Mastering Opening Strategy by GM Johan Hellsten | Book Review 

Reviews like this are worth their weight in gold. As an adult improver who can only get through 2 or 3 books per year, I can't imagine having to try and find out the hard way which ones best fit your no-nonsense, principled, holistic approach. Much appreciated.

" Ooo baby chess is beautiful! " truer words have never been spoken

OK, you convinced me. I just bought it for kindle. Looking forward to starting it tonight! You're definitely on your way to 100K subs. Based on the chess channels I have seen take off in the last year, it seems like there is a moment where they catch on and everybody discovers it. Just keep making the great content and it will happen :)

Lucky enough to get all 3 books. Its gonna be the next book I work through after I finish the Yusupov fundamentals

I bought about 10 books now on your book recommendations lol i need one now on how to avoid divorce.

That 'extra question' you pose at 11:20 was such an awesome sequence. Being able to see lines like this is exactly the reason that compels me to want to study chess even further, it's simply really magical to see.

I would love to hear your opinion of GM Aagaard's "Attacking Manual"

You have convinced me to read this again. His Endgame Strategy was very good, and at only 1600 was easier for me to grasp. My favourite book is Chess Strategy for Club Players by Grooten.

Nice!! I'm working presently (slow work in progress ... 40% done) with the book Mastering Chess strategy from the same author and i love it and now you convinced me that i need another Hellsten book ... Merci beaucoup. Superbe vidéo.

Making a video or even a Chessable course on punishing beginner/opening mistakes would be a great idea. I have seen in my games that I get away with a lot of mistakes because my opponents have no clue how to take advantage of my mistakes. I strongly recommend a Chessable course because a lot of newcomers would benefit from the repetition.

Wonderfully insightful Coach Andras. Thank You for your attention to detail!

Thanks for the review. I ordered the book based on your recommendation. I'd also recommend to you and your viewers IM John Watson's 4-volume series titled "Mastering the Chess Openings". The first two volumes (covering king-pawn and queen-pawn openings including the Indian defences) were published in 2006, with the 3rd Volume (English Openng - all the various setups that can arise) and 4th Volume (Flank Openings) coming later. The first three chapters of Vol 1 are focused on basic opening principles which include center control, development, king safety, space, optimal placement of the various pieces, types of pawn centers, and general pawn structures that arise from various openings. From there, he explores all the major openings in terms of how both sides apply the these principles. There's a lot of explanation of move order considerations, what the goals of each side are in each opening, what squares are being fought over and why, etc. Honestly, he provides an excellent primer for anyone one wanting to add any of the major openings to their repetoire without getting bogged down in the latest thereotical battles. For example, he gives an excellent discussion on Black's white-square control strategy in the Nimzo-Indian (Vol 2). Anyway, just Vol 1 alone would give anyone an excellent grounding in basic opening principles and general opening strategies.

Hello to the ANDRAS and TOTH, OP video again

I read this book about ten years ago, and it is really one of the best books on teaching strategy

Interesting that Coach Andras believes this book is suitable for post-beginners. I was told over and over (or read) that this book is for solid intermediate players, say 1700+. I really won't mind if Coach Andras could explain why this book is suitable for somewhat lower rated player despite being it a difficult book to read (whatever that means :) ).

5 of 5 stars is definitely good enough for my money.. Thanks for the great review!!

I already have several other books lined up, but I am so hyped about this one now!

grabbed this one. Ive been disappointed with my ability to create tactical situations on the board even in sharper openings so when you said this book speaks to that and helps recognizing when you can be forceful it was a must buy for me.

So many good books to study!

Thank you Andras ! I will get it ! My opening play is weak , I'm 1700 player but my opening play is maybe 1500 or below ;-( But what save my butts when I play is that when I don't spoiled my game in the opening stage my understanding of middlegame and the way I plan is maybe above 1700 but no matter my ending play bring me right back in the 1500 class 😉 ! So, I prefer concept to concrete ! Oh yes by the way my practice and discipline habit for chess are 1300 or below ! I mean by this I work by rush, sometime I do more work, like chess lecture, analyzing some games doing puzzle etc. And sometime (most of the time ) nothing but no matter I go to play in tournament even if I don't practice (and get slaughter ! ) 🤦‍♂️ Anyway the big take away here is that I like the game but had not the best practice habit ! Like your video it's a way for me to keep connected to the game ! Ray.

Amazing content amazing thumbnail💯💪

Andras are you going to do a review of Mastering Endgame Strategy also? Or whether 'Endgame Strategy' by Sheveretsky is better to start with?

