I think it's excellent - I've learned so much from it, not just the specific variations, but the whole approach. I think it will make me a better chess player, simply by its approach of looking for playable middlegames where you have a clear plan rather than trying to memorize tricky lines that might lead to an advantage with best play but leave you in a muddle when your opponent deviates. I am adopting almost all his repertoire, the main exceptions being his lines against 2...d6 and 2...e6 in the Sicilian. The other day I played the Exchange French in a match for the first time since reading the book and got a very nice positional win, which is encouraging. I just hope he brings out a Keep it Simple: Black soon.
Keep It Simple 1 e4 book
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I haven't looked the entire book over in detail yet but so far I'm going to completely use his repertoire choices. One possible change I might make though, depending on the circumstances, that I have come across so far is in the Scotch Four Knights on page 36. He gives 6 Qg4!, and indeed it is the the best move, very much so, but it is very complicated. He made an exception in this case because the move is too good to pass up. A bit surprising, considering the book's title, but somewhat understandable when a move is so strong. If I am in an otb game and can't recall all the complex variations involved with the move I need an out, 6 Qf3 is the second best move, a distant second from 6 Qg4! but with 6 Qf3 white has a slight advantage and avoids the mess. If I reach that position in a slow online game then I will almost certainly choose 6 Qg4 because I have his book for a reference. I could possibly come across something else along the way I want to alter, but overall the book is really good I think.
Thanks, that's helpful. The recommended line with 6.Qg4 does look horribly complicated, so I'll look into 6.Qf3.
Please, when u talk about a variation, just be informative instead of just telling 6.Qg4/Qf3 on scotch 4 knights.
I guess u mean this line :
Indeed highly complicated and not so clear how much it favours white in my opinion...
poucin wrote:
Please, when u talk about a variation, just be informative instead of just telling 6.Qg4/Qf3 on scotch 4 knights.
I guess u mean this line :
Indeed highly complicated and not so clear how much it favours white in my opinion...
Yes, that's the line. Two IMs in this thread ok with not playing 6 Qg4. Thanks for the help. Now I feel better about backing down from the move.
Thanks @pfren. In the line you give Sielecki's analysis stops after White's 12th move, claiming advantage for White. I certainly don't think there's enough there to justify learning all the other complicated variations after 6.Qg4. It looks as if he got carried away with his analysis of this line and rather lost sight of the goal of his book. 6.Qf3 for me, too.
Keep It Simple 1 d4 by Christof Sielecki.....coming soon....
https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Simple-1-d4-Straightforward-Repertoire/dp/9056918672/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2R1BFYBJP3H5H&keywords=keep+it+simple+1.d4&qid=1572848672&s=books&sprefix=keep+it+simple%2Caps%2C201&sr=1-1
both books are on Chessable as courses...
https://www.chessable.com/keep-it-simple-1e4/course/10179/
https://www.chessable.com/keep-it-simple-1-d4/course/23396/
brink2017 wrote:
Is anybody else here using the recent repertoire book Keep It Simple 1 e4?
I've always been a 1 d4 player so switching to 1 e4 is not an easy task for me but I'm really liking this book, it is going a long ways towards making my changeover possible. What are your thoughts on the book?
Why don't wait for another book from the same authour, keep it simple d4!!!
Oh, wait, you may also find series from him, how to counter e4!!
pfren wrote:
FrogCDE έγραψε:
Thanks @pfren. In the line you give Sielecki's analysis stops after White's 12th move, claiming advantage for White. I certainly don't think there's enough there to justify learning all the other complicated variations after 6.Qg4. It looks as if he got carried away with his analysis of this line and rather lost sight of the goal of his book. 6.Qf3 for me, too.
Still, I cannot see something concrete after 6.Qf3 Nf6 7.Be3 0-0 8.Bd3, but white does have some chances for an opening plus, and the position does not need memorizing long, forced lines. The "dull" line played by Esipenko is a fun stopper, unless white is playing a much stronger opponent, and does not mind a draw.
If white wants to learn all complications that can stem from it white has been scoring well with 6 Qg4 in otb, many opponents don't handle the move well. But I think most players who buy a book with such a title are probably not wanting to get caught up in a mess that can require walking a highwire. 6 Qf3 is a better fit, but white has been scoring just 50% with it.
Is anybody else here using the recent repertoire book Keep It Simple 1 e4?
I've always been a 1 d4 player so switching to 1 e4 is not an easy task for me but I'm really liking this book, it is going a long ways towards making my changeover possible. What are your thoughts on the book?