What it teaches
Yugoslav master and editor Vladimir Vuković wrote the book that generations of attacking players learned from. It is a systematic study of attacking the enemy king: when an attack is justified, how many pieces you need, and which typical sacrifices break open a castled position. The famous chapter on the classic bishop sacrifice on h7 (the "Greek gift") lays out exactly when it works and when it fails, and later chapters cover attacks against the uncastled king, the fianchettoed king, and positions with opposite-side castling.
Vuković supports every principle with examples from master games, and his analysis explains the logic of the attack rather than simply admiring its brilliance.
Who it's for
Intermediate and advanced club players, roughly 1400 to 2100. Beginners will enjoy the games but may find the explanations dense.
How to get the most from it
Play through the examples slowly and try to predict the sacrifice before it happens. Afterward, look for these exact attacking setups in your own openings, especially the h7 sacrifice.
Key takeaways
- Attack only when you have more attackers near the king than it has defenders.
- The bishop sacrifice on h7 works only under specific conditions; learn them.
- With opposite-side castling, speed matters more than material.
- Open lines toward the king are the fuel of every attack.
Read next
Learn the mating patterns attacks aim for in The Art of Checkmate, and see an attacker's genius in The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal.
