The English is a sophisticated opening which has been popular amongst players of all levels for many years: from up-and-coming players to World Champions such as Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. One of its main attractions is its flexibility: it can lead to situations rich in both tactical and positional play; it can be played either aggressively or quietly; and opponents also have to be wary of subtle nuances or else risk falling into one of its many move-order traps.
In Play the English! Craig Pritchett produces a comprehensive and yet practical repertoire for White, presenting an answer to all of Black's key defences, whether they are in the crucial main lines or the tricky offbeat variations. Drawing upon his wealth of experience in this opening from both sides of the board, Pritchett highlights both the positional and tactical ideas for White and Black. A study of this book will arm you with the essential knowledge to begin playing the English with confidence in your own games.
- Written by an opening expert
- All of Black's options are covered
- Ideal for improvers, club and tournament players
Craig Pritchett is an International Master and a former Scottish Champion who has represented his country on top board at numerous Chess Olympiads. He is currently Schools Chess Development Director for Chess Scotland. This is his second book for Everyman Chess; the first was Starting Out: Sicilian Scheveningen .
Content: ..004 Bibliography and Acknowledgements
007 Introduction
Black Plays 1. ..e5
010 The Four Knights: 4.g3 Bb4
044 The Four Knights: 4.g3 without 4. .. Bb4
081 Black's Alternative Set-ups after 1. ..e5
1. ..c5 and Other Defences
112 Symmetrical Four Knights, 3. ..d5 and Keres-Parma
149 The Hedgehog
169 English-Indians |