Get Watson's 1...e5 (actually it's 1....P-K4) book if you can and if you don't mind descriptive notation. It's a great book, nothing less. ("The best openings book I've ever seen" - Jan Timman)

Greenknight,

You may know this already but Bagirov, one of your Alehine heros, wrote a couple of books on the English published by Cadogan. The two volumes were split between the Symmetrical in one volume and 1..e5 and "Indian" systems in another.  The books are quite dated now (1994).

Another old book (1992) - but quite good also is "Winning with the English" by Zoltan Ribli and Gabor Kalli. It is a collection of anotated games.

There are a few newer books on the English for Everyman there is Raetsky and Chetverik's "English ...e5" (2003), and there is a book by Carsten Hansen on the Symmetrical English published by Gambit (2000).

I like both the Ribli and the Raetsky books since I have a preference for annotated games versus tree format. The others still make nice references as long as your mindful that theory does move on - although perhaps not as fast in the English as elsewhere.

Personally I like to "read around" a subject so having several book and sources of information on a subject is always my preference. Even the best authors can miss things, and especially with the english there are lots of tricky transpositions that can easily be overlooked.

As far as heros, I think Korchnoi must be one for people playing the English. I believe there (newish) books currently in print written by Korchnoi and featuring his games. He has also made a DVD where he discusses ~ 10 games.

As far as online resource are concerned there are some links from

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~goeller/urusov/links/opening_analysis.html

you could check out.

Hope that is the kind of information you were looking for.

John.

Glad to be of service Paul 123

But you should know that I keep the really juicy stuff close to the vest until I get a chance to spring it OTB, except in one instance here when I let the cat out of the bag prematurely.

Cheers

Top 

Quote:


agreed john, i think its been known for quite a while now that 1c4 e5 2Nc3 Nf6 3Nf3 Nc6 4d4 e4 isnt anything for black to be scared about after either 5Ng5 (play Qh4 line as recommended by TopNotch) or 5Nd2 (Bb4 6e3 Bxc3 7bc d6 8Be2 0-0 90-0 Qe7 and black is fine)

Hello,

The old Watson series of books are very good, and still suprisingly relevant, particularly the 1...e5 one, considering published in 79.
    For instance checked out the TopNotch line, and it was mostly all there. It had 8.Qd3? marked up, the only difference being preferred 11...c*d6. Instead of 8.Qd3?, thought 8.Nc3 was a improvement, quoting a old 1940 game with equality. The whole 5Ng5 line was a side-line, with the main-line being 5Nd2, which Botvinnik preffered in the only two games facing 4...e4. The analysis improved on these games for black, giving equality.

Bye John S

I want to thank all of you for you valuable responses but didnt get an answer on most of my questions. I really dont want my posting to be a debate of a specific preference on the english opening lines, but more focus on overall internet resources of that opening and not only.
To repeat myself,

a) Do I need any other books along with that one, or that pretty much will do it for me.
b) Any other sites, or online studing resources that I can use for my study on the English opening?  
c) My current model players with the black pieces are Baburin, Bagirov, Kengis, (all great Alekhine specialists). What other player that is following closelly Mr Kosten lines can I study from?
d) I consider the English opening, the last of the romantic chess openings. Did anyone know more about the history of that opening?
e) Is any site devoted to the English opening? (something like Kirk Sadler's site of the Alekhine opening http://www.geocities.com/alekhine_gotw/ ).

Once again thanks and lets try to focus on the topics

Tony Kostens book is all you need believe me and maybe a big database and your set. I Have used Tony Kostens book and have gotten amazing results.

Sorry. I pressed the post button a little too fast.  What I would like to know is how many 1.c4 players stick to 3.e5 instead of 3.d4 or 3.Nf6.