Half a century ago I left a country, the red color of which dominated a large portion of the world map. One way or another, the fate of almost every single person described in this book is forever linked with that now none-existent empire. Many of them ended up beyond its borders too. Cultures and traditions, and certainly not least of all a Soviet mentality, couldn't have just left them without a trace. Having been transplanted into a different environment, they had to play the role of themselves apart from certain corrections with regard to the tastes and customs of a new society. Nevertheless, every one of them, both those who left the Soviet Union, and those who stayed behind, were forever linked by one common united phenomenon: they all belonged to the Soviet school of chess. This school of chess was born in the 20's, but only began to count its true years starting in 1945, when the representatives of the Soviet Union dominated an American squad in a team match. Led by Mikhail Botvinnik, Soviet Grandmasters conquered and ruled the world, save for a short Fischer period, over the course of that same half century. In chess as well as ballet, or music, the word "Soviet" was actually a synonym for the highest quality interpretation of the discipline. The Soviet Union provided unheard of conditions for their players, which were the sort of which their colleagues in the West dare not even dream. Grandmasters and even Masters received a regular salary just for their professional qualifications, thereby raising the prestige of a chess player to what were unbelievable heights. It was a time when any finish in an international tournament, aside from first, was almost considered a failure when it came to Soviet players, and upon their return to Moscow they had to write an official explanation to the Chess Federation or the Sports Committee. The isolation of the country, separated from the rest of the world by an Iron Curtain, was another reason why, talent and energy often manifested themselves in relatively neutral fields. Still if with music, cinematography, philosophy, or history, the Soviet people were raised on a strict diet, that contained multiple restrictions, this did not apply to chess. Grandmasters, and Masters, all varied in terms of their upbringing, education, and mentality and were judged solely on their talent and mastery at the end of the day. Maybe that's why the Soviet school of chess was full of such improbable variety not only in terms of the style of play of its representatives, but also their different personality types. Built was a gigantic chess pyramid, at the base of which were school championships, which were closely followed by district ones. Later city championships, regions, republics, and finally-the ultimate cherry on top-the national event itself. The Championships of the Soviet Union were in no way inferior to the strongest international tournaments, and collections of the games played there came out as separate publications in the West. That huge brotherhood of chess contained its very own hierarchy within. Among the millions, and multitudes of parishioners-fans of the game-there were the priests-candidate masters. Highly respected were the cardinals-masters. As for Grandmasters though well...they were true Gods. Every person in the USSR knew their names, and those names sounded with just as much adoration, and admiration as those of the nation's other darlings-the country's best hockey players. In those days the coming of the American genius only served to strengthen the interest and attention of society towards chess, never mind the fact that by that point it had already been fully saturated by it. The presence of tons of spectators at a chess tournament in Moscow as shown in the series "The Queen's Gambit" is in no way an exaggeration. That there truly was the golden age of chess. Under the constant eye, and control of the government, chess in the USSR was closely interwoven with politics, much like everything else in that vanished country. Concurrently, the closed, and isolated society in which it was born only served to enable its development, creating its very own type of culture-the giant world of Soviet chess. I was never indifferent to the past. Today, when there is that much more of it then the future, this feeling has become all the sharper. The faster the twentieth century sprints away from us, and the thicker the grass of forgetting grows, soon enough, and under the verified power of the most powerful engines that world of chess will be gone as well. It was an intriguing, and colorful world, and I saw it as my duty to not let it disappear into that empty abyss. Genna Sosonko, May 2021.

Chess has the rare quality that children love it despite the fact that it is good for them. Playing chess is just like life: you have to make plans, take decisions, be creative, deal with challenges, handle disappointments, interact with others and evaluate your actions. In this guide, psychologist and chess teacher Karel van Delft provides access to the underlying scientific research and presents the best didactical methods. Van Delft has created a dependable toolkit for teachers and scholastic chess organizers. What can teachers do to improve their instruction? How (un)important is talent? How do you support a special needs group? How do you deal with parents? What are the best selling points of a chess program? Boys and girls, does it make a difference? How do chess in schools programs fare in different countries? This is not a book on chess rules and moves, but it points the way to where good technical chess improvement content can be found. Van Delft offers a wealth of practical advice on the most effective didactics in order for kids to build critical life skills through learning chess.

