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CHESSBOOK REVIEWS

Latest book reviews of 1 September 2007
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.
Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg

Chess Books

The survival guide to competitive chess by John Emms
2007
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
160 pages
Price $24,95
ISBN 978-1857444124

This latest book from John Emms is no copy and paste book but largely based on over the board experiences from Emms himself and that makes a book like this really very interesting.
Emms handles in a very honest ands objective way all important aspects of the game as oversights,bluffing,poker face,know the rules,last round nerves,converting winning positions,cashing in to quickly,avoiding tactics,draw,never resign,the perils of time trouble,exploiting your opponent’s time trouble,blitzing, building a repertoire, guarding against complacency, beware of little knowledge,facing a surprise in the opening etc.
All material is packed in four readable chapters, In The Heat of Battle, Winning drawing and losing,Clock control and Opening play.
This is not a book that you buy for the latest Informator lines but one for the wise advises from one of England’s leading chess players.
But is all not glamour for Emms in this book, as for example he explains his lost with the Shliemann defence,where Emms instructively writes: {1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5!}Looking for a nice, quiet positional game against someone rated over 200 points lower than me,this really wasn’t the move I wanted to face.I didn’t know which line Mark Lyell played aginst the Lopez, but I was sloppy with my detective work.I really should have suspected that the Schliemann would arise given that in one of our earlier encounters he had played 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 f5.In the past I had played the quiet 4.d3,but more recently I had changed to the critical main line with 4.Nc3 so that is what I went with.
4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qd5! Previously I had only faced 7…Qg5.Now I was forced to recall oodles of theory in a very sharp line I had never faced in practice, and one that I had only looked at briefly a long time ago.
8.c4 Qd6 9.Nxa7+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qh5 g6 12.Qe5+
All still theory.White wins the rook,but because his queen gets trapped in on h8 he has to give it up for black’s other rook.
12….Nf7 13.Nb5 {13.Qxh8?! Nf6 14.Nb5 Rd8 is similar, but it’s a better version for black than the game.}
13....c6 14.Qd4! Qe7 15.Qxh8
Not obligatory, but after,say 15.Nc3 Nf6 16.0-0 Rd8 17.Qe3 Rd3 18.Qe2 Qe5 followed by ..Bd6,black is enjoying some fun for the two pawns.
15….Nf6 16.b3 Rd8 17.Bb2 Bg7 18.Ba3!
So far I was doing a good job of remembering the theory the theory, albeit at a cost of some time on the clock. Meanwhile my opponent was blitzing out his moves.
Emms lost this instructive game after the moves 18…Qd7 19.Nd6+ Ke6 20.Qxd8 Qxd8 21.Nxb7 Qc7 22.Nc5 Kf7 23.Rb1? Qf4! 24.h3 Nh5! 25.0-0? Be5 26.g3 Qf3! 27.Rbe1 Nf4! 28.gxf4 Qxf4 0-1,and this all is well explained at the hand of nearly 3 pages of full text.
Other useful contributions for the upcoming chess student are check the every move method {The so called CEM method}, which is based on the theory that you must be absolutely sure you are aware of every single possibility that exists!
Emms handles these CEM techniques at the hand of some exciting examples and indeed the games from Emms are an excellent guide for every ambitious chess student!
And I would like to end with the wise words from Emms with the saying long think wrong think and forget to go throw the chapter clock control!
Conclusion: For all who like to succeed at chess!

Play 1....Nc6 by Christoph Wisnewski
2007
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
268 pages
Price $24,95
ISBN 978-1857444-522-0

