Loki at the movies is a new series of books from House Of Loki. We wanted to show the joy of the old video shops we used to visit as kids. We made the covers like the scuffed, old video cases. Then, for each book, we're taking you to our favourite section of the video store.

For this book, we're taking you to the Sword and Sorcery section. Sword & Sorcery

Travel with us to the magical lands that exist in the space between asleep and awake.Lands of magic, mischief and mayhem.

These pages are filled with clashing swords and fizzing spells. We'll visit wonderful worlds created by our amazing authors.

You'll find reluctant heroes, accidental heroes and even some heroes who fully intended to stick their beak in.

Join Lady Lyndsey Holloway, Tim Law, Brian MacDonald, Gemma Paul, Callum Pearce, Lynne Phillips, Trent Redfield, and Nicholas Wilkinson in

Loki At The Movies:

Sword & Sorcery

In The year of the dragon 2024, Eleven authors from around the world have come together to bring you magical tales and beautiful artwork. These have been collected from the wonderful worlds where Dragons still soar in the skies or stride across the landscape.

Join us for fun, adventure and lots of giggles as we celebrate our favourite fabulous beasts.

We've traveled far and wide to share these exciting adventures and strange artifacts with you all. Or perhaps we were just

Dreaming of Dragons

Who will benefit from this book?

If you feel you need to improve your openings - this book is for you. Some of the

positions may be very simple, others not so much - but these are all positions that

have happened and represent a wide range of possibilities. My suggestion is to

try and think which moves are best to play but also why others may be mistakes.

This introduction opened with a quote from Confucius.

The second part of the quote is:

...thinking without learning is dangerous.

This book is not intended to replace learning theory.

Every player certainly must learn theory. But the book is helpful for understanding theory and for being able to tackle unexpected conditions - a situation that happens very often in games of chess.

Life is easier when it is predictable, but aren't the surprises what makes it unforgettable?

Be My Forever is new adult/college romance with friends to lovers grumpy x sunshine.

Much has been written in chess about specific openings, players and tournaments. From experience, those are not easy books to write (because you need to be analytically laser-sharp), but at least you know what you're signing up for. By contrast, books like the one you currently hold might be laxer on the minutiae, but as a whole can be harder to conceive and transform into finished reality. While not requiring using cloud engines on depth-56 to find a novelty, they are instead (so to speak) painted with a broader brush.

Two examples of what I mean are Vukovic's The Art of Attack in Chess and the famous classic, Nimzowitsch's My System. In each, the author is a professional who brings across nothing more nor less than their philosophy of how the game should be played, and the degree of emotional energy they pour into it manifests in a work that rightly reflects the status of our game, not merely as an academic endeavor but as a cultural one.

The current book is a fitting, if not overdue, addition to that genre. As a cultural phenomenon, chess exists somewhere on the spectrum between natural philosophy (by which I mean science in its traditional form) and fine art. Viewed statically from the outside, it combines elements of both. Viewed dynamically from the inside, that same ambiguity which the game of chess straddles can be viewed as being that between logic and psychology.

Loki At The Movies is a new series of books from House Of Loki. We wanted to show the joy of the old video shops we used to visit as kids. We made the covers like the scuffed, old video cases. Then, for each book, we're taking you to our favourite section of the video store.

For this book, we're taking you to the B-Movies section.

Giant, Sentient feet are roaming the earth. Mad scientists are running amok and everyone is being really rather silly.

Meet a gaggle of ghostly geese. Try not to step in anything that has been described as oozing and never hang around with nasty nuns.

Join this group of amazing authors from around the world for great adventures and a good few giggles.

Tim Law, Callum Pearce, Lynne Phillips, Dawn DeBraal, Geraldine Borella, Beth W Patterson, Destiny Pifer, John Clewarth, Gemma Paul, and Nick Wilkinson

Chess has evolved significantly over the past few years. Talented teenagers are playing better than ever, top players possess even deeper theoretical knowledge and make fewer mistakes, and preparation now demands more time and energy. Consequently, winning against strong opponents has become increasingly challenging. This has taught us that players need to manage their energy levels carefully. Most of the advice in this book remains applicable even when you are tired, though in such cases, it's usually better to play more solidly if you're primarily aiming for a good result. That said, results aren't everything. Interesting games are also important, and we are excited to share them with you in this epic book.

