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This is a greatly expanded and revised edition of Alburt's Test and Improve Your Chess which includes chapters on the art of evaluating chess positions accurately, specialization (how to gain complete mastery of a specific type of position) and an example of how to make discoveries in an opening; in this case the Benko Gambit. Alburt introduces his concept of chess graphs as a method of tracking and analysing the development of your games and of pin-pointing critical moments. Part 3 of the book features four complete games in which questions about the game position are posed to the reader almost every other move. This method forces you to analyse the book game in a structured way which will carry through to your own over-the-board efforts. Answers are provided at the end. An excellent follow-up to Alburt's Comprehensive Chess Course series. Pub. 2002, softback, 349 pages.
Chess Lessons is a collection originally published as ten training booklets which have been gathered together in this one book. Each lesson contains illustrative examples followed by test positions with solutions. The material increases in difficulty as the book progresses. Chapters include: Back-Rank Combinations, Candidate Moves, The Wrong-Coloured Bishop, Exchanging Pieces, Passed Pawns in the Middlegame, Double Attack, The Process of Elimination, Zugzwang, Improving Piece Position, Trapping a Piece. Grandmaster Artur Yusupov has made a name for himself as trainer, notably for Vishy Anand in his world championship matches against Kasparov and Karpov. He is also well-known as an author, having written several opening books and, most notably, as co-author (with Mark Dvoretsky) of five highly successful instructional works. Pub. 2004, softback, 196 pages.
The author has long been fascinated by the skill that leading players have of finding good moves in any kind of position and so set himself the task of understanding how those moves are found and what are the thought processes which such players use. This book is the result of his studies and he tries to show the reader how to use the same thinking techniques employed by grandmasters. There are many practical examples which demonstrate new ways of looking at chess positions. Topics include "Inverse Thinking", "Technique of Analysing Variations" and "Tactical Ideas in the Middlegame". Each of the 8 chapters concludes with a sets of test positions. Pub. 2002, softback, 128 pages.
Chess is a game of decisions. As well as deciding about which move to play and which plan to adopt, players must also make practical decisions about how to use their clock time and whether to use intuition rather than trying to calculate every line to a finish. Viacheslav Eingorn draws upon his vast experience to provide guidance on how to weigh the various factors in positions and decide on the best course of action. He examines many practical examples and explains how the critical decisions were made, and investigates whether they were correct. Chapters include Individuality and Style, Active Defence, A Feeling for Danger, In Search of an Idea, Mindswap and a test section Analyze This! Pub. 2003, softback, 208 pages.
The premise of this book is that chess is based on a set of dynamic rules that can be explained to and understood by any player, enabling him or her to improve their playing standard. The author argues that most tournament games are won by a better understanding of these basics rather than superior calculation. He goes on to explain these ideas using the games and comments of leading players to illustrate his point. Chapters include: Think Like a Human, Real Chess Players, No Rules? and Unforcing Play. This is a highly original and thought provoking work. Jacob Aagaard is a Danish IM and author of several previous books of high standard. Pub. 2001, softback, 190 pages.
This updated edition of 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures includes a new easy-to-follow layout, 24 additional games (played between 1999 and 2007) and corrections and improvements to the original analysis. The games have been chosen for their instructional and entertainment value, are all relatively recent (post 1970), and almost all played between Grandmaster strength opponents. John Nunn's annotations emphasise the causes of common errors and how best to exploit them. As may be expected with a collection of short games, sharp opening lines are well represented. John Nunn is one of England's most successful Grandmasters and author of numerous acclaimed chess books. Pub. 2007, softback, 255 pages.
In the context of this book 'Dad' means any stronger opponent who regularly beats you! GM Murray Chandler contends that a major difference between strong and weak players is the former use pattern recognition to a far greater extent in their games, thereby reducing the need for excessive amounts of time wasting calculation. They instinctively know how to coordinate their pieces into attacking formations from memory. Here Chandler presents the 50 Deadly Checkmates, all examples of attacking or checkmating patterns which occur regularly in play. Recognition of these patterns can help any player to form an attacking plan quickly and effectively. Plenty of practical advice is combined with diagrammed examples.pub. 1998, hardback, 127 pages.
