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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) best book on the modern and pirc? (Read 39751 times)
Edward_Dearing
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #40 - 11/02/06 at 11:25:39
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A lawyer? You kept that quiet, I thought you were a painter/decorator.  Smiley
  
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IMJohnCox
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #39 - 11/02/06 at 10:37:05
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I'm a lawyer, ano, but I have also written a few chess books.
  
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #38 - 11/02/06 at 08:57:44
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The Gallagher book is not bad at all (it is actually quite a good book), but it seems to me to lack the "colour" and "passion" of his King's Indian books.


I feel exactly the same. Gallagher don't have faith in the Pirc and this infect the reader.

One week ago I received a copy of Pirc Alert! What a book! Terrific! At the moment the most I like are the "strategic chapters". This is the better opening-middlegame book I have ever seen. The only fault i have found is the extensive use of the phrasal verbs in the explanations, but obviously that is not a problem for english-american people.

  

"Ladran, luego cabalgamos", NN
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ano
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #37 - 11/02/06 at 01:42:40
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Agreed. I really like the discussion on the "sicilian" (c5, cd4) "ruy lopez" (e5, not ed4) and "philidor" pawn structures in "Pirc Alert". I know at least one critic (Bauer I believe) have said the introduction to that book is somewhat long-winded. I agree it is not short and does repeat things more than once, but the material is excellent. Makes me wonder why anyone would play the Philidor by the way.

The Keene and Botterill books on the Pirc and Modern are classics.

Not sure about Tiger's Modern although it is certainly a good read. I am a little sceptical about some of the positions though (at least to my uneducated eye) but I am not strong enough to offer definitive analysis. I am not convinced that black is okay if White plays early f4 and that it is in black's best interests to avoid the main lines of the Austrian attack against the Pirc.

The Gallagher book is not bad at all (it is actually quite a good book), but it seems to me to lack the "colour" and "passion" of his King's Indian books.

IM John Cox are you a semi-professional player/author? I thought I read somewhere that you are a lawyer (if that is true I hope you don't take that as being defamatory as I am a lawyer also).
  
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IMJohnCox
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #36 - 11/01/06 at 11:42:53
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In my opinion g3g6 is absolutely spot on. Keene's (and Botterill's; let's be fair) two books were superb and anyone who can get copies should do. The best present-day ones are Pirc Alert and, in its style, Tiger's.

It's probably no coincidence these are all written by devotees of the opening. It's that kind of opening.
  
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James Vigus
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #35 - 10/28/06 at 09:32:45
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To JEH - my book gives full coverage, it isn´t a repertoire book. So roughly equal space is devoted to 5...c5 and 5...0-0 in the Austrian Attack. It´s due out in February,
James
  
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Bibs
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #34 - 10/25/06 at 14:46:32
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Will let James-san comment for himself regarding the book. Sure he will pop by soon.

  
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JEH
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #33 - 10/24/06 at 13:15:43
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Thanks for the titbit bibs.

Can you tell us if this is a repetoire book or a full opening coverage, and if it is a repetoire book, are we finally going to get one that doesn't just parrot that forced draw malarky (5. ...c5) against the Austrian?
  

Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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Bibs
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #32 - 10/24/06 at 12:52:28
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Hi,
Re: Pirc books. Have all the others mentioned.
Best one coming out soon.
James Vigus' new book is certainly worth a look and will answer all your queries. An old mate and colleague of mine, so chipped in with the odd comment or so as he wrote, which explains why I've seen it. Have seen the analysis and am being persuaded to move back to Pirc ground.
Bang up-to-date and sorts out the assorted bash-the-pirc malarckey foisted on readers in the various texts already mentioned.
Watch out for The Archbishop Attack!...

cheers
Simon Bibby

  
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g3g6
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #31 - 10/02/06 at 19:10:12
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Hello Edward,

