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Books > Sport & Leisure > Hobbies, quizzes & games > Indoor games > Board games > Chess
A 21st-Century Edition of a Great Checkmate Collection Ask most chessplayers from the "baby boomer" generation how they acquired and sharpened their tactical skills, and chances are a Fred Reinfeld tactics collection will be part of their answer. And now, for the first time, 1001 Brilliant Ways to Checkmate is available in modern algebraic notation. This may be the all-time great checkmate collection, with forced checkmate positions culled mainly from actual play. And Reinfeld's selection is simply marvelous, touching on all the important tactical themes. In short, this is an outstanding book to hone your tactical abilities. It will help you recognize mating patterns, develop visualization skills, enhance imagination, and improve tactical sharpness. And now, with a modern 21st-century edition of this great checkmate collection finally available, there is no excuse for not only improving your tactical skills, but also enjoying yourself along the way.
Fed up having to defend with Black?Annoyed by all those irritating
white systems?Then this is the book for you!Russian International
Master Alexander Raetsky draws upon his wealth of experience gained
playing on the tough international tournament circuit to supply you
with an all-in-one solution to your problems. The reader is
provided with a complete repertoire for Black against 1 e4, based
on the ever-reliable Sicilian Defense. Lines suggested are
dependable and promise Black dynamic counterplay. The variations
are also easy to learn: this book is especially useful for players
who have neither the time nor inclination to learn reams and reams
of the latest opening theory. (6 1/4 x 9 1/4, 178 pages,
diagrams)
One, and sometimes more engines, toil without rationing electricity, sometimes checking on their master's ideas or more oft en showing their own evaluations and recommendations on screen with each conclusion supplemented by an exact numeric equivalent. There is no arguing with such an expert. Is it even necessary? He, as the almighty judge, knows all and can answer any question. All that is needed is patience. During a mutual training session, a young player who is currently one of the top in the world, asked Garry Kasparov: "How did you evaluate positions in the past?" After all standard evaluations like "better" or "worse" are too vague and cannot begin to satisfy a modern professional. Th e very question feels like a giant gap between the approach to solving chess problems then and now. Intuition and improvisation are gradually phased out by exact knowledge and calculation. So far this has only become fully evident in the opening. More than anything else it has become opening preparation which has made the biggest fundamental change to professional chess. So now let us peer behind the curtain!
The Nimzo-Indian and Queen's Gambit Declined are amongst black's soundest and most universal answers to 1.d4. In his trademark style, Milos investigates the most positional ways to proceed after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6. He analyses all the critical lines whilst also taking a close look at all the sidelines and gives Black many new possibilities to spice up the game. We are convinced that this book will bring you inspirational games and results.
By concentrating on the basic principles the average player is not only given a working knowledge of the endgame but also a firm foundation on which to further develop his or her interest and technique in this fascinating stage of a chess game. The author, a Russian Grandmaster and endgame expert, takes the reader from the most elementary checkmates, through the exploitation of positional and material advantage, right up to the analysis of actual endings from master play.
International Master Byron Jacobs provides newcomers to the chess
with a thorough grounding in the fundamental principles of the
game. In this book he takes the novice player to the standard at
which they can enjoy a friendly or competitive game. Learn chess
from scratch or brush up on the basics. This guide has a
user-friendly design for ease of learning and makes an ideal chess
book for players of all ages. Start out on a fascinating journey of
chess discovery with this fun, easy-to-follow book! (6 3/4 x 9 1/2,
128 pages, illustrations)
Genna Sosonko paints portraits of players, both famous and forgotten, from the golden age of Soviet chess, as well as highly personal views on the psychology of the game and its players. This volume radiates the author's love and devotion to chess, yet is tempered by objectivity and detachment. It will enchant not only chess players, but all who recognize the cultural value of chess.
In this book Grandmaster Neil McDonald takes a fresh look at the
highly fashionable Winawer variation of the French Defence, a
favorite of Nigel Short, Boris Gulko and numerous other
grandmasters. This sharp opening leads to the kind of dynamic
positions in which the better prepared and more aggressive player
will invariably prevail. Leading expert Neil McDonald explains the
strategy and tactics of this exciting opening in a clear and
concise manner. (6 x 9, 144 pages, diagrams)
The sharp and dangerous Grand Prix Attack is one of White's most
aggressive ways of countering the Sicilian Defence. It leads to
very complicated play right from the first moves and contains
plenty of pitfalls for the unwary Black player. Here James Plaskett
takes a new look at this dangerous opening. Whether you play the
Sicilian as Black, or need an antidote for White, this book is an
essential addition to your armory. This guide deals with the often
deadly Grand Prix Attack, has full coverage of all recent
developments and is the ideal battle manual for club and tournament
players. (6 1/4 x 9 1/4, diagrams)
The King's Indian and the Grunfeld are two of Black's most popular
answers to 1 d4; unsurprising given that they were long-time
favourites of chess legends Garry Kasparov and, before him, Bobby
Fischer. Brimming with complexity and dynamism, these two openings
often leave those playing White scratching their heads wondering
how to squeeze even the slightest of advantages out of the opening
and, just as crucially, how to avoid becoming swamped in a morass
of complicated theory.
