The excellent theoretician GM Matthieu Cornette shares his insights about one of the most popular openings nowadays - The Ragozin defense.
"The theory surrounding the Ragozin has developed very fast, but I have never stopped updating my files, and I am still amazed by how good this opening is. I thought it was time for me to share with you all the secrets of my favourite and most-solid line; relatively easy to play, with a good positional background, but somehow almost always forgotten by the chess literature. " Matthieu Cornette
Content
005 Key to symbols
007 Preface
009 Introduction
011 Part 1. System with Qa4+
012 Chapter 1. 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 — 7.Qa4+ 8.xxx 9.xxx
019 Chapter 2. 5.Bg5 h6 6.Qxf6 — 7.Qa4+ 9.Be2!?
039 Chapter 3. 5.Qa4+ Nc6 — 6.cxd5
055 Chapter 4. 5.Qa4+ Nc6 — 6.xxx
066 Chapter 5. 5.Qa4+ Nc6 — 6.e3
087 Part 2. System with Qb3
087 Chapter 6. 5.Qb3
102 Chapter 7. 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 — 7.Qb3
121 Part 3. 5.cxd5 Main line
122 Chapter 8. 5.cxd5 exd5 — 6.xxx
133 Chapter 9. 5.cxd5 exd5 — 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0– 0
156 Chapter 10. cxd5 exd5 — 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Bf5
177 Part 4. 5.Bg5 h6
177 Chapter 11. 5.Bg5 h6 — 6.Bh4 dxc4
189 Chapter 12. 5.Bg5 h6 — 6.Bxf6 7.xxx
215 Part 5. Transposition to Nimzo-Indian
215 Chapter 13. 5.xxx
232 Chapter 14. 5.e3
263 Part 6. The Accelerated Ragozin
264 Chapter 15. 3.Bb4 — 4.xxx and 5.xxx
289 Chapter 16. 3.Bb4 — 4.e3 5.a3 6...c6
"The theory surrounding the Ragozin has developed very fast, but I have never stopped updating my files, and I am still amazed by how good this opening is. I thought it was time for me to share with you all the secrets of my favourite and most-solid line; relatively easy to play, with a good positional background, but somehow almost always forgotten by the chess literature. " Matthieu Cornette
Content
005 Key to symbols
007 Preface
009 Introduction
011 Part 1. System with Qa4+
012 Chapter 1. 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 — 7.Qa4+ 8.xxx 9.xxx
019 Chapter 2. 5.Bg5 h6 6.Qxf6 — 7.Qa4+ 9.Be2!?
039 Chapter 3. 5.Qa4+ Nc6 — 6.cxd5
055 Chapter 4. 5.Qa4+ Nc6 — 6.xxx
066 Chapter 5. 5.Qa4+ Nc6 — 6.e3
087 Part 2. System with Qb3
087 Chapter 6. 5.Qb3
102 Chapter 7. 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 — 7.Qb3
121 Part 3. 5.cxd5 Main line
122 Chapter 8. 5.cxd5 exd5 — 6.xxx
133 Chapter 9. 5.cxd5 exd5 — 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0– 0
156 Chapter 10. cxd5 exd5 — 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Bf5
177 Part 4. 5.Bg5 h6
177 Chapter 11. 5.Bg5 h6 — 6.Bh4 dxc4
189 Chapter 12. 5.Bg5 h6 — 6.Bxf6 7.xxx
215 Part 5. Transposition to Nimzo-Indian
215 Chapter 13. 5.xxx
232 Chapter 14. 5.e3
263 Part 6. The Accelerated Ragozin
264 Chapter 15. 3.Bb4 — 4.xxx and 5.xxx
289 Chapter 16. 3.Bb4 — 4.e3 5.a3 6...c6