Basman/Welling: U Cannot Be Serious! - Avant-Garde Strategy in Chess

Autor: Basman, Michael; Welling, Gerard
Verlag / Hersteller: Thinkers Publishing
Erscheinungsjahr: 2021
Sprache: Englisch
Buchumschlag: paperback
Seiten: 304

Master Unorthodox Opening Strategy Through Basman's Avant-Garde Systems

U Cannot Be Serious! by Michael Basman and Gerard Welling presents a comprehensive exploration of avant-garde chess strategy developed over decades of creative experimentation. Basman's unconventional approach to the opening phase challenges conventional wisdom and opens new strategic horizons for ambitious players.

The book revives Basman's flank-based opening systems—including the St. George, Grob, and Global openings—that sparked a dedicated following among club players. Rather than memorizing main-line theory, readers learn to think independently about early chess strategy and how to build coherent plans from the board's edges.

Highlights

• Explores Basman's ultra-hyper-modern flank strategy, developed since the late 1970s and refined through decades of tournament practice
• Covers three signature opening systems: St. George (early b4 or b5), Grob (early g4 or g5), and the later Global opening with pincer-movement ideas
• Draws on extensive game material carefully selected and critically examined by both authors over years of research
• Teaches strategic thinking for club-level players seeking alternatives to conventional opening theory
• Demonstrates how unconventional systems can generate practical winning chances through original middlegame ideas

This revival of Basman's creative legacy offers club players a chance to escape theoretical memorization and develop their own strategic voice.

FAQ

What are the main opening systems covered in this book?
The book focuses on three key systems: the St. George opening (featuring early b4 or b5 moves), the Grob opening (with early g4 or g5 moves), and the Global opening with its pincer-movement approach. All three represent Basman's ultra-hyper-modern philosophy of launching attacks from the flanks rather than the centre.

Is this book suitable for club-level players, or is it only for strong competitors?
The book is aimed at ambitious club players interested in unorthodox approaches. While based on Basman's decades of tournament experience, the focus is on teaching creative strategic thinking rather than demanding mastery of complex theoretical lines. The ideas are presented to encourage independent thinking over rote memorization.

Why was this book written now, and what makes it different from Basman's earlier works?
Several of Basman's earlier specialized books on these openings (St. George's Opening, The Killer Grob, The Global Opening) have long been out of print. This 2021 publication, timed for Basman's 75th birthday, combines carefully curated material from both authors' research, with Welling providing critical selection and examination of the full body of work to introduce Basman's ideas to a new generation.