Soltis has tackled the difficult question of "What does best mean?" by establishing five criteria (aesthetic quality, originality, level of opposition, accuracy and depth) against which to judge the games. From an initial pool of 7000 games these 100 have been awarded marks based on the criteria mentioned. All the game scores are included in full with annotations and diagrams. A brief introduction to each game offers anecdotal and biographical information on the players involved. Also included are chapters on "Near Misses" and "The Most Overrated Games". Beautifully bound with indexes of players and openings. pub. 2000, hardback, 265 pages.
This product is included in our 10% discount offer for orders of 2 or more qualifying books & CD or DVD products!
These games, by lesser known Soviet masters, were taken from Soviet chess magazines and annotated by the author. The games are arranged by tactical theme and contain many beautiful, sacrificial attacks. Above all they are a celebration of energetic play. In descriptive notation. pub. 2000, softback, 190 pages.
Over 100 games played between 1939 and 1945 annotated by one of the greatest chess players and writers of all time. The games are arranged according to opening and feature such players as Reshevsky, Capablanca, Keres, Najdorf and, of course, Alekhine.pub. 1992, softback, descriptive, 256 pages.
This is a tremendous collection of 500 games ranging over 150 years of play featuring many classic masterpieces and players from Anderssen and Morphy to Euwe and Botvinnik. Tartakower's annotations are witty, extensive, to-the-point and full of anecdotal information. The games are arranged according to opening and cover the whole range from open to closed games. The book includes extensive contents and index sections. Originally published as three separate books, now bound into one volume. In English descriptive notation (1.P-K4 etc.) pub. 1975, softback, descriptive, 675 pages.
This is a collection of 1640 brilliancy prize winning games, one from each tournament, played between 1876 and 1995. Some of the most fabulous games ever played are included, featuring the world's top players from every era. Includes indexes of openings and players. pub. 1996, softback, algebraic, 441 pages.
A classic of it's kind in which GM Jan Timman analyses 24 top level games in tremendous depth. Timman analysed these games as part of his preparation for gaining the GM title It is well known that in-depth study of a few games is more beneficial than a brief scan through thousands.pub. 1997, softback, 207 pages.
This posthumously published book by the late Hungarian GM Attila Schneider is a collection of entertaining games featuring beautiful and characteristic checkmates given by the different pieces. In addition to the author's own idiosyncratic annotations he has interspersed the book with quotes from various authors, philosophers and playwrights, making for a highly original read. Pub. 2003, softback, 200 pages.
British amateur player Alan Phillips has enjoyed a "career" of over 60 years playing chess. His competitive high point was finishing joint first in the 1954 British Championship and thus gaining a place on the England team at the 1956 Moscow Olympiad. For this book he has selected 200 of his favourite games, featuring himself and his contemporaries, spanning the period from 1938 to 2000. The cream of British chess are represented here including Alexander, Milner-Barry, Golombek, Penrose, Hartston etc. Phillips has added his own light annotations and included 20 pages of photographs of people he has known. Includes indexes of players and openings. A nicely produced memento of post-war English chess. Pub. 2003, softback, 144 pages.
10th U.S. Correspondence Champion Jon Edwards presents a collection of his games stretching over a decade which culminated in him winning his title. All the games are annotated with wit & humour, conveying the experiences of a top CC player. pub. 1998, softback, algebraic, 154 pages.
This entertaining romp through the history of chess brilliancy prize games takes a critical look at over 200 masterpieces spanning many decades. Computer analysis has been used to show that, sometimes, all this brilliance wasn't strictly necessary even if it is greatly entertaining. Chapter 1 looks at Brilliancy and it's Myth, whilst chapters 2 and 4 re-examine some great games from the past. The main part of the book comprises many stunning games taken from the Informator "Best Game" award which are voted for by an international panel. Many of these have annotations by the winners. An inspirational work by Russian chess player and journalist Iakov Damsky. Pub. 2002, softback, 224 pages.
