Starting Out: King's Indian Attack (Starting Out - Everyman Chess) [Paperback]

John Emms (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005 | Series: Starting Out - Everyman Chess

"The King's Indian Attack" was a firm favourite of the legendary Bobby Fischer, and more recently it has been utilised with great success by world-class Grandmasters such as Alexander Morozevich. The renowned chess coach Mark Dvoretsky regards the King's Indian Attack as a perfect weapon on which to base an opening repertoire. Its great advantage over other openings is that it's a thematic system that can be employed against many different lines, while the emphasis is on the understanding of ideas rather than the dry memorisation of moves. "The King's Indian Attack" leads to rich middlegame positions that are full of dynamic possibilities for both sides. In this easy-to-use guide, "King's Indian Attack" expert John Emms goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the King's Indian Attack and its numerous lines. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips and warnings to help the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. It features user-friendly design to help readers absorb ideas, and concentrates on the key principles of the King's Indian Attack. It is ideal for the improving player.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The King's Indian Attack was a firm favorite of the legendary Bobby Fischer, and more recently it has been utilized with great success by world-class Grandmasters such as Alexander Morozevich. The renowned chess coach Mark Dvoretsky regards the King's Indian Attack as a perfect weapon on which to base an opening repertoire. Its great advantage over other openings is that it's a thematic system that can be employed against many different lines, while the emphasis is on the understanding of ideas rather than the dry memorization of moves. The King's Indian Attack leads to rich middlegame positions that are full of dynamic possibilities for both sides.
In this easy-to-use guide, King's Indian Attack expert John Emms goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the King's Indian Attack and its numerous lines. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips and warnings to help the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated.

*User-friendly design to help readers absorb ideas
*Concentrates on the key principles of the King's Indian Attack
*Ideal for the improving player

About the Author

English International Master Angus Dunnington is a well-respected and popular personality on the international chess tournament circuit. He is also a successful chess teacher, who has coached many of Britain's top junior players. His recent works for Everyman Chess include Chess Psychology and Blunders.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Everyman Chess; 1st edition (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857443942
• ISBN-13: 978-1857443943
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #432,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly what it seems, June 23, 2007

By 

Joel W. Barnett (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starting Out: King's Indian Attack (Starting Out - Everyman Chess) (Paperback)

This is primarily about the closed French and closed Siclian defenses, from white's perspective, (about 140 pages). The last 60 pages is about the reversed King's Indian opening. If your primary interest is playing 1. Nf3 as white, this is probably not the book you are looking for.

If you like opening with 1. e4, and want a systematic response when your opponent does not reply with 1. ... e5, then this is a good book for you. You will have a system of play that does not require learning the vast variations of the open French and Sicilian defenses.

Also, you will have in hand the 1. Nf3 opening, in case you want to change things up a bit with a secondary opening as white.

The book is well written and illustrated, the level of detail is suitable for the beginning or intermediate player. It assumes a basic knowledge of the game beyond just knowing how the pieces move.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not well done at all, January 31, 2009

By 

matrix (MI, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starting Out: King's Indian Attack (Starting Out - Everyman Chess) (Paperback)

I am very disappointed in this book, particularly for the Everyman "Starting Out" series. The book is not structured well for someone just learning the King's Indian Attack (KIA), the main line examples are poorly chosen, and quite frankly, John Emms style and knowledge does not translate well into a Starting Out book.

The introduction hypes the KIA as a favorite of the author from his teens, yet one gets the sense he doesn't believe in the opening. This is the second Starting Out book the author has done like this, the other covering the Scotch. As white, you make the decision to go into these lines, yet the books seem to show with accurate play Black is more than fine. Right from the start, in Game 2 v. the French, the right line of play is a sideline and in main game White is positionally crushed.

Regarding structure and the author's style, there is too much detail and focus on sidelines in the introduction stages of each line. Where the concept is supposed to be understanding the position, the discussion is on sidelines and unexplored moves. It is obvious the author has a deep knowledge of the KIA, it just needs to be lowered down to the critical fundamentals for the SOS book.

I'm a devout reader of Emms' Sicilian Kan book, and have enjoyed several of his other books. However, I think this misses the mark for a Starting Out book. Good material, a miss on execution.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars only for e4 players, October 30, 2010

By 

Farley "sutton-brown" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starting Out: King's Indian Attack (Starting Out - Everyman Chess) (Paperback)

This book is much more about the KIA against half-open defenses than otherwise. If you really want to play the KIA, it's an idiotic thing to start with 1.e4. To begin with, if black replies 1....d5
(The Scandinavian)this rules out the KIA altogether. If black plays
1...e5, the KIA is possible but not effective, as the author himself put it. Emms even suggested that you should use your favorite opening/defense against 1...e5, but not the KIA, which should be used to avoid the French, Sicilian, Caro-Kann. Fischer
himself, who had problems with the French, used the KIA to avoid the French.(Kasparov wasn't very comfortable with the French either).In other words, this is a book JUST for e4 players who play
whatever they play against 1...e5 and want a system to play against
half-open defenses. These players, of course, will have to be prepared to face a Scandinavian too. If you, on the other hand, are
a 1.Nf3 player and/or really want to use the KIA, then you should look elsewhere, this is NOT the book for you. Try Dunnington's book. You can also play through early Petrosian games. The master of restrained chess used it a lot in his early days.