Hi,
Can anyone suggest a 1. e4 book that is two pages or less?
Thanks!
I can, but it only goes 2 moves deep
I only buy opening books that have the following in the title:
How to beat the...
How to crush the...
Win with the...
Attack with the...
The words "Rock Solid, and "Cunning" should be in the title too.
My only issue is that I never said that these repertoire books make no sense ... they make perfect sense for the exact group that I was talking about ... amateur players who are going to remain amateur players, and in order to derive more enjoyment from the game, want to have a complete repertoire, yet haven't any clue how to develop a repertoire on their own. In this case, the repertoire book is amazingly useful.
They are also useful for advanced or expert players who want the benefit of a stronger players' having already done the work selecting lines that will fit together harmoniously.
But the spirit of your post I can agree with for the most part.
Well after hearing your explaination. I do agree with everything you have said.
I suppose the only issue you had was when I said repertoire books make no sense. I will admit I was not very clear when I said that.
I guess my main concern/reason for saying the above was because of your one quote "amateur players who are going to remain amateur players".
From my limited experince I have found the same thing to happen to amateurs.
I find most amateur players who seek other people repertoires over and over again always stay at amateur level because they spend their chess career trying to be like others instead of being themselves.
It might sound corny, but I honestly believe every chess player is special and unique in their own way.
I feel a person should discover inside themselves what lines make them happy. Once they do so than they can try and see if other players have made a repertoire similar to them. If it turns out other repertoire's do exist, then good for them they can buy a book with similar interest of another title player.
However, If the book does not exist, then maybe what they really need to do is create their own book and write their own story.
Which is why I think it makes no sense to get a rep. book after rep. book. It is like living your chess life through the footsteps of another person. Playing other peoples lines when you really are not compatible with the other people. Sometimes you need your own repertoire book filled with your own lines you love to play.
I remember a few weeks back several different people asked me if they could use my beginner repertoire and I told them sure. However, I did say its not ment to be used forever! Which is what I honestly believe. I honestly believe every chess player could become a master one day. I believe the world is big enough to support alot of title players.
The repertoire is a beginner repertoire and that is how it should stay but not you! Your destined for much more than a beginner level ranking. Use it but do not get attached to it. Since your destination is far above a beginner repertoire.
@ylblai2
I appreciate your links. They can be very helpful.
However, I believe you are not understanding jlconn.
You are harping on the small things he is saying and yet you are missing the big picture.
It is like criticizing a painter for the colors being applyed on the canvas with out ever stepping back to see the grand design of the painting.
The repertoire books are useful for the average class player if it contains informations about the logic of moves and what is the strategic issue of the development. No X player, this is not a hopeless try to disagree again with you, I don't care if we have different opinions. I have repertoire books that are for garbage! and I have some that helped me a lot to understand what I can do with my opening.
For the OP I suggest a series of books from Alexander Khalifman " opening 1.e4 according to Anand ". I like this series because of that, even if your opponent somewhere mix the move order or deviate, the author gives you information about the main purpose.
The repertoire books are useful for the average class player if it contains informations about the logic of moves and what is the strategic issue of the development. No X player, this is not a hopeless try to disagree again with you, I don't care if we have different opinions. I have repertoire books that are for garbage! and I have some that helped me a lot to understand what I can do with my opening.
For the OP I suggest a series of books from Alexander Khalifman " opening 1.e4 according to Anand ". I like this series because of that, even if your opponent somewhere mix the move order or deviate, the author gives you information about the main purpose.
Well Bg5 I did not disagree with you. I have been saying this the whole time. If all you do is buy repertoire book after repertoire book you will end up with some that are garbage and/or they will become paper weights!
Which can be a huge draw back!
However, Their is good which can come from repertoire books. Jlconn already pointed out some of the benefits. I already agreed with him on this issue.
I am appreciative of all the responses...but more entertained than anything.
Please, keep going. We might win an award or something. There is actually a lot of good advice if one can read between the antics.
The way I look at it is that I should combine different repertoire books. For example, I like Chess Openings for Black, Explained (COFB). This book has decent explanations.
However, I'm not sure I want to get into the Accelerated Dragain right now. Therefore, I will use something like Kaufman's newer book that elucidates a response to 1.e4 with 1...e5. Yes, this book is designed for very advanced players and assumes you don't need basic explanation about, for example. the Ruy Lopz. The book also utilizes the Gruenfeld. I think the Gruenfeld may be a bit abstruse for me right now, so I use the Nimzo/Bogo of COFB instead.
I think of repertoire books as a skeltons and road maps. They are guides. Some have more meat (i.e., explanations) than others. This can easily be ameliorated by supplementing with speciality books that are for players of varying levels, as already mentioned. Numerous examples given herein stand out: Marin, Starting Out, Move by Move, Anand, and several others...too many to repeat, but I am making a note of them.
Carry on. Thanks.
@ylblai2
I appreciate your links. They can be very helpful.
However, I believe you are not understanding jlconn.
It is hard to address this in the absence of any specific quote of a claimed mistaken perception of jlconn.
You are harping on the small things he is saying and ...
If you are making some important distinction by writing "harping on" instead of "discussing some of", I am afraid that you will have to explain it to me.
... and yet you are missing the big picture.