The Barry Attack is a highly aggressive system that arises after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Bf4. Although the concept of the Barry Attack has been known for a century or so, the modern interpretation (as with a number of other dynamic white systems) has mainly been developed by English grandmasters over the past couple of decades. This "modern interpretation" is often not very subtle. If Black provides a target by castling early on the kingside, White will often let rip with moves such as Qd2, Bh6, 0-0-0 and h4-h5, playing very directly for a quick checkmate. If this strikes you as too crude to have a chance against a sophisticated and competent defender, then a quick glance through this book will undoubtedly change your mind. You will witness countless games where very strong players are destroyed on the black side in less than 30 moves. Sometimes a lot less. This makes the Barry an ideal weapon for those who love to attack. Black's defence has to be very accurate. If not, a quick annihilation is on the cards. Play the Barry Attack is the ideal guide to this fascinating opening. Anyone who reads this book carefully and studies all White's attacking ideas will have a fearsome weapon in their armoury.

"Three Moves Ahead" shows how classic chess strategies address the #1 problem of Information Age executives: how to move quickly in the face of incalculable complexities and unexpected change. This witty and novel guide, written for non-players, is packed with scores of real-world examples showing how top CEOs use Grandmaster techniques to win on Wall Street. Readers will see how a "strong square" strategy drove Adobe's rise from niche player to industry giant, as well as Western Union's success through a hundred years of technology changes. They'll learn how AOL has played a crucial "exchange sacrifice" to revive its fortunes, and how Google is taking turf from Microsoft with a "minority attack." Most importantly these days, they'll find out "what to do when you don't know what to do," and avoid the fate of companies like Polaroid, Gateway, and our dearly departed Ma Bell.

"A fun ride from Apprentice to Business Grandmaster. Grab it "--Donald Trump

Bob Rice (Short Hills, NJ) was a long-time partner at Wall Street's prestigious Milbank, Tweed, Hadley, and McCloy. He left to start a software venture that was purchased by Viewpoint, a NASDAQ company of which he later became CEO. He is currently a Managing Partner of Tangent Capital, which structures financial products for hedge funds, and a member of the "New York Angels" venture finance group. Along the way, Bob served as Commissioner of the Professional Chess Association, founded the Wall Street Chess Club, ran numerous international chess events and produced a successful "Speedchess" series for ESPN.

For the first time, an English-speaking audience can ap-preciate the true nature of this famous, classic chess book as this brand-new translation recreates the authors origi-nal intention. Not to have read My System is regarded as a shocking gap in a chess players education, but English speakers had only poor translations that toned down or even deleted many passages because the translators feared Nimzowitschs famous biting wit would be controversial. Nimzowitschs ideas about how to play better chess have had a profound influence on modern chess thinking. It is commonly agreed that almost every chess master in the world has studied Nimzowitschs work. This is the first new English translation in decades. This is the first new English translation in decades and, unlike previous translations, does not censor or dilute the authors writing.

The Sniper - based on a system of development with 1...g6, ...Bg7 and ...c5! - is a dynamic weapon for Black against both 1 e4 and 1 d4. Black allows White to occupy the centre but, in true hypermodern style, strikes back at once. The Sniper is a fascinating opening that can lead to original or barely-known positions in which White is thrown onto his own resources and Black can strive for the initiative. White also has to negotiate a minefield of transpositions, typically into Sicilian, King's Indian or Benko-type positions. Charlie Storey has spent years refining his favourite opening, testing it out successfully against players of all levels. In this book he reveals all his secrets and provides you with everything you need to know about this fascinating opening.

