The Hippopotamus Defence is just what a club player needs. It’s a straightforward and clear-cut chess opening that avoids the ever growing body of mainline theory. It’s universal: Black can use the Hippo against virtually all of White’s choices (1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4, 1.f4, the Colle, London, Trompowsky, Réti and others). It’s not very well known and will surprise many opponents.
On top of all that, the Hippo is seriously underestimated: with its characteristic double fianchetto it may look quiet, but inside there lurks a very dangerous animal. FIDE Master Alessio de Santis is one of the world’s greatest experts on the Hippo and has written a practical, well-structured and accessible manual.
His book can be studied on three levels: after a first flash of 3 to 4 hours you will be familiar with the Hippo’s basic moves and key variations, its strategic themes and recurring manoeuvres. In the second and third stage De Santis leads you through the most important concrete lines and introduces the Semi-Hippopotamus to counter some specific White ideas.
You can use the Hippo as a surprise weapon or as your main repertoire. The extensive explanations and clear conclusions make this book an easy-to-navigate manual for all club players. If you like to confront your opponents with some unexpected counter-attacks, then you need not look any further.
Alessio de Santis is a FIDE Master and one of the best known and most successful chess authors of Italy.
Content
006 Explanation of symbols
007 Preface
009 The Hippopotamus in 60 seconds
010 Layout of the book and study method
011 Stage 1: Flash
012 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Hippopotamus system
015 Chapter 2: A universal defence or not?
021 Chapter 3: The idea behind the Hippopotamus defence
023 Chapter 4: Why play the Hippopotamus?
025 Chapter 5: Hippopotamus or semi-Hippopotamus?
030 Chapter 6: The strategic elements of the Hippopotamus
046 Chapter 7: The significance of the Hippopotamus moves
053 Chapter 8: The significance of the semi-Hippopotamus moves
058 Chapter 9: Three famous Hippopotamuses
065 Stage 2: Reflection
066 Chapter 10: History and development of the Hippopotamus
076 Chapter 11: How to classify Hippopotamus games
081 Chapter 12: Instructive games
082 Section 1: From the king’s centre to a King’s Indian centre
107 Section 2: From the king’s centre to a French centre
122 Section 3: From the classical centre to a Sicilian centre
132 Section 4: From the classical centre to an open e-file
138 Section 5: From the classical centre to an open d-file
146 Section 6: Extended 3-pawn king’s centre (Austrian Attack) pawnf4+e4+d4
165 Section 7: Attack with the h6+g5pawns and attack with the a6+b5pawns
181 Section 8: Using the f5 pawn
188 Section 9: Extended 3-pawn queen’s centre e4+d4+c4
207 Section 10: Benoni structures
211 Section 11: 4-pawn centre c4+d4+e4+f4
218 Section 12: 1-pawn centres
237 Section 13: The Super-Hippopotamus
245 Stage 3: In depth
246 Chapter 13: Elements of advanced strategy
258 Chapter 14: Theory
259 Section 1: Theoretical problems in the 2-pawn centre (classical centre)
266 Section 2: Theoretical problems in the 3-pawn centre (Austrian Attack)
275 Section 3: Theoretical problems in the 3-pawn queen’s centre
281 Chapter 15: Mistakes to avoid
291 Chapter 16: Complex games
313 Points to remember when building a repertoire
314 Repertoire with 1...g6
315 Repertoire with 1...b6
317 Index of players
320 Bibliography
On top of all that, the Hippo is seriously underestimated: with its characteristic double fianchetto it may look quiet, but inside there lurks a very dangerous animal. FIDE Master Alessio de Santis is one of the world’s greatest experts on the Hippo and has written a practical, well-structured and accessible manual.
His book can be studied on three levels: after a first flash of 3 to 4 hours you will be familiar with the Hippo’s basic moves and key variations, its strategic themes and recurring manoeuvres. In the second and third stage De Santis leads you through the most important concrete lines and introduces the Semi-Hippopotamus to counter some specific White ideas.
You can use the Hippo as a surprise weapon or as your main repertoire. The extensive explanations and clear conclusions make this book an easy-to-navigate manual for all club players. If you like to confront your opponents with some unexpected counter-attacks, then you need not look any further.
Alessio de Santis is a FIDE Master and one of the best known and most successful chess authors of Italy.
Content
006 Explanation of symbols
007 Preface
009 The Hippopotamus in 60 seconds
010 Layout of the book and study method
011 Stage 1: Flash
012 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Hippopotamus system
015 Chapter 2: A universal defence or not?
021 Chapter 3: The idea behind the Hippopotamus defence
023 Chapter 4: Why play the Hippopotamus?
025 Chapter 5: Hippopotamus or semi-Hippopotamus?
030 Chapter 6: The strategic elements of the Hippopotamus
046 Chapter 7: The significance of the Hippopotamus moves
053 Chapter 8: The significance of the semi-Hippopotamus moves
058 Chapter 9: Three famous Hippopotamuses
065 Stage 2: Reflection
066 Chapter 10: History and development of the Hippopotamus
076 Chapter 11: How to classify Hippopotamus games
081 Chapter 12: Instructive games
082 Section 1: From the king’s centre to a King’s Indian centre
107 Section 2: From the king’s centre to a French centre
122 Section 3: From the classical centre to a Sicilian centre
132 Section 4: From the classical centre to an open e-file
138 Section 5: From the classical centre to an open d-file
146 Section 6: Extended 3-pawn king’s centre (Austrian Attack) pawnf4+e4+d4
165 Section 7: Attack with the h6+g5pawns and attack with the a6+b5pawns
181 Section 8: Using the f5 pawn
188 Section 9: Extended 3-pawn queen’s centre e4+d4+c4
207 Section 10: Benoni structures
211 Section 11: 4-pawn centre c4+d4+e4+f4
218 Section 12: 1-pawn centres
237 Section 13: The Super-Hippopotamus
245 Stage 3: In depth
246 Chapter 13: Elements of advanced strategy
258 Chapter 14: Theory
259 Section 1: Theoretical problems in the 2-pawn centre (classical centre)
266 Section 2: Theoretical problems in the 3-pawn centre (Austrian Attack)
275 Section 3: Theoretical problems in the 3-pawn queen’s centre
281 Chapter 15: Mistakes to avoid
291 Chapter 16: Complex games
313 Points to remember when building a repertoire
314 Repertoire with 1...g6
315 Repertoire with 1...b6
317 Index of players
320 Bibliography