CHESSBOOK REVIEWS


Latest book reviews of 1 April 2007
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg



                                     Chess Books



Chess Christmas by Kenneth Whyld
2006
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
476 pages
Price €29,00
ISBN 80-7189-559-9

A interesting hobby of the late great Ken Whyld was sending with Christmas booklets to his close chess friends with various chess publications as for example the story of modern chess, covered in this book under the chapter Ken Whyld’s Christmas Series: The beginning of modern chess, Caistor 1991
Kenneth Whyld wrote: This booklet comes to you with my best wishes for Christmas 1991,and the New Year 1992; In 1872 the London Chess club began a match of two games by correspondence against the Vienna club led by  Kolisch.
Shortly after the match began Blackburne,Horwitz,Löwenthal and Wisker with drew from the London team, leaving Steinitz and Potter to continue. Later Steinitz said that modern chess began with these two games, and he and Potter analysed them deeply in the pages of The Field,and these notes were than reprinted in the City of London Chess Magazine.
Kenneth Whyld included 17 pages of chess notes fromw the famous games; London – Vienna & Vienna – London and pleasantly transferred by him in a readable algebraic notation.
In the original booklets from Ken Whyld’s Christmas Series  the booklets where coloured on cardboard, with the colours: white, celestial, grey, pink, clear green, clear yellow and  Signed by the author with the words “Ken”.
Unfortunately we have to do in the book with copies from the original work from Whyld, and sometimes as chapter one;The Story of chess some pages are quite a puzzle but the material from Whyld is superb so we must now and than forgive Fiala and the Ken Whyld Association for the layout  for some of these unreadable pages.
The material in this book is divided into two parts: where in part one you shall find the following material: Introduction by Michael Negele, Kenneth Whyld in Memoriam, Plates in Deutsches Wochenschach,Kagans Neueste Schachnachrichten,L’Echiquier Revue International d’Echecs by Henri Serruys and Ken Whyld’s Christmas Series by Alessandro Sanvito who is also responsable for Whyld's biography.
Part two: The story of chess,Bibliography list,Blackburne’s matches 1887,Letters on the history and literature of chess,Devolpment of the chess problem by J.W.Allen,The beginning of modern chess,The chess board,Café de la Regence,Paris,The worst chess book in the world,A la recherché ddu temps perdu,Lasker the composer,According to Hoyle,Cordingley’s Cuts,Chess texts in the English language printed earlier than 1850,Adress to the Automaton chess player,The meeting of the B.C.A,at Cambridge {28.8.1860-1.-9.1860,Chess in Literature and at last Labourdonnais-Morphy by George Allen.
Conclusion: A very interesting written chessbook!


Quarterly for chess history

Autumn 12/2004

2006
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
434 pages
Price € 32,00

Since Quarterly for chess history has been founded at the end of 199,twelve columes have been so far published,where the most of them easy pass the 500 pages.
So this winter issue 12/2004 with it's  443 pages can be considered as a  light weight but dear reader  it covers some superb. contributions from some of the best chess historians in the world.
Under these chess historians you shall find name as Tim Harding who has written in this book  a impressive 77 page article on “The British Chess Magazine Correspondence Tournaments,1882-1883 and 1908-1912.
Tim Hading went back to school and is doing doctoral research into the history of correspondence chess in the United Kingdom,1824-1914 at the University of Dublin, Trinity College.
But there are more readable contributions as  Lasker's Last Tournament by K. Croxen, Addition to Steinitz Canon by J. Hilbert, Memories by S. Tartakower, Rubinstein in Sweden by J. Donaldson; Chess Biographies: K Hromadka by V. Fiala, R. J. Loman by O. Urcan, J. Fink by N. Brennen; Forgotten Chess Tournaments: Seattle 1966 by J. Donaldson; Match Lupschitz-Showalter by V. Fiala;Chess Miscellany no.275-300 and interesting written Chess Reviews.
For example the contribution from John Donaldson on the US Open in Seattle 1966 good for a lot of unknown games as for example I saw quite some games  from Duncan Suttles with his so original way of play,the tournament was by the way  won by Robert Bryne and Pal Benko.
Included is a interview wit Robert Bryne by Burt Hochberg who asks Bryne how he prepares for a tournament; Bryne tells: Actually, I don’t especially for a tournament. However, it is my practice to study all important games and theoretical contemporary games and I pay particular attention to the openings.
A other very interesting contribution comes from Olimpiu Urcan “On the sounds of moving pieces Another forgotten blindfold Expert: Rudolf J.Loman {1861-1932 }Rudolf J.Loman was a strong chess player on whom today’s chess history writings shed little light.Found between two nations, British and Dutch, and today claimed by none.
Loman was a bridge-builder between the chess societies of the two.This was shown and acknowledged in splendid manner with the occasion of the match between Great Britain and Holland in 1912,with two years before Loman’s return to Holland.
Throw the book you shall find unknown games from famous players as Alekhine and Lasker usually from simultaneous exhibitions.
There is good news too, the chess historian Vlastimil Fiala is working on a monograph focusing on “World history of woman’s chess up to 1944”
So far Chess historian are only interested in men chess history and I am glad that Fiala is making this important step.
Throw the book are around 490 games all well indexed with names of players and ECO openings codes.
A very interesting one is the first official game from Dr.S.G.Tartakower taken from the article “How you should not learn to play chess 63 years old chess master looks back on his career”
Translated  by Feliks Przysuski {Sweden}with permission from Tidskrift für Schack 1950,vol.1-2 {January –February}pages 16-21.
[White "Tartakower, Saviely"] [Black "Schenkein, Joachim"]Barmen 1905. 1.e4 c5 2. b4 e6 3. bxc5 Bxc5 4. d4 Bb6 5. f4 Ne7 6. Nf3 d5 7. e5 Nbc6 8. c3 Bd7 9. Bd3 Ng6 10. O-O O-O 11. Kh1 f5 12. Rg1 Rc8 13. g4 fxg4 14. Rxg4 Be8 15.Ng5 Qd7 16. Nxh7 Kxh7 17. Rh4+ Kg8 18. Qh5 Rf5 19. Qh7+ Kf7 20. Rg4 Ke7 21.Bxf5 exf5 22. Ba3+ Kd8 23. Rxg6 Bxg6 24. Qxg6 Nxd4 25. cxd4 Bxd4 26. Nc3 Bxc3
27. Qg5+ Ke8 28. Rg1 d4 29. Qh5+ Qf7 30. Rg6 Qd5+ 31. Kg1 Bb4 32. Rxg7+ 1-0
Tartakower writes about the move 2.b4 This ancient line was nearly always used by me.Later it was adopted by many masters ,among them Marshall and Keres.
Conclusion:The Informator for the chess historian!



