"Introduction:

Defending is obviously not the most interesting part of the game - we'd much prefer to be on the right side of a Tal-like, spectacular mating attack or grinding out a technical win an ending in the style of Ulf Andersson. This would certainly be more fun than soaking up unwelcome pressure as a result of our opponent entertaining himself with a disruptive pawn sacrifice right in front of our castled king. But a harsh reality of chess is that as in life - we don't always get what we want; in fact we too often get what we don't want. During the course of a tournament or a season of club matches it would be rare indeed for a player not to experience at least a couple of times the discomfort caused by having to defend against a brutal attack or a long-term pull, for example. It would be useful, then, to at least give the subject of defending some consideration away from the board as part of our general preparation.

The examples in this book are aimed at helping the reader better appreciate that defending is an inevitable and crucial part of the game, that unless we make a conscious effort to address the subject we will suffer from the cumulative loss of half-points and points that we let slip through our fingers. After more than twenty years writing about chess I understand that it is not possible to provide a fool-proof guide to this or that aspect of the game in a single book. Consequently I have worked along the lines of some of my previous books, selecting practical examples almost at random from a database. The chapter headings and categories in which the games fall are of minimal importance. My intention was to steer the reader in the right direction with a collection of examples of the kind of play we are likely to encounter throughout our chess career, the emphasis on the role of defence. Nothing earth-shattering, rather a series of realistic but instructive games accompanied by what I hope is some good advice.

Incidentally, playing solidly and sensibly when the situation so dictates doesn't by any means restrict you to a lifetime of draws. Against lots of players steering the game to a level, ostensibly simple situation will in fact offer decent winning chances, as some people just won't share. This is because while the opponent is still trying - or not trying - to face the reality that there is no longer an initiative or attack from which an advantage might materialise he is more likely to blunder in his efforts to avoid acquiescing to a draw. "

How do you react in the line of fire? Are you able to remain calm in a storm? Defending against a threatening attack on your own king is one of the most difficult aspects to master in chess. Yet given the frequency of such offensives, it's certainly worthwhile investing a good amount of time on honing the ability to defend properly.

In this valuable and entertaining book, Angus Dunnington arms the reader with all the necessary skills to be able to cope with vicious assaults on his or her king. Using illustrative games, Dunnington investigates in depth defensive ideas such as blockading, giving up material and the timely launch of counterattacks. Read this book and defend with confidence!

As is commonplace with the renowned Starting Out series, there are an abundance of notes, tips and warnings throughout the book to help the improving player. Starting Out: Defensive Play is perfect for those who have previously honed their chess skills with the earlier books Starting Out in Chess and Tips for Young Players.

List of Content

005 Introduction

011 Active Defence

047 Simplification

068 The Castled King

095 Relocation

109 Holding On

127 Provocation

150 Index of complete Games