The Alterman Gambit Guide - Black Gambits 1 by Boris Alterman

The Alterman Gambit Guide: Black Gambits 1 is an instructional manual for improving chess players. Sharpen your tactics and learn to play dynamic attacking chess while studying the most entertaining gambits. Lines covered include: Benko Gambit, Blumenfeld Gambit, Vaganian Gambit and more. The second and concluding volume, covering 1.e4 e5, should be out early in 2012.

GM Boris Alterman founded the Shevah-Mofet Chess Academy in Israel. Alterman is a product of the Botvinnik-Kasparov chess school and he also helped to develop the Deep Junior program which famously drew a match with Kasparov and defeated both Radjabov and Deep Fritz.

ISBN 978-1-906552-54-1 - 360 pages - Published 30 September 2011

Reviews

"Since the first work in the series, White Gambits, was very well received, [Quality Chess] decided to bring out another two-part repertoire for Black. The first volume deals with move-orders connected with 1.d4 and 1.c4, while the second concerns 1.e4 and is expected to be released soon. Rather than focusing on deep improvements upon established theory The Alterman Gambit Guide emphasizes the importance of becoming familiar with the opening and positional principles [...] as well as mastering tactical motifs and training yourself to evaluate typical positions. It's a very challenging concept, and after reading Alterman's introduction I was eager to see how he'd manage to avoid disappointing his readers...

The Alterman Gambit Guide has positively surprised me by making a clear, dynamic and sound repertoire accessible to a public rated between 1500 and 2500. Quite an achievement! Since I'm a 1.e4 e5 player myself I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of The Alterman Gambit Guide Black Gambits 2 when it's released!"

IM Robert Ris, ChessVibes (full review)

"Overall, I like this book quite a lot, even if Alterman is a better salesman for Black than being an objective bearer of the current theoretical situation in each line. For those who want to understand these openings, the presentation will appeal to players rated from 1400 to around 2200, which is approximately Alterman's target audience for the book. The author does an admirable job and I'm sure that those who want an introduction to the lines in question will be instructed and inspired, as well as thoroughly entertained. For more in-depth coverage of the lines, players will have to look elsewhere, but this is a good place to start."

Carsten Hansen, ChessCafe (full review)

"Boris Alterman's book is a personal look at several d-pawn gambits from Black's point of view. A big chunk of the work is about the Benko, and many of the illustrated games are his own, so personal is the right adjective here. However in addition, the book deals with the Blumenfeld, and some other dynamic gambit-like ideas where White varies early on...

Alterman and Quality have conjured up an excellent essay in the instruction of dynamic play, as well as an opening work of high quality."

GM Glenn Flear, New in Chess

"Alterman organizes his material around 58 model games that are carefully annotated with plenty of explanatory prose. This book is laid out in a way that makes it easy to learn from with plenty of diagrams and assessments to tie the material together. Players below 2300 will find everything they need to learn how to play these openings successfully at their level."

IM John Donaldson