Customer Reviews

Play the 4 f3 Nimzo-Indian

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I was excited when I read about a new book on f3 variation, and I ordered as soon as it came avalible on amazon. I dont regret ordering it as I have been studying the f3 for some time now and there are really no other books on it. However its obvious, if you play this as much as I do that yuri's understanding of the whole variation, is only average. Moreover he didnt put much time into analysis for this book. He mainly looked at the database and copied from the opening encyclopedias. Now its true that as a professional he cant give away all his secrets, but really if thats your attitude than dont bother write a book.

Let me just give a few of the errors,I dont want to give them all away, but here are a few:

After d4 nf6 c4 e6 nc3 bb4 f3 c5 yuri writes: "In order to maintain the position in the center white must reply d5"

Actually thats false, a3 more than playble, in fact I think it is better than d5.

After d5 he gives blacks choices as:

b5, 0-0, BxN, and Nh5. Whoops, guess he forgot blacks best move, d6! with the plan of meeting e4 with b5. Note that he does not cover any transpositions into this variation.

Here is a reaccuring blurb from one of his summaries:

"The lack of practical examples does not allow us to make any clear-cut assessments regarding the value of 10.g3!?, although in the games in which this move has featured, Black was unable to solve his opening problems"

Insightful eh?

Some opening manuals are written in response to popular trends. Others - sometimes the most innovative - can create the trends. It is clear that Yuri Yakovich has penned one of the latter type here, with his enterprising coverage of the surprise line arising after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 f3.
White's intentions are deeply aggressive, aiming for a quick central build-up with e4. Yakovich is a top Russian trainer, and a Grandmaster, known as a world authority on this variation. He has had success even after strong opponents have come to expect it.
Much of the analysis in this book is original or challenges established theory and assessments. So even if the theoretical verdict of the line remains unclear, players of the black pieces will need to be familiar with the intricacies, or risk being steamrolled in the opening. A point reinforced by the 14 illustrative games at the end of the book, where in one Gheorghiu beats Fischer at the Havana Olympiad in 1966.