This book is verging on misleading for prospective new Dutch players even at sub 2000 level.

The line he gives in 2 Bg5 line is losing almost by force.

Why didn't he suggest the more "Leningrad" and sounder 2...g6 instead of 2...h6????

2...h6 will soon disappear from high level tournament practice if it hasn't already.

Regards,

Nelson.

As far as I can see the ideas 
a) 7...e6 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.d5
b) 7...e6 8.Qc2 Qe7 9.e4
and c) 7...e6 8.b3 and 9.Ba3

are still going strong.

Raspje wrote on 12/04/10 at 16:41:41:


See e.g.

http://www.tiendadeajedrez.com/epages/tiendadeajedrezcom.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/d...

A good book in its time, and still not without interest.

Phil Adams wrote on 12/03/10 at 12:46:26:

Thanks for enabling me to compare McDonald's remarks with those of Taimanov (1980) and Schwarz (1964). Everything up to 16...Nb3 is just copied, except the two games in the notes which are taken from a database. And even that choice is biased - where is Vaulin-Diu, RUSch, Elista 2001 ? Too much work to figure out the transposition perhaps?
You have confirmed my suspicion that the book is as superficial as the one on the KG. Which is a pity, as McDonald's analysis of the French Tarrasch is truely excellent.

I am slightly puzzled at the negative comments on McDonald's latest Dutch book. McDonald may not be a "superstar" author, but despite being rather prolific he has maintained a consistently high standard of work, with his main strength lying in the quality of his explanations, which are generally very useful for non-master players, or indeed for anyone wanting to get a quick handle on an opening before starting to study it in more detail. His latest book on the Dutch is no exception in my opinion. 

He has played the Dutch himself (over fifty times in the standard databases), which is always an encouraging sign of the probable quality of an opening book. This is his third book on the Dutch by the way.

I think this book is particularly interesting and potentially very useful for Dutch fans in that the two mainline repertoire options given differ from Kindermann and Pedersen, who both confined themselves to the modern 7...Qe8 system. There is some overlap with Beim in that both he and McDonald cover the 7...c6 system, but instead of showing the solid but rather tedious 8 d5 e5 9 dxe6 Bxe6 McDonald confines his coverage to the more combative (albeit probably inferior) 8 d5 Bd7 (admittedly also mentioned in Beim).

Finally McDonald offers 7...Nc6 and if 8 d5 Na5 (instead of the "kill-or-be-killed" 8...Ne5 covered in De la Riva’s book), when play can become similar to the Panno/Yugoslav King's Indian. To my knowledge this is the first time that this has been a repertoire recommendation, although McDonald also covered it briefly in "The Dutch Leningrad" and there also is some material in older books by Ehlvest and Bellin and of course ECO. I have never played it, but I’ve always been interested in this line, ever since I came across the old game Benko-Tal (attached, with brief notes).

Those seeking Avukh- or Marin-type coverage will be disappointed. But, be honest, how many of us actually need that degree of “scholarship” ?

So, I am pleased to have this book, but I urge potential readers to have a look at it themselves then make up their own minds as to its usefulness for them, and not be swayed too much by the opinion of others - me included.

MNb wrote on 12/02/10 at 22:19:43:


Yeah, I've seen it. Used to own a copy, even. Its good, far better than McDonald's effort, but still falls short of Beim and Kindermann.

Bowen wrote on 12/02/10 at 05:32:33:


Avoid it if you are rated 2000+. Or probably even 1800+. It is only a repertoire book in the very loosest sense of the word. I think "a collection of themed Dutch games with light notes" is much more accurate. Note the word highlighted in bold, its there for a reason.

Bowen wrote on 12/01/10 at 05:29:04:


According to Hansen's rating system two stars (out of four) is actually classified as 'Useful'. I'm not sure I would agree with that when you consider the alternative sources on the same opening. The book is obviously aimed at a sub-2000 audience, so it clearly does not suit my needs. But even so, as TalJechin stated in an earlier post - "but there's a limit to how little you can say and still be worthwhile reading...". That pretty much sums it up - all the descriptions are very generic plan-based explanations, the amount of actual analysis within the notes really could not have been smaller.

Kindermann is still the king of the Leningrad repertoire book, with Beim in second place. Nothing else that I've seen even comes close.