Opening Repertoire: Strategic Play with 1 e4

Many players approach the opening with a desire to learn sharp lines and out-prepare their opponents. This is an exhausting task, which gets more difficult by the day. However, there is a different strategy which is more practical and designed for longevity. This is to develop an advanced understanding of typical positions. Such a policy is the best approach against different move orders and new ideas.

Milos Pavlovic’s 1 e4 repertoire is based on lines where an understanding of plans and strategic ideas is more important than rote memorisation. The focus is on important positional considerations such as:

• How to make the pieces work most effectively with a given pawn structure
• How to spot weak points and exploit them
• How to limit the opponent’s counterplay

Opening Repertoire: Strategic Play with 1 e4 guides the reader through a complete repertoire for White. Pavlovic examines the key aspects of each line and provides the reader with well-researched and fresh analysis. Every annotated game is a lesson on typical middlegame plans, based on the instructive question-and-answer method.

The major variations are:

• 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 Bb5+
• 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3
• 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 b3
• 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 g3
• 1 e4 c6 2 Nf3 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 Ne5
• 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5
• 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nf3 (delaying/omitting d4)
• 1 e4 Nf6 2 Nc3

GM Milos Pavlovic has written several opening books where he shares the approach that led him to a world ranking just outside the top 100 at the end of 2003.