Resourceful defensive play is a vital factor in competitive success. Here I.M. Colin Crouch explains the basic principles of defence, as developed by Steinitz and his successors, before moving on to a detailed examination of defensive technique in the games of Emanuel Lasker and Tigran Petrosian. Crouch annotates 10 games each from these two World Champions and includes over 20 extra games, featuring other world champions in action. The games have been selected so that a wide range of defensive tasks are in evidence and the great skill of both players is clearly analyzed and explained. An educational and instructive read.pub. 2000, softback, 224 pages.
Of course clear thinking wins chess games but it's not how far ahead you can calculate, rather what you think about and the way you think that counts for most. Here the authors explain some of the thinking methods employed by leading players and, drawing at times on Adriaan de Groot's classic "Thought and Choice in Chess" they offer you techniques to evaluate and improve your own thinking processes. The book is a strong combination of theory and over 200 example positions, with solutions, which you should attempt to analyse, recording your thoughts, in a timed session. The final part examines how to use sports psychology in your preparation and how to cope with stress during play. If you want practical techniques which will help to change the way you think about and play chess then read this! Pub. 2001, softback, 281 pages.
Georgian ICCF Master Paata Gaprindashvili's first book is aimed at trainers and competitive players and is concerned with the processes of chess thinking. He identifies Progressive Thinking, Reciprocal Thinking, Auxiliary Ideas and Imagination as key thinking processes for a chess player and devotes one section of this book to each of these. Each section begins with an introduction to the concept in question followed by a series of diagrammed test positions designed to improve the reader's ability in that area of thought. In all the book contains 756 tests with solutions provided at the end. Pub. 2004, softback, 288 pages.
A highly original coaching manual which emphasises the development of new ways of thinking as a means of re-igniting your chess. GM Tisdall has chapters on The Fabled Tree of Analysis, Stepping Stone Diagrams, The Art of Playing Bad Positions, Pattern Training and the Value of the Pieces. The book is packed with practical and philosophical advice and will help you to approach the games from a new perspective. Grandmaster John Tisdall is a professional player, chess journalist and a chess coach in Norway Pub. 1997, softback, 224 pages.
Feeling up to a challenge? In this highly original and instructive test yourself book, Grandmaster Chris Ward presents a selection of carefully chosen puzzles for you to solve. Hot on the heels of his very successful It’s Your Move and Improvers It’s Your Move, comes It’s Your Move: Tough Puzzles, which this time aims to rack the brains of even the most experienced chess players.
The puzzles might be a bit more difficult this time but, in the same style of the previous two books, the reader is once again helped by the choice of five plausible plans and has to decide which is the most likely to succeed. The answers then identify the most promising plan and explain why the other choices are less attractive. Instead of opting for the traditional check, check, mate ... mate!’ type of puzzles, Ward concentrates on situations which are much more likely to occur in practical games. Pub. 2003, softback, 160 pages.
An updated version of this excellent book in which a series of 14 Grandmasters each annotate two games in depth: one of his own victories and one other game which he has found particularly instructive. This innovative approach results in a book recommended by top Russian trainer Mark Dvoretsky as invaluable study material. The contributors include Mikhail Tal, Viktor Korchnoi, Jon Speelman and Mark Dvoretsky. pub. 1998, softback, 160 pages.
This is the first in a series of four books by one of the world's leading chess coaches in which he reveals the training methods which have enabled many of his pupils to achieve Grandmaster status. In this volume Dvoretsky is concerned mainly with improving the reader's powers of calculation, a factor which is most vital in endgame positions. He uses hundreds of examples, packed with practical advice, questions and test positions in his analysis of adjourned positions, endgames and studies. This is not an easy book, but one which will repay careful study in improved results. Pub. 2001, softback, 260 pages.
