In this book the reader will find an opening repertoire for Black against 1. e4, based on the Petroff Defence and designed to be used up to the highest level. For many years this opening has served as the main black weapon for chess giants as Vladimir Kramnik and Boris Gelfand.

The Petroff Defence is especially suitable for positionally-oriented players who like to obtain a solid and reliable game after the opening. The theoretical material in the book has been thoroughly prepared and systematized.

The many new ideas and novelties have all been explained in a way designed to make it easier for the reader to understand and employ them in his own games.

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Konstantin Sakaev is a grandmaster and champion of Russia in 1999. He was Olympic champion in 1998 and 2000, he won the Russian Cup in 2006 and he has frequently been a member of the winning team in the Russian Team Championships.

Sakaev has been the winner of many international tournaments: Belgrade1996, Pardubice 1997, the Chigorin Memorial 1997, Moscow Open 1998, the Keres Memorial 2001, Copenhagen 2005.

He played in the World Championships in Las Vegas 1999, New Dehli 2000, Moscow 2001, Tripoli 2004, Khanty Mansiysk 2005, 2007, 2009. He has worked with V. Kramnik, A. Khalifman, and E. Alexeev as their coach and second.