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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh (Read 7305 times)
grandpatzer
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #14 - 09/14/20 at 14:44:57
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What is the Modernized Grünfeld covering vs. The main line exchange with Bc4?
Edit: ok it’s ...b6.
  
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MW
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #13 - 08/02/20 at 19:59:12
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Wow, thanks BigTy that is a very comprehensive response and much appreciated. I think I'll take your advice and get the two books that I don't already have... 
All the best
  
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BigTy
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #12 - 08/02/20 at 04:20:36
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I have all three books: Zherebukh, Kovalchuk, and Delchev, and though I just started playing the Grunfeld this year and have not read any of the books cover to cover, I have read a lot of all of them and can comment a bit on each.

Zherebukh gives very dynamic lines, and generally I like his recommendations, though the coverage is not as thorough as Kovalchuk, and the book lacks the 'main ideas' section that Delchev has, which I also found nice for understanding typical themes when learning a new opening. In the exchange, his choices seem rather similar to Kovalchuk's, except for in the 8.Rb1 line, where he recommends Qa5+ and taking on a2. Some of the lines are really creative and dynamic, like the Nh5 lines in the Bf4 Grunfeld (as seen in the sample), which I had not seen anywhere else before this book. I also quite like that he chooses a different system than Kovalchuk against the Russian system (Nc6/e5/Nd4 pawn sac), which Delchev covers briefly as a backup line. Against 3.f3, he gives the same line as Delchev, but there are some differences, and I feel his coverage is more thorough (such as what to do against an early ?!0-0-0). He gives the same line as Delchev vs. the Fianchetto, but there are some early differences, and in the Bg5 system with Nf3, he also gives a rather interesting and unusual line. Basically, he gives very dynamic options whenever possible, such as 5.h4 dxc4, instead of 5.h4 c6, and I feel the lines are thematical and in the spirit of the opening, though some are certainly risky. I really need to dig into this book more, though so far I like it.

Kovalchuk is the most thorough, as can be seen when you compare his 10...b6 exchange variation mainline to Zherebukh's. The former will spend an entire section on some variations, whereas the latter will often just give a note and one or two variations. Whether one can memorize all this or not, I don't know, but it is certainly useful for correspondence players. Aganst the fianchetto variation and 5.h4, Kovalchuk gives lines with ...c6, which don't feel in the spirit of the Grunfeld for me, but to be fair, I haven't tried them yet. Also, against 3.f3, he gives 3...c5, leading to a Saemisch Benoni position, which I was a bit dissapointed to see, though I suppose it is objectively safer than 3...d5 and might be nice to have as a backup line. His coverage of the Russian system is excellent, especially when compared to Delchev's, which is lacking, though there are some differences, such as Delchev recommending ...Bb7 in the mainline, and Kovalchuk the more traditional ...Be6. This book is also full of novelties and improvements, often early on in minor lines, and lives up to typical QC standard. I think it is definitely the best of the three books, though as I mentioned, I am not thrilled about some of the recommendations.

Delchev was my first Grunfeld book, and I quite like it, even though it is lacking in some places, such as the Russian system. I like that he has the typical chess stars sections (main ideas, step by step, complete games), and I also like that he often covers two lines for Black, even if a bit superificially. I think one of the best parts of the book is his coverage of the fianchetto variation, which seems much more indepth than Zherebukh's, though I should read the latter more before really making that claim. I also like his anti-Grunfeld section, which not only covers the English and Reti, but also annoying stuff like the Tromp, Barry Attack, etc. Zherebukh has anti-Grunfelds too, but they do not include d-pawn specials like the Tromp, and I cannot find the line 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5, as it seems like he only covers Nf3 before Nc3, but maybe I am missing it somewhere. 

Overall, I think a serious Grunfelder should hae all three books, as they are all good in their own ways and different enough to complement each other. For big mainlines, like the Exchange and Russian, I think Kovalchuk is best, whereas for sharpening things up, avoiding ...c6 structures, or back up lines, I think the other two books do a great job.

I hope this helps!  Cheesy
  
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MW
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #11 - 08/01/20 at 19:55:26
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OK thanks for that BigTy appreciate you taking the time to check it out.

