CHESSBOOK REVIEWS


Latest book reviews of 1 March 2009
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg


                                 Chess Books

Kasparov how his predecessors misled him about chess by Tibor Karolyi & Nick Aplin
2009
Batsford Ltd, London
http://www.Batsford.com
384 pages
Price €14,99
ISBN 978-1-906388-26-3


Tibor Karolyi and Nick Aplin have written a paradox on Kasparov his magnificent, ''My Great Predecessors’, here both authors joke with Kasparov on his 70 lost games, were  the virtual Kasparov, the greatest  chess player of all time, is blaming his losses on  former world champions.
Besides the humour, you can buy this book for the readable annotations as we for example can see in the {instructive annoted} model game Lasker – Steinitz,Hastings 1895,
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Nge7 6.c3 Bd7 7.d4 Ng6 8.Re1 Be7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Nf1 Qe8 11.Bc2 Kh8 12.Ng3 Bg4 13.d5 Nb8 14.h3 Bc8 15.Nf5 Bd8 16.g4 Ne7 17.Ng3 Ng8
Masters still play moves like this in the King’s Indian.I also played Ng8 a few times in a King’s {this game is similar}.I won with this move against Korchnoi in Barcelona 1989,and Khalifman and Gelfand were my victims in the Paris Immopar Rapid in 1991.
This position seems to be like a Fischer Random chesss position.Only three of the eight black pieces are on  there starting squares of a conventional chess game.
Both authors had the idea to write an article for the satirical chess magazine Kingpin but slowly it became a whole book but than with a laugh.
All together it is a enjoyable book even that it looks that Kasparov has written the annotations to the games which he ofcourse didn't.
But I hope that Kasparov can see in the humor of this amusing read!
Conclusion: Very amusing!

John Nunn's Chess Puzzle Book
2009
Gambit Publications Ltd
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail
info@gambitbooks.com
335 pages
Price $ 24,95
ISBN 978-1-906454-03-6

Grandmaster in chess John Nunn needs no introduction, but many are not aware that he is involved with chess problems, composing an soling as part of the British team,
on this subject Nunn wrote Solving in Style, and he won in 2004 and 2007 the World Chess Solving Championships.
As no other John Nunn knows how to help to find the best move as we can learn  in this brand new enlarged puzzle book,where he has specially  added for this new release  50 new puzzles with hints and detailed explanations.
These instructive explanations are the soul of this book sometimes you get the feeling that, Nunn is transferring chess  puzzles with his precisely calculated solutions  in to art.
Instructive for all new comers is the chapter with “Find the wrong move”.
Which invites you to find the played blunder.
A example: Andersson,Ulf (2640) - Velimirovic,Dragoljub (2515) [C15]
Bar Bar (10), 28.11.1997
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nc6 7.g3 Nf6 8.Bg2 e5 9.Nxf6+ Bxf6 10.d5 Ne7 11.Nc3 Bf5 12.g4 1-0.
Nunn writes: It is hard to explain how such a noted tactican as Velimirovic could have overlooked this simple idea.Perhaps there was a psychological element involved-he never considerd that the normally placid Andersson would ever push his g-pawn forward more than one square.
Reuben Fine learned us how to handle a fight between a rook and a queen but than you must not play like Timman;White: Kb2,Rd3 pawn c2 Black: Kb4  Queen f5 and a pawn on a4.
Timman played 1.Ka2?? a3! 0-1 Timman – Nunn,Wijk aan Zee 1982.
Nunn gives 1Ra3! Is the only move to draw.After 1…Qe5+ 2.Ka2 Black  cannot make progress.White should keep his king on b2 except when checked ,and otherwise keep his rook posted on a3 or d3.
And two points for finding the only drawing move 1.Ra3!.
By the way with 120 points you are good enough to challenge the world champion!
Conclusion: A book that learns you to play like Alekhine!


