The Ultimate 1.e4 - e5 Primer: A Practical Guide to the Most Fundamental Battle in Chess - HARDCOVER

English Réti-type openings have received a tremendous boost over the last decade.

More and more players are choosing flexible systems, while at the same time using modern chess engines to uncover completely new ideas in older, less frequently played—or perhaps better said, less deeply explored—lines.

One such system is presented in this book: the Double Fianchetto, along with several modern setups featuring an early bishop development to b2, combined with dynamic and original strategic concepts. This approach has become increasingly popular among many grandmasters, but its roots go much deeper, having also been favored by several World Champions throughout history.

Perhaps the most famous example of this system in action is the legendary 24th game of the 1987 World Championship match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov in Seville, where White achieved the crucial victory needed to retain the world title.

For Black, finding an effective antidote is far from easy. The theory remains highly flexible, with fewer forced concrete variations than in mainstream openings. This makes it essential for both sides to understand the key strategic plans, positional nuances, and underlying ideas rather than relying solely on memorization.