These structures are important as they can arise from an extraordinary variety of openings including the Sicilian Defence, the English Opening and the Queen's Indian Defence. Play is usually highly intricate with White hoping to exploit the natural space advantage while Black remains solid and looks to break out of his or her carapace with the classical thrusts ...b7-b5 and ...d7-d5.Everything you need to know about the Hedgehog systems.The structure emphasizes plans and strategies.Written by an expert on the opening.

The Hedgehog

Humor & Entertainment

Kasparov, Sergey

Puzzles & Games

Everyman Chess

The appeal of the Scandinavian Defence is easy to understand: it is very forcing Black is virtually guaranteed to get his desired structure. There are no annoying Anti-Scandinavians’ to study! But for many decades the Scandinavian was regarded with some suspicion, as Black apparently loses time recapturing on d5. Modern players have a different view. The great Danish player Bent Larsen kickstarted the revolution with his provocative assertion that it is an improved Caro-Kann (and, not least, beating Karpov with our opening)! But the 21st-century Scandinavian is a different beast altogether; the new main line of the whole opening (3...Qd6) has proven to have great strategic richness, with more than a few tactical tricks lurking just behind the scenes. The Scandinavian has been transformed into an opening that strong grandmasters are willing to use as their main defence, rather than as an occasional surprise weapon. This thoroughly modern guide focuses on these new approaches, while also covering the more traditional main lines. Kasparov guides the reader carefully through each system, explaining his recommendations with wit and clarity. With his help, you will have your opponents wishing there really were some Anti-Scandinavian’ lines!

Understanding the Scandinavian

Gambit Publications

The Inscrutable Exchange Sacrifice! The exchange sacrifice, giving up a rook for a bishop or knight, is one of the more mysterious concepts for most players to fathom. In this book â€“ the first of its kind dedicated exclusively to the various types of positional exchange sacrifices â€“ Belarussian grandmaster Sergey Kasparov weighs the pros and cons of this sacrifice â€“ when it should be â€œon,â€ and when not. With almost 200 annotated games, he examines common themes in exchange sacrifices, including Domination, Fighting for the Initiative, Utilizing an Advantage, Launching an Attack against the King, Reducing Your Opponentâ€™s Offensive Potential, Destroying a Pawn Chain, Building a Fortress, Activating Your Bishop, and much more. He also takes a look at a selection of games by former world champions Tigran Petrosian and Anatoly Karpov and their handling of this sacrifice. This book has the ability to add an important, practical dimension to your game â€“ the positional exchange sacrifice. Whether you are evaluating the possibility of sacrificing the exchange, or perhaps preparing to defend against it, Sergey Kasparovâ€™s ground-breaking work will help you sort things out. It is a practical guide which makes the exchange sacrifice more, well, scrutable!

The Exchange Sacrifice

Russell Enterprises

Doubled Pawns ― Triumph or Trouble? There isn't a chessplayer who hasn't struggled with doubled pawns. Are they strong because they oversee and surveil important squares or reinforce defensive ramparts? Are they weak, prone to being collected by our opponent in the endgame ― or sooner? The easy answer is that it depends on the position. But are there principles that may be applied to help evaluate positions with doubled pawns. "Yes!" says Belarusian grandmaster Sergey Kasparov. In the first work devoted exclusively to this topic, the author examines the various pawn structures in which doubled pawns appear. He also investigates doubled pawns in the context of specific openings. Contents include Doubled Pawns after the Capture g7xf6; Doubled Pawns in the Middle of the Board; Isolated Doubled Pawns; "Spanish" Formations; "French" Structures; Structures of the Sicilian Defense, Rossolimo Variation; Doubled Pawns on the c-file and much more. The discussion and explanation of each topic is carried on in the context of almost 150 annotated games. The author goes about his task in his inimitable style, making for an entertaining yet instructive treatment of his subject matter. About the Author International grandmaster Sergey Kasparov, with his popular writing style and insightful observations, is a favorite author and instructor in contemporary chess circles. Previous books include The Exchange Sacrifice: A Practical Guide (2016); The Dynamic Benko Gambit (2012); Steamrolling the Sicilian (2013); and A Cunning Chess Opening for Black (2015). He lives with his wife, women's international master Tatiana Kasparova, in Belarus. This is his second book for Russell Enterprises.

