How to Play Against 1e4

HOW TO PLAY AGAINST 1.e4
Author: Neil McDonald
Everyman Chess (2008)
238 pages
$24.95

Reviewed by John Donaldson

HOW TO PLAY AGAINST 1.e4 by English GM Neil McDonald is a repertoire book advocating the French for Black. McDonald, who has written extensively on the French (especially at www.chesspublishing.com) offers two repertoires against White’s main tries – 3.Nc3 and 3.Nd2. One, the Fort Knox variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3/Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7), so-called for its solidity (Black’s plans ….Bc6xf3 and ….c6), does double duty since it can be played against both moves. McDonald calls it “one of the greatest labor-saving devices ever invented.” Labor-saving yes, exciting not really – but it is easy to learn and the strategical ideas are clear. Those who want nothing more than to get out of the opening alive and are content to acquiesce to a small disadvantage in the middlegame need only master the 23 pages on the Fort Knox and they are over half the way to meeting 1.e4 with 1…e6.

McDonald’s other choices against 3.Nc3 and 3.Nd2 are considerably more interesting and correspondingly more complicated. Against 3.Nc3 he likes the McCutcheon but with 8…Kf8 not 8…g6 – that is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.bxc3 Ne4 8.Qg4. The king-move can lead to much different play than weakening the dark squares with …g6. Black loses the right to castle and commits his King but no White pieces are camping out on f6 and …f5 can often be a useful move. The section on the McCutcheon is complemented by one on 4.e5 (after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6).

The modern 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 is McDonald’s choice to meet the Tarrasch and the rest of the repertoire is rounded out with 3…c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 and 3…b6 versus the Advance Variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5), a rather lengthy treatment of the Exchange Variation and 1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Be7 5.g3 b5 6.Bg2 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 against the King’s Indian Attack. A final chapter includes odds and ends including 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 (intending 3…c5 4.b4) where McDonald likes 3…Bd7!?

HOW TO PLAY AGAINST 1.e4 is a solid work that should prove useful for players from 1600 to 2200.

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