Sounds like you have both recent books...do you have a preference or is there enough variation between the lines mentioned to make them both worthwhile purchases? I've just taken up the Grunfeld again are years of not playing it and am currently only using Delchev's book.
  
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BigTy
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #10 - 07/31/20 at 21:44:21
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He recommends 10...b6, but deeper in some of the lines he gives some different recommendations than Kovalchuk, who also gives 10...b6.
  
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MW
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #9 - 07/30/20 at 23:14:11
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Could anyone tell me whether in the exchange variation after 7 Bc4  0-0 8 Ne2 c5 9 Be3 Nc6  10 0-0  the author recommends 10....e6  (or the transposition 10..Qc7 11 Rc1 e6)  or some other 10th move such as ...b6?

Thanks
  
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BigTy
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #8 - 06/07/20 at 09:28:59
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Anyone get this book and care to let us know what variations are recommended for black, at least in the topical variations? Like others have mentioned, I am hesitant to buy it without knowing how much overlap it has with other recent books.
  
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #7 - 05/20/20 at 10:32:32
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I am not a Grunfeld player, but I am curious how this book compares to Kovalchuk’s book.
  
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #6 - 05/01/20 at 08:07:46
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MW wrote on 05/01/20 at 00:47:04:
It's a shame they don't provide more content details because their books are generally very good.  Let's hope that someone from Thinkers reads this blog site and they provide better indexes in future. I'm sure it would help sales.


It really annoys me that when they and Chess Stars dont show some of the pages from the chapters of their books, instead restricting the samples only to the introduction and contents. I really like to get a sense of the layout of the books - and given how few regular bookshops carry chess books now, it isnt easy to pop out to a local shop and have a look for yourself.

For Thinkers Publishing its more critical because their layout appears to fluctuate more than the Chess Stars one does.
  

"As Mikhail Tal would say ' Let's have a bit of hooliganism! '"

Victor Bologan.
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MW
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #5 - 05/01/20 at 00:47:04
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It's a shame they don't provide more content details because their books are generally very good.  Let's hope that someone from Thinkers reads this blog site and they provide better indexes in future. I'm sure it would help sales.
  
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #4 - 04/28/20 at 22:33:49
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dali wrote on 04/28/20 at 20:50:46:
the sample shows...nothing

Quite so! There are two other recent works on the Grunfeld for this title to compete with (Kovalchuk's thorough and excellent tome for Quality Chess, and the curate's egg of a book by Delchev for Chess Stars), so I'd have thought the publishers of this forthcoming one would be keen to give some indication to potential buyers of the lines being recommended. Instead, all we can see in the sample is a list of the lines that White can play against the Grunfeld. I for one won't be forking out for it until I can be sure it offers something I can't already find in the other two.
  
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #3 - 04/28/20 at 20:50:46
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the sample shows...nothing
  
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MW
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #2 - 04/28/20 at 20:07:16
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RoleyPoley wrote on 04/28/20 at 19:37:33:
It's almost like Thinkers Publishing and Quality Chess have their own competition going both releasing Grunfeld and Stonewall books this year.


It will be interesting to see how the two Grunfeld (and for that matter the Stonewall) books vary in relation to the choice of variations for black in each line.
  
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RoleyPoley
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Re: Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
Reply #1 - 04/28/20 at 19:37:33
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It's almost like Thinkers Publishing and Quality Chess have their own competition going both releasing Grunfeld and Stonewall books this year.
  

"As Mikhail Tal would say ' Let's have a bit of hooliganism! '"

Victor Bologan.
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Modernized Grünfeld by Zherebukh
04/28/20 at 18:10:03
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The Modernized Grünfeld Defense   
by GM Yaroslav Zherebukh
Thinkers Publishing 2020 ; 304 pages ; € 30

According to Niggemann it will be available on May 18th
There‘s a free preview with toc, preface and parts of the introduction

https://www.niggemann.com/en/the-modernized-grunfeld-defense.html?___store=en&__...

But the preview doesn‘t show the chosen subvariations,
only that the author deals with the English Anti-Grünfeld.

tracke Smiley
  
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