GRANDMASTER REPERTOIRE 6: THE SICILIAN DEFENCE

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Lubomir Ftacnik
Grandmaster Repertoire is a series of high quality chess books based on the main lines of openings, written by strong Grandmasters. The aim is to provide the reader with a complete repertoire at a level good enough for elite tournaments, and certainly also for the club championship. Grandmaster Repertoire provides a repertoire to last a lifetime.
Lubomir Ftacnik is a renowned opening analyst with great experience and expertise in the Sicilian Defense. In this book he reveals his secrets to provide a complete repertoire for Black against 1.e4 with 1...c5. The meat of the repertoire is the Sicilian Najdorf - the perennial favourite of those who want to attack with Black. It is no coincidence that Fischer, Kasparov and Anand have all relied on the Najdorf.
The author shows how to handle the Black side against White's main attacking attempts such as 6.f4, 6.Be2, 6.Bc4, 6.Be3, and 6.Bg5. Naturally, White's less critical tries are also covered, such as 2.c3, 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+, and the Closed Sicilian.
Lubomir Ftacnik is a Grandmaster from Slovakia. Despite his numerous international tournament victories, from European Junior Champion in 1977 to winning the World Open in 2008, he is most famous as an opening analyst.
Pub. 2010, softback, 427 pages.
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QUALITY CHESS PUZZLE BOOK

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John Shaw
The vast majority of puzzles in this book were discovered by the Quality Chess editors when examining unannotated games from recent events. In addition, of the 735 puzzles in the book 700 are from the year 2000 or later, so the reader will not have seen them before in older puzzle books.
After the introduction chapters 2, 3 & 4, containing thematic puzzles, are the easiest to solve although not "easy". Chapters 5-14 deal with different scenarios such as endgames, pawn promotions and defence whilst chapter 15 "Brain Crushers" speaks for itself! These puzzles are tough and get tougher as the book goes on but all can be solved without a chess board in front of you.
John Shaw's criteria for writing the book were:
* The puzzles should be challenging but not so difficult that a chessboard is needed
* They can be solved on the train, plane or wherever you happen to be when you have a few minutes to spare
* The positions should be educational with some instructive point to the solution
* They should be fun!
John Shaw is a Scottish Grandmaster and one half of Quality Chess. He has been Scottish Champion three times.
Pub. 2010, softback, 352 pages.
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OPENING FOR WHITE ACCORDING TO ANAND: VOL. 13

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Alexander Khalifman
This volume is devoted mostly to the English Attack in the Najdorf system, that is the variation beginning with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3. White's plan is simple and clear in the majority of cases: Qd2, g4, castling long and then a pawn-offensive on the kingside.
The Najdorf system has become the most popular in the Sicilian Defence long, long ago. Robert Fischer and Garry Kasparov were understandably its most famous exponents. Still, it looks like it will remain tremendously fashionable in the future as well. White began to play the English Attack (that is the plan with Be3/f3/Qd2) regularly during the middle of the 1980s, while prior to that, the main theoretical discussions concerned the lines with 6.Bg5 and 6.Bc4.
Naturally, the evaluations in this system have been constantly changing, just like in every other sharp and fashionable variation, but this exact plan has been White's main weapon against the Najdorf system for many years. It is also worth mentioning that contrary to some other opening variations, which are popular only at the top-level, or only among amateurs, the English Attack is top-fashion at all levels.
Author GM Alexander Khalifman was the FIDE World Champion from 1999-2000 and currently runs a chess academy in St Petersburg.
Pub. 2010, softback, 380 pages.
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CALCULATE LIKE A GRANDMASTER

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Daniel Gormally
In this book GM Daniel Gormally attempts to understand the thought processes of some of the world's leading attacking players, past and present, by dissecting their games and re-creating the "tree of analysis" first introduced in Alexander Kotov's book "Think Like a Grandmaster".
Players featured include Mikhail Tal, Alexei Shirov, Veselin Topalov, Alexander Morozevich and the author himself! Gormally includes valuable advice on different aspects of the game such as computers and opening preparation as well as including anecdotes and reminiscences from his own, sometimes colourful, chess career.
A fascinating book with some great games and valuable advice on improving your chess calculating ability.
Daniel Gormally is a British Grandmaster and was joint winner of the British Rapidplay Championship in 2006.
Pub. 2010, softback, 256 pages.

