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Chessville
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The rise in popularity of the King's Indian Defense since 1980 shines brightly, like the rise of the ascending Phoenix. I remember annotations to KI games in the 1979-82 period suggesting the KI was buried as well as a conversation with a master who was utterly astonished that I would "dare" to play the KI! My feeling is that the increase in appreciation is due to the intervention of dynamic imaginative players like Nunn, Glek, and of course Kasparov. The increase in fascination with the defense is shown by the sheer number of volumes devoted to the KI in that period of time. A simple example would be the three books currently out on the 4-pawns attack, a line not always considered a "main" weapon against the KI. Also of interest, the playing strength of authors writing books about the KI; Geller and Gufeld would be legends in any frame of reference and Gallagher is a GM whose play is worth following.
Golubev presents the analytical material in 56 main games which he played, one even on the White side, and countless more games in the notes. The first four chapters cover the Classical variations (Nf3 and Be2) centering on the "Mar del Plate" or "Death" variation 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6. Of the main variations in the King's Indian this is the most heavily analyzed and the "theory" extends well into the middle game. Study of these variations can become weary work and sometimes seems rather cumbersome but, this line has become the real heart of the King's Indian and disciplined study will return large rewards. Along the way Golubev presents some material on Black's 7th move alternatives 7... Na6 and 7...exd4, while the older 7...Nbd7 is precluded entirely. Providing the reader with alternative directions of play is important for a couple of reasons. Since 7...Nc6 is the current focus of fashion it is more than possible that new methods will be found for White or some idea will change the evaluation of an entire line, forcing Black to backtrack to find playable alternatives. Also, it is quite possible that Black players may want to take a break from 7...Nc6 from time to time. In both cases the book has provided adequate preparation. I found the chapters on the Samisch and Fianchetto lines the most interesting. Golubev advocates the Panno Nc6 line against the Samisch, and the classical Nbd7/e5 line versus the Fianchetto. This is of course a matter of taste, but my experience is that players who play the Panno Samisch also play it against the Fianchetto. So, I was quite intrigued by this slight "change of stance" by a leading KI player. In any event, the material that the author presents in both variations should be more than enough to make the reader feel confident as well as comfortable when facing these lines. I made special note of two things in these sections. First, in the Panno Samisch Black plays 3 moves - 00/ Nc6/ a6 - which define the structure. Golubev gives an extra effort in displaying how the sequence that these moves can be played should offer Black some chances to either catch out an unprepared White or alter the line of play, in either case to Black's preference. Second, there are many little-used sidelines in the Fianchetto that tend to go little mentioned or ignored. Golubev shows these lines and suggests very intelligent ways to deal with them. The remainder of the book cover the lines with an early Nge2 or Bd3, the Four Pawns Attack, lines with an early h3 and the Averbakh. Though dangerous, these lines rest outside the spotlight of main fashion. The book deals with them in logical terms offering excellent recipes for dealing with them. Some of this material seemed a bit rehashed from other books, but I attribute that again to the fact that these lines haven't changed a lot as they are out of fashion. The minor lines with a quick Bf4 or Bg5 are passed by a little bit lightly. Golubev uses a game he lost in the Smyslov line (4. Nf3 and 5.Bg5) to relate how one shouldn't blindly follow an author. I was left a bit uncertain whether Golubev was exposing an instance where he failed to understand the dangers presented by such an innocuous line or if theory shouldn't be required for such an innocuous line? Quite an interesting way to end the book. Besides the attitude of daring dynamic play the best thing about this book is that is as close to thorough as I have seen in many years. As mentioned earlier, the coverage of Fianchetto lines was quite good. These lines (after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 then 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e3 or 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.h3 and 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Nge2) are frequent guests in clubs and tournaments around the world without much publicity to suggest proper ways of play for Black. Golubev looks at them and gives very good ideas against such lines. Also, in the section on the Averbakh he gives brief mention to two lines that have been very popular at local levels: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 00 7.g4 and 7.Be3. On the minus side he doesn't look at Taimanov's 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Bd2 or at the Larsen line 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be3. Both of these lines are quite venomous if not known.
I liked this book
quite a bit and consider it one of the best King's Indian books to come
out. It seems that the material takes a good direction in directing the
reader on how to approach playing the King's Indian as well as being
accurate in its analysis or evaluations. Golubev will likely be considered
one of the legends of the King' s Indian in the future.
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