The second in this series which reveals the training methods of a top coach. In the first part of this book Dvoretsky examines the art of analysis and suggests methods for developing a player's calculating ability. By means of numerous examples and questions he explains how to develop combinative vision and find the strong moves. In part two he looks at decision making in chess and how to recognise the moment when changing the nature of a position would be beneficial. He discusses the impact of rational and "psychological" move selection and on the problems of attack and defence. Dvoretsky uses many examples from Grandmaster play and his book is packed throughout with questions, on the examples used, and with exercise positions for solving. This is a magnificent book in content and production quality. Pub. 2002, softback, 264 pages.
Volume three of Dvoretsky's training course is aimed at improving your positional understanding. By using examples from his own games and those of his pupils Dvoretsky highlights important concepts as well as demonstrating how to exploit certain motifs such as space advantage, bishop pair, pawn play. The book is packed throughout with practical tips as well as training questions. The material is aimed at experienced players who have already mastered the basics of chess. Russian GM Mark Dvoretsky is one of the world's highest regarded coaches and authors. Pub. 2002, softback, 232 pages.
In volume four of the School of Excellence series Russian coach GM Mark Dvoretsky leads a discussion of general opening problems and also shows how to subject the opening recommendations of others to a critical analysis. Modern opening preparation demands the study of large numbers of games which is not possible for the average reader. Therefore, in part two of the book, the author examines selected key games in various openings and with training questions throughout the text, challenges the reader to interpret the positions and adopt a critical approach to the study of opening theory. He also includes test exercises at regular intervals throughout the book. This series is aimed at experienced players of tournament strength and above as many of the questions used come from Dvoretsky's Moscow training programme. Pub. 2003, softback, 205 pages.
Mikhail Tal once told Alexander Beliavsky, after they had shared victory in the USSR Championship, that Beliavsky calculated well but needed to work on his intuition! Intuition is central to chess decision-making; players who try to calculate everything to a finish are doomed to lose out to those who use their logical and intuitive abilities in harmony. To quote Vishy Anand "Intuition is the first move I think of." In this book, two top level authors have attempted to catagorize intuitive types of decision by using numerous examples from modern play. They offer guidance on the types of positions in which one should rely heavily on intuition, and on those where one ought to be more analytical. They include chapters on various sacrifices, risk, improving piece placement, intuition in the opening and much more. Pub. 2002, softback, 176 pages.
The world's top trainer, Mark Dvoretsky, and one of his best-known pupils, grandmaster Artur Yusupov, present a five-volume series based on courses given to talented young players throughout the world. The books contain contributions by other leading trainers and grandmasters, as well as games by pupils who have attended the courses. In this first volume the reader is shown how to assess his strengths and weaknesses, analyse his own games, and learn from the rich heritage of the past by a study of the chess classics. Over a hundred graded test positions provide ample material for self-improvement. This book is a revised and re-translated edition of the work originally published by Batsford as "Training for the Tournament Player". Pub. 2006, softback, 220 pages.
The three elements which characterize the balance of power in a chess game are material, space and time. The ability to convert an advantage in one element into an advantage in another when necessary is a skill possessed by all great players but one which amateurs find very difficult to master. In this wide-ranging text, filled with examples from tournament play, experienced trainer Drazen Marovic discusses all aspects of chess transformations, enabling readers to sense when they are necessary, and to decide how to bring them about. This understanding will also help them to frustrate their opponents' plans, and put up a resilient defence in difficult positions. Topics include: pseudo-sacrifices, sacrificial risks, real sacrifices, counter-sacrifices, development advantage, overextension, and simplification.Drazen Marovic is a grandmaster from Croatia with a wealth of experience as a writer, editor and television commentator on chess. Pub. 2004, softback, 208 pages.