Christoph Wisnewski is an International master from Germany who has a great love to play with black his queens knight to c6.
It does not matter if white goes for 1.Nf3,or 1.c4 Wisnewski prefers to plays in this move to move repertoire book his knight to c6.
On 1.e4 he steps on the Nimzowitsch defence but does not fear new ideas as for example on 1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 he suggests the bright 2..Nf6 and does not follow Nimzowitsch's passive 2…e6.
At first sight you would believe that 2…Nf6 comes from one of first Chess Challenger computers but 2..Nf6 can also be found in old chess magazines as Gambit Revue.Nowadays it is all Fritz but dear reader he is able to play a good game of chess but he is no way creative!
But this move can lead to razor sharp positions if white goes for moves as 3.e5 Ng4 4.d4 d6 5.h3 Nh6 6.e6 fxe6 7.Bxh6 gxh6.
After 8.Nh4 black is forced to the bizarre looking move 8…Qd7 but as we can see in some model games in this book that this hidden move provides black some excellent chances.
On 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Wisnewski suggests 5… e6 where black transposes to an inconspicuous line of the French defence.
Usually this line is reached via the move order 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nc6,which is also known in Germany as Hecht –Reefschläger line.
Wisnewski writes: I stumbled upon it about a year after I took up the Nimzowitsch defence and I immediately scored well with it.
Interesting to mention is that the great Nimzowitsch played the starting position of the Hecht –Reefschläger four times in his chess career!
A well known game with 3…Nc6 can be found in Nimzowitsch his book My system where he played against Becker;1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bb4?!
On 4.e5 Wisnewski recommends 4…Nge7 and that is a great difference with John Watson who recommends in his latest book on the French,Dangerous weapons: The French, the 4…f6, after John Watson the most confrontational move.
So Wisnewski prefers the old fashion but reliable move from Nimzowitsch!
And after 5.f4 {or 5.Bg5!?}Nf5 6.Nf3 b6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.g4?! it is already hard to suggest a improvements for white!
After Steffen Pedersen in his book The Main Line French:Nc3 Gambit 2001 white has to go for 5.Nf3 b6 6.a3 but Wisnewski thinks it is much better for black to go for 5…Nf5 followed by f6.
On 1.d4 Wisnewski goes for the reliable Chigorin defence and does not go for 1…Nc6!?
The whole Chigorin is well explained at the hand of 34 heavy loaded model games and that all is good for around 116 pages of this book so we certainly can speak from a book in a book.
As we could see in the Nimzowitsch defence Wisnewski is an ambitious author and likes to throw his secrets away,as for example after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.e3 e5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 exd4 8.Ne2 Nf6 9.Nxd4 0-0 10.Nb5 Qg5 11.Nxc7 Bg4 12.Qb3 Rad8 13.Qxb7 Rd6!? 14.Qb5!? he writes: Although discovered independently by other players as well, according to my games database {more than 5 million games}this moves was first employed by my club mate Patrick Wiebe in a game we played back in 2002.
But before we take a look at this,let’s see to treat the alternatives:
A}After 14.Nb5?! Re6 many games have featured 15.Nd4?,when black plays 15…Rxe3+! With a winning attack,for example 16.fxe3 Qxe3+ 17.Ne2 Ne4 18.Qxc6 Rd8 19.Qxe4 Qxe4 20.Rd1 Rxd1 21.Kxd1Bxe2+ 22.Bxe2 Qb1+ and white resigned in A.Martin-C.Wisnewski, Internet blitz 2003.
B}14.h4 Rfd8! 15.Be2 Qg6 16.Bxf6 Bxe2 17.Bxd8 Qc2 and mates.
C}14.h3 is an interesting try that has not been tested in any serious games as yet.The idea is to force black to make a decision about the bishop.
Bronznik gives 14..Rd8 15.Qa6 Bh5 16.Qa4 Rbd8,but after 17.g4 it is not clear to me how black is compensated for his two sacrificed pawns.Instead 15..Bf5 looks beter,with the idea of ….Ne4 and …Qh4,now that 14.h3 has weakened g3 and therefore enables..Nxg3 after g2-g3.
The safest way for white to respond seems to be 16.Nb5 Re6 17.Nc7 with a draw by repetition!,but in any case black should not be afraid to make his stand here.I don’t have 5 million games in my database but I do have a game with 14.h3!
Peek,Marcel (2341) - Zumsande,Martin (2331) [D07]CM.2001.0.00140 IECG, 29.04.2001
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.e3 e5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 exd4 8.Ne2 Nf6 9.Nxd4 0-0 10.Nb5 Qg5 11.Nxc7 Bg4 12.Qb3 Rad8 13.Qxb7 Rd6 14.h3 Qh4 15.g3 Rfd8 16.Be2 Qh6 17.Bxf6 Rb8 18.Qxb8+ Nxb8 19.Bxg4 Qxf6 20.0-0 Rd2 21.Rad1 Rxb2 22.Nd5 Qd6 23.Nf4 Qb6 24.Nd3 Rb5 25.a4 Rb3 26.Bf3 Nc6 27.Nc1 Rc3 28.Ne2 Rc2 29.Nd4 Nxd4 30.Rxd4 g6 31.Rd7 Rc7 32.Rfd1 Rxd7 33.Rxd7 Qa6 34.Bd1 Qb6 35.h4 Kg7 36.Bf3 Qa6 37.Bd5 Qxa4 38.Rxf7+ Kh8 39.Rf8+ Kg7 40.Rf7+ ½-½ {Please see the Ultra Corr CD from Tim Harding}
Interesting to mention is on 1.Nf3 Nc6 2.b3 a kind of improved Nimzo-Larsen Attack.
The material of this book is based on four chapters with the Nimzowitsch Defence,Chigorin Defence,Black plays 1.c4 Nc6 and part with 1.Nf3 Nc6.
Included are 75 model games,bibliography,75 model games, index of complete games with alphabetical index!
Conclusion: Buy this book if you want to outplay your opponent with the black knight to c6!

My best games by Anatoly Karpov
2007
Edition Olms
http://www.olms.de
295 pages
Price € 32,70
ISBN 978-3-283-01002

This English work is a fine translation from the German edition which is done by Ken Neat,strange enough the English edition is much more exspensive than the German one!
Karpov became in April 24, 1975 officially world champion in chess and exactly 31 years later Karpov releases this book with 100 of his ever best games all played between the years 1968 and 2003.
In this book you shall not find much about the personal life of Karpov or his looses but a collection impressive wins against the greatest players of his time as for example Korchnoi,Spassky,Kasparov and Timman.
Karpov is a man who plays very efficient chess and does not aim for complications but he is one of those chess players became stronger with every game he played.
The games are well analysed with a lot of readable text and some games as Smejkal – Karpov ,Leninggrad 1973 are good for nearly five pages of instructive text.
Karpov has included from the famous 1978 WM match against Korchnoi {Viktor the terrible} two games but unfortnatley nothing about the atmosphere of these games not even a anecdote.
The match is passed and the enemy has become good friend and the two games specially the 14th match game is a truly master piece.
The most recent included game is from Warsaw 2003,with Bartiomiej Macieja where Karpov played a facinating Scotch game with the openings moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 9.b3 0-0-0 10.g3 g5!? 11.Ba3 Nb4!? Karpov writes: To judge by Macieja's reaction ,he had expected the queen to move and he was caught unawares.14.Bb2 It is curious that Fritz initially gives preference to white,but than,after delving into the position,discovers that he has nothing.
Interesting for the theory lovers under us the move from Karpov 11...Nb4 is not mentioned is not mention in the latest ECO of Chess Openings!
Karpov wrote after the defeat of Macieja: After this defeat {in the second game of the match}Macieja gave up the Scotch game,but as a result of this his results with white did not improve.
Contributions are made by Saizew {introduction} and Raymond Stolze is good for a interesting eight page article of Karpov’s way in the chess Olympics.
Included throw the book are short anecdotes, statistics and excellent made players and openings indexes.
Conclusion: A unique game collection fully overloaded with instructive notes!

