BEATING THE OPEN GAMES
Author: Mihail Marin
Quality Chess (2007)
288 pages
$25.95

Reviewed by Jeremy Silman

Grandmaster Mihail Marin is, in my view, one of the world's finest chess writers. I say this because many of you might not be aware of his work. That, without a doubt, would be quite unfortunate, so I'll take it upon myself to bring you up to speed.

In 2003 Mr. Marin came out with SECRETS OF CHESS DEFENCE (click the link to see John Watson's review). It was very good, but it didn't prepare us for his phenomenal 2004 blockbuster LEARN FROM THE LEGENDS - WORLD CHAMPIONS AT THEIR BEST (click the link to see Silman's review). This was followed up in 2005 by SECRETS OF ATTACKING CHESS (click the link to read John Donaldson's review), an excellent book but not groundbreaking like his LEGENDS from the previous year. Now, in 2007, Marin strikes again, this time with two books (from Quality Chess, a young company that's published a lot of exceptional work) designed to give you a comprehensive repertoire vs. 1.e4, both based on the reply 1…e5.

A review on his A SPANISH REPERTOIRE FOR BLACK will follow in the weeks to come (suffice it to say that the review will be wildly favorable). Here we'll take a look at BEATING THE OPEN GAMES, a virtual masterpiece of analysis and explanation. BEATING THE OPEN GAMES explores everything White can throw at you vs. 1…e5 except the Ruy Lopez (which is separately dealt with in A SPANISH REPERTOIRE FOR BLACK), though I should add that The Exchange Variation of the Lopez, which is absent in the SPANISH REPERTOIRE, is indeed analyzed OPEN GAMES.

The list of systems he explores: The Bishop's Opening, The Belgrade Gambit, The King's Gambit, The Vienna Game, The Center Game, The Ponziani Opening, The Four Knights Game, The Glek System, The Giuoco Piano, The Evans Gambit, The Two Knights Defense, The Max Lange Attack, Giuoco Piano Classic Main Line, Giuoco Pianissimo, The Scotch Opening, The Exchange Ruy Lopez.

Okay, anyone can write a bunch of swill about these lines, or simply copy existing theory, or simply give us bare moves with little or no explanatory prose. What's so special about this book? Another question that can be asked is, "Why play 1…e5 when Black has so many other interesting openings to choose from?"

I'll answer the latter question first. The fact is that most players who specialize in 1.e4 spend most of their preparation time on 1…c5 and 1…e6 (two real threats that force White to know his stuff or die). 1…e5 isn't given the same respect as the Sicilian and French, which means that many devotees of 1.e4 won't be as well prepared as they should be. However, when we take into account that players like Karpov, Anand, Kramnik and countless other Super-GMs have used this old move with consistent success, we are forced to accept that 1…e5 is alive, well, and just as dangerous as anything else Black can toss white's way. In fact, I would say that once you really learn how to play 1…e5, it will turn out to be far safer (yet also supplying ample winning chances) than anything else Black can use.

That leaves me having to explain why this book is different or better than any of the other repertoire books on …e5. Three things stand out:

1) Marin doesn't try to analyze everything. He would need thousands of pages to do so, and the reader would only end up confused and more than a little horrified by the final product. Instead he gives us HIS OWN repertoire, leaving nothing at all to the imagination! Here's what he had to say about this surprising decision: "In doing so I have followed Botvinnik's recommendation that any grandmaster with ambitions for further development should continually publish his analysis in order to submit it to the critical test of the wider public. There is also a psychological element of a stimulating nature involved: knowing that most of my knowledge of the open games in now revealed, I will definitely have to go further with my investigations and, who knows, maybe widen my repertoire."

The result of this is that we are given what he feels are the very best ways for Black to play, while refusing to hide the "good stuff" for himself. I have never seen an active professional grandmaster do this before.

2) Marin gives us the classic games in each line, balances it with all the latest games and assessments and analysis, and then puts it all together (at the end of each chapter) in MCO style analysis trees for easy access. Usually a writer will give games, and we'll only get the analysis trees in larger opening tomes, but I've never seen anyone give you both. I find this to be a very effective idea since looking at a bunch of annotated games is great, but can also leave you somewhat confused as to what to do during each step of the opening in question. The analytical trees pull it all together and show you, in total clarity, exactly what your lines are.

3) Marin pours out the prose! He never hesitates to let us know the plans, ideas, and history of all his lines. And his clear and incredibly useful explanations literally fill every page.

BEATING THE OPEN GAMES, joined with A SPANISH REPERTOIRE FOR BLACK, is the greatest repertoire book(s) ever written for players 1800 right to grandmaster.  Marin's legend as a serious chess writer seems to grow every time he puts his fingers on a keyboard.

My highest recommendation for strong players that are willing to do the work (and it will take more than a little effort to master this material) to create a serious repertoire based on answering 1.e4 with 1…e5!

Click to buy (or get more information about) any of these excellent books by Mihail Marin:

BEATING THE OPEN GAMES

LEARN FROM THE LEGENDS - WORLD CHAMPIONS AT THEIR BEST

SPANISH REPERTOIRE FOR BLACK

SECRETS OF CHESS DEFENCE