Every chessplayer, from beginner to world champion, loves to win a game with a brilliant attacking display. However many, if not most, attacks that end in victory do so due to inaccurate defence. This may be due to simple tactical miscalculation or perhaps a more fundamental misunderstanding of the important principles of defence. Furthermore, many attacks that are launched are simply unsound but succeed because many players feel uncomfortable when forced to defend, get flustered and make mistakes. In this book, highly experienced chess author and coach, Neil McDonald addresses these issues. Defensive skill is crucial in chess. Good, accurate defence can win a game just as well as a fine attacking display can, so expertise in this department is essential for any player wishing to improve their game. With thorough explanations, questions, and exercises, this book provides fascinating material to enable you to hone your defensive skill and not feel intimidated when your opponent hurls pieces at your king.
Ideal for those wanting to understand the basics of the English Opening. The English is a sophisticated and popular opening system that is suitable for all types of players and can lead to both positional and tactical middlegames. Many of the world s top players, including Kasparov and Kramnik, include the English in their openings weaponry. In this groundbreaking book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald revisits the basic principles behind the English and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide the reader is aided by a wealth of notes, tips and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player. * Written by an openings expert * All the important lines are covered * A back-to-basics look at one of the most important openings
It's not easy finding a good opening to play against 1 e4, especially if you don't have endless time available to study the latest theoretical developments. If you choose fashionable openings, it's often a necessity to keep pace with modern theory if you want to succeed with Black. This book provides a solution. Neil McDonald advocates his favourite opening - the very popular French Defence - but chooses a repertoire for Black that requires only the minimum amount of move memorization. The lines he selects are very easy to learn and play - perfect for those who are unwilling to be slaves to opening theory. But there's also something here for more experienced players, as McDonald goes on to offer a second repertoire based on counter-attacking lines against 3 Nc3 and 3 Nd2. *An easy-to-learn defence against 1 e4*Provides solutions to all of White's options*Written by a world-renowned expert on the French*Ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players English Grandmaster Neil McDonald is an experienced and successful player on the international chess circuit. He is a respected chess coach, who has trained many of the UK's strongest junior players. McDonald is also a talented chess writer and has many outstanding works to his name.
The Dutch Defence is an ambitious and underrated counter to the queen's pawn opening. With his very first move Black creates an asymmetrical pawn structure, thus unbalancing the position from a very early stage and allowing both White and Black players to fight for the initiative. Black also has many options within the Dutch Defence, from the ultra-solid Stonewall formation through to the fluid Classical System and the dynamic Leningrad Variation. In this user-friendly book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the Dutch Defence and its many variations. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips, warnings and exercises to help the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. *User-friendly design helps readers absorb ideas *Concentrates on the key principles of the Ruy Lopez *Ideal for the improving player
In Starting Out with 1 e4 Grandmaster Neil McDonald provides the reader with a strong and trustworthy repertoire with the white pieces based on the opening move 1 e4. The recommended lines given here have stood the test of time and are regularly employed
In this book, part of the exciting new series of opening guides for club and tournament players, Grandmaster Neil McDonald explains the strategy and tactics of the highly fashionable Leningrad variation of the Dutch Defense. Through the use of model games for both sides, McDonald provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas, so that readers can quickly and confidently start to use the Leningrad in their own games.
Neil McDonald has been leading tour groups around the Isle of Man for many years. He is an expert on the ancient, mystical and historical sites that cover the island, many of which are quite unique. Neil has used his experience to create this book that takes the reader on a circular tour of the best sites of the Isle of Man. With detailed descriptions it also includes direction right up to the sites. This book is therefore an ideal companion on any personal megalithic journey of the island.
If one were to do a survey of club and tournament players to determine which areas of the game they feel that they are weak in, there is little doubt that most would admit to poor endgame play However, while these players would happily spend an afternoon looking at the latest variation of their favorite opening, few spend any time at all studying the endgame. 'Endgame books are just too boring, ' they would say. Not this one! Here, International Master Neil McDonald provides a fresh approach to endgame, concentrating on practical aspects that all players will find useful. This is the ideal handbook for club and tournament players, using games by Kasparov, Anand and others to explain the principles of endgame play, and employing a thematic approach to demonstrate typical endgame motifs. Neil McDonald is also the author of Positional Sacrifices and Modern Chess Miniatures (both of which are available from Cadogan)
Chess is the art that expresses the science of logic . Mikhail Botvinnik Grandmaster Neil McDonald explains every single move made by White and Black in 30 striking tactical or strategical games played over the last quarter century. These games have been carefully chosen for their consistent logical thread, thereby providing the reader with prime instruction in the art of conceiving appropriate plans and attacks and carrying them out to their natural conclusion. Watching games unfold in this way will be both an education and inspiration to readers who can then try to play in the same purposeful way in their own games – with a corresponding increase in their playing strength.
Vince is an accomplished liar and undercover Special Branch agent. Truth, for him, is the story we tell. Sworn to his country, committed to his work, he takes on a new mission - masquerading as an Islamic convert to infiltrate a British Jihadi group.
The Lake District A Megalithic Journey Neil McDonald has been visiting the Lake District since childhood, spending many happy hours walking in the spectacular fells and valleys. Over the years he has become an expert in the many ancient, mystical and historical sites of this beautiful part of northern England. Neil has been taking tour groups to the area for many years and in this book he has used his wealth of experience to create a circular tour of some of the best sites the region has to offer.
