Back to Basics: Chess Openings: A comprehensive guide to chess openings and opening play

Not a huge book on Openings, but enough to get an average player through to get to the next level. So yes this is for the beginner and average player for the purpose of moving up. Includes out of the ordinary openings, flank openings which you should have so as to not get blindsided such as Owens, Trombowski, Reti-Dutch, Van't Kruij's, Orangutan/Sokolsky, Grob Attack. The main openings are divided into whether they're open, semi-open, semi-closed, closed.I fly often on 3 hour flights, this book as helped learn openings using Delta Airline's Chess computer that comes with their onboard entertainment center at each seat., under Games. I would pick Black and let the Delta pick the opening move and I would try to force an opening using Carsten's book. A very easy book to pick up and read, Hansen should be more prolific, his writing is very appealing in plain English. I will be buying more of his books, this one has helped me tremendously. I like the RULES in square boxes he put on various pages like DON'T PUT ALL YOUR TIME INTO STUDYING OPENINGS, DIVIDE ONE THIRD OF YOUR STUDY TIME EACH ON OPENINGS, MIDDLE GAME AND END GAME.Get it if you're a beginner or average player, you'll get much better.

Just received book yesterday evening and can't put it down. Wonderful review of the most popular chess openings. Certainly not an exhaustive survey of these openings but well enough to get you into the middlegame with a clear understanding of the theory and strategic ideas behind the moves played. Hits a 'sweet spot' for most average strength or club players and well worth the modest cost.

"A comprehensive guide to chess openings and opening play"Not true."...will help you understand and play the openings in chess much, much better."Also not true. The author even admits as much:"...while your knowledge and understanding of these opening has probably increased many-fold, you still essentially know little compared to what is recommended before starting to play an opening with confidence. (p.231)"That much is true.So why three stars? I think for someone just starting out this is a decent overview of how to get started with openings. But for someone who knows the basics and is seeking to understand the logic behind the moves and gain a deeper understanding of opening play, this book does not provide it.I'll provide just one example. In the section on the Queen's Indian Defense, the author doesn't even mention the main strategic idea of the opening, which is the fight for control of the e4 square. So while you may learn some lines in the Queen's Indian, you don't learn why you are playing them.If you have some experience and want to "understand and play the openings in chess much, much better," you will want to look elsewhere.

This is a great book for post beginners. This is not for memorizing specific opening lines but rather gives a good overview of different openings. My favorite are the chapters on the author’s own experiences with picking an opening.

Product was delivered as advertised.

He does it again, an excellent chess book on openings.

1. Understanding the importance of opening play and the role it plays in shaping the rest of the game.2. Developing a repertoire of openings that suit one's own style and preferences.3. Learning to analyze and evaluate positions and choose the best openings for specific situations.4. Practicing tactics and calculation skills to improve one's ability to play sharp, attacking openings.5. Understanding the value of control and occupation of key squares and central control in opening play.6. Developing an understanding of the importance of pawn structure and how it can influence the course of the game.7. Learning how to react to unexpected or unexpected openings by opponents.8. Using opening theory as a starting point for developing one's own original ideas and plans.9. Constantly studying and updating one's knowledge of opening theory and trends to stay current and competitive.10. Familiarizing oneself with the most popular chess openings and their typical strategies and goals.Maxims from the book:"The opening is the foundation of your game, and a solid foundation is crucial for success.""While it is important to have a solid understanding of the fundamental principles of chess openings, it is also crucial to be flexible and adaptable to changing situations on the board.""By studying and mastering different chess openings, you can gain a significant advantage over your opponents and set the stage for a strong and successful game."

The book is poorly written from a publishing and readability point of view with the type size and spacing, which makes it difficult to read. 'Fundamental Chess Opening' is much better written and laid out.

Although this is not so nearly as comprehensive as the standard work on openings, very many are considered and the explanations of the various moves are very readable.

It is a book that helps to understand the basic ideas behind the chess openings without confusing you with many variations. A must have book for all club players.

Good

I anticipated from the title that this was going to be useful to me as someone trying to progress from novice onwards. Maybe the clue should have been in the 'Back to...' wording. It would be suitable for someone who is really already quite proficient and wants to refresh on things that they may have missed along the way, but it is far too dense for a relative beginner.

Not enough graphics of the chess moves and too much move list in code. Very hard to follow. Not happy with this book.