The Ruy Lopez (or Spanish Opening) is one of the critical chess battlegrounds. It has long been recommended as an excellent chess opening for training purposes, as it leads to a wide variety of structures and strategies. This book is a complete guide to handling the black side of the Lopez, based principally around the Zaitsev Variation, upon which Anatoly Karpov relied during much of his career. This line leads to sharp play, often in open battles where Black gains active counterplay and challenges White to seize the initiative on the kingside. The authors explain in detail how Black can weather the storm. They also explain how Black can handle the practical problem of the Ng5 repetition, and recommend reliable procedures against White's other options in the Lopez, starting off with the Exchange Variation, and moving on to a variety of closed systems. Throughout, the emphasis is on what readers actually need to know and understand in order to play the opening successfully in practice. There is a great deal of explanation of important ideas, and the authors take pains to guide their readers away from potential pitfalls.

The Ruy Lopez: a Guide for Black

Humor & Entertainment

Johnsen, Sverre

Johannessen, Leif Erlend

Puzzles & Games

Gambit Publications

The Stonewall Dutch is a traditional favourite amongst club players, as it offers Black ready-made attacking plans on the kingside. As Grandmaster Bent Larsen has noted, the Dutch also has the tendency to 'bring out the coward' in opponents, giving it an added practical sting. 
However, up until the late 1980s, the Stonewall wasn't fully trusted at grandmaster level, despite its earlier use by Alekhine and Botvinnik. Black's attacking plans were too one-sided, and White's methods too well worked out. The change came when a new generation of players, including Nigel Short and Simen Agdestein, showed that Black could handle his position in many other ways, including play on the queenside and in the centre, with the 'Stonewall' structure stifling White's attempts to generate play of his own. Agdestein in particular has continued to experiment with many new set-ups and move-orders for Black, and this book contains a wealth of new recommendations and suggestions based on this work.

Win With the Stonewall Dutch

Agdestein, Simen

Bern, Ivar

Bored with the same old openings? Worried about having to learn too much theory? Then this book will come as a godsend. Aaron Summerscale presents a set of exceptionally dangerous opening weapons for White. Each recommended line is based on a solid positional foundation, yet also promises long-term (and short-term!) attacking chances. The variations are not just easy to learn and play, but they also set Black complex problems. * A queen's pawn repertoire based on rapid piece development * Reveals many lethal attacking ideas and traps * Features the legendary '150' and Barry Attacks For this new edition, the publishers enlisted the help of hotshot opening writer Sverre Johnsen, who has updated the coverage where necessary, while retaining the spirit, charm and aims of Summerscale's original work. The killer repertoire remains easy to learn, and is now more dangerous than ever!

A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire - new enlarged edition

Summerscale, Aaron

The Open Games (those beginning 1 e4 e5) are now more topical than ever, featuring in a high proportion of elite-level games. This new user-friendly guide offers players of all levels a carefully worked-out repertoire, taking into account this wealth of new material.  Noted opening writer Sverre Johnsen has also taken a critical look at the more traditional Open Games, where theory is often based on old or obscure games. Making extensive use of modern computer engines, he has overturned ancient assessments and found new paths that breathe fresh life into positions long thought to be resolved. It is striking how often in his lines Black is able to seize the initiative.  A full repertoire for Black with 1 e4 e5 when White avoids the Ruy Lopez ...Bc5 and ...Nf6 systems both fully covered after 3 Bc4 Each chapter starts with a ‘Memorable Game’ to inspire and set the scene  Johnsen has chosen sound lines that are likely to surprise opponents and deny them the type of game they are seeking. He has deeply researched correspondence sources and recent books on the Open Games, and employs similar methods to those that made his earlier opening works so popular among club-level players.

How to Beat the Open Games

<div>The Caro-Kann is a rare beast among chess openings. While respected as a sound and safe way to start the game, it also avoids symmetry or simplification. This allows Black many ways to keep the game unbalanced and play for a win. Two Norwegian opening experts provide a set of options that take full advantage of this flexibility. In the main line, you are given a choice between the 4...Bf5 and the 5...exf6 systems - but both strictly in their modern dynamic forms! In the latter, Hansen is a world-leading authority, with a wealth of experience to explain the typical mistakes White makes when facing this deceptively tricky line. By studying his material, you will be well ahead of the game in this rapidly-evolving system. For instance, the critical improvements over the Duda-Carlsen game in 2020 were already in Hansen's files from two years earlier. The other recommended systems for Black are also aggressive and very much the '21st-century Caro-Kann'. It's 3...c5 against the Advance, in which Hansen is also an outstanding specialist. The Panov Attack is answered with ...g6 lines - strategically ideal, and nowadays backed up by amazing modern computer analysis. Against the Two Knights, we are offered an ...exf6 option as well as the ...Bg4 approach. The repertoire is completed with good sensible recommendations against almost every other conceivable move White can throw at the Caro-Kann. This extremely up-to-date book has an innovative structure, with 'lessons', model games and theory 'magnifiers'.</div>

