Book excerpt: Most players prefer to attack, resulting in defensive technique being the weakest part of their game. There are a number of methods of playing against an attacker, which include passive defense, simplification, blockade, stalemate, or a trap. Alternatively a player can defend actively or launch a counterattack. These and many other techniques are described in this thoroughly practical book. Lev Polugaevsky was one of the world's leading grandmasters for nearly three decades. Iakov Damsky was a chess writer and chess commentator for Soviet TV and radio.