Ebook: Grivas Opening Laboratory Volume 3 - Efstratios Grivas

This is the third volume of a proposed six volume series presenting a full opening repertoire for White, based on 1.d4

The idea of opening repertoire books is not new, but here the purpose and the presentation is different - the choice of the variations, against each Black reply, are based on the author's own experience.

The recommendations are geared towards posing Black unconventional problems. Your opponents will not be able to churn out lengthy, memorised variations, but will need to solve problems at the board, in positions that are somewhat different in character from those normally reached in the openings under discussion. The selected systems also form a seamless whole and are reachable by transpositions.

Grivas describes the suggested systems in detail, giving his assessments as clearly as possible, providing useful guidelines and new ideas and moves. For each system he offers not only a repertoire for White, but also explains middlegame strategies, tactical motifs and typical endgame techniques.

The third book of the series shows how to face three of Black's defences to 1.d4.

Firstly the Queen's Indian Defence, a safe and strategic defence that has always maintained it's popularity. The proposed system for White is based on the g3 Catalan structure, a system that served the author well for approximately 30 years.

Next Grivas recommends his ideas on how to face the Bogo-Indian Defence. He recommends a system for White with the move 4.Nbd2. Again this has served him well for many years.

Finally, he shows how to face the Budapest Gambit, including the Fajarowicz Variation. The Budapest is little played at the top level but remains popular with club players. Against Black's most common 3rd move, 3..Ng4; Grivas recommends the Adler Variation, 4.Nf3. White seeks a spatial, rather than material, advantage in the centre, controlling the d5 square.

Efstratios Grivas is an experienced Grandmaster from Greece who has represented his country on many occasions, winning an individual gold medal at the 1989 European Team Championship and an individual silver medal at the 1998 Chess Olympiad. He is a Senior FIDE Trainer.