Professional grandmasters study the latest wrinkles of their favorite openings. They have time to think about innovations in the Sicilian Najdorf, the Marshall Attack, or the Semi-Slav.

It’s part of their job. But club players can rarely afford such luxury, and an excellent way for them to beat their busy schedules is to play good, solid opening lines that happen to be out of style.

GM Raetsky and IM Chetverik have turned their backs on current fashion and have delved deep into the wardrobe of chess openings. These two opening specialists have selected eleven unusual variations to help readers refresh their repertoires.

Using key illustrative games (many previously unpublished), the authors present a host of surprising and accessible opening ideas. Never refuted, these openings have numbered World Champions among their victims.

Will your opponents really be so well prepared for the Albin Countergambit? Can they find their way against the tricky St. George Defense? Just how comfortable will fans of the Ruy Lopez feel when they have to think for themselves on their fourth move?

Setting fashions can be a lot more fun than merely following them!

Grandmaster Alexander Raetsky and International Master Maxim Chetverik have collaborated on numerous opening books. Their previous works have featured excellent, clear explanations of the ideas behind the chess openings, and have given them a worldwide reputation as top authors.

Contents

1. A. Raetsky. THE KING’S GAMBIT ............................................................... 5
The variation 2...ef 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 f5

2. A. Raetsky. PETROV’S DEFENSE ............................................................... 15
The variation 3.d4 Nxe4 4.de Bc5

3. M. Chetverik. THE RUY LOPEZ .................................................................. 24
The Alapin Defense 3...Bb4

4. A. Raetsky. THE SCANDINAVIAN DEFENSE ............................................. 44
The variation 2…Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb4

5. M. Chetverik. ALEKHINE’S DEFENSE ...................................................... 57
The Cambridge Gambit 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 g5

6. A. Raetsky. THE FRENCH DEFENSE ......................................................... 65
The variation 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4

7. M. Chetverik. THE St. GEORGE DEFENSE ............................................... 82
1.e4 a6

8. A. Raetsky. THE SICILIAN DEFENSE .......................................................130
The Cobra system 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Ndb5 Bc5

9. M. Chetverik. THE ALBIN COUNTERGAMBIT ........................................149
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5

10. A. Raetsky THE CHIGORIN DEFENSE ...................................................195
The variation 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 Bg4 4.Bg2 Qd7

11. A. Raetsky. THE ENGLISH OPENING ....................................................221
The variation 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Ba5

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