BOOK AND SOFTWARE REVIEWS (from 2023).

Marek Soszynski joins forces once again with Jerzy Konikowski to produce a very well researched book on the Polish Defence, the St.George Defence and related systems where Black plays a

very early b5. The presented games and analysis make a convincing case that these, often underestimated lines, are in fact fully playable. This concept is nicely supported by the comments made by the noted opening author,

and very strong player, GM Kotronias in the book’s forward. It is perhaps a surprising fact that some very strong players have occasionally used systems with an early b5 and these include Shabalov, Korchnoi, Short and Spassky (even in a

World Championship Match versus Petrosian !). The lay-out of the book is helpfully clear which aids study of the eight chapters, which are classified depending on White’s first move, and the book has clearly utilised an impressive range of chess

literature in its compilation. Due to this book I would fully expect there to be a significant increase in the number of games played with these systems in the near future.

The traditional Scandinavian Defence or Centre-Counter Defence 1.e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 has a long history of being viewed as slightly elementary and thus somewhat dubious. After all, hasn’t the queen been developed too early and pushed to the side of the board where it may be further harassed by Bd2 and a subsequent Nb5, or Nd5 as shown in the Classic game Spassky-Larsen Montreal 1979?

However, in his latest book Correspondence Chess Master Marek Soszynski revitalises the whole opening. In a work which combines and supersedes his earlier ones on the Scandinavian Defence he examines two lines which look significantly more appropriate than that arising from playing the queen to a5. These are (a) retreating to Qd6 combined with a g6 fianchetto hence exerting a greater influence on the centre and (b) refraining from an immediate recapture of the d5 pawn with 2…Nf6 thus not exposing the Black queen so early to danger. Each line has a very clear and neatly laid out theory section, followed by pertinent illustrative games. The two recommended repertoire Black lines are analysed in sufficient detail to help understand the key concepts but without, like some electronic publications, overwhelming the reader with too much detail. An earlier section of the book covers lines where White does not play 2. exd5 but transposes to, for example, the Dunst Opening or the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.

This is a book that developed from a Chessable Course. These digital courses are a new means of chess study and now feature a huge range especially covering openings. The GM Gambit book, for those that prefer traditional means of opening study, suggests an interesting gambit against the vast majority of major as well as minor replies to 1.e4. Whilst admitting a suitable gambit line is not strictly possible for every single defence to 1.e4 in these few cases dynamic lines are proposed which are flexible and/or lead to a space advantage.

All suggestions, which must have arisen from extensive examination of many recent games or personal study, occur helpfully very early in the game hence there is little opportunity to avoid them. Each suggestion has been played on occasion by some of the World’s strongest players and is either not extensively, or not covered at all, in other openings texts. The GM Gambit book includes well annotated illustrative games, an overview to each opening section, and much detailed but importantly not overwhelming, sets of analyses. The book is highly recommended as it is certain these suggestions will soon be seen often in, for example, local league matches amongst others, hence attention must surely be paid to them to avoid being beaten rather rapidly!