wolfsblut wrote on 04/04/10 at 14:53:16:


I was just browsing the forum and came across this question. In the future if you have specific questions for me to answer personally, then a private message would be a better way to make sure I read it. But anyway, the answer is that yes the book is still in the pipeline. Although I am working at QC now, I agreed to honour my previous commitment with Everyman. The only trouble is it is taking a while since most of my time is taken up by the day job. I'll post a notification here when the book is done.

Thanks lg - good points & entirely agreed.

Knowing that a line is recommended as part of a new White repertoire book should allow focus on an antidote to that line - that's (one of the many features) I like about the Pirc in Black and White (where that work is done for Black).

Similarly, having seen 1.e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. Nc3 .. recommended in Gambiteer I, I re-visited that line (I remembered vaguely Burgess being quite complimentary about it) and was pleased (as opposed to nervous!) when it subsequently came up in a club game. 

spam fritter

I think that a bokk for White is as helpgull for as it is for Black.
See the Alekhine Starting Out by J. Cox. It is a good book from
the two points of view since suggesting good lines for Black, helps
to White to stay tuned and guess what are the lines Black may play.

So, any recommendation for White against the Alekhine and others,
might also help the Black side since Black now knows that there is a 
book suggesing such a line.

There are many reportoire books for White suggesting the exchange
for the Alekhine whuich suggest the "dreaded" Voroznev for White.
Looking at this it seems Black is doing OK.

Note also that the book by Khalifman on White against some 1.e4
defences is also quite usefull for Black.

Anyway, it is not clear to me what is going to be the suggestion against
the Alekhine. Anything which is not the Modern 4.Nf3 should be considered only as side line that may help White gain as a surprise.

Ha, the Goldman variation. Did not know it is under a cloud, and I very much doubt it is, really. Fans (mostly 1.Nc3-players) always refer to a correspondence game Negele-Melson, which is an example of the d4-gambit.

I do not know the  book you are looking for. 

I hope the following is useful: 
1) I would recommend Harald Keilhack's "Knight to the Left" if you want to surprise your opponent. This book covers almost everything after 1.Sc3. 

Maybe you are interested in some of these lines:   
Caro-Kann 
1. e4 c6 2.Sc3 d5 3.Df3!? (not even mentioned in the recent book of Wells) 
                         3.d3  or 3.g3 (a very low-theoretical approach indeed)   
                         3.f4 (Van Geet) 
                         3.Sf3 
                         3. De2 

Aljekhine 
1.e4 Sf6  2.Sc3 (detailed coverage) 
Of course black can transpose to the Vienna, but this happens seldom below expert level. 
If black does not transpose, then white scores very well (look at Hector's games). 

Center Counter 
1.e4 d5 2.Sc3 
but according to Wahls black has 
2...dxe4 3.Sxe4 Dd5;   
now white's best is 4.Sc3 
and we are back in the main line of the center counter. 
Many black players know this move-order trick. 

Pirc 
White could build up with Sc3, Lc4, f4, Sf3, d3;   
but I have to admit that I lost an important game in this 
variation as white. 

2) If you want a mainstream repertoire, 
then Kaufman's "The Chess advantage for Black and White" 
looks interesting. 
Kaufman recommends against 
Pirc : 150 Attack 
Modern: Play in Lopez style (e4, d4 Ld3, Sf3, c3, 0-0,...) 
Caro-Cann: Short system (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Lf5 4.Sf3) 
Aljekhine: Exchange variation 
Center Counter: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Dxd5 3.Sf3!?   
(white wants a pawn duo at d4 and c4)

3) In a recent SOS-book they covered 1.e4 c6 2.Se2 (White wants 
to get some kind of Caro Kann advance variation. ) 
 

   

                 

Dear Andrew

On

"You may be interested to know that I will soon be starting work on Beating Unusual Chess Defences: 1.e4, to be published by Everyman some time in 2009. It will provide a White repertoire against everything other than the Sicilian, 1...e5, French and Caro."

I wonder what kind of book will you write. Will you suggest offbeat
lines or will you suggest (even at the risk of being far from complete)
normal lines??

For instance, with respect to the Alekhine, I have seen repertoire 
books advocating 2. Nc3, 3Nc3, exchange (and even the 4PA if you
consider older books). But in all of these books, the authors seem to claim that 4 Nf3 is stronger (which I agree). However, either i) for reasons of space, or that ii) White does not waste time knowing lots of lines for a defence seldom played. they skip 4 Nf3.

When could we know what you will suggest for White?

By the way, it is nice to know that a book on such a theme will
be written. And by as well (I liked yours on nthe Ruy Lopez)

lg

Quote:


The only book I know of that offers a complete repertoire for White against all 1.e4... variations without providing an entire 1.e4 repertoire is ECO B, 4th edition (2002). 

Another added bonus is that you also get coverage of all the Sicilians (B20-B99), and have a reference work if you want to play the Sicilian or one of the 1.e4... variations as Black.

If you already have ECO and are after more of a specialist book on beating these 1.e4... defences, then I recommend combining ECO B with Mega Database 2009 and creating a database of annotated games with your opening variations.