Side Stepping Mainline Theory Gerard Welling ... <Top 100 EXCLUSIVE>

The book centers on the Old Indian-Hanham Philidor structure for both Black and White.

It is highly recommended for club players (roughly up to 1500–1600 ELO) who are "time-poor" and want to avoid the "theory arms race". Specific Opening Systems Side Stepping Mainline Theory Gerard Welling ...

by Gerard Welling and Steve Giddins offers a practical, "anti-theory" repertoire for club players. The book argues that amateurs often waste time memorizing complex, grandmaster-level openings that rarely decide their games. Instead, it provides a compact system designed to get players into familiar middlegames quickly, allowing them to focus on tactics, positional understanding, and endgames. Core Repertoire Philosophy The book centers on the Old Indian-Hanham Philidor

By using a "mirror image" tabiya for both colors, the authors drastically reduce the amount of theory a player needs to maintain. The book argues that amateurs often waste time

The repertoire is designed to handle nearly everything an opponent can play: