- ISBN13: 9781857442342
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
The King’s Indian is one of the most exciting defenses in chess and is favored by ambitious and aggressive players. At the highest level it has been a major weapon for World Champions Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. In this easy-to-read guide, Grandmaster Joe Gallagher goes back to the basics of the King’s Indian, studying the key principles of its many variations. Throughout the book there are numerous notes, tips, warnings and exercises to help the improving player, while important strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. (6 3/4 x 9 3/4, 176 pages, diagrams)
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I just wanted to add that this book really is very close to a repertoire book for Black. Or better, the introduction to a repertoire for Black since, as in all the Starting Out books, you are given the basic ideas behind most of the variations in the opening. Many of the books in this series are more balanced. This does not detract from the quality of Gallagher’s writing, which is better than average, however, and I did learn a few things that helped me as White, but after a while the Black emphasis got in the way. Recommended — especially for players of the Black pieces.
Amazon User Rating: 4 / 5
Starting Out the King’s Indian (SOKID) by Joseph Gallagher is one of the best opening books I have read. The style is especially lucid and Gallagher’s game analysis is both accurate and instructive on how to play chess in general. The chapters are clearly organized and Gallagher analyzes the most important games for each variation of the KID. As this is an intro versus a full repetoire book, the focus is more on the concepts behind the variations of the KID rather than detailed examination of each variation. I highly recommend the book for anyone in the range of D class to B class who would like to learn or more fully unterstand one the most important openings.
Amazon User Rating: 5 / 5
This was the first Opening book on a specific opening that I have ever read, and I am very happy both with the information in the book and the writing style of the author.
If you are just “Starting Out” with the King’s Indian I do believe that this book is a great way to begin. The explanatory prose is well written and holds your attention. There are enough variations for the reader to understand various positions, but not so many variations that the newer player would get lost in a sea of algebraic craziness!
Much of the instruction comes from the annotated games peppered throughout each section. Gallagher does a great job of not just using games where black wins with the King’s Indian. There are many losses and draws for the person playing the black pieces in this book.
I know that some people complain about the Starting Out series and granted at this point I have only read this and the Colle installment of the series, but I think these are great books for a person wanting to explore a new opening. For what it is worth, it seems to me that people expect these books to automatically make them a master at whatever opening is being discussed. That is not the point of the books. They are meant to start a person out down the path of understanding that opening. The player then has to practice that opening, analyze games featuring that opening and eventually explore books that delve deeper into the opening in question. That is what I have done. After finishing this book I have spent the next 3 months practicing the King’s Indian against Shredder and analyzing master games where black wins AND loses with the King’s Indian. I have used Gallagher’s book as a reference for my analysis.
I highly recommend this book if you want to begin to understand and play the King’s Indian!
Amazon User Rating: 5 / 5
I liked this book a lot.I am somewhere between beginner to intermidiate level and I have learned most of my chess by following championship games online. Reading this book allowed me to understand the concepts behind this opening very clearly and in a normal laymans terms. This book just proved to be a perfect one for me to understand KID, when I used to play it without knowing it really well or not understanding what I am doing
The focus in the book is incredible. All the main lines are covered and unlike other books which go on listing all sorts of variations under main line making it difficult to digest with cryptic analysis, here author never loses the focus. He tells main concepts behind particular move orders in the main line, stops at a point where variations may occur, tells you the possible important variations, and then continues with the main line by giving examples of games and then adding his comments in between of moves making sure that he gives enough details to make one understand. Then he deals with important variations one at a time individually in separate sections in similar manner making it very easy to follow.
May be not a perfect book for a professional or someone who expects entire reportire of KID. Its not meant for that either. But a great way to START ON with.
Only one reason why I have put 4 stars is – one, amazon wouldnt allow me to put 4 and half and two, I was expecting 2/3 important games in KID played between kramnik and kasparov. Author does mention them but it would have been great to see analysis of those in this here.
In all a great book to start with.
Amazon User Rating: 4 / 5
Most players, until they are rated at least 1800 (US) , should only own a general chess opening reference book (MCO, NCO) to use as a reference. Such players would be better studying the middle and endgames.
This book is a most notable exception. It covers the King’s Indian Defense. It is written clearly; with sections on the different subvariations; generously annotated in *words*. This is exactly the sort of thing any player, but especially a beginner, intermediate, or club player, needs to read.
After these sections comes a game or two, lightly annotated. No need to bombard the reader at this point. Just show him what a typical game in the variation looks like, with pithy notes so as not to overwhelm the reader.
Gallagher has written on this defense before so he’s an expert on it. This is an added bonus for the reader. It is written lucidly.
More advanced players could use this book as a supplement to more specialized tomes. Less experienced players could read this for their own enjoyment, or with the goal in mind of learning the opening, and/or with the idea to buy specialized books on the variations covered in this book.
Amazon User Rating: 5 / 5