McDonald Neil R. (21.01.1967)

English Grandmaster (1996). Graduated in English and American literature. Writer and trainer. Doesn’t play international chess anymore.

The author of Positional Sacrifices (1995), Planning (1995), Modern Chess Miniatures (1995), Winning With the Kalashnikov (1995), Practical Endgame Play (1996), Mastering the French (with Andrew Harley, 1997), Opening Guides: Dutch Leningrad, (1997), The King’s Gambit: A Modern View (1998), French Winawer (2000), Modern Defence (with Jon Speelman, 2000), Main Line Caro-Kann (2001), Concise Chess Openings (2001), Concise Chess Endings (2002), Mastering Chess Tactics (2002), The Sveshnikov Sicilian (2003), Starting Out: The English (2003), Mastering Checkmates (2004), The Benko Gambit Revealed (2004), Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking (2004), Concise Chess Middlegames (2004), The Sicilian Bb5 Revealed (2005), The Art of Planning in Chess: Move By Move(2005), Starting Out: The Dutch Defence (2005), Starting Out: 1 e4: A reliable repertoire for the improving player (2006), Starting Out: Queen’s Gambit Declined (2006), Chess Secrets: The Giants of Strategy: Learn from Kramnik, Karpov, Petrosian, Capablanca and Nimzowitsch (2007), Chess Success: Planning After the Opening (2007), How to Play against 1 e4 (2009), Chess Secrets: The Giants of Power Play: Learn from Topalov, Geller, Bronstein, Alekhine and Morphy(2009), Starting Out: The Réti (2010) and Play the Dutch: An Opening Repertoire for Black based on the Leningrad Variation(2010), The Ruy Lopez: Move by Move (2011), Break the Rules! A Modern Look at Chess Strategy (2012).King’s Indian Attack: Move by Move (2014), The Catalan: Move by Move (2017).

Peak rating: 2490 in 1998