The Field 1904
Chess Column edited by Leopold Hoffer

2006
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
502pages
Price € 29,95

Leopold Hoffer born 1842 in Budapest  was a well known columnist who edited his column from 1882 until his death in London 1913.
So I think it is a splendid idea from Fiala to reprint the Field a fantastic chess magazine that covered every thing in chess from the local chess scene  till world championship matches every thing and more is here in this facsimile print.
Unfortunately the print is not always perfect and reading diagrams is sometimes a puzzle and that is a great pity of this interesting made publication.
But as I said the book is great and for example I found in this magazine a exciting lost of the mysterious Miss Rudge; Garratt,JH (IRL) - Rudge,Mary miss (ENG)
Ireland-England 1903 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Nf3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.h4 h6 11.g4 Be7 12.g5 g6 13.h5 Bxg5 14.Nxg5 Qxg5 15.Qe2 Nc6 16.f4 Qg3+ 17.Kd2 Nxd4 18.exd4 Qxf4+ 19.Qe3 Qxe3+ 20.Kxe3 g5 21.Nb5 c5 22.Nd6 Bc8 23.dxc5 bxc5 24.Rac1 c4 25.Nxc8 Rfxc8 26.Bf5 Re8+ 27.Kd4 Re2 28.Rc2 Rae8 29.Rxe2 Rxe2 30.Kxd5 Rxb2 31.a4 Ra2 32.Bd7 Rd2+ 33.Kc6 c3 34.Rc1 Rh2 35.Rxc3 Rxh5 36.a5 Rh4 37.Kb7 Rd4 38.Bc6 1-0 but as all games in this book you must have some knowledge of the English notion.
Between the lines I found a interesting circular from Dr.Edward.Lasker who has conceived the notation of a Falkbeer Gambit Tourney, containing the following conditions: Competitors to be international champions and clubs of first class strength.
Entrance fee of 50 dollars to be paid to Mr.L Vino,tresurer of the Manhattan Chess Club,treasurer of the tourney.Play to be in sections of six or seven units.Prizes to be given for best score,best score made by a master,best score made by a club,best  analyses of the gambit,and best annotated game.A book is to be printed containing all the games,with notes by the players.Time limit ,seventy two hours for each move.A date in October is suggested for commencement of play.Several players of international repute have signified their intention of participating.
That time in 1904 50 dollars must have been a fortune so I can not imagine that this tournament ever had a chance to start. Does anybody have a idea of this tournament ever started?
Conclusion: Fascinating!


The chess review 1892 -1893
2006
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
184 pages
Price € 31,50

The chess review 1892-1893 was a monthly journal for chess and whist {card game}but the card section is only a minor part of this highly interesting written chess magazine.
I found in this bound volume  many amusing and interesting anecdotes in connection with chess and there players.
But there is also a lot of forgotten news as for example the match between the veteran master Mr.H.E.Bird {he was born in 1830} and Mr.G.C.Heywood,a strong amateur of Newcastle, was commenced on October 3rd at the rooms of the Art Gallery Chess Club New castle.The lessees of the Art Gallery,Messrs. Barkas and Sons, courteously threw open the building for the benefit of neighbouring clubs and visitors during the progress of the match.
The conditions were of a very friendly and informal character, no time limit or other stipulation being imposed. Probably this accounted to a great extent for the enjoyable nature of the encounter, which afforded as much pleasure to the players themselves as to the large number of members and visitors who attended and watched the games with unflagging interest.
The chess news is based on world wide chess news but it covers a lot information of the British scene.
Included throw these reviews are a lot of challenging compositions  as the exciting  one from the chess legend Paul Morphy with mates in eight moves.
Pleasant to mention is this high quality  print from Moravian chess where you have the idea of having a McFarland chess book in hand,
the cover is not only  beautiful but also the paper and prints!
Conclusion: A high quality reproduction!



London 1883
2006
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
371  pages
Price € 34,90

The London 1883 tournament is remembered as the place of one of the most beautiful played games and well the game between Zukertort and  Blackburne,London, 1883 1.c4 e6 2.e3 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Be2 Bb7 5.0-0 d5 6.d4 Bd6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.b3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 Qe7 10.Nb5 Ne4 11.Nxd6 cxd6 12.Nd2 Ndf6 13.f3 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 dxc4 15.Bxc4 d5 16.Bd3 Rfc8 17.Rae1 Rc7 18.e4 Rac8 19.e5 Ne8 20.f4 g6 21.Re3 f5 22.exf6 Nxf6 23.f5 Ne4 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.fxg6 Rc2 26.gxh7+ Kh8 27.d5+ e5 28.Qb4 R8c5 29.Rf8+ Kxh7 30.Qxe4+ Kg7 31.Bxe5+ Kxf8 32.Bg7+ Kg8 33.Qxe7 1-0
Steinitz wrote later “Words are insufficient to express the admiration of the mastery with which Zukertort conducted this game.
But the whole tournament was a fantastic  success for Johannes Zukertort who defeated there in London  nearly every leading chess player in the world, where the great Steinitz was only second. After this, Zukertort was widely regarded as the unofficial World Champion and went home with 250 GBP.
The editor James Minchin wrote; Until this breakdown Zukertort had achieved a record hitherto unattained in the annals of chess tournaments by winning twenty-two games to one defeat, and shown in the performance that combinations of  brilliancy, energy, and accuracy which, against such competitors, could alone have attained such a result.
His game against Blackburne in the first round is the finest that has been played in the timeof the present generation of chess players, and proves, if any such proof be wanting, that magnificent combination is superior to that dull chess strategy which risks no attack and struggles pertinaciously to obtain an extra pawn on the Queen’s side against the end-game.The stratagem is as sound as it is brilliant, and when Zukertort played his Rook to K3 he had the whole combination, twelve moves deep, clearly in his mind- a combination not be surpassed in all the recorded games of the brilliant masters of the past,Morphy and Anderssen.Zukertort enrols himself in the modern school of strategy versus combinations.
The tournament was a complicated 14 player double cycle play where the draws had a strange way of counting draws.
Interesting to mention are the describing of the players as Mr Bird,as is known to all,has peculiar ideas in the opening; he believes in a form of the Giuoco for the attack, which is in fact the same as the Evans refused, supposed by all other masters to be favourable for the defence.
He certainly won a fine game at this opening from Rosenthal,and in his hands exceptional attacks and defences often turn out successful.
Pleasant to mention is that the games are annotated by the players there selves and that makes a rare tournament book like this one very special.
All together this tournament book carries  296 annotated  games.
Conclusion: A remarkable reprint! 


