Four Gambits to beat the French
Author Tim Harding
Publisher Chess Digest INC. 1998
What is covered
This book deals with various gambits that white can use to counter the French Defence. The book concentrates on four gambit lines with brief coverage of some other gambit lines. Three of the gambits discussed are not covered well in standard opening texts. These are :-
The fourth gambit dealt with is the Milner-Barry Gambit which is dealt with in standard texts. The author brings the theory up to date.
Assessment
I assess this book very highly. It is especially suitable for the club player.
It is well laid out with clear typefaces and lots of diagrams.
The author is an expert on the French Defence and has played it at a high level both over the board and in correspondence. He clearly has a very good understanding of the positions that occur from these gambits.
The author has studied examples of these gambits in both over the board and in correspondence play. This is especially important as these gambits are employed more in correspondence than over the board.
The author has extracted games from magazines such as "Gambit Review" "Randspringer" and
"Kaissiber" but has examined these games critically.
The book is very well organised with well chosen illustrative games and annotations which explain
what is happening in the position, not just variations.
Obsolescence
All opening texts eventually become obsolete. However in my opinion this book will be useful for a very long time
I have a goodly number of opening books by the author and find myself frequently referring to them
even though some of them are over twentyfive years old. This shows that Tim tends to write excellent books.
The systems dealt with are uncommon on the over the board Grandmaster circuit and therefore change will tend to be slower than for fashionable openings.
Because the book is so well written, with excellent examples and explanations of the ideas this book will remain useful even should some of the variations be refuted.
In my opinion this book should be of great use to French defence specialists for working out an effective antivenom against each of these variations.
Which lines to play at the club level
If you know who your opponent and colour is in advance then prepare and play a different one of these systems each time you play the same opponent
If in doubt follow the old rule "Play openings against juniors that were fashionable before they were born and against old timers play the latest theoretical lines".
Therefore play the Milner-Barry Gambit and French Wing Gambit against juniors and the Alapin-Diemer and Winckelmann-Riemer Gambits against old timers.