PLAY THE SICILIAN DRAGON (Edward Dearing)
256 pages. ISBN 1 904600 17 4.
$27.50

The Dragon variation is one of the key battlegrounds of modern chess, and a perennial favorite of ambitious chess-players of all standards. Black develops his pieces so as to maximize the strategic pluses granted him in the Open Sicilian. If White is to expose a defect in the Dragon, it must be by a direct attack, and this leads to ferocious battles, with White trying to checkmate the black king via the h-file, while Black seeks to gain counterplay down the c-file and on the long diagonal. In the Dragon, many Sicilian themes are seen in their clearest form, with the ...Rxc3 exchange sacrifice particularly important. Even Dragon endgames tend to be very sharp, with Black often possessing swathe of mobile pawns in return for an exchange, a piece, or even a whole rook.

In hazardous territory, a guide is essential, and Edward Dearing has stepped up to offer his services. He explains at length the all-important general themes, and advises on how to choose plans and methods, drawing upon his many years of experience and study of the Dragon. Dearing also provides an up-to-date view of Dragon theory, including many new ideas and suggestions to help the reader tailor his Dragon repertoire to suit his own preferences.

Edward Dearing is an IM, and one of Scotland's top players. He was equal first in the Smith & Williamson Young Masters in 2002, and has represented his country several times in World and European junior championships. He has a degree in law from Cambridge University. This is his first chess book.