Opening Repertoire: 1e4

Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master, a former National Open and American Open Champion, and a six-time State Champion. He has been teaching chess for over 30 years, and coaches some of the top junior players in the U.S.

I have been a fairly consistent 1.e4 player myself, although I usually opt for variations that are more open, dynamic, and risky than those suggested by Lakdawala in this book. Of the parts that overlapped with my existing repertoire, I was generally pleased and in agreement with the recommended lines (his assessment of the Frankenstein-Dracula variation, for example). I mostly enjoyed reading the book, picking up a few new ideas for lines I haven’t tried often. Other parts of the book, such as the sharp and in-depth coverage in the Scandinavian Defence, were even more useful. Overall, however, it seems that players in the 1500-1900 range (for reference, I am about 2050) that are looking for an accessible guide to these openings, rather than a truly deep theoretical work, would benefit most from this book. --- Devin Camenares at ChessCafe.com