Understanding the Scandinavian (Understanding Chess Openings)

This is great book on the Scandinavian defense. Has a series of games that detail the various defensive formations. Has some new ideas on how to make this defense playable. Comprehensive treatment.

Deep analysis of the 3....Qd6 line in the Scandinavian. Everything he covers seems do be well done. He leaves quite a lot uncovered, however, for reasons which aren't immediately clear. I've been close to 2300 rating a few times (never actually broke that milestone) so I can usually fill in the gaps myself, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone below, say, 2000 or so. It's also pretty thin for what you're paying.

Excellent

Most chess opening books are a bit out of date even as they are published, something we have all learned to live with. This book was published quite some years ago, so naturally that is a problem. It does not even cover some of what I would consider the most interesting lines. Overall, it does a good job of the Main Line and many offshoots.

Understanding the Scandinavian by GM Sergey Kasparov is the latest addition to chess literature on this popular opening system.The book is developed around the current trend in the Scandinavian system, named the 3…Qd6 variation. The author also covers the 3…Qa5 and the 3…Qd8 variations respectively. The Scandinavian with 2…Nf6 is also discussed by Kasparov in this book, although the positions arising after 2…Nf6 are of a different nature than the positions after 2…Qxd5. The main premise in this book is to show the reader the thematic ideas and plans that emerge from the Scandinavian in a clear fashion without sacrificing analysis.Chess books usually reflect the shift in opening fashion. In the Scandinavian, we can track the dominance of the 3.Qa5 variation to the work of Bent Larsen in the 70’s including his amazing victory over Anatoly Karpov in Montreal (1979), followed by the publications of high quality books on this opening such as the Modernes Scandinavisc (2002), Play the Scandinavian by Bauer (2010), and the Modern Scandinavian (2011).In 2010 the theoretical landscape of the Scandinavian started to change after Sergey Tiviakov was crushed on the White side of a 3…Qd6 Scandinavian and started defending the Black side of this opening! . In the following decade, Tiviakov single handed popularized the Qd6 variation and contributed extensively to its development to the point that this variation become the main line of the Scandinavian. In my opinion, Kasparov’s book is the first high quality book that place the Scandinavian Qd6 as the main line of the Scandinavian system.The Book is a good read and I recommended it. My only criticism is about how the author uses the space in the game Kasparov vs Anand (game 14 Wch 1995). The author used most of the space available to analyze the options between move six and eight at the expense of one the most amazing Scandinavian middlegames games ever (in my opinion)DisclaimerPublisher provided a review copy and the present review is a fragment of a more complete version.

Another reviewer said this, and I bought it anyway. Like so many chess books, this is only for 2000+ players. Just getting into it, wish I had bought a different book on the Scandi. I'm a 1600 player. It's over my head. The moves are only for national experts and it leaves out all below 1700 player moves. Definitely not for 1200+, 1500+, 1600-1800 players. Don't know the exact %, but most chess players are 1700 or lower, so a book on the Scandi for this level players would sell well. . . not for the 5% that are already experts.

The book did not meet my expectations, although it might have some benefit for those at the master level or above. It was basically a litany of chess games with the opening and associated commentary. I was hoping for a more strategic analysis of the openings' possibilities, possibly a repertoire approach.

This book complements Melts classic on the 3...Qd6 Scandinavian. It gives appropriately wider coverage similar to the now ageing Emms and Houska books.I recommend it to, among others, those like me ,1500 -2000 Fide rated players, who already play the 2...Qxd5 and 3 ...Qd6 variation of the Scandinavian including those who have Lakdawala's "move by move" introduction to 3...Qd6

i think if you want to play this opening this is the book for you