YERMOLINSKY - The Classical Sicilian

Andrew Burnett is a Scottish FM who has represented his country on several occasions. He is the author of cult classic Streetfighting Chess and his love of the Dragon opening stretches back to his teenage years when he was looking to escape from 1.e4 e5! He is currently working on the second volume of DragonMasters.
DragonMasters volume 1 charts the history of the most exciting and dangerous opening known to chess: the Dragon variation of the Sicilian Defence.
Unlike almost all other books on the Dragon, the focus is not purely on theoretical developments. Instead, the author has combined the most historically important games, the famous players who chose to fight either side (sometimes both sides!) of the opening, and the most unexpected and interesting stories featuring the Dragon. World champions, contenders for the crown, codebreakers, revolutionaries in every sense of the word, all feature in this remarkable and entirely unique look into the history of an opening variation. As the ancient maps say: Here be Dragons! 404 pages Hardcover

The Four Knights Variation is a variation of the Sicilian Defense that most often occurs after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6. It’s a good choice for all types of players – whether you’re an aggressive player who wants to attack your opponents or a more defensive player who prefers a slow and positional game, the Four Knights Variation is the right choice for you.

Learning to play the Four Knights Variation of the Sicilian Defense is not only beneficial for adding a powerful opening to your repertoire but can also improve your general chess understanding and knowledge. By studying this opening, players can learn about important concepts such as pawn structures, piece activity, and the importance of controling the center. Furthermore, the Four Knights Variation often leads to complex and tactical positions, which can help players improve their calculation skills and ability to recognize key tactical patterns on the board. All in all, mastering this opening can help players become more well-rounded chess players. 223 pages