Chess Explained

The c3 Sicilian by Sam Collins

2007
Gambit Publications Ltd
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail
info@gambitbooks.com
111 pages
Price € 20,35
ISBN 978-1-904600-71-8

The Irish IM Sam Collins concentrates  in this latest  “Chess Explained openings book”  on the Sicilian with 2.c3, once this move was a easy sideline of the Sicilian defence but nowadays this move is more than a alternative for 2.Nf3.
The positional motive behind this move is simple white wants to play d2-d4 and than a simple recapture with the c pawn which insures white a nasty lasting grip.
It looks all very simple but as Sam Collins explains in his 25 model games there are a lot of subtleties where both side of the board have to be aware of.
Must say that Sam Collins gives in this book a lot of his c3 secrets away as for example in game five he digs on Joe Gallagher’s main recommendation with 1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 e6 6.cxd4 b6 and writes; I wouldn’t advice black to go for this continuation, and the young author continues honestly I don’t like this line for black. I used to play it my self and found white’s attacking chances too much. It’s as if white has a great IQP position, with masses of activity but without as much structural weakness. Of course this is a personal opinion, and the system is undoubtedly playable, but I’m putting a health warning on it.
In place of the common move 7.Nc3 Collins suggests 7.Bd3 a simple developing move and in my opinion, is more promising than the text move.
After 7…Ba6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 black must not play 11… d5?!
But 11…0-0 12.d5 exd5 13.Qxd5 Nc6 14.Rd1 Qc7 15.Bf4 Rfd8 16.Qe4 with strong pressure and Joe Gallagher speaks after 11…0-0 with only about an edge for white.
But the important reference work from Eduardas Rozentalis and Andrew Harley Play the 2.c3 Sicilian Gambit 2002 suggest after 13.Qxd5 Na6!? with a very unclear position.
Conclusion: A very instructive read on the Sicilian with 3.c3!


Secrets of practical chess by John Nunn

2007
Gambit Publications Ltd
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail
info@gambitbooks.com
255 pages
Price €24,95
ISBN 978-1-904600-70-1

A brand new updated and expaned edition from Secrets of practical chess from John Nunn which had gone from 176  to 255 pages and that is 45% more chess material than as the first edition which was published a small nine years ago.
Some chapters from the first edition still stand as for the one on offbeat openings, where Nunn discusses in great detail the Latvian Gambit.
Tony Kosten gave later  some improvements in his book The Latvian Gambit lives from 2001 but unfortunately for the Latvian Gambit lovers John Nunn does not react here in Secrets of practical chess on Kosten’s improvements.
But there are again some fine new and heavy expanded chapters in this book as using a computer, and the use of chess literature,interesting to mention is that Nunn has ignored the use of computers in correspondence chess but strange enough still legal under international correspondence chess rules.
Personal I found a lot of useful information in this book with the use of chess engines and the limitations of these tools.
Nunn writes: One sometimes sees specially constructed artificial positions in which computers ludicrously fail to find the correct move, but it is important to realize that computers can also go awry in quite ordinary positions.
Nunn also suggests; If you want to analyse a position with the computer, but leaving an engine on long time doesn’t give you a clear evaluation of the position even with “Deep position analyses, it may help to have an engine tournament.
Interesting to mention is the use from latest chess engines as Rybka but Nunn is no big  fan from Chess Assistant he prefers ChessBase.
All fans of the Poisoned pawn variation of the Najdorf defence will certainly appreciate Nunn’s computer study  from twelve pages on this subject! 
The main line of his starting point arises after; 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.f5 Nc6 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.e5 dxe5 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Ne4 Be7 16.Be2 where all roads seems to  lead to a draw.
But if black goes wrong he can get a bad or even lost position with remarkable speed {Nunn}
In chess Literature there are two interesting chess book reviews; Rapid Chess improvement by Michael de la Maza and Basic chess endings from Reuben Fine.
I loved the recommended reading section but was surprised that there where no books from Nimzowitsch on Nunn’s favourite chess list but of course it is a personal selection of Nunn.
Conclusion: A very instructive learning book on modern chess!
Please see an excerpt from the book in PDF format


Beating unusual chess openings by Richhard Palliser

2006
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com/
223 pages
Price $23,95
ISBN978-1-85744-429-2


Richard Palliser provides the reader  in his latest beating unusual  openings books with a wealth of information on  less played openings lines  as the Sokolsky and Der Linksspringer,where white plays 1.Nc3, but also the Grob {1.g4}  is here fine explained with five heavy loaded pages and that all for a black related  repertoire book!
But first to a serious opening as  the Symmetrical English which  is good for a small  107 pages of this book where many analyses  as with  the white fianchetto impressively go on till around move 27 of this book.
For example:{1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.a3 a6 6.Rb1 Rb8 7.b4 cxb4 8.axb4 b5 9.cxb5 axb5 10.Nf3 e5 11.d4 exd4 12.Nd5 Nf6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Bf4 d6 16.Bxh6 Bf5 17.Rc1 Nxb4 18.Nxd4 Nd3+ 19.exd3 Bxd4 20.Bc6+ Bd7 21.Qe2+ Be5 22.d4?!}
Richard Palliser:An inaccuracy; White should first exchange bishops, as pointed out by the Belgioum player Franck Steenbekkers.Following 22.Bxd7 Kxd7! 23.d4 the position remains tense, but analyses reveals that it’s not all easy for white to get at the black king.
One to avoid is 23…Bf6 in view of Watson’s discovery of 24.0-0!! Rxh6 25.Rfe1 with nasty threats, and so play might continue 23..Rxh6!?{ A reasonable alternative for black, no matter what Fritz might say, is 23..Bxd4 24.Qg4+ Ke8 25.Qxd4 Rxh6 26.Qg7 Rh5 27.0-0 Rf5 and for example,28.Rfe1+ Kd7 29.Qb2! Rc8! 30.Ra1Qf6 31.Ra7+ Rc7 32.Qa2 Qd4!-Watson-sees Black continue to beat of the attack; defending in such  manner might not suit everyone’s taste,but it does appear quite effective}24.dxe5  Rh5!{Watson’s idea,as black hurries to activate his king’s rook,while preparing to meet 25.exd6 with 25…Qe8}25.Rd1 Qa5+ 26.Kf1 b4 27.f4 b3 when the position is still far from clear,but having analysed it a fair amount it does appear that the passed b-pawn fully compensation for white’s extra pawn { after a capture on d6}.This was certainly a complicated note,and is one well worth playing throw for the reader,although these seeking to garner easy points against any Kosten disciples would probably be fine in practice just memorizing up to move 21,before playing the resulting unclear position with a probable large advantage on the clock.
Must say the whole book is very enjoyable written and I found many interesting analyses from the ChessPublishing com web site.
By the way on 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Nc6!? 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4 Qd7 5.h3 Ne5!?6.Qxd7+ Kxd7 ! and black’s king might have been in the centre, but was very comfortable with the queens off and white unable to easily regain his pawn in E Roberts – M.Cehajic,corr 2003.
The interesting 2…Nc6!? Is as Richard Palliser describes it rare but also quite effective move order.The idea is simply to transpose to our main line after 3.h3 e5.
Conclusion: Buy it for all the exciting  lines!