Great Attackers by Colin Crouch
2009
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
268 pages
Price $24,95
ISBN 978-1-85744-579-4

IM Colin Crouch discusses various aspects of attack on the hand of three phenomenal attacking players,Kasparov,Tal and Leonid Stein.
The last player will probably surprise you but he was a gifted attacking player who died in a Russian hotel just in  his thirties, 38 still near the peak of his career.
Some say the circumstances of his death are still not entirely clear,but Crouch writes:There has been the occasional speculation that Stein’s death was not entirely clear,but there would seem to be no substance to such accusations.
Stein was  known to have had heart problems,and had been under medication.According to Gufeld and Lazarev,Stein felt a pain in his chest while staying at the hotel and the doctors could not save him.
Interesting to mention is that the great Bobby Fischer challenged Stein to a match which would have been held after the Havanna Chess Olympiad of 1966.
Crouch examines at the hand of 22 deeply analysed games {there are even more games in this book!}the subtleties of attacking chess.
For example the game:
Kasparov,Garry - Sokolov,Andrei [B67]
URS-ch U18 Vilnius (2), 1975
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f4 b5 10.a3 Be7 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.f5 Qb6 13.fxe6 fxe6 14.Be2 h5 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Rhf1 0-0-0 17.Bf3 Qc5 18.Qe2 Qe5 19.Qf2 Kb7 20.Rfe1 Rc8 21.g3 h4 22.Rd5 Bxd5 23.exd5 Qg5+ 24.Kb1 hxg3 25.hxg3 e5 26.a4 b4 27.a5 Rxc3 28.Qb6+ Kc8 29.bxc3 Bd8 30.Qc6+ Bc7 31.Qa8+ Bb8 32.Re4 1-0 and this game is good for eleven pages of text!
But first some instructive words from Crouch after move 20.Rfe1! Kasparov would undoubtedly have seen the idea of the rook sacrifice by now.He was not merely overprotecting his pawn on e4,he was already looking at the idea with Rd5.Sokolov in turn had either not seen it or,more likely,had seen it but not regarded it as significant.It is important that Rfe1 and g2-g3 had to be played before Rd5,otherwise the sacrifice would not work.Which way round should Kasparov try it?
20 g3 is the more obvious move,covering the pawn on h2,and we would transpose to the main line if play continued 20…h4 21.Rfe1 Rc8.The critical point is that,in comparison with the actual game,black would not play 21…Rc8 now,but would find another plan,maybe starting with 21…hxg3 22.hxg3 Rdg8! {and not 22…Rc8? 23.Rd5!}
Black is then better and it would be no consolation for white that he had found a fantastic sacrifice if it doesn’t wotk.
Therefore Kasparov moves the rook first.after working out that he is not losing the pawn for nothing,and waits to see what happens.
Eleven pages of text is a lot but the following game from the master of attack is even good for over the 11 pages: Stein,Leonid (2620) - Smyslov,Vassily (2620) [A17]
URS-chT Moscow, 1972
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.e4 Bb7 5.Qe2 Bb4 6.e5 Ng8 7.d4 d6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Ne7 10.h4 Nd7 11.h5 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 dxe5 13.h6 gxh6 14.Bxh6 exd4 15.Bg7 Rg8 16.Rxh7 Nf5 17.Bxd4 c5 18.g4 cxd4 19.gxf5 e5 20.Qd5 Rf8 21.cxd4 Rc8 22.Rd1 Qe7 23.Bg2 Rg8 24.Qb7 Rxc4 25.dxe5 Qxe5+ 26.Kf1 Qb5 27.Kg1 Qc6 28.Qxc6 Rxc6 29.Rh8 Rcg6 30.fxg6 Rxh8 31.Bc6 Rg8 32.Bxd7+ Ke7 33.Bf5 fxg6 34.Rd7+ Kf6 35.Bd3 1-0
A move that Gufeld and Lazarev missed in there book on Leonid Stein is 22.0-0-0 but this one is well covered by Crouch!
The material is mainly based on the following chapters: 1,Garry Kasparov: 1975-78,2,Leonid Stein: 1972-73,3,Mikhail Tal 1978-79 and Garry Kasparov 1978-82.
Conclusion: A book that truly learns you the secrets of dynamic chess!


