Board games: Chess Books

Book SynopsisWhat separated Alexander Alekhine from the rest of his contemporaries? Why did he dominate the chess world for so long? The main reason was undoubtedly his brilliant attacking style of play. Alekhine had a combinative gift and thrilled the chess public and influenced every great chess player since. Garry Kasparov once said, "I fell in love with the rich complexity of his ideas at the chessboard. Alekhine's attacks came suddenly, like destructive thunderstorms that erupted from a clear sky." In this book Raetsky and Chetverik take a look back at how Alekhine defeated his opponents in dazzling style. They carefully select and analyze some of Alekhine's most famous attacks and glorious combinations. A deep study of his games cannot fail to entertain and inspire any true chess fan. *Includes Alekhine's most celebrated games *Self-test with his most difficult combinations *Perfect for sharpening attacking play

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Book SynopsisThe Dutch Defence is an ambitious and underrated counter to the queen's pawn opening. With his very first move Black creates an asymmetrical pawn structure, thus unbalancing the position from a very early stage and allowing both White and Black players to fight for the initiative. Black also has many options within the Dutch Defence, from the ultra-solid Stonewall formation through to the fluid Classical System and the dynamic Leningrad Variation. In this user-friendly book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald goes back to basics, studying the fundamental principles of the Dutch Defence and its many variations. Throughout the book there are an abundance of notes, tips, warnings and exercises to help the improving player, while key strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated. The book's user-friendly design helps readers absorb ideas. It concentrates on the key principles of the Ruy Lopez and is ideal for the improving player.

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Book SynopsisGrandmaster Joe Gallagher studies the Sicilian Najdorf in a simplistic way, introducing the crucial initial moves and ideas and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them, something that has sometimes been neglected or taken for granted.Trade Review"'The first books I browse when I go to the bookstore' - ChessCafe.com 'The ideal opening training manuals.' Glenn Flear - New In Chess 'They will fill a serious gap in the current chess literature, and I'm sure they will be extremely popular with amateur chess players.' Chessville.com"

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Book SynopsisThere is no doubt that playing the Open Games is one of Black's most reliable and aggressive ways of meeting White's favorite opening move, 1 e4. Experts also agree that playing these fundamental openings is a crucial step in the development of a chess player, while moving up to the highest level it provides the battleground for countless duals between the likes of World number one Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. It's true that some Black players are put off by the seemingly endless number of variations they can be faced with, as White can choose a between the King's Gambit, Vienna Game, Scotch Opening, Bishop's Opening and a number of wild and offbeat gambits. However, in Play 1 e4 e5! Nigel Davies provides a complete answer to this perennial problem by offering a concise and practical repertoire for the Black player, whilst crucially including a dependable defence to the Ruy Lopez--White's most popular attacking try in the Open Games. Davies is the perfect choice for this subject, having been battle-hardened by years of international competition in these openings.

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Book SynopsisBird's Opening is an underrated and dynamic choice for White that immediately directs the game into relatively unexplored territory, setting Black players early problems and forcing them to think for themselves rather than having the luxury of relying on the theory of more mainstream openings. It's also a very flexible option that can lead to both sharp gambit play, such as the notorious From's Gambit, as well as quieter positional lines. In this book International Master Timothy Taylor unearths the secrets of Bird's Opening and its many deviations. Using illustrative games, he examines tactical and positional ideas for both colours and recommends the best paths in both the "main lines" and the lesser-trodden paths. A study of this book will give readers the required knowledge and confidence to play the Bird's Opening with either color.

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Book SynopsisInternational Master Craig Pritchett studies the Sicilian Scheveningen in a clear-cut way, introducing the crucial initial moves and ideas and taking care to explain the reasoning behind them, something that is sometimes neglected or taken for granted.Trade Review"'The first books I browse when I go to the bookstore' - ChessCafe.com 'The ideal opening training manuals.' Glenn Flear - New In Chess 'They will fill a serious gap in the current chess literature, and I'm sure they will be extremely popular with amateur chess players.' Chessville.com"

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Book SynopsisThe Caro-Kann is a reliable yet at the same time dynamic answer to White's most popular opening move, 1 e4. It has the seal of approval of numerous leading Grandmasters including Vishy Anand, Evgeny Bareev and Alexey Dreev, as well as former World Champion Anatoly Karpov, who has utilized it with great success throughout his illustrious career. One of the attractions of the Caro-Kann is that it suits a variety of different styles; it can lead to wild tactical battles as well as quiet, positional play. In Play the Caro-Kann, Jovanka Houska presents the reader with a concise and trustworthy repertoire within the opening, providing a solution against all of White's main possibilities. Houska examines the important tactical and strategic plans for both sides, arming the reader with enough information to begin playing the Caro-Kann with confidence in his or her own games. *A complete repertoire against 1 e4 *Written by a Caro-Kann expert *Ideal for improvers, and club and tournament players