The Philidor files by Christian Bauer

2006
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com/
304 pages
Price $23,95
ISBN978-1-85744-436-0

To be honest I have  seldom been so impressed as this openings book from the young GM Cristian Bauer on the Philidor defence.This book is all together
good for 304 well filled  pages all with move to move annotations and just compare that all with the the latest ECO C of Chess Openings Encyclopaedia  with it’s seven and a quarter page!
Probably many readers  will  remember Bauer first openings book Play 1…b6! which was also released by  Everyman Chess,but this Philidor defence book is a complete other story!
The modern Philidor player from now a days prefers to play first  a kind of Pirc defence but than switches over on move three to his real love the Philidor with his black night from B8 to d7,all these small subtleties  are the  key moves  to a successful comeback of this forgotten opening.
First of all I am very impressed that Cristian Bauer really covers every possible line of the Philidor,yes with even rare transpositions to the Latvian Gambit as we can see in the next moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.Qxg6+ Kd7 10.Qf5+ Ke8 11.Qe5+ Be6 12.Qxh8 Nc6.
But this all is nothing compared with chapter eleven 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Bxf7+? Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Ne6 or better
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Ng5+ Kg6! 9.f4 exf4 10.Ne6 Qg8 11.Nxc7 Ne5! 12.Nxa8 Bg4 13.Qd4 Nc6 14.Qf2 Qc4 where the young author writes: This is stronger than the immediate capture of the knight. Black is planning to play ..Bc5 or ..Bb4 and allows his opponent to respite. He has  a clearly superior position, as you could easy verify by trying to defend the white side!
By the way 9.h4?! is condemned by Kosten and Van Rekom/Janssen.Old analysis by Voronov and Keres give in the books of the aforementioned authors,runs as follows: 9…h5 10.f4 exf4 11.Ne2 Bd6 12.e5 Nxe5 13.Nxf4+ Kh6 14.Nf7+ Nxf7 15.Ne6+ Kh7 16.Nxd8 Rxd8 and black has a winning advantage.
Interesting is 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5!? Bauer:This is much more interesting than 7.Bxf7.White will win material by force,but at the cost of falling behind in development black must play dynamically in order not to
let his opponent consolidate. As a general rule black should try to avoid entering an endgame and concentrate his pieces for an assault against the white king.One page 226 I found a old recommendation from the authors of the Lion which is not so strong as the authors once hoped, because it gives white in no time a winning position,1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5!? 0-0 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6 Qe8 9.Nxc7 Qd8 10.Nxa8 exd4?!
A recommendation by the authors of the Lion,already proposed by Tony Kosten in Winning with the Philidor.The idea consists of quickly attacking f2.According to both sources a logical course of events seems to be:11.Qxd4 Ng4 12.0-0! b6 13.Nb5! Nc5 14.f3 Ne5 15.b4 Nc6 16.Qd2 Ne6 17.Rd1 and d6 drops,leaving white with a rook and three pawns for knight and bishop-again a technically winning position.
By the way the index contains:Part 1; Early deviations,3.d3 exd4: Introduction and Larsen’s variation,Antoshin’s variation with introduction and 6.Bf4
Part 2:Early 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6,Early deviations and 3.f3,3.Bd3,3.Nc3 e53,Nc3 Nbd7: Introduction, 4.f4 and 4.g4,and part3 with The Philidor Hanham variation.
Conclusion: A very important reference work on the Philidor defence!


Garry Kasparov on Modern Chess
Part one
Revolution in the 70s

2007
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com/
416 pages
Price $45,00
ISBN978-1-85744-444223


This latest book from Garry Kasparov on modern chess is the first in a brand new series and follows on the best selling books My Great predecessors,
the greatest chess player of all time Garry Kasparov digs in the chess developments of the 1970s which is after Kasaprov even so more important for the chess development than the hyper modernists of the 1930s.
Kasparov: Although, after becoming world champion, Fischer gave up playing, and many of his schemes soon became outdated, the tectonic shifts that he had caused generated a powerful avalanche, which over a period of ten years redrew the entire opening’ map of the world’.
Between 1972 and 1975 alone the progress in this field was more significant than in the entire preceding decade! Later the acceleration merely increased. The dynamics of the game increased sharply and, above all, there was a change in the very approach to the solving of opening problems.
Virtually the greatest hit of the 1970s was the truly innovatory and {what is especially important}universal system arising from different openings,which,following the example of William Hartston,became known as the ‘Hedgehog’.
Garry Kasparov discussed in this book 22 important lines of the 1970s and digs in these lines awful deep,all at the hand of detailed analyses and complete well analysed games,often with move to move analyses.
Counted a small 103 complete games all well analysed by Garry Kasparov and his great companion Dmitry Plisetsky, this name certainly deserved a place on the cover of this book maybe even in golden letters.
One of the most amazing lines that is covered in this book goes to the Sveshnikov variation chapter two of this book and good for 38 pages of this book.
Interesting is the describing of Evgeny Sveshnikov and his birth of a variation.
I played the Sicilian Defence right from my childhood-I began with the Paulsen variation,but I preferred more forcing play.
A the end of 1962,in an  opening book by Pachman,I saw an exotic variation, where the position from the previous diagram {1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5}
9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 was recommended.
And if 10…Be6 11.Nxb5 axb6 12.Bxb5 “with an obvious advantage for white”.
But, as it is easy to see, after 12…Rc8 black has excellent counter chances.
Besides 10…f5! Is better, and if 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.Bxb5,tha 12…Bb7,and I  began playing 5..e5,hoping to catch someone n the knight sacrifice.
Interesting is chapter twenty one of this book with the Chebanenko line, named after Vlacheslav Chebanenko {1942-1997}a prominent theoretician and trainer who coached a whole series of grandmasters and masters-Gavrikov,Bologan,Iordachescu,Komlyakov,Rogozenko,V.Nevednichy,Oratovsky and many others.His opening ‘bomb’
in the Sicilian defence employed by Petrosian in the 1st game of his match with Fischer is well known,{ 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be6 9.N1c3 a6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Na3 d5}
But far more important, at that time Chebanenko devised and developed the system with 4..a6 in the Slav Defence.
A very good read in this book is chapter twenty four with the opinions of 28 world experts,
where you shall find a lot of interesting contributions from players who had a important influence in the 1970s as Evgeny Sveshnikov but also Raymond Keene!
Conclusion: A creative masterpiece!  



