I assume the reference to the "en pessant" rule in the "Introduction" (author's foreword, surely?) is a typo rather than an obscure joke. There's also a formatting error on the contents page which any semi-competent proof-reader would have spotted in a flash. I know the chess content will be excellent, and I'll probably buy the book anyway, but I do find this sort of thing annoying. It shows a lack of respect for reader and author alike.

I'm glad they have updated their website and are close to publishing this now. I had emailed them last month asking when this and the planned book on the Schliemann was coming out and didnt get a reply.

I appreciate that you guys are following this so closely!   The typo was noticed and corrected immediately; I think that it was visible online for less than a day.

I'm new to this whole process, but my understanding is that the book is now completely finished--all typesetting, editing, cover art, etc. It's at the printers now and will be available in November.

I'm looking forward to hearing what my fellow Chesspubbers think of it, so do share your thoughts later!

Novocane wrote on 09/26/17 at 09:01:37:


Thanks, hopefully this book will be a big help!  It should be out very soon now...

ErictheRed wrote on 08/22/17 at 02:06:57:


I'm happy for you that your book is nearly ready to be published.  You've had this project in the works for some time and with your extensive experience and understanding of the 6.Bg5 lines I am sure it will be a powerful addition to the White arsenal!  Of course, this means more work for me as a player of the King's Indian on the Black side.... 

I don't have either Eric's or Kotronias's book (that will change soon ), but I'll note that one promising direction for White in my view is to follow the game Zhao-Toth, Canberra 2007, with this a4/Bb5 idea. For some reason it hasn't been more popular.

Perhaps it was covered earlier, but would you agree that after 6.Bg5 Nc6, 7.Nge2 a6 8.Qd2 Rb8 9.Rc1 is quite promising for White? I was also just thinking whether 8...Na5 could be played with the bishop on g5, though I don't really trust it.

No worries.  That's an old line, and unless he has some new idea that I'm not aware of, I think that it's established to be a little better for White but certainly playable.  I also have some improvements for the White side, so we'll see.  Funny that I haven't gone out of the way to look up Kotronias' latest recommendation; I was certainly diligent when writing the book, but now that it's completed I'm forcing myself to step away from it!

This 6.Bg5 system is often overlooked; Dejan Bojkov treated it with respect in his Modernized book whereas Bologan, for instance, has been giving the exact same line in his last 2-3 Black repertoire books, quoting an old game from the 80s that just winds up with White being better.  I saw his new book on the shelf recently and was disappointed that nothing had changed in this chapter from his 2009 book.

As an aside, I had a nice email exchange with Matthew Sadler recently, who said that he was looking forward to the book and that he always wondered why this wasn't more popular!  I didn't realize it, but Matthew said that he'd been Joel Lautier's second and had taught this 6.Bg5 Samisch to him, with which he'd been able to put even Kasparov under a lot of pressure.  Of course I'd seen the Lautier games (some are in my book), but I hadn't realized that Sadler had worked with him.

I've learned that a good book is always worth waiting for....and I'm looking forward to this one!  If it is September or October....I'm happy to wait!