Videki’s Pirc defence have one problem. It’s based mainly on new material. Lot of older continuation are not mentioned /I found similar problem with Yakovich’s Sicilian Sveshnikov. Side lines are nearly ignored, for this is the main book old russian Svesnikov by Svesnikov by publisher Fiskultura I sport/. Evalution of fragments are very often too late – in games exist critical positions sooner than Videki mentioned. This type of books have problem – if you have compuetr with good database, database program and any engine, you don’t need this type of book. Yes, in bed is book better. But I personaly don’t like study this type of book. For me is more important understanding position than remembering theoretical lines. I think that you prefer the this too Smiley.
Speelmann/McDonald – I was originaly disapointed with this book. Lately I time to time look into, because here is lot of interesting samples with all ideas based on modern. There is no too deep material, but interesting collections about modern. I think, that every player here found own modern’s “Star” game.
An Explosive Repertoire for Black/Yrjola – I forgot mentioned this book. Reason is easy. This book is mainly about 1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 Bg4 and 2.c4 e5. Here is small part about pirc, but mainly based on Ultimate Pirc and repertoar is similar to Pirc Alert. There is minimun new material about  Pirc.
Tiger’s modern – literary very good, include lot of own analysis, mostly checked with computer. All games are very interesting, very excitement. Tiger covered all about “his” modern. However I must say, that Tiger’s concept after 8 year playing I found as unsuitable for tournament games. For rapid or blitz is probably OK, because here very often win “poker face” Smiley, but in long games is smaller space for bluff. I exchanged few messages on Chesspublishing with Michael Ayton and we both agreed about serious problem in Tiger’s modern.

g3g6
  
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Edward_Dearing
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #30 - 10/02/06 at 15:22:09
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Hey everyone,

Interested to see your opinions on books. As I am a big fan of the Modern I thought I might share my experiences of the texts currently under consideration.

Alas I do not have Norwood's book, although I would very much like to acquire a copy (out of print, it seems).

Details of the lines covered would be much appreciated - in particular, what does it cover after 3.Nc3 c6 4.Be3?

Pirc Alert was a great book - truly superb. Some of the theory is a little dated now, but it is still crammed full of instructive examples and useful ideas that are relatively unexplored. Even several years on, without a doubt, I would recommend this book.

Videki Sandor's work on the Pirc has received a lot of bad press on this site, and I would submit that much of this is unjustified. Sure the book has some problems, but it also has a lot of analysis that has hitherto gone unmentioned in Western texts on the Pirc/Modern. I have a copy on my shelf right now, and regularly refer to it.

Nunn/McNab - Ultimate Pirc: Well, like the good Doctor said, these sorts of books are a bit dated these days. Nevertheless, it remains rather useful, if only because it locates a variety of key examples. When I first acquired a copy of this I have to admit that I was rather disappointed - there is very little by way of new analysis, and several critical positions are assigned token evaluations without a proper investigation. However, at the end of the day one can't be too critical of a reference book.

McDonald/Speelman - The Modern: This is a genuinely good book in many respects, and was my first book on the Pirc/Modern. Unfortunately the coverage it provides is rather inconsistent, with some lines covered in depth, while other important lines are simply skirted over. My understanding is that Speelman wrote the second half, dealing with 1.d4, whereas McDonald wrote the first half, dealing with 1.e4. Speelman is an expert on the Modern, whereas I am not sure how often Neil employs it from the Black side, so that may explain the apparent disparity in original analysis between the first and second parts of the book. All in all it is not a bad text.

An Explosive Repertoire for Black - wonderful book, although handle with care in two respects: analysis on the Pirc is a little light compared to the time they spend on 1.d4 d6, and the evaluations are often a little more favorable to black than might be deemed objective. Even so, great book, full of wonderfully tricky sidelines.

Tiger's Modern - This is a tricky one. When I first received my copy of this I really liked it, and in many respects I still do. There is a lot of fresh analysis, and some wonderful explanatory content. On the other hand some of the assessments seem way off the mark. I have only flicked through the first couple of chapters, but already I have found several positions where Tiger has concluded the analysis prematurely with a comment such as "...when Black has a fantastic position", when in fact White appears to be clearly better (indeed Black is in serious trouble in a few of the examples I have stumbled across). That being the case I feel reluctant to rely on this text as a bible rather than a very general guide.

Gallagher's Starting Out book is very good, and in places is very helpful even for those who are not "starting out".

