1.e4: A Comprehensive White Repertoire is exactly what it sounds like - a comprehensive opening repertoire for the White pieces based on 1.e4.
This MoveTrainer® book recommends ambitious lines with a heavy emphasis on initiative and positions in which White can fight for the advantage without risk.
This is done without sacrificing objectivity, no unsound variation was deliberately recommended in this repertoire, with one exception.
There is one line where if Black plays a novelty and finds several only moves (correctly overriding Stockfish multiple times in the process), he can get a slightly better endgame. I welcome GMs to try to find the hole in this repertoire.
On release, 1.e4: A Comprehensive White Repertoire was the largest opening book on Chessable.com, with over 1200 MoveTrainer® variations to memorize, 63 annotated games, and more than 149,000 words.
This repertoire is not only theoretical, it is also practical.
With a heavy emphasis on understanding, any diligent student could feel confident when his opponent leaves theory due to the explanation of common ideas and goals in various openings, as well as dozens of instructive annotated games to help show the ideas in practice.
This book is structured in the following way: 1 chapter as an introduction to 1.e4, 3 chapters on 1...e5, 3 chapters on the French, 3 chapters on the Caro-Kann, 3 chapters on the Sicilian, and 3 chapters on the rest.
For each of the sets of 3 chapters, there is an introductions chapter, an annotated games chapter, and a theory chapters. This structure allows the systematic learning of 1.e4 and makes it easier to find the variations that you are looking for.
A variety of skill levels can get a lot out of this repertoire. Beginners and club players would likely get the most out of the introduction and annotated games chapters. Advanced players (2000+) would likely benifit the most from the theory sections.
With 63 annotated games and 30 introductory variations, students have a lot to learn from this repertoire even without the theory chapters. Even basic ideas are explained, so beginners can follow along.
The ambitious beginner could use the theory chapters as reference manuals to learn what to play against specific openings after facing them in games.
Advanced players can also learn from the introductions as they are clear and concise, an ideal way to learn a new opening. Advanced players can also get a lot out of the annotated games, as many deep nuances are explained, on top of the basics.
Since the theory can get extremely deep and sometimes improves on modern theory (there are many novelties and some places where I improved on Stockfish's recommendations), advanced players can use this repertoire with confidence.
Even if there are holes, Chessable.com allows the editing of published books. I can easily patch holes and add improvements upon request.
The author's main recommendation for dealing with the main line of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 is based on the Ruy Lopez which follows with 3.Bb5, aiming for long-term pressure in the center with c3 and d4.
The mainline closed Ruy Lopez is covered, rather than some non-theoretical cop-out (lines which allow easy equality for Black) such as the exchange Ruy Lopez or early d3 variations.
The nuances, plans, thematic ideas, and common tactics are explained in great depth. No popular sideline is ignored, early deviations from mainline such as 3...d6, 3...g6, 3...f5, as well as many other Ruy Lopez sidelines, are also explained.
Other 1...e5 mainlines are also given serious consideration, such as the Petroff (mainline with c4), Philidor (3.d4), and much more.
The author recommends the Open Sicilian against 1...c5; utilizing White's first move to obtain a development advantage and fight for the initiative by opening the position. Both mainline and sidelines of the Sicilian Defense are given serious attention in this repertoire.
With an average line depth of over 16 moves per variation, students can be confident that they are given comprehensive coverage of the Sicilian.
The main recommendation against the Najdorf is the Fischer-Sozin, 6.Bc4. A similar approach is recommended against the Classical (6.Bc4). 6.Be2 is recommended against the Scheveningen, and the Yugoslav attack (9.Bc4) against the Dragon. The Maroczy bind, Hedgehog, and ...e6 Sicilians are not ignored.
Many variations not listed here are also covered, for those of you who would like more information, feel free to check out the intro video.
As for Black's other 1st move replies, the author recommends the Advanced Variation against the Caro-Kann, which is trendy at the top level and White's best chance for a theoretical advantage. The line advocated by this book in the mainline (3...Bf5) is an aggressive system with 4.h4, as covered by GM John Shaw.
Against the French, the author recommends 3.Nc3, the most active developing move. There is a lot of theory in this variation, but users can be confident in these variations because they are the ones who usually have long-term positional advantages (White's lead in development can be transformed into space and other advantages), Black is usually the one who has to prove compensation for White's positional advantages in the sharp mainlines (similar to how Black has to prove compensation for White's lead in development in the Open Sicilian).
Sidelines like the Pirc and the Scandinavian are also covered and have been seriously considered. As these lines don't challenge White's center control as much as Black's main replies, White can fight early sidelines with even more confidence than normal, knowing that he likely has an objective advantage if he plays correctly.
Students of this repertoire can be even more likely to find this advantage as the author was willing to do a lot of research to find it, as well as find practical ways to utilize it.
Other than having quality content, this repertoire was also proofread to avoid grammatical errors and typos. Arrows and circles are added at the end of many variations (and through many annotated games) for emphasis of various plans.
Alternate moves (moves which aren't counted right or wrong which prompt you to try again) were added manually when the author found logical alternatives to the recommended line which he believed which are also in the spirit of this repertoire.
As Chessable books can be edited, students of this repertoire are welcome to suggest improvements, which the author can quickly implement if he thinks that it will help improve this repertoire.
For those of you who want to know more about this book, feel free to check out the intro video.
Study, learn and enjoy!