Unlike almost all other books on the Dragon, the focus is not purely on theoretical development. Instead, the author has combined the most historically important games, the famous players who chose to fight either side (sometimes both sides!) of the opening, and the most unexpected and interesting stories featuring the Dragon. World Champions, contenders of the crown, code-breakers, revolutionaries in every sense of the world - all feature in this remarkable and entirely unique look into the history of an opening variation. as the ancient may say: Here be Dragons!

How to learn strategy? Can it be learned? It can be, of course. And these volumes are the perfect guide to learn (or, more precisely, to learn to understand) strategy.

Our idea is to throw light on all the strategic concepts in these volumes. To help you navigate more simply, we have divided all the material into two volumes. This first one is exploring the elements of
strategy, explaining typical and essential principles in detail. The second one is about pawn structures. Of course, structures themselves actually mean nothing without recognizing patterns and principles from the elements (because pawn structures are used to determine the values of pieces, for instance). That is why volume two can be considered as an advanced level of strategy. Generally, examples will be based on material adopted from volume one and upgraded.

Volume one is divided into nine chapters and the titles suggest the topic explained in detail. Examples are arranged from less to more complex and I recommend that the reader not skip examples
inside the chapters. Moreover, I would ask the reader to go through the chapters in the order in which they are presented in the book, because the most important topics come first. For instance, centralization is the leading principle and it must be kept in mind while working on other topics!

The Semi-Slav Defense transcends its classification as a mere defensive response to 1.d4.

It embodies a dynamic and multifaceted system that offers Black not only solidity in defense but also active counterplay and strategic flexibility. Here's why the Semi-Slav is more than just a defense:

Rather than passively defending, the Semi-Slav allows Black to counterattack in the center and on the flanks. Moves like ...e6-e5 and ...c6-c5 often lead to sharp, tactical positions where Black can seize the initiative.

By delaying the development of the knight to f6, Black achieves a solid pawn structure with pawns on d5, e6, and c6. This structure provides a firm foundation for Black's pieces and restricts White's options for pawn breaks.

The Semi-Slav leads to strategically rich positions with multiple pawn breaks and piece maneuvers. Both sides must navigate intricate plans, making it a fertile ground for creative play and deep strategic understanding. Within the Semi-Slav, there are numerous variations and sub-variations, each with its own unique characteristics and strategic ideas. Players can tailor their repertoire to suit their style and preferences, whether they prefer solid, positional play or aggressive, tactical battles.

The Semi-Slav has been embraced by many top-level players, including World Champions like Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand. Their success with the opening at the highest levels of competition demonstrates its effectiveness and versatility.

In essence, the Semi-Slav Defense transcends its classification as a defensive system by offering Black a rich tapestry of strategic possibilities and dynamic play. It is a complete repertoire choice that can suit a wide range of playing styles and preferences.

Chess has fascinated people for centuries. But what exactly is chess? Is it a sport, a science, or an art? Well, people think differently about that. Some Grandmasters may say it's a sport, while others think it's an art.

Despite the individual nature of the game, we have always found it striking that chess is also a social activity. Nowadays, chess is regularly played on the internet, but still more often in social settings such as clubs, tournaments and cafés, making it a unique activity for people of all ages and backgrounds. At the Olympiad, chess players from different countries find common ground because chess has its own international language of pieces, moves and rules. Even in a park, chess can create connections between strangers as they engage in a game together.

Like chess, photos also have the power to connect people across time and distance. Photos capture moments and emotions that transcend language and cultural barriers. They preserve memories and remind us of the beauty and diversity of our world. We believe that in today's digital age, a physical photo book still has the ability to foster a sense of belonging.

