The first one-volume book that covers all variationsThe English Opening (1.c4) is a popular choice at both club and master level, because it is a chess opening that suits all styles. Elite players as diverse as Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and Vishy Anand include it in their repertoire. As White you can play aggressively or opt for a more strategic approach, depending on what kind of middlegame positions you are looking for.For a club player who wants to reap the benefits of this multipurpose opening, understanding is much more important than deep theoretical knowledge. The Full English Opening teaches the fundamentals and is the first one-volume book that covers all major variations.Carsten Hansen dedicates special attention to the transition into the early middlegame. You will learn how to identify specific plans, determine your strategic goals and find positional and tactical targets.Supported by examples and exercises, you will be able to enjoy the greatest asset of the English Opening: its versatility. It will serve you well in any mood, against any type of opponent, in any tournament situation.  Carsten Hansen is a Danish FIDE Master and FIDE Trainer and an acclaimed author. He has written extensively on the English Opening and has a lifetime of experience with the opening. ISBN: 9789056917548

Was braucht der Schachspieler, wenn er die Spielregeln beherrscht, aber in zu vielen Partien bereits in der Eröffnungsphase in Schwierigkeiten gerät? Diese Frage stand im Mittelpunkt, als unsere Autoren das Material für ein Buch zur „Englischen Eröffnung" zusammenzustellen begonnen haben. Mit Voranschreiten ihrer Arbeit stellten sie fest, dass so viel aufzunehmen und zu erläutern war, dass nicht alles in einem einzigen Werk unterzubringen war. Deshalb entschieden sie sich zu einer Aufteilung auf zwei Bände.Dieser Band 1 widmet sich der „Symmetrievariante", die von dem Zugpaar c2-c4 und c7-c5 gekennzeichnet wird. Diese wird in einer Einleitung und sechs sich anschließenden Kapiteln vorgestellt, die getreu dem Leitfaden dieser Buchreihe „lesen – verstehen – spielen" gestaltet sind. Die jeweiligen Eröffnungswege werden ausführlich erläutert, wobei die Autoren einen besonderen Wert auf die Darstellung der Ideen und Pläne gelegt haben, denen sie folgen. Der Leser soll die Chance erhalten, die jeweilige Eröffnung richtig zu verstehen und diese nicht nur mit auswendig gelernten Zugfolgen in einer eigenen Partie abzuspulen. Selbst der einzelne Zug wird nach Sinn und Zweck erläutert, soweit er für das Verständnis wichtig ist. Mit den Kenntnissen, die sich der Leser mit diesem Buch verschafft, wird es ihm ein Leichtes sein, die Symmetrievariante mit den weißen wie mit den schwarzen Steinen sinnvoll anzuwenden. Das Werk bietet zugleich die eine oder andere neue Idee an, die auch einen erfahrenen Spielpartner überraschen kann und interessante, unterhaltsame wie auch spannende Duelle verspricht.Die rechnerische Korrektheit der behandelten Varianten haben die Autoren mit leistungsstarken Engines überprüft.

This book offers an active Black repertoire against The English Opening 1.c4, the Reti 1.Nf3, and their siblings that arise after 1.g3. The authors advocate for seizing space in the centre with ...c6 and d5, followed up by ...e4 or ...d4. They pay special attention on the ideas behind the moves, leaving the detailed coverage for the "Step by Step" sections. ISBN: 978-619-7188-09-7

In the last five years we have been observing a noticeable trend of the chess elite to evade the warn off central pawns moves 1.e4 and 2.d4 in favour of 1.c4 and 1.Nf3. Naturally, lower ranked players eagerly followed in the leader's footsteps - indeed not only Carlsen and Kramnik tired of struggling against the Berlin wall or exhausting themselves in futile attempts to refute the Gruenfeld. This book offers to meet the new challenges to Black by building an English Hedgehog formation. The authors not only recommend a contemporary move order after the ditch has been set, but they also explain how to reach this goal since White's first moves. The book is all the more convincing as it is based on the successful practical experience of one of the authors. ISBN: 978-6197188134

This book aims to arm White players adequately against Black’s most dangerous answer to 1.c4 - 1...e5. It is written from White’s standpoint and covers non-g3 set-ups. Some notable exceptions are 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3, although 3.Nf3 and 3.d4 is also analysed. It should also serve Black players since the authors often discuss several alternatives to the main lines. The focus is on the modern variations 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 and 4.d3. In the last five years they have brought 56% and 58% respectively. The book goes beyond a straightforward repertoire, and covers different approaches. Thus it should serve players with both colours. Grandmaster Kiril Georgiev has been the strongest Bulgarian player for many years. He was a Junior World Champion and a bronze medalist in Europe. He has played in 15 Olympiads and also coached Bulgarian national team. His peak rating was in the world's top ten. Kiril wrote the books The Sharpest Sicilian, Squeezing the Gambits and Fighting the London System. Semko Semkov played for Bulgaria in one Olympiad. He is a chess journalist and theoretician. His most famous books are The Most Flexible Sicilian and Understanding the QGA. ISBN: 978-6197188202