“This book is devoted to openings (to put it mildly) rather exotic. In fact, most of the chess-professionals consider the systems that we have analyzed in this volume as simply incorrect. It is maybe Alekhine’s Defence, which can be spared such definite evaluation, but this would be probably only due to the reputation of this outstanding chess-genius. It is hardly worth denying that Black would eventually fail to equalize after moves like 1… a6, or 1…b6. Nevertheless… chess players belonging to the older generations definitely remember the famous game Karpov-Miles (Skara 1980) – 1 e4 a6 2 d4 b5 – after 15 moves Black was already slightly better, after 25 moves Miles was clearly dominant and White resigned on move 46. Many less experienced players have encountered opponents at club-level who solve their opening problems once and for all, by avoiding the endless complicated lines of the Ruy Lopez, or the Sicilian Defence, and instead respond to 1 e4 with 1…Nc6, 1…b6, 1…a6 or 1…Nf6. The author has written this book for these particular players with the hope that it might be really useful for them. I would not venture to guarantee you winning your games with White, but you are going to have the opening advantage – be sure about that!”
A. Khalifman, 14th World Chess Champion