Gambit Chess Openings
by Eric Schiller
Copywrite 2002 Cardoza Publishing (Simon & Schuster)
Reviewed by
David Surratt
1-26-03
Eric Schiller's books have been dismissed in some circles as "data
dumps", nothing more than a compilation of games culled from computer
databases. It would be easy to preemptively dismiss this book as just
another of that same genre. That would be a mistake. Schiller is
into Gambits.
He is also the author of a number of quite good books, with one on the Goring
Gambit coming immediately to mind. And the cover of Gambit Chess
Openings (GCO) promises a lot:
"Explanations, Important Concepts and Thinking behind Every Gambit
Opening...Openings Include Move List, Sample Position, Overview, Analysis,
Variations and Illustrative Games."
Then there's the sub-title of the book:
"The Complete and Definitive Reference Guide to Gambit Chess Openings, More
Than 2,000 Opening Gambit Strategies Inside."
It would be an equally erroneous assumption to believe the publisher's hype.
This is the biggest chess book I've ever seen - bigger than Polgar's "brick"!
It contains 783 pages and, according to the introduction, "...more than 900
different gambits and 2,000 opening strategies in all!" It is
soft-cover, 9.25 x 7.50 x 2.25 inches and weighs about a half-ton or so.
Maybe I've given in to hyperbole here but I just can't help myself - this
book is BIG! The
binding is glued, and I have to wonder how much use it will stand up to. Paper is good and diagrams are clear, albeit small -
an inch and five-eights on each side. Type size is OK, although in the
sections that contain more then just a short move list the font size is
reduced. With moves & comments provided in paragraph form, that
smaller type and diagram size could be a problem for those with reduced vision.
The first thing that struck me, upon opening the book to the Table of
Contents, was the unusual organization. After the Introduction and
Overview, the chapters are organized according to the material being sacrificed.
A few examples: King Pawn Gambits, Bishop Pawn Gambits, Knight Gambits, Rook
Gambits, etc. Let's look inside a representative chapter - we'll use
the chapter on King Pawn Gambits:
King Pawn Gambits
White Gambits the e-pawn to Black's d-pawn
Featured Gambit: Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Complex
More Gambits in Brief
Other Diemer-Type Gambits
More Gambits in Brief
Featured Gambit: Fingerslip Variation (French Defense)
Other e-pawn for d-pawn Gambits
White gives up the pawn at e3
White Gambits the e-pawn to Black's f-pawn
More Gambits in Brief
White Gambits the Pawn at e6
White Gambits the e-pawn to a Black Knight
Featured Gambit: Belgrade Gambit
Other Gambits
More Gambits in Brief
There are another seven sections in the King Pawn Gambits chapter, including of
course, gambits by Black. Let's look closer at just the section on
"White Gambits the e-pawn to Black's d-pawn."
The first entry is the featured gambit - the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Complex.
A diagram after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 establishes the signature position of the
gambit, followed by four short paragraphs discussing the gambit's status
("It does not achieve full compensation against best defense, but there is
enough compensation to make it a playable opening against opponents with
inferior defensive techniques.") as well as some different move orders
leading to the gambit.
Schiller next jumps into a sub-variation, the Tartakower Variation (1.d4 d5
2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bf5. Another diagram is provided,
and a page and a half are devoted to analysis of the 1969 Postal Game Diemer
vs. Witte. Another half page covers a supplemental sub-variation.
The next alternative, the O'Kelly Variation (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6
4.f3 c6 - another diagram), take up another couple of pages, including a page
and a half of analysis. Similar treatment is provided the
-
Euwe Defense (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf4 e6)
-
Bogoljubow Defense (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf4 g6)
-
Zeller Defense (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.f3)
-
Ziegler Defense (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf4 c6)
-
Lemberg Countergambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5)
-
Lemberg Countergambit: Rasmussen Attack (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nge2)
-
Lemberg Countergambit: Sneiders Attack (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5 4.Qh5)
-
Lemberg Countergambit: Lange Variation (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nxe4
-
Lemberg Countergambit: Deimer Attack (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5 4.Be3)
-
Lemberg Countergambit: Endgame Variation (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5 4.dxe5)
There are 26 "featured gambits" in GCO. Do all of them receive this
same degree of coverage? I decided to check on the Goring Gambit, one
that Schiller has written an entire 148-page book on. It gets just two
pages in GCO. Contrast that with the 22½ pages on the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Complex.
Non-featured gambits are given even scantier coverage. In our example
section on the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Complex, we next come to "More Gambits
in Brief". Aptly named, as each page includes two different gambits,
each with a diagram, a couple of sentences of commentary, an impression
(e.g. the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Deferred's impression is "Black looks a bit
better.") and a comment on its popularity ("Few dare to play it").
It is this sort of inconsistent coverage that leaves the reader bewildered,
wondering about the cover's claim of being "The Complete and
Definitive Reference Guide to Gambit Chess Openings." Like the TV
commercial that asked "Where's the beef?" we have to ask, "Where's the
analysis?"
Perhaps the question is unfair. In my correspondence with Eric, he
says GCO "is a browser. In some cases I did extensive analysis, but the book
is designed as a launching pad for gambits rather than a collection of
definitive essays. Any claims of "refutation" on my part are rare, and in
any case should just provoke fans of the openings into doing more work."
In the introduction however, Schiller writes "My emphasis is on
understanding the gambits and how they might apply to the games you'll
play." and later "The material is laid out so that those interested in
general issues can avoid the detailed opening commentary and just enjoy the
gambits. At the same time, those looking for specific analysis of
critical positions can find what they are after in the supplements."
This is true only if your "critical position" happens to be one of those that gets the star
treatment. My questions about another "Featured Gambit", the Goring
Gambit, weren't even close to being addressed. And in a half a page,
the "More Gambits in Brief" are even less likely to address any critical
concerns.
On one of the email discussion groups I belong to, another member recently
wrote:
"Concerning all this talk about a gambit
being sound or not...As Emil Joseph Diemer once said: "A gambit is not
supposed to be sound. Its in the word Gambit." When playing a
gambit, you do not intend to be sound. You're looking for other things
than material equality, like; initiative, open lines, attacking chances or
whatever."
To which Schiller responded:
"I agree completely. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't analyze and
determine soundness, just that it isn't relevant for practical play.
Many of the gambits in Gambit Chess Openings are totally unsound, yet fun to
play and often earn good results. So they are fine for use in amateur
events. But if a gambit is unsound, then pros won't use it repeatedly for
fear of losing to a prepared opponent."
So to really understand what this book is, we have to put aside the hype
that surrounds it, and look at what's really here. Eric said it best
himself, GCO "is a browser...the book is designed as a launching pad for
gambits rather than a collection of definitive essays...and in any case
should just provoke fans of the openings into doing more work."
As a reference source then, it has tremendous value. As an interesting glimpse
into the heroic world of the Gambiteer, it has value. If these are
reasons you would consider buying the book, then by all means buy it.
If you are looking for "The Secret" of your particular gambit, or
even just in-depth analysis, I suggest you
look for a specialty book that only covers your gambit.
Find this book at Amazon.com now:
Gambit Chess Openings: The Complete and...
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