Mayhem in the Morra

This book sums up years of opening preparation and understanding by IM Marc Esserman of the Morra Gambit. For him this is a biblical work. For ten years, Marc has been a central player of modern Morra chess practice. He thoroughly documents the lines that work in understandable detail, with thorough explication past theory and how he developed improvements. I did not notice any typos or bogus evaluations, although the book is clearly slanted to the theme of the Morra vs the World. He plays the Morra in: tournaments, on the internet against real GM's or in 'friendly' blitz play. He is reasonably candid about his crashes and rapturous over his victories, yet the assessments seem to be honest and are clearly PC checked. The book reads very fast. The book is structured to be read from page one to th finish, displaying a developmental approach where each new chapter goes deeper into theory from the preceeding one. The writing style is energetic, fast-paced, full of humor (often self-deprecating) and always respectful of the Black player (even though his goal is to exterminate the 'Sicilianista'). When going over some of these electrifying games with our club's master, repeatedly said "WOW"; he also described observing how Marc seems to play blitz within his own highly charged bubble.Is the book worth buying!? It depends! Gambit openings can become disasterous, when the Gambiteer slips up. Here he basic plan is to sac a useful center pawn on the 3rd move to open lines up for fast piece development. In many lines the first nine moves are automatic. Then White has to search for chinks in Black's position -- this is reasonably achievable, if your opponent is rated below 2000 (the Morra should be a murderous weapon for +2000's against weaker class Sicilian players -although the winning lines often require a Tal-like temporary piece sac to score the full point). However, If your opponent is a Expert or above, he will already be prepared for this anti-sicilian line. Such as the "professional's choice" with ....e6, Nge7, f6, Ng6 layout (quite an interesting structure, huh). Even a soundly 'prepared' Black structure still faces an unbalanced battle between White's spatial advantage + probable domination of the c & d files vs a Black's sound structure + an extra pawn. Usually it is for White to choose where and when to launch for mortal combat. Draws are tough to get in this complex play 'for all the marbles', (with a mutual time-scramble finish due to having to find many moves of life-or-death calculation). Before buying ask yourself if you have the nerves for this visit to the dice-table. Materialistic technicians are not likely buyers for these Morra's dynamically unclear play. I agree with the other reviewers that this a joyous book to read. I now have a much greater appreciation of the classic Sicilian attacking theme, where White sacrifices a minor piece (such Nd5 in order to penetrate with queen and bishop/knight on a highway or white squares to the king; also ways to gain developmental time with threats to Black's queen; and that always elusive to understand theme of zugzwang in early middle-game play-- these are well illustrated in Esserman's presented games.A fascinating book, reads quick, many games are a delight (Esserman vs Van Wely is his masterpiece of play & annotation. The writing is often hilarious, such as when Esserman recomends that White players should prepare for the "professional choice" variation by seeing several James Bond movies. He alludes to the Sicilianista's as a kind of Spector-like conspiracy out to destroy the Morra-players. He writes like a True Believer sensing a need to deal with scorn and scoffing of his faith in the Morra. Throughout the book he references Larsen's well-known Morra joke that playing 1...c4 wins a pawn. The games are brilliantly annotated and as most of them are Esserman this makes the book very much an autobiography of his chess-life. I suggest before buying, have a look at Fischer vs Korchnoi at Buenos Aires 1960.

Marc Esserman is well-known (as much as chess enthusiasts can be well-known) as the foremost expert in the Morra (Smith-Morra) Gambit. I am still early into the book, but it is a very thorough treatise on all aspects of the Morra Gambit. I am an advanced beginner (just shy of 1300 Elo) but have played this opening before without a full understanding of, or appreciation for, the lines it entails.It is a highly detailed study, with hundreds of games featuring the Morra Gambit. It is far above my head, but I do recognize the effort by and expertise of Esserman.So, given a new enthusiam by osmosis, I was ready to try it. Black. Black. Black. e4 e5. Black. Yes, I was ready to play the Morra but my opponents did not cooperate. Finally, today, I got e4 c5, and launched the Morra. I won in 16 moves against a stronger player, when, under the pressure of multiple attacks, he resigned after hanging his queen. I utilized a rook pin of his knight, with his king still trapped in the center before he could castle, and even sacrificed my knight on d5. Read the book. You'll understand.Anyway, the book is very enjoyable.

I bought this book because I was watching Naroditsky’s speed run and he mentioned the book in one of his videos.I’ve only had the book for a few days but managed to get through the intro and some of chapter 1.Four days after diving in, I was presented with my first opportunity to play the Morra as white. I am 1449 on chesscom and I absolutely crushed a 1536. It wasn’t even close. This is the strongest player I’ve beaten.I was able to play a second Morra game later against another higher rated opponent and won that. I’m 2-0 in the Morra since getting the book and I am only 5% of the way through the book.In terms of a read, the book is enjoyable. Marc is a character and adds flair that most chess writers can only dream about.Marc’s entire life work is the Morra. You are learning an opening from the person that knows it better than anyone else in the world. I really feel that’s what makes the book so enjoyable.I own more chess books than I’m comfortable admitting. This is the first book I’ve actually written a review for.

A very interesting and useful book with an in-depth analysis of this gambit.

The book is great fun to read, which is my main reason for you to buy it. I also learnt heaps about the opening from it, even though I already knew a lot about the opening previously and have played hundreds of games with it. There are a few typos but don't let the exaggeration of their importance by other readers put you off; their impact on the overall book's value is minuscule. The main negative about the book is that Esserman isn't super objective, he loves to label a fun position "clear advantage white" when it's only slight advantage white, so it's best to also get the old "Winning with the Smith-Morra Gambit" (1994) by Burgess, which is both fun and objective, but dated. I find myself reading "Mayhem in the Morra" more than that book though because the analysis is still accurate enough to provide a very good book. Esserman is an IM who crushed Van Wely and Milov with the opening, and drew with Nakamura (all 3 games are in "Mayhem in the Morra") so you can imagine that he has to be fairly objective in his appraisal of the opening or the GMs and IMs he plays would smash him. If you play the Smith-Morra gambit, you should definitely buy "Mayhem in the Morra".

Excelente. Desde el primer momento muestra las soluciones a las dificultades que puede encontrar con blancas el jugador del Morra. Y dando buenas soluciones. Demostradas en juegos reales.

Super well explained chess gambit opening for white. Sure to become a classic on the path to 'mastering' the game!

Marc Esserman est vraiment LE spécialiste du Smith-Morra. Ses lignes sont diaboliques, et bien mises en lumière dans les vidéos de Daniel Naroditsky (cf ses speedruns pour observer les mises en applications).

I'm playing at about 2250-2300 online and was looking for something different to play against the Sicilian.Esserman's book isn't the clearest to follow in terms of the theory - the index could be a little clearer - but the writing style and analysis is very good and his enthusiasm and idealism is infectious. I'm really enjoying it and can see myself adding 2.d4 to my repertoire in the longer term, particularly against those who play Sicilian varients which I don't fancy. Well worth picking up for some fun in your chess.

Selo regale a mi papá y ha sorprendido a varios contrincantes con jugadas de este libro dice que excelente compra

Excellent book