Fundamental Chess Openings | Paul van der Sterren
The initial moves in a chess game set the tone for the entire contest as both players vie for control over critical squares and begin executing their strategies. It is crucial to approach these moves intentionally while avoiding pitfalls or unfamiliar positions.
Rather than focusing on memorizing extensive lines of variations, Paul van der Sterren presents a rich array of ideas and explanations, along with the fundamental variations of each opening, helping players understand the underlying concepts behind every move.
- This is an essential book for beginner to intermediate players. Higher-class players would still get much value as a reference for unfamiliar openings they encounter and for broadening their repertoires
- Virtually every chess opening is covered and written in an accessible style that prioritizes conceptual understanding over rote learning
- By focusing on general principles rather than deep theory, van der Sterren’s insights remain valuable regardless of how modern chess opening theory evolves
- Enhance your decision-making by understanding when to choose specific openings
- Written by one of the world’s foremost experts on chess openings
Reader reviews:
The key strengths of this book lie in its clear writing and well-structured format. The prose is excellent, as the author offers a brief history of each opening and concise explanations of the theoretical concepts. He then outlines the main variations typically played and explores each, along with a few sub-variations for further understanding - Igor F
This book is geared toward intermediate players, perhaps as a refresher course for more advanced players. It would have no use for more seasoned game masters and might be a little advanced for the early beginners - N Stoll
About the Author:
Paul van der Sterren is a Dutch chess Grandmaster. He won the Dutch Chess Championship twice, in 1985 and 1993. In 1993, he qualified for the Candidates Tournament for the FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 but was eliminated in the first round by Gata Kamsky.
Other details:
Paperback
Pages: 448
Dimensions: 17.3 x 3.3 x 25cm
ISBN-13: 9781906454135
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