It was suggested that instead of doing a long-term publishing schedule, we should simply reveal what we are working on at the moment. Sure, why not. Not sure it will be more coherent though!
John is working on e3 Poison by Axel Smith. It is almost done. Then it will go to typesetting and printing. I should say that we also have another Axel Smith book coming down the line.
After he finished this week, John will return to the dungeon where he wrote the King’s Gambit. He will not be allowed to work on any other book, until he has finished Playing 1.e4 – Sicilian & French
Andrew is deep in Playing 1.d4 d5 – A Classical Repertoire by Nikos, or to the outside world, Nikolaos Ntirlis. There is still a good deal to do and Andrew will no doubt have to take a break proofreading another book at some point. But it is coming and it will be good. Down the horizon, we have Grandmaster Repertoire 2A – 1.d4 vs King’s Indian and the Grünfeld (or something along those lines; I do not know what the exact title is!).
I am working mainly on long-term projects, but also on the typesetting of Sharp Endgames by Esben Lund, followed by Chess Behind Bars by Carl Portman, which will have a pre-release event at the British Championship at the end of July. Third in the list will be Grandmaster Repertoire – The Pirc by Mihail Marin, which still needs a bit of checking, but which is essentially written and edited.
And we should not forget that Grandmaster Preparation – Thinking Inside the Box by yours truly, and Kotronias on the King’s Indian 5 – Sämisch & the Rest will be out on the 7th of June – only eight sleeps away…
Colin is working on all of these projects as well as the 10-year anniversary edition of Build up your Chess 1, which has so few corrections and updates the main change will be the small badge on the cover ?.
Further down the road we have another book coming from Axel Smith, as promised. Actually, all of our most popular authors are working on new books.
Hi,
No news about Misha Volume 3 ?
Nice to see that ” E3 Poison ” has not decimated QC Tartan Army
To the dungeon wi’ ‘im, lest ‘e face my dudgeon! Arrrr!
so many updates, so few pdf samples! #disgruntled 😀
Cheers guys. Will be buying the Smith book. Can you let us know what his follow up book will be please?
@LaurentF
It is coming along too. It is in proof reading stage, but on a low burner.
So Johns recent blog post was the last we heard of him for the next two years or so.
I wish him well!
@Thomas
Hard to hear from the echo in down there, but I think he said thanks.
…so the e3-excerpt should be out this week..? BTW, could you please say something more about the next Smith book? Is it an opening book, a continuation of “Pump up…” or something entirely different?
Thank you!
@Tygrysek
No, not that fast. It is not when the editing is finished, but when the book is sent to the printer. There is a lot of work yet. Maybe 2 weeks.
The continuation is working on ideas from Pump, yes.
>>>The continuation is working on ideas from Pump, yes.<<<
Great!
Can you comment on what Nikos book will be founded on? I.e. what variation of queens gambit will he recommend?
No Tal III? I thought you’re editing it.
@AJZ
Ok, the answer is above.
@David
I hope it is not only a single variation but rather a complete work through the QGD. I prefer to make the choice by myself
@RYV
It is from 1.d4 d5
@ RYV
It’s a repertoire book, so I guess Nikos will recommend selected variations rather than write a complete work.
To JA : Don’t you think it would be nice to open a new topic about TITB readers remarks ?
@Ray
No probems if Nikos recommands a few selected lines. But i would also know why the others lines are not as good. So a complete work is needed.
It is very frustrating when a book doesnt mention alternatives lines just because of … author choice
@RYV
Editor’s choice also: space, time, sales are constrained, avoid walking on other authors, etc.
Then, what you find by yourself is more valuable than the book 🙂
@Jacob Aagaard
What is the process. Proof reading then typesetting then publication ? Something else ?
Don’t oversell it. If that were always true, there would be no reason to buy the book!
Actually, all of our most popular authors are working on new books.
Does this mean Artur is working on the Blue revision and exam?
After all, your recent video with him said he was your biggest seller!
