Battling the Aggressive Italian Game

'Structure: The book is actually structured in a very straightforward way. It consists of two parts, each with two chapters. Part 1 deals with the 3…Nf6 response to the Italian, and contains chapters on the sharp variations 4.Ng5 and 4.d4 (the Scotch Gambit). Part 2 covers the 3…Bc5 response (for which the author provides several options for Black) against the Italian, and includes chapters on the setup with c3 and d4 for White as well as on early aggressive gambits (such as the Evans Gambit). 'At the beginning of each chapter, an overview is provided of the different lines that will be discussed. This way, if you ever want to quickly look up a specific line to prepare for a tournament game, you can find it right away. Although the book has a relatively simple layout with only a few chapters, the chapters themselves are packed with information. All the practical knowledge you, as the reader, need in order to defend yourself against the aggressive Italian opening variations is included in these chapters. 'Verdict: What I personally really appreciated about this book is that it completely removed the fear of facing aggressive variations. That fear can often arise when you come to the board unprepared during a tournament. But Pavlovic shows exactly what to watch out for in such situations, calmly and precisely taking over the initiative. 'Another factor that makes his book easy to follow is that he doesn’t overwhelm you with extremely complicated computer lines. The illustrative games present realistic situations, with Pavlovic also discussing alternative moves (even if they are less effective). For the player who already has a decent grasp of the main lines of the Italian but also wants to feel confident against the sharp, less frequently played sidelines, this book is absolutely recommended. —IM Sammeister, Schaaksite.nl, 09/28/25