The 'Chess Stars Openings' series present an entirely new approach to the study of chess openings which can provoke the interest of chessplayers of all levels. Drawing examples from the games of today's leading grandmasters we present the principles of selection and successful employment of a harmonious opening repertoire, corresponding as close as possible to the style of a renown master.

The first three books are devoted to the shaping of a complete opening repertoire according to Kramnik (1.Nf3).

A. Khalifman "Opening for White according to Kramnik" - I (King's Indian, Indian, Anti-Grunfeld)

A. Khalifman "Opening for White according to Kramnik" - II (English Opening)

A. Khalifman "Opening for White according to Kramnik" - III (Queen's Gambit, Slav, Dutch)

Alexander Khalifman presents:

Dear Chessfriends,

The present book completes our research of White's possibilities of how to achieve an opening advantage in response to Black's move 1:Nf6. Here I explain methods of struggle against such Black's opening constructions as the Nimzo-Indian (e6, Bb4) and the Queen's Indian (b6, Bb7). To avoid a direct clash with these variations, White has to refuse the advancement of the d-pawn on his second move and to prefer 2.c2-c4. Thus Black has the right to choose which of continuations he will prefer. Black pieces influence on the centre is very typical of these above-mentioned openings, whereas playing by central pawns, as a rule, is postponed for some time. While White does not define the place of his central d-pawn, such opening strategy loses its force in many respects. There is no weakening of the e4-square that usual is after the move 1.d2-d4, because the white d-pawn, before going far away to the d4-square, is always ready to clear the neighbour e4-square from opponent's pieces by means of d2-d3. Moreover, the attractiveness of the Nimzo-Indian Defence for Black is closely connected with a dead pin on the c3-knight. Thanks to White's delay with the move d2-d4 in our case there is no such pin. In other words, White cannot prevent Black from developing according to scheme of the Nimzo-Indian or Queen's Indian but he does not let Black play against the e4-square. Parts 1 and 2 of the book are devoted to this problem.

Parts 3 - 5 acquaint us with the English Opening. In Part 3 such popular constructions as the Hedgehog and the Double Fianchetto are examined in detail. Knowing about White's desire to move d2-d4 early or late, Black often prepares to open the play in the centre beforehand by means of c7-c5. The fifth Part of the book is wholly devoted to this problem. The small but rather capacious Part 4 stands separately. Black in it is not content with waiting for White's move d2-d4, but strives for opening the play by d7-d5 as soon as possible, with the purpose of capturing space in the centre of the board, if circumstances allow to do it.

The opening analysis ends with an original construction, where Black does not hurry to define the position of his central pawns but at first brings his knights into play.

Playing these opening variations the winning outcome of the game often becomes obvious after the middlegame or even in the ending, so there are several illustrative games of modern top-grandmasters with comments in the end of the book. The special emphasis at the selection of these games is laid on endings, which are typical of opening structures that are examined in the present book.

A.Khalifman, 14th World Chess Champion