PLAY THE LONDON SYSTEM

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Cyrus Lakdawala
The London System (1.d4,d5; 2.Bf4) is a popular opening, especially at club level. White's plan of development is very easy to learn and play, and it can be employed against virtually any defensive set-up. What's more, depending on mood, style or opponent, White can choose either to attack directly or to instigate a more positional strategy. Many Black players admit they hate facing the London System, which is surely a good reason to play it!
In this book Cyrus Lakdawala presents a reliable repertoire for White with the London System against all Black's major defensive options. Using 92 illustrative games and drawing upon his vast experience in the opening, Lakdawala reveals ideas for White against all of Black's main defences, including 1..d5; the Dutch, Grunfeld, King's Indian and Queen's Indian Defences. He explains the typical plans and tactics for both sides and includes summaries with key points to remember. This book provides everything a player of the White pieces needs to know to play the London System with confidence.
Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master and former American Open Champion. He has been teaching chess for 30 years.
Pub. 2010, softback, 256 pages.
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10 GREAT WAYS TO GET BETTER AT CHESS

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Nigel Davies
Is it possible for amateur players, with limited time available for chess study, to improve their game? Nigel Davies believes that anyone can improve their chess, at any age, by adopting an effective approach. In this book he identifies ten key areas of the game which, in his own experience as a chess coach, he has found to be the most important for an aspiring player. By focusing on these areas players can, in the limited time they have available, produce an improvement in their game.
Key areas for chess improvement include studying the endgame and developing tactical vision alongside psychological weapons such as pre-game rituals, curing time trouble and knowing your enemy. Davies offers practical examples from competitive games of the value of improvement in these areas.
Nigel Davies is a Grandmaster, a winner of numerous international tournaments and a former British Rapidplay Champion. He's an expert in chess teaching, especially to club players, and the author of many successful books.
Pub. 2010, softback, 159 pages.
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GREATEST TOURNAMENTS 2001-2009

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Aleksandar Matanovic (Ed)
The Greatest Tournaments 2001-2009 presents a selection of games from eighty-six of the strongest tournaments played during the last decade, selected by following criteria:
* they were round-robin tournaments
* a normal time-control was used
* there was a minimum number of six participants
* it was Category 17 (or higher)
The tournaments are presented in chronological order. Along with a crosstable of the event, each tournament is represented by
* the best game of the tournament winner
* the best game played at the tournament
* the game with the most important theoretical novelty
There is also a selection of game fragments, the most beautiful combinations and endings. The games have languageless, Informator-style annotations and diagrams at key moments.
There are three statistical tables given at the end of the book. The first has tournament category statistics, the second table contains the tournament winner statistics and the third table provides statistics on all the tournament participants.
During the period 2001-2004, only twenty Category 17 (or higher) tournaments were organized. In the following four-year period, 2005-2008, there were forty-nine of them. An increase of almost 150%. The most fruitful year was 2009, with seventeen tournaments of the highest category.
Pub. 2010, softback, 519 pages.
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PLAY THE NAJDORF SICILIAN

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James Rizzitano
The Najdorf Sicilian (1.e4,c5; 2.Nf3,d6; 3.d4,cxd4; 4.Nxd4,Nf6; 5.Nc3;a6;) has a unique place amongst chess openings, having been a favourite of World Champions Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov and playing a vital role in the repertoires of current top players such as Viswanathan Anand and Veselin Topalov.
In this book International Master James Rizzitano presents a repertoire for Black against all White's options including the Fischer Attack (6.Bc4), 6.Bg5, 6.f4, the English Attack (6.Be3), the Classical System, the Fianchetto Variation and all White's move 6 alternatives. He uses complete, annotated games for his coverage so the reader can get an idea of the middlegame play which arises from the Najdorf. In some lines, such as 6.Bg5, he offers several alternative defences for Black so readers with different styles can find something suitable for themselves.
The opening chapter examines some positional and tactical themes in the Sicilian Najdorf.
Author James Rizzitano is a strong International Master who dominated chess in the New England region during a 14-year period from 1976 to 1989 - he won 157 out of 336 events in which he competed. His career highlights include victories over Lev Alburt, Joel Benjamin, Pal Benko, Larry Christiansen, Maxim Dlugy, I.Gurevich, and Patrick Wolff. In recent years Rizzitano has made a return to competitive chess and written several successful books on openings.
Pub. 2010, softback, 143 pages.
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BEATING 1.e4 e5: A REPERTOIRE FOR WHITE IN THE OPEN GAMES

