Grandmaster Jonathan Speelman was an analyst in Vishwanathan Anand's camp for the 1995 world championship match against Garry Kasparov. They looked at the Center Counter (aka 'Scandinavian') and pronounced it as quite playable.
In 2004 one test was made of this decree and it was Speelman-Martin, 4NCL, September. This important game was full of fireworks before eventually being drawn. Martin's ...Bf5 was more than a little playable-Black possibly had a slight edge.
But the real point is that the Center Counter can be aggressive and dangerous. Because of international master Martin's preferred 2...Qxd5, the Center Counter also doesn't require a mountain of memorization nor knowledge to learn it and use it.
In 10 chapters you are guided through declined and accepted variations. Transpositional variations from non-CC games such as the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit are not just investigated, they are taken apart.
36 games are annotated in the friendly style that Andrew Martin is known for-his writing makes you want to play the system!
Content
PART ONE
White does not like the Center Counter at all
009Chapter One: The Introduction
018Chapter Two: Tricky, but ultimately unsatisfactory White second moves:
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3; 2.d4; 2.e5; 2.Nc3
033Chapter Three: I don't like the Main Line:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5! 3.d4; 3.Nf3
050Chapter Four: In the backwoods:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4?!; 4.f4; 4.g3; 4.Nf3
PART TWO
Okay, I accept your offer
065Chapter Five: Tricky move orders:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Bc4 c6 5.d3; 4.Bc4 c6 5.Nf3; 4.Bc4 c6 5.d4 (excluding Nf3); 4.Nf4 c6 5. Others
078Chapter Six: The Main Line Introduction:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4
082Chapter Seven: 6.Ne5 Be6!; 6.Bd2; 6.Bd3
095Chapter Eight: I castle:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 a5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7. 0-0
103Chapter Nine: Early hits with the Queen's Knight:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bd2 e6
8.Nd5 and 8.Ne4
112Chapter Ten: Main Line Debate:
8.Qe2 Bb4, etc.
135 End Credits
136 Index of Games
139 Index of Variations
In 2004 one test was made of this decree and it was Speelman-Martin, 4NCL, September. This important game was full of fireworks before eventually being drawn. Martin's ...Bf5 was more than a little playable-Black possibly had a slight edge.
But the real point is that the Center Counter can be aggressive and dangerous. Because of international master Martin's preferred 2...Qxd5, the Center Counter also doesn't require a mountain of memorization nor knowledge to learn it and use it.
In 10 chapters you are guided through declined and accepted variations. Transpositional variations from non-CC games such as the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit are not just investigated, they are taken apart.
36 games are annotated in the friendly style that Andrew Martin is known for-his writing makes you want to play the system!
Content
PART ONE
White does not like the Center Counter at all
009Chapter One: The Introduction
018Chapter Two: Tricky, but ultimately unsatisfactory White second moves:
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3; 2.d4; 2.e5; 2.Nc3
033Chapter Three: I don't like the Main Line:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5! 3.d4; 3.Nf3
050Chapter Four: In the backwoods:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4?!; 4.f4; 4.g3; 4.Nf3
PART TWO
Okay, I accept your offer
065Chapter Five: Tricky move orders:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Bc4 c6 5.d3; 4.Bc4 c6 5.Nf3; 4.Bc4 c6 5.d4 (excluding Nf3); 4.Nf4 c6 5. Others
078Chapter Six: The Main Line Introduction:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4
082Chapter Seven: 6.Ne5 Be6!; 6.Bd2; 6.Bd3
095Chapter Eight: I castle:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 a5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7. 0-0
103Chapter Nine: Early hits with the Queen's Knight:
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bd2 e6
8.Nd5 and 8.Ne4
112Chapter Ten: Main Line Debate:
8.Qe2 Bb4, etc.
135 End Credits
136 Index of Games
139 Index of Variations