A collection of about 300 games of 10 moves or less arranged into chapters by tactical motif and accompanied by the zany comments of Hungarian GM Schneider. Mainly for entertainment but some sneaky opening traps are encountered along the way.pub. 2000, softback, 160 pages.
25 games played between a master and amateurs of varying skill, chosen, arranged and annotated by ex World Champion Max Euwe and Walter Meiden, a typical amateur. The result is a series of instructive examples of how a master differs in thinking and play from the ordinary player. A classic of chess instruction. 1994, softback, descriptive notation, 347 pages.
Purdy became widely known as a brilliant chess annotator and teacher through his writings in the Australian magazine Chess World in the 1950s. Now his articles are being re-issued in algebraic notation. This volume contains games from world championships, international events and Australian events but really it is the notes rather than the games which are important as Purdy explains the reasons behind the moves and ideas of top players. Finally there are 13 articles written by Purdy on understanding some important aspects of chess thinking and strategy. Pub. 2001, softback. 252 pages.
Purdy became widely known as a brilliant chess annotator and teacher through his writings in the Australian magazine Chess World in the 1950s. Now his articles are being re-issued in algebraic notation. This volume contains games from international events and from events in New Zealand and Australia but really it is the notes rather than the games which are important as Purdy explains the reasons behind the moves and ideas of top players. The book reads as a primer on many important aspects of chess thinking and strategy. Pub. 2006, softback, 201 pages.
This magnificent compilation of chess forms the basis of the first part of Garry Kasparov's definitive history of the World Chess Championship. Kasparov, who is (almost) universally acclaimed as the greatest chessplayer ever, subjects the play of his predecessors to a rigorous analysis in the 148 games included in this book. Part one features the play of champions Wilhelm Steinitz (1886-1894), Emanuel Lasker (1894-1921), Jose Capablanca (1921-1927) and Alexander Alekhine (1927-1935 and 1937-1946) as well as looking at "Chess Before Steinitz" Kasparov also finds space to show some games of unsuccessful pretenders to the title such as Chigorin, Rubinstein, Reti, Marshall, Nimzowitsch and Tarrasch. He places each champion in their historical and cultural context as well as explaining how their individual style advanced the development of the game as a whole. Pub. 2003, hardback, 464 pages.
The battle for the World Chess Championship has witnessed numerous titanic struggles, which have engaged the interest not only of chess enthusiasts but also of the public at large. The chessboard is the ultimate mental battleground and the world champions themselves are supreme intellectual gladiators.
This magnificent compilation of play from the early days of chess forms the basis of the second part of Garry Kasparov's definitive history of the World Chess Championship. Garry Kasparov, who is universally acclaimed as the greatest chess player ever, subjects the play of his early predecessors to a rigorous analysis.
This volume features the play of champions Max Euwe (1935-1937), Mikhail Botvinnik (1946-1957, 1958-1961 and 1961-1963), Vassily Smyslov (1957-1958), and Mikhail Tal (1960-1961)
However, this book is more than just a compilation of play of the early greats of chess. Kasparov's biographies of the early champions places them in a fascinating historical, political and cultural context. Kasparov explains how each champion brought his own distinctive style to the chessboard and enriched the theory of the game with new ideas.
All these games have been thoroughly reassessed with the aid of modern software technology and the new light this sheds on these classic masterpieces is fascinating.
Garry Kasparov is generally regarded as the greatest chess player ever. He was the thirteenth World Champion, holding the title between 1985 and 2000. His tournament record is second to none, featuring numerous wins in the world's major events, often by substantial margins. Over the last few years, Kasparov has taken first prize in ten consecutive major international events. Pub. 2003, hardback, 480 pages.
Volume three in the series examines the play of former World Champions Tigran Petrosian (1963-69) and Boris Spassky (1969-72). Garry Kasparov has subjected the games of these two of his predecessors to a rigorous analysis, often overturning previously held opinions about some of their most famous creations. He also explains how each of these champions impressed their own style on world chess and he puts their achievements into the cultural and political context of their time. Contains in depth analysis by the player many believe to be the strongest of all time! A worthy continuation of this excellent series. Pub. 2004, hardback, 332 pages.