Pirc ,,is essentially written and edited” , would be likely before Jultid ?
@Cowe
Yes, this is true. Finding one thing yourself is more valuable than reading that one thing. But our books hopefully can give you 10-100 times as much information as you can find in the same amount of time it takes reading them. And with the exercise books, finding stuff IS the point!
@RYV
Complete books have lost their audience and seem to be a thing of the past.
@Pinpon
I want to write something for Wednesday, the official publication day.
Do you have any plans on a white repertoire book based on the London system? I understand that you are (mainly) doing books on respectable openings. However, it seems that the London system has recently gained popularity among stronger players. Hence, I think that a book like “Playing the London system” might be a nice addition to your catalogue and might also interest quite many players.
I’m not sure where to ask such a question, here seemed like a good a place as any.
In GM13 (Open Spanish), Mikhalevski recommends meeting 9 c3 with 9…Bc5. I was wondering why he didn’t go for 9…Be7 – it seems as though play is rather likely to transpose back into a different chapter, and the independent options don’t seem particularly common nor dangerous.
Thanks.
@VJ
To be fair, there are two very recent major books on this by other publishers, plus a DVD.
Not too sure the chess world needs more of that at the moment, great city that it is.
Are there concrete plans regarding a Queens Indian/Catalan book? I think in an older publ.shed. there was mentioned that Roiz is doing one about the QI as well. Would be really cool, I enjoy his work about the Nimzo very much. And with the Nimzo, without the QI, there is now a hole because there is not much published about the QI as well. Probably Niko’s book must fill the gap for the time…
@VJ
No, other books are out on this and this will be enough.
@MN
I think you would have to ask him. I think he chose the moves he liked the most.
@Lasker
Ragozin also fills the gap. But yes, we have long term plans.
@Jacob Aagaard
Thanks for the info. I am aware that there a few relatively recent books and dvds around regarding the London system, but I have to say that their quality cannot be compared to your books. For example, I quite like “Playing the Trompowsky”; very clear presentation and for some reason I tend to believe your assessments more than the other publishers. The only bad thing is that I am not that fond of the Trompowsky itself.
The current literature on the London is good (as is the DVD) and expansive. The market appear saturated at the moment.
Speaking of which, is there any intent to put out some new material on the English?
the English was covered really well by Mikhalevski in Beating Minor Openings- as I only play the black side of it , that is all I need.
@Steve
It is not in the next wave of attack.
@Johnnyboy
Good book that one but QC do not do bad ones.
@Steve
Not too often I hope 🙂
All good from my perspective.
Is e3 poison a reperoire book presenting the d4, Nf3, c4 ,e3 system or it is presenting all kind of lines like 1.b4 or 1.b3 which deals with an e3-pawn?
The former
picsou, I guess we’ll have to wait for an excerpt (which should be out anytime soon)… or maybe Mr. Aagaard will show some mercy and tell us anything more specific about the systems chosen by A.Smith..? 🙂
@Tygrysek
No mercy. Busy
Very well! Go back to the dungeon, then. 🙂
@Jacob Aagaard
Did John keep you prisoner in his dungeon, without internet access? 😉
@Tobias
I worked till 3am day in, day out to finish my book…
@Jacob Aagaard
Wow. thats not healthy – please take care of yourself.
For such cases – I once heard about a trick some Russian truck drivers use to keep awake while on the road. They would make some instant coffee, however, for this they do not heat up water but… Coke (!). This could be useful for the QC guys in their „dungeon days“. That is, if you aren’t afraid of (very possible) heart attacks or similar side effects ;).
Hence the title ‘Think Inside The Box’
@Ray
I slept all the way till 7am, so it was not so bad. Then I went on the Asian trip, starting with skipping one night’s sleep and then surviving on an average of just under 5 hours of sleep for 28 days, with 19 flights and lectures in 12 cities.
When I came home I was fine, slept a bit more, then went running around the water reservoir in Milngavie with my daughter and got a chest infection from the breeze. Somehow my immune system was depleted! I was coughing up blood for a week. All right now, back to full fitness, doing 12-14 hours of sport a week and full vegan diet.