Chess Classics
My system by Aron Nimzowitsch

2007
Quality Chess
http://www.qualitychessbooks.com
info@qualitychessbooks.com
316pages
Price $ 21,99
ISBN 10:91-976005-3-9

In 1925 Aaron Nimzowitsch {1886-1935} known as “The Father of Modern Chess” became one of the leading chess players in the world and that time he started to work on his book My System and around 1942 "My System" was widely recognized as one of the greatest chess books of al time.
The manuscript appeared in sections first and well in the years 1925/26, strange enough there has been so far never a good English translation not even the 1991 edition which was once praised by Yasser Seirawan as an easier read, indeed the book was slimmed down for a easy read to 260 pages.
This English translation from Quality chess is quite impressive not only the layout and fantastic paper but also the large amount of uncountable diagrams makes this edition of My System very readable but above all you buy this book for the understandable English {Nimzowitsch} notes to the games.
The editorial team Van Quality chess worked with contributors as Jacob Aagaard and John Shaw who have used for this translation the original  German 2005 Rattman  edition which contains a number of important improvements.
But there is more as two extra contributions as a chapter from My System in he computer age where you can find some slips from Nimzowitsch and a chapter from Jacob Aagaard on Nimzowitsch for the 21st Century.
But of more interest for the Nimzowitsch fan is the contribution from Giordano Bergamo who did a impressive research for events and times of the great Aaron Nimzowitsch.
Bergamo brought the pieces together of the match with Brinckmann and a number of Danish tournaments, and the cross tables of the Berlin 1927 event.The great Bent Larsen once wrote My System is a wonderful book but not really a system.
Nimzowitsch played his games  without thinking to much about his system, only afterwards, when he had to annotate it, he did make an effort to fit it in.
Nimzowitsch lived in Copenhagen  from 1923 until his death in 1935.He spend  only a very little money on him self and his much to early death to send something like 3000 GBP to his mother and sister.Where a good deal of this money came from his book My System.
Bent Larsen in Learn from the grandmasters Batdford 1975.
Conclusion: A great tribute to Nimzowitsch and his system!
Please see an excerpt from the book in PDF format 


                                     Chess CD's



ChessBase magazine issue #116 on DVD!
Deep Fritz10 won 4:2 against World Champion Kramnik
2007
February
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Price Euro 19,95 per issue
Annual subscription  costs Euro 99,70


With one click of your mouse you can open this DVD and let the great Karsten Müller lead you throw this heavy loaded chess DVD.
But first of all good news for all who are in the hurry, there is now a common database for the tournaments which can be copied directly in to your masmain  database.
This one is good for 401 entries where a small 75 of them carry excellent annotations,for example Shirov with four great learning games in Chess Media files and Leko analyses his fantastic win against Gelfand.
A topper on this DVD is  of course the match Deep Fritz 10 Kramnik which was a real Media hype in Germany which reminds me at the famous Fischer – Spassky match from 1972,but now is was the turn to  Fritz10.
Must say that Kramnik was excellent prepared but in no time he was skating on thin ice,but people are fascinated by the thinking machine that can beat world champions.
The big match between World champion Kramnik and Deep Fritz was played in Bonn and well  in the famous Art and Exhibition hall.
Did you miss it? No problem just open these Multimedia files and you can feel the atmosphere of this great match!
Other interesting files on this DVD that you can not miss are the important openings files and well: Benko gambit by Igor Stohl  {A57}with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Bg5; Snake Benoni {A60} by Viktor Moskalenko; Alekhine defence 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.d5 the so called exchange variation; Viktor Gavrikov avoids the Najdorf {B23} with 
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.e5 Nc6 7.Bb5; Dorian Rogozenko {B78} continues with his repertoire for white against the Dragon 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 d6 9.f3 Bd7 10.Qd2 Rc8 11.0-0-0 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Nd5.
Lubomir Ftacnik looks at the English attack with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a5!? 
Mihail Marin continues with his old wine in new bottles; In the previous issue I investigated the variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.c3 0-0 11.Bc2 f5 12.Nb3, which leads to interesting and frequently unbalanced positional play.After 12.exf6 Nxf6, the position has an entirely different character.
White has given up the pride of his position, his central pawn, in order to force the enemy knight to abandon his active outpost and leave Black with weaknesses along the e-file. Black's trumps are his better development and his advantage in space in the centre. This structure can arise from other variations of the Open Spanish too, and used to be considered one of the most difficult chapters of theory in the period during which this opening flourished, 2-3 decades ago.
Being strongly underdeveloped, White should treat the next phase of the game with great care. Many generally desirable moves can lead to troubles if played prematurely.13.Nd4?! spends a whole tempo on... weakening the defence of the king's position. After 13...Nxd4 14.cxd4 Bd6
Peter Lukacs and Laszlo Hazai dig in the Ruy Lopez {C95}1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.b3 d5
The Breyer Variation was rather popular (especially in top level chess) in the sixties. White tried many ways to get a clear advantage against it, but Black's extraordinarily flexible position remained fairly safe. By the unothodox knight manoeuvre 9...Nb8-d7 Black clears the diagonal for the bishop on b7 and puts pressure on e4. The other benefit is the possibility of ...c5 attacking the centre with pawns. Since White is more or less forced to play 12.Bc2 to protect the e4 pawn in comparison to the 9...Na5 variation, Black loses only one tempo, but the knight is much better on d7 than on a5. White's knight manoeuvre Nf1-g3 is logical to finish development and overprotect e4. There are alternatives like 13.a4 and 13.b3, which want to use the d2 knight on the queenside. However, this is not our theme this time.
The tabya position arises after 14...g6 which prepares Bg7 and deprives the g3 knight of f5. Here White has two major alternatives. 15.a4 is the other main line with 15...c5 16.d5 c4 followed by ...Nc5 with an excellent knight in the centre. This explains the main idea of 15.b3: in the case of 15...c5 16.d5 Black has no real activity on the queenside. If Black wants to refute this by forced moves he has to opt for the central breakthrough 15...d5!? which we shall cover in detail. 15...Bg7 is met by 16.d5 closing the centre, followed by c4 and both fianchettoed bishops remain passive. If Black wants to avoid this he can chose 15...c6, but this voluntarily closes the diagonal of the bishop, giving White a free hand in the centre. Our article seeks to demonstrate that Black's central blow is a real alternative, leading to a very sharp tactical battle where a single mistake can be decisive for both colours! The use of the computers has had a fantastic effect on many openings, and this line is another good example for that. The immense complications which arise in the main line simply cannot be studied effectively without our silicon friends like Fritz or others. This gives a big advantage to the diligent worker over players who are not well-prepared. Even an amateur can get his chance against a GM here!
The bright Efstratios Grivas goes for the Chigorin defence {D07; Michal Krasenkow for the Kruppa variation in the Grünfeld defence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bg5!?; Mihail Marin digs in the Blumenfeld Gambit {E10}and at last a pawn
Sacrifice in the Queen’s Indian {E15} by Evgeny Postny
Other columns on this DVD are : Daniel King Move by Move with to smashing games from the Dutch junior Jan Werle against the great Vlastimil Hort.
Oliver Reeh Tactics: Where the games have been taken exclusively from the German Bundesliga! {Very interesting!!}
Peter Wells Strategy and his last contribution on passed pawns,The great endgame expert Karsten Müller is good for 30 complete  games and chess Media files!!!
Knaak Eröffningsfalle and new DVD’s
Conclusion: A must for every chess player!

