Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1

It took joining a local chess club and repeatedly getting clobbered right out of the opening to realize that in order to stand much of a chance I needed to invest more time in the study of opening theory. I already have a copy of MCO but it is heavy on spewing out moves, light on explanation and has more than a few typos that sometimes make following the variations difficult. I researched books on opening theory and finally settled on Watson's Mastering the Chess Openings series. This is a somewhat more costly resource than many of the others available (four volumes instead of a single book) but it's a worthwhile investment. Volume 1 of the series deals with the majority of king pawn openings, 1. e4. It is certainly not exhaustive in that it does not cover every single variation of every king's pawn opening, but it has the large majority of what most chess players will encounter over the board. The openings covered include: - Giuoco Piano - Two Knights Defense - Philidor's Defense - Ruy Lopez - King's Gambit - Sicilian Defense - Caro-Kann Defense - French Defense - Pirc Defense Watson does a great job of explaining all of these opening systems (or opening defenses as appropriate). That is, rather than give a summary blurb about the opening and then just prattling on with move after move, he walks the reader through the opening, explaining the purpose behind each move. Then, once finished with the main sequence of moves, he includes one or more instructive games with relevant analysis and variations. This is so much more helpful than a cold and clinical presentation of silent moves. Watson's writing style is very clear and approachable. He neither talks down to his readership nor does he assume that everyone has a doctorate in chess. This is a superb series on chess openings which will leave the reader with a much clearer understanding of not just the moves involved in the openings but also an understanding of the purpose and goals of any given opening and variation covered. Although the cost of the series is more than that of a single volume it is well worth it.

For years I have been looking for a good general opening reference book that explains overarching ideas and strategies! And finally! Finally! I found it. Sadly it has been hear for quite a long time but I let other blog reviews steer me away. Watson writes this and the other 3 volumes (more on those in a minute) so that you can begin understanding an opening right away AND continue many of the sidelines as you and your opening needs grow! SUCH WELL WRITTEN EXPLANATORY PROSE!! I also purchased volumes 2 and 4. I think they are essential. And are just as well written. You can read these books all the way thru for a great chess education or just go opening by opening as your needs dictate. I will eventually purchase volume 3 but I never see the English opening so not yet! I can't say enough about these books!! I tried Emms' "Discovering Chess Opening". It was mediocre. Mednis' "How to Play Good Opening Moves" IS great but limited but still an excellent book. I recently purchased "Openings for Amateurs" and it was HORRIBLE! Watson's books are fabulous. I browsed the explanatory prose in the much ballyhooed Fundamental Chess Openings and it doesn't seem to hold a candle to Watson. Maybe it does?? But I am sold on Watson's books.

If you're a club player looking for a good starting point to actually understand the ideas behind the e4 openings, this is it. It may not go as deep as the standards like the Batsford/Modern/Nunn's Chess Opening manuals, but it's really not meant to. While there's a place for the more technical manuals listed above, they can be overwhelming to a club player. Watson goes out of his way to make the openings approachable & understandable, as well as giving some additional ideas you can expand on by yourself. After you've read this and vol 2 of the series (about d4 openings), you should be able to learn enough to get a feel for openings that fit your style and expand your collection into specific opening guides if you feel you need to. Highly recommended.

I bought this book largely because I am such a big fan of Watson's "Secrets of Chess Strategy" and "Chess Strategy in Action". To be clear, this is not a complete e4 repertoire (Alburt/Dzindzi aside, this is probably outside the scope of any single book), it simply talks about specific common openings in the larger context of modern opening theory, and how to play openings in general. The key quote from the Introduction is "It is important to understand that the games and analysis do not always represent current theory; they are intended to illustrate underlying properties of the openings". This I think it does very well. While it is far more concrete and in-depth, I think the intent is more like the classic (but outdated and incomplete) "Ideas behind the chess openings". As much as anything it takes its introductory chapters on basic topics like pawn structure and then uses certain lines to illustrate them. In other words this is a very theoretical book (which happens to be about opening theory instead of middle game), not a practical guide to openings. I'd recommend it simply because John Watson is one of the best chess writers working. If that doesn't appeal to you, skip it.

International Master John Watson offers chess players a very useful basic analysis of open and semi-open games beginning with White playing 1 e4. This was a refresher for me, but I still learned a lot, and recommend this book to serious beginning and especially intermediate chess players who want to improve their opening play.

Very nice and organized book with a comprehensive approach towards opening. Not too big, not too short. Ideal for players in my level (bellow 2000). Recommended by Brazilian GM Rafael Leitao as a good literature on openings. He was right.

I used to play chess when I was a lot younger. And I just recently got back into it with the help of a friend. So I bought this book to help me speed up my game, and be more of a challenge to people. And it did that for me.

And a lot less expensive!

Não é muito detalhista, mas descreve bem os conceitos de cada linha. Pra mim atendeu muito bem. E se você não é muito chegado ao inglês, é só traduzir os mais longos em espanhol ou português Portugal mesmo. Pena que o Kiddle não encontrei o português Brasil.

As a beginner , I understand the book as it seems to be talking to you . The volume one is e4 opening. The best part is the book’s diagrams pen up on lichess. One can read and study side by side in the split view of kindle app and lichess. Open the lichess analysis and make the moves to reach what is printed in the diagram (D) or click the diagram to open with those position in lichess. A worthwhile purchase at Rs 499

This is an openings manual, but with a difference. John Watson provides coverage of many of the top King's Pawn opening variations, but more than this, he provides details of the strategies connected with each line. The first third or so of the book is devoted to strategic ideas, and it is this feature which makes this book so worthwhile. The market has no shortage of openings manuals, some better than others, but most have little or no coverage of strategy, which means that the reader is given little idea of why he is playing the moves in the book. Watson's aim is to tie in the recommended moves with the strategies behind the openings, and the explanation is detailed but clear and very easy to follow. This is the openings book that many of us have been waiting for. Watson has written accounts of strategy before, so he really knows what he's talking about, and I really can't recommend this book enough. I'm eagerly awaiting the second volume.

Je suis très satisfait de ce livre car je peux progresser et analyser mieux mes parties d'échecs et comprendre dès premiers la stratégie de mes opposants.

La colección de 4 tomos es de gran calidad trécnica ajedrecista y buen precio. Estudia muy pedagójicamente las aperturas.