In this book, a must for all serious chessplayers, Garry Kasparov analyses in-depth over 50 of Bobby Fischer's greatest games and assesses the legacy of this great American genius. The author is the world number one and, by common consent, the greatest player ever. The subject of the book is the only American to have become world champion and is probably the greatest natural talent the world has ever seen. In the first part of the book Kasparov also analyses the games of other Westerners who challenged the Soviet domination of chess: Samuel Reshevsky, Miguel Najdorf and Bent Larsen. In each case the games are put into their historical context and their importance to the player's career explained. Recently new light has been shed on Fischer's background and the political repercussions of his rise to fame by the release of documents from both the ex Soviet Union and FBI files and this is reflected in the biographical material included here. The book is both an outstanding contribution to chess history and a wonderful collection of games annotated by one of the World's greatest ever players. Contains 107 games in all. Pub. 2004, hardback, 496 pages.
This book, the fifth in Garry Kasparov's magnificent history of the World Chess Championship, catalogues the "post-Fischer" period in the 1970's and early 1980's This period was dominated by Anatoly Karpov (world champion from 1975-1985) and his three-time challenger, Viktor Korchnoi. Anatoly Karpov gained the right to challenge Bobby Fischer for the world title by winning through the Candidates series in 1974. As is well known, Fischer refused to defend the title and in 1975 Karpov became champion by default. Although he did not have to contest a Championship match to gain the title, Karpov proved that he was a worthy champion by winning virtually every major tournament over the next decade. In this book, a must for all serious chessplayers, Kasparov analyses, in depth Karpov's greatest games and assesses the legacy of this great Russian genius. Also under the microscope are the games of Viktor Korchnoi, who was at his peak during this period and twice challenged Karpov for his world title. Pub. 2006, hardback, 480 pages.
Includes eighty of the most exemplary short games in the history of chess annotated by the author and with diagrams throughout. All the greats from Tarrasch to Tal are represented in this celebration of tactical play. In descriptive notation. Pub. 1996(61) softback, descriptive notation, 221 pages.
Igor Stohl
Igor Stohl has selected 50 outstanding games from recent years and annotated them in painstaking depth. Stohl is a theoretical expert so the opening phase of each game reads like a lesson in the opening played with an up-to-date survey of current trends. Middlegames are dissected meticulously in the quest for truth whilst the endgame phase is examined to reveal the technique of the modern player. An excellent read for anyone interested in the way modern players approach the game. Pub. 2001, softback, 320 pages.
Sixty two of the greatest games of all time annotated by one of the game's most popular writers. Each game is a masterpiece of some aspect of chess strategy from rook endings to middlegame pawn play and crushing attacks. Almost every move is explained by the author in a way comprehensible to readers of all standards and the book features players such as Steinitz, Petrosian, Tarrasch & Botvinnik showing how to turn theory into practice and win beautiful games. All the games featured were played between 1873 and 1961 and the book is in English descriptive notation (1.P-K4 etc.) Pub. 1992 (orig 1965), softback, 279 pages.
This book is an opportunity to see the attacking style of some of the world's leading and most active players. GM Jan Timman annotates three games each from eleven attacking players including Topalov, Shirov, Anand, Kasparov, Karpov and Short. The games were played in the last 25 years and offer an insight into the way top Grandmasters build up an attack against tough opposition. In addition to the complete games Timman has also annotated 33 game fragments which he found noteworthy for their brilliance, originality and modern attacking ideas. This is a nice game collection containing some spectacular chess. Jan Timman is a Dutch Grandmaster, former World Championship candidate and Editor-in-chief of New in Chess Magazine. Pub. 2006, softback, 235 pages. Reviews of this book
Over 2000 games won in 13 moves or less. This book provides a comprehensive guide to the pitfalls to be found in every opening. Games are arranged according to opening.pub. 1998, softback, algebraic, 224 pages.