Win with the Caro-Kann (Sverre's Chess Openings)

Children's Books

Hansen, Torbjorn Ringdal

Activities, Crafts & Games

Gewinnen mit dem Londoner System (Schacheröffnungen) (German Edition)

Kovacevic, Vlatko

The London System is a perennial favourite of club players, as it is a very sound and solid system with a real practical sting. In a ground-breaking work, Johnsen and Kovacevic seek to maximize this sting in two principal ways: They explain in detail the typical plans for White, helping readers to make the most of their chances, whether they are based on a kingside attack, queenside penetration, central play, or transition to a favourable endgame. By advocating some subtle move-orders that limit Black’s options, they show how White can change the nature of the game and go straight for the kill if Black responds casually or inappropriately. These move-orders have been tested successfully by co-author Kovacevic at grandmaster level, and much of the analysis presented here is of totally new variations, and is previously unpublished. 
Win with the London System covers all responses to 1 d4 against which White can use the London System. The authors - a pairing of a researcher and a seasoned grandmaster - have drawn upon a wealth of sources to present a thorough guide to a popular chess opening, and open up new territory for readers to explore.\nThis reissue features revisions to the text in those lines that have undergone the most change since the original edition.\nSverre Johnsen is a Norwegian chess analyst, researcher and organizer, and co-author of a number of highly popular works on chess openings. Vlatko Kovacevic is a grandmaster from Croatia, and arguably the world's leading authority on the London System. However, he is probably best known for a convincing victory against Bobby Fischer in 1970. He has represented Croatia, and previously Yugoslavia, in many international team events.\n"I have seldom read such a commendable openings book as this one, which is why it is an absolute must buy!" - Martin Rieger, freechess\n"The chess in this book is largely the work of the Croatian grandmaster Vlatko Kovacevic whilst the general structure of the book, including the prose, ... were the work of Norwegian Sverre Johnsen, a FIDE-rated player. Together they have written an inspiring repertoire book of high quality." - Phil Hughes, Chess Post\n"What is it about their presentation of a set-up with pawns on d4, e3 and (usually) c3; Bishop on f4; and Knight (usually) on f3 that inspires confidence in the London and makes the reader feel like a real winner? Simply this: it is a well-researched, well-thought-out, well-organized and well-written book on an opening that has generally been popular for requiring less opening study than many others." - Rick Kennedy, chessville\n"A useful system for White that has added value as anti-computer style of playing. This book provides an excellent opportunity to learn from one of the opening's greatest exponents whilst Johnsen has increased the value of this book by adding very clear and interesting text to many of the lines. Careful study of this book should reward the player whilst even casual reading will provide many interesting ideas for your next game." - Michael Blake, IECG

Win with the London System (Sverre's Chess Openings)

