Forums

Best books to learn the "classical" approach for Black against the flank openings

Sort:
Lyudmil_Tsvetkov
Lyudmil_Tsvetkov
Jul 8, 2018
0
#101
dannyhume wrote:

Yes, it is called "Chess Steps" in the U.S.  I have enjoyed the series so far (I have gone through level 3, which is supposed to go to level 1600 USCF), so I have restrained and blockaded myself from going to Step 4 (which is for up to 1750 ... my goal rating in the next 20 years) until my OTB or tactical ratings go up significantly. 

I have not heard many recommend 1...c5 against c4.  Usually, I hear 1...e5 and sometimes 1...Nf6.   I think Lev Alburt's Chess Openings Explained for Black covers 1.c4 c5, but I am not familiar with any other titles that cover the Black side of 1.c4 c5. 

 

Thanks for the advice, Klauer!  

They don't, because they are weak.

Replay Fischer games to see the truth(later career).

Fischer is 500-600 elos stronger than them.

They are 2500 GMs, he was 3000+ analytically.

e7-e5 exposes the d5-square too much.

Playing c7-c6 after that is mostly awkward and very difficult.

Playing e7-e6 after c5 is very reasonable, though.

That is the simple explanation why 1...c5 is a better answer on 1. c4.

All lines featuring 1. c4 e5 fail to consider white playing also e2-e4 and that is wrong.

Simply a wrong fashion.

Moves stick, fashions stick and lines stick, but they appear mostly by chance.

 

dannyhume
dannyhume
Sep 27, 2018
0
#102

I have not found a book that skillfully explains at an introductory level the black side against flank openings.  I will likely try to transpose to the QGD against 1.c4 (playing 1...e6) and 1.Nf3 (playing 1.d5) if I see these moves at my next OTB tournament either in October or November... although, truthfully, I have never seen either move in any OTB game I have ever played (only in my last OTB tournament did I play against 1.d4 for the first time ever).

I always appreciate your unique comments, Lyudmil.  I will say this, though: Cognitive science will tell you that one must learn to stand, then walk, before one can learn to run.  Fischer may be 500-600 points higher analytically, but he wasn't always that high and his learning journey didn't begin from resources that high.  He had to take his lumps on his way to greatness, the way many of us have to take our lumps on our way to mediocrity.  One cannot understand great moves before one first understands blunder moves, mistake moves, dubious moves, mediocre moves, and then good moves.  At best, a lower level player can parrot great moves as far as his/her memory and opponents' moves allow. 

Lyudmil_Tsvetkov
Lyudmil_Tsvetkov
Sep 29, 2018
0
#103
dannyhume wrote:

I have not found a book that skillfully explains at an introductory level the black side against flank openings.  I will likely try to transpose to the QGD against 1.c4 (playing 1...e6) and 1.Nf3 (playing 1.d5) if I see these moves at my next OTB tournament either in October or November... although, truthfully, I have never seen either move in any OTB game I have ever played (only in my last OTB tournament did I play against 1.d4 for the first time ever).

I always appreciate your unique comments, Lyudmil.  I will say this, though: Cognitive science will tell you that one must learn to stand, then walk, before one can learn to run.  Fischer may be 500-600 points higher analytically, but he wasn't always that high and his learning journey didn't begin from resources that high.  He had to take his lumps on his way to greatness, the way many of us have to take our lumps on our way to mediocrity.  One cannot understand great moves before one first understands blunder moves, mistake moves, dubious moves, mediocre moves, and then good moves.  At best, a lower level player can parrot great moves as far as his/her memory and opponents' moves allow. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what you mean.

If I had the time, I could make The Secret of Chess 10 times more accessible and then it would be the greatest teaching resource, unfortunately, if one has to comment on 1000 principles, one needs to comment on 1000 example games...

But definitely, chess teaching could be vastly improved, and chess knowledge could be vastly improved too.

We'll be looking to the future.

Maybe the best is a high-level GM book explained at a patzer level.

You get the good rules and you get the understanding.

Logical Chess explains at a patzer level, but 8 out of 10 rules seem to be wrong!