by Milos Pavlovic, 168pp. (Quality Chess, 2010)
Read an excerpt here
This book is the first in a new series from Quality Chess examining the cutting edge of opening theory. The idea is to identify the most important theoretical battlegrounds of the moment and then analyse as deeply as possible in search of improvements. Thus the reader will be ahead of the current state-of-the-art, rather than lagging behind trying to memorize old games.
In The Cutting Edge1 - The Open Sicilian 1 the variations covered are
Sveshnikov 13.Nxb5 piece sac: 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.Bd3 Be6 12.c3 Bg7 13.Nxb5 axb5 14.Bxb5
Sveshnikov 18.h4 pawn sac: 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0–0 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b3 Kh8 17.Nce3 g6 18.h4!?
Sveshnikov: 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4
Rauzer, doubled f-pawn variation: 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0 Bd7 9.f4 b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6
Chinese Dragon: 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Rb8
Dragon, 12...Re8 system: 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 Re8
Dragon, Topalov variation: 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5
Taimanov, English Attack main line: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.f3 Bb4 9.0–0–0
Taimanov, English Attack with 8... Be7: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0–0–0 Be7 9.f3
Taimanov with 5...a6: 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3
Kan: 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0-0 Bc5
Kan: 5.Bd3 Bc5
Milos Pavlovic is a highly experienced Serbian grandmaster and former Yugoslav Champion, whose analysis is regularly featured in New in Chess and Chess Informant. This is his first book for Quality Chess.
"This book, the first in a new series from Quality Chess, is aimed at those who want an up to date guide of where theory stands (and where it is likely to head) in important theoretical battlegrounds... This approach is something new. The analysis is more detailed and the coverage more cohesive than offered in most New in Chess Yearbook Surveys or at Chess Publishing.com. The lines examined are definitely more critical than those featured in the SOS series by New in Chess...
"Pavlovic does a good job of getting to the core of the lines he covers. There is enough prose to put things into context and explain what is going on, but not so much as to overwhelm the analysis...Everyone can analyze key opening positions with Rybka and Fritz but with The Cutting Edge: The Open Sicilian you get this plus an acknowledged expert on the relevant variations who can explain the nuances and understands the sort of positions where computer engines are likely to make mistaken evaluations...
"The Cutting Edge: The Open Sicilian 1 can be warmly recommended to two groups. The first is players rated above 2200 who play either side of the variations covered and the second is fans of sharp-edged opening theory." - IM John Donaldson
