Smith - the Woodpecker Method 2 Positional Play

Victor Bologan is not only a strong and creative chess grandmaster, he has also made a career in Moldovan and world chess politics. His strong will and incredible versatility have enabled him to lead a colourful and interesting life. ‘Believe in yourself’ is his motto and it has taken him to places many of us will never see.

A sparkling description of the many roads Bologan has travelled lies before you. In this autobiography you will read about the adventures of an enterprising youngster in turbulent Moldova, his collaborations with renowned chess coaches such as Vyacheslav Chebanenko, Zigurds Lanka and Mark Dvoretsky, and his alliances with top players such as Alexander Morozevich, Ruslan Ponomariov, Vladimir Kramnik and Garry Kasparov. The book also offers a candid insight into Bologan's activities as Executive Director of the World Chess Federation FIDE and his career in Moldovan national politics.

Central to this book, of course, is Bologan's chess career. His most impressive tournament victory was in Dortmund in 2003, where he beat both Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. But he also won the incredibly strong Aeroflot Open in Moscow in 1995 and twice came first in a personal favourite, the annual Poikovsky tournament. Bologan has extensively annotated 88 of his best and most attractive games. 424 pages

A jumbo set of high-quality poker cards, made of 100% plastic. This makes them the perfect choice for everyone enjoying regularly the thrill of a poker evening. Unlike cards made of cardboard, the Texas Hold'em Jumbo Set is made for a long life. Available with a red or black back. 

Table de bridge en hêtre massif teinté acajou avec pieds pliables

Q&A with the author, Alexander Delchev:

What does it take to become an expert in opening preparation? 

How can we learn the secret methods which allow the top players to dominate everyone else in the opening? 

Books can hardly be useful in this regard because modern books on openings, regardless of the level of the author, are very standard and straightforward. The title of this book claims to answer this question. Your author will then back up his claim with proof in the form of analysis from a strong engine. You are then left to decide whether or not to include these ideas in your opening repertoire. 

What is missing is some sort of guidance and advice relating to what sorts of tour­naments and against what sorts of players this idea should be employed. Moreover, every one of you has likely noticed that even the best opening idea still has a rela­tively short life span and can hardly be used in more than a few games. So far I have published about 10 books on openings and for me it is not a problem to publish another 10 or even more. However, in the modern era I believe the lifespan of an opening book is incredibly short as new games are constantly being played and new ideas are being found. 1 feel it would be much more useful to you if I uncover a new approach to opening preparation, which will be more long-lasting and will improve your play as well. 

The method of opening preparation I have used throughout my entire chess-playing career {1997 - 2018) allowed me, with relatively little effort, to be unpredictable the re by winning the psychological battle of the opening. Luring my opponents into prepared opening tricks and traps was great fun !  314 p.

In the method which I will introduce you to in this book, the first and most im­portant aspect is adapting your approach to each individual opponent and perfect prediction of the opponent's opening choice, to the smallest details. 

Toutes les grandes variantes de la française sont reprises dans cet ouvrage, la Tarrasch, la Classique, la Winawer et la classique.

72 parties complètes commentées par un auteur réputé, Viktor Moskalenko.

Un angle d'approche basé sur l'aspect stratégique avec énormément de conseils pratiques révélant les ressources clés de l'ouverture. 403 pages

• High density, staple free bristle board
• Ideal for using in tournaments, clubs, pubs and at home
• Perfect for beginners and amateurs
• Essential to develop and improve your skills
• Suitable for players of all ages
• Included components: 1 x Harrows Pro Matchplay Dartboard
• Style name: Sport

The vast majority of chess games witness familiar strategies and well known tactical motifs. These are the games that you will find in the anthologies and opening repertoires. Sometimes however, games appear that seem to have been played on a different planet. 

Conventional strategies go out of the window. Familiar tactical themes are nowhere to be seen. Chaos has broken out. The pieces appear to be in open rebellion and are steadfastly refusing to do the natural jobs that they were designed for. 

Having to navigate a path in such a game can be a nightmare. Do you rely purely on calculation? Is it better to trust your instincts? Can you assess the position using “normal” criteria?

In order to answer these questions, prolific chess author and coach Cyrus Lakdawala has assembled a collection of brilliantly unconventional and irrational games. The positions in these games appear almost random. Kings have gone walkabout, pieces are on bizarre squares, huge pawn rollers are sweeping all before them. 

Irrational chess is like nothing you’ve seen before. As well as being highly instructive this is a hugely entertaining book. 

Do not adjust your set. It’s chess, Jim, but not as we know it.

 In this book the highly experienced grandmaster Milos Pavlovic outlines a powerful repertoire for White based on 1 d4. The variations are very much based on strategic themes where an understanding of plans is far more important than memorisation of lines and move orders. The author focuses on important positional considerations such as:

•     Which pieces need to be traded off.
•     On which squares will pieces be most effective.
•     What is the best way to develop the initiative.

Nowadays many strong players try to beat opponents by learning sharp lines in the opening. However, it is also possible to do the same by obtaining positions where you have a great understanding of how to conduct the middlegame and thus can consistently outplay your opponent.

In Opening Repertoire: Strategic Play with 1 d4, Milos Pavlovic guides the reader through the chosen variations and carves out a complete repertoire for White. He examines all aspects of play and provides the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans.

•     A complete repertoire for White with 1 d4.
•     A question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.
•     279 pages

Coach Christof has thoroughly revised and updated his 2018 best-selling chess opening manual. It covers everything you need to know when opening with 1.e4. You will get a complete White chess opening repertoire.

Why is this opening repertoire called simple? For the simple reason that the variations are easy to remember and require little or no maintenance.

International Master Christof Sielecki has created a hit series with his reliable opening lines for chess players of almost all levels. He developed this repertoire by working with students looking for something easy to understand and learn. Sielecki always clearly explains the plans and counter plans and keeps you focused on the position's requirements. Ambitious players rated 1500 or higher will benefit from studying this extremely accessible book.

Christof Sielecki is an International Master from Germany. He has taught and trained chess for many years and runs a popular YouTube channel called ChessExplained. He won numerous awards with his course on Chessable and has created three volumes of the Keep it Simple opening manuals.

Hardcover 630 pages