Each of us knows how we would play if we were GM's.  Playing our favorite lines with deeply hidden improvements, we catch our opponents out in some big tournament and use a fancy tactic.  Yeah, that's how it would go.  Well, at least we all think we know how we would play.

The second renaissance started in the mid 1980s with a literal boom in the theory of some lines in the opening.  Specifically the Queens Gambit Accepted, Slav and Semi-Slav the opening have been at the head of the class in developed theory.

The effort of Schandorff in this book looks at all Black defenses after 1.d4 d5, not just those that are currently popular.  The chapters of the book are:

Literally every one of these chapters could be or has been the focus of entire books in the recent past.  Schandorff deserves a fair amount of praise for his management of the material he has presented.

In my opinion the two best sections of the book are the Slav and Semi-Slav sections.  While all the defenses receive detailed coverage, these two sections are especially valuable to players of the White pieces.  With one exception the chapters have an introduction based around annotated games followed by a section of theory.  This layout works to make the Slav chapter a great deal easier to follow as there has been so much patronage of the defense in the past dozen years.

Fascination in the piece-sac line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 has waned with the realization for White of some technical points.  Those points are illuminated via a well-annotated game for each of Black's popular attempts.   Players who are new to the line for White will be given the ideas to be confident in the sharp play, while those more familiar with the lines will be pleased to find material that bolsters their repertoire.

The chapter on the Semi-Slav is written a little differently because Schandorff has designed lines in the Semi-Slav setup based on 5.Bg5.  The crazy Botvinnik gambit as well as the trendy anti-Moscow gambit are covered, but space is also assigned to the Cambridge Springs defense as well as the uncommon route back to the standard QGD (5.Bg5 Be7).

This Semi-Slav chapter is the longest at 50 pages; the Slav is 40 pages and QGA is 32 pages.  The length of these chapters corresponds to the current popularity.  A player looking to play 1.d4 would be well advised to devote time to these chapters specifically.

This book is well written, is well suited to the practical player of any standard and should enjoy a place on the chessplayer's shelf.  I do have two issues with the book, or more accurately the author.

The second paragraph of the preface is very interesting:

The repertoire is based entirely on big mainlines, which guarantees its reliability and strength.  Firstly, you cannot expect to get anything against well-respected openings like the Queen's Gambit Accepted and the Semi-Slav by trying a little sideline or just by playing safe.  The main lines on the other hand, have not become main lines by chance.  They have slowly but surely evolved and proved their strength over the years, so by choosing main lines you gain reliable weapons.

My first concern is that the author is not considering the extent of his audience.

I have no doubt that titled players feel a certain imperative to have "main lines" ready for opponents, but amateur players have limited resources for such endeavors.  So, what happens when one of the sharp lines that is recommended gets some extra rough treatment in a big event?  Is the amateur going to have the resolve to repair it?  Or do we wait for an update and in the meantime try some sideline?

My second issue is a matter of what determines a main line?

Against the main line Queens Gambit declined (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 or 3...Be7) Schandorff recommends playing the Exchange variation.  This is neither the sharpest or most principled line, yet it is quite dangerous and promised the White player plenty of chances.

On the other hand, in the Noteboom variation (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 dxc4) the author recommends a line based on the move 8. Rb1!?( page 233)  with the comment "This relatively little known, but subtle move poses new problems for Black..." which indicates it isn't a mainline?

Game 35 (page 128) in the sharp Botvinnik gambit features the move 14. Bd2 !? which gets this: 'A forgotten move.  I first noticed it when the young Russian Grandmaster Inarkiev used it at the end of 2008.  It has only been played in a handful of games, but White has won them all, so I guess we will see more of it."  This could certainly be the start of a highly fashionable variation, but that would suggest that most of the theory for it will be developed after the reader has purchased the book!  This isn't meant as a scathing criticism, just some points to consider about this book.

I liked this book a great deal.  There is no question of the author's level of understanding, skill in communicating ideas or his sincerity.  Yes, there are points I have reservations about in the book.  That means it is no better or worse than the 90 percent of all chess books, that is my number for books with errors in them.

I guess if the book was perfect then chess would be boring and I would stop playing?
 

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