Easy Guide to the Sveshnikov Sicilian

Rating:
Summary: Review from Mexico
Review: Having gone through most of the book, I find the way it's set out very easy-going.
Nice intro explaining the ideas behind the moves for both Black and White. All variations can be found through the index but they are laid out in a very logical manner.
The author keeps things simple and straight forward.
If you're interested in playing an active game, this variation is your pick and this book can help you out.
My experience has been that White will try to avoid the Sveshnikov unless he has studied it (typically I encounter: 1.e4,c5;2.Nf3,Nc6;3.Bb5 or Bc4 or d3, etc.)thoroughly.

Rating:
Summary: A worthy successor
Review: This book is a worthy successor to Krasenkov's 6-year-old book. It is not as "complete", especially when it comes to early divergences, but has all the latest moves (of course) and is much easier to find your way around. To the credit of a young writer, Aagaard lays his opinions on the line with plenty of exclamation marks, so that one doesn't have to get right to the end of lines to see which one is preferred. This is better than the usual run of opening books.

Rating:
Summary: Review from Mexico
Review: This book is a worthy successor to Krasenkov's 6-year-old book. It is not as "complete", especially when it comes to early divergences, but has all the latest moves (of course) and is much easier to find your way around. To the credit of a young writer, Aagaard lays his opinions on the line with plenty of exclamation marks, so that one doesn't have to get right to the end of lines to see which one is preferred. This is better than the usual run of opening books.

Rating:
Summary: How a book about chess openings should be written...
Review: This book pefectly illustrates how a chess opening book should be written. It starts with a chapter that explains typical plans and structures arising from the Sveshnikov. The best part of this introductory chapter is the explanation by the author on where the different pieces are best placed ,what piece exchange to be avoided and what piece exchange is favorable. For example, the chapter states that black should generally avoid an opposite colored bishop positions; and it si favorable for black to exchange her dark colored bishop for a knight. Needless to say, reading this chapter alone will significantly improve your knowledge of the Sveshnikov.

The next chapters give enough theories and grandmaster games. If you read the introductory chapter and grasp the ideas, memorizing the variations becomes a lot easier. Of course, the author continues to give the ideas behind the variations which also help a lot to retain the variations in your head.

If you feel that you are comfortable playing positions with structures like f7,f6,e5,d6, with the king uncastled, then Sveshnikov may be a good opening choice to be added to your opening repertoire, and if you do decide to play the Sveshnikov, this book is a must. This is better than the chessbase training program with the same subject.

Rating:
Summary: How a book about chess openings should be written...
Review: This book pefectly illustrates how a chess opening book should be written. It starts with a chapter that explains typical plans and structures arising from the Sveshnikov. The best part of this introductory chapter is the explanation by the author on where the different pieces are best placed ,what piece exchange to be avoided and what piece exchange is favorable. For example, the chapter states that black should generally avoid an opposite colored bishop positions; and it si favorable for black to exchange her dark colored bishop for a knight. Needless to say, reading this chapter alone will significantly improve your knowledge of the Sveshnikov.

The next chapters give enough theories and grandmaster games. If you read the introductory chapter and grasp the ideas, memorizing the variations becomes a lot easier. Of course, the author continues to give the ideas behind the variations which also help a lot to retain the variations in your head.

If you feel that you are comfortable playing positions with structures like f7,f6,e5,d6, with the king uncastled, then Sveshnikov may be a good opening choice to be added to your opening repertoire, and if you do decide to play the Sveshnikov, this book is a must. This is better than the chessbase training program with the same subject.

Rating:
Summary: Clear and up-to-date Coverage
Review: This up-to-date treatment of the Sveshnikov includes a well-written 19-page introduction to the ideas and plans for both sides in this opening. The coverage is comprehensive, balanced and easy to digest, and all this in the space of 144 pages.

Another recent book on the Sveshnikov is the one by McDonald. McDonald has more coverage of the Bird/Larsen line while Aagaard has more coverage of the 7.Nd5 line. In their coverage of the main lines, however, the two books seem to be comparable in detail and references to contemporary games. Aagaard perhaps gives more game refernces and analysis since he save on space that would otherwise go on notes to complete games. However some players prefer complete games to be cited (as McDonald does) to see the course games employing a particular opening are likely to follow. The book by Aagaard has to be used in conjunction with a database and/or Informants. My opinion is a player should have both books, though I slightly prefer Aagaard because of the structure and format.