French Defence Advance variation volume 1 by Evgeny Sveschnikov
White repertoire
2007
Edition Olms
http://www.olms.de
176 pages
Price € 24,50
ISBN 978-3-283-00523-8

French Defence Advance variation volume 2 by Evgeny Sveschnikov
White repertoire
2007
Edition Olms
http://www.olms.de
152 pages
Price € 24,50
ISBN 978-3-283-00524-5

Two new exciting Olms translations in the English language on the French advance from the two German {Olms} openings books from Evgeny Sveshnikov.
Sveshnikov handles in this first volume,the so called basic course where he discusses all the necessarily understanding of strategies that a player needs to be aware of, if he or she has interest to get involved with the favourite pawn move from Nimzowitsch.
All games in these volumes are very well explained and volume one starts with a impressive collection of 80 model games, which are all overloaded with instructive text, and not to forget there are also around 70 exercises to see if you have understood the strategies of this opening.
Grandmaster Sveshnikov goes much further in this book than providing the reader with a coverage of most important strategies and tactics of this dynamic opening, for example there is a very instructive 15 page chapter with the modern view of Nimzowitsch theories.
But first to the historical overview from the advanced with interesting games from Greco,Lous Paulsen,Aaron Nimzowitsch, but also some superb. games from the great Sveshnikov and dear reader he is an leading authority on the French advanced!
Part two {band 2}is more for the advanced player seen the large amount of theory and model games where I counted a small 68 of them but the best part of this book are the theoretical surveys the encyclopaedia part of this book, which is good for around 55 pages of text all in the well known and easy to read ECO symbols.
The murderous Milner Barry line from Sveshnikov 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6}gets a 6.Bd3? remark and the same with 6... cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.0-0 Qxe5?!But Steffen Pedersen writes about this move in his book French: Advanced and other lines Gambit 2006,The acceptance of the second pawn queries the correctness of the Milner Barry Gambit, provided that black knows what to do. Anyway after 11.Re1 Qb8 12.Nxd5 Bd6 13.Qg4 Kf8 14.Bd2 h5 15.Qh3 Bc6 16.Ne3 Nf6 17.Nc4 Bc7 18.Bc3 Nd5 19.Ne5 and it is after Sveshnikov a even game but he does not mention the improvement from Watson 18…Ng4!
But Junior 10 waves all these suggestions away with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.0-0 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3 Qxe5 11.Re1 Qb8 12.Nxd5 Bd6 13.Qg4 Kf8 14.Bd2 h5 15.Qh3 Bc6 16.Ne3 Nf6 17.Nc4 Bc7 18.Bc3 Ng4 19.g3 b5 20.Ne3 and the position is even.
The best way to search for improvements is probably 19…Rh6!
Included in both books are excellent made games and players indexes,and pleasant to mention is that both book covers a interesting introduction from the legendary Anatoli Karpov.
But these English editions are exactly the same as the German editions even that part of this English translation has 17 pages more as the German edition.
Conclusion: A must book for all lovers of the French advanced!

Stonewall II by Jacob Aagaard
Softcover
2007
Quality Chess
207 pages
Price €23,99
ISBN 91-975244-1-7

Stonewall II is an updated, extended and German translated version of Aagaard’s English on the Stonewall that he wrote in the year 2000 for Eveyman Chess.
Aagaard’s work on the Dutch Stonewall belongs in my opinion to one of his best books seen the excellent introduction from 64 pages where he takes all the time to explain you the strategies of this rigid central defence, but there is also enough place reserved for an interesting historical approach of this interesting defence.
The Stonewall is characterized by de pawns f5,e6,d5 and c6 but dark side of this defence is that the wall can be inflexible.
So far I could see there are no updates in the introduction but the game section has been expanded from 77 to 94 complete games.
But I also found improvements between the lines of the complete games, as for example the one between Palatnik and Dolmatov ,Belgrade 1988, 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 c6 5.Nf3 d5 6.0-0 Bd6 7.b3 Qe7 8.c5 Bc7 9.Bf4 includes some extra material on the move 9.b4.
Or some latest developments after 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.0-0 Bd6 6.c4 c6 7.b3 Qe7 8.a4 a5 9.Ba3 Bxa3 10.Nxa3 0-0 11.Nc2 b6,taken from the game Sokolov – Salov,New York 1996.
But also a fine game from the great Yusopov who played the bright move order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 f5 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.b3 Qe7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Qc1 Ne4.
Interesting is also 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 f5 5.f4!? The so called Karpov variation,where Aagaard writes: It is not particularly dangerous, as we see in this game,but it is without risk to white.Black should not fear the early f2-f4 line unless he is intent on winning.My experience is that you always have your chances in a game,so it is important to be ready to take them,in the meantime having positions you enjoy!
Included is a opening and player index but no bibliography!
For the interested German reader Quality chess does not reach the level from Stefan Kindermann his book the Leningrader system but Jacob Aagaard provides the reader a very instructive and readable work in the German language on the
Stonewall!
Conclusion: A very readable work on the Stonewall!