Let's face facts: everyone enjoys winning. And the only thing better than winning is to win quickly! Mistakes are often made in the early part of the game - at all levels of chess - but a key skill is to recognise these critical moments as they happen and to exploit them with maximum efficiency. This is a skill which Grandmaster Simon Williams addresses in this book. Using instructive and entertaining games in which one side wins quickly, he examines all the typical mistakes chess players make in the opening and early middlegame, how you should look to exploit them, and how to avoid falling into similar traps yourself. All too often opponents are let off the hook, mistakes go unpunished and the game drags on. Don't let this happen to you - become a ruthless winner!

Over the years, board games have evolved to include relatable characters, vivid settings and compelling, intricate plotlines. In turn, players have become more emotionally involved-taking on, in essence, the role of coauthors in an interactive narrative. Through the lens of game studies and narratology-traditional storytelling concepts applied to the gaming world-this book explores the synergy of board games, designers and players in story-oriented designs. The author provides development guidance for game designers and recommends games to explore for hobby players.

The Modern Defence leads to sharp and dynamic positions from the very first few moves. Black concedes space in the center with a view to launching a counterattack based on his powerful bishop fianchetto. As leading grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, Mikhail Gurevich and Jon Speelman himself have shown on numerous occasions, when it works, the Modern Defence is truly a spectacular weapon. This book will show you how to put it to use in your own games. (6 x 9, 160 pages, diagrams)

This book by Grandmaster David Bronstein, one of the most original and influential players of the post-war period, is not a self-tutor in the conventional sense, where the basics of opening, middlegame and endgame play are drily explained. Instead, the author engages in a frank conversation with the reader, discussing how strong players decide on their moves

Improve your ability to take calculated risks! In order to win a game of chess you very often have to sacrifice material. Gathering the courage to do so while accurately assessing the potential benefits is a real challenge. The big question is always: whats my compensation? Generations of chess players grew up with the idea that a sacrifice was correct if the material was swiftly returned, with interest. Almost by reflex, they spent lots of time counting, quantifying the static value of their pieces. But is that really the best way to determine the correctness of a sacrifice? In this book, Grandmaster Davorin Kuljasevic teaches you how to look beyond the material balance when you evaluate positions. With loads of instructive examples he shows how the actual value of your pieces fluctuates during the game, depending on many non-material factors. Some of those factors are space-related, such as mobility, harmony, outposts, structures, files and diagonals. Other factors are related to time, and to the way the moves unfold: tempo, initiative, a threat, an attack. Modern chess players need to be able to suppress their need for immediate gratification. In order to gain the upper hand you often have to live with uncertain compensation. With many fascinating examples, Kuljasevic teaches you the essential skill of taking calculated risks. After studying Beyond Material, winning games by sacrificing material will become second nature to you.

The main part of the book is divided into exercises and solutions, with 110 positions taken from double fianchetto games. I have divided the exercises into chapters, with each chapter featuring games by players who have deployed the double fianchetto quite often. You will find a lot of typical motifs used by these players.

The Kan is an ideal choice as an opening weapon against 1 e4, as it is one of the easiest variations of the Sicilian to learn and play. This is because, unlike some variations of the Sicilian, you don't need to memorize loads of opening theory in order to be successful. The Kan is relatively theory free in the traditional sense, and success is more likely to occur through the understanding of development systems and a deep study of the tactical and positional ideas for both sides.In this book Johan Hellsten draws upon his vast experience in the Sicilian Kan, revealing his secrets and showing how Black can adopt this opening and play it with confidence. He provides the reader with a dependable repertoire, demonstrating what to do in the main lines as well as how to deal with White's tricky alternatives. *Detailed coverage of an easy-to-play Sicilian*Includes answers to all of White's main options*Written by a renowned Kan expert Johan Hellsten is a Grandmaster and a former Swedish Champion who has represented his country in numerous Olympiads and team tournaments. He has enjoyed many tournament successes and has won individual gold and bronze medals at the European Team Championships. He is currently employed as the chess teacher at the Universidad de Tarapaca in Arica, Chile. This is his first book for Everyman Chess.