Chess Developments is a brand new series providing 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 Modern Benoni is an exciting, counter-attacking weapon against 1 d4. Black willingly creates an early imbalance which allows both sides to fight for the initiative in positions which are rich in tactical and strategic possibilities. In this book, Richard Palliser examines the most theoretically important and instructive Modern Benoni games from recent years, highlighting the main developments and novelties for both sides. Whether playing White or Black, studying this book will provide you with essential information on a popular opening. *Written by a renowned Modern Benoni expert *Packed with new ideas and critical analysis *User-friendly design to help readers absorb information
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 practising 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 Catalan is a solid opening system in which White combines the Queen's Gambit with a kingside fianchetto. In recent years it has become an increasingly popular choice at all levels of chess, and elite grandmasters such as Vladimir Kramnik have developed major new ideas for both White and Black. The Catalan can lead to a wide variety of positions, open or closed, tactical or strategic, that will suit players of all styles. In this book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald invites you to join him in studying the Catalan and its many variations. McDonald shares his experience and knowledge of the Catalan, examines the main plans for both sides and provides answers to the key questions. ----- * Essential guidance and training with the Catalan --- * Important ideas absorbed by continued practice --- * Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study
It is hard to understate the importance of tactic ability to overall chess proficiency. Of course other elements such as a knowledge of opening play and an understanding of strategy are also important. However, it is undoubtedly the case that 99% of games are won or lost because one player either spots or overlooks a tactic. Consider your own games and just imagine how much stronger you would be if you never overlooked a tactical idea. The good news is that your tactical ability is not some genetically-acquired unalterable trait. Tactical ability can always be improved through the application of diligent practice. Tactical themes are repetitive. The same arrangements of pieces occur again and again and a continual study of the subtle interactions between the forces will inevitably lead to a greater sharpness in actual play. In Tactical Training, experienced chess coach and prolific author Cyrus Lakdawala guides the reader through numerous tactical themes. Topics include: * Checkmating patterns. * The 32 major combinational concepts. * Numerous positions ranked in terms of level of difficulty. The final chapter focuses on a 2020 online match between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, currently the top two ranked players in blitz, the form of chess where tactics predominate.
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.
The Slav has a well-deserved reputation as one of Black's strongest answers to 1 d4. It is hugely respected by the top Grandmasters, and it's no coincidence that it has been used by almost all the World Champions in chess history. Put simply, the Slav is a classy opening, one which combines reliability with the promise of dynamic counterplay.In this book, opening expert James Vigus examines the Slav in detail and presents a comprehensive and trustworthy repertoire for Black. Drawing upon his playing experiences and years of study in this opening, Vigus outlines the main ideas for both sides and highlights the tactics to watch out for, as well as crucial practical issues such as move orders. This book will provide you with enough knowledge and skill to play the Slav with confidence in your own games. *Presents answers to all of White's options*Covers typical plans for both sides*Written by a Slav specialist
There arent many chess players who can say theyve both beaten Garry Kasparov in an official blitz game and crushed Peter Leko in a classical game in 26 moves. And who regularly win blitz tournaments high on marihuana. But then Manuel Bosboom is not an ordinary chess player. The Dutch International Master never made it to the top in chess, but over the course of his swashbuckling career he has produced an astonishing amount of brilliantly creative games. When Manuel Bosboom enters the room, a smile appears on every chess players face. Not only is he an exuberantly colourful player, he also leads an unconventional existence. His enthusiasm for the game and zest for life are highly contagious. This book offers a captivating collection of games and it also describes the adventurous life of the Wizard from Zaanstad, who grew up and still lives in a picturesque shed next to a 17th century windmill on the famous Zaanse Schans. You will be treated to many a stunning chess move, a wealth of hilarious but also touching stories and a vivid impression of the Dutch chess scene in the late 20th and early 21st century.
