Starting Out

Book excerpt: Alekhine's Defence is a sharp and controversial opening in which Black attacks from the very first move, provoking White into lunging forward in the center. White is often able to construct an impressively large central pawn formation, but Black's hope is that this becomes over-stretched and disintegrates in the face of a vicious counterattack. Unsurprisingly, Alekhine's Defence has always been a favorite amongst uncompromising players such as Fischer and Alekhine himself, while more recently it's been utilized by the likes of Ivanchuk and Short. In this easy-to-read guide, openings expert John Cox goes back to basics, studying the essential principles of Alekhine's Defence and its numerous variations. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips and warnings to guide the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. *User-friendly lay out to help readers absorb ideas *Concentrates on the key principles of Alekhine's Defence *Ideal for the improving player