Doubled Pawns: A Practical Guide

Russell Enterprises, Inc.

The Power of the Pieces In his new, ground-breaking series, The Power of the Pieces, Belorussian grandmaster Sergey Kasparov examines the strengths, weaknesses and overall characteristics of each piece on the chessboard. This first volume in the series is about the bishop. Its role in the opening, middlegame and endgame is discussed in detail, amply supported by over 140 examples from tournament praxis. Topics include: Bishops of the Same Color; Opposite-Color Bishops; Bishop vs. Knight; Bishop vs. Rook; Two Bishops vs. Knight and Bishop; Bishop vs. Pawns; The King’s Indian Bishop; The French Bishop; The Nimzo-Indian Bishop; The Fianchetto on g2; The Stonewall Bishop; The Advantage of the Two Bishops; The “Bad” Bishop; The Attacking Bishop; and Opposite-color Bishops in the Middlegame. Popular chess author Sergey Kasparov is known for his entertaining writing style. His books are always instructive and insightful. Books previously published by Russell Enterprises include The Exchange Sacrifice and Doubled Pawns.

The Bishop: Danger on the Diagonal (Power of the Pieces Series)

The Power of the Pieces In his ground-breaking series, The Power of the Pieces, Belorussian grandmaster Sergey Kasparov examines the strengths, weaknesses and overall characteristics of each piece on the chessboard. This second volume in the series is about the knight. Its role in the opening, middlegame and endgame is discussed in detail, amply supported by almost 140 complete games from tournament praxis. Topics include: The Knight in the Endgame; The Knight in the French Defense; The Knight in the Rossolimo System; The Knight in the Benkö Gambit; The “Spanish” Knight; The Knight on the Attack; The Knight in Defense; The Cavalry Retreats; The Knight on an Outpost; A Knight on the Rim; The Kamikaze Knight; Knight versus Pawns; Knight versus Bishop; and Knight against Rook. Popular chess author Sergey Kasparov is known for his entertaining writing style. His books are always instructive and insightful. Books previously published by Russell Enterprises include The Exchange Sacrifice, Doubled Pawns and The Bishop: Danger on the Diagonal.

The Knight: The Cunning Cavalry (The Power of the Pieces)

The Benko Gambit is a great opening for those who like active play. Black sacrifices a pawn in order to activate his pieces on the queenside, and generally gains enduring pressure. It has been played by recent world champions like Veselin Topalov, Vishy Anand and Garry Kasparov, and is a popular choice with amateurs all over the world. Grandmaster Sergey Kasparov, who has extensive experience with the Benko, presents a complete repertoire for Black, with many new ideas and improvements on existing theory. This book is accessible for the average club player but stronger players, too, will learn many things they didn’t know.

The Dynamic Benko Gambit: An Attacking Repertoire for Black

New In Chess

Taking your opponent out of his comfort zone is a good idea to start your game with. Grandmaster Sergey Kasparov pushes this concept one step further: lure your opponent onto the slippery paths of the Philidor Swamp! Kasparov presents an original and shrewd opening for Black against 1.e4, the most popular opening move among amateurs. After Black’s third move, White is confronted with a stark choice: either to continue on the road of the calm Philidor Defence, or to immediately gain almost two tempi by forcing Black into an endgame that looks better for White, if not close to winning. This second option, however, is a treacherous road strewn with pitfalls as Kasparov demonstrates in his fresh, humorous and persuasive style. White will walk into the Philidor Swamp in which he runs a big risk of getting stuck. Sergey Kasparov does not bother the amateur reader with variations of 15 or 20 moves deep, but concentrates on the plans and counterplans for both Black and White.

A Cunning Chess Opening for Black: Lure Your Opponent into the Philidor Swamp

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