Series: Modernized

This second and final volume of the Anti-Sicilian series covers our approach for all alternatives to 2...Nc6. The choice against 2...d6 was obvious. The Moscow variation is the only critical alternative to 3.d4 that has caused any concerns for Black. By developing with a tempo, we force Black to make an immediate decision on move 3 and wait for the...

The Sicilian Defense is an opening that commences with the moves 1.e4 c5. The Sicilian Defense is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. For example, 1.d4 is a statistically more successful opening for White because of the high success rate of the Sicilian Defense against 1.e4. The Sicilian is Black's most dynamic, asymmetrical reply to...

The history of the Queen's Gambit is connected with the very beginnings of modern chess. The opening is cited in the earliest published books on the science of the game, such as the Göttingen manuscript (1490) and the books of Ruy Lopez (1561) and Salvio (1604). The so-called Queen's Gambit Declined—or refused—is, together with the Slav, the main defence in...

I would like to thank you for purchasing this book, I really appreciate it. It also means that you found an interest in my work of trying to crack the Ruy Lopez. As I said in the introduction to the first volume, I had no idea what I was signing up for when deciding to write a book on Ruy...

When you are building your repertoire you have many choices available against 1.e4. Everyone knows the Sicilian is the most dangerous reply but there are so many choices! Most of them are highly theoretical such as the Najdorf or the Dragon. Some are very difficult to understand from a positional and dynamical point of view. The Kalashnikov and the Sveshnikov...

The Sveshnikov is undeniably one of the most dynamic and aggressive Sicilians available these days. Most recently, it was made popular again by World Champion Magnus Carlsen in his match against Fabiano Caruana at the end of 2018. The main lines lead to complex positions, and a deep knowledge and understanding of the opening is a real necessity for any...