Jacob Aagaard - Attacking Manual 2 (K-2478/2)

In this major work Aagaard explains the rules of attack (the exploitation of a dynamic advantage), balanced between understandable examples, and deep analysis.

Five years in the making, this book deals with weak kings, sacrifices, various minor attacking themes, intuitive sacrifices, opposite castling, modern king hunts, and enduring initiative.

Foreword by the author:  

"When I decided to write this double-volume book on attack back in 2002, I had very clear ideas for Volume One, such as specific phrases, positions, structures, while all I had for Volume Two was a clear notion of what it should cover, in abstract. 

Where Volume One was about the laws of dynamics, the font of all attacks, and to some limited extent an original work, Volume Two was always meant to be a perfection of existing work on the attack.(..)

This volume is intended to cover all of attacking technique, by which I mean what to do once the attack is up and running. Obviously this cannot be done in 464 pages, but a decent attempt can be made, and I think I have managed to do so. 

In this book I will discuss such concrete items as Destroying the defensive structure (page 253), The pin (page 148), Overloading (page 78), as well as more abstract concepts such as Creative play (page 355) and Intuitive sacrifices (page 391). (..)
 
My experiences and conversations with some of the best players in the World have strengthened my belief that it is very useful to solve exercises regularly if you want to improve your play. Although a well-written book can affect your play positively, it will do so much more if you are involved, rather than just reading it. 

For this reason I have included a diagram preview in this book. I invite you to use up to 10 minutes on each position before reading the subsequent chapter. 

For Chapters 1, 3, 4 & 5 I have selected 8 positions I find interesting, while Chapter 2 has 26 positions, as it is a rather big chapter. (..) I have included 50 exercises towards the end of thisbook and 24 exercises at the end of Chapter 1.

This double-volume work has been seven years in the making; with the publication of the revised and expanded Volume One and this volume, I have fulfilled a major personal ambition. (..)" - Jacob Aagaard

Arne Moll, ChessVibes:
"Published in Quality Chess's usual excellent format... full of lengthy analysis and instructive explanations... a highly nuanced book, full of thoughtful considerations."

Chapters:

Chapter 1 – Understanding Mating Attacks 9
Typical Mates & Focal Points 11
Three Piece Attacks 25
Insurance Policies 30
Transformations 31
Exercises 40
Solutions 43

Chapter 2 – Typical Piece Play 53
The Assault Ratio 57
Deflection 67
Overloading 76
Tempo-gainers 81
Piece Sacrifices for time 84
Transition squares 89
Lines of Communication 101
Vacating Squares 118
Outposts 127
Launching 135
The pin 148
Improving the Circumstances 165
Prophylaxis 170
The f5/f4-squares 178

Chapter 3 – Typical Pawn Play 181
Pawn breaks 183
Pawns as valuable as pieces 193
Pawn storms 208
Pawn sacrifices 237
Provoking weaknesses 243

Chapter 4 – King Safety 251
Destroying the defensive structure 253
Line clearance 264
Cutting off the defences 275
Weak kings 281
Drawing the king into the open 293
Kings on the run 300
Cutting off the escape route 311
The king stuck in the centre 315
Breakthrough in the centre 321
Two thematic sacrifices 346

Chapter 5 – Intuitive Sacrifices and Enduring Initiative 353
Creative play 355
A sudden chance 358
Aggressive opening play 377
Intuitive sacrifices 391
Enduring initiative 399

Chapter 6 – Exercises 413
Solutions 423
Index of games and game fragments 457