How to Out-Prepare Your Opponent: A Complete Guide to Successful Chess Opening Preparation

The number of hours you can spend on opening preparation is endless. Books, videos, and databases offer hundreds of ever-widening variations. But how do you find your way through this labyrinth? Where do you start? And, maybe even more importantly: where do you stop?

International Master Jeroen Bosch provides a solution to those questions. He presents a structured approach to the study of openings and the preparation for a club match or a tournament game.

Every time-strapped chess improver will love Bosch's approach: instead of studying more hours or memorizing more lines, he advises you to start making smart choices. The goal is not to reach a slight advantage in every possible line. The goal is to dictate what will happen on the board. You want to get a position you understand and are happy to play, and make your opponent feel uncomfortable.