This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practicing of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge. The Old Indian has a well-deserved reputation as a sound defense to 1 d4. Black employs an easy-to-learn system of development, seizes a firm foothold in the center and aims to create counterplay from a solid platform. In this book, Old Indian expert Junior Tay invites you to join him in studying the opening and its many variations. Using illustrative games, Tay highlights the tactical and positional ideas for both sides, provides repertoire options for Black and offers answers all the key questions. This book will tell you everything you need to know about playing the Old Indian Defense. *Essential guidance and training in the Old Indian *Offers repertoire options for Black *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

Grandmaster Simon Williams has played the Classical Dutch for over twenty years. It remains his favourite opening and has featured in some of his greatest individual results, including a win over World Championship finalist Boris Gelfand. In this book, Williams examines the Classical Dutch in great depth. He also presents a complete repertoire for Black with the Dutch Defense, which is based on his own repertoire he has used successfully at grandmaster level for many years. As well as presenting the latest theory and revealing his new ideas in the key lines, Williams highlights the main tactical and strategic ideas for both sides and covers important issues such as move orders. Each chapter includes a series of tests at the end, so that readers are able to assess how well they have understood the main concepts. This books tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing the Classical Dutch. *A Dutch repertoire against 1 d4, 1 c4 and 1 Nf3*Written by a world-renowned Classical Dutch expert *Packed with new ideas and critical analysis

In this highly original and instructive test-yourself book, Chris Ward presents a selection of 50 carefully chosen puzzles for you to solve. In a welcome departure from the usual 'White to play and mate in three' scenarios, he focuses on the type of critical situations that occur in nearly every game. The reader is given a choice of five plausible plans for each position and has to decide which is the most likely to succeed. The puzzles aren't easy - but then chess isn't a simple game! (5 7/8 x 8 1/4, 144 pages, diagrams)

The 1999 World Championship in Las Vegas produced a surprise winner - after a month-long battle, the Russian grandmaster Alexander Khalifman emerged from this grueling knock-out event to become the 14th FIDE World Champion. Alexander Khalifman has been competing in the higher echelons of world chess for many years. He is a player with a broad opening repertoire and a distinctive style, one of his favorite stratagems being the sacrifice of material for long-term positional compensation. A former European Junior Champion and a winner of numerous Russian and international tournaments, he has recently founded a grandmaster chess school in his native St. Petersburg. (6 3/4 x 9 3/4, 208 pages, diagrams)

Chessplayers wishing to improve their performance typically seek to deepen their middlegame understanding or to increase their endgame knowledge. Often, however, the real key to improvement lies not in learning additional ideas and positions, but in developing a more effective thinking process at the board. In The Improving Chess Thinker, acclaimed chess instructor Dan Heisman compares how chessplayers of different strengths ranging from beginner to International Master approach analytical positions. From this, he draws lessons that will help players at each level to avoid typical flaws in their thought process and to move up to the next level. Basing his work on more than four decades of testing volunteers, Heisman offers solutions to difficult practical issues such as deciding how much time to spend on a move; what to do while the opponent s clock is running; and when to stop analyzing a line. In this book, ambitious players will find insight into what s been holding them back, while coaches will find powerful new teaching tools."

Viswanathan Anand is undoubtedly one of the World's greatest ever chess players. He first shot to fame in his youth, when he enthralled the chess public with his results and his amazing speed of play. He became India's first ever grandmaster, at the age of eighteen. He has won five World Championships, and was the undisputed World Champion from 2007 to 2013. He's been the World number one ranked player and one of the very few to break the 2800 rating barrier. His renowned versatility has help him to become successful in all forms of the game: tournament play, match play, knockout and rapidplay. In this book, Grandmaster Zenon Franco examines in detail Anand's chess career to date. He selects and studies his favourite Anand games, and demonstrates clearly how we can all improve our chess by learning from Anand's play. Move by Move provides an ideal platform to study chess. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to improve your chess skills and knowledge. *Learn from the games of a chess legend *Important ideas absorbed by continued practice *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

Anyone who plays 1 e4 as White must be prepared not only for Black's main defences but also an assortment of less popular lines. These, when taken together, represent a significant percentage of the replies you can expect to meet when opening 1 e4. Dealing with these slightly offbeat variations is often a daunting task, especially since your opponents are likely to be specialists in these lines and therefore know them inside out. This book provides the perfect solution. International Master Andrew Greet gets to grips with each of these tricky openings. He identifies how to exploit their weaknesses whilst avoiding their strengths, thus constructing a practical and dependable repertoire for White. This book covers everything a 1 e4 player needs to know about facing these defences. Written by a renowned opening expert, this book features full of original ideas and analysis. It is ideal for improvers, club players and tournament players.

