Rating: 
Summary: Good book for beginners looking to advance
Review: There are many great chess books available, but is it critical to find one that is appropriate for your level. Therefore, I will do my best to provide some guidance.This book should be useful for someone who is somewhere between the Complete Idiots Guide to Chess (an excellent introduction) and the MCO/NCO (intermediate level books that are primarily a list of opening lines.) As a beginner, I need a book that can break down each major opening into themes. Themes can be "maintain tension" or "simplify." The MCO and NCO both provide lines that are based on themes. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about chess to easily grasp these themes by reading a list of moves. This book can fill that gap. Now, I can play the French Defense and say, "OK, there are only a few ways this thing can go." I will not memorize all the lines, but I can begin to understand how my choices affect my openings and ultimately, the final outcome of my games. Once you feel comfortable with this book, the MCO could be a logical next step. Good luck!
Rating: 
Summary: For players rated under 1800
Review: Theres not enough detail or up-to-date variation analysis to aid the plus 1800 rated player these days. I used this book 30 years ago in conjunction with Fine's Middlegame in Chess. Both books are beneath me now that Im rated elo 2000. Go with Emms "Attacking With e4" (Everyman Publishers, 2002) if you really want to beat a modern player. Fine's opening lines are a hundred years old! This book was written in 1942.
Rating: 
Summary: A classic of chess literature
Review: This book belongs in the library of every player who aspires to play the game well. Although there are more recent books that present currently fashionable variations, none of them offer the breadth, the concision, or the grasp of subject that Fine brought to this classic. Written when he was at the height of his very formidable powers, it presents a conceptual foundation on which a serious player can base further, more specific opening study. Even the "outdated" parts can be valuable in understanding how modern theory has evolved. By way of comparison, Kallai`s two books are superficial overviews written by a relative amateur.
Rating:
Summary: Needs to be updated and have errors corrected.
Review: This book contains much useful information but needs to have the errors corrected before the next edition is published. These errors are nagging and make playing through the openings described sometimes difficult
Rating: 
Summary: Really not up-to-date
Review: This book is a classic probably because the author is a classic too and also because there maybe isn't any other book that presents all the opening systems in chess.
But, I must admit that the basic knowledge on the systems is very small and the variations are too old. Working with ECO (Encyclopedia of Chess Opening) I came to consider this book misleading. Is there any other book explaining the basic of all the openings?
Rating:
Summary: Not Out Outdated (Just Not Ideal For Experts)
Review: This book is ideal for the novice and intermediates. Though it may be "criticized" as a bit 'out date', this books is titled "THE IDEAS Behind the Chess Openings", and as mentioned it teaches just that. Novices and Intermediates need not know every little nuance of every little opening but more develop their own creative style of chess (who knows, in the future we may have a "Joe-Common" variation of the Sicilian Defense).
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: This book took me from a 1500 player to Expert. If you're already expert or above, you need more specific and detailed opening information, as found in refernce works or, better yet, monographs. Until you get there, however, this book helps you understand a wide variety of not only openeings but also typical positions -- an understanding that will allow to make some sense of master games.
Rating:
Summary: The book is useful for you.
Review: This book will be useful for you.
How?
Well,it will teach you basic[see the word]way to play openings.
It will teach you how to make plans.
You will play base on the pawn structures. There are some errors[notes and positions] in the book but that don't hurt you.I am looking forward if anyone have make a web-page to correct these errors. You could have the book together with 'The art of middle game'. After reading the book,try to learn specific openings. I gave 4 stars because there are some parts of the book that out-dated.And not all the openings are viewed .
Buy the book.
Rating:
Summary: Like the Title states
Review: This books provides good insight into the "Ideas" behind the openings. This is one of the very best books of the last century for novice or casual players that want to improve their opening play. It is also one of the easier books to study and understand you will find. Browse the web and you will see this book on the top ten list of several Chess players and coaches alike. The book is a classic for a reason!
Rating:
Summary: The Openings = A sound foundation.
Review: This is a simply fantastic book. Many/most of the players who learn the opening do not have the facility to learn all the openings by route memorization. They need to learn the IDEAS behind the various different openings. This is exactly what R. Fine does in maybe one of the
"Ten Best Teaching Books" of all time. Many of the examples in this book are not current theory. But if you play through all the examples, or only a few of them, the Author will continually reinforce what is important. He shows you that building a sound opening is just like building a house, brick-by-brick. You will learn to lay ALL your bricks with thought and care. This book will help you MORE than 10 or 20 modern books on the opening. It is clearly and concisely written. If you are serious about improving and need help in the openings, learn the principles and ideas behind the moves. The next time your opponent takes you out of book,
you won't be scared ... you will MASH him! A chess pro says BUY THIS BOOK!!!
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