Description
One copy left.
Donaldsons classic book centers around a system that uses the opening moves 1. Nf3, 2. c4, 3. g3. aiming the book at players at the Expert to Master level. Thus, the chapters contain game after game, with in line variations and relatively terse but clear commentary. The first five chapters deal with Blacks attempt at a defense based on the Kings Indian setup, which in effect turns into a Closed Sicilian Reversed.
As a player with a definite dislike for games that plunge into heavy tactics, these five chapters are an answer to a prayer. Since the center pawns dont get locked up as they do in the Kings Indian Defence, Black rarely has the opportunity to launch the dangerous mating attacks so common in the classical KID, and White is safely able to bring play to the queenside where he retains an advantage. A nice plus is that the antiKID system practically plays itself for the first 10 moves, and play continues in clear strategic directions thereafter. Dedicated KID players seem to be unfamiliar with this approach, thus I often find myself with big time advantages as well as a positional plus going into the middle game.
Other chapters deal with other possible responses to Donaldsons opening moves Symmetrical English, Catalan, Semi Tarrasch, Queens Indian, Hedgehog, and a miscellaneous chapter. These chapters seem to me to be good for the direction in which they point, even if they are not treated as completely as they might be in more specialized opening volumes. Of the two sections I have looked at more closely, the Semi Tarrasch and the closed Catalan, I have definitely liked the set ups Donaldson recommends. You will have to do a bit more work reading this book than many others, but if you are seeking strategic lines for White, and dont mind converting your wins in the endgame, this book is definitely one to check out. A customer review Softback, 272 pages.