True lies in chess by Lluís Comas Fabregó
Softcover
2007
Quality Chess
165 pages
Price €22,99
ISBN 978-91-976005-7-6

The Spanish chess crack GM Lluís Comas Fabregó searches in this latest Quality Chess book for the definitive truth and warns the reader to be careful with the printed words.
He invites the reader to be creative and to think and research for him self.
Lluís Comas Fabregó starts with a fascinating classic and well the game between Janowski and Nimzowitsch,St Petersburg 1914.
But first some wise words from the author: The next game,analyses and notes are from the books My System and Chess Praxis by Aron Nimzowitsch,and from Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy by John Watson,Naturally I have added own opinions and corrections.
The whole game gets around 4,5 pages of text and the text in this book is small! But I have a remark ge do
about the use of unreadable letter types to the main chapters in this book they are rally awful.
But back to the game which is really very well analysed specially after move 12…Nh7?!
(1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.Qc2 Nbd7 9.e4 e5 10.0-0 0-0 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bd2 Re8 13.Rae1}
This move gets nearly three pages of text and the new idea from Lluís Comas Fabregó 13..c6! is a creative master move.
I citrate: This is quite an original alternative, which no other has author has pointed out.Black prepares to answer white’s plan {removing the knight from f3 followed by the advance of the f pawn}with a break in the centre, leading to complex play.
Other games and fragments in this chapter{Do not trust the classics} are,Spassky – Gligoric Sarajevo 1986,Tarrash – Schlechter Leipzig 1894, Istratescu – Klinova,Wijk aan Zee {fragment}Botvinnink – Geller Budapest 1952,{Fragment}and
Botvinnink – Smyslov, Moscow1958.
The material in this book is based on 6 chapters, besides Do not trust the classics, Middlegame motifs,Finale Conclusions, How are opening novelties born, The opening according to me or why I like ..Nc6 in the King´s Indian and others.
In chapter two,True lies in chess there is one of the most famous endings in chess included and well the game Lasker – Chigorin,Hastings 1895.
Interesting are the comments to this game from Lluís Comas Fabregó; Lastly, I would like to attack this position from a new point of view: most books talk about the tremendous battle of the bishops against the knights that took place in it; for me the main actors in this game were the rooks,and there fierce fight to reach favourable positions and neutralize the action of the enemy heavy pieces,and it is from this new perspective that I would like the reader to confront the analyse of this game.
One of the greatest pleasures from Lluís Comas Fabregó is his pet line in the King’s Indian with the black knight to a6 {1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Na6}and he spends around 21 pages to give his secrets away.
The last chapter of this book is dedicated to the memory of a series of exceptional chess players from the old Soviet Union who have been unfairly underrated by Western literarure.Lluís Comas Fabregó prefers players in this chapter as Chigorin,Rauzer,Bogoljubow,Boleslavsky,Bondarevsky,Levenfish,Ragozin,Kholmov,Furman,Averbakh,Simagin,Tolush,Lilienthal …
Here I found the game from the great Dzindzichashvili against Furman,Baku 1972 which is good for nearly five pages of text and where Lluís Comas Fabregó writes so instructively : This game is significant because it shows the potential of using ideas rather than just calculating moves to analyse a position.
Conclusion: A magnificent written work from Lluís Comas Fabregó!

How to play the English opening by Anatoly Karpov
2007
Batsford Ltd, London
http://www.Batsford.com
191pages
Price $21.95
ISBN 978-0-7134-9065-7

Anatoly Karpov provides the player with a selection of 30 deeply annotated games on the English opening where Karpov prefers to show the reader the connection between opening and endgame.
The author himself is responsible for 17 games in this book where a few of them have seen daylight before in the German edition of Anatoli Karpow Englisch,Beyer Verlag 1999.
But this book can not stand in no way up against the English work,the annotations in this book are deeply as for example after 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 e 7.Ng5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Re8 9.f3 e3 10.dxe3 Karpov spends nearly 1.5 pages on the move 10..Qe7! {from the game Kasparov – Sadvakasov,Astana 2001}
Karpov writes: An interesting manoeuvre, allowing the black queen to be effectively included in the struggle via the c5 square.Such an idea has already been seen before,but implemented only a couple of moves later.
Karpov has made a careful selection of games that are important for the chess theory of the English opening.
Pleasant to mention is that you find Karpov playing on both sides of the board
Some games as Karpov Ftacnik,Saloniki 1988 is analysed to the last move,exactly counted 93 moves where black had to face a ending from knight against rook where Karpov manged to win in a study like way.
Conclusion: Thirty higly instructive openings games discussed in great detail!