Chess has developed such a large body of myth and folklore that sorting fact from fiction is not easy. As with Edward Winter's previous volumes in his ""Chess Notes"" series - ""Chess Explorations"" (1996), ""Kings, Commoners and Knaves"" (1999) and ""A Chess Omnibus"" (2003) - this work (from a new publisher) features in-depth research into chess lore, corrections of popular misconceptions, biographical notes on famous players, and authenticated quotations. There is a rich selection of forgotten games, and many items include contributions from the author's correspondents worldwide. Written for the general chess enthusiast and the devotee of chess history, the book is illustrated with more than 220 rare photographs and 122 diagrams of chess positions. It concludes with a bibliography and indexes of players, games and openings, illustrations, and general subjects.
Giving mate is the ultimate goal of every chess player. Finding that all-decisive combination is immensely satisfying. But how are you supposed to spot a checkmate when you are sitting at the board with the clock ticking? In this guide International Master Vladimir Barsky teaches the method created by his mentor Viktor Khenkin (1923-2010). Its based on an ingenious classification of the most frequently occurring mating schemes. A wide range of chess players will find it an extremely useful tool to recognize mating patterns and calculate the often narrow path to the kill. All the 1,000 examples (850 of them in exercise format) that Barsky presents are from games played in 21st century. He has carefully selected the most instructive combinations and lucidly explains the typical techniques to corner your opponents king. More often than you would expect, positions that look innocent at first sight, turn out to contain a mating pattern. This is not just another book full of chess puzzles. Its a brilliantly organized course that has proven to be effective. Finding mate isnt rocket science, but you need to know what to look for. Vladimir Barsky teaches you exactly that.
There's no denying that the opening is one of the most daunting phases of the game for newcomers to chess. There are literally hundreds of different opening lines, many with unusual sounding names, and some of these go up to twenty or so moves of theory. What is a chess player supposed to do: memorise countless variations? Don't panic In Discovering Chess Openings, John Emms argues that studying openings doesn't have to be hard work at all - indeed, it can be both enjoyable and enlightening. The key to successful opening play is not simply learning lines off by heart; instead it's the understanding of the basic principles, and here the reader is guided through the vital themes: swift development, central control and king safety. An appreciation of these principles and their many offshoots will actually allow readers to recreate and discover opening theory, giving them the opportunity to choose the most suitable lines to play in their games.
This landmark treatise of 1817 formulated the guiding principles behind the market economy. Author David Ricardo, with Adam Smith, founded the "classical" system of political economy, a school of thought that dominated economic policies throughout the nineteenth century and figured prominently in the theories of John Stuart Mill and Karl Marx. Its foundation of the tenets of diminishing returns and economic rent led to the doctrines known today as distribution theory and international trade theory, and the Ricardian system continues to influence and inform modern economic thought
In Volume 2 of Excelling at Chess, we publish International Master Jacob Aagaard's Excelling at Combinational Play: Learn to Identify and Exploit Tactical Chances and Excelling at Chess Calculation: Capitalising on tactical chances. Being able to solve puzzles and combinations is one of the principal components of a successful chess player. But how can one improve on such an important skill? How can one acquire combinational vision? Aagaard explains how tactical intuition and ability develops and uses pattern recognition to improve the readers tactical ammunition. It is no secret that the continued practice of puzzles and combinations helps to sharpen the chess brain, and here there is a wealth of exercises and problems to solve accompanied by the full solutions and explanations. There are many differing opinions amongst the top players in the world of chess, but there is one thing upon which World Champions, Grandmasters and other experts all agree: the art of chess calculation is the absolute key to the success of a player. In Excelling at Chess Calculation, Aagaard tackles the subject matter head on, unravelling the many secrets behind chess calculation and arming the reader with the necessary tools to be able to calculate effectively at the chessboard. Aagaard pays particular attention to the searching practical questions like "when should you calculate?", "how can you discover candidate moves?" and "how long should you spend on critical moves?"
The 1...e5 variation of the English Opening, sometimes referred to
as the reversed Sicilian, leads to a variety of stimulating
positions. From wild tactical melees to slow positional battles,
there are variations here to suit all styles. These opening lines
provide the battleground for many top Grandmaster clashes,
including those of Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and others belonging to
the world's elite. In this book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim
Chetverik explain in detail the positional and tactical
possibilities for both White and Black. Using illustrative games,
Raetsky and Chetverik outline the current fashions in both the main
variations and the tricky sidelines. Whether approaching the line
as Black or White, this book is crucial reading for those wishing
to play this opening.
Newly revised, enlarged edition of first book on great Russian chess master focuses on the tactics, strategy and even psychological approaches employed by Karpov in winning against Bronstein, Smyslov, Browne, Gligoric, Spassky, Korchnoi and other greats. 100 games analyzed simply and clearly, showing exactly how Karpov won. Indispensable for players seeking to improve their own games. Over 300 chess diagrams. |
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