The King's Gambit (Korchnoi-Zak) - 2nd hand

The King’s Gambit (1 P-K4 P-K4 2 P-KB4) is given a completely new appraisal by Vladimir Zak, Leningrad’s chief trainer, who played an important part in the development of Boris Spassky, Viktor Korchnoi (World Championship Candidate 1968, 1971 and 1974) and other leading USSR grandmasters.

In the reassessments, many variations that once promised Black an easy game are shown to be fraught with difficulties; there are many new ideas based on modern strategic conceptions; at best Black survives with balanced chances – this book charts the new lines that lead that way.

Is the King’s Gambit a serious opening? Bobby Fischer tried to refute it in the early 1960s. A few years later he himself was playing it. David Bronstein and Spassky are among other great players who like to play it.

The checking and enthusiastic backing that Korchnoi brings to this work gives it an added authority. Philip Booth, the translator of Rook Endings by Vasily Smyslov and 200 Open Games by David Bronstein, ably renders the Russian text into English.

128 pages
80 diagrams

• Casa editrice Batsford
• Code 1294us
• Anno 1974
• Pagine p.120
• Isbn 9780713452891