Wasn’t TITB meant to be published on Wednesday? I’m already looking forward to it (and as a 1.d4 player to Smith’s book as well).
@Jacob Aagaard
Dungeon it was indeed.
Looking forward to reading the book! With my current stack of yet-unread QC books that I want to read first (keep the best for last, and this is apparently your best one ever, makes me wonder why I bought the other ones ;-)) and newly-found family live, that might not be before 2019 though.
PS: Since I love sarcasm: 2019 – just in time for also reading the newly published Playing 1. e4 – Sicilian & French
Good weekend to all at QC,
Is there any more information on Negi 5 given that he is hopefully coming towards the end of his exams for this year?
James
@James2
We have no news at this moment. But I feel confident that the book will come out this year.
@Tobias
Are we talking about the second edition?
Seriously, bump Box to the top of the list 😉
@Jacob Aagaard
Good stuff Jacob. Thank you, as always.
James
I don’t think you mean the London System of Yesteryear which is not that popular. The way it is played today is known as the Accelerated London, an important distinction. This trend will fade soon enough so no need to panic, in a few months only Kamsky and Grachev will still be playing it. Just to reveal one little known but quite effective antidote: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 c5 3.d5 d6 4.Nc3 e5! =/ =+ if you start 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 then just check So’s recent games as Black or even Aronians 6…Be7 which is more than sufficient for complete equlaity.
Strong players use the Accelerated London just to get a game, and that’s not a very compelling motive for a Repertoire book, not to mention that the market is currently flooded with London System material although I agree with you that some/much of it is rubbish that will help you little with what you will face over the board in future.
Toodaloo.
Maybe finding promising lines against the French is proving insurmountable, hence the continual delay of the book. 🙂
@Jacob Aagaard
Wow, that sound pretty serious to me – I really think you should watch your health, but it’s your life of course 🙂
@Topnotch
Whilst I also wouldn’t advocate that QC produce a book on the London as there are already plenty out there, it is one thing to say it gives black easy equality and another thing to hold that balance throughout a game.
Couldn’t it equally be argued that black also gets theoretical equality when defending 1 d4 with the Slav and 1 e4 with the Petroff? Yet there are plenty of us prepared to take-on these positions with both the white and black pieces.
Hi Will you be doing a book on the Alekhine defence?
@Topnotch
I very seriously doubt any true London player would ever meet 2…c5 with 3.d5, rather than 3.e3 or 3.c3… Not to mention that White is definitely not worse after 3.d5 d6 4.Nc3 e5 (though 4…e5 clearly IS a good move); say, 5.dxe6 Bxe6 6.e4. I wouldn’t say that this is even remotely advantageous for White, but it surely is not below equality either. But the whole discussion is irrelevant, as 3.d5 is highly unlikely to occur (and yes, your 4…e5 coming with tempo is one reason why).
I think, in terms of nomenclature, it would be most appropriate to include both the 2.Nf3/3.Bf4 and 2.Bf4/without an early Nf3 move orders under the “London” umbrella; and to distinguish between the two with terms such as “Old/Modern” or the likes.
By the way, I got confused with the “more than sufficient for equality” comment; it either IS sufficient for equality, or it isn’t! Do you mean “sufficient for equality and with potential for some advantage”? Or perhaps “it equalizes in extremely easy fashion and with no effort”?
@Michael
Black has theoretical equality in practically every serious opening nowadays, but chess is a difficult game, so behind the board it’s practically irrelevant for everyone below the super GMs…
@Jacob Aagaard
Two quick questions about 1.d4 d5
Do you think it’ll published before September? (When my next season starts).
Any idea on the page count, between 400-500 pages?
