Practical Chess Openings – Book Review

I was delighted to receive a review copy of Gambit’s latest publication recently and thought I’d share my thoughts on it with you all.

I have long been a fan of Fundamental Chess Openings by GM Paul van der Sterren. FCO, published in 2009, lived up to its billing as ‘A new one-volume guide to all the chess openings’. Covering all the openings to a reasonable depth, it had more diagrams and more explanatory text (offset by less in-depth lines of theory) compared to other traditional openings ‘bibles’.

Gambit has now gone one further with PCO, by GM Martyn Kravtsiv. ‘The first truly modern single-volume guide to the chess openings’ is a promise both made and delivered in this book.

It continues in the same vein as FCO with lots of diagrams and plenty of explanations – catering to those club and tournament players looking for a good reference work covering all the chess openings without getting lost in too much in-depth theory

That said, each major opening variation is explored in some depth, and there is a clear conclusion at the end of each one.

It is 64 (!) pages longer, at 544 pages, than FCO and this reflects modern opening trends.

Openings such as the ‘d4 specials’ (London, Jobava etc.) and the Catalan for example which have grown in popularity of late have far more coverage.

Kravtsiv does not waste time on lines proven to be inferior or unpopular. He merely notes this and moves on to more practical and playable lines.

This means that other openings which are not as trendy anymore, or where engines have shown a number of lines to be inferior have reduced content.

It is, as the title states, a look at openings which are practical to play – both sound from a theoretical point of view and also en vogue.

This book is clearly laid out, easy to follow and work through and should be on every budding grandmaster’s bookshelf.

Check out this post as well https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16ZcDmRC8h/

Review by FIDE Instructor Richie Christie

New Zealand Chess Federation Director of Training

July 2025

Practical Chess Openings

Author: GM Martyn Kravtsiv

Published by: Gambit Publications Ltd

Published: 2025

Pages: 544

http://www.gambitbooks.com/books/PCO_Practical_Chess_Openings.html