by Yury Lapshun and Nick Conticello, 173pp. (2008 Everyman)

Shock Your Opponent with the Sokolsky!

Do you wish to surprise your opponents on the first move? Do you enjoy playing creatively from the beginning of the game? Look no further than 1 b4!

With this aggressive pawn lunge White takes the game into relatively unknown territory and forces Black players onto their own devices. Those facing 1 b4 are not allowed to fall into the comfort zone of established theory; instead they have to think for themselves from very early on.

This opening has been seriously neglected by chess literature – until now. In this landmark book, Yury Lapshun and Nick Conticello take an in-depth look at 1 b4 and its many variations. The authors use illustrative games to highlight key ideas an tactics for both sides. They also provide a practical and fun-to-play repertoire for White, offering options against all of Black’s main defenses. Read this book and confound your opponents with 1 b4!

About the Authors
Yury Lapshun is an international master and a winner of several important tournaments. He is also an experienced coach who has guided individuals and teams to national championships.

U.S. master Nick Conticello won two Chess Journalists of America awards in 2003, and was named Organizer of the Year by the U.S. Chess Federation in 1996.