The idea is as clever and original as its inventor. With 3.f3 (after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6), Alexander Alekhine designed a promising strategy to take Grünfeld players out of their comfort zone.
Alekhines find was a great idea in the days of the fourth World Champion and it still is. In fact, its recent revival has opened up a new chapter in chess opening theory. Top players like Vishy Anand and Levon Aronian have used it with success.
The popularity of this variation is easy to understand: it offers White much better chances for an advantage than the normal 3.Nc3 because it makes 3… d5, the favorite reply of Grünfeld players, less attractive.
Sabotage the Grünfeld offers a highly practical repertoire based on 3.f3, covering all of Blacks answers. Larry Kaufman, who has first-hand experience with the variation, has analyzed the lines deeply with the highend computer programs Komodo and Houdini 3.
The ensuing positions are diverse and fresh. White avoids mainstream theory and has a good chance to demolish Blacks position. Kaufman offers a perfect weapon for 1.d4 players who want to steer their game into the direction they want.
With exercises to test your understanding of Kaufman's system.
International Grandmaster Larry Kaufman (1947, USA) became Senior World Champion in 2008. He has been involved in computer chess since 1967, when he worked on MacHack, the first computer that competed in tournaments with human players. More recently he has been working on the programs Rybka and Komodo. In 2012 he published the chess opening bestseller The Kaufman repertoire for Black and White.
GM Glenn Flear, author of 'Starting Out: The Slav and Semi-Slav':
"Kaufman's work is rigorous and he has been able to find a significant number of improvements that should give food for thought for players of either colour. The book lives up to the title and, yes, unless one is prepared accordingly, the knowledge therein could sabotage many a Grünfeld."
Martin Rieger, SchachWelt:
"This book is nothing else than an absolute horror for every Grünfeld player."
Uwe Bekemann, German Correspondence Chess Federation:
"Kaufman gives a lot of attention to his explanations. In many cases these comments are not very long, but quite to-the-point (..) An extraordinary book."
Dr W.Schweitzer, Rochade Europa:
"An extremely solid opening repertoire, supported by powerful software; but of course Kaufman also regularly gives his own opinion on critical positions, an opinion that not always is the same as the one given by Komodo!"
Max Euwe Centre, Amsterdam:
"A useful starting point for a variation that is rapidly gaining in popularity."
Elburg Chess Reviews:
"A well produced and high quality written repertoire book!"
John Hartmann, British Chess Magazine:
"The analysis is unbiased and comprehensive, and Kaufman tends to provide enough verbal guidance to assist his non-master readers. Players looking for a new weapon against the Indian Defences would do well to consider buying this book."
CHESS Magazine:
"This move (3.f3) has been very topical against the Grunfeld at elite level in recent years and the American GM presents a compelling case for taking it up."
B.Wilders, Nederlands Dagblad:
"The choices for both White and Black are presented in a crystal clear way, and 25 exercising diagrams are added for the student of this opening."
Joe Petrolito, Australasian Chess Magazine, on 'The Kaufman repertoire for Black and White'>:
A monumental effort and it will set the standard for a one-book opening repertoire for years to come.
IM Arthur van de Oudeweetering, ChessVibes, on 'The Kaufman repertoire for Black and White':
Occasionally produces a stunning novelty. Kaufman focuses on active, strategically sound variations. Pleasant to read and easy to handle. Extremely useful.
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Twarda okładka. Grandmaster Repertoire is a series of high quality chess books based on the main lines, written by strong grandmasters. The aim is to provide the reader with a complete repertoire at a level good enough for elite tournaments, and certainly also for the club championship. The Grünfeld Defence offers a complete repertoire for Black against 1.d4. Avrukh's two previous Grandmaster Repertoire books White received universal rave reviews and have been h
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Twarda okładka. Grandmaster Repertoire is a series of high quality chess books based on the main lines, written by strong grandmasters. The aim is to provide the reader with a complete repertoire at a level good enough for elite tournaments, and certainly also for the club championship. The Grünfeld Defence offers a complete repertoire for Black against 1.d4. Avrukh's two previous Grandmaster Repertoire books for White received universal rave reviews and have be
The final, and eagerly awaited, volume of the series will complete the opening repertoire for White according to Wojo. The Grünfeld is one of the most topical openings in modern chess practice. Many club players fear it, and top GMs often struggle to get an advantage when facing it as White. But is it really a theoretically sound defense? In this third and final volume of the acclaimed Wojos Weapons series, IM Dean Ippolito and NM Jonathan Hilton claim to have found a sure route to an advantage against t
The final, and eagerly awaited, volume of the series will complete the opening repertoire for White according to Wojo. The Grünfeld is one of the most topical openings in modern chess practice. Many club players fear it, and top GMs often struggle to get an advantage when facing it as White. But is it really a theoretically sound defense? In this third and final volume of the acclaimed Wojos Weapons series, IM Dean Ippolito and NM Jonathan Hilton claim to have found a sure route to an advantage against t