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Book SynopsisIn his two-volume Gambiteer series, opening expert Nigel Davies produces a complete opening repertoire which is certainly not for the feint-hearted: uncompromising and wild attacking ideas for both colours. This first volume deals with a gambit-style approach for White; the second volume will concentrate on an ambitious black repertoire. All of the opening lines Davies advocates in this book lead to positions of open warfare, where sharp, tactical play completely dominates dreary positional subtleties. *A complete opening repertoire for White *A feast of blood-thirsty chess *Ideal for the attack-minded playerTable of Contents1. Sicilian Defence, Wing Gambit 2. Danish Gambit 3. French Defence, Wing Gambit 4. Caro-Kann Fantasy Variation 5. Alekhine's Defence with 3 Nc3 6. Pirc Defence, Austrian with 5 a3 7. Scandinavian Defence 8. Nimzowitsch Defence 9. The Pseudo-Philidor and Other defences

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Book SynopsisEveryman Chess are delighted to present two further offerings from their original and best-selling Starting Out opening series. The Classical Sicilian is one of Black's most popular and highly regarded opening choices against 1 e4, and it's been a favourite of such greats as Vladimir Kramnik, Alexei Shirov and Vishy Anand. White has a number of aggressive ways to battle against the Classical: the fashionable Richter-Rauzer Attack; Bobby Fischer's favourite, the Sozin Attack; and finally the wild Velimirovic Attack, and no work on the Classical would be complete without a study of these fascinating variations. The Grand Prix Attack is one of White's most aggressive ways of fighting the Sicilian. It leads to a sharp, complex battle from the very beginning, and White's play is characterized by its lightning attacks against the black king. The opening became a powerful weapon to use in the cut and thrust of weekend tournament chess, where victory is everything and draws are not enough. It steadily became more popular and even gained the seal of approval from some of the world's elite such as the UK's top two Grandmasters, Nigel Short and Michael Adams, who have both utilized it with success. 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. *User-friendly design to help readers absorb ideas *Concentrates on the fundamental principles of the openings *Ideal for improvers, club players and tournament playersTrade Review"'The ideal opening training manuals.' Grandmaster Glenn Flear reviewing the Starting Out series in New in Chess. 'The first books I browse when I go to the bookstore.' Chess Cafe reviewing the Starting Out series."

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Book SynopsisHere...at long last...we have it. This is a new type of endgame book. It is a book which explains how to handle those positions that frequently occur in practical play but, curiously, are hardly ever the subject of theoretical works. Most endgame books rely on recycling the established theory on basic positions or concentrate on fantastical studies. This one is different. Well known grandmaster and endgame expert Glenn Flear examines all endgames which feature precisely two pieces for each side. Why is this an important subject? Because these situations arise surprisingly frequently in practical play. For example, an examination of any big database will reveal that the endgame of rook and minor piece versus rook and minor piece arises in nearly 20 per cent of games. That means that if you open with 1 e4, you are more likely to reach one of these endgames than you are to face the French Defence, and overall, every time you sit down to play a game of chess, there is nearly a 50 per cent chance that you will reach one of the endgames covered in this book. If you can handle such endgames well, your results will inevitably improve. This book will show you how.

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Book SynopsisEveryman Chess are proud to present a new title in their much-admired Dangerous Weapons series, which specializes in supplying the reader with an abundance of hard-hitting opening ideas. Many of the carefully chosen weapons are innovative, visually shocking and incredibly tricky; they are guaranteed to throw even your most experienced opponent off balance. In this new book, four renowned opening experts examine the Benoni and the Benko, and select a number of original or little-explored variations 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!Trade Review'I feel that these books are the most refreshing of recent opening products, and wonderful for anyone wishing to get off of the main theoretical paths.' Award-winning author John Watson reviewing the Dangerous Weapons series for The Week in Chess. 'The book should be welcomed by all tournament players who like to see their pieces flying.' Grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek reviewing Dangerous Weapons: The Nimzo-Indian for Washington Post. 'Whoever absorbs this wealth of original analysis can expect exciting games and some quick wins, with both colours!' James Vigus, reviewing Dangerous Weapons: The Sicilian for British Chess Magazine.

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Book SynopsisJovanka Houska reveals everything you need to know about the Scandinavian, whether you are playing it as Black or facing it with White.Trade Review'Houska has provided an excellent and much needed repertoire for the Caro-Kann player, and I would recommend it to anyone - including myself!' Evan Kreider reviewing Jovanka Houska's Play the Caro-Kann for Chessville.com. 'Houska writes clearly and effectively and is especially good at explaining thematic ideas.' International Master John Donaldson reviewing Jovanka Houska's Play the Caro-Kann.

