John Watson

English: Franco, Slav and Flank Defences John Watson

An authoritative series: John Watson's systematic coverage of all variations of the English Opening. U. S. International Master John Watson's classic work on the English Opening is still the only comprehensive treatment of this dependable opening, one which has always had a large following among the world's best players. Some of the finest games of modern chess, both positional and tactical, have begun with 1 P-QB4. By virtue of its extraordinary flexibility, the English can lead to unique and original positions at an early stage of the game. Volume 4 covers the wide variety of defences to 1. P-QB4 not dealt with in the previous three volumes. A good many of these are 'Flank Defences', favouring fianchetto systems or wing attacks. Black also has the choice of a number of moves that can transpose into a standard Queen's Pawn (1. d4) or King's Pawn (1. e4) opening. This book shows that White can go his own way instead and create fascinating play in which both sides have their chances. Watson's aim throughout has been to provide a practical balance of theory, discussion and examples. With encyclopaedic coverage and many original suggestions, this series gives the reader the ability to understand the complexities of the English Opening and to play it with confidence. International Master John Watson is widely known as a player, author, and chess trainer. His books have won numerous awards including Book-of-the-Year awards for "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy" and "Chess Strategy in Action".