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Miękka okładka. Grandmaster Repertoire is a series of high quality chess books based on the main lines, written by strong grandmasters. The aim is to provide the reader with a complete repertoire at a level good enough for elite tournaments, and certainly also for the club championship. Grandmaster Repertoire 8 - The Grünfeld Defence offers a repertoire for Black against 1.d4. Avrukh's two previous Grandmaster Repertoire books for White received universal rave r
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Miękka okładka. The Caro-Kann is renowned as a top-tier defence to 1.e4, and Lars Schandorffs Grandmaster Repertoire book on this opening received rave reviews. As GM Zenon Franco Ocampos put it, I cannot imagine a better way of converting into a Caro-Kann player. A decade later, Schandorff is back with a completely new repertoire which improves on his previous work in every way. Playing the Caro-Kann offers a complete repertoire for Black after 1.e4 c6, based on 2
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Twarda okładka. The Caro-Kann is renowned as a top-tier defence to 1.e4, and Lars Schandorffs Grandmaster Repertoire book on this opening received rave reviews. As GM Zenon Franco Ocampos put it, I cannot imagine a better way of converting into a Caro-Kann player. A decade later, Schandorff is back with a completely new repertoire which improves on his previous work in every way. Playing the Caro-Kann offers a complete repertoire for Black after 1.e4 c6, based on 2
Wydanie w twardej okładce, wersja językowa - angielska. When Boris Avrukh released his 1.d4 repertoire books in 2008 and 2010, they caused a sensation. GM Michael Adams remarked that The high-quality Grandmaster Repertoire series has taken this format to a completely different level. Volume 2A is the third out of four brand new volumes in which Avrukh revamps, expands and generally improves upon his previous work in every way possible. This book provides a world-class repertoire against the Grünfeld a
Wydanie w miękkiej okładce, wersja językowa - angielska. When Boris Avrukh released his 1.d4 repertoire books in 2008 and 2010, they caused a sensation. GM Michael Adams remarked that The high-quality Grandmaster Repertoire series has taken this format to a completely different level. Volume 2A is the third out of four brand new volumes in which Avrukh revamps, expands and generally improves upon his previous work in every way possible. This book provides a world-class repertoire against the Grünfeld
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. This book is part of a new series from Quality Chess examining the cutting edge of opening theory. The idea is to identify the most important theoretical battlegrounds and then analyse as deeply as possible in search of improvements. Thus the reader will be ahead of the current state-of-the-art, rather than lagging behind trying to memorize old games. The Cutting Edge 2 considers the Sicilian Najdorf a favourite opening of ambitious players at every level. This
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Playing 1.d4 The Indian Defencesis part of an ambitious two-volume repertoire for White with 1.d4. This book covers all lines except 1...d5. Schandorff presents the ideas and information in an accessible and entertaining style. The repertoire is based on classical lines and inspired by Botvinniks approach. White will dominate the centre and repel all Blacks attempts to seize the initiative only White is allowed to attack! The repertoire is completed byPlaying 1.d4
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Twarda okładka. Playing 1.d4 - The Indian Defences is part of an ambitious two-volume repertoire for White with 1.d4. This book covers all lines except 1...d5. Schandorff presents the ideas and information in an accessible and entertaining style. The repertoire is based on classical lines and inspired by Botvinnik's approach. White will dominate the centre and repel all Black's attempts to seize the initiative - only White is allowed to attack! The repertoire
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Miękka okładka. Playing 1.d4 – The Indian Defences is part of an ambitious two-volume repertoire for White with 1.d4. This book covers all lines except 1...d5. Schandorff presents the ideas and information in an accessible and entertaining style. The repertoire is based on classical lines and inspired by Botvinniks approach. White will dominate the centre and repel all Blacks attempts to seize the initiative – only White is allowed to attack! The repertoire i
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Twarda okładka. This book is part of a new series from Quality Chess examining the cutting edge of opening theory. The idea is to identify the most important theoretical battlegrounds and then analyse as deeply as possible in search of improvements. Thus the reader will be ahead of the current state-of-the-art, rather than lagging behind trying to memorize old games. The Cutting Edge 2 considers the Sicilian Najdorf – a favourite opening of ambitious player
Wersja językowa książki - angielska. Twarda okładka. Hardcover edition of GM 4 - The English Opening vol. 2 by Mihail Marin. Grandmaster Repertoire is a new series of high quality books based on the main lines, written by strong grandmasters. The aim is to provide the reader with a complete repertoire at a level good enough for elite tournaments, and certainly also for the club championship. Grandmaster Repertoire provides a repertoire to last a lifetime. Mihail Marin reveals his own white re