The Samisch variation is a powerful method to counter the popular King's Indian Defence. The key move is the advance f2-f3, consolidating White's central space advantage and limiting Black's options for counterplay. In the traditional Samisch White develops the queen's bishop on e3 but in the modern version, as explored in this book, the move Bg5 is preferred. This creates further problems for Black as the natural King's Indian counter ... e7-e5 allows White a potentially strong pin against the f6-knight, while chasing the bishop with ... h6 and ... g5 creates kingside weaknesses. ----- * Learn to play the Modern Samisch with confidence --- * Emphasis on plans and strategies * Written by an expert on the Modern Samisch

There is no easier way to win a game of chess than by luring your opponent into a devious trap. Similarly, there's nothing worse than being the one on the receiving end. Tricks, traps and swindles lie in wait everywhere, especially so in the opening phase of the game, and many battles can be won or saved simply through learning and mastering the most important ones.In this instructive and fun book, Gary Lane looks back though chess history and at modern times to create a list of his own favourite tricks and traps. Selecting from hundreds of contenders, Lane examines a variety of factors in order to decide which ideas are most worthy of inclusion. Discover the stories behind the most cunning tricks and traps of all time; how you can utilize them to score easy wins; and how you can avoid being tricked yourself. *An entertaining guide to the best ever tricks and traps*Invaluable advice from a seasoned tournament player*Ideal for players of all levels Gary Lane is an International Master and an experienced and successful player on the international tournament circuit. He qualified to compete at the World Cup in 2005 and is a former Commonwealth Champion. A prolific and popular chess writer, he is also a respected chess coach who has been involved in training some of England and Australia's top junior players.

Fun Scrabble word puzzles, games and activities for kids aged 8+ Make learning to spell fun with the new series of activity books from Scrabble! Taking inspiration from the classic board game that always spells F-U-N, children will practise word building skills, improve vocabulary and gain confidence with spelling. * Fun, friendly activities from anagrams and crosswords to letter-links and word searches * Engaging for children with bright, colourful pictures * Perfect for practising English at home (c)2022 Mattel. SCRABBLE (TM) and SCRABBLE tiles, including S1 tiles, are trademarks of Mattel

The French Defence is renowned for its resilience and tenacity, and is considered to be one of Black's most reliable answers to 1 e4. Indeed, many White players become frustrated in their attempts to prove an advantage and make headway against Black's ultra-solid formation.In "How to Beat the French Defence," Andreas Tzermiadianos meets this difficult challenge head on. He advocates his favourite weapon against the French - the Tarrasch Variation. Drawing upon his wealth of playing experience and study of this line, Tzermiadianos reveals an abundance of opening ideas and novelties, and provides the reader with a complete repertoire which is aimed at posing Black serious problems. Read this book and you will be able to fight the French Defence with renewed confidence and vitality. *Covers all of Black's possibilities*Details typical plans for both sides*Written by a French Tarrasch specialist

The Modern Defence is a dynamic, ambitious and universal opening, one that can be used against virtually every system White can play. Black's provocative strategy is based upon allowing White to construct an imposing pawn centre in the anticipation that a well-timed strike will bring about its downfall. Both sides can play for high rewards, albeit at some risk: White can hope to succeed with a direct attack or to squash Black with a space advantage, while Black will aim to destroy White's centre and mop up the remains. All in all this can lead to intriguing battles in which one slip from either side is often fatal. In this book, Nigel Davies studies the Modern by going back to basics, introducing the key moves and ideas, and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them - something that has often been neglected or taken for granted.Everyman Chess's "Starting Out" series has firmly established itself as the leading guide to studying openings for up-and-coming players. These" "books are distinguished by their easy-to-read layout, the lucid explanations of the fundamentals, and the abundance of notes, tips and warnings to help the reader absorb vital ideas. "Starting Out" opening books are ideal for enthusiastic chess players who have little experience of the openings in question and who wish to appreciate the essential principles behind them. *Written by a renowned Modern expert*All the main lines are covered*Ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players

