ACCELERATED DRAGON ASSAULT! (Andrew Martin)
2 hours. ISBN 0-9542934-6-0.
DVD
£19.99/$29.95/€31,50

The Accelerated Dragon is a versatile and easy-to-learn system for Black to have in his repertoire. Black can force the variation via the Sicilian Defence (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 g6), and there are cunning transpositions via different move orders - even via 1 c4, when an unsuspecting opponent starts with the English Opening.

Using illustrative games, Andrew Martin reveals how White can so easily go astray immediately when faced with the Accelerated, and how refutation attempts rebound disastrously. Against the positional Maroczy Bind system, Martin shows how Black can create active counterplay with pawn breaks.

Inspirational games - Maroczy Pawn Structure - Piece Placements - Classical System 6 Nb3 Bxc3+ - Classical 6 Be3 Nf6 7 Be2 0-0 8 0-0 d5! - 7 Nb3 0-0 8 Be2 a5 - Summary - Pseudo-Yugoslav 7 Bc4 0-0 8 f3 Qb6! - 7 Bc4 0-0 8 Bb3 a5 - 7 Bc4 0-0 8 Bb3 a5 9 f3 d5! - 9 f3 d5 10 Nxd5 & main line 10 Bxd5 - 9 f3 d5 10 Bxd5 - Summary - White's Early Nxc6: Galdunts-Kupreichik - Delanoy-Wiersma - Summary - Maroczy Bind, Gurgenidze System: Introduction - White's early Be2 & Be3 - 7 f3 Nxd4 8 Qxd4 Bg7 9 Be3 0-0 10 Qd2 Be6 11 Rc1 Qa5 - 7 Be2 Nxd4 8 Qxd4 Bg7 9 0-0 0-0 10 Qd3 Leko-Anand - 10 Qd3 Zvjaginsev-Sorokin - 10 Qe3 Nijboer-Tiviakov - Summary

Our DVDs are in NTSC format. These will play on most computers and most DVD players. If you are using a computer, you will need a DVD drive and software that will play DVDs (Windows Media Player, for example). If you are using a television and a DVD player, make sure that the DVD player will accept NTSC format (most new PAL DVD players will also accept NTSC DVDs).

Quotes from Reviews of the Video

"Chess videos are for players with insufficient attention span to read a book - you can't really learn an opening by watching TV. At least, that was my view before seeing Accelerated Dragon Assault! I stand corrected. Indeed I now believe it is possible that a video is the better way to understand an opening - to get a real feel for what one should be aiming at.....
"But while Accelerated Dragon Assault! is not perfect, it is very, very good - so good, that I am thoroughly ashamed of my former snooty view of chess videos. I am converted, and if you are thinking of taking up the Accelerated Dragon as a weapon against 1 e4, I have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending this video. It would be £19.99 well spent. ..." Tim Spanton, WEEKEND CHESS.

"This was my first exposure to chess education via video. The topic of this particular video is the Accelerated Dragon, a variation of the Sicilian defense where Black fianchettos his dark squared bishop and avoids an early ..d6. The intent is rapid development and the very real possibility of a quick ..d5. Fascinating analysis is provided to address cases where White wants to transpose into the Yugoslav attack of the Dragon. Opening traps abound. The video starts off with several inspiration games where IM Martin verbally annotates a graphic chess board display. After covering several inspirational games, he comes back to review opening variations. He convincingly talks through main ideas and discusses play against various move options." Mark Hoshor, GEORGIA CHESS.

"The whole of the two hour presentation is imbued with Martin's usual effusiveness and enthusiasm, and you find yourself being carried along with it. (The same was true of his first video on the Scandinavian). There is no doubt that White has to be very careful, for otherwise Black with a few well chosen moves can very quickly drum up a powerful attack from almost nothing. In the cut and thrust of games played at increasingly shorter time limits it could prove a valuable weapon for Black to include in his armoury, and I can think of no better way of learning the opening than by studying this video." Alan Sutton, EN PASSANT.

"Nowadays there are literally millions of unexplained chess moves published in a multiplicity of forms, but fortunately some quality items do actually elucidate the key ideas behind the most crucial moves, thereby making the published games much more meaningful and useful to players of almost all levels. For me personally, a really good book, newspaper column, or magazine will never be outmoded, but now I am also enjoying learning in a very refreshing way from the excellent chess videos that are being produced by Bad Bishop Ltd..." Paul Motwani, SCOTTISH CHESS.

"International Master and experienced chess trainer Andrew Martin, uses a large on screen chessboard to explain more than 20 games featuring the Accelerated Dragon. The board and pieces feature clear graphics whilst good use is made of coloured squares and arrows to enforce the clear analysis of Martin. The viewer can easily follow the progress of each game whilst listening to the analysis and watching the ideas and threats clearly demonstrated on screen. The Accelerated Dragon is a versatile and easy-to-learn system for Black to have in a repertoire......Bad Bishop are producing top quality videos that will reward the observant viewer. In two hours, Andrew Martin will turn you into a player who understands the ideas of this defence and how to play it successfully. Should you not be a player who likes to play the Sicilian as Black, you will still gain wonderful knowledge as to how it should be defended against." Michael Blake, IECG Newsletter.