HOW TO BUILD YOUR CHESS OPENING REPERTOIRE (Steve
Giddins)
144 pages (210 mm by 145
mm).
£13.99/$19.95/€18,90
In this book, the first to focus on these issues, Steve
Giddins provides common-sense guidance on one of the perennial problems
facing chess-players. He tackles questions such as: whether to play main lines,
offbeat openings or 'universal' systems; how to avoid being 'move-ordered'; how
to use computers; if and when to depart from or change your repertoire. Giddins
argues that from novice to grandmaster, a player's basic task when choosing a
repertoire is the same: he needs to select openings that suit his playing style
and that he can play with confidence. The repertoire should not require more
memory work and study than he is capable of, or has time for. The book is
rounded off with a look at the use of 'role models' and an investigation of the
repertoires of leading players past and present.
Steve Giddins is a FIDE Master from England who plays
regularly in international events and has frequently contributed to the
British Chess Magazine.
Gambit books by Steve Giddins: 101 Chess Opening Traps, 101 Chess Endgame Tips, How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire,
50 Essential Chess Lessons, 50 Ways to Win at Chess, 101 Chess Questions Answered.
Download a pdf file with a
sample from the book.
"The present book is one of the most useful and interesting
books that have been written in English on the opening in recent years. I think
that most players who are rated from 1200 up to around 2200 (and possible even
higher) will be able to benefit a lot from the advice and examples given by
Giddins throughout this book." - Carsten Hansen, Chess Café
website
"This book is a truly pleasurable romp through the
eccentricities and changing landscape of contemporary openings. It's a light
work and probably won't revolutionise your game; but some of Giddins' insights
will surprise you and I wholeheartedly recommend his book." - John Watson,
TWIC
"I wish I had been able to read this book when, as a
'promising junior', my reaction to a loss was usually to blame my opening
choice and learn yet another new line, so that I ended up with an inconsistent
repertoire of dubious sidelines. As Giddins says: 'young and ambitious players
should be prepared to get stuck into main-line openings early in their careers.
There is no point wasting one's formative years on an unsound or dubious
opening, which one will be forced to jettison as soon as one starts meeting
strong opposition on a regular basis.' This is typical of the common-sense
advice throughout the book. ... Well-written and spiced with relevant examples
- including analysis of a few grandmasters' repertoires - this book will be of
practical help to most players." - James Vigus, BCM
"It is fascinating reading that could benefit any tournament
player." - Lubomir Kavalek, Washington Post
"...is a common-sense book for the amateur player.
Naturally, it is more suited to OTB than correspondence players.... ....this is
a book which will be very useful to players below the 2200 watershed and
everyone will find some good advice if they play OTB events..." - Tim
Harding, Chess Mail
"...[Giddins] shares some of the lessons learned in covering
such diverse subjects as mainline openings versus offbeat, understanding
typical positions versus learning variations, why reversed openings are never
as good as they're cracked up to be, how to make the most of computers and when
to change your repertoire. Much of the book is at a sophisticated level but
nevertheless easily comprehensible. The chapter on move orders is particularly
valuable...." - Tim Spanton, Weekend Chess
"...one of the real gems is in his last chapter when about
eight top GMs' opening repertoires are covered. You'll be able to see what they
played, how their repertoires evolved and why studying any GM's repertoire is a
great way to help your chess." - Michael Stevenson, NZ Chess
"The author relates how he reached master strength with an
unsystematic study program and found himself unable to progress further with a
repertoire of junk openings. Unclear on how to address his problems, Giddins
was saved when business called him to Moscow and he started working in his
sparetime with Russian IM Igor Belov. The latter, raised in a no-nonsense chess
environment, immediately set him straight with solid advice which forms the
basis for this book." - John Donaldson
"I can recommend this book unreservedly to anyone who is
serious about improving. I think the advice he gives is excellent, and the
examples he uses are appropriate and clear. I won't even attempt to paraphrase
- you need to read this book. ... This book is packed with good advice and
interesting examples. It is ideal for the ambitious amateur player or junior,
for whom a study of this book will dispel a lot of myths and prevent a lot of
time and effort being wasted." **** Phil Adams, 3Cs website
"...one of the best instruction books I've read in recent
years for improving players." - Leonard Barden, Evening Standard
"This work is full of sensible advice and especially those
club players who lack access to a coach or to the advice of a strong player
will find much in it which can easily be put to practical use." - Richard
Palliser
"When the name Steve Giddins appeared, my first thought was,
"Who the hell is this?" In fact, I must admit that I didn't even take a peek at
his HOW TO BUILD YOUR CHESS OPENING REPERTOIRE for a couple weeks, convinced
that it had to be another useless waste of paper. However, the fact that it was
a Gambit Publications' book forced me to reconsider (they almost always put out
excellent material), and so I finally read it during walks with my cat. As a
result, another name has been added to my "worthwhile chess author" list. HOW
TO BUILD YOUR CHESS OPENING REPERTOIRE is, to be blunt, an excellent book. It's
about a subject that many players always agonize over, it's well thought out,
it forces us to think, and it adds a dollop of humor here and there that makes
reading this book a very enjoyable experience." - Jeremy Silman
"After reading this, every chess-player will be able to
organise his opening repertoire without problems. Well worth buying by weaker
players and of course by chess trainers." - Jerzy Konikowski, Fernschach
International
"...an excellent book and a general guide. He relates what
he learnt in a chess school, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of
various openings, and gives the reader useful advice. Giddins answers questions
which other books don't deal with." - KARL |