I understand that my old teammate James Vigus is writing a book on the Pirc. Would be very interested to see how that turns out.

I hope this was helpful. Am very happy to discuss Pirc/Modern lines and books should anyone be interested.

All the best,

Eddie
  
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g3g6
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #29 - 10/02/06 at 14:07:29
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Best book about Pirc and Modern? From my side best are Pirc Alert by Alburt and Keene’s Pirc defence and Tiger’s modern by Hillarp Persson and Keene’s Modern defence.
Both Keene’s books are over 30year old, but are /mainly Modern defence/ full interesting IDEAS. Of course, all variantions are not correct, because during 30 year was founding improvements for one side, but still both books are intersting. Pirc Alert covered only small numbers variantions, but have high degree verbal explanation – long second part of book is probably best. I like it, i carefully read Pirc Alert three times. Tiger’s modern is full original analysis. But in this moment i think, that 4..a6 have big problems and i am looking for another opening.

Next very interesting book is Modern defence by Speelman /from Everyman Smiley/. There is little problem /not first time/ - few games, comments or analysis are based /copy+paste/ on Keene’s book, but Speelman this fact mentioned.
Ultimate Pirc from McNab+Nunn and Videki‘s Pirc defence are full games or fragments. Lot of materials, but authors don’t share his own opinion and preferable continuation. Very interesting is one from latest interview with John Nunn /http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3318/ , where he says: No, I think this type of book, this kind of encyclopedic book, there’s just no point anymore. The type of opening book that I used to specialize in… I think time for that is gone now. This is very important view.
Gallagher‘s  Starting Out: Pirc defence is classical book from this serie. Lot of verbal explanation for target players below 2000. We need more special material Smiley.
Modern defence by Dave Norwood is interesting book, but book have only „few“ pages and personaly included material i dont like very much.
Carpathian warrior by Lalic is interesting book, but covered mainly some special variations /or modern with 4.f4/ and i fear, than are not checked with computer, but are very inspiring Smiley
There is 3+4 book OFWATA – interesting concept based on 4.f4 against Pirc and Modern. I have really doubts about right evalution in this books.
Hippopotamus rises by Andrew Martin is clearly bad book. Maybe this was reason, why was Martin's Modern defence canceled by publisher.

  
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #28 - 10/02/06 at 02:38:56
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"Can I enter another candidate for the best book on the Pirc? My book 'The Pirc in Black and White' (Everyman) will be out in 2007  Well, I certainly can't promise that it will be better than all the others, but it might help to dispel some exaggerated rumours of the Pirc's demise."

Hope this is a real contender. Actually the first specialist opening book I read was on the Pirc by Keene and this book inspired me to take up this opening. If this book is half as good as that book it will be a very good book.

It sounds like James will address a number of lines which have been advocated against the Pirc. The Pirc along with the Alekhine (I played against 4. Nf3 de long before it became popular following Larsen) was a favorite of mine when I was active as a junior (in the late 70's). I stopped playing it in 1978 not because of any specific problems with it but because I was encouraged to play the Sicilian and 1...e5.

It sounds like there are many debatable points. For example most writers including Gallagher don't seem to like Black's chances against the Austrian after 5..0-0 6 Bd3 Nc6 (hence the interest in Na6) but I read somewhere that that may not be so bad for black (I don't remember where).

I hope there is coverage of 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 c5 6. dc Qa5 7 Qd4 which was mentioned by Gallagher in his Starting Out book and so far as I am aware no convincing answer has been discovered.

I also think early c5 as played by Korchnoi against Karpov's Classical v the Pirc in 1978 WCC may not be so bad even though it can transpose to a line of the Benoni. Is it too much to ask for coverage of this?
  
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Edward_Dearing
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #27 - 09/29/06 at 15:44:12
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8...Bg4 is playable, although White should be able to get a slight edge in a complex position. I would happily play either side.
  
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Re: best book on the modern and pirc?
Reply #26 - 09/29/06 at 07:52:15
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Everyone here says the Pirc is busted after the moves 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Fg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 Na6 7.00 c5 8.d5 Rb8 9.f5 but what about 8.d5 Bg4 !?
  
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