
You have a point, but on the other hand with sharp openings such as the KID you have always some forced draws. I lost count of the number of perpetual checks and move repetitions in Kotronias’ 4 books on the KID 🙂 . In my experience chances are very small that lower rated players will go for such variations. Mostly they have a hard time remembering the main lines in the first place, and don’t forget 7…exd4!? is a sideline! Things are of course different if white can specifically prepare for you, but then again: in that case you might consider playing a less forcing opening against such an opponent.
PS: just to illustrate: in the vast majority of my games (at a level of around 2200 FIDE rating) I’m out of book around move 10, usually because my oponent chooses some theoretically inferior line which I then can’t punish him for because of my lack of middlegame technique 🙂
@Ray
The difference is that the lines after 7.-exd4 are quite easy to remember and understand.
To do the same for the lines in Kotronias books are very difficult since the perpetual generally occurs in the middlegame.
In the PP it is also very easy to make a draw as white. Play 10. f5, Nc6 11.fxe6, fxe6 12.Nxc6, bxc6 13.Be2, Be7 14.0-0, 0-0 15. Rb3, Qc5+ 16.Be3, Qe5 17.Bf4, Qc5+ with a repetition.
I think a 1600-player can remember this.
I thought one of the points of the delayed PP is to avoid the line I gave above in the PP. The point is that the inclusion of h6, Bh4 makes it possible for black to play Qa5 in some lines since there is no bishop on g5 that protects the Queen on d2 after Nd5-ideas.
There are draws in the Gelfand lines as well, but they are harder to remember and to understand than in the PP.
I agree that there is no way to avoid drawish lines as black, my point is to avoid the easy draws.
I’m sorry but I simply must express my shock in reading earlier in this thread, that a modern practicing GM does not have/use correspondence databases. I would have thought Corr databases indispensable, even routine nowadays for modern tournament players, especially in sharp forcing lines like the KID, Sicilian, etc.
Admittedly I myself did not take the Corr. sphere very seriously until recently, as history has shown many of these even titled players to be very weak otb, and have little understanding of chess outside engine manipulation. Nevertheless engines are so powerful now that the games of dedicated Corr. Masters can no longer be ignored, as was so convincingly emphasized in Parimarjan Negi’s Three Sicilian books. Chess Stars, Alexei Kornev also heavily relies on Corr. games in his books for illustrative purposes, and in fact there are more of them than otb ones. Even Kotronias in his Beating The Anti-Sicilian heavily cites a Corr. player called Moya I think his name was, to prove the vitality of the Hyper Accelerated Dragon. Moya I think has never lost with the Hyper Accelerated Dragon in Corr. chess and that’s saying something these days.
Happy New Year.
Tops
@TopNotch : you probably mean Moza
First up I have to say that I have nothing but admiration for 99% of authors who write chess opening books in todays environment…the access to game information is just so vast and changing so frequently that covering everything must be an authors nightmare.
Having been an ICCF member and player for a number of years I can understand the frustration that an author must have using the ICCF database. Unless things have changed recently the ICCF Achieve Base is not very user friendly when compared with online bases such as Chess 365 etc….An opportunity for ICCF perhaps to attract more users.
Finally whilst I know that it is entrenched in modern theory I wouldn’t be surprised if charging down the board so early with ones h pawn against the Samisch is in trouble …it just doesn’t feel right..
@Bebbe
I agree it’s harder to remember, but I was referring to the case where an opponent specifically prepares against me. Then it shouldn’t be to difficult to remember. Besides, I very very rarely play against opponents below a rating of 2000n(except in the internal competition of my chess club). And if that’s the case, it’s usually against some talented youth player who bashes out 20 moves of theory… Again, from my own experience over the last 30+ years, I have almost never met an opponent who went for a theoretical draw.
PS: I don’t think the line I mentioned is an easy draw for a 1600 player. There is no perpetual or other forced draw, and there are still queens on the board. Black can play for a coiunter with …f7-f5. So I don’t think you can compare this with the PP or e.g. the well-known early draw in the Pirc with 4.f4 and 5…c5.
@Michael
How is it not user friendly? All you do is download monthly updates and you’re up to date!
Forgive if too tangential, feel very free to delete, and accept my apologies.
Quick query while on the subject of corr.
Suggestions for good corr. databases and/or downloads? To avoid missing such stuff as noted above, and to be more aware of engine happenings. Just the chessbase one? Others? For me, convenience overrides cost.