Chess CD's &DVD's

ChessBase Magazine extra issue 118
July 2007
Interview with Vladimir Kramnik
ChessBase
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99

This latest ChessBase magazine Extra issue 118 is the one with out the annotations to the games but on the other hand always overfilled with chess media files!
But first to the master file from 19025 entries which is all divided from over 115 latest played tournaments all played between April and June of this year
All these tournaments included extra text files with cross tables so it is a great adventure to go throw them and follow your favourite player!
But It is also unbelievable what you can dig up in such file, as for example I found a Latvian Gambit game between Friso Nijboer elo 2606 and the man with out any rating Marcel van Haaren.
Maastricht Limburg op Maastricht (1), 25.05.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.d4 fxe4 4.Nxe5 Nf6 5.Bg5 d6 6.Nc4 Be7 7.Ne3 c6 8.c4 Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Qxg5 10.h4 Qa5 11.g4 g5 12.d5 Rg8 13.Qc2 Na6 14.0-0-0 Nb4 15.Qb1 Nxg4 16.Qxe4 Nxf2 17.Qxh7 Rf8 18.a3 Nxd1 19.Ncxd1 cxd5 20.axb4 Qa1+ 21.Kd2 gxh4 22.Bd3 Be6 23.cxd5 Bf7 24.Rf1 Rc8 25.Rxf7 Qc1+ 26.Ke1 Rxf7 27.Bb5+ Rc6 28.Qg8+ Rf8 29.Qe6 Rf6 30.Qc8+ Kf7 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.Bxc6 Qb1 33.Bd5+ Kg7 1-0
Brave play from black and please look carefully at this game!On move 9 Nijboer is a bishop down!
A pity that black could not finish it but white we out played with the Latvian Gambit!
A other interesting comes from Darya Zlobina with a exciting idea in the Averbakh System; Kiseleva,Maria - Zlobina,Darya (1934) [A42]
URS-chT U18 Sochi, 07.05.2007
1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 Nc6 5.Be3 e5 6.d5 Nce7 7.g4 h5 8.gxh5 Rxh5 9.Be2 Rh8 10.Nf3 Bh6 11.Bxh6 Nxh6 12.Nd2 Kf8 13.h4 Kg7 14.Rg1 c6 15.Nf1 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Qa5+ 17.Nc3 Qb6 18.Qd2 Be6 19.Ne3 Qd4 20.0-0-0 Qxd2+ 21.Rxd2 Rad8 22.Rgd1 Nc8 23.Nb5 Ng8 24.Nxd6 Nxd6 25.Rxd6 Rxd6 26.Rxd6 Rxh4 27.f3 Ne7 28.b3 Nc6 29.Nc2 Rh1+ 30.Kb2 Rh2 31.Rd2 Kf6 32.Kc3 Rh8 33.b4 Rd8 34.Rxd8 Nxd8 35.b5 b6 36.Nb4 Ke7 37.a3 Kd6 38.Nd3 Nb7 0-1
And the move 7…h5 is ten times better than the original 7..a6!? that Duncan Suttles once played in the early seventies.
The video files of this CD are completly divided to Vladimir Kramnik who is interviewed by
by Frederic Friedel.
But first some interview questions from Frederic Friedel:
How is his health, has his illness been cured? How does he like married life? What were the problems regarding his participation in the upcoming world championship in Mexico? What happens if he does not win this tournament? Is he sufficiently motivated to try? We have conducted a long video interview with World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and bring you, in multiple parts, his candid answers.
Kramnik on cheating and what to do about it
"Did you cheat in Elista?" That is the first question we put to Vladimir Kramnik on this touchy subject. "No, I never cheated in my life," he replied, "not in winning or losing, buying or selling games, and of course no cheating during a game." In part three of our interview the world champion speaks about accusations raised against him in Elista. Warning: this segment contains harsh language.
On Wednesday, September 29 2006, game five of the reunification world championship match was scheduled to take place. However, Vladimir Kramnik did not appear at the board, and after an hour of waiting the point was awarded to his opponent Veselin Topalov. What exactly happened in Elista, what was the reason for this risky action? Kramnik tell it all in the final part of our interview.
Conclusion: Nowadays these CD’s are a must!

Decision making in chess by Adrian Mikhalchishin
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price € 26,99
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 233 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM,Windows XP or Windows Vista, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive

The phenomenal chess trainer grandmaster Adrian Mikhalchishin handles in his second Fritztrainer strategy CD the techniques of making decisions.
Boris Spassky once claimed in the 1970s that he was better in critical moments than Bobby Fischer and Mikhalchishin digs interestingly in Spassky his misunderstanding.
Again there is a lot to learn from Adrian Mikhalchishin even that the English language is not his mother language it all very good understandable, and it is a great pleasure to follow this great man explaining in a small 3,5 hours the secrets of critical moments.
Handling such moments is also an matter of intuition and logical thinking but following the lectures from Adrian Mikhalchishin can help you to develop these skills.
Mikhalchishin explains in great detail the twelve model   games with video files (788MB} of this DVD to you in a very special way,and includes between the lines all kind of other instructive tips from endgames to complicated middle game positions.
Included is also a small file from 21 entries where all of these games cover excellent annotations.
Some times as the game Spassky - Polugaevsky, Baku 1961 it was a matter of calculation but all together there where around 5 or 6 critical moments in this games and is quite surprising to see the man of calculation Polugaevsky going down hill in no time!
I guess that this DVD is very suitable from on elo 1800 and up and it would not surprise that
even chess professionals are going to run to the ChessBase shop for it!
Specially when the miscalculations are made by both sides of the board as Timman-Bareev,Wijk aan Zee 2002,please also see Chess Informator issue 81 game 16.
A fine classic example here on the DVD is Botvinnink – Levenfish,Moscow 6st match game 1937.
This game is not included in Botvinnink’s Best games 1925-1941 but as Mikhalchishin explains between the lines in can be found in his selected games but unfortunately my book case does not hold this work.
Botvinnink described Grigory Yakovlevich Levenfish {1889-1961} as a universally educated master!
Conclusion: These DVD’s from Adrian Mikhalchishin belong to the absolute top!