The Stonewall Dutch is a traditional favourite amongst club players, as it offers Black ready-made attacking plans on the kingside. As Grandmaster Bent Larsen has noted, the Dutch also has the tendency to 'bring out the coward' in opponents, giving it an added practical sting.\nHowever, up until the late 1980s, the Stonewall wasn't fully trusted at grandmaster level, despite its earlier use by Alekhine and Botvinnik. Black's attacking plans were too one-sided, and White's methods too well worked out. The change came when a new generation of players, including Nigel Short and Simen Agdestein, showed that Black could handle his position in many other ways, including play on the queenside and in the centre, with the 'Stonewall' structure stifling White's attempts to generate play of his own. Agdestein in particular has continued to experiment with many new set-ups and move-orders for Black, and this book contains a wealth of new recommendations and suggestions based on this work.\nThe authors are all from Norway. Sverre Johnsen is an enthusiastic chess analyst, researcher, organizer and writer, and co-author of Win with the London System, one of the most popular openings books of recent years. Ivar Bern is a Correspondence World Champion and an International Master over-the-board. Grandmaster Simen Agdestein was for many years Norway's leading player, and also achieved fame for combining his chess activities with a career as a top-level professional footballer.\n"An outstanding book ... Not only do the authors rehabilitate an underestimated opening - they even do so by means of inspiring chapters supported by the personal experiences of leading experts." - GM Peter Heine Nielsen, Skakbladet\n"This book is incredibly well-written and it makes the theory of this opening extremely accessible. The authors are honest and objective in their appraisal of the individual lines, which makes the book a perfect tool for the study of this fascinating opening. If you have not already bought this book, it is time to do so now. For those who need a new weapon against 1 d4, this book makes an excellent case for it to be the Stonewall Dutch." - Carsten Hansen, chesscafe\n"I expect copious, reliable analysis with any opening book from Gambit, but Win with the Stonewall Dutch won me over with its flowing, enjoyable prose, its detailed descriptions of the plans for both sides, its historic discussions, its simple but logical layout which makes it easy to find anything and everything, and its lesson overviews and summaries, which make sure you understand the ideas it's trying to impart. As a repertoire book, [it] doesn't let you down since it also explores lines where White avoids 2.c4, lines where White doesn't fianchetto his light-squared Bishop, key sidelines like 2.Nc3 and 2.Bg5, and the Staunton Gambit and other odd 2nd moves. ... this is a must buy for fans of the Stonewall" - IM Jeremy Silman\n"The exercises are very difficult and require you to do some research of your own. I think that this is a strength of this book as it takes you through what you need to do to get on top of any opening. I found this book particularly instructive on how to study openings in general. Not an easy book to study, but rewarding." - Paul Dunn, Australasian Chess

Win with the Stonewall Dutch (Sverre's Chess Openings)

A Gambit Classic Reissue: A reliable defence with more than a spark of aggression\n“I consider it the best ‘Ruy Lopez for Black’ book in general ... it has a huge amount of material on ideas and themes, strategy in the Ruy, and how to prepare and practice openings.” - IM John Watson, The Week in Chess\nThe Ruy Lopez (or Spanish Opening) is one of the critical chess battlegrounds. It has long been recommended as an excellent chess opening for training purposes, as it leads to a wide variety of structures and strategies.\nThis book is a complete guide to handling the black side of the Lopez, based principally around the Zaitsev Variation, upon which Anatoly Karpov relied during much of his career. This line leads to sharp play, often in open battles where Black gains active counterplay and challenges White to seize the initiative on the kingside. The authors explain in detail how Black can weather the storm. They also explain how Black can handle the practical problem of the Ng5 repetition, and recommend reliable procedures against White’s other options in the Lopez, starting off with the Exchange Variation, and moving on to a variety of closed systems.\nThroughout, the emphasis is on what readers actually need to know and understand in order to play the opening successfully in practice. There is a great deal of explanation of important ideas, and the authors take pains to guide their readers away from potential pitfalls.\nSverre Johnsen is a FIDE-rated player from Norway. He is an enthusiastic chess analyst, researcher and writer, and co-author of Win with the London System, one of the most popular openings books of recent years.\nLeif Johannessen is a young grandmaster, also from Norway. He plays in several national leagues and has represented his country in many team events. The quality of his opening preparation is shown by the fact that he won the prize for most important theoretical novelty in Informator 92.\n“I particularly enjoyed Johannessen’s preface ... many useful tips are presented for players over 1600. The research and analysis are first rate and current. A well-written and well-researched book” - Lou Mercuri, Chess Horizons\n“Good chess opening books are all about ‘feel’ - do you feel the authors are making you at home in the variation, do you feel they are giving up their ‘secrets’ to you, the reader, and do you get the feeling they are on your side? Well, this book scores very highly in this respect; take the Preface, for example. It’s a 15-page discussion by GM Johannessen on how to learn a chess opening (albeit aimed at the Zaitsev, but the lessons are universal) - and it does the subject matter wonderful justice. I’ve read magazine and internet articles which do not come close to Johannessen’s logical explanation of taking an opening from a thought over a coffee at a chess bookstall to a full part of your tournament repertoire. For my money, the best part of the book, although the rest of the material doesn’t lag behind in quality.” - Munroe Morrison, Open File\n“The book is amazingly thorough, with ample amounts of properly referenced analysis, suggestions, and improvements over existing theory, loads of original analysis, and plenty of explanatory prose to support the variations. The author provides detailed descriptions of the strategies and long-term plans for both sides. Moreover, the illustrative games are expertly annotated and provide further material for the student to gain an understanding of the opening. I highly recommend this book to players who are serious about their opening repertoires and about improving their overall game.” - Carsten Hansen, ChessCafe

The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black (Sverre's Chess Openings: King's Pawn)

Johannessen, Leif

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