It is like criticizing a painter for the colors being applyed on the canvas ...
I am not criticizing jlconn. I am discussing some of what he wrote in reaction to my posts. Consequently, I see no reason for me to be obliged to discuss "the big picture".
... with out ever stepping back to see the grand design of the painting.
You are not in a position to know what I have stepped back to see. You only know what I have written about.
@ylblai2 : I really appreciate your taking the time to search and dig up relevant and informative web pages from the archives. You've done it in many threads and I think it helps a lot of readers.
Now when it comes to opening repertoire critiques, I think jlconn's observations are really to the point : repertoire books are not written for the average club player (dare I say, even not for the above average club player), and becoming familiar with an opening requires some personal work and toying around, whatever your level.
Reviewers almost never assess an opening book according to criteria that could be very meaningful for the average club players : ...
If a repertoire book is not written for the average club player, then it seems to me to be reasonable for a reviewer to use criteria meaningful to the intended audience of the book. Nevertheless, along the way, it seems to me that reviewers provide information useful to others.
- amount of work required to master the core elements
- easiness to navigate if you land into an unfamiliar position
- variety of positions you get in the middlegame (# of typical pawn structures you'll have to deal with) => strategic complexity
- highlighting of lines that could be played by other club players (rather than the very main line that GM plays)
- general sharpness
- explanations of typical early middlegame plans
- general strategic explanations (if applicable)
- quality of model games and explanations...
It seems to me that those are sorts of things that are discussed in reviews. Perhaps one could reasonably wish to see more of that sort of thing. I have not written that reviews are perfect. Indeed, I have previously indicated that I would have some sympathy for some sort of negative reaction. Primarily, I have been objecting to the "almost never helpful" comment.
It's true that most reviews read like they're aimed at 2200+ players and answer only two questions : is the coverage sound and extensive ? You can have a lot of succes at club level by playing relatively unsound openings if you know how to deal with a couple of relevant situations.
Even if one can play relatively unsound openings, I think it is nice to know about unsoundness in a book before buying it. I have tried to identify specific ways in which reviews can be helpful. To repeat: As a group, I think that the reviews communicate some of the dangers associated with trying to use a repertoire book. I think it is also valuable that they give an indication of how the repertoire choices differ from one book to another. This is connected to the important issue of how the degree of ambition varies from one book to another. Of course, it seems to me to be of some value to see an FM or IM assessment of the quality of the coverage of the chosen lines in the various books. We see "bad, or ineffective" lines mentioned in connection with one book and the words, "honest and original effort", used in connection with another book, along with lots of detail to consider. If one book only goes for equality and another book advocates more work, seeking an advantage, it can be very helpful to know about that even if the critic does not share my view about which is to be preferred.
... For the OP I suggest a series of books from Alexander Khalifman " opening 1.e4 according to Anand ". I like this series because of that, even if your opponent somewhere mix the move order or deviate, the author gives you information about the main purpose.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627083503/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen57.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626223458/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen62.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627060405/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen75.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627125146/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen84.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627053855/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen138.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626174228/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen165.pdf
Morphysrevenges wrote:
"There is an oldie but goodie (it's algebraic) called "Winning with 1. e4" by GM Soltis. It is a decent repertoire for anyone up to about 1900.
you could find it on ebay or amazon. I highly recommend it."
USCF Sales is still selling it.
I'll look into it. Soltis is a big name for pawn structure books I believe.
No kidding. Memorization is only one part of openings. Understanding the reasons behind the moves is important. Everyone knows that.
Notwithstanding your comment, my question still stands.
He has a good point. You gotta play it consistently to get a feel for a certain opening. That is something I have noticed in my own learning. But you are right, understanding the moves is important as well. You have decided to explore 1.e4, and so many books exist on that opening move alone. In my opinion, it depends on your current skill level. Is "Chess Openings for Dummies" appropriate (just read it, and has sections devoted to 1.e4) or a more specialized book? If I can offer any advice at all, and this is from a mediocre player trying to improve day by day, check out your local library's website. I was surprised how many chess books were available for free.
A highly respected chess coach told me I am beyond that book (probably just barely). If I could do it over I would have started with it though.
@ylblai2 : I really appreciate your taking the time to search and dig up relevant and informative web pages from the archives. You've done it in many threads and I think it helps a lot of readers.
Now when it comes to opening repertoire critiques, I think jlconn's observations are really to the point : repertoire books are not written for the average club player (dare I say, even not for the above average club player), and becoming familiar with an opening requires some personal work and toying around, whatever your level.
Reviewers almost never assess an opening book according to criteria that could be very meaningful for the average club players :
- amount of work required to master the core elements
- easiness to navigate if you land into an unfamiliar position
- variety of positions you get in the middlegame (# of typical pawn structures you'll have to deal with) => strategic complexity
- highlighting of lines that could be played by other club players (rather than the very main line that GM plays)
- general sharpness
- explanations of typical early middlegame plans
- general strategic explanations (if applicable)
- quality of model games and explanations...
It's true that most reviews read like they're aimed at 2200+ players and answer only two questions : is the coverage sound and extensive ? You can have a lot of succes at club level by playing relatively unsound openings if you know how to deal with a couple of relevant situations.