The ABC of Alekhine by Andrew Martin
Fritztrainer opening
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price € 26,99
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM,Windows XP or Windows Vista, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive

The sympathetic speaking IM Andrew Martin explains you in this fritztrainer openings DVD a exciting repertoire line for black on the Alekhine defence where he prefers to on less explored lines.
As for example on 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6 which was a favoured line of England’s chess gladiator Tony Miles.
Nigel Davies one wrote in his book the Alekhine’s defence Everyman Chess 2001;Tony Miles has been playing this a lot;it’s a very reasonable move which theory has virtually ignored. Rather than challenge white’s knight immediately, black first protects the horse on d5.This precludes the possibility of a sacrifice on f7, and indeed the German chess bible from Bagirow does not even mention the move 5..c6!
Andrew Martin does not only explain in these 25 multimedia files the secrets of the Alekhine but he also explains you how to explain and understand this aggressive line.
The running time of this DVD is nearly six hours and that makes it to one of the best loaded ChessBase openings DVD’s.
In the 1970 Palma de Mallorca interzonal tournament Fischer started to experiment with the Alekhine defence and he played a fascinating 98 game move with Brown but at the 1972 world championship he out played Spassky in the 13e match game!
Later the Russians wrote after 1…Nf6 what a surprise!
Later Botvinnink wrote I think that Fischer’s finest creative achievement was the 13th game of his match with Spassky,
so with this DVD from Andrew Martin you are in excellent company to take up the Alekhine defence!
Conclusion: Buy it for the instructive explanations and tricky Alekhine tips!

Queen's Pawn Openings by Andrew Martin
Fritztrainer opening
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price € 26,99
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM,Windows XP or Windows Vista, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive

IM Andrew Martin digs in this pawn openings DVD in all kind exotic lines as the Barry Attack 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4,or the Blackmar – Diemer Gambit,The Prie system with 2.a3,The Reversed French,Spike Gambit 1.d4 Nf6 2.g4,the London system,the Trompowski,the Pseudo – Trompowski etc.
Usually these kind of lines are found in books from Eric Schiller or obscure gambit book so it is very interesting to see how a chess professional as Andrew Martin discusses and handles these kind of lines.
Some as the Spike gambit are completely rubbish but it is very instructive to see how Andrew Martin waves these kind of lines form the board.
He even discussed rare lines on move one,two and three!
Very interesting is the possibility to play the Stonewall with white,Jacob Aagaard just wrote a book how to play it with black but with white it is all much more easier!
And you only have to sit down and listen for six hours of this magnificent made Queen pawn DVD!
Included are 31 multimedia files and a game file from the same amount,the last diagram comes from the following game and please watch the exciting move 5.Qd2 which is discuss by Andrew Martin on this DVD: Hebden,Mark (2532) - Van der Weide,Karel (2446) [D00]
EU Union-ch Liverpool,{Andrew Martin belongs to the top of the ChessBase movie stars and I believe he has made around 12 DVD’s for them}
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.Qd2 [5.e3] 5...Ne4 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Ne5 Be6 8.e3 Nd7 9.Nxd7 [9.Qb4 0-0 10.Qxb7 (10.Be2 c5 11.Qxb7 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Bxe5 13.dxe5 Qa5+ 14.c3 Rab8 15.Qa6 Qxa6 16.Bxa6 Rxb2 17.0-0 Rfb8) 10...Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Bxe5 12.dxe5 Rb8 13.Qxa7 Rxb2 14.Qc5 Qb8 15.f3 exf3 16.gxf3 Rd8] 9...Qxd7 10.c4 f5 11.h4 0-0 [11...c5 12.dxc5 (12.d5 Bf7 13.h5 gxh5 14.Be2 Qa4; 12.Rd1 Rd8 13.Qc2 Bf7 14.h5 gxh5 15.Be2 cxd4 16.exd4 Rg8 17.Bxh5 Bxh5 18.Rxh5 Bxd4 19.Be3 e5) 12...Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Bxb2 14.Rb1 Bf6 15.Rxb7 0-0-0+] 12.h5 Rfd8 13.hxg6 hxg6 14.f3 c5 15.d5 Qa4 16.b3 Qa3 17.Rd1 a5 18.Qc2 a4 19.Be2 exf3 20.Bxf3 Bf7 21.e4 Qb2 22.Qxb2 Bxb2 23.e5 g5 24.Bxg5 Bxe5 25.0-0 [25.Bxe7 Re8 26.d6 Bxd6 27.Rxd6 Rxe7+] 25...axb3 26.axb3 Rd7 27.Rfe1 Bd6 28.g4 Ra3 29.Rd3 b5 30.Be2 bxc4 31.bxc4 Rxd3 32.Bxd3 fxg4 33.Bf5 Ra7 34.Bxg4 Ra3 35.Re3 ½-½
Conclusion This DVD is really overloaded with all kind of rare lines!

