"I got to know Sethu more closely a few years back when we trained together a few times. I found him to be meticulous in his preparation and especially at home in complex positions. These qualities make him perfect for these two Sicilans and I am sure after reading this book, you (the reader) will be ready to confidently explore…
"At first, you start wondering why Black weakens the d5-square (5…e5) and then step by step you realize the dynamic potential of Black’s opening strategy. The ensuing positions contain a lot of imbalances, which makes it a very attractive opening to play for a win at any level." ~ Robert Ris Teaser [PDF] - Robert Ris - The Modernized Sveshnikov
"The engine has become the “Holy Cow” to which all chess players now pray regardless of their religious convictions or rating. Far from being a foe or rival it has become an invaluable helper, consultant and the highest of authorities. Since the highest of all oracles is soulless and cynical it is ready to help anyone ignoring opinions and preferences."…
To win a game, it is enough to be just a little bit better than your opponent. To make this happen, especially when facing a strong player, you must force your opponent to solve practical problems. You must get them into a position where the cost of a potential mistake is much higher than usual. ~ GM Alexander Ipatov
"Many games have been played, and theory has evolved since the days of Karpov’s Caro-Kann. As you will see in this book, this opening offers Black many opportunities for dynamic play, despite its solid framework." ~ Francesco Rambaldi
"One thing that (in my opinion) hadn't really been done before is a really thorough look at the Stonewall using modern computer engines (and over a thousand hours of analysis). While the opening is definitely all about understanding, wouldn't you prefer to benefit from some fresh ideas and knowledge of which the best move orders might be, as well as…
"In this first volume of Cheparinov’s 1.d4! readers will find my own way of working on openings, and the way I analyze. Many of the lines and conclusions in this book are based not only on computer evaluation, but also on the practical point of view. Of course all the lines have been deeply analyzed by strong engines, and although…
"But I am writing for an audience that, by and large, is not interested in chess as a memory contest. So I’m not going to offer you lots of novelties and dense variation trees. On the contrary. The approach is to take the reader into the seemingly impenetrable labyrinth of variations without flinching, but then to base my comments on…
"Credit can mostly be given to Kasparov for reviving this old opening, but there are many others who have contributed to exploring new ideas and forging new paths. A lot of discoveries have been made by some young grandmasters who don’t shy away from analysing deep tactical solutions with the aid of the silicon beast." ~ Milos Pavlovic
"The fact that this opening has become part of a standard repertoire against 1.e4 for many top players such as Rapport, Dubov, Li Chao, Korobov, Gupta, Vovk etc . speaks for itself about the quality and the fascination of the variation and also about the many possibilities it offers. It’s hard to pinpoint the real reasons for this popularity, but…
