The Complete Pirc (The Macmillan Chess Library)

By John Nunn

Book Overview

A complete survey of the modern Pirc defence, whereby Black tempts White to build up a big pawn centre which then becomes the target for counter-attack, this is written by John Nunn, a Grandmaster... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0020294913
• ISBN13: 9780020294917
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Collier Books
• Length: 215 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

It IS complete ... and it is great as well.

It sounds almost silly to be reviewing a book that is nearly 20 years old! (Have I lost my mind?) Most opening books that are over 5 years old are considered dated - any book this old is genearlly considered a DINOSAUR!! So why am I doing it? Just in the hopes you might buy and appreciate this book! (If it were current, I would eaily give it five stars.)I purchased this book shortly after it first came out. (1989) I had a "real/regular" job back then, so it took me at least six months to work my way all the way through this book. I went through EVERY chapter. Some of the chapters, I literally played over every line, note, (etc.) that was given in this wonderful volume. I also studied several of the games in detail, writing out my thoughts in a spiral-bound notebook. I was annotating a game today, (on the Pirc); that I played in one of the ICC/Dos Hermanos, {big} Internet tournaments. (I was trying to remember one line in particular. Because I had difficulty in recalling all the analysis, I had to dig this book out.) This gave me a chance to re-read a couple of chapters and go through a few of the variations. And I thought to myself, "What a great book this effort really is!" And while this book may NOT represent the cutting edge of opening theory on the Pirc, it has many other redeeming features. The lines are laid out in a very logical manner, the author starts with the most popular lines, (The Austrian Attack); and goes from there. There is a TON of analysis, Nunn did not hold much back here. If he got to a point where he thought he saw a better move, he told you. (This book was written BEFORE chess programs got real strong, so check EVERYTHING you intend to play {in tournaments} with a good analysis engine ... or your favorite chess program!!) The 'blurb' on the cover says "Intermediate," but I am sure that even a near beginner could follow most of what goes on here, there are PLENTY of very good and frank discussions. The author really went out of the way here to do a really bang-up job. The most common-place ideas and plans are covered in here. Last year I played in a "quick" (money) tournament in Alabama, (Game in 25 minutes); and I defeated a player (who used this opening) whose rating was nearly 2600 USCF. He paid me a very nice complement after the game. He told me that I had played very well and I had not used much time on the clock. I am sure that MUCH of my understanding of this whole opening was gained during the time I spent with Nunn - - - in this book! {Does this make me a Nunn student? I guess in a way, it does.} I recommend this book VERY highly!!! (But buy a new book to get a feel for the latest opening lines.) I have literally hundreds of books on the opening - I have many on the Pirc as well. But I personally guarantee that if you spend some time studying inside these pages, you will learn more from this book than 50 other opening books; where all they do is pump out the latest games - with no explanation, whatsover! Get it!