Thanks if anyone may have ideas in this regard. Much obliged.
@SimonB
I always suggest getting the Chessbase Magazines and build your corr database from their “telechess” games. Building a corr database from other sources will create a huge problem with the names.
The downside is that “telechess” used to come every second CBM. But nowdays chessbase seems to get them out in random! If i remember correctly, there was one telechess in issue 167, we were expecting one in issue 169 which never appeared, there was one again at 172 and now we are at 175 and there is no other telechess database available since then…
ChessOK also offers a corr database, but i have never used it. In general i have a personal problem with the way they struct their bases (with every name accompanied with the country of the players for example) but maybe this is not a problem for you. Also, i am not sure which servers they use to get their games, while Chessbase uses all the major ones (ICCF, LSS and IECC at least)
@John Hartmann
John, there are a lot of problems in their database.
Hi
I begin to work with Pert’s book on the Ragozin and I really like the quality of this book. But it seems that a variation is wrong on page 122. Against the novelty 10.Qb3!?N the main suggestion is 10…Ng4. 10…Nxe4 is also analyzed as a decent option.
In the main line of 10…Ng4 after 16…Qg2 the move 17.Qxg4 isn’t mentioned and it seems to be winning for White after the forced line 17…Qxh1+ 18.Kc2 Qxa1 19.Bg5+ Kc7 20.Bf4+ Kd8 21.Qg5+ Kxd7 22.Qxd7 with a mating attack (according to my computer).
In fact, as analyzed in the book 10…Nxe4 is a decent option and should be more playable for Black.
With names? Something else?
As someone who is dipping his foot into corr, I can see how instability in names might cause a problem for preparation for specific opponents. But from an OTB / research perspective, so long as correct ratings are attached to the names, some variance is irrelevant. I’m just looking for ideas and moves that score statistically well.
@John Hartmann
I’m simply not fussed on the download data base format (particular the ICCF dump style as it was last time I looked)…my preference is to have an online base with features such as player/tournament search and an opening explorer feature similar to the 365 online base….
I just don’t understand why ICCF can’t provide this and I see it as a potential income stream for them.
So your problem isn’t the data, but that it’s not in the format you want? Isn’t that what ChessBase is for? You download the data and then do whatever you want with it?
@John Hartmann
Yes, names is a big problem, but also sometimes the moves inside are not correct. And i don’t know how on earth this has happened. I asked once my friend Kostas Oreopoulos about a novelty of his i found at the ICCF database and he told me that he played another move order! Also, in every files, almost always there are a dozen of games with no names attached at all.
It is true that the last year they have improved a bit on this regard, but still… Of course as a chess player you don’t mind a lot, but if you are an author or an editor, it creates several problems.
By today’s standards every decent players and book author must consult:
a) OTB database (Chessbase is the pinnacle)
b) CORR database
c) engine database (top engines play dozen of openings on top-notch level)
Good afternoon all at QC HQ,
I wanted to ask if you had any idea when the 2017 pdf catalogue will be put up onto the site, showcasing your books for 2017?
Thank you very much.
James
Fascinating stuff, thanks. I guess the problem was hidden beyond our horizons the first time around. It feels odd that White can be two rooks down, attacking with just queen and bishop, and yet still have more than a perpetual. We will make something out this to spread the word to Ragozin players – a blog post probably.
By the way, I think there’s a typo at the end of your line: 22.Qxg7+ not 22.Qxd7. But thanks again for pointing out the line.
As soon as possible. First we need to finish a couple of front covers, as we like to show the covers as well as the titles of some coming books.
@ Pinpon #139
Yes you are correct, I meant Moza.
@ NIKOS “January 4th, 2017 at 12:27 | #111 Reply |
Quote – “It is incredible that Pavlovic missed a very critical continuation in his Saemisch chapter, which is very critical, very new and it is a killer in both OTB and Corr chess! Sometimes, having a good editor is very important…”
As a Kings Indian player I would like to thank you for bringing the importance of the12th move in the following line to my attention: After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.Ng3 h5 10.Be2 h4 11.Nf1 e6 12.Bg5!
Indeed it was hard to believe at first that such a loss of tempo could pose any serious problems to this line, but after reviewing all the games with it and conducting my own analysis, my conclusion is that while the move is certainly better than it looks it posing no long term threat to Black.
Curiously, after completing my analysis file I discovered that this line with the move 12.Bg5 was analyzed by GM E. Postny in Chessbase Magazine #154 and it turns out that our lines and conclusions are just about identical, except that I went deeper in some places and also considered a line he did not.
