Modern Chess Openings

If you do not own MCO 14th ed. then buy this book. I now own the 11th, 13th, 14th, and 15th editions. As other reviews pointed out, there wasn't many changes from the 14th to 15th editions. Most openings can be found on almost the same page number with identical text, down to sub variations (a)-(x), in both editions. This includes the slav and semi-slav, I would like to have seen more than just 1 mention of Kramnik-Topalov World Championship 2006 which saw 12 slav or semi-slav games with some new opening theory. As for the typos, I don't believe they are as bad as some people say. There are some typos, but there were in previous editions also, and most of the time the move is easily figured out. In all, MCO is still a very valuable book for chess players to learn about openings and a quick reference whenever needed. When I began playing tournament chess this was one of my most valued books, and I'm sure it will still be for others.

This is pretty much the quintessential reference guide for chess openings - it has been called the chess "bible" by many players. Any serious chess player needs a good openings reference book in their library for reference purposes. But remember this book is an overview of EVERY opening so it doesn't spend too much time on each opening for that you need to buy individual books on individual openings. But this book starts each chapter/opening with a brief overview of the opening, it's history, the main ideas of the opening and the sub-variations. Then it list columns of variations that you can memorize (good luck!) or play through to get a feel for the main ideas in the opening. And lets face it, if you make mistakes in the opening you will likely feel them the entire game so surviving the opening is important! I wouldn't bother with this book if you are rated below say 1500, it would be a waste of your study time.

I just ordered this book because it is a great book for almost any chess player but maybe more for the serious player. I borrowed a friends copy of this book and it was so good as a reference while I play chess (vs human or computer opponents) that I had to get a copy for myself. It worked for me right from the first game I used it as a reference. I am now able to get past the opening phase of a game vs strong opponents (ie. rated 2000+) in pretty good shape but lose it in the middle or endgame. Now I can start working on my middle game so I can one day compete with the strong players/computers. I have been trying to find a book with this info for some time so if your stuck on trying to improve your opening play you need this book to get you over the top. It has a huge amount of details for just about any opening I have ever seen. Caution to the novice: this book can be a little hard to read if you don't have the proper knowledge and experience of a serious chess player.

More is not necessarily better - if you feel that your level of chess expertise requires that you have every plausible variation "packed" into one volume - go with Nunn's Chess Openings. Having more "white space" does not make MC0-14 a less serious work - just one with different priorities. The GMs who co-wrote MC0-14 did a thorough job - AND included words! I find it a valuable middlegame guide when MCO-14 evaluates a variation with text ("White is slightly better due to the two bishops and active pieces") rather than simply NCO's brief +/=. Masters and above need no verbal evaluations, the rest of us (I'm only rated 1820 U.S.C.F. myself) need more help in the clinches.

Presumably you already know that DeFirmian and his co-authors are talented, well respected, International Grandmasters expert in their particular openings, and that MCO-14 is filled with cutting edge, theoretically current opening analysis. I'm no grandmaster, master, or even candidate master, so I will not dare to evaluate any particular line for holes in their variations. I will say that for a class A player, like myself, or below, MCO-14 is far more useful, than say, Nunn's Chess Openings for the following reasons: 1) More (and better) verbal descriptions of the openings. The one page intros make one want to take out the chessboard and play an opening. 2) Prose evaluations of the variations explaining why a player is better or worse, or why a position is unclear. NCO uses only symbols. Which is good if you're some hotshot international player who lives or dies on some obscure variation of the Sicilian Defence, or whatever. 3) Easier look up of openings. MCO-14 organizes the openings under double king pawn, double queen pawn, etc. and gives the inital moves. This is very helpful if you don't know an opening's name or ECO code (or even what an ECO code is). NCO arranges by opening name, and in ECO order (although there is an index, none that great, in the back). They are both great books but for the above reasons, you might consider MCO-14 first.