@Ray
Agreed and exactly my point Ray……these days as white all I look for is a position that offers play for both sides ….one of the reasons as a 1 d4….1 c4 or 1 Nf3 player (but one that also tries to avoid mainlines when playing white) I’m looking forward (although I have long since stopped holding my breath waiting) to Alex Smith’s new book as it may provide some new and interesting ideas in the non mainlines.
@luis
Not right now.
@The Doctor
Yes and around 400
@Ray
My health is the best it has been in my life. It is the only time I have been ill for a very long time. But I did do something really challenging and amazing. I don’t see a great point to working out every day and building up great health, if you cannot use it to do difficult things from time to time :-).
The Najdorf sicilian is a high demand but we do not see anything comming . Is there some on going work ? If not , is it a deliberate decision of QC ? Or a lack of a competent author ? Or too rapid change on too many lines to make it worthwhile regarding all the delays of a printed book ? Or any other reason…
I have just seen that on the chess stars website Kotronias has published an anylitical response to John Shaws “bust” of the 3…Qd6-Scandinavian in “Playing 1.e4 I”.
I do not want John to be released from the dungeon 😉 and his work on “Playing 1.e4 II” before he has finished, but perhaps if he is allowed to have a lunch break he may find the time to take a look at this and leave a comment?
@Tom Tidom No lunch breaks for Mr Shaw! Not until “e3 poison” and “playing 1.e4” are out!
@Jacob Aagaard
🙂 Fair point 🙂
@Tom Tidom
We will look at it; not John.
@RYV
You can always discuss if the authors are competent :-), but it is a bit beyond the horizon, but approaching.
@Jacob Aagaard
Nice. Thank you in advance!
Besides, I find it curious that we have come so far that a sideline of the Scandinavian (well, maybe it´s the new mainline?!) is seemingly analysed to death. This is certainly not what the typical Scandinavian aficionado (luckily that´s not me!) is looking for :-).
Is the author of the said Najdorf book a certain Mr Aagaard?
Just noticed this on the old GM 6 Sicilian Defence page!
“Playing the Najdorf is planned for late 2017 or 2018”
So its a GM Guide rather than a GM repertoire or is is not written by a GM at all??
Intersting!!!
Kotronias is just pissed at QC for suggesting that the line in Playing 1.e4 refutes his Scandi Stuff. I had a look at his update and only a masochist as Black would play into the updated lines he gives. In fact a consumer who was thinking of buying The Safest Scandinavian, and stumbled across the update first probably wouldn’t bother to invest in the book, thinking to themselves ‘Is this the best black can do, is this what I have to look forward to?’
Wouldn’t surprise me if the update gets pulled or re-updated, as is it’s just a sales killer.
It seems bizarre to spend that much space analysing 8…Qc7, when Kotronias considers 8…Qe6+”!” to be stronger
@MN
Kotronias is a perfectionist…doesn’t like a line of his to be refuted hence the update. Have to say his Sicilian sveshnikov and Beating anti sicilians still holding up very well. Though I don’t play the Kings Indian so don’t know the quality there you can’t fault his thoroughness with 5 books and he even updated the previous volumes in his latest tome.
His advance caro kann book from way back in the previous century was similarly thorough- world leading at the time.
Speaking in general terms, I would be rather concerned if my Black repertoire’s main line’s validity was based on a move that reads “8…Qe6+”, irrespective of the position…
(That is, of course, a punt against the Scandinavian, not Kotronias)
@ Johnnyboy
Yeah, his Caro-Kann Advance book was awesome and the reason for me then to play this line. I just bought his volume 5 on the KID, and his updates are really impressive – it’s really outstanding service by QC!!
@Tom Tidom
We found 304 possible endgames in Kotronias’s repairation of the line that are close to winning. In the weekend I will be in Greece and Nikos and I will check if any of them are actually winning.
It is possible, but not certain, that this line holds in correspondence chess. It is entirely unplayable in over the board chess, where I doubt it would get a 25% score in games between even players.
@The Doctor
You will be relieved to know it is not.
@Topnotch
A few points. He is not pissed off. Actually, he wrote nicely about John, giving his idea !!. Vassilios is an analyst. He analyses deeply, looking for the truth. He did this here.