"Chess Rules of Thumb" gives you the winning principles of chess in clear, short statements. Three-time US Champion Lev Alburt and World Chess Hall of Fame Curator Al Lawrence have put together three centuries of insights from the masters. Fun to browse or to read from cover-to-cover, it's a book that all chess playersfrom beginners to grandmasterslwiull enjoy for a lifetime. Like life, chess has its rules. The difference that your parents probably didn't tell you about chess. "Never cross the street before looking both ways." "Never discuss portable explosives in the airport security line." "Never overthrow the cut-off man." "Never download email from someone you don't know." "Never take the queen's knight pawn." Save hours of head-scratching and uncertainty in your own games and understand why the masters make the moves they do: "The worst square for a White knight is b.2." "With rook vs. two knights, exchanging queens is worth a pawn." "Never capture the b.2 pawn with the queen." "Rooks united on the seventh are blind pigs." "The winner is the one who commits the next-to-last mistake." Backed up with diagrams and illustrations to help you remember key principles, a glossary of essential chess terms and a rundown on all major openings, "Chess Rules of Thumb" will improve your chess play. And it's great fun to read "Never buy a chess book that isn't fun "

Before you is the tournament book of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021. The event that has been won in sensational fashion by the young Dutch grandmaster Jorden van Foreest. In a tiebreak in the third blitz game, he was just a bit faster of his compatriot Anish Giri. The barrage was necessary because both players very surprisingly ended with the wonderful score of 81/2 out of 13 in joint first place. With this they had left behind, among others, World Champion Magnus Carlsen (71/2) and the number two in the world, Fabiano Caruana (8). An unprecedented achievement, because the tournament in Wijk aan Zee is sometimes called the "Wimbledon of chess" of the elite tournaments. After the last round, in which Van Foreest in a formidable way had left the Swede Nils Grandelius chanceless, it was waiting for the game between the Spaniard David Anton Guijarra and Anish Giri. Our compatriot was in a bad position, lost perhaps, but he managed to free himself from the tangled position and gain an important half point. It was decided beforehand that a tiebreak would be held, consisting of at least two blitz games. Should these result in a 1-1 score, an Armageddon game would be played. This turned out to be a nervous and blood-curdling fight, with the pieces flying around. In the end the younger OF the two, Jorden van Foreest, emerged victorious and thus the young Groninger booked the greatest success of his still young career. Apart from the commotion in the Dutch seaside resort of Wijk aan Zee, where the tournament was held - under strict corona rules - the whole of the Netherlands rose to its feet when this great result became known. Hadn't we had to wait since 1985, when Jan Timman won the Hoogovens chess tournament, for a Dutch chess player to stand on the highest podium? And now it was even two players from this country who could dispute together who would take the highest honor

I have aimed to find a good balance of verbal explanations without ignoring the hardcore variations you have to know. In case you find some of the analyses a bit too long, don't be discouraged! They have been included mainly to illustrate the thematic ideas and show in which direction the game develops once the theoretical paths have been left. That's why I have actually decided to cover 37 games in their entirety, rather than cutting off my analysis with an evaluation. I believe that model games help you to better understand an opening, but certainly also the ensuing middle- and endgames. Just as in the The Modernized Sveshnikov, also in this book I have made frequently use of correspondence and engine games. With a lack of over the board (elite) tournaments, most elite players made their switch to the world of online chess as well. These games with a shorter time control are often full of mistakes, but the opening stage is still relevant. Hence, I have decided to include these online games whenever I thought them to be a useful addition to our repertoire. With the completion of this work and The Modernized Sveshnikov, I think I have succeeded in offering the reader a complete, ambitious, and sound Black repertoire against 1.e4. I am incredibly satisfied with the result of this work, as I think the mix of new ideas, beautiful variations, model games, extensive analyses and explanation of key concepts will inspire many chess fans. I would like to wish you all an enjoyable read and hope that you will be able to apply some of my recommendations in your own games. You no longer have to fear any Anti-Sicilian! Robert Ris Amstelveen, The Netherlands September 2021

In December 2012 Magnus Carlsen won the prestigious London Chess Classic and in doing so he became the highest-rated chess player in the history of the game, beating Garry Kasparov's 13-year-old record. Carlsen followed up this performance with another phenomenal tournament win at Wijk aan Zee, pushing his peak rating to an astronomical 2872. He didn't lose a single game in either tournament. What is Carlsen's secret? How did an already world-class player succeed in reaching this unprecedented level where he was regularly beating the world's strongest grandmasters? In this book, International Master Colin Crouch provides answers to these questions. Crouch studies Carlsen's progress in recent years and demonstrates how he learned lessons from previous setbacks, turned weaknesses into strengths, losses into draws, and draws into wins. By doing so Carlsen was able to elevate his play to a stratospheric level, but any aspiring chess player can use similar methods to improve their game. *The story of Carlsen's record-breaking performances *In-depth analysis of Carlsen's games *Learn from the World's number one player