The Maroczy System by Sergei Tiviakov
Fritztrainer opening
On DVD!
2007
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price € 26,99
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM,Windows XP or Windows Vista, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive

The former World Youth world Champion GM Sergei Tiviakov and top world player handles in his first ChessBase DVD the Maroczy system, a opening that is related with his name.
In my book case I have a old book from Peter Heine Nielsen and Carsten Hansen where they discuss the Maroczy system but the problem with this book is if you follow the recommendations you in many times you get a worse position.
This I can not say from the recommendations from Sergei Tiviakov these are filled with logical sense and he really understands how to handle the Maroczy!
Not covered on this DVDare possibilities with 5.Nc3 but Tiviakov focuses on the move 5.c4.
On the DVD’s he says instructively when I wanted to win I played the Dragon but against strong players or if I wanted to draw than my choice was the Maroczy system.
Sergei Tiviakov is a good teacher and has no hurry to explain you all the secrets of this defence.
The strategy of this defence is based on space advantage and this is sometimes a nightmare scenario for black but Sergei Tiviakov leads you as no other throw this difficult defence.
Sergei Tiviakov tells honestly that he played around 80 games with the Maroczy and 60 of them ended in draw!
The running time of this DVD is around 3.15 hour and Tiviakov handles in that all in 23 well loaded multimedia files.
It is interesting to mention that the game file is good for 21 games where you find Tiviakov only on the back site of the bard.
A nice win is the following game:
Nijboer,Friso (2586) - Tiviakov,Sergei (2600) [B38]
Corus-B Wijk aan Zee (4), 14.01.2004
[Tiviakov, Sergei]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Be2 Bg7 8.Be3 0-0 9.0-0 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Bd7 11.Qd2 Bc6 12.f3 a5 13.b3 Nd7 [13...a4 14.b4] 14.Bf2 [14.Be3;
14.Bxg7 Kxg7] 14...Nc5 15.Rab1 Qb6!? [15...Qb8] 16.a3 [16.Rfc1 Qb4] 16...Qd8 17.Rfd1 [17.Bd1] 17...b6N [17...a4!? 18.b4 Nb3;
17...Re8] 18.Bf1 Re8 [18...Qb8!?;
18...f5!? 19.exf5 Rxf5] 19.Qe3 Rb8 [19...Qb8] 20.Ne2! [20.b4 axb4 21.axb4 Na4=] 20...Bd7!? [20...Ne6 21.b4²] 21.Nd4 Ne6 22.Nb5 Qc8 23.b4 axb4 24.axb4 Rd8 [24...Qb7 25.Nc3 Nc7²] 25.Nc3 Nc7 26.Rdc1 Qb7 27.Be2? [27.b5² ×b6] 27...b5= 28.c5 [28.cxb5 Nxb5 (28...Bxb5 29.Nxb5 Nxb5 30.Qd3²) 29.Nd5 e6=;
28.Nd5 Nxd5 29.cxd5 Rdc8=] 28...dxc5 29.Qxc5 e6 (×d5) [29...Ne6? 30.Qxe7 Bf8 31.Qh4+-] 30.Nd1 [30.Qg5=;
30.e5 Rbc8 (30...Rdc8 31.Ne4 Nd5 32.Qd4²) 31.Qe3 (31.Ne4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Bc6" 'd) 31...Bc6=] 30...Na6 31.Qg5 Be8 32.Ne3?!" [32.Be3= .£g3-f2, .¤f2] 32...h6 33.Qh4 Rd2 34.Re1 [34.Bf1 f5 35.exf5 exf5³] 34...f5! [×g4] 35.exf5 exf5 36.f4? [×'h1-a8] [36.Rbd1 Rxd1 37.Rxd1 Bf7³ ×b4] 36...Bc6! 37.Qg3 Kh7 38.Nf1 Rc2 [38...Ra2!?] 39.Bd3 Rc3 [.¥e4] 40.Re3 [40.Re6 Qf7 41.Rd6 Be4 42.Nd2 Nc7µ] 40...Qf7! [40...Bd4 41.Re6 Bxf2+ 42.Kxf2 Rg8³;
40...Re8 41.Bxb5! (41.Bxf5 gxf5 42.Rxc3 Bxc3 43.Qxc3 Bxg2µ) 41...Rexe3 42.Bxc6 Qxb4 43.Rxb4 Rxg3 44.Rb6 (44.Rb7 Rxc6 45.hxg3=) 44...Rxc6 45.hxg3 Rxb6 46.Bxb6=] 41.Be2 [41.Rbe1 Re8µ ×b4, ×¥d3] 41...Rxe3 42.Qxe3 Qa2!µ [42...Re8 43.Qd2³] 43.Bd3 [43.Rc1 Nxb4 (43...Re8!?) 44.Qe7 Re8 45.Qxb4 Rxe2-+] 43...Qd5!? [43...Re8 44.Qg3 Rd8µ] 44.Qg3 [44.Qh3 Qd6-+] 44...Rd8! 45.Bc2 [45.Be2 Qa2 46.Rd1 Rxd1 47.Bxd1 Nxb4-+] 45...Qa2 46.Rc1 [46.Qb3 Qxb3 47.Bxb3 (47.Rxb3 Bd5 48.Rb1 Ba2-+ ×b4) 47...Nxb4-+;
¹46.Ne3 Rd2 47.Re1 Rxc2 (47...Bd4!?-+) 48.Nxc2 Qxc2 49.Re6 Qc1+ 50.Be1 Nxb4 51.Qxg6+ Kh8-+] 46...Nxb4 47.Bb1 [47.Bb3 Qb2-+] 47...Qb2 48.Re1 Re8 49.Rd1 Nd5-+ 50.Bd3 Nc3 51.Rd2" Qa1" [51...Qc1 52.h4 Be4 (52...h5-+) 53.h5 gxh5-+] 52.h4 Be4?! [¹52...h5-+] 53.h5 gxh5 54.Kh2 b4?! [54...Rd8 55.Bxe4 Nxe4-+] 55.Ne3 Rf8? [55...Bxd3 56.Rxd3 Ne4 57.Qf3 Qa6-+] 56.Bc4!" h4!? [56...Bc6 57.Rd6 Be8 58.Ra6³] 57.Qxh4 Qa4 [57...Bc6!? 58.Rd8³ ×f5] 58.Rd6?! [¹58.Qe7 Qe8 (58...Qc6 59.Rd7 Qf6 60.Qxb4=) 59.Qxb4³] 58...b3?! [58...Qa8!µ .£e8] 59.Qg3? [59.Qh5 Qe8T (59...b2 60.Bf7 Rxf7T (60...b1Q 61.Rxh6+ Bxh6 62.Qg6+ Kh8 63.Qxh6#) 61.Qxf7±) 60.Qxe8 Rxe8 61.Bxb3=] 59...b2?? [59...Qe8! 60.Bxb3 (60.Rb6 Ne2 61.Bxe2 b2-+) 60...Ne2-+ .61.Qh4 Qb8] 60.Qg6+ Kh8 61.Bh4?? [61.Qh5 Kh7 (61...Qc6 62.Rxc6 Bxc6 63.Nxf5 b1Q (63...Be8 64.Qg4 Rxf5 65.Qxf5 b1Q 66.Qe6+-) 64.Bd4+-) 62.Bf7! (62.Qg6+ Kh8 63.Qh5) 62...Rxf7 (62...b1Q 63.Rxh6+ Bxh6 64.Qg6+ Kh8 65.Qxh6#) 63.Qxf7 Qa8 (63...b1Q 64.Qg6+ Kh8 65.Rd8++-) 64.Nc4 a) 64.Nxf5 Bxf5 65.Qxf5+ Kh8 66.Rb6 b1Q 67.Rxb1 Nxb1 68.Qxb1²; b) 64.g4 Kh8T (64...fxg4 65.Rxh6+ Kxh6 66.Nxg4+ Kh7 67.Nf6++-) 65.Nxf5 Bxf5 66.Rxh6+ Bh7 67.Bd4 Qg8 68.Bxg7+ Qxg7 69.Qe8+ Qg8 70.Qe5+ Qg7 71.Qb8+ Qg8 72.Qxb2+-; 64...Qf8 (64...Ne2 65.Nxb2+-; 64...b1Q 65.Ne5!+-) 65.Qxf8 Bxf8 66.Rd7+ Kg6 67.Nxb2+-] 61...Qe8! [61...b1Q 62.Bf6+-] 0-1
It is clear Sergei Tiviakov knows as no other how to handle the Maroczy!
Conclusion: Overloaded with personal notes!

