Here is a review left by a customer on a product. Would you say he was satisfied or dissatisfied?
Title: Rich in variations, lacking in explanations
Review: Unless you're a high Class A player, you'd do well to avoid this one. It's practically an encyclopedia of the Petroff Defense, comprehensive in its presentation of variations and sub-variations--just the kind of opening guide that average players DON'T need.This book bucks a trend in opening works published in recent years in that it's very high on notation, quite low on words that explain the ideas behind the opening. To paraphrase Lev Alburt, former U.S. chess champion and respected teacher and author, opening theory changes with the times, but ideas remain constant.Sadly, to my knowledge, I can't think of a reasonable alternative to this guide for those interested in the Petroff. Titles by Dvoretsky and Karpov follow along similar lines. My guess is that this opening hasn't yet gained enough respect and/or credibility ("playability," for want of a better word) to inspire a book that explains the "whys" behind this ambitious defense.(...)
