1.e4 e5 – Top-Level Repertoire for Black

Course Overview

1.e4 e5 2.d4/Nc3/f4/Bc4

The first 3 Chapters are dedicated to White’s alternatives to 2.Nf3:

– The observation begins with the Central opening (2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4/3.Nf3) and the Vienna game (2.Nc3) in Chapter 1.
– Then comes the accepted romantic King’s gambit 2.f4 exf4, where noteworthy is the approach of meeting 3.Nf3 with 3…Nf6!? 4.e5 Nh5 and 3.Bc4 with 3…Nc6!? and a timely g7-g5.
– The readers will also find interesting news about challenging the Bishop’s opening 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 with 3…c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 a5!?

Next, Chapter 4 deals with White’s continuations (with an exception of 3.d4) after 2.Nf3 Nc6, the most common of which is the Ponziani with 3.c3.

The reliability of Black’s 3…d5 is confirmed;

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4/3.Nc3

Chapter 5 is exploring in depth the main Scotch with 4…Qf6!? and the possible transpositions to the system with an early Bf8-c5

This line is one of the cornerstones of our opening repertoire. Cheparinov managed to find many interesting new ideas in this system.

The following 2 Chapters are correlated with the Scotch, even though they are featuring 3.Nc3 Nf6.

In Chapter 6, where White’s less popular options on move 4 are covered, the main line is 4.a4!? a6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb4, while Chapter 7 is about the latest developments in the classical move order 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 d5 9.exd5 and the trendy 9…Bg4!?

The current theoretical state of the 4 Knights with 4.Bb5 Nd4 is given in Chapter 8.

It is instructive to follow in great detail the intricacies of the main line 5.Bc4 Bc5 6.Nxe5 Qe7 7.Nf3 d5, which seems to lead to an almost forced draw;

Review of the Two Knights (3.Bc4 Nf6)/Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5)

One can expect a relatively rare, but fighting option against the sharpest 4.Ng5 as well.

Indeed, after 4…d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5 in Chapter 9 a preference is given to 6…Bd7!?, while the standard c7-c6 break is delayed for several moves with the intention to bring back by it the stranded Na5 and direct it to the excellent d4-square;

Chapter 10 is dedicated to the restrained 4.d3, when the second invitation for entering the Italian game is also declined. The author is limiting the bishop to the e7-square and various possibilities on the next two moves for the central d7-d5 break are thoroughly analyzed;

Finally, in Chapter 11 about the Ruy Lopez the emphasis is on replying to 3.Bb5 with 3….Nge7!? Black is usually directing this knight to g6 and uses every opportunity to activate Bf8 to c5.