The Berlin variation of the Spanish is one of the most popular openings among world class players. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 Black can play a completely sound opening based mainly on understanding rather than memorizing theory. Many opening books make this claim, but the scarcity of forcing lines in the Berlin mean that in this case it is true. The trick is to gain the requisite understanding, and this is where John Cox’s eloquent prose comes into its own. After reading his explanations it will be clear why this robust opening has gained the nickname The Berlin Wall.

· Expert guidance on one of the soundest openings
· Play the opening that Kramnik used to dethrone Kasparov
· A trustworthy opening that requires little memorization of theory

John Cox is a lawyer and International Master from London. He is an experienced author whose previous books have received high praise.

ISBN: 9789185779024 - 328 pages - Published 15 September 2008

Reviews

"You learn so much about chess from reading this book it is amazing! It is incredibly well-written; careful attention is given to all relevant details; everything that deserves explanation is explained, and everything that needs analysis is analyzed. Even if you don’t have any interest in this opening, you should buy this book. If you are interested in becoming a better chess player and want to understand the pawn structures in the Exchange Ruy Lopez or Berlin Wall, this book will carry you far. It is truly fantastic and should be a candidate for book of the year."

Carsten Hansen, ChessCafe.com (full review)