Colin does them. Today is what we call a Bank Holiday in the UK. I have no idea why these exist and before you explain it to me, I should say I do not really care. Basically, the office is shut; people will be back tomorrow… I presume Colin will put up excerpts for the books that went to the printer on Friday.
Meanwhile, I was looking through the databases for any games that followed the first Playing 1.e4 book and found this little gem, from 1.e4 to +- without a moments thought :-).
White to play and win
http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2018/5/7/Game253834312.html
It would be interesting if you ever had time/inclination what you thought of Jones-Kramnik from Isle of Man last year, where Jones followed the Scotch line in the book, before Kramnik deviated with a move not in the book (11…Ne7). In the post game interview Kramnik sounded unconvinced by the line. If I am not mistaken this is the most high profile game that has its origination from the book.
This position above scored well, especially in Blitz games. Thanks. Not in the database, but I recently played a league game following John‘s recommendation in the Portugese Gambit up untill 14.c4 (in the main line following 1.e4 d5 2.ed Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.Bb5+) where my opponent played the new move Nf6 in stead of the move Nb6, but it still gave me an advantage of more than an hour on the clock (needless to say, I thought for an hour after Nf6, only to fail the self-thinking test). Thanks for the very good research and solid or interesting recommendations. Nevertheless, the Scotch is still a difficult opening to really get something against, or just a very messy and difficult opening at all (the Mieses). Hoping for some Ruy Lopez book by a certain GM Negi, my Khalifmanbook is really outdated by now, perhaps he would like to update his series for you? If anyone has some recommendation here, it would be great. (I do own the Bologan-books).
@Frank
I agree the Mieses is rather difficult (for both sides by the way). But is the Ruy Lopez easier for an amateur? There are so many lines to learn. Except if e.g. you play an early d2-d3. But in that case maybe you could also consider the Italian with 4.d3 – Delchev wrote a good book about recently, which also covers the move order with 2.Bc4.
A few months after Playing 1.e4 was published I got the position from game 56 where Shaw proposes as simple improvement which is just winning. I thought it might be possible that this was played so I studied the clearly winning position with the engine. I did not play a single move on my own (the position when we left Shaw’s book was at +3 evaluation or something like that, but I was material down so I wanted to be sure I knew what I had to do) as the defense chosen by Black was one I checked with the engine.
Thanks Ray, I guess I am just a Lopez-addict since I first replayed a game by RJF. But the Scotch is a welcome change from time to time. @Ray
Great game and great opening line 🙂
regarding Spanish books for Black, I especially like Mikhalevski’s Open Spanish and the recent Portisch selected games. Wished the latter could be expanded as a more complete repertoire against Spanish, perhaps in 2nd edition.
When the next 3 books are released in a few we weeks time, that coming soon section will be looking a little anemic. Can we hope for any more titles to be replacing them soon please?
Thank you.
James
@James2
Please be GM Rep or Playing the Najdorf ?? (I won’t be).
I’d guess the next few will be:
Woodpecker Method
Science of Strategy
GM Rep Taimanov
Not heard much about GM Rep 2B or the next Negi book.
Can’t think of anything else they’ve mentioned from the top of my head
@The Doctor
Yes, I was thinking specifically about Negi 5 and Avrukh 2B if I am honest. I know there has been little or no information on either of those titles in the last few months. I wouldn’t have expected 2B to be out before Christmas at best) but Negi 5 I hope is out soon.
I really like John’s first 1 e4 book but I don’t think I’m the biggest fan of the Scotch. I am also looking forward to Negi 6 and the Spanish, so come on Negi 5!
James
Reading into the long silence, I suspect university is consuming a lot more of Negi’s time these days. Might be lucky to get #5 by winter of this year is my (hopefully) wrong guess.
Not that I’ve managed to read the other four in total yet…
Bxe6,fxe6,Rxe6 looks winning:
-if Be7,Qe2,and Rae1 to follow.
-if kd8,Nxg6 and Qg4,Ra-e1
-if Kf7,Qe2 and Ra-e1, I don’t see defenses for Black.
@Gollum
We would love to see that game!?
@James2
Yes, sure
@ The Doctor
You forgot to mention GM Rep The Queen’s Indian by Roiz.
I@Ray
It’s already in the Coming Soon section! ?
@The Doctor
Haha, you’re right of course 🙂
Great excerpt, nice to see that the Maroczy is the main choice against the acc. Dragon and the dynamic Qf3-variation against the Taimanov is also interesting as a repertoire choice, if only as an alternative to Negi’s preferences and I really like John‘s sense of humour in the comments too (the xenophobic remark), as it makes the books very nice to read, skip trough variations and have a good laugh once in a while!
The excepts are making me very excited to study these books. Already pre-ordered them in hardback from Chess Direct
What does Ehlvest mean by an “opening repertoire for women?”
I had predicted that would be an early question. I am paraphrasing from memory, but Ehlvest’s view is that the top women players tend to be at their best in dynamic positions, so their opening repertoires should play to that strength, and feature open positions. With Judit Polgar mentioned as a well-prepared player who did exactly that with 1.e4 as White.
@TheDoctor
Exactly the same sentiments as you and I have ordered the two from Chess Direct also! (Only the paperbacks though!)
James
@Jacob Aagaard
[Event “”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2016.08.12”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Me”]
[Black “My opponent”]
[ECO “B01”]
[WhiteElo “0”]
[BlackElo “0”]
[Result “1-0”]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6 5. c4 Nb6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. h3 O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2 e5 10. d5 Ne7 11. g4 f5 12. Bh6 fxg4 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. hxg4 Rxf3 15. Qh6+ Kf7 16. Qxh7+ Ke8 17. Ne4 Bxg4 18. Be2 Rf4 19. Qh8+ Kd7 20. Bxg4+ Rxg4 21. Qh3
1-0
BTW my opponent had a 2222 rating at the time.
@Gollum
2198 according to the database
@Jacob Aagaard
That’s right. chess-db puts the actual rating instead of the one when the game was played.
Wow! I had the right initial answer with 1.Bxe6, but after seeing the complete game, I highly doubt I would have weaved my way all the way through the game the way White did. It’s not like it was just that small material investment. There was an exchange sac shortly after that. Want more material Black? Here! Have it! And yet, Black gets killed!