The opening phase of the game throws up difficult questions for those keen to study and improve their chess. Should I open with 1.d4, 1.e4, or choose something else? How should I meet these moves when I am playing Black? Are systems based on immediate counterattack my best bet, or should I concentrate on developing the pieces? In Mastering the Opening, international master Byron Jacobs outlines the key plans and strategies in all major openings and helps the reader to decide upon an opening repertoire.

• Deals with every major opening

• Numerous thematic games illustrate important principles

• Revolutionary layout allows eaders to absorb the key ideas

List of Content

Contents

005 Introduction

King Pawn Openings

007 1. The Sicilian with d2-d4

• The Sveshnikov Sicilian

• The Scheveningen Variation

• The Dragon Variation

• The Taimanov Varaition

026 2. The Sicilian without d2-d4

• Closed Systems with 2 Nc3

• The c3 Sicilian

036 3. 1 e4 e5: The Spanish and Others

• The Spanish: The Classical Main Line

• The Spanish: Other Variations

• Others after 1 e4 e5

050 4. The French Defence

• The Winawer Varaition

• The Tarrasch Variation

• The Advance Variation

065 5. The Caro-Kann Defence

• The Caro-Kann Main Lines

• The Advance Variation

075 6. 1 e4: Other Defences

• Alekhine´s Defence

• The Scandinavian Defence

• The Pirc and Modern Defence

Queen Pawn Openings

089 7. The King's Indian Defence

• The Classical Main Line

• The Sämish Variation

• The Four Pawns Attack

104 8. The Indian Defences

• The Nimzo-Indian with 4 e3

• The Nimzo-Indian with 4 Qc2

• The Nimzo-Indian with 4 a3 or 4 f3

• The Queen´s Indian Defence

• The Bogo-Indian Defence

129 9. The Queen's Gambit Declined

• The Classical Main Lines

• The Slav Defence

• The Semi-Slav Defence

145 10. 1 d4: Other Defences

• The Queen´s Gambit Accepted

• The Grünfeld-Defence

• The Benoni Defence

• The Dutch Defence

Other Openings

166 11. The English Opening

• The English with ...e5

• The English with ...c5