I own the Chess Openings for Black, explained which covers the Accelerated Dragon and the Nimzo-Bogo complex, cleverly using the symmetrical English and maroczy bind to fill in the gaps. Really excellent stuff, but could really use a move index. Ridiculously verbose, plenty of explanation and practice quizzes, written for a younger reader, lots of filler material. I prefer thinner books, but I can't argue with the quality and comprehensiveness of the actual material, as well as the private analysis you won't find elsewhere. These are openings for life, don't expect to learn them quickly. I assume the white book is equally good, I would snatch both of them
Chess Openings for White (Black), Explained
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Thank yo for the input! I will go purchase them tonight.
laser my advice is get modern chess openings, which is just a big book full of most of the chess openings and their variations which you can use as a reference. Besides using it as a reference to see what your opponent played in a game and how you can respond better, you shouldnt be studying openings. Really they arent helpful to study by themselves until you are at a really high level. Instead I have some good books to recommend you. Silman's Complete Endgame Course by Jeremy Silman, 303 tricky chess tactics by Fred Wilson and Bruce Albertson, The Amateurs Mind by Jeremy Silman, and Zurich Internation Chess Tournament 1953 by David Bronstein. Those four books should improve your play very signficantly if you go over them seriously.
maybe I was over enthusiatic about the two books above, I do own the chess openings for black explained but haven't seen the other one. I already played the accelerated dragon featured in the book so I thought it helpful, but I will have to take it with a grain of salt now, assuming it has some of the same flaws as the book for white discussed by John Watson in the link above. I guess I trust John Watson very much as a chess author, Roman Dzind.... and Richard Alpert-not so much.
Has anyone read either of these books? I saw them at a used bookstore and was thinking about buying them. I kind of like that each book is focused on one side.
I am an advanced beginner and have been studying tactics but I would really like to start working on openings.
Input is appreciated.
Laser