The Trompowsky attack is well known as an ambitious and aggressive opening. Initially an offbeat line favoured by club players, in recent history it has undergone somewhat of a transformation.

Thanks to the efforts and innovations of Grandmasters such as Mickey Adams and Julian Hodgson, it has been fine-tuned into a powerful attacking weapon, and today it is seen as an important mainline opening in its own right.

Thirty years ago the Trompowsky opening was almost totally unknown. It took a few spectacular games by Rafael Vaganian to bring 2.Bg5 into the limelight, and after that, the die was cast.
Today 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 is used by many of the best players in the world and a whole body of complicated theory has built up.

The Trompowsky leads to diverse positions, sharp or positional, and it also allows both sides to play creatively from the very early stages of the game.

Book: In this book, Richard Palliser studies the Trompowsky by going back to basics, introducing the key moves and ideas, and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them - something that has often been neglected or taken for granted.

Everyman Chess's Starting Out series has firmly established itself as the leading guide to studying openings for up-and-coming players. These books are distinguished by their easy-to-read layout, the lucid explanations of the fundamentals, and the abundance of notes, tips and warnings to help the reader absorb vital ideas.

Starting Out opening books are ideal for enthusiastic chess players who have little experience of the openings in question and who wish to appreciate the essential principles behind them.

Richard Palliser is an International Master and a former British Rapidplay Champion. He established a reputation as a highly respected chess writer, with many outstanding works to his name

DVD (2nd Edition): In this fascinating DVD, International Master Andrew Martin traces the history of the opening from those early days, through the ‘golden age’ of the late 1980’s and 1990’s, and shows how the theory and ideas have evolved into the sharp and dangerous weapon that the Trompowsky undoubtedly is today.

Martin simplifies the theory of 2005 and creates an easy-to understand repertoire for the White player that recaptures the pioneering spirit of those early days...with interest! He argues conclusively that 2.Bg5 can still lead to original chess.

Games from Vaganian, Hodgson, Bellon, Miladanovic, McShane, Ivanchuk and a whole cast of excellent players help to demonstrate why. Video running time: 4 hours

Andrew Martin is 52 years old and lives in Yateley, England. He is an International Master, writer and a noted chess trainer. He is also the Manager of Coaching for the English Chess Federation.

System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard