Search results for ""Thinkers Publishing""
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Reti, extended second edition: A complete Repertoire for White
The Reti opening has been most popular in the most recent years. In his ‘Modernized Reti’, Adrien shows how this refined opening needs to be handled. With many transpositions into different types of positions, it is one of the richest choices White has when starting the game. If you are looking for a refined, tricky and dynamic way to play as White, Adrien will surely show you the way in his first book for Thinkers Publishing!
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing Sherlock's Method: The Working Tool for the Club Player
The book before you is a product of what happens when two chess players start a relationship (which started over six years ago) and enter a dialogue about how to get ready for the next tournament. The content of this book is a training program for players who plan to play an over-the-board tournament a few weeks from the time they start training with this book. This book, unlike other similar books in the field of improvement, does not have a central theme. In other words, we are not focused solely on openings, middlegames or endgames. Moreover, the book does not only concentrate on specific themes (calculation, positional decisions, or other strategic aspects), though many of these concepts are addressed throughout the book. Instead, this book offers a holistic view on how to approach every single position in it, regardless of the phase of the game or the nature of the position. We try to teach players how to identify types of decisions in various positions, while pointing at the trade-off between a hardcore calculation and a heuristics judgment.
£25.19
Thinkers Publishing Modern Chess Formula - The Powerful Impact of Engines
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!
£25.19
Thinkers Publishing Together with Mamedyarov
The book that you are holding in your hands is a continuation of the famous Kuzmin series. The two prior books concerning the chess creativity of Alexander Morozevich and participants in the Candidates tournaments was written for rather experienced players. That last book on the Candidates recently won the FIDE Chess Book Award of the Year 2018. This book is different in that “Together With Mamdeyarov” has been written primarily for chess players with an Elo ranging 1400–2100. While working on the book I followed two objectives. First to help the players’ improvement and secondly to closer acquaint the readers with the creativity of one of the brightest contemporary grandmasters. If I were to characterize Mamedyarov’s play in one word I would use the adjective “powerful” and if I were to use two words, then perhaps “power chess”. Namely this energy and power are the dominants of his creativity with his opening preparation being only a supplementing factor. “Together With Mamedyarov” is not a collection of his selected games but it is primarily a study-book. It contains test positions taken from games of the famous Azeri grandmaster with detailed comments on the solutions to the tasks. In this book the solutions have been placed right after a diagram with a test except for the six positions given as a warm-up in the beginning of the chapter one. For those of you who work without the assistance of a coach would recommend that you cover the answer with a sheet of paper to avoid spoiling the benefit of solving the problem. This book is dedicated to all young chess players aspiring to improve but i also hope that it will be interesting for admirers of the Azeri “number one” chess player’s creativity and his fans. Further we hope this book will be useful for coaches in their work.
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing Mis Magicos Anos con Topalov
En este nuevo libro, Romain examina el más reciente aspecto de su carrera: ser asistente de un jugador de la élite. Trabajó con Veselin Topalov desde 2010 hasta 2014, período en el que con su ayuda sobresalen la victoria del búlgaro en la serie Grand Prix 2012-2013 y el convertirse en Candidato a la Corona Mundial. Edouard nos cuenta todo sobre esta mágica experiencia. Al repasar los torneos donde asistió al GM Topalov, el autor, no sólo analiza bellas partidas sino que además explica cómo se las agenciaron para crear nuevas ideas e incluso llega a revelar algunas que no se han jugado todavía. También da respuesta a las preguntas que más curiosidad despiertan en la mayoría de los entusiastas del ajedrez: ¿Cómo te conviertes en ayudante de un jugador de la élite?, ¿En qué consiste ese trabajo?, ¿Cómo se aúnan esfuerzos para colaborar?, ¿Cómo se prepara una partida o torneo importante?, ¿Cómo se comporta un genio ajedrecístico en la vida real? Si disfrutas las partidas fascinantes, las ideas inesperadas en la apertura y deseas conocer lo que sucede tras bambalinas, definitivamente, ¡este libro es para ti!
£21.99
Thinkers Publishing The Royal Chess Couple in Action
The Royal Chess Couple in Action introduces the dominant leadership of the royal game. The King is its most significant piece while the Queen is its mightiest one. Following a brief historical overview the reader is met with the wealth of tactical abilities characterizing the main heroes, their strengths and weaknesses in attack and defence, while acting on their own or collaborating with other pieces. The authors, both are experienced players and tutors, offer to the improving player a selection of almost 500 instructive positions he may choose to use for training, just as fun read…or both!
£20.99
Thinkers Publishing Cheparinov's 1.d4! Volume 1: King's Indian & Grünfeld
This book marks the start of a series of four on 1.d4 in which Ivan will share the secrets from two decades spent analyzing and playing it at the pinnacle of world chess. This volume in particular deals with two of the most popular replies Black can play after 1.d4: the King’s Indian & Grûnfeld Defense. This repertoire book is cutting-edge theory, recommending f3 for White against the fianchetto systems.
£21.99
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized French Defense Volume 1 Winawer: Winawer
The Winawer variation of the French is reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4. This is one of the most exciting openings in the game. It’s an alternative universe with alternative rules. In return for the Bishop Black gets a rock solid pawn structure and lots of dynamic capabilities. It should not come as a surprise that in these unbalanced fights Black can really play for a win. The groundwork was done by Nimzowitsch, Botvinnik and Kortchnoi in the old days. Nowadays players like Carlsen, So and Mamedyarov still use their ideas with success. People often ask, “does true love exist?” Well, Miedema and the French might be one of those rare examples. Fortunately the love has translated to countless novelties and fighting lines. This is his first volume on the French defence and his debut as an author.
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing Say No to Chess Principles!
The famous Russian Grandmaster Evgeny Bareev took a real challenge in writing this book: "Say No to Chess Principles!". The author presents his material in a typically humorous style, but not forgetting the players behind the moves. The material is divided into several chapters including ' A Queen Behind Enemy Lines', 'At the Edge of the Board' and 'Killer Delayed Castling'. In his introduction Bareev explains: "However it also happens that chess players often discover significant resources which formally exist outside the typical rules of chess. Those who know how to break all the rules and work around those specific guidelines reach the very top". This book is simply an amazing read discovering an unique tool: break the dogmatic rules when possible!
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing DragonMasters Volume 1
DragonMasters volume 1 charts the history of the most exciting and dangerous opening known to chess - the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian Defense. Unlike almost all other books on the Dragon, the focus is not purely on theoretical development. Instead, the author has combined the most historically important games, the famous players who chose to fight either side (sometimes both sides!) of the opening, and the most unexpected and interesting stories featuring the Dragon. World Champions, contenders of the crown, code-breakers, revolutionaries in every sense of the world - all feature in this remarkable and entirely unique look into the history of an opening variation. as the ancient may say: Here be Dragons!
£32.39
Thinkers Publishing Someday Ill be a Queen Toolbox Playing Chess with one Kid Group
This toolbox full of tips and games accompanies the picture book, Someday I''ll Be a Queen, which incorporates all the rules of chess. Teachers, parents, grandparents, and chess coaches learn how to build it up step by step. The message is, have fun! Enjoy the book and the game together. Take your time. Don''t go through the book all at once but learn piece to piece after which you rehearse the chess piece. I work with small groups of 6 to 8 children for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time. With the four-year-olds, I explain about the king and after that, we play four different games. During the last game, before they learn to move the rook, I put a car on the chess board. Every toddler knows not to stand in the street when a car approaches. So they have to move their king to safety each time. Actually, they are already lifting check without realizing it.<
£15.17
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Anti-Sicilians - Volume 2: Moscow Variation & Sidelines
This second and final volume of the Anti-Sicilian series covers our approach for all alternatives to 2…Nc6. The choice against 2…d6 was obvious. The Moscow variation is the only critical alternative to 3.d4 that has caused any concerns for Black – by developing with a tempo, we force Black to make an immediate decision on move 3 and wait for the right moment to open the position. Whilst in the Rossolimo book we have tried to achieve an objective advantage against every line, our choices in the Moscow were mainly selected by their ability to create practical difficulties for the opponent. Naturally, it is not possible to find an advantage in every variation but we have ensured to add many detailed explanations to guide plans and aid understanding in the various positions we’ll encounter
£25.19
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Barry Attack
The Barry Attack is somewhat defensive-looking from the start. It tempts Black forward, provocatively. The Barry Attack is, after all, a little rebellious, flouting, as it does, all those common sense development rules. Perhaps your game needs a good shot of tactics to boost your results – it’s one of the fastest ways to improve and this is true not only for young players. If your opponent plays an early move order that’s not in this book such as 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c5 or 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 for example, the good news is that Black will be forced to transpose back into the mass of material. The ‘’super repertoire’’ that always keeps Black under pressure in all variations is of course, a total myth. Any reasonable opening set-up can work wonders for White or Black if they know it well. This is always going to outweigh theoretical evolution. Playing strong chess is also very much about your level of self-confidence, emotional and physical health. It’s about who you are and how you feel in many ways at the precise moment of play in addition to your opening knowledge and general technique. Anyone who takes the trouble to play through each model example, move by move, note by note, will be rewarded. Your strategic play will deepen and your tactics will improve along with your assessment skills, and you’ll end up with a great repertoire!
£23.39
Thinkers Publishing Supreme Chess Understanding: Statics and Dynamics
In ‘Supreme Chess Understanding: Statics & Dynamics’, GM Moranda meticulously explains rules governing the physics of the game, focusing in particular on the interplay between static and dynamic factors. In today’s dog-eat-dog chess world it is namely not enough to know the general principles, but rather to grasp when, how and why can these be bent... or even broken. Thanks to the knowledge gained by studying this work, navigating through the maze of positional transformations is going to become a piece of cake!
£29.69
Thinkers Publishing The Taimanov Bible Extended and Revised Edition
£26.99
Thinkers Publishing The Practical Endgame Bible: Guidelines for the Fundamentals of the Endgame
All the fundamental endgames are coveredFull of practical tips and opinionsWritten by an prominent endgame masterUnique structure with an educational purpose
£27.89
Thinkers Publishing Thinkers' Chess Academy with Grandmaster Thomas Luther - Volume 3 - Test Your Chess Knowledge: Crucial Exercises to Sharpen Your Understanding
How to use this book I thought long and hard about the best way to structure this Workbook. My idea was to make a book with additional exercises for readers of my earlier books Thinker’s Chess Academy Volumes 1 & 2 (TCA1 and TCA2 for short) while working with these books, plus material for really interested and ambitious readers to maintain and broaden the skills they have already learned. That’s not an easy task, as it means combining rather basic material with really sophisticated exercises without making it boring for the advanced readers or too hard for readers still on TCA1 level. My idea is to mix the two parts. Readers still on the lower level should work through the chapters Quick Test 1, Quick Test 2 etc and after Quick Test 10 go over to the chapters Advanced Lesson 1, Advanced Lesson 2 and so on. Advanced readers can use each chapter’s Quick Test as a kind of warm-up test under time pressure, for example setting a time of 10 seconds for each mate in 2 or whatever you may think is right for you. After the Quick Test you go ahead with the following Advanced Lessons chapter. The hardest part of the book is called “Master Class”. In these chapters you’ll find really difficult exercises such as unusually long combinations or checkmates. Not every reader is ambitious enough or has enough time to work very hard on his chess. That’s quite understandable and nothing to be ashamed of. You can enjoy chess very well without being a strong tournament player. You could just entertain yourself by playing through interesting combinations. In this case don’t try too hard to solve the Advanced Lessons or Master Class exercises. Have a look to make yourself familiar with the position, than look at the solution and enjoy the surprising combinations. You won’t learn as much as you would by racking your brain to crack the hard nuts. But some knowledge and experience will certainly rub off and increase your understanding of chess. I hope this book will help you to work towards your goals and let have you fun with chess. Thomas Luther, September 2022
£27.89
Thinkers Publishing Pandemic Shark: A Journey Through the World of Chess Improvement
This book takes a closer look at the Classic mistakes by amateur players include: 1. Moving a piece too often in the opening. This is one of the mainstays which we think relates at least partly to the desire to create something in the opening, when we would be better advised to focus on simple development. 2. Impatience. Sometimes amateur players are too eager to change something when there really is no need. 3. Overgeneralizing. One of the biggest differences I’ve noticed when comparing professional play to amateur play is that the former is much more about concrete calculation - you go there, we go here and so on - whereas an amateur player will have a tendency to overgeneralize when thinking about a position, perhaps because they are not used to the basic art of calculation. 4. Cutting variations off too quickly. Amateur players do not extend their calculation far enough, and thus superficiality tends to kick in. These and other mistakes are explained in the book. Of course it should be noted that professional players also make these kinds of mistakes.
£23.39
Thinkers Publishing The Chess Scalpel - 32 Master Games Dissected: Predict the Moves and Maximize Your Chess Understanding
The idea behind this book is for you to ‘play’ as in a real game, and it is my job to ensure you have a pleasant time while training. I suggest you take at least an hour and a half for each game and as your coach I will indicate when to guess the moves. Sometimes there will be suggestions — including tricky ones — to measure your concentration level. The ideas behind the moves are always explained. Points are awarded for the ‘right answers’ as well as for some other moves, and at the end there is a general assessment plus a review of some of the things to be learned from the game. During my coaching period I was able to witness how motivating it is for kids to receive points for the right answers, their ‘lives are at stake’ when they try to find the answers, and it is a challenge much appreciated by them. Later I also noticed a similar effect with adults although, unlike the kids, the older students try to hide it. The final score is not that important; it is not scientifically based. But of course the more points you get the better you ‘would have played’. The effort you put into trying to find the best move every time is what matters most. I firmly believe it really helps to learn a little more about playing chess with every game. The methodology recommended for solving the exercises is the ‘old-school’ one of using a piece of paper to cover the text and scrolling down the page as you advance.
£23.39
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Sicilian Kan
When you are building your repertoire you have many choices available against 1.e4. Everyone knows the Sicilian is the most dangerous reply but there are so many choices! Most of them are highly theoretical such as the Najdorf or the Dragon. Some are very difficult to understand from a positional and dynamical point of view. The Kalashnikov and the Sveshnikov are two good examples, without even mentioning the amount of theory. I have always been interested by less theoretical Sicilians. I have been playing the Classical Sicilian for a long time and right before the covid period, I decided to find a new one. The Sicilian Kan came to me as a very serious option, and I decided to work on it. In the meantime, my friend and editor Daniël Vanheirzeele offered me the chance to author a book about it. This came to me as a complete surprise, as I had no experience with it. In comparison with my work on the Reti and the Dutch (my two previous books), I am a newbie on the subject. But I decided to accept the challenge. I found it extremely interesting, as this gave me a fresh look at the positions. I think I managed to ask myself the questions everyone would have asked. I also work as a second for others and am accustomed to working on openings I do not necessarily play as well as finding the key ideas very quickly. So, after a deep initial work to understand the variations, I was ready to start writing8 In opposition to my prior efforts, I decided to start with the mainlines. I did it both during my work and then in the structure of the book. It seemed better to address the most difficult lines first to prove that Black gets playable positions, and then take care of the less challenging lines. This approach allows you to have an idea of the typical positions and then compare it with the less usual lines so you may understand why the sidelines are not as good. I take this as an opportunity to share my knowledge of openings and how I analyze them. I started this book with the idea that I wanted it to be useful for all levels of playing strength, from amateurs to even top grandmasters. I really consider the best books to be those where everyone can understand the basics of the variations while also being of use to anyone that aims at going deeper into the theory. I based many of the lines and conclusions in this book not only on computer evaluation, but also from a practical point of view. While I did a deep dive using strong engines when analyzing the lines I cannot say that they are perfect. The most important thing is that all of the evaluations are based upon my own understanding and knowledge of chess. Adrien Demuth November 2021
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing It Is Never Too Late To Become a Grandmaster
It has been 60 years since I took up chess as a serious pursuit. Considering that sufficient time has passed I think that now I should look back and discuss the results of this effort! In the course of writing, I sought to make the book biographical but that did not always work out and some of the events from my chess life were not included in this work. Perhaps there will be a future book in which these events, as well as events yet to happen, can be told. For the past 10 years my name has had a special mark on the final standings - Veteran. At first this was somewhat confusing, but I soon realized that in all the spheres of human activity the word "veteran" has a noble meaning. My friends often ask me, "Vladimir, are you not tired of playing chess"? I always answer emphatically, "No, I am not tired. Where else can I find such a huge space for self-expression?"? Steinitz once said, " Chess is not for the faint of heart.” I agree 100%! Chess players do not need pumped up muscles, they need a sound mind with which to resist the constant pressure exerted on every nerve that is experienced during combat. I do not always like this constant struggle and the stress that comes with it. It is even worse when one makes a mistake in a winning position. In this past decade another "problem" has been added - incredibly powerful computer engines that younger opponents skillfully use in preparation for the game. But when you win a beautiful game or use a theoretical novelty invented at home (albeit with the help of a computer), or defend a difficult hopeless position, how great it is! And at such moments you do not think about chess being a science or artistic effort or even sport. At times like these, they are just part of your life. Now it is time to let you turn the page and see just how incredibly interesting it is to be an active chess player, even as a veteran!
£26.99
Thinkers Publishing Forgotten Genius - The Life and Games of Grandmaster Albin Planinc
Albin Planinc was born in the middle of the Second World War, on 18th April 1944, in the little village of Briše, near the small town of Zagorje ob Savi, approximately 30 kilometers from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. He spent his childhood with his mother Ljudmila (unofficially Milka), a simple, uneducated woman who earned money from various unskilled jobs’. This fascinating biography of over eighty-five annotated games and stories are being presented by grandmasters Georg Mohr and Adrian Mikhalchishin. It covers Planinc’ entire life and chess career, including his most fascinating games. This fitting tribute of a forgotten chess genius should be found in anyone’s chess library. Thanks to this colorful book Albin Planinc will continue to inspire us all and will keep his spirit alive.
£26.99
Thinkers Publishing Key Concepts of Chess - Volume 1 - The Hedgehog
This is the first volume of the new series "Key Concepts of Chess". The idea is to deal with middlegames in which a certain structure or essential theme becomes central. The idea of starting this series is in line with the "Understanding before Moving" series because the aim, is to improve the understanding of club chess players. According to the author, playing an opening should be 'hung up' on stereotypical ideas and concepts belonging to this structure. The thorough exploration of middlegame structures is beyond the scope of opening books, hence it makes more sense to expose it in this complementary series. In this first volume, the "Hedgehog System" is discussed in detail. Apart from being part of the author's repertoire, this typical set-up deserves to be widely highlighted. Although in the second part of the trilogy on the Sicilian, the Hedgehog has already made its appearance, in this book the seemingly fragile, but oh so treacherous creature can reconsider its spines in an extensive way.
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Anti-Sicilians - Volume 1: Rossolimo Variation
The ‘Anti-Sicilians’ have invariably been a popular choice at all levels of the game. Analysis of this opening in previous literature has rarely been extensive due to the misconception that Anti-Sicilians are simplistic and thus, easy to play ‘by hand’. While maintaining the ideals of straightforward plans and digestible variations, this series of volumes will attempt to integrate ‘Anti-Sicilians’ into mainstream theory – with a particular focus on negating Black’s attempts to achieve any significant activity. This first volume provides significant coverage of the Rossolimo variation – perhaps the most pertinent example of how an ‘Anti-Sicilian’ has emerged to become arguably even more popular than its counterpart, 3.d4 after 2…Nc6. With a particular emphasis on analysing multiple alternatives within each critical variation, this book should appeal to anyone wishing to update and expand their knowledge and understanding of the fashionable Rossolimo.
£26.09
Thinkers Publishing Your Jungle Guide to Chess Tactics: Sharpen Your Tactical Skills
"There are countless puzzle books available. However, it is very surprising that there is virtually almost none that gives a comprehensive overview with all of the frequent tactical motifs and themes that occur in practice. The ones that I am aware of are either largely incomplete, not systematic, without text, or old, and therefore the analysis contains lots of mistakes. The ambitious goal of this book is to fill this critical gap by addressing all of these issues.Each of the 25 Chapters contains a thorough introduction with the games best showcasing the motif at hand. Next, the puzzle sections specifically aim to reinforce the reader’s pattern recognition. There are 365 training puzzles in total, and all of them have a 1-5 star value to show the level of difficulty. The solutions are given at the end of every chapter. This book is dedicated to ambitious players who want to improve their game, as well as for coaches to help their students get to the next level.” – Peter Prohaszka
£26.09
Thinkers Publishing 100 Ans d'histoire des échecs en Belgique: Un hommage personnel à la Fédération Royale Belge des Echecs avec 50 parties
This book takes you along a most fascinating journey. Starting with chess games from the 19th Century and the foundation of the Belgium Chess Federation in 1920. Frank Hoffmeister sees this as a personal homage to the KBSB but also explains his personal views on the Belgian chess scene and developments.
£20.69
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Modern Defense
The Modern Defence is not a solid opening. In fact, on some level maybe it's not an opening at all. It's the Wild West of chess opening theory, a safe haven for true chess lovers who are just spoiling for a fight. The structures that can result are almost unlimited in their variety and the potential for dynamic piece play is also huge. You need real passion to play it, and also the ability to work hard at the board. But it's also played at the very top: even the names Carlsen and Kramnik occur sometimes in these pages! This book is primarily intended for players who want to play the position after 1.e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 for Black. However, and inevitably for the computer age, there is also a strong focus on chess truth. That means there are also some recommendations for White that are not yet well-known in mainstream opening theory, and that the book has something to offer everyone.
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing Kings of the Chessboard
In his well-known entertaining style, the author takes us through the fascinating history of the World Champions of Chess. A striking and beautiful book full of anecdotes, stories and thrilling games played by the titans of our royal game. It is a book you can read time and again and will surely find a treasured place on your bookshelf!
£20.69
Thinkers Publishing The Comfort Zone: Your Keys to Your Chess Success
Have you ever wondered why you do well in certain tournaments and not in others? If your opening choices are the right ones? If your attacking play is good, bad, or Tinder swipe left ugly? In this entertaining account, the author explains how to achieve success in chess we need to understand our what works for us, but to achieve true mastery we should prepare to go beyond our zone of comfort. Along the way he takes us on a journey through his own world of discovery and explains how he became one of the best chess players in England. It’s a deeply honest and at times tragicomic memoir as he also reveals his strategy for taking on his biggest rivals and how best to use computers to improve your chess.
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Stonewall Defense
In his seventh book for Thinkers Publishing, Milos Pavlovic examines the Stonewall set-up in detail. Drawing upon his years of playing experiences and opening study, Milos highlights the key aspects and covers the most recent developments in this most solid line of the Dutch Defense. This book will provide you a great new arsenal of weapons when playing with the black pieces.
£19.99
Thinkers Publishing To Exchange or Not?: The Ultimate Workbook
When should we exchange a piece in the endgame and when should we keep it? Why is it so important? How to make a right choice? Different types of endings and guidance on how to make the correct decision were the subject of my book The Correct Exchange in the Endgame. Two editions were very well accepted by chess players of different levels. I am especially happy that many chess coaches and teachers found it useful for their training programs. The book was announced as a silver winner of the Boleslavsky Award 2016 by the FIDE Trainer’s Commission. Many readers and coaches expressed a wish to see more instructive exercises, so together with Thinkers Publishing we decided to make an exercise book. It can be widely used by chess teachers in schools, coaches in chess clubs and all chess players. Trying to solve 120 instructive exercises and then going through the correct solutions, you will certainly improve your decision-making ability and analyzing skills, as well as enrich your knowledge and understanding of the final stage of the chess game.
£20.69
Thinkers Publishing Tournament Battleplan
The pandemic giving rise to vastly underrated junior and amateur players. Online chess taking a much more prominent role. Accusations of cheating making the headlines. Social media being used as a tool to educate the chess masses. All these have lead to a different landscape, but some things stay the same. The player who is willing to analyse and work on chess harder than the rest will still separate his or herself from their peers. In my view, at least 90 percent of success in tournament play will come down to how good your calculation and analysis is. Because that is the bread and butter of tournament play. This is what I will try to get across in this book, that a chess player will often stand or fall on the quality of analysis and I will discuss the positive and negative role that working with computers has on a players overall strength. I will also try to explain why my chess fell into a torpor because of an over reliance on computers and how I have recently come to realize that t
£32.39
Thinkers Publishing Thinkers' Chess Academy with Grandmaster Thomas Luther Vol 2: From Tactics to Strategy - Winning Knowledge!
This is the second book of the Thinkers’ Chess Academy series. In the first book we started at a beginner’s level with checkmates in 1, 2 or 3 moves and the most common tactical motifs. If you have already worked with the first book you will now be much more experienced and ready for some more difficult lessons. We will start with 50 combinations to refresh our memory of the motifs from the first book. Th e chess friends who have not read the first book can treat it as a kind of self-test. If you cannot solve many of the examples it may be better to go back and work through the first book again. It is not a good idea to leave basic knowledge out. It will certainly hinder your progress if you do so. In this book we will not only show you more tactical motifs, but we will also give you an introduction to the basics of chess strategy. You will learn the most important elements of strategy which will help you to find better plans and to understand positions better. At the end of the book a chapter with 50 checkmates of 5+ moves will show you techniques of how to attack or hunt the opponent’s king and also how to improve your calculation skills and your imagination at the chessboard. Now enough of the prologue, let us go to work and learn lots about chess tactics and strategy! Have a lot of fun while studying chess and enjoy your improvement! Yours, Thomas Luther Grandmaster and FIDE senior trainer
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing The Modernized Delayed Benoni
The advantage of “our” Benoni is based on a waiting approach. Black would like to choose a perfect moment to play …e6xd5, waiting for White to adopt some piece setup that turns out to be inconvenient for him after this exchange. At the same time, we would like to avoid some dangerous or deeply explored variations like the Flick-Knife (a.k.a Taimanov) or systems where White can place his bishop on the optimal f4-square. A lot of variations in this book can also be useful for King’s Indian players, as a main or alternative way to play. My own journey in the world of the Delayed Benoni started when I was a King’s Indian kind of guy! As every rose has its thorn, so White can annoy us by answering our …e6xd5 not with the routine c4xd5 but rather with e4xd5. This produces a completely different pawn formation, with an open e-file. White enjoys a space advantage but Black has his chances. And just as White can depart from the well-trodden path with e4xd5, so Black can dispense with the almost automatic …e6xd5 and instead play …e6-e5, producing a sort of King’s Indian formation. In the Main Line, covered in Chapter 4, White has already played h2-h3 and this pawn can become a target when Black gets his kingside attack moving. Our opponent can force us into a Modern Benoni, by playing f3 (Sämisch) or f4 (Four Pawns). I think that I have succeeded defending Black’s case, even finding some important nuances improving on the existing theory. From my personal experience, the only way for White to achieve some advantage is the h3 and Bd3 variation with e4xd5, the Main Variation covered in Chapter 4. The problem for White, though, is that Black can answer that line in many different ways. So White must be thoroughly prepared and acquainted with all the nuances of our system. And even then, White’s advantage is just a “normal” one. I give a different approach to this variation, three (!) different ways for Black to respond. The reader can also, through the game commentaries, see the development of the variation in my practice. In my opinion, the Delayed Benoni is a kind of mystery for White also, since it has not been covered deeply enough in chess publications. So I think that this work could be useful for White players, too.
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing Understanding Maroczy Structures
Using carefully selected examples, the authors want to make you familiar with the strategic ideas behind the famous Maroczy bind. These plans arising from both colors, are a must for your arsenal of chess knowledge and understanding.
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing Crucial Chess Skills for the Club Player Volume 2
In his second volume Robert Ris continues to explore the essential elements of practical play for any club player. Again the result is that Ris offers a course to help chess students master all facets of the game. A most instructive and need book for any player that wants to improve his basics skills!
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing Tactics Bible - Magnum Opus
Grandmaster Grivas presents the reader an unique and massive amount of amazing puzzles including their historical background. All the most famous and rare tactical themes are covered, promising the read of the year!
£27.99
Thinkers Publishing The Hyper Accelerated Dragon, Extended Second Edition
In this brandnew revised edition from 2017, Raja presents the Hyper Accelerated Dragon. He demonstrates from the second move a dynamic way to fight 1.e4! He covers all main lines and side-lines, even the most critical ones get a new and objective treatment. Raja’s book is recommended for all players that are eager to enter critical lines in this exciting Sicilian Opening.
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing Improve Your Practical Play in the Middlegame
The middle game of chess is arguably the most complicated aspect of the game. Through carefully selected examples from real games, Alexey wants to make you more familiar with various aspects of the middle game. He believes that through careful reading and study of his book, any player regardless of which level will significantly improve their game. Even if you are unable to solve some of his exercises, they will regardless be of inevitable use for improving your understanding of chess. Therefore it is his hope that this book will be useful for the club player but the professional chess players as well.
£21.59
Thinkers Publishing Gata Kamsky - Chess Gamer Volume 1: Awakening 1989-1996
Gata will share in his first volume how he became one of the world elite class players and contender for the title of World Chess Champion. Why and how he used different styles of play and will reveal how this learning process helped him to become a chess professional.
£24.29
Thinkers Publishing Together with Morozevich
This book invites the reader to enter the wonderful elite chess world with one of the most creative GM’s of all time, Alexander Morozevich. It tells about his approach to the core of fighting, about his strongest points but also about his weaknesses. It presents masterpieces and painful losses. However, the author not only shows a panorama of his creativity but also offers the reader to think over the problems together with ‘Moro’. You can simply take place in his seat, look through his eyes and finally play like Morozevich!
£22.49
Thinkers Publishing Chess Calculation Training Volume 2: Endgames
The author focused in his first volume on middlegames, now his attention was drawn to endgames. Romain has carefully selected more than 496 positions, which arose in real games in the recent past. He separated the exercises into 11 different categories, covering both tactics and strategy, attack and defence. This book is a fantastic training tool for any player to improve his level of chess thinking.
£21.99
Thinkers Publishing Sharpen Up Your Chess
In this long-awaited second Thinkers-book of International Master, Armin Juhasz, the reader is invited to take a seat in his classroom and follow his useful guidelines how to improve your practical play. The emphasis is on general principles that readers will be able to use in their own games, and detailed analysis is always given where it is necessary. Each game and fragment contain many lessons and practical tips, guiding the reader through the most important ideas in each phase of the game. This book illustrates an increasingly prevalent and successful style of play, a method that begins by slowly accumulating small but permanent advantages. The author does a very good job of explaining the key points of the game in such a way that the reader is given a true account of what is happening and not some watered down version. Translating the muddy world of modern master chess into something that is underst
£32.39
Thinkers Publishing A Complete Opening Repertoire for Black after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6!: Ragozin & Anti-Catalan
For many chess-players, opening study is pure hard work. It is difficult to know what is important and what is not, and when specific knowledge is vital, or when a more general understanding is sufficient. Tragically once the opening is over, a player is puzzled what plan to follow, or even understand why his pieces are on the squares on which they sit.Our author GM Dariusz Swiercz, continued in the second Volume of his series, and explains in a methodological way how to solve these issues when White proceeds with 3.Nf3 and g3.He picked some aggressive options with the Ragozin and brings the ever-popular Catalan to a stand still. Any chess player being Black would be much interested to find out how Dariusz decided on his final choices. We are convinced you won’t be disappointed with his second and final volume of this series.
£28.79
Thinkers Publishing A Complete Opening Repertoire for Black after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6!: Ragozin & Anti-Catalan
For many chess-players, opening study is pure hard work. It is difficult to know what is important and what is not, and when specific knowledge is vital, or when a more general understanding is sufficient. Tragically once the opening is over, a player is puzzled what plan to follow, or even understand why his pieces are on the squares on which they sit.Our author GM Dariusz Swiercz, continued in the second Volume of his series, and explains in a methodological way how to solve these issues when White proceeds with 3.Nf3 and g3.He picked some aggressive options with the Ragozin and brings the ever-popular Catalan to a stand still. Any chess player being Black would be much interested to find out how Dariusz decided on his final choices. We are convinced you won’t be disappointed with his second and final volume of this series.
£32.39
Thinkers Publishing The Benko Revisited - Volume 2
You can play this opening against anyone. This opening is especially well suited for rapid and blitz games, since in the reduced time control in particular the role of the initiative increases. Generally speaking, not in every opening will you find such a thing as Black having the initiative from the very first moves (although this pleasure is paid for with a whole pawn!). I played this opening with a classical time control against the ex-champion of Russia, Grandmaster Igor Lysyj, and very comfortably equalized in the opening, although later the class difference showed and my eminent opponent beat me. Nevertheless, the opening had absolutely nothing to do with it. This opening worked great when I played it in Rostov-on-Don, when I beat many strong players and after that they preferred to play 1.c4, doing whatever they could to avoid the Benko Gambit. Of course, to my understanding this opening is especially good to play against amateurs, or weaker players than yourself, who do not know its intricacies – you can quickly get a promising position. This opening is suitable for active players striving for a lively, initiative-rich game, with a strong spirit. After all, you need to understand that if something goes wrong, you may face big problems, since you do not have a pawn, but as in any opening there are pluses and minuses, and in the Benko Gambit there are also disadvantages. First of all, in some places you need to play very accurately (this will be especially evident in the positions that we will consider in volume 2) and the cost of an error is quite high. But if the reader carefully studies the books, then I think that there should be no problems and the Benko Gambit will give you many of your most interesting fights!
£25.19
Thinkers Publishing Bishop Versus Knight - The Eternal Battle With The Other Pieces
In his new endgame series, Boroljub Zlatanovic shows a profound understanding of the most common material imbalance in chess: that of the bishop against the knight. The didactic concept of the book is admirable as well as the detailed explanations of the typical characteristics of this endgame. Despite the importance of this subject, it has received very little detailed coverage in chess literature and this encyclopedic work will definitely fill this gap and offer a lot of useful tips for practical play. Grandmaster Alexander Delchev March 2021
£23.39
Thinkers Publishing The Najdorf Bg5 Revisited - Volume 1
Do you relish the prospect of setting your opponent awkward problems from the early start of the game? If so, you should just continue reading, for in the Bg5 Najdorf, it’s every man for himself, and only the best informed and most creative resourceful player survive. The Bg5 variation gives White very dangerous attacking ideas, and Blacks really needs to know a precise defense to come out of this variation alive. This book provides weapons that are ideal choices for those who revel in forcing opponents into chaotic and uncomfortable positions.Lukasz Jarmula, a player and writer of international caliber, will be your truthful guide!
£26.99