When you are building your repertoire you have many choices available against 1.e4. Everyone knows the Sicilian is the most dangerous reply but there are so many choices! Most of them are highly theoretical such as the Najdorf or the Dragon. Some are very difficult to understand from a positional and dynamical point of view. The Kalashnikov and the Sveshnikov are two good examples, without even mentioning the amount of theory.

I have always been interested by less theoretical Sicilians. I have been playing the Classical Sicilian for a long time and right before the covid period, I decided to find a new one. The Sicilian Kan came to me as a very serious option, and I decided to work on it. In the meantime, my friend and editor Daniël Vanheirzeele offered me the chance to author a book about it. This came to me as a complete surprise, as I had no experience with it. In comparison with my work on the Reti and the Dutch (my two previous books), I am a newbie on the subject. But I decided to accept the challenge. I found it extremely interesting, as this gave me a fresh look at the positions. I think I managed to ask myself the questions everyone would have asked. I also work as a second for others and am accustomed to working on openings I do not necessarily play as well as finding the key ideas very quickly. So, after a deep initial work to understand the variations, I was ready to start writing.

In opposition to my prior efforts, I decided to start with the mainlines. I did it both during my work and then in the structure of the book. It seemed better to address the most difficult lines
first to prove that Black gets playable positions, and then take care of the less challenging lines. This approach allows you to have an idea of the typical positions and then compare it with the less usual lines so you may understand why the sidelines are not as good.

I take this as an opportunity to share my knowledge of openings and how I analyze them. I started this book with the idea that I wanted it to be useful for all levels of playing strength, from amateurs to even top grandmasters. I really consider the best books to be those where everyone can understand the basics of the variations while also being of use to anyone that aims at going deeper into the theory.

I based many of the lines and conclusions in this book not only on computer evaluation, but also from a practical point of view. While I did a deep dive using strong engines when analyzing the lines I cannot say that they are perfect. The most important thing is that all of the evaluations are based upon my own understanding and knowledge of chess.

Adrien Demuth November 2021

Albin Planinc was born in the middle of the Second World War, on 18th April 1944, in the little village of Brise, near the small town of Zagorje ob Savi, approximately 30 kilometers from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. He spent his childhood with his mother Ljudmila (unofficially Milka), a simple, uneducated woman who earned money from various unskilled jobs'.

This fascinating biography of over eighty-five annotated games and stories are being presented by grandmasters Georg Mohr and Adrian Mikhalchishin. It covers Planinc' entire life and chess career, including his most fascinating games. This fitting tribute of a forgotten chess genius should be found in anyone's chess library. Thanks to this colorful book Albin Planinc will continue to inspire us all and will keep his spirit alive.

The Modernized Reti offers cutting-edge variations, sharp analysis with ample novelties, pleasant text, a knowledgeable author who practices what he preaches and a full repertoire. You can't ask for much more than that! --GM Glean Flear NIC YB 2018

The Reti opening has been most popular in the most recent years. In his 'Modernized Reti', Adrien shows how this refined opening needs to be handled. With many transpositions into different types of positions, it is one of the richest choices White has when starting the game. If you are looking for a refined, tricky and dynamic way to play as White, Adrien will surely show you the way in his first book for Thinkers Publishing!

• The openings presented in this book are the Scandinavian, Pirc and Modern.


• We presented the material in complete games rather than just publishing my own analysis for the following reasons. While you are studying the opening you will be able to familiarize yourself with the history of the variation, developed by the best players of every generation, and we see their contribution to modern chess theory: Fischer, Spassky, Tak, Botvinnik, Petrosian, Korchnoi and many other chess legends.


• You will see in practice how to realize an opening advantage, rather than just see +=or+- at the end of the variation and be left wondering why.


• Every game shows typical methods of attack in the given opening: sacrifice of a pawn for the initiative, attack with opposite-side-castling, attacking plans in specific pawn structures which are frequently seen in this opening variation.


• Every chapter begins with the general ideas of the opening and concludes with a selection of 30 combinations for you to solve which are typical for the corresponding opening.


• This book is appropriate for players of any level. Anyone can extract the maximum practical use from this book and have fun at the same time.