How to Play the Chess Openings

Rating:
Summary: In Descriptive Notation
Review: An excellent book which is not out-dated and for the price an absolute steal. Though some older opening books can be criticized as a tad bit out-date most can still be used today to learn the basics structures of different openings. Besides, the actual variations used in a game works better if it is your own creation rather than a memorized version and this applies to beginners as well as the experts. Excellent for intermediate players, but can also be used by all. If you are not comfortable with descriptive notations, GET COMFORTABLE! You will be missing out on a lot of excellent books (which are usually half the price). Being comfortable with descriptive as well as algabraic gives you the option and the flexibility to buy whatever chess books are out there, especially the best!

Rating:
Summary: In Descriptive Notation
Review: An excellent book which is not out-dated and for the price an absolute steal. Though some older opening books can be criticized as a tad bit out-date most can still be used today to learn the basics structures of different openings. Besides, the actual variations used in a game works better if it is your own creation rather than a memorized version and this applies to beginners as well as the experts. Excellent for intermediate players, but can also be used by all. If you are not comfortable with descriptive notations, GET COMFORTABLE! You will be missing out on a lot of excellent books (which are usually half the price). Being comfortable with descriptive as well as algabraic gives you the option and the flexibility to buy whatever chess books are out there, especially the best!

Rating:
Summary: Teaches the openings to be even, not to win
Review: The author shows a game and in the same game there are 600 variations. Very difficult to play thru.

As well, the author will gave an example of an opening and after 10 moves claim - both sides even: Why learn an opening to be even, learn an opening to win.

Rating:
Summary: Notation
Review: The book is good if you can read the old notation. It left me frustrated from time to time because I'm so used to the new notation (ex. 1.e4)

Rating:
Summary: a classic but underated
Review: This book is the best book I have ever read on the openings in chess. The author recommends understanding of the openings rather than to try to memorize endless variations. After giving the first principles of the openings, he then shows how the openings should be played using these principles. He also devotes a section on exploiting the weak squares of your opponent. He classifies the openings under four catagories, which is very helpful in organizing the ideas behind these openings. This book is a masterpiece on opening theory and practice. Unfortunately, it is one of those books that goes largely ignored. Probably because people listen to "experts" too much, instead of thinking for themselves. This book is the best on the openings and cannot become "dated."

Rating:
Summary: The best single resource I have read on chess openings
Review: This book is very well structured. It is easy to read and will give the intermediate player a much better understanding of the chess openings. I really enjoyed the traps illustrated.