His main point, which is right at the beginning, is that his main recommendation is to go for another line, just stating that he believes his assessment. I don’t. I wrote most of the Scandinavian chapter and only this Rg1 novelty came from John. So, although John agrees and has checked the chapter, it is my original evaluation that “in no way this is equal” or whatever I said. I stand by that. But sure, it is also not busted. However, the long variation was either equal or busted. I think even after such analysis, we can call it busted and Kotronias does not actually contradict this. He just says it is not winning. There is a difference.
@Johnnyboy
His work ethic is absolutely great. His problem here is that the line is bad and work ethic cannot resolve this :-).
@Jacob Aagaard
Well, that is quite a number of endgames ;-). Anyway, I would never consider playing something like that with Black.
Actually for me this applies to the Scandinavian as a whole. I am quite happy with the lines for White against it in “Playing 1.e4 I” which is a great book.
Therefore I hope to see part II as soon as possible :-).
@Tom Tidom
The news is that John is back working on it. And this time he will accept no distractions. And a lot has been done already. Really a lot. So, I am continuing to believe that it is happening sooner rather than later (as always).
After this one, John will never write another book. This is the solid prediction!
Not even his memoires?
Just think, when Shaw 2, Niko’s 1 d4 d5 and Smith’s e3 book are out, one could have a 1 e4 repertoire by Shaw, use Smith’s e3 book to mix it up a bit and then Niko and Mikhalevski providing the black repertoire.
This is not including Negi if you wanted to mix up the 1 e4 things as white…..
These books cannot come quick enough (hopefully before September and the start of the new season!).
James
I am excited to be near the release of my book ‘Chess Behind Bars’. It is totally unique in terms of chess books but I believe there is something for everyone within the pages. Aimed at inmates it will surely be of interest to all chess players and the wider public. Chess can – and really does – make a huge positive difference to people’s lives. But then WE know that! Prisoner testimony speaks for itself in one of the chapters and I am very happy that the book achieves what I intended. What the reader thinks will be up to them of course but I hope that the notion that there is a dream behind every door becomes clear…
Just becareful in all the mixing up, that you don’t mix yourself up trying to utilise all these various repertoires.
@Jacob
If John is back writing his 1e4 book does this mean that editing of e3 Poison is now completed and that we can expect and excerpt and publication in the near future (like this month)?
@Michael
Yes.
Obviously Playing 1.e4 will not be out before September, but with the other two, there is a shot. e3 Poison is further along.
well you are right ! until the book is completed, there is no way to tell if author is competent or not. the book is good then the author is competent, the book is crap then …..
As usual a competent author is only a judgement on his previous books but could turn wrong on the next one.
@Topnotch
Ah, yes, of course. But for a club player like me that will be a nice selection of books to look at for opening preparation, hopefully for a long time to come.
James
@Jacob Aagaard
Chess Direct were taking advance orders for Playing 1.e4 and put my order in mid August last year-faint hopes the summer would still be finishing when I got my copy but could live with a wee xmas treat to myself. Feeling foolish. Please make sure I’m enjoying it over the xmas turkey 2017 (or vegan alternative, Jacob)!
@Carl Portman
yes this book is highly awaited. It is really important to show that chess and chess books can impact more than a few players. Congratulations to you for this work.
Is an excerpt from e3 poison close to be publishier ?
Hi all at QC,
Are we still looking to be ok on a late August/early September publishing date (physical book) for Niko 1 d4 d5?
Thank you.
James
@Picsou
Yeah, reasonably close. Typeset to finish this week, then proof reading.
@James2
Honestly, it is a bit tight. Some updates are on their way from the author. Sometimes things happen in the editing process. We find things we would like to correct, expand on, change and so on. (If you want to see how a book looks with no editing, please go to Chess Evolutions’ books).
@Jacob Aagaard No Problem Jacob. You’re thoroughness is appreciated by all, I’m sure.
James