James Rizzitano Livres

The Najdorf Sicilian has a unique place amongst chess for several decades it has been regarded by the top grandmasters as the best way for Black to play soundly for a win against 1 e4. It was a particular favourite of World Champions Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov, and plays a vital role in the repertoires of current top players such as Viswanathan Anand and Veselin Topalov.Black's stance is totally uncompromising. He accepts no organic weaknesses and stays flexible, ready to counterpunch in any part of the board. White has no safe or easy option. On the other hand, he does have a vast array of extremely dangerous attacking options, such as the old 6 Bg5 main line, which can lead to the Poisoned Pawn, a variation that has undergone much development in the 21st century. The current main line is 6 Be3, intending the English Attack. But given the Najdorf's importance, White has tried almost everything imaginable in the search for an advantage, with considerable bodies of theory evolving for lines that contain merely a drop of poison.In the ever-changing Najdorf landscape, it is easy to lose sight of the strategic backbone that underpins the Najdorf. In this book, James Rizzitano, a battle-hardened Sicilian warrior, distils the most important ideas and themes from current practice to provide an ideal guide for those looking to succeed as White or Black in the Najdorf in the modern scientific era.

James Rizzitano, an experienced international master, has reassessed games from the whole of his career, and in this book presents the lessons from them that will be most relevant to club and tournament players. A common problem for the typical weekend competitor or club player is that his time available for studying chess is very limited. What should he study? Grandmasters from Botvinnik to Yermolinsky have stressed the importance of reviewing and annotating your own games. Rizzitano shows how by doing that you can gain a greater understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, and drawing upon his own experiences, explains how to shape your approach to chess to make the most of your own abilities. Major topics --Developing a reliable and coherent opening repertoire--The importance of understanding opening theory rather than simply memorizing it--Theoretical finding your own and facing the opponent's--Opening selection depending upon the nature of the game and event--Risk management and "playing for a win"--Competing successfully against higher-rated opposition--Accumulating small a safe method when the opponent plays for a draw--The power of the lighting a fire and keeping it burning The book contains more than 60 deeply annotated games.

Chess Explained books are not theoretical works in the traditional sense, but more a series of lessons from a chess expert with extensive over-the-board experience with an opening. You will gain an understanding of the opening and the middlegames to which it leads, enabling you to find the right moves and plans in your own games. It is as if you were sitting at the board with a chess coach answering your questions about the plans for both sides, the ideas behind particular moves, and what specific knowledge you need to have.The Queen's Gambit Declined is one of the most important and popular of chess openings. While an immensely solid and classical choice for Black, it has remained highly topical for more than a century. Both sides have ways to create imbalance and test their opponent's skills and knowledge in a full-blooded struggle. Most of the World Champions have taken both sides of the QGD, with Spassky and Karpov especially notable defenders of Black's cause. In addition to the traditional main lines with Bg5, White has at his disposal the Exchange Variation, and the Bf4 system, both of which can be handled in highly aggressive style if he wishes. Rizzitano covers all these lines and a plethora of other important lines, focusing on the fundamental ideas on which they are based.

This book emphasizes hands-on learning through problem-solving, focusing on tactics and decision-making skills. It presents various scenarios that challenge readers to think critically and develop strategic approaches. By engaging with practical exercises, readers enhance their ability to navigate complex situations effectively, making it a valuable resource for those looking to improve their analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.

"James Rizzitano's goal in this book is to provide you with a one-volume, theoretically sound, dynamic opening repertoire beginning with 1 e4. Studying the choices of the current top players, he identifies these secrets of their success: Play openings where you have a relatively safe king. Take the bishop-pair in a semi-open position if it is offered to you. Avoid creating unnecessary weaknesses in your own position. Accept questionable gambits and material sacrifices. Absorb any space advantage conceded by the opponent. His choice of lines to recommend is based on these principles, and supported by detailed work with the current top computer engines. While serious work on chess openings confirms the basic truth that White can't simply force a large advantage from the start position, we can greatly narrow Black's path to safety, and tilt the practical struggle in our favour. To have a chance of half a point, our opponents will need to solve difficult tactical and strategic problems deep into the middlegame. The main lines recommended are: Giuoco Piano (via Bishop's Opening move-order); Modern Advance Caro-Kann; Tarrasch French; Rossolimo and Moscow Sicilians, and 2...e6 3 c3; Traditional main lines vs Scandinavian and Alekhine; Tricky piece-play options against the Pirc and Modern" -- Publisher