Grandmaster and renowned chess trainer Michal Krasenkow presents a treasure chest of puzzles designed to stretch the minds of all players. Imagination and calculation are two of the most important qualities of a chess player, and they are qualities which, with purposeful practice, can be developed significantly. As you analyse and solve more and more positions, your brain functions more efficiently, you are able to recognize and master additional tactical methods and patterns, and it becomes increasingly easier to solve similar types of positions. The exercises in this book are a 'collection of jewels' that Krasenkow has picked up during his career as a chess player, commentator and trainer. Solutions to the puzzles are often hidden, spectacular and unexpected, and are specifically designed to improve imagination and calculation. Many of the puzzles are taken from Krasenkow's own games, and this allows him to give the reader a unique psychological insight as to how and why solutions were or were not found during battle. *Over 220 mind-stretching chess puzzles *Includes detailed analysis in the solutions *Contains grandmaster advice on problem solving

The Queen's Gambit Declined is one of the most popular and fundamental chess openings of all time and it has been the battleground for countless world-class encounters throughout the history of chess. Adherents include a long list of World champions, including Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik. With his first two moves, Black creates a super-strong foothold in the center, one that is incredibly difficult to break down. In this easy-to-read book, International Master John Shaw revisits the basic principles behind the Queen's Gambit and its many variations. Throughout this easy-to-read guide the reader is aided by a wealth of notes, tips and warnings from the author, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. This book is ideal for the improving player.
Written by a seasoned Queen's Gambit Declined expert
All the important lines are covered
A back-to-basics look at one of the most important openings

Chess Developments provides state-of-the-art openings coverage. Chess Developments focuses on the current trends - concentrating on critical lines, theoretical novelties and powerful new ideas. It offers players of all levels the opportunity to keep up-to-date with current opening theory whilst also expanding and improving their repertoires. The Grunfeld is a dynamic opening in which Black allows White to build an imposing pawn centre before plotting its downfall by a series of attacks with pawns and pieces. This ambitious, hypermodern approach is popular from club level all the way through to the World's elite. In this book, David Vigorito selects and examines the most important and instructive Grunfeld games from recent years, highlighting the main developments and novelties for both White and Black. Vigorito is well known for his opening expertise, and his clear explanations of the plans and tactics for both sides will benefit all players. *Essential coverage of the Grunfeld Defence *Packed with key new ideas and critical analysis *User-friendly design to help readers absorb information

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.

Mikhail Botvinnik was a three-time World Chess Champion and is widely regarded as one of the World's greatest ever chess players. Botvinnik possessed a universal, all-round style with an iron grasp of logic and strategy. He loved to attack, but most of his attacks were systematically built, step by step, on strategic gains. Botvinnik's games include an abundance of instructive masterpieces, and studying his games is essential for any aspiring chess player. In this book, former American Open Champion Cyrus Lakdawala invites you to join him in a study of his favourite Botvinnik games. Lakdawala examines Botvinnik's renowned skills in the key areas of attack and defence, initiative, exploiting imbalances, accumulating advantages and endgame play, and shows how we can all improve by learning from Botvinnik's play. Move by Move provides an ideal platform to study chess. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to improve your chess skills and knowledge. *Learn from the games of a chess legend *Important ideas absorbed by continued practice *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

All chess players are dazzled by the idea of gambit play, whereby one side sacrifices material in the opening to gain certain advantages. But do you have the nerve to gamble when it comes to practical play? Do you know when it's right to sacrifice and when it's better to err on the side of caution? In this book, Angus Dunnington aims to answer these questions and many more as he takes an in-depth look at gambits in the modern game. By using illustrative examples, Dunnington explores the key aspects of successful gambit play, whilst also underlining the reasons why some gambits work while others flounder. The book is a must for those wishing to sharpen up their opening weapons.
This book is a thorough education on gambit play and contains wild and aggressive chess. It is written by one of Britain's leading chess coaches

What separates the best chess players from the rest? What gives them the edge over their rivals? Chess legend Vladimir Kramnik believes it's their fighting skills and the ability to continuously find ways to keep a game alive. Colin Crouch agrees, and is fascinated that the world's strongest players seem almost unbeatable, even when games appear sharp and double-edged. In this book Crouch examines the tremendous fighting qualities of today's top grandmasters. Analysing key games from 2012, Crouch demonstrates how they give nothing away to opponents but are always alert to punish any slight errors, and crucially, how we can apply these lessons to help us in our own games. Move by Move provides an ideal platform to study chess. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to improve your chess skills and knowledge.

"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.