The opening phase of the game throws up difficult questions for those keen to study and improve their chess. In Mastering the Opening, international master Byron Jacobs outlines the key plans and strategies in all major openings and helps the reader to decide upon an opening repertoire.This guide deals with every major opening, has numerous thematic games that illustrate important principles and a revolutionary layout allows readers to absorb the key ideas. (6 3/4 x 9 1/2, 176 pages, diagrams)