Table of contents : Cover Introduction How to use the book 1 Bird Opening (1 P-KB4): The mating pattern 2 IrreguIar KN Opening-Damiano Defense: The discarded line 3 The Four Knights Opening: Characteristics of the beginner 4 Irregular Opening (1 P-K3): Proper play against the beginner 5 The Ponziani Opening: Opening play 6 The French Defense (3 P-K5): Ideas in "book" openings 7 Irregular King's Pawn Opening (1 P-K4 P-K4 2 Q-R5): The warranted and the unwarranted attack 8 The Four Knights Opening: Use of superiority in development 9 The Queen's Gambit Declined (3 P-B5?): Exploitation of non-book line 10 Semi-ItaIian Opening (3...P-KR3): Exploitation of loss of tempo 11 The Philidor Defense: Use of advantage in space and time 12 Ruy Lopez (3...KN-K2): Cutting communication between sides 13 The Double Fianchetto: Play against the fianchetto 14 The King-side Fianchetto: Formulation of a series of strategie plans 15 The Center Counter Game: Tempi and half-tempi 16 The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Formulation of a mating plan 17 The Center Counter Gambit: The nature of the gambit 18 The Göring Gambit (Scotch Game): The search for the best tactical movas 19 The Queen's Gambit Declined-Marshall Variation: Bishop sacrifice on KR 7 20 The Queen's Gambit Declined-Marshall Variation: When to ignore "development first" 21 The French Defense-Classical Variation: The strong square and the Good Bishop 22 The French Defense-Winawer Variation: Play on two fronts 23 The French Defense-Alekhine-Chatard Variation: The accumulation of force 24 The King's Gambit Accepted-Allgaier Gambit: Piece sacrifice to bring enemy King into the open field 25 Giuoco Piano: Play against King in center of board Index