Side Stepping Mainline Theory Gerard Welling ... May 2026

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

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 Side Stepping Mainline Theory Gerard Welling ...

The repertoire is designed to handle nearly everything an opponent can play: The book centers on the Old Indian-Hanham Philidor

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 Instead, it provides a compact system designed to

By using a "mirror image" tabiya for both colors, the authors drastically reduce the amount of theory a player needs to maintain.