ChessBase Magazine extra issue 115
March  2007
Morelia 2007
ChessBase

 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail
info@chessbase.com

ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99


All games are played between the tournaments of Pereyra Puebla 20-12-2006 and CHI-ch Fenach 11-02-2007 and that are exactly counted 12683 games but as all extra ChessBase magazine games all with out any comments to the games.
Between the games I found an exciting Marshall game from the great attacking genius  Mark Hebden;  Britton,R (2261) - Hebden,M (2545) [C89] Hastings Masters 0607 Hastings (4), 31.12.2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Qd3 Rae8 17.Nd2 f5 18.f4 Kh8 19.Bxd5 cxd5 20.a4 bxa4 21.Qf1 Qh5 22.Qg2 g5 23.fxg5 h6 24.Qxd5 Rd8 25.Qg2 hxg5 26.d5 f4 27.Bd4+ Kg8 28.Rxa4 Rde8 29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Ne4 Rxe4 31.Qxe4 fxg3 32.hxg3 Bxg3 33.Qg2 Bd6 34.Be3 Bd7 35.Ra1 g4 36.Rxa6 Qe5 37.Rxd6 Qxd6 38.Kf2 Qe5 39.Bd4 Qf4+ 40.Kg1 Qc1+ 41.Qf1 Qxb2 42.Qf6 Qc1+ 43.Kf2 Qd2+ 44.Kg3 Qe1+ 45.Bf2 Qe4 46.Qd8+ Be8 47.Qg5+ Bg6 48.Qxg4 Qxg4+ 49.Kxg4 ½-½
But there are always extras as multimedia files from the superb. Morelia – Linares 2007 tournament where I found interviews but also interesting  analyses from Svidler and  Leko but also the game between Carlsen and  Topalov is worth buying this CD!
The AVI files on this CD are good for around 307 MB!
Conclusion: Great material!                     


Fritztrainer
Powerplay3:Pawn Storm by Daniel King
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com 
Price € 29,95


System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive

Daniel King explains you in his latest Powerplay3 DVD all kind of exciting  pawn storms where you are invited to use your f or h pawn.
Again Daniel King has managed to create a well filled DVD from around 39 multimedia files but that is include a lot of puzzle files,
where I must say that these puzzle files are really highly recommended for trainings purposes.
King handles in these files 42 extensive games where ten of these games come from King him self and that is included loses against Howell and Adams,and lets be honnest there is no better way of learning chess than  from your losses.
King enjoys playing around with his pawns as we can see in his game against; Peter Meister from the Bundesliga of 1993.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 e6 6.d3 Nge7 7.h4 Here? 7...h5 [7...h6!? 8.Be3 (8.h5 g5 9.f4 gxf4 10.Bxf4 (10.gxf4) 10...d6 11.Qd2 Nd4 12.Nd1 d5 13.Ng1 Ndc6 14.Qe2 dxe4 15.dxe4 Qa5+ 16.c3 b6 17.Ne3 Ba6 18.Qc2 e5 19.Nf5 exf4 20.Nxg7+ Kf8 21.Nf5 Nxf5 22.exf5 Re8+ 23.Kf2 Ne5 24.gxf4 Ng4+ 25.Kg3 Ne3 0-1 Van Mechelen,J-Chuchelov,V/Charleroi 2001/CBM 83 ext (25)) 8...Nd4 9.Qd2 d6 10.0-0 (10.0-0-0; 10.f4) 10...e5 11.f4 Bg4 12.Nc1 Qd7 13.Rb1 Rc8 14.Nd1 exf4 15.Bxf4 d5 16.Nc3 Be6 17.Re1 Kf8 18.N1e2 dxe4 19.dxe4 Rd8 20.Rbd1 Bg4 21.e5 Nec6 22.Nxd4 Bxd1 23.Nd5 cxd4 24.Qxd1 Kg8 25.e6 fxe6 26.Bh3 Kh7 27.Bxe6 Qe8 28.h5 Rf8 29.Nc7 Qe7 30.Bg8+ Rxg8 31.hxg6+ Kh8 32.Rxe7 Nxe7 33.Qh5 Rgf8 34.Bxh6 Rf5 35.Bg5+ Kg8 36.Qh7+ Kf8 37.Ne6+ Ke8 38.Nxg7+ Kd7 39.Nxf5 1-0 King,D-McShane,L/Germany 2000/CBM 74 ext/[Dan] (39); 7...d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.Nf4 (9.h5) ;
7...0-0 8.h5] 8.Bg5 Rb8 9.a3 b5 10.Rb1 d6 11.Qd2 Bd7 12.0-0 a5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Nxa4 Ne5 15.b3 f6 16.Bf4 Nf7 17.Nb2 Nc6 18.Nc4 Bc8 19.Be3 e5 20.Ra1 Ra8 21.Ra4 Be6 22.Rfa1 Bxc4 23.dxc4 Qd7 24.Qd5 Rc8 25.Kh2 g5 26.Bh3 g4 27.Bg2 Bh6 28.Nc3 Kf8 29.Qd3 Qe6 30.Nd5 Kg7 31.Bd2 Bxd2 32.Qxd2 Rb8 33.Ne3 Nh6 34.Nf5+ Nxf5 35.exf5 Qd7 36.Bxc6 Qxc6 37.Rxa5 Rbd8 38.Ra7+ Rd7 39.R1a6 Qc8 40.Rxd7+ Qxd7 41.Qxd6 Qxd6 42.Rxd6 Ra8 43.Kg2 e4 44.Kf1 e3 45.fxe3 Ra1+ 46.Ke2 Rg1 47.b4 cxb4 48.c5 Ra1 49.Rd4 Ra2 50.Kd3 Ra3+ 51.Ke4 Rc3 52.Kd5 Rxc2 53.Rxb4 Rd2+ 54.Rd4 1-0
Conclusion: Buy it for the highly instructive notes!!


King's Indian Saemisch System by Boris Shipkov
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com 
Price € 29,95

