I think that i have something to add to the discussion about the 3...c5 4.exd5 exd5 Tarrasch as this was my pet line for more than 5 years and i have an extensive file with analysis on it. Black is very close, but not fully equal. In fact in two concrete lines i believe that White's edge is a bit more than what we call "nomimal". The first line was showed to me by a GM in Ikaria Open 2010 and the second one few days ago by another GM who has an excellent score against the French Defence, the Danish GM SB Hansen.

Considering how well Black does with ...Qxd5, i think that there is no real point for a modern player to study ...exd5 for his repertoire. He can study those lines to understand better the "Modern IQP" (where the side "defending" against the IQP has a 'c' pawn instead of the 'e' one). 

I wish i could reveal more specific lines on this. 

But the title of this thread is the new book from Vitiugov, so i'll stick to comments regarding lines on this book from now on.

Gilchrist is a legend wrote on 03/01/12 at 02:31:37:


There are at least three books on the KG in the pipeline from major publishers: Shaw, Taylor & Johnsen...

Well, Chess-Stars published a repertoire book on the Petroff a few months ago. And Everyman has one due to be published sometime this year. The Petroff is one of the solidest openings against 1. e4. The King's Gambit is not a main line opening to get a theoretical advantage like the Ruy Lopez. I cannot remember the last time I saw a King's Gambit book written by a major publishing house for a while...

There is a key business factor behind most (but not all) books that are published. It is how much it will appeal to the mass (and that is often more important that just pure chess truth seeking). exd5 line is good and equalizing. But average players like us want things that we can be played to win more games in local club than claiming theoretical equality. I may go overboard and say more books are produced for players rated less than 2000 in mind than those over that. Petroff is immensely popular in top level (at least it was much more few years back) while Kings gambits are hardly played. But you may find same number of books written on it.

Here's Watson on it (in PTF III) where he surveys the million and one black options before offering his choices.

'3.. c5 4 ed ed has a long history of being safe, and it hovers near theoretical equality' 

and then a little later: 

'offers few winning chances between opponents of equal strength and is hardly attractive to the average player'.

I'd think its almost certainly the final bit - (perceived?) club player appeal - which explains why its been absent from French defence repertoire books. There's certainly no shortage of sound enough alternatives!

Not sure how rational it all is - didn't say Ulhmann do fine in terms of winning chances here? Imagine that his best games book might well still be the best source in some ways.

In the U.S., Chess Books From Europe is selling it on Ebay now.  I might wait until ChessCafe gets it.

Any idea when this will go to Amazon? it's not even listed...