I think a variation tree format would be better than the complete games format, but that is just my opinion. The space used for the rest of the gamescore could be used on more theory in a tree format.

I´m surprised, that this book gets so many views and posts, I´m more than disappointed.

I skimread the book due to "my" gruenfeld: nothing new under the sun, the presentation is superficial, strategic explanations: zero. 
The book makes the impression of a work by a student under severe time trouble, i.e. copy and paste here and there, but no own thoughts. For example at p.25 he mentions the King´s Indian Attack "where White just plays g3, Bg2, 0-0 and d3 without looking at what Black is doing", but I found no single line, game or recommendation about it. An other example is the Breyer defence - just nine light annotated games or mere 13 pages about the proposed main defence. 

Sorry, the whole concept could have worked twenty years ago, when no one had databases and the reader was glad to get an overview, today this kind of presentation looks somewhat funny. 
All in all it´s really hard for me to see his target group, because his recommended openings are too ambitious for players under 1900, but the given lines are too light for stronger amateures.

- rather harsh comment, maybe my expectations were too high or I´m spoiled by quality chess and chess-stars books.

He gives 15.a4 c5 16.d5 c4. But he only has one game on this line anyway.

Seems to me the Sniper is not covered by this book BTW. I *think* that 1 d4 g6 is met by 2 e4 to prevent 2 .. f5 but there's no reference to 2 e4 g6 3 ? Of course this is not the biggest omission ever, but the Sniper was a very well selling book so I expect to meet it every now and again..

FischerTal wrote on 02/23/12 at 21:26:59:


Another possibility is to play the Breyer, but play different lines to what Kaufman recommends. Just about anything is playable against the Ruy Lopez, so like fling stated it's largely a matter of taste. The Marshall would be the best option if White didn't keep avoiding it!

FischerTal wrote on 02/23/12 at 21:26:59:


The systems are good in different ways I guess, and more a matter of taste for most players. There is also e.g. Davies book on the Spanish. I haven't looked carefully at the Marshall, even though I got the Quality Chess book by Brunello and some other books. However, how often would you actually get to play the Marshall OTB? Or even the Spanish mainlines nowadays?

Ametanoitos wrote on 02/23/12 at 14:08:19:


I appreciate that. Komodo 3 indeed takes the pawn. I'm afraid this idea is likely to be total rubbish 

Edit: It seems there is some hope:

5.-b4 6.Qc2 
5.-Lb7 6.Nc3 ed (6.-a6 7.e4 b4 8.Db3) 7.Nxb5; 
5.-a6 6.Nc3 b4 7.Na4 Bb7 8.Qb3 ed 9.Qe3+ (+=Fritz 11)