The Russian theoretician Boris Shipkov well known from his excellent chess trainings CD’s on the Dutch and Queens Gambit Accepted digs this time in the Sämisch.
Leonard Barden once wrote in the most famous ever written King’s Indian book{The King’s Indian Defence};The Sämisch is the most directly vigorous attack at White’s disposal against the King’s Indian,and at the same time it can be used as purely weapon.
Again the material from Shipkov is impressive and handles this CD with 29819 entries where a small 1000 games carry excellent annotations.
Between these 1000 annotated games are 393 annotated ones from Shipkov him self and these are really very well analysed.
But first a view from Shipkov’s introduction text file:
he King's Indian Defence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 is a closed opening in which the kingside fianchetto leads to sharp positions. Nowadays, the KID is extremely popular in knockout, rapid and even classical chess tournaments when the second player wants to or must fight for a win. Black does not trade pawns and pieces early at the beginning of the game, so White cannot made a quick draw. But here we scrutinize the Saemisch System (KISS) 5.f3 that is a very aggressive and solid approach to the KID. Also the KISS is simple to understand and to learn.
The Saemisch System is a strictly classical response to the hypermodern King's Indian Defence. The German grandmaster and good theoretician Fritz Saemisch (1896-1975) first played his fabulous invention 5.f3 in 1925. Famous exponents of the King's Indian Saemisch are Alexey Dreev, Alexander Graf, Jan Timman, Rainer Knaak, Igor Novikov, Klaus Bischoff, Christopher Ward, Joel Lautier, Ildar Ibragimov, Larry Christiansen, Zsuzsa Polgar and Vladimir Kramnik.
Famous exponents for Black are Veselin Topalov, Peter Svidler, John Nunn, Ilia Smirin, Loek Van Wely, Viorel Bologan, Alexei Fedorov, Ye Jiangchuan, Zdenko Kozul, Joseph Gallagher and Wolfgang Uhlmann.
A lot of ideas for White or Black were created by Efim Geller, Mikhail Botvinnik, Garry Kasparov, Mihail Tal, Boris Spassky, Tigran Petrosian, Anatoly Karpov, Viktor Kortschnoi, Robert Fischer, Isaak Boleslavsky and many others.
The variations E80-E89 are examined in this work. Also, we look at the Modern Benoni lines in annotations and ideas from the Benko Gambit.
We also consider other rare and popular lines of the King's Indian Saemisch System.
2. My Experience: Fantastic Results
At the start of my chess career I played 3.g3 or 3.Nf3 d6 4.g3 thanks to the vogue for the fianchetto variation in Novosibirsk and Siberia in the 1970s-80s. The future strong grandmasters Alexander Goldin and Alexander Fominyh from Novosibirsk also played 3.g3 then. I had only a small positive score against the KID, and I did not like the resulting positions. After 3.g3 Black has good or sufficient counterplay by various ways - with ...Nc6, c7-c5 or e7-e5 plans, with the Gruenfeld d7-d5 or c7-c6 followed by d7-d5. The classical 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 is simple and easy for Black, because he can always attack on the kingside with ...e7-e5, f7-f5-f4, g6-g5-g4, fireworks and sacrifices. But I prefer to attack the opponent's king myself. So I chose the Saemisch System in 1984. With 5.f3 White strengthens his centre, then places the dark-squared bishop on e3 and can attack on the kingside with g2-g4, h2-h4 or on the queenside with b2-b4. In the Saemisch White has more opportunities. White may castle long or short and that is impossible in other lines. The Saemisch System with active play, based on a solid position in the centre that is good according to general principles, is clearly suited for the intrepid player, who does not like boring, technical middlegames and endgames.

This was the right decision. I won all six games against the King's Indian with the Saemisch in 1985! From 1985 to 1993 I won 26 games (probably more, because I could not find my games from several of my best tournaments) and drew only 8. As I had come to terms with the King's Indian, I began to play with Russian or Siberian passion, to work with gusto, my spirit became joyful and nobody could stop me.
So I am sure that as we build up our opening repertoire, we must think about those positions which arise not only from the point of view of chess values, but also from the psychological point of view. The components of success are:
1. chess knowledge of openings, understanding, creativity, strategy and tactics;
2. positions that we like and know; good emotions give us energy, we must have our own opinions on opening lines and continuations;
3. an iron will, concentration, imagination, logic, rationalism, patience and fighting spirit... these all give us the ability to find the best moves.
I like playing against the King's Indian Defence very, very much. I hope you also will like to play against it after learning about my work.
3. Content of the CD
There are altogether 21 chapters (Introduction, Basic Strategic Ideas, 18 chapters covering all the main variations of the KI Saemisch E80-E89, Conclusion), 393 model and essential games with my notes, 30 training games with questions plus a tree of variations.
02. Basic Strategic Ideas
03. Rare Lines
04. Byrne Variation 5...c6
05. Lines 5...0-0 6.Bd3 and 6.Nge2
06. Lines 6.Bg5 a6, 6...c6, 6...h6
07. Lines 6.Bg5 Nbd7 and 6...Nc6
08. Line 6.Bg5 c5
09. Lines 6.Be3 Nfd7, 6...Na6, 6...a6, 6...c6
10. Line 6.Be3 c5
11. Line 6.Be3 Nbd7
12. Line 6.Be3 b6
13. Panno Variation 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Qd2
14. Panno Variation 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Nge2
15. Panno Variation 7.Nge2 a6 8.Qd2 Rb8
16. Panno Variation 7.Nge2 a6 8.Qd2 Rb8 9.Nc1
17. Line 6.Be3 e5
18. Line 6.Be3 e5 7.d5
19. Line 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nh5
20. Line 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 c6
21. KI Saemisch. Conclusion
4. Bibliography
The main sources:
ChessBase Mega Database 2006
ChessBase Magazines
ChessBase Opening Encyclopaedia 2005
ChessBase Corr Database 2004
Chess Siberia http://www.chessib.com/
ChessBase 8.0, 9.0 and the Superkey from Mega Database 2006
Christopher Ward "The controversial Saemisch King's Indian", 2004
Andrew Martin "The ABC of the King's Indian"
Efim Geller "King's Indian Defence", 1980
Isaak Boleslavsky "Koenigsindisch bis Gruenfeld-Verteidigung", 1976
Mikhail Botvinnik "Analiticheskie i kriticheskie raboty" in 4 volumes, 1984-1987
Recommended are the King’s Indian games from Bronstein who was the inventor of the of the following dubious line:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 e5 6.d5 Nh5 7.Be3 Na6 8.Qd2 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nxg3 10.Qf2 Nxf1 11.Qxh4 Nxe3 12.Kf2 Nxc4.
Later Bronstein wrote: Black lost this game, but the idea of the queen sacrifice remains viable to this day {Bronstein On the King’s Indian,Everyman Chess 1999.
In the game file from Shipkov I found the following game with Bronstein’s idea:
Wyss,F (1757) - Krstic,S (2040) [E80]
AUS-ch Seniors Melbourne (1), 28.12.2001
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 e5 6.d5 Nh5 7.Be3 Na6 8.Qd2 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nxg3 10.Qf2 Nxf1 11.Qxh4 Nxe3 12.Qf2 Nb4 13.Ke2 Nxc4 14.a3 Na6 15.Kd3 Nb6 16.b4 f5 17.Nge2 c6 18.Rad1 cxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Bd7 21.Nc3 0-0 22.Kc2 Rfc8 23.Kb3 Rc7 24.Ne2 Bb5 25.Rc1 Rf7 26.Rc2 Bd3 27.Rc3 e4 28.Nd4 Re8 29.Rhc1 e3 30.Qe1 Bxd4 31.Rxd3 Bb6 32.a4 Rfe7 33.Rc4 e2 34.Rc1 Be3 35.Rb1 Bf4 36.Qf2 Nc7 37.Re1 Re5 38.h3 b6 39.a5 bxa5 40.Qxa7 Bg3 41.Rxe2 Rxe2 42.Qxc7 axb4 43.Kxb4 R2e7 44.Qc6 Rb8+ 45.Kc3 Ree8 46.Qd7 Rbc8+ 47.Kb2 Rcd8 48.Qa4 Rc8 49.Qd1 Bf4 50.Rb3 Be5+ 51.Ka2 Re7 52.Qd3 Ra7+ 53.Ra3 Rxa3+ 54.Qxa3 Rc3 55.Qa4 Kf8 56.Qd1 Kf7 57.Qe2 g5 58.h4 h6 59.hxg5 hxg5 60.f4 gxf4 61.Qh5+ Ke7 62.Qh7+ Kd8 63.Qxf5 Kc7 64.Qf7+ Kb6 65.Qf8 f3 66.Qf5 Kc5 67.Qe4 Bd4 68.Kb1 f2 69.Qf5 Kc4 70.Qf7 Be3 71.Qc7+ Kd3 72.Qh7+ Kd2 73.Qf5 Rc1+ 0-1
Conclusion:A well made Chess trainings CD!



