I have both The Dynamic Reti and The Dynamic English and I think they're equally good.  If you want a very slightly updated video version of the Davies book with an English move order and a few different lines you can also consider his Chessbase English Opening DVD.

I would like to recommend davies book for what it is : a fine orientation for starters. Of course flank openings are a vast swamp of variations, and you will definitely have to find your own path eventually, but (to maintain the metafor) you will not go astray and drown when using this book as your first guide.

Zatara wrote on 05/26/09 at 20:04:56:


I just totally failed to get on with that early b2-b4 stuff.  Since switching to g2-g3 set-ups my rating performance against KID from 1. Nf3 has nearly doubled.  Matter of taste what you play against KID from the Reti.  You've got a pretty full choice of transpositions - aside from the Samisch I suppose.

In answer to the original question I'd say Davies' Reti book is pretty ordinary.  To steal somebody else's line about something else entirely ...

Davies' book on the Reti is like Hershey's chocolate.  Perfectly acceptable if you haven't tried Swiss chocolate but not as good as it could (or arguably should) be.

I found the chapter on 1. ... d5, 2. ... e6 set-ups the most helpful, the chapter on 1. ... d5, 2. ... dxc4 rather dubious and I don't like the anti-KID chapter at all (see above).  The 1. Nf3 c5, 2. c4 chapters I found a useful introduction to those lines - although I'm far from an expert so I wouldn't trust my judgement about how comprehensive the coverage is if I were you.

4. ... dxc4 also fails to cover the ... Qd5 set-ups but as I'm not sure that they'd become popular when the book was written so that's fair enough.

I've never read Kosten's English book so can't comment on it but I've never heard anybody rave about Davies' book on the Reti like plenty of people do about Tony's book.


Of course, Davies' book is pretty much you're only choice if you want a book on the Reti.

Zatara wrote on 05/26/09 at 20:04:56:


I'd advise the 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qa4+ route against the Grunfeld (or even 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qa4+ is worth consideration, it is easier to play/more English like). So far I'm +2 -0 =0 in tournament play, one win being against just a 1900, the other against FM Garrett.

I recommend finding a main line KID you like as white. I'm a fan of 7. Be3, but I also have a liking for 9. Ne1 in the old main line, using the early g4 ideas (or the ideas as seen in Ivanchuk-Cheparinov, 2008).

Tony's book on the english was a classic. The dangerous weapons book contains some useful material. But you might want to consider waiting for Marin's books on the English to come out. If you want to use the Reti move order- Kramnik's opening repertoire for white by Khalifman may prove useful.

GMTonyKosten wrote on 05/25/09 at 10:39:24:


Tony.... You are probably asked already more than 1000 times to update this book. Any chance of having it updated ? Or has it stood the test of time ?

The Dynamic English is very old now!

I am looking for a repertoire to go with my 1.e4 repertoire.  I am thinking between Davies book on the Dynamic Reti or Kosten's book on the English called the Dynamic english.  Or is the catalan with Davies catalan book and Avuhk's book a better bet?
1. which one is theoretically stronger?
2. which is sharper
Thanks,
Zatara