                                                                                  Chess Magazine's

British Chess Magazine No.8
Volume 127
August2007
Price: £3.70

First of all I would like to welcome the two new columnists and well the Super-grandmaster Jonathan Speelman with his column Speelman on the endgame, and the Dutchman Peter Doggers who has made fame with his interesting interviews and excellent made video actions.
But first of all lets begin with the action and that is Dortmund where Peter Doggers is responsible for the action on the spot.
Chess round Britain where the reader is taken on a whistle stop chess tour throw Ireland,Scotland and Wales.
Other contributions in this well filled issue are the Dutch Championship, where I found a smashing lost from Friso Nijboer against Daniel Stellwagen in the French Winawer:
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 Bd7 12.Qd3 dxc3 13.Rb1 d4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Nf5 16.Qf2 Bc6 17.Rg1 0-0-0 18.Qxa7 Nd4 19.Kf2!? Where Steve Giddins writes: This kind of ultra-sharp positions is typical of the whole 7….Qc7 variation. Nijboer’s move is technical a novelty,19.Bd3 having been played in a couple of games. According to the official website,Nijboer was aware of this and intended to play 19.Bd3,but aware of this and intended to play 19.Bd3,but at the board, could not fully remember his analyses and played the wrng move.He was not helped by fact that Stellwagen has not played this line before,and hence Nijboer had not prepared it on the morning of the game.
Any way Nijboer went quick down after the moves 19…f6 20.Be3.
Mikhail Golubev was in Crimea to se and cover the 2nd Foros tournamant and returned to his home town of Odessa to watch the Pivdenny Bank Rapid play all together there is around eleven pages of chess enjoyment.
The Kings tournament was held in the Romania and it was a combination of strong players en some top stars from the 70s as Henrique Mecking,Ulf Anderssen and Jan Timman.
Sam Collins handles two of his own games of the First Saterday tournament in Budapest.
Further there are book reviews, problem world,forthcoming events,quotes and queries,Fide ratings etc.
Conclusion: One of the best chess magazines in the world!

British Chess Magazine No.7
Volume 127
August2007
Price: £3.70

This issue did take more than 6 weeks to reach me but my post man is a chess lover so I forgive him that he kept this issue from BCM a little longer than normal for delivery.
This July issue features the coverage of the Candidates matches in Elista and the Mtel Master super-tournaments {17 and 8 pages coverage!}
But there is more as Bosna Sarajevo,Russian team championship and of course Chess questions answered by Gary Lane.Who digs in the Scandinavian line 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2 Bg4 6.f3 Lane writes: I think this is the best way to try extracting an advantage from the opening as it gives black some problems to solve.
Conclusion: This is a must issue!