Not to put too fine a point on this, but this is a website devoted to the archania of specialized opening moves.  To recommend the Bird here because it avoids "memorized moves" seems .... well.... like a luddite recommending a  website.

My only guess as to why this thread is here is that in it's normal place there just isn't much interest.  Bird's Defense without imbuing it with the Nimzovich-Larsen ideas is a bit drab.  Yes, there's the From's Gambit, but that's relying on Black to shake things up.  I have played numerous games against the Bird and have always always been able to get a comfortable game out of the opening.   

The bummer is that I haven't been able to win all the games.  But then I've been outrated by up to 200 points and drawn as Black.  Hmm.  Maybe that's why the Bird isn't so popular???

Quote:


This thread prompted me to revisit the issue of the Bird's Attack/Defence and the From's in particular.

The Greek GM Kotronias is one of my favorite 1.e4 players, and quite coincidentally our repertoires are similar in many areas. I think the From's is probably the reason why the Bird's isn't more popular and in the game mentioned in the quote Black can significantly improve with 13...Bd7! instead of Kotronias' 13...Be6?!. After 13...Bd7! it is my considered opinion that White has to play very carefully just to maintain the balance.

Congrats to TomR on his IM norm, and I hope he continues to apprise us of his progress. 

Toppylov

And why is this thread in a 1.d4 forum?

HgMan, what did you think of Taylor's book?  I'm thinking, it has absolutely got to be better than my 25-year-old book by Soltis, or that bad Chessbase CD.

Why is this thread entitled the Bird's Defence?

Tops

This just received from Everyman:


Birdís Opening: Detailed coverage of an underrated and
dynamic choice for White

Timothy Taylor

1-85744-402-7; 6 x 9; 234 x 156mm; $19.95; Paperback
November 2005

Birdís Opening is an underrated and dynamic choice for
White that immediately directs the game into
relatively unexplored territory, setting Black players
early problems and forcing them to think for
themselves rather than having the luxury of relying on
the theory of more mainstream openings. Itís also a
very flexible option that can lead to both sharp
gambit play, such as the notorious Fromís Gambit, as
well as quieter positional lines.
In this book International Master Timothy Taylor
unearths the secrets of Birdís Opening and its many
deviations. Using illustrative games, he examines
tactical and positional ideas for both colours and
recommends the best paths in both the ëmain linesí and
the lesser-trodden paths. A study of this book will
give the reader the required knowledge and confidence
to play the Birdís Opening with either colour.

*Written by a Birdís Opening expert
*A complete up-to-date survey on an active chess
opening
*Ideal for club and tournament players

International Master Timothy Taylor is an experienced
tournament player who has enjoyed several notable
successes including winning the US Open. He is also a
skilled chess writer, one of his previous books How to
Defeat the Smith-Morra Gambit becoming a US Chess
Federation best seller.
Outside of chess, he is the author if two published
novels, Elaine the Fair and Amanda, while he directed
the film Wicked Pursuits.

This is great news! Some further questions if you don't mind: When will it be released? how many pages? is it a white repertoire work or for both colors?