Best Regards,
Toppy
Just to mention that this variation appears in Key concepts in gambit play with 12.Nd2 and 12.f4 but no 12.Bg5 . Nobody is perfect !
@John Shaw
That’s great stuff, thanks John.
One a more specific topic, is there any chance we can hope for Negi 5 before Autumn 2017 (I would class that around October/November 2017). I know it will cover a lot of the so-called ‘minor’ options, but it will be just great to see Negi’s take on how to play the white side of those lines to go with your first 1 e4 book.
Thank you, as always.
James
@TopNotch
According to my analysis only 12…Qb6! equalises. Hope this was also your conclusion 🙂
@Pinpon
The outlook of the book is different, so this comparison is inaccurate. But yes, it could have been mentioned.
Which Christmas Day?
I saw the Grandmaster preparation Positional play at my friends place, and was curious to find no games from Petrosian and Capablanca in the name index.
Coming back to my question: I am at 1600-1700 but lack in my Strategic/Positional play. I plan to you use 3 questions and would like something to practise against for my range. Would you advise to use Excelling at Positional Chess or anything else ?
I am able to go through tactics exercises in Yusupov’s Orange series with a good score, but when it comes to Strategy/Positional play, I fail, but I really want to overcome this gap to complete the Yusupov Orange and Blue exercises on Strategy/Positional play.
Approximately when will an excerpt of the Queens gambit declined book by Nikos be available?
I am looking for something solid against d4 so this might be the solution.
I am hoping for the Tartakower which is solid, but also gives black better counterchances than the Lasker, Capablanca, Tarrasch and Cambridge Springs variations.
Also hoping for the moveorder 1.d4, d5 2.c4, e6 3.Nc3, Be7 which in my opinion gives black better counterchanses against the exchange variation than 3.-Nf6.
@Bebbe
I am sorry, but your hopes won’t be fullfilled! 😛
And no, today, the 3…Be7 move order gives Black much less interesting possibilities.
I am still at the process of writting. I am very very close, maybe even a couple of days before i deliver the final manuscript to my editor.
@Sunil
Try playing through Capablanca games on the training function in ChessBase and see how it will match up. Also a very technical player like Peter Leko is very instructive to follow to learn basic positional play.
@Nikos ntirilis
Thanks Nikos for your quick reply and your honest answer!
In my opinion it is a matter of taste if the 3.-Be7 or 3.-Nf6 move order gives the most interesting possibilities.
I am looking forward to the excerpt and I am curious about what it will be.
January 10th, 2017 at 20:05 | #159 @TopNotch
According to my analysis only 12…Qb6! equalises. Hope this was also your conclusion ?
@ Nikos
Actually I didn’t concentrate so much on 12…Qb6, but as you indicated it I will check it.
My analysis focused on 12…h3 13.gxh3 Qa5 whereupon black seems to have satisfactory play after White’s three main replies14.dxe6, 14.Qd2 and the move not considered by Postny 14.Bd2.
@TopNotch
The problem is 12…h3 13.Ne3! which is more close to +/- than to +/=. Did Postny (and you) considered that?
@Bebbe
Thanks. You can call it a matter of fashion or a matter of taste of course, but what i discovered when i examined closely the exchange varaition is that the top players are choosing a particular line for a very very good reason! Because it gives Black not only equal, but also interesting and rich play.
Anyway, i am hoping that this book will be out soon so that i’ll have the opportunity to talk about that and share my excitement about re-discovering classical chess!
@Bebbe
I thought you were a KID fan 🙂
@Nikos ntirlis
I see already a new project: ‘A Classical Opening Repertoire for White’ 🙂
Based on the Steinitz-Gambit?
Nikos – January 11th, 2017 at 15:15 | #169 Reply |@TopNotch
The problem is 12…h3 13.Ne3! which is more close to +/- than to +/=. Did Postny (and you) considered that?
Actually no, neither of us considered that, I will have to take a look and thanks for the heads up.
Best Regards
@Nikos ntirlis
When you thinks that your QGD bok is available for purchase ?
Why you do not like 3…Le7 ? I thought 3…Sf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Lg5 is a problem, example 5. Lg5 c6 6. e3 Lf5 7. Df3 ?
@Jeg taper partiet men vinner krigen
No, i have another line in mind that the top players have used again and again. Sometimes it takes a bit of time for the rest of us to understand why the top players play like that. It took me more than 1,5 years to really understand why a line that was considered an easy +/= a few years ago now is considered fully playable for Black.
