No guts, no glory! With the Pirc Defence Black takes a bigger risk than usual, but in return may hope for higher dividends too. Let GM Bojkov show you how to optimize your chances.

‘Catastrophe in the Opening’ is a study of how the games of contemporary players go awry the initial stages of the game and as such, will prove instructive at all levels. It’s designed to help you avoid disaster in your own games.

The Sicilian has been known for decades as the most reliable way for Black to obtain an unbalanced but good position. Among the most popular Sicilians at the top level the two that certainly stand out are the Najdorf and the Paulsen.