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Book SynopsisThe Dutch Defence is one of Black's most enterprising answers to 1 d4. Black strives to unbalance the position by creating an asymmetrical pawn structure on the very first move, giving himself every opportunity to fight for the initiative from the outset. In this book, Neil McDonald tells you everything you need to know in order to play this opening successfully. He provides the reader with a comprehensive repertoire against 1 d4, with the dynamic Leningrad Variation as Black's main weapon. Read this book and play the Dutch with confidence!

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Book Synopsis'Move by Move' is a brand new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, 'Move by Move' 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 opening skills and knowledge. In this book, Grandmaster John Emms revisits the Nimzo-Indian, an opening which is highly popular at all levels of chess. The Nimzo-Indian has been his favourite defence to 1 d4 for over 30 years. Here he shares his experience and knowledge, examines the opening from both sides of the board and offers answers to the all key questions. *Essential guidance and training in the Nimzo-Indian *Written by a renowned Nimzo-Indian expert *Incorporates an ideal approach to opening studyTrade ReviewEmms is an excellent writer, as he has proven countless times in the past, so he is able to present the material in an interesting fashion. He leads the reader through the maze of variations and makes him understand what is important and what is not. This helps keep you entertained and focused on the task at hand. The task of learning the Nimzo is a large one, and you are bound to learn a great deal from studying the material in this book, especially with the tutelage that Emms provides. I enjoyed this book tremendously. I learned something from it and am sure that others will too. Anyone rated between 1500 and 2300 will benefit from this book. With the repertoire choices picked by Emms, the reader will be able to start playing the opening with confidence right from the get-go. ****** out of 6 Carsten Hansen, ChessCafe.com

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'Move by Move' is a brand new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, 'Move by Move' 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 opening skills and knowledge. In this book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald studies one of the most important openings of all, the Ruy Lopez, which is still regarded as White's strongest choice after 1 e4 e5. Also known as the Spanish Opening, the Ruy Lopez has a long and distinguished history. It's sufficient to say that it has been played by virtually every single great player! McDonald shares his experience and knowledge, examines the opening from both sides of the board, and offers answers to all the key questions. *Essential guidance and training in the Ruy Lopez *Written by an opening expert and renowned coach *Key ideas absorbed by continued practice

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Book SynopsisFormer US Open Champion Timothy Taylor presents an attacking repertoire for White against the most popular opening in chess - the Sicilian Defence. His repertoire is based first and foremost on the Open Sicilian, which is generally regarded as White's most aggressive and challenging response. Taylor constructs an armoury which contains a potent mix of mainline and offbeat weapons. He examines the most important games, studies in depth the main plans and tactics for both sides, and highlights key practical issues. Read this book and you will be ready to slay the Sicilian! *Presents a Sicilian repertoire for White *Covers all the main variations *Ideal for improvers, club players and tournament playersTrade ReviewOverall, it's a fine book that will suit the majority of players. In particular, it would be an ideal choice for those who are toying with the possibility of switching to the Open Sicilian, but are reticent because 'there is too much theory to learn'. My impression is that his suggestions merit close attention, do have some poison, but aren't going to rattle battle-hardened Sicilian players who know their opening systems thoroughly. Nevertheless, even for the higher echelons it would be a handy tool to polish up their classical education. - Glenn Flear This, if nothing else, is a great book of Sicilian games that are a delight to play through and instructive to boot. Buy it just to play over the games and read the notes! - Chess Life

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Book SynopsisThis new 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 Torre Attack is a popular opening, especially at club level. White's development plan is straightforward and there are clear tactical and strategic goals. Sometimes White plays quietly; on other occasions he suddenly launches a direct attack against Black's king, and many quick victories arise because this unexpected aggression catches Black off guard. In this book, renowned opening expert Richard Palliser answers all the key questions and reveals everything you need to know about the opening. *Essential guidance and training in the Torre Attack *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study *Important ideas absorbed by continued practiceTrade ReviewI always expected to recommend this book, and I do so with pleasure. - British Chess Magazine

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Book SynopsisStudy brings wisdom. Practice brings perfection. This book is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Johan Hellsten's acclaimed Mastering Chess Strategy. In this new book Hellsten focuses exclusively on opening play. He examines a wide variety of key subjects, including development, the centre, gambit play and punishing opponents' mistakes, providing the reader with a vital foundation in opening strategy. Just like his previous book, Mastering Chess Openings is a product of Hellsten's many years' work as a full-time chess teacher, and is specifically designed as part of a structured training programme to improve strategic thinking. In addition to the many examples there's an abundance of carefully selected exercises which allow readers to monitor their progress and put into practice what they have just learned. Following such a course is an ideal way for players of all standards to improve. Although designed mainly for students, this book is also an excellent resource for chess teachers and trainers. *An essential course in opening strategy *Includes many exercise games *Ideal for both chess study and practice

