What are the greatest opening ideas in chess history?

This is a fascinating question that would undoubtedly spark endless debate and discussion amongst all the experts and enthusiasts of the game. From the invention and development of openings which are now considered to be mainline, to the wealth of stunning one-move novelties which have convincingly overturned previous expert assessments, there is certainly a plethora of brilliant ideas to choose from - everyone will have their own opinion on this subject!

In this book, Christoph Scheerer looks back though chess history and at modern times in order to create his own list of favourites. Selecting from hundreds of candidates, Scheerer examines factors such as creativity, shock value, effectiveness and endurance in order to decide which ideas are most worthy of inclusion. Read this book and discover the stories behind the most powerful opening ideas of all time, and how you can utilize and learn from these ideas to improve your chess.

• An entertaining guide to the best ever opening ideas
• Written by an opening expert
• Ideal for players of all levels

Christoph Scheerer (previously Wisnewski) is an International Master from Germany. He has a string of tournament successes to his name, including winning the 2001 Kiel Open, and has been a regular competitor in the exceptionally strong German Bundesliga. He"es also an experienced coach, having taught at the Internet Chess Club, the World"es largest online chess facility, for six years. This is his second book for Everyman Chess; his first was Play 1...Nc6! .

1 Giuoco Piano [1497]

2 2 Nf3 vs. the Sicilian [1834]

3 King's Gambit - Kieseritzky Gambit (5 Ne5) [1842]

4 Ruy Lopez - Berlin Defence [1849]

5 Petroff Defence [1842]

6 Ruy Lopez - Morphy Defence (3. ..a6) [1858]

7 French Defence - Tarrasch Variation [1880s]

8 Queen's Gambit - Tarrasch Defence [1889]

9 Evans' Gambit - Lasker Defence [1895]

10 Queen's Gambit Declined - Cambridge Springs Variation [1904]

11 Queen's Gambit Declined - Lasker Defence [1907]

12 Queen's Gambit Declined - Tarrasch Defence - Rubinstein-Schlechter [1908]

13 Sicilian Defence - Nimzowitsch Variation [1911]

14 Four Knights Game - Rubinstein Variation [1912]

15 Nimzo-Indian Defence [c.1914]

16 Nimzo-Indian Defence - Rubinstein Variation [1914]

17 Ruy Lopez - Marshall (Counter-)Attack [1918]

18 Alekhine's Defence [1921]

19 Grunfeld Defence [1922]

20 Reti Opening [1923]

21 Meran Variation [1924]

22 Queen's Indian Defence - Fianchetto Variation - 4.. .Ba6 [1925]

23 Catalan Opening [1929]

24 Semi-Slav Defence - Botvinnik Variation [1941]

25 Sicilian Defence - Scheveningen Variation - Keres Attack [1943]

26 Sicilian Defence - Najdorf Variation [1947]

27 French Defence - Boleslavsky Variation [1950]

28 Grünfeld Defence - Classical Exchange - Sokolsky's Exchange Sacrifice [1950?]

29 King's Indian Defence (Soviet contributions) [1950s]

30 King's Indian Defence - Sämisch Variation - Bronstein's Queen Sacrifice [1956]

31 Modern Benoni - Taimanov Variation [1957]

32 King's Gambit - Fischer Defence [1961]

33 Sicilian Defence - Velimirovic Attack [c.1962]

34 Benko Gambit [1967]

35 Giuoco Piano - Refutation of the Möller Attack [1968]

36 Queen's Indian Defence - Petrosian System [1969?]

37 Sicilian Defence - Sveshnikov Variation [1970s]

38 The Hedgehog [1972]

39 Ruy Lopez - Open Variation - Zaitsev's 12 Ng5 [1974]

40 Sicilian Defence - Dragon Variation - Soltis Variation (12.. .h5) [1974]

41 King's Indian Defence - Fianchetto Variation - Smyslov's 10.. .Ne8 [1980]

42 Sicilian Defence - Taimanov Variation - Kasparov Gambit [1985]

43 Ruy Lopez - Refutation of the Jaenisch Gambit [1986]

44 Pirc Defence - Austrian Attack - Seirawan to the rescue! [1988]

45 Queen's Gambit Declined - 5 Bf4 - Kaidanov's 10 0-0-0 [1988]

46 Sicilian Defence - Closed Variation -10 e5!? Pawn Sacrifice [1990]

47 Sicilian Defence - Najdorf Variation - Refutation of the Gothenburg Var. [1999]

48 Meran Variation - Kasparov's Exchange Sacrifice [2005]

49 Ruy Lopez - Zaitsev Variation - Anand's Novelty [2005]

50 Slav Defence - Anti-Moscow Gambit - Topalov's Knight Sacrifice [2008]