As for when the book will be available for purchase, i guess that we are away some months for that, but maybe i’ll give some heads up in one of the future vlogs (maybe…).
@Ray
I am a KID fan! The KID is my main weapon against 1.d4, 1.c4 and 1. Nf3.
I will probanly play the KID in like 70% of my games against these moves.
As I said I want something solid to complement the uncompromising KID.
The reasons are:
1. It might be useful against a specific opponent.
2. It might be useful in a specific tornament situation.
3. I will become a better chess player by playing positions with totally different character.
4. My endgame skills will improve since there will be more endgames in the QG.
@Nikos
My guess is that it will be the Lasker varition since many of the top players like Caruana, Nakamura, Anand, Aronian, Radjabov and others have it in their repertoires.
Against the exchange varition I think it will be 4. -Nxd5 transposing to the Semi-Tarrasch.
Kramnik has played this way lately.
Black will need to know what to play against the Catalan as well.
@Bebbe
Υou couldn’t be more wrong in your predictions!:P
@Nikos ntirlis
Hi Nikos,
I wanted to ask you if you will be providing solutions in your book against 2 non c4 moves by white. {e.g. Blackmar-Diemer, 2 Bg5, London System (2 Bf4 and 2 Nf3 Bf4, Torre, Colle, etc)} and also the Catalan?
Did you also decide to provide lines against 1 c4 and 1 Nf3?
Thank you.
James
@James2
Yes, yes and yes! Everything.
@Nikos ntirlis
What a cracking book this is going to be. I’m really looking forward to this one, as that will be my black repertoire completed. Great stuff.
I know you help others with their books at Quality chess, but are there any plans for you to do a similar book (or books) for white? I feel that I learn the most from complete games and narrative and your 1..e5 book is just great for that.
Thank you Nikos.
James
@James2
No plans for that. But you can always suggest and the bosses are reading 😀
@Nikos
At least I am trying. So no Tartakower and no Lasker.
What is left? Capablanca variation and Cambridge springs?
Great news that the book will also cover sidelines and the Catalan.
On more vote from me. 🙂
@Bebbe
Look what Kramnik, Anand and Aronian are doing.
@Nikos
Think I have figured it out.
The variation will be 4.Bg5, Be7 5.e3, 0-0 6.Nf3, Nbd7 7.Rc1, h6 8.Rc1, c5 (not sure about the moveorder).
Seems very fashionable right now and I know nothing about it. Must be very new.
on 4.Nf3 there will follow 4.-Nbd7 5.Bf4, dxc4.
Sorry 8.Bh4
@Nikos ntirlis
I had a very brief look at this.
I think it will go 1 d5 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 Nf3 and now 4..Nbd7. This will give the opportunity to try something different of white plays 5 Bf4 and avoids the normal 5 Bf4 lines. It also avoids all of the already known theory of 5 Be7 etc, etc.
I’m not sure what it will be against the exchange. There are a number of possibilities but I will look forward to seeing how you treat it Nikos.
James
@Nikos ntirlis
Ooops, I forgot to add, that in the Bg5 mainline (1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 Nbd7 5 Bg5 I think it will be 5..h6 for black.
I also forgot to mention that the Catalan is another one that is difficult to predict as there are so many possibilities against it. Could we have any futher ideas as to whether it will be the open (6..dxc4) or maybe some closed variant?
Thank you.
James
@Thomas
Yes, this is really due for revival, with use of the latest engine games and of course a top notch correspondence database.
@Bebbe
I see, but if you want something solid and have e.g. no objections gainst endgames, I don’t see antyhing wrong with 3…Nf6. Anyway, in solid openings like the QDC black is primarily looking to equalise and try to outplay his openent in the middlegame, and not so much to look for counterchances in the opening.
Happy Hogmanay to all at QC and on the blog.
Read the link https://new.uschess.org/news/five-chess-tech-tips-for-the-new-year-part-2/ that was referenced in the Recent Comments section. Good food for thought. Any insights from the QC team about which software you recommend and what you use to check analysis in your books? It was interesting to hear Peter Svidler say he doesn’t understand Komodo’s lines- they aren’t natural to his eyes compared to say Stockfish so he finds it pointless to use that program as he wants a prog that helps him play moves that make sense to him. On the flip side you could argue that Komodo’s lines are so unnatural that yuo could plays moves that will bamboozle your opponent with their strangeness and so may be a better tactical choice.
