The Essential Center Counter: A Practical Guide for Black

The Center Counter (1.e4 d5!) is an aggressive and direct response to 1.e4 that immediately challenges White and is making a strong comeback at all levels. Andrew Martin's approach based on 2...Qxd5 keeps memorization to a minimum while giving Black real fighting chances from the start.

In The Essential Center Counter, 10 chapters guide you through all the key declined and accepted variations. Transpositional lines from non-Center Counter games — including the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit — are not just investigated, they are taken apart. 36 games are annotated in Andrew Martin's friendly, accessible style that makes you want to play this system.

• Complete practical Black repertoire with 1...d5
• Low memorization — based on understanding, not rote learning
• 36 annotated games in an accessible, engaging style
• Full coverage of declined and accepted variations
• Includes BDG and other transpositional tries