Chess Book Reviews
How to meet e4 with e5!
Beating the Open Games
by Mihail Marin, Quality Chess, Gothenburg 2007, 288 pages, £15.99.
This volume is the first of two from the Mihai Marin , the Rumanian Grandmaster and much admired chess writer. They will gives a complete repertoire for Black after 1 e4 e5. The main recommendations in the first volume are 2...Bc5 against the King's Gambit, 4...Nf6 against the Scotch, 3...Bc5 against the Giuoco Piano with many of the minor openings such as the Ponziani and Centre Game also covered. The Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation is also analysed in this volume, with Marin recommending 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 dc 5 O-O f6 6 d4 Bg4. Volume two will evidently cover the main lines of the Tchigorin Lopez and it will be interesting to see which variation(s) Marin will recommend. Each chapter has an interesting discussion of the opening, often concentrating on the historical genesis of the ideas in a particular variation. For instance, the King's Gambit chapter looks at Rubinstein's contribution to the opening and tells us that he played the opening 22 times and scored a remarkable 19 points with it. The introductions are followed by the concrete theory, set out in the old Modern Chess Openings/Encyclopaedia format, with footnotes which include interesting observations, as well as the analysis.
As is normal with Marin, the impression is of a thorough and most interesting work, revealing a considerable knowledge of the history of chess. Marin himself plays 1...e5 as Black, which gives one confidence in the repertoire offered. The book comprises 288 pages, which underlines the thoroughness with which the ground is covered. Remember that Marin is using the tabular format and this enables him to pack in an immense amount of material. I also personally prefer this layout. Yes, you have to switch back and forth between the main lines and the footnotes, but this is compensated for by clarity and the avoidance of subvariations which start 'b121'.
Many readers pointed out that in this book Marin forgot about the Bishop's Opening 1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 and the Belgrade Gambit in the Scotch Four Knights. Marin has written a supplement, available at the Quality Chess website, which repairs this omission. Against the Bishop's Opening, the Black player should answer 1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 with 2...Nc6 and transpose into either the Vienna, King's Gambit Declined or Giuoco Piano, all of which are thoroughly covered in the book. Marin also gives a few pages in the supplement offering a safe and solid line against the Belgrade.
If you wish to play 1 e4 e5 as Black, this is an excellent buy. With interesting books by Emms and Davies also on the Open Games, the reader is spoilt for choice in this area. If you cannot buy all of them and wish to choose, I would point out that Marin recommends the Giuoco Piano, whilst Davies and Emms prefer the Two Knights. Davies likes 4 . Bc5 against the Scotch whilst Marin and Emms recommend 4 . Nf6. Finally, Emms is the only player to recommend acceptance of the King's Gambit. You pays your money and takes your choice.
Play 1 e4 e5!
by Nigel Davies, Everyman, London 2005, 192 pages, £14.99.
Nigel Davies has been the author of a number of interesting books in recent years, his books on the Alekhine and Veresov are particularly worthy of mention. In my opinion, this one on the Open Games is his best.
It is no less than a complete system for Black against 1 e4 in the space of one book. Against the Lopez, Davies recommends the Keres (or Graf) System in the closed Spanish (11...Nd7 12 Nbd2 ed (Keres played 12 . cd) 13 cd Nc6, which has enjoyed a revival in popularity in recent years due to the attentions of Alexander Graf. Other recommendations include the radical 5...Qf6 against the Exchange Spanish, 4...Bc5 against the Scotch, the Two Knights Game against 3 Bc4 and 2...Bc5 against the King's Gambit. There are many sharp lines and gambits which White can play against 1 . e5. The important thing to remember is that none of them are ultimately threatening to Black and often you should be able to claim an eventual advantage. Davies has fitted all the material into 190 pages, and although the coverage is not as deep as Marin's book on the Open Games, you are rewarded with a very clear exposition.
So, if you want within the scope of 200 pages.
• A complete defence to 1 e4
• A book written by a GM who plays 1 e4 e5
• All of White's main tries covered
• Something against White's main weapon, the Ruy Lopez
. this is for you. And you will not be alone. The popularity of the book is shown by the fact that a second edition has just been printed in 2007.