Product Description

The Grunfeld is an exciting and dynamic answer to 1 d4, and has become very popular at all levels of chess. A major reason for this is that it has been a long-time favourite of the World's strongest-ever chess player, Garry Kasparov, who used it many times in his numerous World Championship battles. The Grunfeld very much relies on the principles of the hypermodern school of chess: Black allows White to erect an impressive-looking centre on the assumption that in the long run it could prove to be more of a liability than an asset. Play often becomes very complex and tactical, one of the reasons the Grunfeld appeals to ambitious players. Despite its attractions, some prospective Grunfeld players are discouraged by the necessity of needing to learn numerous different variations in such a complex opening. In "Play the Grunfeld", however, opening expert Yelena Dembo circumvents this problem by producing a comprehensive and yet workable repertoire for Black, offering a solution against each of White's tries, whether it's a critical main line or a tricky sideline. After reading this book, you will have the required knowledge and confidence to begin playing the Grunfeld in your own games. It is written by a renowned Grunfeld expert, covers all of White's main tries, and reveals the tactical and positional ideas for both sides.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #572635 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Yelena Dembo is a young International Master from Greece with numerous tournament successes to her name, including the bronze medal at the 2005 European Women's Championship and one Grandmaster norm. She's a renowned chess coach, who has taught students from over 30 countries. She's also an experienced chess writer and a regular contributor to the quality publication Chess Informant. This is her first book for Everyman Chess.

Customer Reviews

A good try but not recommended
Firstly, the book promises too much, a complete Grunfeld repetoire the easy way? Fact, the Grunfeld is one of the most complex defenses, fiendishly complex and considered double edged.

Secondly the author Dembo claims that the book will take you to the IM level knowledge in this opening. However with little in the way of how this opening relates to typical endgame positions, I do not believe that her claim is valid.

Lastly a quick check on chessgames.com reveals that she's not an expert in this defense. There are 231 of her games listed, of which 21 are KIDs and 4 Grunfelds. Of the 4 Grunfelds on the site she drew 2 games and lost 2 and those games are 2001 and before. Not exactly an expert score.

My advice steer clear unless you are willing to buy 2 to 3 more books on this defense or want to use the book as a game collection. This book is not worth the hype.

This is a good book and a good start!
This is a good book to be in touch with the Grunfeld. I agree with Chesscafe (4 stars) and John Elburg good critics to this book. Of course this is a complex opening like any opening where you can grab the initiative and play for a win and there are no only book to master it, because that will need much more pages. If you really know the theory on this book, like Dembo says, you will know what any IM knows about this opening and then anyone needs to study endgames or tactics or strategy but in this book you will know the theory. I do not advice inexperienced players to play it because you need a good foundation on tactics and strategy first and to really master any opening you need to buy any book available. Dembo is a good teacher and player and do not buy the fact that she only plays the King's Indian, because she is a good writer with other good books and she was in Israel where she learned the opening and had played it for several years. Looking at databases of official games is nor everything. Gallagher wrote a great book on the Caro-Kann (Starting Out series) and he never played it with Black! Teaching experience, personal study and training games is what any IM needs to write a good book like this one.