Another great video. And please get a shock mount for your microphone. Your content deserves it

I love these book reviews! As I am a rather low rated player (1298) I am looking for ways to improve myself. Lately I bought Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition by IM Arthur van de Oudeweetering as well as Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual (5th Edition). I will certainly put this book on my to buy list and start studying it. I find myself struggling in the middlegame, often not knowing what to do or unable to either find or create a good plan. I'd love to hear some suggestions as how to improve this. any Ideas on openings for black (as I still find myself reacting instead of trying to play my own game with black) would also be very much appreciated. Either way I am learning a lot from your videos Coach Andras; I found myself winning a game earlier today by recognizing that I did not need to defend and should keep attacking because of my initative. I can't wait for the next video from you.

Andras that’s not the book Kostya mentioned. Kostya recommended his strategy book. All Hellsten’s mastering books are excellent.

What about his book on mastering middlegame strategy? I'm just about to read the book. My plan is to read his book in this order for this year: Middlegame Opening And maybe endgame.

Love this! I am acutally looking to review/study a english book on my channel soon. This might be it!

Review the other books in the series too.

For anyone that is interested in the c5 push in the Queen's gambit Artur Flavourov/ Flavov is a practitioner, might be cool for Coach to analyze this game for us...it's fairly recent so shouldn't be too difficult to find...

Thanks 4 the book suggestion Andras.. the examples look outstanding...

Thanks for the good recommendation. Keep up the great work!

Can you review Mauricio Flores's book about pawn structures?

Hellsten also wrote a book on the Kan. I play the Kan. I’m considering picking it up as an update to my Ali Mortazavi Kan book I read 20-30 years ago.

I'd love to see you review GM Hellsten's other books. What do you think of his endgame strategy book?

A very nice book review. Thanks! I wonder if this book is appropriate for a 1200 player working his way to higher ratings with a good work ethic? Or is there a more basic book on opening theory that should be consumed first?

Thanks for the review. Would you consider making a video on making plans? It's a topic I hear a lot of people discuss but very few make any sense on. I often find myself in positions where I'm better, either up material or having a nice initiative, but don't know how to make the plan to seal the deal and convert.

I love the book reviews

Was thrilled to see CPR 3 dropped today, but was disappointed to see it was the last of the series! It's been an emotional roller coaster. But really hope you do more chessable in the future!

Thank you sir. There are two books in Hellsten’s series. Have you seen them? Will you review them? Mastering Chess Strategy and Mastering Endgame Strategy? Thanks again.

So, arround what rating do you recommend it to read it? A beginner arround which rate? Also your videos are great. Thanks you so much and sorry for so little

Andras, what is the ELO targeted audience for this book?

What about Mastering Endgame Strategy? I bet it's good, but how difficult is it?

Great book recommendation!

Andras,the tarrasch french from the white side as played here i think,you reccomend it? against the french from black? i like your chessable e4 white vs french,but ive heard the tarasch is really good and cuts out alot of theory from the winawer.

Is it good for players beliw 1600?

A book on opening principles and motifs seems rare, and needed. Are there any other examples out there? It's not on the top of my list because I've worked on openings WAY more than any 1700 aught to. But I am starting to experiment more, trying openings I basically don't know/haven't memorized in order to test my thought process and intuition and learn about the more "essential nature" of openings (and assumptions I make, wrong or right).

Hellsten has 3 books, all very good.

what rating range would you recommend this book to?

Andras mentioned this for anyone above beginner. Is it a lowish level? Is it any good for a 2100?

Hi Andras, if someone wanted to check out this book and your courses how do you recommend they do it, does it make more sense to start with one or the other?

Andras, thanks! Actually the only chess book I have, my first to read. Started to read it, but it goes slow. Not used to chess notation and get a flow in reading. More inspired now. Have also ordered the two others in the series.

Wait hold on, I'm at that point of the book. Here you demonstrated exercise #2. The moves where not quite the way you play them, but that's fine. You said that the book doesn't offer you "your turn" here at the beatiful checkmate combination. Thats at the solution stage however. The author drops you much earlier in the game. I thought I was supposed to look at the position where he leaves it unanswered, and not only find the next best moves, but also see that brilliant checkmate without moving the pieces (all in my head). Stop the book analyze on my board for 1 hour the best lines I can come up with, and my result has to match the book lines. If it didn't, review why, what did I missed and at that point I can play the position from memory from start to finish. Then I move on to the next exercise. Am I doing it wrong??? 🤔 So basically for me the line turned out to be 13 Ply deep.

Will you review Mastering Endgame Strategy next?

OMG! this is Mastering opening strategy, I was assuming it is the middlegame strategy book, no wonder I am stuck at my rating, my observations skills are excruciatingly bad. In my defence, they have the same coloured cover.

Just stumbled upon your awesome channel. Would you say that his books and Chessable courses are good for a beginner?

*Artur Frolov vs Bodda Pratyusha

Like first then watch^^

Sold 30 bucks at Amazon, thanks Coach

This is why are im so strong they calculate 7 8 moves like nothing

loses a king :D nice one lol

First comment! :) .

Juicy examples! Book is sold! I'm lucky enough to have the other two in the series and they are definitely full of juicy material as well 😊👌🏻