Customer Reviews

Play the Evans Gambit

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is the best one available. The authors have fooled around with this opening for many years in correspondence chess events and must be considered leading experts. If you are interested in the Evans Gambit - and you should be, as 1) it is of historical importance, 2) it may be sound, and 3) it develops your chess style - then you should just close your eyes and buy the book. Think later!

Negative:

1) The book misses an appendix with a tree of opening variations.

2) The authors did not bother to submit all the moves to the current chess computer programs such as Fritz or Rebel. As a consequence the analysis sometimes passes (or introduces) blunders that those programs detect in a flash.

Overall: excellent book!!

I am of course a bit biased. This is a must book for anyone who wants to play the Evans Gambit. This book is thorough and well presented. It is a big improvement over their older book. I like Tim Harding's work generally. Gambit play is fun and can often lead to quick victories, but to play this style of chess, one must be well prepared. This is the bilbe for Evans Gambit players. To be without it is asking for trouble. I also recommend Estrin's book on the Two Knights Defense if you are going to play this opening. If you are Master 2200 or lower this opening can really be fun. It is great for blitz.

If its good enough for Kasparov its good enough for me. The Evans Gambit is sound. Long live the romantic openings.

Learning this opening will also teach you many key attacking concepts and sharpen your tactical play resulting in overall improvement. I have played it 3 times in tournments agaist people better than me and won on all occasions. Often I would drift from the book slightly but the attack generated still created massive winning pressure.

This is still a solid book on an old school opening. Most players would shy away from "freely" giving away material. But the open lanes and attacking possibilities will likely surprise your opponent. And for those married to your "Fritz" - keep playing out the recommended lines, you will likely find the computer to flip its opinion about ten moves down or so. Is the opening challenging - YES! Is it refuted - NO! Is it fun - ABSOLUTELY! By the way, studying games in this book or that use lines in this book - is a great tactical training exercise, as tactics abound in the Evan's Gambit.

This book did not come with the lazy man's opening tree. But, if you read through it - you will soon see why. There are literally numerous transpositional possibilities - understanding of key positions is far more important. Plus, this book gets an A on its referencing of other material as cited throughout the book.

I am enjoying the book even with the occasional error. It is easy to follow and for someone that is getting into the gambit I would get it.

I've always enjoyed going over games in this opening and i finally was able to obtain a copy (this is the only book on the subject available from what i can tell). There's quite a bit of information here with 15 chapters and over 230 pages. The game starts out quietly in the Giuoco Piano with 1 e4 e5, 2 Nf3 Nc6, 3 Bc4 Bc5 then BAM!! 4 b4!?. This unprotected pawn thrust attacks Black's bishop begging to be captured in order to open up lines of attack. All the greats have played it since the 19th century. The book also shows variations where Black declines the free pawn. In the right hands The Evans Gambit can be a dangerous weapon.

If you plan on taking up this opening, I'd also suggest becoming familiar with The Two Knights Defence (Black plays 3...Nf6 instead of Bc5). White can play 4 Ng5 with a double attack on Black's f7 pawn or employ the Max Lange Attack (4 d4). All 3 variations are fun to play. Who says the Giuoco Piano has to be boring?

When you read a chessbook you may simply search for a literal knowledge or better enter into a smart conversation between the author and you. This is the perfect book for that objective. There are no simple answers or "to-do-lists" to find here. This is a monography that invites you to follow the path after the ideas of many chessplayers. The only negative point in the book is the absence of a comprehensive opening tree.