That’s fine for Gms but with my club level ability , my positional understanding is unable to draw any such conclusions myself. Obscure tactical possibilities that no human can understand seems to be enough to hold a position together enoughfor an engine to hold and draw so two engines may equally give 0.00 but one might understand the basics (pawn structure, piece placement etc) better than the other but this is not reflected in the identical evaluation due to the obscure tactics keeping the dubious position afloat. If I wanted to choose the engine to help me understand the positional subtleties and make better moves to improve my game which would you choose to use? It may even be horses for courses eg…
…. horses for courses eg some progs better in the middlegame and others in the endings.
in a related vein is there an official ‘ in-house’ engine? So we know what, say Stockfish, has led the QC team to believe when writing, checking and editing lines- it might be worth looking if we might get a different opinion from a different engine?
Thanks
@Johnnyboy
No official in-house engine as such. We use both Komodo and Stockfish, but we don’t really care too much about the evaluations. We use it mainly to show us moves that we had not seen and to argue against. We see it as someone that will try to prove us wrong, rather than someone to follow. I honestly believe this is the right approach to any engine.
Glad to ear that engines are used only to check against hidden tactics and on some non-intuitive moves/variations. We have to rely on human ( GMs!) assements rather than engine evaluations ! Otherwise next books will be authored by Komodo & SF.
…human assessments rather than engine…
Then please check chapter 7 of your Tarrasch book GM10, which was completely 100% engine chess and no human brain inspired moves at all.
You guys at Quality Chess are where blessed because you have Nikos and other amateur chess enthusiasts/lunatics who are pushing chess opening manual even beyond any limit!
Some years ago most of chess players would tell you that an amateur as Nikos with Elo 1800 can’t write even an introduction…
But today I’m proud that such men exist, and together with Rotella 🙂 and Lokander 🙂 they will shape future openings books for sure…
@Nikos ntirlis
Hi Nikos,
I had another look at the database this evening to see if I could identify the line(s) you were going to recommend in your new book. I noticed that there is a way to transpose to the Semi-Slav which has been popular this year (1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 4 Nf6 5 Nf3 Nbd7 6 Bg5 c6 7 e3 h6) and now 8 Bh4 g5 9 Bg3 Nh5 has been played in 2016. I am hoping this is going to be the mainline recommendation. I wouldn’t call it a ‘fudge’ transposing to the Semi Slav either!
I think 6 Bf4 will be met by 6..dxc4 also.
I’m also hoping the Catalan recommendation will be 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 g3 Bb4+ 5 Bd2 and now Be7 as opposed to Pert’s 5..Bd6 in his new Ragozin book. This line also seems to have been played quite frequently in 2016.
Anyway, these are what I picked out and I spent an enjoyable hour or so going through the database.
Thanks Nikos!
James
@Johnnyboy
Not to tell tales out of school, but I’m informed that the Svidler quote was kind of a throwaway and wasn’t a studied or ‘official’ opinion.
I’d also be interested to know where the discussion of my piece appeared here. I’m away at a tournament and must have missed its being posted. Thanks!
What books Will be published after the nimzo book
I’d guess
1. Kotronias on the KI Vol 5
2. Playing 1.d4 d5
3. Playing 1.e4 Vol 2
4. GM Rep The Najdorf
I’m guessing the last two will be end of this year. The first two maybe Spring
We really need an updated Publishing Schedule ?
Don’t forget Tal volume 3, Thinking inside the Box, Avruk 1.d4 volume 3…
And I’m guessing that volume 3 of the Gelfand series will also be published this year (maybe around summer again)
@Ray
Later in the year. The others are progressing well.
Great to hear!
@Jacob Aagaard
How about Negi 5? We haven’t heard much on that over the last few months. I understand he will be doing exams probably now and in the spring/summer, so maybe hoping for this before the end of Autumn 2017 is unrealistic?
Where is John up to with 1 e4 volume 2 please?
James
I noticed Kotronias in between his QC books also wrote a new book for Chess Stars – his work ethos is amazing 🙂 .
@James2
I believe we will have a Negi book this summer, but I really am not the person best positioned to determine this. Also, Negi works in spurts, basically in school breaks.
John is far with 1.e4 volume 2, but still some months away. Another potential murder weapon, in a physical sense as well…
@Jacob Aagaard
Some months ? So not Winter then?