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John Emms
Grandmaster and leading chess author John Emms presents a complete repertoire for White in the Italian Game with 46 complete annotated games in six chapters illustrating the main ideas for both sides. He recommends lines with an early d3 for white and his main line runs 1.e4,e5; 2.Nf3,Nc6; 3.Bc4,Bc5; 4.c3,Nf6; 5.d3. White defers the pawn advance to d4 until he has more pieces developed or leaves the pawn on d3 and presses Black on his flanks with piece and pawn play. The lines he advocates are built upon a sound yet aggressive system of development which can be deployed against virtually every Black defence. The final chapter is devoted to the Bishop's Opening (1.e4,e5; 2.Bc4) which can be used as a way of transposing into the Italian Game whilst avoiding the Petroff Defence. Independent lines of play as well as transpositions are examined in detail by Emms.
John Emms is one of the UK's leading Grandmasters and has captained the English Team at two Chess Olympiads.
Pub. 2010, softback, 223 pages.
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MODERN PHILIDOR DEFENCE

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Vladimir Barsky
This book offers a repertoire for Black in the Philidor Defence after 1.e4,d6; 2.d4,Nf6; followed with 3..e5; for Black in most lines. This new move order in the Philidor has resulted in it's increased popularity as an alternative to the heavily analysed Ruy Lopez and Petroff Defences.
Here, in seven chapters Barsky offers plenty of ideas for Black and examples of Black's play at master level. The first chapter examines White alternatives to 3.Nc3, whilst the remaining six chapters focus on 3.Nc3, White's most likely reply.
Each chapter has a "Main Ideas" section which explains plans and objectives. This is followed by "Step by Step" which contains a more detailed analysis of the variation in question. Finally a "Complete Games" section shows how the repertoire works in practical play.
Vladimir Barsky is an International Chess Master, journalist and coaching second of A.Morozevich in numerous international competitions, including two World championships. He is the author of a variety of books about chess and chess players.
Published 2010, softback, 224 pages.
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NUNN'S CHESS ENDINGS VOLUME 1

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John Nunn
In this major two-volume work, renowned endgame theoretician John Nunn teaches the skills that are most important to success in practical endgames. Dr Nunn shows how to apply knowledge of standard endgames to find the right methods in tricky real-life practical situations - even when they differ greatly from the idealized forms given by traditional endgame manuals. This is done by putting the emphasis on methods of play rather than exact material balance. In this way, key endgame ideas can be learnt.
This matters because lack of familiarity with key ideas can cause important ideas and themes to be missed even by very strong players. Even more importantly, we discover that a staggering amount of previously published endgame analysis is simply wrong, and that many of the standard guidelines are at best partially true.
This first volume covers general topics and discusses in detail pawn endings, queen endings and minor-piece endings. Volume two will cover all endings involving rooks.
* Identifies new and important motifs which occur repeatedly in over-the-board play
* Tactical elements are heavily featured
* In many examples, previous analysis is corrected
* Focuses on endgames that are susceptible to concrete analysis
* Geared to the over-the-board player - no composed or artificial positions
* Ideas underlying analysis - however complex - are richly explained in words
Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures in world chess. He was among the world's leading grandmasters for nearly twenty years, winning four gold medals in chess Olympiads and finishing sixth overall in the World Cup in 1989. He is a much-acclaimed writer, whose works have won 'Book of the Year' awards in several countries. In both 2004 and 2007 Nunn was crowned World Chess Solving Champion, ahead of many former champions.
Pub. 2010, softback, 319 pages.
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