Scotch Game, The

Fans of the Scotch Game will be delighted by the new monster (381 pages!) book on 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 by IMs Yelena Dembo and Richard Palliser. The Scotch Game is by far the most comprehensive work ever done on this opening. The material, current through the end of 2010, includes a particularly deep examination of the highly popular sequence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4. Just how popular this variation is can be seen by the fact that Carlsen and Kramnik both had this position twice at the Tata Steel Tournament this past January.

The contents of The Scotch Game include:

1 The Main Line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 without 9.b3
2 The Main Line: 8…Ba6 9 b3
3 The Main Line: 8…Nb6 without 9 Nc3
4 The Main Line: 8…Nb6 9 Nc3
5 The Main Line: Early Deviations
6 The 4…Bc5 Variation: 5 Nxc6 Qf6 6 Qd2
7 The 4…Bc5 Variation: 5 Nxc6 Qf6 6 Qf3
8 The 4…Bc5 Variation: 5 Be3 without 5…Qf6 6 c3 Nge7 7 Bc4
9 The 4…Bc5 Variation: 5 Be3 Qf6 6 c3 Nge7 7 Bc4
10 The 4…Bc5 Variation: Early Alternatives
11 The Check on b4
12 Odds and Ends

Dembo and Palliser each enjoy a reputation for being particularly conscientious authors. This latest tandem effort will only enhance this. Everything Scotch players from club level to Grandmaster need is accurately presented up to the end of 2010.

Highly recommended.