Customer Reviews

Beating the King's Indian and Grunfeld (Everyman Chess)

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If the reader is looking for systems against the King's Indian and Grunfeld that narrow their study and give them safe play then buy the book. But if you want to maximize your opening advantage then I think you will be disappointed. Taylor mentions how the 4 pawns attack (which is what he recommends against the King's Indian) has been considered a drawing weapon and although he shows white winning games I am not sure there is enough to overturn that stereotype. As for the Grunfeld he recommends pawn to e3 and an attempt to stear the game toward Queen's Gambit Declined type of play but with White's Q-bishop behind his pawns -- can that really be "Beating" the Grunfeld?

There are good and bad things about this book. Good: 1. Taylor challenges some superficial analysis of other 4 pawns attack authors! 2. Taylor uses a practical approach to his suggested openings. 3. Taylor narrows what White needs to study.

Bad: 1. Too many of the example games are "Quick" or "Action" chess games and of non-GMs. There happens to be two games of mine in the book, both from Game in 30 tournaments. And although I might be a "solid master" as Taylor describes me, I am not a good contributor to opening theory.
2. Unconvincing analysis. I don't think there is enough meat in this book for most readers. Taylor makes conclusions about variations based on little analysis. For example, the second game of mine that he uses has very little analysis; yet he writes off the whole Schlecter Grunfeld setup based on it!

Now if you play or defend against the Four Pawns Attack you will get use out of this book, but a few hours skimming it might be enough.