Catalogue text:

The highly fashionable French Winawer remains the sharpest variation of the French Defence. It leads to the kind of dynamic positions in which the better prepared and most aggressive player will invariably prevail. In this book leading expert, Neil McDonald clearly and concisely explains the strategy and tactics.

• Up-to-date coverage of one of the most popular modern opening variations
• Written by Grandmaster Neil McDonald, one of England`s most popular chess authors
• Provides everything you need to start playing the French Winawer straightaway
• Ideal battle manual for club and tournament players

Review(s):

"The French Winawer", a compressive up to date chess book from GM McDonald covering the Winawer once favoured by great players as Botwinnik and Nigel Short. Hard to believe it was Fischer who had great difficulties handling the white position. A interesting game from that time can be found in his book "My 60 Memorable Games" (game 24 Fischer - Darga, Berlin 1960). Going through the French Winawer I was excited by the wealth of new material but unfortunately it is all not so detailed and compressive as I wished.

We all remember John Moles "The French Defence: Main Line Winawer" (Batsford 1975) which did nearly cover every important line but these modern openings books from Everyman are made for a quick understanding.They claim it provides everything you need to get started but many times I am missing one or other interesting line. On the other hand they are high quality chess books with their excellent layouts and instructive collection of modern played games usually written by leading Grandmasters. The reader shall find an instructive collection of 48 complete games. It is funny to find some fine suggestions as the excentric and sharp 10.Kd1 which was once a suggestion from the world champion Max Euwe and introduced by the Italian Dr.Enrico Paoli with the idea of meeting 10..Nc6 with 11.Nf3. Pleasant is the interest of GM Neil McDonald in this old line which would not surprise me if it would lead to a complete comeback of this move (10.Kd1!)! Other interesting games are Kagan - B.Martin Canberra 1999 & Milos - S.Ivanov Cappelle La Grande 2000. There are some minor lines as the Tait variation where I would like to mention that GM McDonald is missing a important reference to the game Tait - Oomen. After the move 17&.fxe5 18.gxf5 exf5 (Harding - Arounopoulos Wch 22 semi-final corr.1997 - 99), which was an excellent improvement of the correspondence player Arounopoulos and the end of the Tait variation! Funny enough McDonald sees nothing for White in the Winckelmann - Reimer gambit where I would like to suggest to be careful with McDonald's 6&.e5 which is I believe an old recommendation of Burgess. But his advice anyway: By all means play this interesting gambit if you wish, but make sure you choose the right opponent!

Specially recommended!
A very up to-date chess book!

JOHN ELBURG