The 1...e5 variation of the English Opening, sometimes referred to as the reversed Sicilian, leads to a diversity of stimulating positions. From wild tactical melees to slow positional battles, there are variations here to suit all styles. These opening lines provide the battle scene for many top Grandmaster clashes, including those of Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and others belonging to the world's elite. In this book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik explain in detail the positional and tactical possibilities for both White and Black. Using illustrative games, Raetsky and Chetverik outline...

The Catalan is one of the most popular openings and a favorite of many of the world's leading players. Its rich tactical and positional subtleties provide an excellent platform for players wishing to improve their overall understanding of the game. In this groundbreaking book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik provide a comprehensive coverage of this opening, outlining the most common plans and tactics for both White and Black, and studying the latest theoretical developments in the most important variations. This book is a must for die-hard Catalan fans and those wishing to take up this...

Mikhail Tal was simply a chess phenomenon. The "magician from Riga" stunned the chess world when he became the youngest ever World Champion (at that time) in 1960, and he won countless supporters for his scintillating tactical play and his infectious enthusiasm for the game. As former World Champion Vassily Smyslov once noted, "Tal's appearance in chess had the effect of an exploding bomb, since his style of play was distinguished by extraordinary combinative brilliance." In this book Raetsky and Chetverik revisit Tal's brilliant victories. The authors have carefully picked his most famous...

What separated Alexander Alekhine from the rest of his contemporaries? Why did he dominate the chess world for so long? The main reason was undoubtedly his brilliant attacking style of play. Alekhine had a combinative gift and thrilled the chess public and influenced every great chess player since. Garry Kasparov once said, "I fell in love with the rich complexity of his ideas at the chessboard. Alekhine's attacks came suddenly, like destructive thunderstorms that erupted from a clear sky." In this book Raetsky and Chetverik take a look back at how Alekhine defeated his opponents in dazzling...

Until a few years ago, the Petroff was opening that was favored by a few top Grandmasters, including Anatoly Karpov and Artur Yusupov. However, the last few years have seen a dramatic rise in its popularity, and it now provides battlefields for many top clashes of the modern elite players, including Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand, Leko, Topalov, and England's Michael Adams. This is bound to have a positive effect on its popularity at club level. In this book, openings experts Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik study the typical plans and tactics for both White and Black in this complex opening....

Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of Benoni Systems, this book is a study of all the crucial Benoni systems apart from the Modern Benoni. It presents diverse and practical options against the queen's pawn opening for dynamic, tactical players and solid, positional players alike. Included are such daring defences as the controversial Blumenfeld Counter-Gambit and the Benko Gambit, a favorite with uncompromising Grandmasters such as Veselin Topalov and Vassily Ivanchuk. On the other hand, Black also has the opportunity to adopt solid, respectable defences such as the Czech Benoni...

Opening experts Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik study the Queen's Gambit Accepted in a clear-cut way, introducing the vital early moves and ideas and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them, something that is sometimes neglected or taken fo

In Boris Spassky Master of Initiative, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik look back over Spassky s long and distinguished career to examine how he defeated his long-time adversaries, carefully highlighting his most colourful and celebrated encounters over the chessboard. A deep study of his style and games will entertain and inspire any true chess fan.*Includes Boris Spassky s most brilliant sacrificial games*Ideal for the attack-minded chess player*Perfect for sharpening your tactical ability"

Everyman Chess are delighted to present two further offerings from their original and best-selling Starting Out opening series. The Classical Sicilian is one of Black s most popular and highly regarded opening choices against 1 e4, and it s been a favourite of such greats as Vladimir Kramnik, Alexei Shirov and Vishy Anand. White has a number of aggressive ways to battle against the Classical: the fashionable Richter-Rauzer Attack; Bobby Fischer s favourite, the Sozin Attack; and finally the wild Velimirovic Attack, and no work on the Classical would be complete without a study of these...

Three brilliant books from Everyman Chess brought together in one volume. The Masters: Alexander Alekhine, Master of Attack The Masters: Boris Spassky, Master of Initiative The Masters: Mikhail Tal, Tactical Genius By Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik