Chessville - Review of The Cambridge Springs by Krzysztof Panczyk & Jacek Ilczuk, Reviewed by IM-CC Keith Hayward

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The Cambridge Springs
by Krzysztof Panczyk & Jacek Ilczuk

Edited by FM Graham Burgess
(German Editor WFM Petra Nunn)

Reviewed by IM-CC Keith Hayward
(The Road Not Taken)

First Impression: Gambit Publications opening books are known for their encyclopedic coverage, but in opening this book I was impressed with the magnitude of game references. There are literally thousands of games references.

Publishing Quality: This book conforms to the usual high standards of Gambit Publications. The material is well organized. Diagrams and printing quality is excellent. And I was unable to find a single typo in any of the lines I examined in detail.

Subject Coverage: This book is certainly a correspondence players dream. If a move was played in this defense, the authors have referenced it. The book is very much opening focused, and there are very few complete games.

Technically the Cambridge Springs Defense starts after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Nbd7 5 Nf3 c6 6 e3 Qa5.

The authors have included coverage of the Exchange Variation (4 cxd5) and other Cambridge Springs avoidance lines like an early Bf4, so the book does serve as a complete answer to 1.d4.

Author's Knowledge: Panczyk is listed as an International Master, and Ilczuk is a strong correspondence player and journalist. To be honest, I had never heard of either author, although this might be my lack of knowledge. I did notice both authors teamed up again to write an article on a line of the Two Knights Defense in New In Chess Yearbook #67.

There is no doubt about it, the authors are good at research. The number of games referenced makes that clear, but there is too little narrative for my taste. The authors do give their opinions. Appraisals are straight to the point. I wanted to read more of the authors' thoughts on middlegame strategies, tactics, etc.

I did notice several game references where Panczyk was playing Black. I find it pleasing when an author plays what he is writing about. You know there is more passion in the material covered.

Informative: I wanted to see more narrative. The book reads very much like a dictionary, tons of facts with little educational narrative. This would be a serious knock in most cases, but the opening coverage is so intensive I found myself still liking the analysis.

Other opening books often use the selected complete game approach to presenting opening analysis. The problem there is certain opening moves and lines are not covered due to the games selected. This Cambridge Springs book has no such holes!

New Ideas: I think most Cambridge Springs players will be interested in the authors' advocating 7…dxc4 over the traditional 7…Bb4 (after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Nbd7 5 Nf3 c6 6 e3 Qa5 7 Nd2). The authors state, "This is a simple and unassuming approach. Black gains the bishop-pair and a solid position. In return, White is granted a spatial plus and a central majority." One possible line is 7…dxc4 8 Bxf6 Nxf6 9 Nxc4 Qc7 10 Be2 Be7 11 0-0 0-0 and there are three detailed pages of analysis from this point. Most lines end in an even position coming out of the opening, but objectively most of the positions are easier to play for Black since he has the bishop pair.

I might add the authors' research seems to show that 7…Bb4 leads to a slightly better game for White. Nothing alarming for Black to worry about, but this analysis could prove invaluable to someone who is already playing the 7…Bb4 line.

Accuracy: I could find no obvious faults in any of the appraisals or analysis I examined. However, I must confess I did not look at 'all' the lines. There is simply way too much analysis!

Overall Appraisal: After reviewing the book I have a new appreciation for the Cambridge Springs Defense. In two of the main lines: 7 Bxf6 and 7 Nd2 dxc4 8 Bxf6 Black immediately gets the bishop-pair. And in the other main line: 7 cxd5 Nxd5 White often has to gambit a pawn to get good play. With these considerations in mind, I cannot help think that on the practical level most players would be pleased with Black's middlegame prospects. In addition, Panczyk's and Ilczuk's analysis shows no clear path for White to get even a small edge with best play for both sides.

Another minor selling point to playing the Cambridge Springs Defense is the number of traps White can fall into! Black has scored many easy victories with this trap: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Nbd7 5 Nf3 c6 6 e3 Qa5 7 Qc2 Ne4

8 Bd3?? Nxg5 9 Nxg5 dxc4 winning a piece. Inspired by this book, I decided to experiment with this defense and an opponent fell into a version of this trap:

Anonymous - Drawyah [D52], GCS rated blitz game, 12.04.2003 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c6 4 Nf3 Nf6 5 Bg5 Nbd7 6 e3 Qa5 7 Be2 Ne4 8 Qb3 Nxg5 0-1

Kind of fun catching someone in a trap and getting an easy win!

If someone is looking for a solid defense to 1.d4 with good long-term middlegame prospects, I can highly recommend this defense and this book!

The Cambridge Springs
by Krzysztof Panczyk & Jacek Ilczuk

Chessville Review