All too often chessplayers lose by making moves which , deep down, they know are wrong. Why do players commit these chess board sins? How can they be avoided? This book focuses on the psychological traps that are the seven deadly chess sins: Drifting (losing the plot), Perfectionism (ending in time trouble), Egoism (overestimating your chances) ... read it to find out more. An original and thought provoking work from Scotland's newest GM. pub. 2001, softback 208 pages.
A cornucopia of advice on all aspects of the game which Chris Baker has arranged into the order in which they are required! The book starts with pre-game preparation (practical and psychological), moves on to behaviour during the game, clock handling and essential rules and finishes with advice on analysing your results as well as making the best use of computer databases. Baker’s advice is illustrated by practical examples throughout. Chris Baker is an I. M. and coach to the Welsh junior team.pub. 1999, softback, algebraic, 144 pages.
Surprise moves are those which are not natural, obvious or in accordance with the logic of the position. As a consequence they are shocking, brilliant and beautiful, causing the viewer to delve deeper into what it is in a position that makes such moves possible. Author Avni, who finds surprise a fascinating chess concept has gathered together a body of material for this book which contains numerous examples of surprising moves in various phases of the game and differing positions. This is a marvellously enjoyable collection which illustrates the complexity and depth of chess. The author is a FIDE master and psychologist. Pub. 1998, softback, 112 pages.
This book offers a variety of entertaining and instructive exercises in chess skills. The first half contains diagrammed quiz positions to test the reader's ability in all areas of the game: opening, middlegame and endgame. Full, detailed solutions are provided along with a marking scheme. These tests are quite difficult so only a strong player would find the complete solution. The second half of the book has a "How Good is Your Chess" style to it. You are asked to accompany one side through 16 complete games, guessing their moves as the game progresses. Various styles of play and types of game are included and points are awarded for accuracy so you can monitor your progress. An absorbing and enjoyable read. pub. 2000, softback, 160 pages.
A product of the Soviet Chess School, Alex Yermolinsky was a self-admitted slow developer. Eventually he took the advice of his favourite player, Alekhine, and studied his own games in great depth. In this book, which contains many of Yermolinsky’s games, he passes on the insights which he gained and offers advice on how to assess and change your own game. Includes in depth discussion of various opening setups and how to play them, Trend Breaking Tools, The Classics Revisited, Tactical Mastery and Strategic Skills. The author is a Grandmaster and experienced coach having taught Alexander Khalifman and Vladimir Epishin whilst in Russia.pub. 1999, softback, 224 pages.
'The System' is an ambitious book which attempts to develop a strategy for playing chess openings applicable to all opening systems. The author firmly believes that 1.d4 is White’s “correct” opening move and that he has refuted several of Black’s popular defences by applying “System” principles. “The System” is about integrating board control and development into a coherent whole. Thought provoking with practical examples!pub. 1999, softback, 176 pages.
One of the most influential, and best-selling, chess books ever written in which Soviet GM Kotov explains how to analyse, form a plan and develop positional judgement. His methods are based on his own experience of playing at the top level in the former Soviet Union and as a World Championship candidate as well as witnessing the approach of World Champions such as Botvinnik and Smyslov. This is a book which explains not only how Grandmasters think but also how any player can improve their thinking and play. Includes chapters on Analysis, Planning and Positional Judgement. Pub. 1995, softback, 187 pages.
Artur Yusupov formed a training school with Mark Dvoretsky after Dvoretsky had trained him to World Championship candidate level. Their series of books - of which this is one - reveal different aspects of their coaching course. Here they explain how to discover your own strengths and weaknesses, analyze your own games, study the classics and how to form assessments of positions and develop plans. pub. 1993, softback, 189 pages.
GM John Nunn has selected over thirty games to help the reader understand the most important aspects of the chess struggle. Almost every move is explained in clear language and most of the games are from the 1990s featuring today's GMs in action. The book is divided into three parts: Opening Themes, Middlegame Themes and Endgame Themes. A great follow up for those who have read "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy". Pub. 2001, softback, 224 pages.
