THE SCHEMING SCANDINAVIAN WITH 2...Qxd5 (Andrew Martin)
2 hours 18 minutes. ISBN 0-9542934-2-8.
DVD
£19.99/$29.95/€31,50

The Scandinavian Defence (1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5) is hugely popular at club level, because Black dictates the opening struggle from move one. In this instructive DVD, International Master Andrew Martin takes the viewer through all of the basic themes required to play the opening with confidence - and success. Particular attention is devoted to key strategies for Black, and major sections end with an easy-to-understand summary. The comprehensive coverage extends to transpositions, where Martin reveals a simple method of disarming the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (arising after 2 d4).

Inspirational Games - Running Order - Pawn Structure - Piece Placement - 2 e5 - 2 Nc3 dxe4 3 Nxe4 Qd5! - Blackmar-Diemer Gambit - Third move alternatives: 3 d4, 3 Nf3 - Unusual fourth moves after 3 Nc3 Qa5 - Lines with 4 Bc4 or 4 Nf3 - Lines with 4 d4 Nf6 5 Nf3 c6: White tries 6 Bd3, 6 h3, 6 Bd2 - Main Line with 6 Ne5 Be6 7 Nc4 and 7 Bc4 - 7 Bd3 as in Kasparov-Anand - Main Line 6 Bc4 - 6 Bc4 Bf5 7 Ne5 - 8 Qe2 Bb4 as in Nunn-Hodgson - Summary

Our DVDs are in NTSC format. These will play on most computers and most DVD players. If you are using a computer, you will need a DVD drive and software that will play DVDs (Windows Media Player, for example). If you are using a television and a DVD player, make sure that the DVD player will accept NTSC format (most new PAL DVD players will also accept NTSC DVDs).

Quotes from Reviews of the Video

"Just look at the stunning variety of tactical possibilities revealed on the video screen... a genuine eye opener. Andrew Martin's thoroughly professional approach combined with a lucidly effective teaching technique is a pleasure to listen to and a true bargain for a mere £20..." Otto Hardy, WEEKEND CHESS.

"Several fellow-players have said to me things like 'I can't understand why anyone would want to buy a chess video - surely it is poor value for money compared to a good book on the same subject?'. I think this is to misunderstand fundamentally the nature of the medium. A better comparison would be with an illustrated lecture, or even a private lesson; considered in that light, twenty quid for over two hours of well-prepared tuition from a top-class coach is actually quite a bargain!" Phil Adams.

"....if ever BBC or ITV introduced a 'Chess Match of the Day' we could not wish for a more engaging presenter than Andrew who delivers his running commentary on a string of Scandinavian games in relaxed and friendly fashion, explaining move after move, tactic after tactic, plan after plan in exceptionally lucid style. It even seems as if he is answering all the viewers' questions before they are asked! We hope that Bad Bishop will bring out more such videos and have no doubt whatsoever that viewers will find The Scheming Scandinavian a most enjoyable and effective way of cultivationg a complete defence against 1 e4 - why, even 2 d4 transposing into the Blackmar-Diemer is covered!" CHESS.

"The camera work is very professional, and the ChessBase graphic chess board is well made and pleasant to look at.... take two hours and eighteen minutes of your time and you have enough knowledge to get away with the Scandinavian defence!" John Elburg, CHESS MAIL WEB SITE.

"Dear Sir/Madam, Just thought I would e-mail you to congratulate Andy and your goodselves on an excellent video. Pure value for money ! If the standards set by the first video are maintained I am sure you will have great success. Are you able to inform me of any forthcoming videos in the pipeline? In particular I am looking for a repertoire for white (Isn't everybody !). Thanks." Kevin Bailey.

"More emphasis is now being laid on typical pawn structures and explaining the key ideas in openings books, and it is welcome that such an approach is followed here. Martin also explains all of the moves most likely to be faced at club level, including early alternatives such as the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit with 2 d4. He rightly recognises that many White players will make use of John Emms' excellent Attacking with 1 e4 and so provides good coverage against Emms' recommendation of 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qa5 4 d4 c6 5 Nf3 Nf6 6 Bd2!?. The weaker club player should have no difficulty in learning a complete defence to 1 e4 in one evening with this specific video." Richard Palliser, CHESS MOVES.

"Dear chessfriends, Earlier this week, I bought Andrew Martin's " Scheming Scandinavian" chess video from ' De Beste Zet ' chessbooksellers in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Having good memories of Andrew's earlier chessvideos - very original, and soaked with an easy to follow logic - this new video very much responded to my (high) expectations. Now I am intrigued if you have already planned to do further titles, and what the topics will be. With kind regards." Gerard Welling, The Netherlands.

"The new company called Bad Bishop Ltd is specialising wholly in producing chess videos, elucidating key ideas and themes that will give lower-level players plenty of confidence to quickly take up the opening. The first one to be launched, namely "The Scheming Scandinavian with 2...Qxd5" by IM Andrew Martin, is a top-quality item... prospective video buyers will also be pleased to find a handy pocket-sized booklet, containing around twenty well-selected illustrative games, included with each cassette." Paul Motwani, THE SCOTSMAN.

"Andrew Martin is the ideal man to make this video... after presenting a couple of 'inspirational games' (in which key ideas are discussed) and looking at skeletons of pawn structure and piece placement, Martin systematically goes through all the main variations after 1.e4 d5 (including the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit) and gives good recommendations against all of them. This video gives the buyer everything he can expect. After watching it, the reader is reasonably well-equipped to play the Scandinavian in his own games." Sam Collins, CHESS TODAY.

"As Martin speaks the variations are played out onscreen courtesy of a large nicely coloured board. I found the video surprisingly instructive and entertaining, it easily succeeded its aims of pointing out clearly the ideas and tricks associated with the 1...d5 plan. Many of these games are from 2002 and thus present recent ideas that have been used in master play. I really enjoyed the lessons on resultant pawn structures, positional weaknesses and the Good Knight versus a Bad Bishop." Michael Blake, IECG Newletter.

"I have to confess I was pleasantly surprised. As a schoolteacher I have long appreciated the value of videos as a means of communicating ideas to my pupils... beginners can pick up the basic ideas very quickly without having to plough through masses of text, and I consider this first video to be an excellent step in the right direction." Alan Sutton, EN PASSANT.