Every chess player, who begins his games with the move 1.e2-e4, should be perfectly prepared to encounter the move 1...c7-c5. Why is this opening so dangerous for White? The point is that in all the basic variations of the Sicilian Defence the fight is double-edged and often White risks at least as much as Black does. White is practically deprived of the possibility to simplify the position by numerous exchanges.

Rossolimo and Friends: A Complete Repertoire vs. the Sicilian

Alexei Kornev

Chee Stars

In the second volume of the book A Practical Repertoire for Black with Nf6, g6, d6 Alexei Kornev analyses variations in which White plays 1.d4, 2.c4. As Black's weapon he suggests the King's Indian Defence. This is not by chance, though... Most readers participate mainly in tournaments played under the Swiss system. One of the important features of these tournaments is that the draw is essentially a step backward in your tournament situation and you must play for a win irrelevant of the colour of your pieces. The King's Indian Defence is the right opening choice for that. There is some strategic risk involved indeed (Black complies with a somewhat cramped position...), but all the middlegame positions are very complicated and allow Black to think not only about equality, but also about seizing the initiative. Kornev includes in his analyses numerous correspondence games which may be unknown to readers. Alexei Kornev is an international grandmaster and coach. In 2001 he took the silver in the Russian Cup Final. He is also the winner of a number of international tournaments. VOLUME 1: ENGLISH, PIRC, RETI AND OTHER DEFENCES' WILL APPEAR LATER THIS YEAR

A Practical Black Repertoire with Nf6, g6, d6 Volume 2. The King's Indian Defence

In this volume we consider the Pirc Defence (Chapters 10-27). It has definite advantages in comparison to other openings. To start with, it has not been analysed so thoroughly, since the White fans of 1.e2-e4 devote the lion's share of their time to study the Sicilian Defence and the Open Games. Secondly, Black can play not only to equalise, but he can also count on seizing the initiative. This is particularly important in tournaments played under the Swiss System in which you must strive for a win irrelevant of the colour of your pieces. Besides the Pirc, we analyse in the first part of the book all possible set-ups in which White refrains from the moves 1.e4 and 1.d4, namely: 1.f4, 1.b3, 1.b4 (Chapter 1), 1.Nf3 (Chapter 2), 1.c4 (Chapters 3, 4). The second part of the book (Chapters 5-9) is devoted to opening schemes in which White does play 1.d4, but then he does not follow up with c2-c4. These are the Trompowsky Attack (d4, Bg5) and the London System (d4, Nf3, Bf4). In response to these set-ups Black, as a rule, remains true to ...Nf6 and ...g6. The arising opening schemes are similar to the King's Indian Defence (see volume 2), or to the Pirc Defence. This should facilitate considerably the players to master their opening repertoire. Alexei Kornev is an international grandmaster and coach. In 2001 he took the silver in the Russian Cup Final. He is also the winner of a number of international tournaments.

A Practical Black Repertoire with Nf6, g6, d6 - English, Pirc, Reti and Other Defences - Volume 1

Chess Stars LTD.

In Volume 1 Kornev's choice of arms against 1.d4 d5 2.c4 is one of the most popular openings in modern chess practice - the Slav Defence. Besides, he considers in detail how to meet opening set-ups where after 1.d4 d5 White refrains from an early c2-c4: 2.Bg5, as well as 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 and 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3. Another topic is the ever growing in popularity The London System (2.Bf4 and 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4).

A Practical Black Repertoire with d5, c6. Volume 1: The Slav

Chess Stars

<p>A Practical Black Repertoire with d5, c6 Volume 2 deals in depth with the Caro-Kann Defence 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 and various deviations for White as 1.e4 c6 2.d3; 2.Nc3; 2.c4. This part also analyses rare systems where White leaves the main roads, but Black remains true to the spirit of his conception for the centre, for instance, 1.c4 c6, 2.Nf3 d5... Kornev does not confine himself to dry variations, he also aptly explains the ideas behind them. Thus his book should serve a wide range of players - from club amateurs, up to grandmasters. The Slav-Caro-Kann connection allows Black to sidestep many opening variations. For example, after 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 he simply goes 2...c6, avoiding the main line of the Veresov System which arise after 2...Nf6 3.Bg5. In the London System after 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e3, Black could directly exchange on d4 - 3...cxd4 4.exd4, obtaining a harmless sideline of the Caro-Kann - 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bf4.</p>

