Play 1..b6: A Dynamic and Hypermodern Opening System for Black Paperback – October 1, 2005

Better than average book but needs more work.

I would prefer to stay silent rather than talk badly about anybody or anything. However, if nobody speaks up to say this isn't good enough publishers will continue to put out poor products. My only regret is I didn't discover how user-unfriendly this book is in Kindle.The content might be good but there is no way of knowing if you cannot access what you need in a timely manner. I play online at a well-known website and wanted to use this book as a reference in daily games. The English Defense was recommended by GM Simon Williams in one of his training courses. Unfortunately even using the search option in Kindle I was unable to track down the London System. Searching for "London" or "3 Bf4" didn't do it.I tried contacting the author, who is a member of the same website, without any response. Everyman isn't the only publisher to produce substandard products (The Agile London System published by New In Chess is another poorly produced product). A pity we cannot pay for fake Kindle chess books with equally fake money. Authors need to start taking greater pride in a product associated with their name. You can bet I am going to be very hesitant to buy another book by this author or Everyman Chess. I am also hesitant to buy any Kindle book by GM Simon Williams no matter how much I love his video courses.The Kindle version of this book is totally useless. That's a simple truth. Amazon blames the publishers. The publishers say nothing because there is no defense. Maybe they are even embarrassed although this hardly seems likely considering they put the Kindle version up for sale without checking it at all. Embarrassment also stems from having a feeling of pride in your work. One can only hope the paperback proves more useful (I for one will never know).If you are looking for a good repertoire against 1. d4 I suggest the Kindle version of "Attack With Black". Easy to navigate and a sound system to boot. I've had very good results with it and bought this book to give me a second option. Looks like I'll be sticking with the "Attack With Black" repertoire until publisjhers get it right.

If you want to open your game with a different approach, 1...b6 may be the opening you are looking for. The book is clearly divided in four parts : part 1 deals with 1. e4, b6. This is the old Owen defense, but the author makes it clear that with proper play by Black, White does not get an advantage or at the most get a sligth +. But I think that black is doing very well. Part 2 deals with 1. d4, b6, Part 3 with 1. c4, b6 and part 4 with 1. Nf3, b6. All those sections are very well covered with many games and good explanation. This book is very good and is deep in analysis. This is a must have if you are not a beginner but rather an advanced player who wants a different approach to chess opening. If you are like me and believe that any chess openings is good as long as you know how to play it, this book may be for you. If you like more classic approach to chess opening, stay away from this book. Overall this one of the best written book on chess opening that I have. Very good.

Should one play B6 or not. If your playing some one 1800 or above its probably not a good idea. But if your playing in situations where you want to throw someone off then its a great opening. I have had great success with b6 as well as b3 and b4. That is I have had great success with it in blitz games 5 minute or less games. It realy throws people 1800 or below off. By the time they think about what to do, a lot of time has been wasted. So its great as a psychologocal opening especially in speed chess. As for non speed chess games I have done well too but this is with people 1800 or below. Above the 1800 the opening is not as realiable as others. As for the book. I think its great. I really like the opening for its shock value and its a very useful tool in speed chess, as it seems many are not sure how to proceed when its played and many times will make a bad move ??Dont you just love opeings where your opponents next move is ??

I want to make one thing clear. I am not sure that 1. ...b6 is a very good opening. I watched some of Igor Smirnov's videos and decided to give it a try. The videos were very light on theory and Mr. Bauer's book filled the bill nicely. It also pointed out some problem areas that GM Smirnov glossed over a bit.The only reason I did not give it a five is that there is no index of variations and the table contents is not part of the menu system for Kindle. These are really minor items.The book will definitely give you a fighting chance with the opening.

Christian Bauer does not believe in the soundness of 1..b6. Why would any chess author write an entire book about an opening system for which he has no respect? In the introduction he uses the terms, suspect, and risky. Not only does he not illustrate the known variations and continuations of Owen's Defense (1.e4,b6) but he completely ignores even the basic English Defense (1c4.b6) theory. The games that are featured using 1.c4,b6 could be considered variants, or substandard. It's almost as if he is intentionally sabotaging the reader's game! I have read over 200 chess books and have owned over 100. This book has the dubious distinction of being among the worst!