Well I suppose quality stuff takes time….I’m
Sure it will be worth the wait
@The Doctor
I think 2017
I’m guessing Winter 2017 is more like Dec 2017 rather than Jan or Feb 2017 unfortunately.
@The Doctor
Don’t be ridiculous
i was saying it tongue ? cheek. However it wouldn’t surprise me!! ?
Van Wely just refuted the line against the Scheveningen John was going to recommend, and it takes months to repair this 🙂
@The Doctor
Me too. Hopefully not, but I recognise the sentiment!
Maybe these have been answered before but…
1. What exactly is Negi 5- Spanish?
2. how are the last 2 Avrukh d4 books split up? Can see that a lot of it will feature ….g6 lines eg but will KI/Grunfeld be in one volume and the rest eg Budapest, Dutch, Benoni in another?
Thanks
@johnnyboy
5 is minor lines, 6 is 1.e5 e5.
Boris is almost done with the next volume. How he has split things I actually do not know.
Will Negi go for Ruy Lopez, Giuco Piano or the Scotch?
Sadler declares Smirin his book of 2016 in the latest New in Chess.
@RB
Ruy Lopez
The normal 6.Re1 or something with d3?
@RB
I would not want to answer such a detail question months in advance 🙂
hope for Re1
@RB
I reckon he’ll go d3 though, its theoretically no worse than Re1 lines and lot less to learn
@The Doctor
I don’t think that’s an issue for Negi. He’ll go for the strongest lines, just as in the Open Sicilian, where he didn’t mind recommending over 1000 pages of theory 🙂
guessing he will do d3 berlin, but no d3 Mainline
Does any book other than McDonald’s Ruy Lopez: Move by Move cover the d3 lines of the Lopez? If not, it’s a gap in the market.
@Daniel
Everyman did a book ‘Play the Ruy Lopez’ it was based on the Worrall Attack. I believe it written by QC’s Andrew Greet
Thanks to QC and Richard for the Ragozin book. I tried its recommendations this weekend and, despite stumbling through the opening, scored my first victory over a master. Thanks also for the Lipnitsky book, a gem.
@Robert R
You are most welcome!
@Jacob Aagaard
Just wondering if there are plans to do a complimentary GM Rep on the Queen’s Indian?
If so would you imagine that after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Black will now play 4…Bb7 (rather than 4…Ba6) in order to compliment the 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6 chapter in GM Rep 19 where on many occasions there is transposition to the 4…Bb7 lines.
Yes indeed, excellent idea
Another wish/vote for a Queen’s Indian book.
@John Johnson
Yes, we want to do it.
When you are going to give us a pub schedule or a Catalog ?
@Jacob Aagaard
Do you intend to do a 3rd edition of Playing 1.d4 The Queen’s Gambit and 2nd edition of Playing 1.d4 The Indian Defences?
Any news on when the last Tal volume will come out ?
Hi,
I just bought “Playing the Ragozin yesterday”, which seems to be a great piece of strong analysis (as usual with quality chess books). I have just one question and i hope this the right place to ask it.
It’s about move order and trasnposition.
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5, Richard Pert recommends 5…dc4, which seems interesting, but maybe something i’ll feel confortable with. So i check a bit on for some alternative, especially 5…Nbd7.
So after the moves 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 Nbd7, the immense majority of games seems to continued with 6.cd5 ed5 and now white has some choice, but the three main moves are:
7.Qc2, 7.e3, and 7, Rc1 and after each of this move black could play 7…h6 which is almost followed by 8.Bh4, transposiong into chapter 2 of the book (after 5.cd5 ed5, 6 Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Nbd7 and now 8.e3 or 8.Qc2 [8.Rc1 is not covered by in the book i think])
So my question is why Richard Pert prefers to avoid this transposition? I first thought that retraeting the bishop on f4 would be an issue if the Nb8 is already on d7, but some very strong players don’t seems to care.
I did not see an explaination nor in the book, nor in the comments of this post. Sorry in advance if i missed the answer somewhere
Thanks in advance
Hi again,
I realized i forgot a word:
“… Richard Pert recommends 5…dc4, which seems interesting, but maybe NOT something i’ll feel confortable with”.
Sorry
I’ve considered 5…Nbd7, although avoiding 6 cxd5 and just playing 6 e3 seems pleasant for White.
@Steen Skovlund Larsen
It is almost done. This spring. Vh. Jacob
@pawnsac
No
@RB
When we have the final covers ready. I do worry that it will collide with my departure for India 🙁