Tired of being surprised in the opening? Horrified by studying many hours each week to keep on top of the latest developments in main-line openings? Then this is the book for you!

For here is a repertoire of opening lines based on 1 e4 that are slightly off the beaten track, but full of practical sting and cunning traps for unwary opponents. All are based on rapid, healthy development, central control and play against the enemy king. You go straight from the opening into a sharp, little-explored middlegame where you will be better prepared than your opponent.

This new edition brings the repertoire completely up to date. The basic choice of main lines is unchanged, but each move has been re-examined and new ideas from practice and analysis incorporated at every turn.

• Teeming with dangerous new ideas never published anywhere else before
• Makes use of the new generation of neural-network based engines inspired by AlphaZero
• Updated by an openings expert and editor with a wealth of experience creating repertoires
• Emphasis on lines that are hard to meet in practice with the clock ticking!
• Future-proofed: recommendations against rare and untried ideas for Black

Chris Baker is an international master from England with a vast wealth of experience of chess at club and weekend tournament level. The first edition of A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire established his reputation as a writer and proved extremely popular, reprinting several times. Award-winning author Graham Burgess is a FIDE Master and a former champion of the Danish region of Funen. In 1994 he set a world record for marathon blitz chess playing.

Download a pdf file with a sample from the book.

“I became even more nostalgic when the book started with the first long opening variation I learned, the Max Lange Attack. A classic Gambit book on the market again” – GM Simen Agdestein, Verdens Gang

“A must have repertoire book” – John Elburg, chessbooks.nl

“A sound, active and, well researched opening repertoire for White that will create problems for Black in the years to come” – Miguel Ararat, Gainesville Chess Training

“Back in 1998 English International Master Chris Baker’s A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire received a warm welcome. Aimed at the non-professional player looking for an aggressive but manageable set of variations based on 1.e4, Baker’s book filled a need. Roughly twenty years later FIDE Master Graham Burgess has done a comprehensive updating. This book is best suited for stronger club to master strength players who will not be overwhelmed by the theory (some is necessary if the repertoire is to pack any punch), but will also benefit from the explanatory prose. There is plenty here to interest ambitious lower-rated and stronger players as well” – IM John Donaldson