1…d6 Flexible Repertoire with IM Valentin Baidetskyi

1…d6 Flexible Repertoire: An Old-School Weapon Against 1.e4, Rebuilt with Modern Engines

Looking for a fresh way to meet 1.e4?

Here is the recipe.

Take an 18th-century opening that most players have forgotten about.

Blend it with a second system so it becomes truly flexible and hard to prepare against.

Then check every line with the strongest engines, three times over, and keep only the top-scoring variations.

That is exactly what IM Valentin Baidetskyi did. He combined the Improved Hanham Variation of the Philidor Defense with the Pirc, and the result is a repertoire that beats titled players and is a real weapon in club play.

Here is what you will learn:

• The Philidor Endgame – Think this endgame is too drawish to play for a win with Black? IM Baidetskyi shows you otherwise, with a complete guide to winning it, just like Magnus Carlsen did against GM Francisco Vallejo.
• The Gustafsson Variation – White goes all-in with a flank attack? IM Baidetskyi reveals two deceptively quiet moves that turn the tables.
• Battling the Main Line – Your opponent knows the theory? Good. IM Baidetskyi changes the character of the game with the aggressive …exd4 system and shows you how to play it for a win.
• The Offbeat Arsenal – Does White avoid the main lines and deviate early? You get a set of powerful, well-scoring answers for every player who steers clear of the book.

The 1…d6 system is IM Baidetskyi’s own top choice against 1.e4, and he has added two bonuses to help you master it:

• 8 Model Games with video annotations, so you see the theory in action, including Vallejo – Carlsen.
• Chapter-by-chapter PGNs, fully annotated, with extra lines and ideas to take your preparation further.

Train the repertoire with 365Chess Coach

This course includes 321 variations to learn, which means you can train the repertoire using 365Chess Coach and the Repertoire Trainer.

With 365Chess Coach, you can practice the key lines move by move and reinforce the repertoire, turning IM Baidetskyi’s explanations into practical weapons for your own games.

Outline:

Chapter 1. The Endgame
Chapter 2. 3.f3
Chapter 3. 4.f4
Chapter 4. Rare Moves for White on the 4th Move
Chapter 5. 4.Nge2
Chapter 6. 3.Bd3
Chapter 7. 5.g3
Chapter 8. Gustafsson Variation
Chapter 9. 5.h3
Chapter 10. 5.Rg1
Chapter 11. 5.g4
Chapter 12. 6.dxe5, 6.Bxf7+ and 6.Ng5
Chapter 13. The Main Line 7.h3
Chapter 14. The Main Line 7.Re1
Chapter 15. The Main Line 7.a4
Chapter 16. Rare Continuations on 2nd Move
Model Game 1. Aulin Jansson – Baidetskyi
Model Game 2. Morozov – Van Foreest
Model Game 3. Bok – Van Foreest
Model Game 4. Skuhala – Baidetskyi
Model Game 5. Nguyen – Baidetskyi
Model Game 6. Daghli – Pour Agha Bala
Model Game 7. Vallejo – Carlsen
Model Game 8. Fule – Baidetskyi

About the Author:

IM Valentin Baidetskyi

is a chess professional and coach from Ukraine who now plays for Austria. With 14 years of chess experience, he works on every area of his players’ game and explains it in clear, straightforward language. He won the Austrian Rapid Championship in 2023.