The Complete Benoni (Batsford Chess Library) [Paperback]

Lev Psakhis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Batsford Chess Library | Publication Date: April 1995

Winning with Black is no easy matter, especially against a solid queen's pawn player. This is a problem Lev Psakhis faced in the last round of the 1980 Soviet Championship. He opted for the Benoni, and the rest is history!

This dynamic defense is about as close to total warfare as you get in modern chess. The likelihood of exchanges and a quick draw is minimized from the start; both players must carry out their plans with the utmost vigour, or risk being swamped. Thorough, up-to-the-minute coverage of all the key lines A deadly weapon for club players Written by a leading exponent of the Benoni. 256 pages.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Owl Books (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080503904X
• ISBN-13: 978-0805039047
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,595,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Advanced Reading Material, August 25, 2000

By 

Chester Morrison - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Benoni (Batsford Chess Library) (Paperback)

Go over to the review on The Complete Dragon/Edward Gufeld by the reader from LA and you have an exact review of this book also. I bought both based on the reviews. Lev Psakhis' advice in the opening of The Complete Benoni is that Black has the Sicilian Defense against PK4 openings, but little defense against PQ4, other than the lines of this system. With that out of the way, he proceeds with rare moves for white after 1 D4 Nf6, 2 C4 C5, 3 D5 E6, labeling them as other than Nc3. The variations are many and exquisitely detailed. His commentary is brief and cryptic, letting the variations (and the reader's understanding of positional play) speak for themselves in terms of analysis, as it should be for a complete understanding of the aesthetic of chess. The book was initially frustrating for me as an intermediate level player, but the more time I spend with it the more I learn.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dynamic Opening For Black Against 1.d4, July 6, 2000

By 

"rockfan2" (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Benoni (Batsford Chess Library) (Paperback)

The Complete Benoni is 254 page volume on the merits of responding to White's 1.d4 and 2.c4 with 1...Nf6 and 2...c5 Author and Grandmaster Lev Psakhis reports a 70% winning percentage in over 60 games using this system. Not for the timid, this system should appeal to anyone who is unwilling to let White dictate the opening. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 (or e4) g6 should provide an exciting game with very few draws, which can't be said for the Queen's Indian Defence. Index of variations also include the ELO numbers (A60-A79). Very helpful.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Surely good for an Expert!, June 23, 2002

By 

Marc Lemelin "lone-knight" (Sherbrooke, Québec Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Benoni (Batsford Chess Library) (Paperback)

I bougnt this book with the intention to understand the Benoni.
Woof... just a foot beside the bull's eye!
In fact, this book is a serious review of all the lines with short evaluations and up-to-date infos. But I believe it is not for the under Expert level and it surely is of no help if you don't already know the opening.