The author, a correspondence chess master, annotates 26 readers' games sent to him. The players range from Grandmasters to club players and the games are arranged according to five themes: Development, Exchanging, Pawn Play, Endings and Attacks. Gerzadowicz's entertaining and instructive notes and the range of openings covered make this a valuable source of ideas for aspiring players. Pub. 1995, softback, 157 pages.
Chernev offers his nomination of 12 best players who ever lived (Capablanca, Alekhine, Lasker, Fischer, Botvinnik, Petrosian, Tal, Smyslov, Spassky, Bronstein, Rubinstein and Nimzowitsch) and includes 115 of their best games, annotated in his lively style, in this magnificently entertaining volume. Together with photographs and brief biographies of each player these marvellous games make up one of the best chess books ever written. In English descriptive notation. (1.P-K4, N-KB3; etc.) Pub. 1995, softback, 223 pages.
This book by International Grand Master Yasser Seirawan provides a move-by-move account of the best chess games of the last 25 years, played by the world’s foremost chess competitors. With an authoritative voice that is by turns poetic and analytical, Seirawan serves as host of a fascinating excursion of the most brilliant chess game, providing highlights into and explanations of each and every move.
Seirawan begins each game with a description of the historical atmosphere of the chess world - and sometimes the world at large - at the time the game was played. When he delves into the game itself, he starts with the reasoning behind the opening moves. From there he provides both a play-by-play description of the game and an analytical commentary, all the while examining the moves in terms of place development and possible tactical and strategic opportunities. Along the way, a handful of the players are profiled in biographies.
In WINNING CHESS BRILLIANCIES you’ll get a taste of the most dazzling chess combinations devious strategies, and downright cruel blows as world champions risk it all! This book is truly a celebration of the sport of chess. Pub. 2003, softback, 267 pages.
Microsoft Press edition
In WINNING CHESS BRILLIANCIES you’ll get a taste of the most dazzling chess combinations devious strategies, and downright cruel blows as world champions risk it all! This book is truly a celebration of the sport of chess. Pub. 1995, softback, 266 pages.
Zenon Franco has regularly annotated top-level games for more than a quarter of a century. He has drawn upon this vast experience to present 50 hugely instructive games illustrating a wide variety of chess ideas. Key themes are illustrated by several games, so that we gain a well-rounded appreciation of the relevant ideas, and develop foresight that will enable us to make the right decisions at the board by anticipating problems before they arise. Topics include: Pawn Sacrifice, Exchange Sacrifice, The Art of Manoeuvring, The Second Weakness, Permanent vs. Temporary Advantages, Regrouping, 'Strange' Exchanges, Denying the Opponent Squares, and The Central Breakthrough.
Zenon Franco is a grandmaster from Paraguay who now lives in Spain. He is an experienced chess trainer, his most notable pupil being Paco Vallejo, now one of the world's top grandmasters, whom he taught from 1995 to 1999. Pub. 2006, softback, 191 pages.
Mr. Paul M. Albert, Jr. has been donating over $2000 per year to the most brilliantly played at both the Women's and Men's United States Championships for over 20 years. This book presents, describes and illustrates the most significant examples, with emphasis on what can be learned from them in terms of winning a won game. This book aims to enable chessplayers to better recognize their positional advantages and the ways in which these can be used in order to bring them closer to victory. Contains 64 annotated games from U.S. Championships dated between 1984 and 2003. Pub. 2004, softback, 208 pages.
Grandmaster Fine has selected the best games ever played from the age of Labourdonnais and Staunton through to Fischer and Karpov. He has annotated each game and intersperses the text with anecdotes and background material on those players he knew personally. Contains over 100 games arranged chronologically under player name page headings. In English descriptive notation (P-K4 etc.) Pub. 1976, softback, 397 pages.
For this updated edition of a bestseller, the hundred and twelve greatest chess games spanning two centuries have been selected, analyzed and re-evaluated by a team of top British authors including Grandmasters John Nunn and John Emms. The book also includes brief biographies of every player involved and over 900 diagrams. Some of the most spectacular and instructive games ever played are to be found in this fantastic value-for-money volume. Pub. 2004, softback, 623 pages.