Rudolph Spielmann was one of the most fearsome attacking players in the history of chess. In this book, Neil McDonald takes a look back some of Spielmann''s most glorious attacks and famous combinations.
Most competitive players are very familiar with the idea of a sacrificial checkmating attack, but the positional sacrifice has been strangely neglected. By means of a subtle positional sacrifice, a player can sometimes fundamentally alter the course of a game in his or her favor. In this instructive and entertaining book International Master Neil McDonald demonstrates just how effective well-executed positional sacrifices are. Topics covered include sacrifices to open lines for the pieces, sacrifices as a defensive weapon, the exchange sacrifice, the psychology of sacrifice and much more.
Neil McDonald has been fascinated by the exceptional history of Malta and Gozo for some years and leads tour groups around the islands' unique prehistoric and historic sites. The history section takes the reader on a journey from the formation of the islands' along the their timeline including the ancient temples, the Medieval Period, the Knights of St John the British and into the islands' independence. The second part of the book is a gazetteer and guide to over 30 of the ancient and prehistorical sites that are to be found throughout these beautiful Mediterranean islands, where the sun shines all year round.
Many players are serious about their chess but become stuck at a certain playing strength. It’s rarely a lack of talent or practice or opening knowledge that holds them back. Usually they get left behind because they don’t know how to make best use of the time they have available to study chess. This book addresses this problem and is your self-improvement plan. It shows you how to work on your own games to root out mistakes. It will sharpen your calculation of variations. You will be challenged to find the best middlegame strategy. Endgame technique is also covered in detail. All topics are discussed with numerous examples and puzzles from the games of modern players such as Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and Viswanathan Anand. If you want your chess to leap forward it’s time to Coach Yourself! * A complete self-improvement programme. * All aspects of the game included. * Utilizes a structured approach, making the most of your study time.
The Winawer remains the sharpest variation of the French Defence. It leads to dynamic positions in which the more aggressive player will prevail. This book explains the strategy and tactics.
There are plenty of chess books that cover openings, but not so many that tell you what to do next. Every player has encountered problems once the opening phase of the game has ended, and this book provides solutions. Renowned chess author Neil McDonald guides you through a selection of over 40 recent instructive and entertaining Grandmaster games, all of which illustrate how sound planning and a clear head can help you through that crucial post-opening phase.
The Caro-Kann has always been one of the most widely played openings among club and tournament players. This handy battle manual deals with the critical main line positions after 1 e4 c6 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4. Highly regarded author Grandmaster Neil McDonald offers a comprehensive survey of the state of current theory for both White and Black players, explaining the basic elements, strategies and tactics for both sides. This guide covers one of the most fashionable chess openings in current practice. It is ideal for club and tournament players and it provides everything you need to know to start playing the main line Caro-Kann straightaway. (6 1/4 x 9 1/4, 144 pages, diagrams)
This work offers guidance on how to get into a chess game by means of concise, uncluttered openings that helps to set the strategy the player intends to follow.
The King's Gambit is the most daring and dangerous opening. White throws caution to the wind, and Black must know what he is doing to avoid early defeat. The King's Gambit was all the rage in the 19th century, but has an enduring popularity throughout the chess world. Remarkably, it is once more the focus of the top grandmaster attention, for example when Nigel Short played it three times in a row against the world's best at the Madrid 1997 tournament.
Confident about endgames? Even many experienced players would admit to a serious lack of knowledge in this department, and yet it¿s in this section of the game where many points are won and lost over the chessboard. This pocket-sized book can be the answer to all the players' problems! Grandmaster Neil McDonald studies the fundamental endings and provides the reader with all the crucial knowledge, tactics, and plans. At the same time, he is careful not to swamp readers with superfluous information; there is simply enough wisdom here to make them feel confident in all types of practical endings. *Written by an renowned endgames expert *Every major endgame is examined *A pocket book ideal for club and tournament players
Mysteries of The Cathar Country, is a look into the Histories and Mysteries of the Languedoc. Including the Cathars, Rennes-le-Château, the Knights Templar, the Nazi connection, Sacred Geometry and the Priory of Sion. Neil McDonald has been visiting and running tours to the Cathar Country for some years and is an expert in the rich, diverse and fascinating history of the area, including the Cathars and the story of Bérenger Saunière and Rennes-le-Château. It is with this background that the book is presented and to provide the reader with a comprehensive journey through this wonderful area of Southern France, which has received so much interest worldwide in recent years. Neil has brought all the mysteries of the Languedoc together in one single volume, for the first time.
Damien Parer was without doubt Australia?s greatest war photographer. He helped create the Anzac legend ? and many, many of our iconic war images are his photographs. He served his apprenticeship as a stills photographer on the famous Chauvel film, 'Forty Thousand Horsemen', and was appointed Official Photographer covering the Australian fighting in the early days of World War II in Greece and Syria, and Tobruk. His most famous documentary is 'Kokoda Front Line!' , made during the darkest days of the campaign in mid-1942 (it went on to win Australia?s first Academy Award). His photographs and films brought the war home to Australians ? and are now an integral part of our military history. He died in action ? shot by Japanese machine gun fire, as he filmed an American advance on Peleliu. Originally published as WAR CAMERAMAN: THE STORY OF DAMIEN PARER, and later in an expanded form as DAMIEN PARER'S WAR, this colourful and authoritative story of a great Australian includes many of his most iconic photographs.
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