I thought the Kaufman books were considered very good books - good opening selection and analysis - but didnt give much explanation...

Yes definitely. Its good.

For me that book was very effective. Lots of people dislike repertoire books but from my point of view, for an amateur with limited study time, they are almost essential. When are most of us going to get an IM or GM to build a repertoire with us ? Use it as the base, learn with the lines. If there is anything you really don't like, then as you suggest with the QGD Lasker, use something you know.

The old Kaufman book is OK with a bit of work on it, but I think you'd be better off building on your current repertoire a component at a time, rather than switching the whole thing to an old book. 

I think what you currently have is fine, but if you really feel the need to change it, pick the one component only (e.g. White vs Sicilian) that you are least happy with or performing the worst with, and just build on that with study/practice.

Plus do lots of tactics practice if you really want to improve!

Hey,


The Chess Advantage in Black and White, is it still relevant?

I'm a club player (1500).  I'd like to improve a bit, but I'm older and I don't have any delusions of making it past 2100 or so.

My strengths are in simple positions and in the endgame (most of my chess education is through study of Capablanca).  My weakness is messy positions (the Grunfeld exchange is basically the worst-case scenario).

I'd like a repertoire that favors my strengths, and minimizes my weaknesses.  Additionally, the environment in which I play has a lot of youngsters who are very good at tactics but not so great at endings, and the time controls are usually G/60.

Right now, with very little opening study, I play as white: Italian game, tarrasch french, panov-botvinnik, closed sicilian.

As black: stenitz defense to ruy lopez and QGD laskers.

I recently tried Sam Collins A Simple Opening Repertoire for White but I did not mesh well with the IQP.


I was wondering if you guys thought the older Kaufman book (The Chess Advantage in Black and White) would be a good fit for me?  I am very happy with my defense to 1. d4, so I would be skipping over that part of the book, but using everything else.

Basically, replacing the 1. e4 e5 bit of my reperitore on both sides, white with the Ruy Exchange, and black with the Berlin.  And then against the Sicilian with Rossolimo/Moscow and this weird b3 line vs e6.

And then getting my opening knowledge a good bit deeper (it's very shallow, right now!)


Is this a good fit for me?  My main concern is that the focus on the Exchange/Berlin in the open games may be detrimental to my chess development as it sidesteps the rich middle games that the ruy lopez is known for, does this sound like a valid concern?

Will it be difficult to get the full point against lower rated players who are playing for a draw, with these lines?

Is this a repertoire that can grow with me?  Would I feel limited if I were playing this at 2000?


Thanks!