Fritztrainer opening
My best games in the King's Indian by Alexei Shirov
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com 
Price € 32,90

System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive

GM Alexei Shirov handles in this King’s Indian DVD eleven of his ever best games but there is no specific favour from the author for one or the other side of the board but once in his young years Shirov preferred as Fischer the black side of the King’s Indian.
To play throw all the game you need around five hours of your pressures time but you get something important back from Alexei Shirov and well a  good understanding of the King’s Indian.
Again Shirov is honest and he explains as no other,he does not fear to give his private thought and secrets away.
Covered on this games are the most important main lines as the Sämisch, in his game against Kramnik Shirov discusses the interesting line  1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 c5 which Chris Ward mentioned in his book The Controversial Sämisch King’s Indian as the most critical test of the 6.Be3 Sämisch.
I shall give the game but please excuse me that I can not give you the excellent annotions from Shirov!
Kramnik,Vladimir - Shirov,Alexei [E81] Bundesliga, 1992
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 c5 7.dxc5 dxc5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bxc5 Nc6 10.Ba3 a5 11.Rd1 Be6 12.Nd5 Nb4 13.Nxe7+ Kh8 14.Rxd8+ Rxd8 15.Nd5 Nc2+ 16.Kd2 Nxa3 17.bxa3 b5 18.Nh3 bxc4 19.Bxc4 Nxd5 20.exd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 Rxd5+ 22.Ke2 Re5+ 23.Kd3 Rd5+ 24.Ke2 ½-½  and there is on this DVD lines with; 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 0-0 6.Bg5 and other main lines that arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0.
But Shirov also handles many other interesting alternatives between the lines of these eleven great games!
Conclusion: Great learning material!

Fritztrainer opening
My best games in the Nimzo- Indian by Alexei Shirov
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com 
Price € 32,90

This time the great GM Alexei Shirov looks at his this Fritztrainer opening’s DVD  at three different but close to each other related lines and well the Nimzo-Indian,Catalan and Queens Indian defence.All brought together in one DVD under the name My best games in the Nimzo-Indian.
As we can learn from the Latvian chess genius that these three lines have great crossings with each other.
Good news is that  Shirov has decide to present only his latest games on this DVD and that makes this DVD really superb!
Between his list opponents I found great players as Peter Leko see game: Shirov,Alexei - Leko,Peter [E12]Monaco, 2004
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Nc3 c5 7.e4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Nb3 Nc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Nd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Bd3 Be5 14.Bg3 Qb8 15.0-0-0 0-0 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.Qe2 a6 18.Na4 Rc6 19.f4 Bxf4 20.e5 Bxg3 21.hxg3 Nh7 22.Qe3 Ng5 23.Nxb6 Rxb6 24.Qxb6 Bxg2 25.Qxb8+ Rxb8 26.Rhe1 a5 27.Bc2 Bc6 28.b3 Kf8 29.Kb2 Ke7 30.Kc3 f5 31.exf6+ gxf6 32.b4 axb4+ 33.axb4 Rc8 34.c5 Rg8 35.Re3 Nf7 36.Rd4 Ne5 37.Bd1 Ra8 38.Be2 Ra3+ 39.Kd2 Ra2+ 40.Kc1 Ra1+ 41.Kc2 Ba4+ 42.Kb2 Re1 43.Kc3 Rc1+ 44.Kd2 Rc2+ 45.Ke1 Rc1+ 46.Kf2 Rc2 ½-½ or Shirov,Alexei - Topalov,Veselin [E11]Linares, 2004
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qb3 b6 9.Nc3 Ba6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Ne5 Bb7 12.Rac1 Nc6 13.Nb5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nd7 15.Qe3 Nc5 16.Bb4 a5 17.Ba3 Qd7 18.Nd4 Rac8 19.f4 b5 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 21.f5 Rxc1 22.Qxc1 exf5 23.Nxf5 g6 24.Nd4 Qd8 25.h4 b4 26.Qf4 f6 27.Bh3 fxe5 28.Qxe5 Bf6 29.Qe6+ Kh8 30.e3 Bg7 31.Rxf8+ Qxf8 32.Qd7 Bh6 33.Ne6 Qc8 34.Qe7 d4 35.e4 Bxe4 36.Nc5 Qxh3 37.Qe8+ Kg7 38.Qe7+ Kg8 39.Qe8+ Bf8 40.Nxe4 Qf5 41.b3 d3 42.Qc6 Kh8 43.Kg2 h6 44.Qc4 Qd7 45.Nf6 Qg7 46.Ne4 Qb2+ 47.Kf3 Qe2+ 48.Kf4 Bg7 49.Qc8+ Kh7 50.Qd7 Qf1+ 51.Ke3 Qe2+ 52.Kf4 Qf1+ 53.Ke3 Qc1+ 54.Kf3 ½-½
Shirov honestly say that he found it difficult to handle the move 3…d5 and his knowledge of the Catalan was based on principles above memorizing all important lines,funny enough this game is very related to the Slavish defence.
The running time of this DVD is only four hours but I can insure you every minute of this DVD is worth watching!
Conclusion: A top learning DVD!

Chess Magazine's



British Chess Magazine No.3
Volume 127
March2007
Price: £3.70



Starting with the Corus Wijk aan Zee tournament by BCM’s mans Ian Rogers who looks back at the Danailov/Topalov allegations.
All together there is 16 pages of highly Corus chess pleasure!
But there is more as Chess Questions answered by the bright Gary Lane, who digs in the Scandinavian defence with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 c6 4.dxc6 e5 but also Murey’s amassing 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 Nc6 gets a important turn.
Ian Rogers also reports Vladimir Akopian’s triumph in Gibraltar,Steve Giddins reports on the third weekend of the 2006/7 4NNL {British Team Championship}season which was held in Coventry.
Quotes and Queries {Where John Sexton wonders how many chess clubs take the trouble to clean there chess pieces}
Endgame studies with some fine studies from the Latvian composer Johann Sehwers,Book reviews,News in brief etc.
Conclusion: Buy it for the Corus Wijk aan Zee report!