This book finally came into my hands, and I am very, very impressed.  It really is one of the best opening works that I can recall.  I have a library of six or seven hundred chess books, and I don't think that it includes any, devoted to a specific opening system, better than this one.  It is beyond thorough, delving deeply into; organizing; and evaluating some of the most complicated, important and heretofore obscure variations in all of chess theory.  It is not a repertoire book, but a full exploration of the possibilities for either side. The evaluations exaggerate neither side's chances.

It is clear and concise.  The diction is formal but still engaging.  It is refreshingly free of the self-congratulation, upon finding this or that new idea, that has recently afflicted the chess opening literature.  There is enough discussion of important positions that the amateur can gain significant insights from the Grandmaster, but nothing that merely points out the obvious.

But the chess is marvelous!  There is so much complexity and dynamism here.  Anyone playing either the Noteboom or the Marshall Gambit from either side must have this work.  If you play 1.d4 or answer 1.d4 with 1...d5, buy it for the light is sheds on whatever systems you do play.  Buy it anyway for the fascinating exploration of fighting chess that it is.  Playing through these variations, you can hear the opposing shields thumping together, and the clash of sword against sword.

Ruslan Sherbakov's contributions to Chesspublishing have always been among the best and most thorough, and this work continues in the same excellent vein.

I think you did pretty well. Your 16...exd5 is best. Hence your opponent's 9.Bf8 is not good. I'll post your game with some options for both sides. Some of these variations are almost forced. 

It sounds like everyone else may have been on holiday as well.

Gilchrist is a legend wrote on 03/28/12 at 22:39:40:

If I have time

Gilchrist is a legend wrote on 03/17/12 at 07:45:06:


I have Burgess, Vigus and Lakdawala's latest books, as well as the Chess Explained and Play the Semi-Slav by Vigorito. For the White side, Avrukh's GM1 and 2, Beat the Guerillas, Wojo 1 and Schandorff. Well, also the Starting Out from Everyman. Last but not least, for both sides - Chesspub

But I can't say I am really complementing to have a consistent repertoire. I haven't started building a real repertoire, since I have only been playing the Slav. Just need to find some time to work on it  .

Since the Repertoire thread here at Chesspub have gone cold (1.e4 and 1.d4) maybe we can start assembling something for a Slav/Triangle/Semi-Slav complex. Hopefully I'll have more time later this year, when on parental leave 

Gilchrist is a legend wrote on 03/17/12 at 02:40:23:


It is quite like my plans. I will for sure transpose to a Meran if i can, rather than a Stonewall. Anyway, I have been studying the Semi-Slav for some time, and already play the Slav. Therefore, I still "only" have to add the Noteboom. All in all, to be able to vary depending on the opposition, but also most importantly, depending on my mood

Also, not to forget, the study of the ideas in Semi-Slav and Noteboom really helps me understand some Slav positions and vice versa. Especially since I play the Catalan as White, I can combine these to understand more about the compensation for White and plans for Black in various lines with g3 from White (which you migth get quite often as Black at club level).

Gilchrist is a legend wrote on 03/15/12 at 22:30:57:


That is true, and good of course! I still haven't started looking at the recommendations carefully in the book, but I will. My intention is to couple the Slav, which I play now, to the Semi-Slav and Noteboom set-ups. The idea is flexibility and to learn something new and potentially more unbalanced.