Starting Out: 1.e4 by Neil McDonald is quite good, but unfortunately there isn't enough depth for a 2300 player.

If you want to play 3.Nd2 against the French, buy Tzermiadianos's 'How to Beat the French Defence'.

If you want an Anti-Sicilian repertoire as White then Gawain's new book could be worth a look. Even so, I agree with the others that a theory-intensive Open Sicilian repertoire is your best bet.

Against 1...e5, you can either choose from the dozens of good books on the Ruy, or make a compromise and buy 'Beating 1.e4 e5' or 'The Scotch Game' (both by Everyman).

If you want a low-theory but still dangerous answer to the Caro-Kann, 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.d4!? is worth examining. ChessPublishing is the only source I know of that covers this line at all.

Against the Pirc/Modern, bite the bullet and go into the Austrian Attack. After 5...0-0 the hack line with 6.e5 and h4-h5 has scored very well, but 5...c5 is more testing from both a practical and theoretical perspective.

Against the Alekhine, either go into the Exchange Variation and study a few model games, or play 4.Nf3 and make sure you know the theory.

There are a number of good systems against the Scandinavian; you can do worse than Nf3/Be2/0-0/d4/c4 (the exact order depending on Black's response).

Finally, against the Nimzowitsch and 1...b6, you are spoilt for choice.

Be patience! Quality's (or should i say Jacob's) GM Rep 1.e4 is (are) coming!!!!

I've recently starting going through the same process of moving from 1 d4.

My approach has been to use Sam Collins opening repertoire as a starting point (the Batsford book and CB DVD), with various additions as shown below:

1) Scotch - supplemented by Emms SO Scotch (there is also a book by Barsky from Chess stars, but I think Emms is at least equal to this)

2) Caro Kann - supplemented by Wells Gambit book on the Caro, and Aagaaaaard's Easy guide from Everyman

3) French - used Bologan DVD

4) Sicilian - have stuck with c3 lines of Collins, but would like to find time to use De Villa's book instead

5) Pirc / Modern - still trying to find a line I'm happy with

Still leaves the Petroff, Philidor, Alekhine and any other openings named after famous players

punter wrote on 05/21/11 at 21:12:37:

I haven't seen this myself yet (I normally play 3.Nd2 with White), but if you have any interest at all in the Rossolimo I recomend his DVD on that too, and probably his recent book on the same subject for deeper study.

This is easy to combine with De La Villa's Open Sicilian book; basically replacing the Sveshnikov, Kalashnikov and Grivas variations with 2...Nc6 3.Bb5.

Greet's book could be a nice and easy start with the Ruy Lopez (he uses lines with Qe2 a lot).

For more depth on the 3.Nc3 French, Opening for White According to Anand Vols. 6-7 is probably still the best book source out there (Winawer main lines including 7.Qg4; Classical 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4).

Other than that, if you need a little bit against everything why not try a ChessPublishing subscription?

For the Ruy Lopez: Mastering the Spanish with the Read and Play Method by Daniel King and Pietro Ponzetto

For a random selection of stuff after 1 e4 (open games including the Ruy and Philidor but not the Petroff, lots on the Sicilian, some on French, Caro-Kann, and Pirc), Mastering the Chess Openings Vol. 1 by John Watson

They're both pretty good, but "Mastering the Spanish" is probably the single most helpful opening book I've ever owned.

Quote:


thx, i will try to find those;
Btw. I got my hands on Bologan DVD on French defence not so long ago and it was perfect balance between theory and some games for me. I just went through the variation with some computer book as he was talking and I could see a lot of places where his analysis is not up to date but still it was very instructive and about the amount of theory I could ever need.

Quote:
.

Well, I can't see why. I have GM friend who beats me like 20-2 in blitz games in openings of my choice and his preparation level was always similar to mine (well, let's see what they play in latest chess informant). My respect for his ability was always huge because of that not inspite of that...

Sounds like you would be better off with a game collection or two on strong contemporary GMs usually playing 1.e4.

Not sure how many of those are available, but someone will surely suggest a few titles - and perhaps you already have something suitable in your bookshelves?

punter wrote on 05/20/11 at 20:55:44:

At this level you should go for the heavy stuff:
Openings a la Anand, by Khalifman
Experts on the Sicilian
De la Villa's book on the Open Sicilian,

that kind of stuff.
And do some analysis of your own in topical lines.
Computer books are not enough.