Our Price: $ 26.95 (only for US & Canada)

Publisher: Chess Stars, 2007
Edition: Paperback medium
ISBN: 978-9-548782-55-5
Pages: 300
Language: English

Alexey Dreev is one of the most popular contemporary Russian grandmasters. He is famous for his deep understanding of chess and fine endgame technique. Many of his games are milestones in the theory of the Slav Defence, the King's Indian Defence and others.

He was twice World junior champion and three times Olympic gold medalist. Dreev played in the match Russia-Rest of the world in 2002, won the World team championships in 1997 and 2005.

Dreev starts the first chapter with the following words:

"I have chosen and commented on 100 games for this book. I have played them in a period of more than 20 years. These games are so different from each other that there will be some to everybody’s liking – there are sacrifices, there are quiet moves, there are sharp tactical games as well as tough positional fights.

You can also find instructive examples of how to play in the various stages of the game. In general, I have devoted a great attention to the openings and my comments about them are from the point of view of the contemporary theory.

While working on the story of my first steps in chess, it was as if I re-lived again everything I came through during all these times. Naturally, my memory is not perfect. I have had to omit many things also because this book is not an autobiography, it is not memoirs, and it is supposed to be a collection of games.

Still I tried to tell in earnest about my development as a player, about my problems and hardships (some of them due to the surroundings and some of them just personal). I have shared with my readers my joy about my victories in my first tournaments and I have told about people who have helped me and to whom I owe my deepest gratitude..."

NOTE: this book compares favourable with other titles from the '100 hundred games' series by the same publisher, because all the games are explained not only in symbols but also verbally in a very personal way by Alexey Dreev himself!

Former British Champion Jonathan Rowson:
"Anyone wishing to sharpen 1.d4 as an opening weapon can certainly learn a lot."