VGA wrote on 10/26/19 at 22:49:29:


Then why don't publishers title these books properly, for example: "A Compendium of original ideas for the 1.d4, 2.c4 Player", rather than advertising them as "repertoire books" in the first place. Of course the "repertoire" title sells, but intellectual honesty should go first. 

@gillbod,

thanks a lot! That's enough detail for me. 

gillbod wrote on 07/03/19 at 20:26:09:

Just one comment: This assumes 12.Nb5 e5 is the critical line, but there's also 12...Ne8, which I think I would prefer if I got this position as Black. I like keeping options open with the central pawns when I can, and White hasn't done all that well against ...Ne8 it in practice.

Stigma wrote on 07/02/19 at 23:11:51:


There is some new material, but not a huge amount. Particularly in that 8...fxe6 line, after 12.Nb5, instead of following up with 13.Qb3 as Moskalenko did in the old analysis (which he also provides here), he also provides some extra options with 13.fxe5.

Stigma wrote on 07/02/19 at 23:11:51:


He does cover 8.f4, and tries to give ways to avoid the draw after 8...Nc6 9.d5 Na5 as far as I can see. The analysis of alternatives comes relatively deep into the lines, so I don't feel that it's fair to share that level of detail here out of respect to the publisher.

In addition, to 8.f4, coverage is also given to 8.Be2, 8.Bb5 and 8.h3.

It really is a book with a lot of options for white. I get the impression that Moskalenko just went through his personal opening files and decided to polish some selected lines and make a book out of it.

I've been enjoying it so far; he does have a good knack for explanation, and I like the line selection.

Leon_Trotsky wrote on 07/03/19 at 04:30:40:

I wouldn't say 5...Bg7 is simple. Maybe if Black meets 6.e4 with 6...Nxc3, but even there White can get attacking chances. 5...Bg7 6.e4 Nb6 is naturally complex since all eight minor pieces are still on the board.

Leon_Trotsky wrote on 07/03/19 at 04:30:40:

Moskalenko is recommending mostly the same lines he has been playing and recommending for years, decades even. So I'm not so surprised. The biggest change may be the Exchange Slav. I believe at the time of Revolutionize Your Chess he wanted to play into Semi-Slav main lines - at least the book had some coverage of the Botvinnik Semi-Slav.

gillbod wrote on 07/02/19 at 21:52:02:

Since you seem to have both these Moskalenko books, does the section on 8.dxe6 fxe6 in his KID main line look like it's been updated much?
9.Bd3 Nc6 10.0-0 Nd4 11.Nxd4 cxd4 12.Nb5 used to be the main line, but I think Black is fine. White has alternatives like 11.Bd2 or 11.Qe1, but I'm not sure they achieve much. For one thing Black can play ...Nh5 against several White move orders.

gillbod wrote on 07/02/19 at 21:52:02:

After 5.Bd2 Bg7 6.e4 Nb6 7.Be3 0-0, is Moskalenko sticking with his trademark 8.f4!? I've seen theory indicating after 8...Nc6 9.d5 Na5 it leads to a forced draw with best play. There is also the almost unknown 8.f4 c5!?, which Larry Kaufman has claimed is at least equal for Black.

I think I saw a Moskalenko game with the calmer 8.h3 instead, so maybe he has switched.

I picked up the Forward Chess version.

It's more or less what I was expecting from reading the preview.

Quick points:

1) The KID and Nimzo chapters are to a large part recycled from previous Moskalenko work. Perhaps some new stuff has been added. There is certainly some material that has been cut compared to Revolutionize your Chess.

2)  As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, it's not a repertoire book. E.g. gaps in coverage against the Dutch, what do do against 1...e6 1...g6 and 1...d6. It's certainly a foundation for a repertoire. Perhaps mainly useful for existing white d4 players looking to broaden their horizons.

3) Furthermore from 2, there are often several options given within each line. E.g. both the Saemisch (with classical e3 set ups) and f3 in the Nimzo. Against the Grunfeld, 5.Bd2 is the recommendation, but Moskalenko gives multiple plans for white, e.g. after 5...Nb6 6.Nf3, 6.Bf4, 6.Bg5, are covered. As well as 6.e3 followed by 7.Nf3 or 7.f4.

Against the Queens Gambit Accepted, again several options for white are given e.g. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 cxd4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.0-0 a6 and now 7.Bd3, 7.b3, 7.Bb3, 7.a4 get a game of analysis each. Also 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4 a6 5.Qe2 is given a game.

4) I can imagine that some buyers might not count the recommendations against the Slav (exchange) and the Semi Slav Triangle (Marshall Gambit, but with 6.Nc3 like Carlsen-Anand 2013 World Championship match) as aggressive. Particularly in the Triangle where finding sharp stuff is easier than finding quiet stuff! That he didn't choose to do so is perfectly fine by me, but it might not be to everyone's taste.

As an aside, the repertoire complements the old Keene + Jacob's Opening Repertoire for White very nicely. E.g. similar structures in the Nimzo, but different move orders (so the white player could choose between 4.a3 4.f3 and 4.e3). Benoni Flick Knife is covered, but with different plans. King side hacks against the KID where possible, but with queenside play likely if Black knows their theory. Gruenfeld plans which avoid the standard c3 d4 e4 pawn centre. Exchange Slav, but one with an early Nf3 and the other without. It's quite nice as a combination: thematic overlap, but different lines.

Other lines that I haven't mentioned above: Qc2 against the Benko. f3 exchange plans against he QGD (I've not looked at these chapters yet, only eyeballed them).

Some might not like that this is not a complete repertoire, and that it opts for some breadth of analysis over depth. But I will find some material in here to incorporate into my own play, so I'm happy.

Dink Heckler wrote on 07/02/19 at 10:25:47:


Perhaps is the "early Bf4", without Nf3, Exchange Slav?
From an email I got from New in Chess, the line vs. the Grunfeld is the early Bd2 line, and the Botvinnik plan of f3-e4 in the Exchange QGD.