Schaakset classic club Walnut

The Scotch Game is a solid opening that has been tried and tested in practice by some of the strongest chessplayers in the world for more than two centuries. The idea behind the Scotch Game is simple and easily understandable. White eliminates – in a purely mechanical fashion – Black’s e5-pawn which initially impedes his ambition to dominate in the center.

This is very appealing for White, as he controls the direction of the struggle’s development, while Black can only try to keep pace. Furthermore, there are relatively simple schemes in the white repertoire in which it is enough to remember the main plans of both sides and typical maneuvers.

This is the second edition of Vladimir Barsky’s book that first appeared in 2009. The new edition consists of seven chapters dealing with the core ideas and variations of the Scotch, supplemented by 79 Illustrative Games. The authors not only present detailed analysis of all lines but are also careful to discuss the ideas behind the opening. If you already play the Scotch, you need this book. If you don’t, find out what you have been missing. 224 pages

The Benoni is a chess opening that offers Black excellent chances to play for a win. One of the main reasons for this is that it creates unbalanced positions from the very beginning, which favors the player with a better understanding of the nuances of the position. The Benoni involves Black placing their pawns on d6 and c5, and then fianchettoing their dark-squared bishop on g7. This setup creates a solid pawn structure and puts pressure on White’s center, making it difficult for them to launch a direct attack, while simultaneously threatening the c3 knight and the b2 pawn.

The Benoni is a chess opening that originated in the 19th century, but it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that it gained widespread popularity. The Benoni was initially viewed as somewhat dubious, as it allowed White to gain a strong pawn center with moves like d5 and e4. However, in the 20th century, players such as Mikhail Tal and Robert Fischer began to experiment with the Benoni and achieve success with it. They demonstrated that the opening could create dynamic and unbalanced positions that favored Black’s attacking chances. Over the years, the Benoni has gone through many variations and refinements as players on both sides have sought to find the best way to play against it. Despite this, the opening remains a popular and viable option for Black, offering excellent chances to play for a win in the right hands.

As a player, Ivanišević has had many successful games with the Benoni, including wins against many top-ranked players. He is known for his aggressive and dynamic style of play, which is well-suited to the Benoni’s unbalanced and tactical positions. He has been playing Benoni for more than ten years in both classical and rapid chess formats.

The book ”Benoni“ is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to master this exciting and challenging opening. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, this book is sure to help you improve your game and achieve better results. The book covers all the key variations of the Benoni and provides readers with a deep understanding of the opening’s strategic and tactical ideas. Ivanišević’s extensive experience and expertise with the opening are evident in the book, which is full of practical tips, annotated games, and detailed analysis. 295 pages

The best combination for opening training: The big ChessBase opening encyclopaedia with thousands of opening articles plus Fritz19 at a special price! This is how modern opening training works: Test the repertoire recommendations from the encyclopaedia directly against Fritz19! Take the practical test in a game against the Fritz19 player types. Or memorise the variations in the Opening app (with Fritz19 you also get a premium account for 6 months): In drill mode, practise the variation until you remember all the moves perfectly!

The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man by Jan Brueghel the Elder and Pieter Paul Rubens, depicting both domestic and exotic wild animals such as tigers, parrots, and ostriches co-existing in the garden

Size  68 x 48 cm

Perpetual Chess Improvement : Practical Chess Advice from World-Class Players and Dedicated Amateurs, by Ben Johnson. In a world awash in educational chess content, knowing how to study the game most effectively can be challenging.

As the Perpetual Chess Podcast host, USCF Master Ben Johnson has spent hundreds of hours talking chess with many of the world’s top players and most accomplished trainers. In the popular Adult Improver Series, he has spoken with dozens of passionate amateurs who have elevated their games significantly while pursuing chess as a hobby.

Guests like former World Champion Viswanathan Anand and YouTube Stars IM Levy Rozman and GM Hikaru Nakamura have shared insights and told memorable stories. And Ben has learned just as much from the many dedicated amateurs who applied their considerable professional (non-chess) experience to their chess learning.

In Perpetual Chess Improvement, Ben looks for common ground and shared principles in all chess advice given on the podcast. Chess players do not always agree on the best improvement methods, so he even adjudicates a few disagreements! The book will show you the following:

•     How to approach and study different aspects of the game, including openings, endgames, tactics, tournament games, and speed chess.
•     How to find a chess coach and a like-minded chess community.
•     How to properly utilize all the powerful chess study tools available.
•     Instructive chess positions illustrate the topics discussed.

The guests shared a wealth of beautiful stories, and chess study advice on the Perpetual Chess Podcast. This book compiles the highlights and will help you make a holistic plan for your chess studies.

Ben Johnson is a USCF Master and accomplished chess coach. In 2016, he started the Perpetual Chess Podcast, the most successful chess podcast, with over five million downloads and streams in over a hundred different countries - and counting. Ben grew up in Philadelphia and lives in New Jersey with his family. Before dedicating his life to chess, he was a professional poker player and a stock trader.

245 pages