I have just received a copy of 'The Safest Grunfeld' and am shocked to see that on page 4 'Bibliography' Jonathan Rowson's Understanding the Grunfeld' is NOT credited.   
If this means that the authors are unaware of Rowson's masterclass work then tred very carefully!
One example is on page 242 of TSG line E14 move 17.Bb5 is recomended.  Rowson shows an idea by GM Lalic 17.Rb5 with the idea of ...Ra5 and c4. This looks a very strong idea.

[quote
"The Grünfeld is basically simple strategically" - really? I thought due to its different centre formation, it´s one of the most complicated openings? Which opening is strategically more demanding? Can you give some openings, which need more strategic knowledge. It would be very interesting. [/quote]
The KI, the Nimzo, the Sicilian are much richer on strategic ideas.

Slightly off topic:

I actually enjoy the layout of 

1 - main ideas (including high level main lines, objectives, common pawn strucutres and typical tactical motives)

2 - step by step (which is a more detailed tree structure)

3 - complete games (in my opiniong, way to many opening books end thier analysis too early and also without outlining any plans for the middle game)

The main ideas section has just enough to let you know what is going on and let's you get going with the opening, with the other sections providing additional and more detailed information.

I hope this is becoming a trade mark approach for chess stars and  will be used for future books.

I appreciate the quality-chess grandmaster series, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by all that detail without being eased in. It certainly took me much longer to pick up an opening according to Marin or Avrukh compared to Delchev, etc.

Semkov wrote on 05/13/11 at 19:34:58:


Good to hear 10...Na5 is also covered - this is the main reason I am interested in the Gruenfeld again personally.

On the title, not a big deal, the main thing is the content obviously, but something like "The Dynamic Gruenfeld" would be most appropriate? Probably somebody else has already used this title I suppose...

Semkov wrote on 05/14/11 at 19:16:53:

Oh, no way! The Grünfeld is basically simple strategically. There is no room for multiple volumes on it. [/quote]

"The Grünfeld is basically simple strategically" - really? I thought due to its different centre formation, it´s one of the most complicated openings? Which opening is strategically more demanding? Can you give some openings, which need more strategic knowledge. It would be very interesting.

just got the book-- first impression -- excellent !!

Keano wrote on 05/07/11 at 23:43:56:

On the contrary, TSG does cover 10...Na5 on 8 pages (in the "Complete Games" chapter) as well as another alternative to 10...Qc7 which is chosen as main line since theory is more stable and proven with the years. 
The title was my "insight" - I aimed for an association with The Safest Sicilian to orient readers what to expect - same author, same structure.

So far I really like the clear explanation of plans at the beginning of each chapter.  They aren't nearly as lengthy as a Starting Out book or Rowson's book, but they're to the point and help orient me with the theory.  For instance, after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cd Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bc Bg7 7.Bb5+ c6 8.Ba4 0-0 9.Ne2 b5 10.Bb3 a5 they write:

"Our plan is to gain total control over the light squares by ...a4, ...Nd7-b6, ...Be6, while restricting the mobility of the enemy's central pawns with ...Qe8 and ...e5, or first ...f6, ...Be6, and push ...e5 later."

It's not exactly rocket science and is a fairly obvious plan (especially after having it spelled out to you), but for Grunfeld first-timers like myself this book is filled with tons of these concise pointers that greatly help me to digest the theory.  I highly recommend this book so far.