Chess Openings for White, Explained: Winning with 1. E4

by Lev Alburt, Eugene Perelshteyn

This series shows you how to start your chess games as dynamically and accurately as the greatest grandmasters in the world. Three-time US Champion Champion Lev Alburt, famous for his ability to turn aspiring players into masters, teams up with two-time U.S. Champion Roman Dzindzichashvili and young international star Eugene Perelshteyn to give you a complete repertoire of opening play-as well as a review of all openings and an explanation of the principles of playing this crucial stage of the game. And although these books concentrate on the first 20 moves or so of a chess game, they never leave you hanging without a plan. The authors make sure you know the themes and ideas so that you can follow up your great opening play with winning strategies. Chess Openings for White, Explained covers the game from the white side. You'll learn how to play and follow up the first move Bobby Fischer called "best by test." Fully illustrated with two-color chess diagrams throughout.

Genres: Chess, Games, Nonfiction

448 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2006

Reviews

[William Mego]

I seriously WANTED to give this high marks, but to be frank, it's filled with errors and gaps. There are typos, mislabeled diagrams, and while I would be willing to overlook that, believe it or not, what I am entirely unable to overlook is the giant gaping holes in the theory, where entire possible (and frankly common) lines are not considered, and other alternate lines trail off, suggesting the answer to anything down that rabbit hole is obvious. I'd be willing to think myself simply daft at that, except that computers AND better players than I agree. And please note, we're not talking about 20 moves in, we're more around...four, in places.

The intention is to create a stable and "hole-less" system for a player. The constant omissions make this someplace between bad work to a cruel joke for a weaker player.

[Brandon]

Found it helpful with some openings but had difficulty with the main line suggestion, a variation of the Two Knights Defense, when I repeatedly encountered a counter not considered by the authors. Overall though, I find it to be a handy reference.

[Eric Nguyen]

Very detailed e4 openings. Good for players of any level.

[Todd Bryant]

AVOID. The recommendations in this book are dreadful. Don't believe me? See here: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/commen...