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Book SynopsisChess players are known to be obsessed by openings. However, world champions have recommended that up-and-coming players should actually begin by studying the endgame first. This is because only by studying simplified positions can one fully develop an understanding of how chess pieces work - both in isolation and with each other. It is also the endgame where the true depth and subtlety of chess is revealed. In this instructive and entertaining book, renowned endgame expert Steve Giddins selects 50 of the finest examples of endgame play in the history of chess. Giddins examines each example in great detail and uses them to demonstrate the essential principles of high-quality endgame play. This book is full of essential guidelines and tips which all players should follow if they want to become a successful endgame player.Trade ReviewGiddins has written an entertaining and instructive book that should find a wide audience from club players right up to 2400. John Donaldson, Jeremysilman.com/Chess Today

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Book SynopsisImagine you are a club player who has been given the opportunity to talk at length with a famous Grandmaster. How would you make the most of this opportunity?This book is the much anticipated follow-up to the highly acclaimed and award-nominated LTrade ReviewReading this book is the closest you can come with having a Grandmaster give you live chess lessons. I think GM Gulko & Dr Sneed have written a keeper of a book for all chess players under 2200. - Florida Chess Lessons with a Grandmaster II is a book to be savored for its ideological analysis of tactical chess. This is a book about seeing, discovering, thinking, and creating. Gulko is a wizard of the imagination. Even though volume two is a book about tactics, it is obvious that Gulko transitions seamlessly between tactical, strategic, and positional considerations. For Boris, these elements flow freely through the board like an endless current. The flow of his critical thought and imagination seem at times separate, yet somehow one and the same. In positions that seem indefinably mysterious, Gulko's insight strikes with the flash and recognition of lightning. And he conducts each session with verve and enthusiasm. Readers who like a warm approach to learning chess, or who get lost in long lines of analysis, will welcome the understandable format and practical approach of these books by Gulko and Sneed. The grandmaster and his talented sidekick are back. They are at the board, shuffling and analyzing. But these lessons are for us. This is learning at its best. ****** (out of 6) - ChessCafe.com

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Matthew Sadler is one of the UK's strongest ever players. He became a grandmaster at 19, won the British Championship twice and, amongst other amazing achievements, made a gold medal winning score of 101/2/13 on board four for England in the 1996 chess Olympiad. In 2000 Matthew quite full-time chess. However, he re-emerged ten years later in 2010 to play a rapidplay tournament in Wageningen, Holland which he promptly won with 7/7. In 2011 he played in strong international events at Barcelona and Oslo and won them with the Fischer-like scores of 81/2/10 and 8/9 respectively. After a decade away from the game, these results are simply astounding. Matthew's extraordinary ability at chess stems not simply from natural talent but is based on a brilliant aptitude for studying the game. He understands exactly what needs to be studied and how to go about it. In this book he recounts how he organised his preparation for his 'comeback' and from his results the success of his method is self-evident. In this book Matthew shares his secrets and reveals how to: * Incorporate unorthodox openings into your repertoire * Study middlegame situations * Understand what is important in the endgame As well as being an exceptional player Matthew is also a fine writer who conveys his ideas with ease. He has previously written four books for Everyman with his book on the Queen's Gambit Declined winning the British Chess Federation Book of the Year award in 2000. Matthew currently lives and works in Holland.

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Book SynopsisWant to improve at chess? Then you'll need to improve your understanding of chess strategy. You probably knew that already - but how to begin to study such a vast and seemingly complex subject? International Master Adam Hunt is a full-time chess teacher and is thus very familiar with this problem. His solution is to present an accessible and easy-to-read guide for club players and juniors. Hunt studies all the key components of chess strategy, including development, king safety, attack and defence, initiative, pawn play and much more. He examines not only grandmaster games but also those played by students, demonstrates model strategic play, identifies typical mistakes and explains how to avoid them. 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. *An essential guide to chess strategy *Important ideas absorbed by continued practice *Uses an ideal approach to chess studyTrade ReviewA friend with some basic chess experience asked me recently for a recommendation for a chess book that will assist him in grasping some of the essential chess elements. While there are a number of fine books and DVDs available, I am inclined to advise him to purchase Chess Strategy: Move by Move. This reviewer thoroughly enjoyed Chess Strategy: Move by Move. Adam Hunt covers most of the important positional topics for his target audience, and does so in an easy-to-read manner. - ChessCafe.com

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Book SynopsisAn intimate and gripping account of the 1993 World Chess Championship between Nigel Short and Garri Kasparov. ‘A wonderful achievement… so tense, so gripping and so readable’ STEPHEN FRY ‘A remarkable book – The Inner Game has all the compulsion of a good thriller’ ROBERT HARRIS

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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