Play 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6!

Publisher: Chess Stars, 2018, Pages: 304, Paperback

A Black repertoire based on the QGD. All the opening variations for Black have been chosen according to the latest fashion in the games of the top-class grandmasters. For example, after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5, Kornev analyses a line which has been played often in the last several years by Vladimir Kramnik – 4..Nxd5, with which Black avoids several rather passive schemes, arising after the move 4...exd5.

Following 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0–0 6.e3, he has chosen as an opening weapon for Black the move 6...Nbd7, which is used not only by the acting World Champion Magnus Carlsen, but also by almost all the participants in the Candidates tournament – 2018.

Finally, in response to one of the main weapons for White against the Queen’s Gambit Declined – 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0–0 7.e3, Kornev analysed a variation, which has been lately preferred by Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik – 7...Nbd7, after which Black does not need to know so much theory as in the Tartakower-Makogonov-Bonda­revsky system (7...b6).

In addition, this line is not such a brutal attempt to play for a draw with Black as the Lasker Defence – (7...Ne4).