In this collection of his best games, former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik demonstrates the deep strategic style that took him to the title . Written by one of the greatest players of all time . Contains 90 annotated games from Botvinnik's career . Includes victories over Capablanca, Alekhine, Smyslov, Tal and Petrosian . Incorporates background material on key personalities and events Mikhail Botvinnik (1911-1995) made a unique impression on chess history. After victories at Moscow 1935 (shared with Flohr) and Nottingham 193 (shared with Capablanca), Botvinnik won the 'absolute championship' of the USSR in 1941 before the war interrupted all chess activity. After winning the match/tournament of 1948 to decide Alekhine's successor, Botvinnik held the world championship (apart form two brief interludes) until 1963 and retired from active play in 1970, after which he devoted himself to coaching young players 9his list of former pupils include Garry Kasparov) and developing a chess-playing computer program.

Do you need a well-deserved break from your normal chess openings? Are you tired of constantly having to keep up with modern chess theory? Or perhaps you simply wish to try out something new and inspiring, but cannot decide amongst the embarrassment of choices available? Look no further for the answer! In "Dangerous Weapons: 1 e4 e5", renowned opening experts John Emms, Glenn Flear and Andrew Greet take a revolutionary look at one of the most famous and widely-played chess openings. Instead of travelling down well-trodden and analysed paths, the authors concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover! "Dangerous Weapons" is an exciting series of opening books which supply the reader with an abundance of hard-hitting ideas to revitalize his or her opening repertoire. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking, incredibly tricky, or have been unfairly discarded; they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponent off balance. It discusses Open Games in a whole new light. It is packed with original ideas and analysis. It is ideal for ambitious and adventurous players.

Are you tired of playing the same old openings time and time again? Fed up with constantly having to keep up with modern chess theory? Or perhaps you simply wish to play something new and inspiring, but cannot decide between the numerous options available? Don't despair - help is on hand! In "Dangerous Weapons: The Queen's Gambit", opening experts Richard Palliser, Glenn Flear and Chris Ward team up to investigate one of the most popular openings in chess history, but in a revolutionary way. They concentrate on little-explored and fun-to-play variations of the Queen's Gambit, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colours. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover! "Dangerous Weapons" is an exciting series of opening books which supply the reader with an abundance of hard-hitting ideas to revitalize his or her opening repertoire. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking, incredibly tricky, or have been unfairly discarded; they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponent off balance. It features large array of opening weapons for both White and Black. It explains The Queen's Gambit in a completely new light. It is ideal for ambitious and adventurous players.

Benjamin Katz is a renowned chess coach with over 20 years experience coaching students of all ability levels throughout the United States. He has helped numerous students improve and achieve chess success. This book details the training program he has developed based on this extensive experience. It cultivates the core skill set required to advance beyond the basics in chess. Included are key strategies, basic endgame positions and techniques, information on what to do when you're stuck, how to convert an advantage, and a high-level opening repertoire for both black and white. There are also numerous practical exercises that utilize a combination of recent examples from the games of Benjamin's students, as well as games played by the top players in the world, both contemporary and from the game's history. Benjamin Katz is a National Chess Master and the co-founder of Growing Minds Chess Academy, a progressive chess instruction company in New York City that incorporates the latest in modern educational theory with tried and trusted approaches to chess learning.

Win at Chess is the ultimate beginner's guide to this complex tactical game. You will quickly get to grips with the pieces, basic moves and elementary tactics - to help you develop your strategy and win. You will build your skill and learn how to exploit your opponent's strengths and weaknesses to ultimately force checkmate. The book is packed with new interactive features which include tips and commentaries on historic games and exercises for the reader. It won't overburden you with too many complex ideas too quickly, but will build your understanding and confidence in simple steps. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of chess. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.