Very helpful on knowing more stuff on how opponents might play against this defense. This is the 3rd book I have of this kind.

A fun and interesting play as Black.

Der starke französische GM Christian Bauer präsentiert hier sein Erstlingswerk und empfiehlt dem Nachziehenden auf 224 Seiten ein Komplett-Repertoire rund um den Zug 1. ...b6.Vor kurzem noch als anrüchig verpönt, scheint auch dieserbescheiden anmutende Zug heute gut spielbar! Das englische Original mit Hang zum Originellen Tony Miles spielte 1. ...b6 oft und mit gutem Erfolg, die Grossmeister Sadler, Plaskett, King und weitere Briten auch - unter anderem deshalb wird die Zugreihenfolge d4 b6, c4 e6 auch "Englische Verteidigung"genannt! Und auch Neu-Author Bauer scheut sich keinesfalls, den b-Bauern als Schwarzer einen Schritt nach vorne zu bewegen - das schafft Vertrauen!Bauer stattet den Leser mit einer Menge Wissen aus - strategische Einführungen und Varianten gibts beides in ausreichendem Masse. Sowohl gegen 1. e4, 1. d4,1. c4 und 1. Sf3 wird konsequent mit 1. ...b6 nebst Lb7 erwidert. Bauer erklärt die Strategie des Nachziehenden dabei als "weissfeldrig", was klar wird, wenn man sich vor Augen hält, dass die Züge b6, Lb7, e6, Lb4, f5 usw. allesamt den Kampf um die weissen Felder, allen voran e4 und d5 aufnehmen.Den bekannten Fehler e4 b6, d4 Lb7, Ld3 f5? - in einigen Büchern noch als "unklar" beschrieben - ignoriert Bauer dabei natürlich als "selbstmörderisch", wie von einem guten Autoren nicht anders zu erwarten war, wenn er es ehrlich mit seinen Lesern meint.Wer 1. ...b6 quasi "gegen alles" spielen möchte, findet dazu momentan sicher kein besseres Buch! Die Theorie ist noch relativ unberührt, es entstehen oft originelle Stellungsbilder, wo derjenige die grösseren Chancen hat, der sich besser auskennt und der ein besseres Verständnis der Mittelspielstellungen vorweisen kann. Zudem muss man sich nicht ständig mit den neuesten Entwicklungen auf dem Laufenden halten - 1. ...b6 ist nunmal kein Najdorf-Sizilianer! Dementsprechend kann sich der Anziehende nicht beruhigtzurücklehnen und sein zuhause angeeignetes Theoriewissen bis zum 15. Zug abspulen, sondern darf von Zugnummer 2 oder 3 an selbständig nachdenken - und was will man schliesslich mehr?Eine kleine Warnung dennoch: es bedarf schon einiger Überwindung, von seinen Lieblingseröffnungen auf 1. ...b6 umzuschwenken, auch wenn es zuerst nur zum "Antesten" sein soll.Aber Bauer's Buch inspiriert zum Ausprobieren, machtLust auf Neues und andere Stellungstypen und das in einer Welt, wo man "alles irgendwie schonmal auf dem Brett gehabt" hat! Kompliment und Dank an Christian Bauer für ein schönes und frisches Buch!

Je trouve un peu difficile à lire/étudier ce bouquin sur une tablette donc je conseille la version physique. Quand même, je suis content de l'avoir en format digital pour une consultation rapide :)

Dieses Buch ist im Gegensatz zu anderen Büchern des Verlages total überflüssig. Es versucht, 1. ... b6 als System gegen alles zu etablieren. Dabei werden die Datenbanken ausführlich nach vorne und hinten abgefragt und abgeschrieben. Die resultierenden Stellungen werden nicht beschrieben, die Pläne zu kurz skizziert - für einen Menschen, der sich neu diesem System zuwenden will, unausgegoren, unverdaulich und einfach langweilig.

good book. i'm very pleased with this purchase