True chess mastery demands a thorough understanding of the game's opening nuances, and this guide by an International Grandmaster offers detailed, seldom-discussed insights into the real significance of the opening. As Mr. Mednis notes in the Preface, "" ... if you know the strategic theme of your opening well, understand how to apply it in middlegame play, and if necessary can also make use of your knowledge in the thematic endgame to follow, then you will be a very successful tournament player.""Restricting his approach to exploring lines that lead to closed positions, the author focuses on dozens of games, describing the important strategic themes of the openings, and then demonstrating how these themes should be carried through all applicable phases of the game. An excellent teacher and expositor, Mr. Medina brings to bear years of experience and technical knowledge as he analyses 30 games, including contests between such chess giants as Petrosian and Korchnoi, Karpov and Kasparov, Gligoric and Kaplan, and many others.Highly instructive, fun to read, and full of revealing insights into the intricacies of the game, this book is an invaluable guide to playing strategically clear openings more successfully, and achieving a higher level of play. Masters and amateurs alike will find a wealth of instructive tactics and techniques in this informative work.
