Understanding the Grunfeld

Rating:
Summary: Best Grunfeld Book on the market
Review: I am a LIFE-Master. I teach chess for a living. I have been playing tournamment chess since the late 60's. And the Grunfeld used to be my primary defense against the Queen's Pawn Opening. This is simply maybe the best book on the Grunfeld that is available today. Every line is covered. The analysis if of the highest quality. The writing is clear and concise and very easy to understand. You cannot go wrong getting this book. (Many good, complete and well-annotated games inside.)

Rating:
Summary: Gem of a Book
Review: I have had this book for around 3-4 years and this book is not your ordinary opening book. This book is almost more a middle game book than a typical opening book with its various plans and ideas depending on pawn structure. He also adds a certain personality to liven up the book to keep the reader interested. Even though some of the theory has changed a little I still refer to it for ideas and plans. This book is aimed at the intermediate level audience (1700+) but I think a lower rated player can learn much from it; Im around (1500). Another book of his THE SEVEN DEADLY CHESS SINS is also an excellent book and I highly recommend it even though I think its aimed a little higher than GM Rowson's first book. Understanding the Grunfeld is wrote how a opening book should be.

Rating:
Summary: Out of the ordinary
Review: I've had this book for a few months now, and it is definitely not your standard opening monograph. Rowson's tone is very conversational (most times it is entertaining, but it occasionally borders on the obnoxious) and he has obviously put a lot of effort into explaining complex variations and positions in langauge that a large range playing strengths will understand. This isn't to say that he has cut back on the theoretical variations, as there are plenty of those too. One aspect I liked especially was the care the author has taken to refer to previous Grunfeld (or anti-Grunfeld) books and explain when and where and why his opinion on their recommendations is the same or differs to them. This book is mostly pitched at a fairly advanced level (say 1800-1900+), but that isn't to say that anyone who spends time carefully reading it will not be well-rewarded. The book is aimed at providing a player of the black pieces with all he or she needs to know to play the opening with confidence, but it is also comprehensive enough that those who play the White side of the opening can learn a lot from it as well. Definitely an interesting read, and written in an unusual and entertaining style. If you play either side of this opening you could do a lot worse than have a look at this book!

Rating:
Summary: The title says it all
Review: Jonathan Rowson provides an interesting perspective of how to handle the Grunfeld defense from the Black side providing a complete and thorough repertoire against the most fashionable lines. He also gives good arguments of why some lines, that are quite fashionable, are not recomended by his. This is good because I can see the author's point of view and not an attempt to avoid creative discussion. In that sense my copy of "Understanding the Grunfeld" is full notes by me where I disagree with Mr. Rowson or where I think that there is an easier solution [I wonder if Mr. Rowson would appreciate my views on the opening and my objections...] For instance, the chapter about 4.Bf4 (Hydra) has many, many pointers that will let you survive as Black. However, in one of the variations, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.Rc1, he recomends 5...Nh4. This is surprising since Rowson suggests that Rc1 by White signals Black to do dxc4 later in the book... Indeed 5...dxc4 is also acceptable according to Suetin. Still, the whole Hydra chapter book made me think about the variation as whole and to come up with a repertoire that would keep me alive if ever challenged in this important chapter of the Grunfeld and I can only thank Mr. Rowson for a recent nice win even after disagreeing with him! The Hydra chapter pays for the effort of buying the book.

The exchange variation is also covered in detail and I can only say that finally I understood the reasoning behind some obscure moves. That chapter also pays for the effort of buying the book and it is, as far as I know, the best treatment of the exchange that I have ever seen.

I am not an expert in the Grunfeld but having scored 3 wins and a draw out of 4 games after deciding to switch to this opening made me fall in love with it... Much of this is because of Mr. Rowson's book.

This is a book that I will read again and again and again...

