Mastering the Chess Openings

""...a book any chess lover should have a look at - if not for its openings, then surely for its general awesomeness."" - Arne Moll, chessvibes.com ""Gambit has become one of the standards for chess literature and this is another fine example. Cover art is pleasing to the eye, spine and pages well bound and the pages are clear with good diagrams. I would suggest checking the Gambit website. To sum up; this book works on many levels. If you want a book to learn variations, well I guess you better play the Reti or some other flank opening to get this book. Should your interest be in extending your knowledge of the theory of openings and their study then I think this should go on your list immediately. On the chance that the reader of this review is looking for insight from an experienced titled player into questions of opening philosophy and how to formulate the self-questioning mode of such a player, then this book is a must. Very rarely does a player open up about how things work in openings to the extent that Mr. Watson has here."" - Bill McGeary, www.chessville.com ""I find the newly published 4th volume of John Watson's Mastering the Chess Openings to be one of the most helpful opening reference books that I have seen. The renowned American IM author presents his chosen material using extremely instructive high-level games furnished with his own characteristically crystal-clear annotations. Watson brings it all together beautifully by making lots of insightful connections that will clarify in the reader's mind numerous common threads and themes as well as giving a nice compact summary of the theoretical status of different openings."" - GM Paul Motwani, The Scotsman