Foreword
by GM Lev Polugayevsky
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PART I
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BASIC
PRINCIPLES AND TASKS OF THE OPENING
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1
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Mobilization
of the Forces in the Opening
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The scale of
relative piece values and its significance in the opening
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Development of the
pieces and the role of the centre
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The unpleasant
consequences of loss of tempi
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Premature inclusion
of the heavy pieces in the play
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The danger of
leaving the king in the centre
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Diversions in the
opening
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Harmony in the
development of the flanks
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Excessive
prophylaxis
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Advantageous
opening of the centre
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Retribution for
routine play
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Flexibility of
development in the opening
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The advantage of the
first move and the initiative
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Move order in the
opening
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2
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Active
Operations in the Opening
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Combinations, early
attacks and counterattacks
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The triumph of
tactics
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Early opening
attacks
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The castled
position as a target for attack in the opening
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Pawn storms early
in the game
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The attack on h7
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Pawn weaknesses in
the castled position
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Counterattack in
the opening
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3
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Basic
Spatial Factors
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Occupation of the
centre
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Opening up of the
centre
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The art of
centralization
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The demarcation
line of the board
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The distinction
between the flanks
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The Q-side as the
arena of opening play
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Premature flank
operations
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Against a flank
diversion — a counterblow in the centre
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4
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General
Opening Problems
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Pawn weaknesses
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Pawn chains and
their mobility
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The blocking of
pawn chains
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The coordination of
pieces and pawns at the start ofthe game
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Coordination ofthe
forces in the opening
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Isolation of part
of the forces
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Coordination and
basic opening principles
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Disuniting the
opponent’s flanks
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Models of
harmonious piece coordination
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PART II
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THE DEVELOPMENT
OF OPENING THEORY
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5
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The
Connection of the Opening with the Later Stages of the Game
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The opening as a
sum total of knowledge about the initial position
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The choice of
strategic ‘weapon’
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The realization of
an opening advantage in the middlegame
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The plan of
accumulating positional advantages
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Simplifying from
the opening into a complex endgame
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6
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Attack
during the Transition to the Middlegame
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Attack as an
effective strategic means
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Offensive in the
centre
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Switching the
attack from the centre to the K-side
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Switching the
attack to the Q-side
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The preparation of
pawn breaks
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Pawn storms on
opposite flanks
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An attack on the
king is always the No.1 threat
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Counterattacks and
defensive barriers
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7
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Dynamic
Attacks and the Tactical Struggle for the Initiative in Modern Opening
Systems
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Sharp ways of
struggling for the initiative in the centre
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The attainment of
manoeuvring freedom and the initiative at the cost of material sacrifices or
positional concessions
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Dynamics of the
modern opening
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Dynamic attacks in
the opening and during the transition to the middlegame
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‘Shock’ central attacks
against the Sicilian
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Sudden explosive
piece attacks
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Switching the
weight ofthe attack from another target to the king
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A broad tactical
offensive
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The dominant role
of tactics in attack
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Psychological
factors of dynamic attacks
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The ‘brittleness’
of dynamic attacks
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Dynamic
counterattacks
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Dynamic seizing
ofthe initiative
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Belief in defensive
resources
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Under the
microscope of analysis
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A necessary measure
of caution in active intentions
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Attack as a playing
method
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8
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Opening
Principles in their Second Approximation
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Dynamic play and a
new approach to opening principles
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Minor piece
manoeuvres in the opening. Opening exchanges
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Early development
of the heavy pieces
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Delayed castling.
Leaving the king in the centre
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The sacrifice of a
pawn in the opening
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Queen against rook
and minor piece
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Queen against three
minor pieces
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Exchange sacrifices
in the opening
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Rook for two minor
pieces
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The sacrifice of a
minor piece in the opening
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The tactical
destruction ofthe flanks in the opening
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Seizure ofthe
centre from the flanks
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Castling on
opposite sides
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The double-edged
nature of pawn expansions
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Tactical ways of
transforming the centre
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Optimal plan or
best variation?
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Opening ‘fashion’
and the origin of new variations
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9
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Modern
Strategic Problems of Opening Struggle for the Centre
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New methods of
opening struggle for the initiative
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Positions of
dynamic balance
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Typical pawn
structures in the centre
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Pawn structures and
the inner content of the opening struggle
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Tense structures in
the centre
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Undetermined
structures in the centre
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Flexible opening
structures
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‘Cramped’ positions
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Index
of Players
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