Practical Black Repertoire with d5, c6. Volume 2 The Caro-Kann and Other Defences

A Black repertoire based on the Queens Gambit Declined. All the opening variations for Black have been chosen according to the latest fashion in the games of the top-class grandmasters. For example, after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5, Kornev analyses a line which has been played often in the last several years by Vladimir Kramnik - 4..Nxd5, with which Black avoids several rather passive schemes, arising after the move 4...exd5. Following 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3, he has chosen as an opening weapon for Black the move 6...Nbd7, which is used not only by the acting World Champion Magnus Carlsen, but also by almost all the participants in the Candidates tournament - 2018. Finally, in response to one of the main weapons for White against the Queen's Gambit Declined - 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3, Kornev analysed a variation, which has been lately preferred by Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik - 7...Nbd7, after which Black does not need to know so much theory as in the Tartakower-Makogonov-Bondarevsky system (7...b6). In addition, this line is not such a brutal attempt to play for a draw with Black as the Lasker Defence - (7...Ne4).

Play 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6!

In the Alekhine Defence, contrary to the classical methods of playing in the opening, Black does not fight for the centre with his pawns, but begins to exert immediate pressure against White's centre. Black's knight on f6 attacks the pawn on e4, and if it advances, then Black's d-pawn joins into the attack against it. The Alekhine Defence is particularly applicable in encounters against players who are inferior in class, as well as in games with a short time-control. This opening is not used so often in practice, so your opponent might lose plenty of time to recollect the opening theory. That might prove to be a very negative factor for him in the forthcoming fight.

Play the Alekhine Defence

Most players, including the author, have no inclination to devote all their time to studying opening variations. Therefore, we have decided not to cover 1.e2-e4. As our main opening weapon for White we have chosen the closed openings arising after 1.d2-d4, in which an understanding of chess and a knowledge of the typical resources in the middle game and the endgame are often much more important than a detailed knowledge of a large number of variations. We have analysed the most straightforward possibilities for White, generally based on the development of the knight to c3 and the fastest possible occupation of the centre with pawns. Unfortunately it is impossible to cover all the possible theory after 1.d2-d4 for White within a single book, so the author plans to publish two further volumes. The first book is devoted to the move 1...d7-d5 for Black. I believe that the most challenging defences for White to face are the Queen's Gambit Accepted (Part 2), the Queen's Gambit Declined (Part 4) and the Slav Defence (Part 5). A few less popular options for Black are covered in Parts 1 and 3. In the second book we shall deal with the openings in which Black fianchettoes his dark-squared bishop. These are first and foremost the Gruenfeld and the King's Indian Defence. In book three we shall analyse in detail the Nimzo-Indian Defence and a few other defences not covered in our first two books. This series has been written for players of all levels. The author hopes that it will be useful for grandmasters as well as for amateur players." Alexei Kornev is an international grandmaster and coach. In 2001 he took the silver in the Russian Cup Final. He is also the winner of a number of international tournaments. Highest Elo so far - 2582. For many years, he has been senior coach of the junior chess school in the city of Vladimir. His students are often among the winners of the Russian junior championships for boys and girls.

A Practical White Repertoire with 1. d4 and 2. c4 - VOL. 1

<p>A Practical White Repertoire with 1.d4 and 2.c4. Volume 2: The King's Fianchetto Defences Volume 3: The Nimzo-Indian and Other Defences is scheduled for February 2014. Alexei Kornev is an international grandmaster and coach. In 2001 he took the silver in the Russian Cup Final. He is also the winner of a number of international tournaments. Highest Elo so far - 2582. For many years, he has been the senior coach of the junior chess school in the city of Vladimir. His students are often among the Russian junior championships for boys and girls.</p>

The House of Staunton A Practical White Repertoire with 1. d4 & 2. c4 - VOL. 2

A Practical White Repertoire with 1. d4 & 2. c4 - VOL. 3

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