Rating:
Summary: The title says it all
Review: Jonathan Rowson provides an interesting perspective of how to handle the Grunfeld defense from the Black side providing a complete and thorough repertoire against the most fashionable lines. He also gives good arguments of why some lines, that are quite fashionable, are not recomended by his. This is good because I can see the author's point of view and not an attempt to avoid creative discussion. In that sense my copy of "Understanding the Grunfeld" is full notes by me where I disagree with Mr. Rowson or where I think that there is an easier solution [I wonder if Mr. Rowson would appreciate my views on the opening and my objections...] For instance, the chapter about 4.Bf4 (Hydra) has many, many pointers that will let you survive as Black. However, in one of the variations, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.Rc1, he recomends 5...Nh4. This is surprising since Rowson suggests that Rc1 by White signals Black to do dxc4 later in the book... Indeed 5...dxc4 is also acceptable according to Suetin. Still, the whole Hydra chapter book made me think about the variation as whole and to come up with a repertoire that would keep me alive if ever challenged in this important chapter of the Grunfeld and I can only thank Mr. Rowson for a recent nice win even after disagreeing with him! The Hydra chapter pays for the effort of buying the book.

The exchange variation is also covered in detail and I can only say that finally I understood the reasoning behind some obscure moves. That chapter also pays for the effort of buying the book and it is, as far as I know, the best treatment of the exchange that I have ever seen.

I am not an expert in the Grunfeld but having scored 3 wins and a draw out of 4 games after deciding to switch to this opening made me fall in love with it... Much of this is because of Mr. Rowson's book.

This is a book that I will read again and again and again...

Rating:
Summary: A Fresh Approach to the Opening
Review: The author, a young Scotish GM, succeeds in making his topic highly interesting. Indeed, this is one of the few opening books that is enjoyable *reading* even if one doesn't play the opening in question. The book's secret, I think, is that Rowson is willing to adopt somewhat different styles in writing different chapters. This keeps the writing fresh and lively throughout the work. At the same time, coverage of key variations is deep. There is also plenty of verbal explanation to help the reader understand the nuances of the Gruenfeld. While I give this book "only" four stars,it may well be a 5 star book. I'm a KID player who's making the switch to the Gruenfeld with this book as my main guide. I'll definitely raise my rating of the book if I have success with the Gruenfeld this summer!

- A USCF Life Master

Rating:
Summary: A well-named book.
Review: This book cuts to the chase while providing all the background information for all levels of players. Clear, direct with a great deal of humor.

Rating:
Summary: Unusual for me, but very good.
Review: This book was a new experience for me. I am used to ECO (Encyclopedia of Chess Openings) style for the structure of an opening book. Mr.Rowson has chosen a thematic structure so it demands more work to put the stuff in a ECO style way, but the matter is well presented and explained, and the author has a tremendous sens of humour. A real good book if you wish to understand this opening system, in harmony with the quality of The Gambit Publications.

Rating:
Summary: A Fresh Approach to the Opening
Review: This is a very good book for anyone wanting to learn how to play the Gruenfeld. It's very readable and not tiresomely encyclopedic in it's coverage of all the variations. The book is not dull and often times injects some original humor, opinions and anecdotes. I bought this book about 6 months ago when I was curious about learning this somewhat mysterious opening, that I knew had been played by all the great GMs including Fischer, Kasparov, Smyslov, and Botvinnik. This book has

definitely increased my understanding of the Gruenfeld and, I think, increased my playing stregth as well. Highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Should of covered Vs. English...
Review: This might be a good book if the author took the time to maybe do least 1 chapter on using Grunfeld Vs. The English opening... Thats where I use it mostly and I find it works rather well to say least... Would of been nice if he gave some lines and some games using it... Even Botvinnik 100 Selected games has least Two Grunfeld Games vs. English... As for Understanding the Grunfeld this is a good starter book... Rowson is no world champion or even close to elite player... Yet for his limited skills and attempts to waste space in the book with silly comments... About his only good comment is calling the d pawn Delroy... Other than that he isnt really creating anything that isnt already known or used... Still reading the book isnt so bad to say least... One person I know calls it the best opening book he ever read etc... Still if he cant toss some coverage of it vs. the English I really cant rate it higher than 3 stars... Also many seemed to of ranked it a bit higher than it really should be... So 3 stars isnt gonna knock it down, yet someone that reads review might think about it more... Of the books I know that exist on Grunfeld Id have to say this is the best one... Some of the humor is stupid at best and can get annoying if trying to learn something... While least one chapter name not many americans have any idea what it relates to... Id of given this a higher rating perhaps if the Price wasnt so Inflated... For what it costs it should have coverage vs. the English to even a small degree... If you took out all his stupid comments that nobody cares about and added that content this would be a superior book and maybe worth the $$$... Still if you can afford it and need a book on Grunfeld Id go with this one...