SOS - Secrets of Opening Surprises 10
No Time to Study Chess Opening Theory?
2009
by Jeroen Bosch
New in Chess
http://www.newinchess.com/
143 pages
Price €19,95
ISBN 978 90 56912604


Jeroen Bosch is again responsible, for a mass of exciting lines in this well filled openings book.
For example  Adrian Mikhalchishin digs in the line from Steinitz,1.e4 e62.e5 and the author suggests to go with this move for open games and avoid the closed structures of the French defence.
Funny enough Mikhalchishin follows the game Steinitz – Sellman,Baltimore,third match game of the year 1882.
1.e4 e6 2.e5 c5 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 b6 5.g3 Bb7 6.Bg2 d5 7.exd6 Bxd6 8.d3 Nge7 9.Nc3 Nf5 10.Ne4 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.c3 Qc7 13.Qc2 Rad8 14.Re1 Rd7 15.Re2 Rfd8 16.Ne1 Ba6 17.Nf2 Bf6 18.Qa4 Nb8 19.Be4 Nd6 20.Bf3 Bb5 21.Qc2 g6 22.Bd2 Bg7 23.Rd1 Nc6 24.Bc1 Ba6 25.Bg2 Ne7 26.Nf3 Bb7 27.Ng4 Nef5 28.Nge5 Re7 29.Rde1 Bd5 30.b3 Bb7 31.Bb2 Ne8 32.Rd2 Nf6 33.Rdd1 Nd5 34.Qf2 Ba8 35.d4 cxd4 36.Nxd4 Nxd4 37.Rxd4 Nf6 38.Bxa8 Rxa8 39.Red1 Ree8 40.c4 Rad8 41.Qd2 Rxd4 42.Qxd4 Ng4 43.Qd7 Qxd7 44.Rxd7 Bxe5 45.fxe5 Ra8 46.h3 Nh6 47.Bc1 Nf5 48.g4 Ng3 49.Be3 Kf8 50.Kf2 Ne4+ 51.Kf3 Ke8 52.Rb7 Nc5 53.Bxc5 bxc5 54.Rc7 Rd8 55.Ke2 Rd7 56.Rxc5 Kd8 57.Rc6 Ke7 58.Rc8 h5 59.gxh5 gxh5 60.Rh8 Rd4 61.Rxh5 Re4+ 62.Kd3 Re1 63.Kc3 a5 64.Kb2 f5 65.exf6+ Kxf6 66.Rxa5 e5 67.c5 Ke6 68.c6 Kd6 69.Rc5 Kc7 70.b4 e4 71.b5 e3 72.Rc1 Re2+ 73.Kb3 Rh2 74.b6+ Kxb6 75.c7 1-0
Interesting to mention is that Mikhalchishin gives the improvement in this book from Bosch: 13.Qe2 Rad8 14.g4! Nd6  15.Ng3 followed by Be3 and Rad1.
In Baltimore Alexander G.Sellman was a tough opponent for Steinitz but that is a other story!
A other classical fight comes from Jeroen Bosch who goes for the good old Lewis Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.d4!? Between the lines Bosch gives as alternative the Evans move 3.b4
3…Bxb4 4.c3 Bc5 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 and again we are in time of the good old Bilguer.
If 3…Bxd4 4.Nf3  Qf6? 5.0-0!? Bb6 6.Nc3 and now not 6..d6 7.Bg5 Qg6 8.Nxe5 and white wins on the spot.
Or Cohen tries to put new life into the Damiano Gambit but again it is all a matter of taste but  there are more than enough lines to go for in this exciting written openings book.
Conclusion: Buy it, if you want to win from out the book!

De zwarte Leeuw by Jan van Rekom & Leo Jansen
2008
New in Chess
http://www.newinchess.com/
278 pages
Price €24,95
ISBN 978 90 56912789


This a updated and expanded update of the life work from the two Dutch chess amateurs Jerry van Rekom and Leo Jansen.
All excitement starts with the moves 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 but they also consider other Lion set-ups as the moves: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5.
The word amateur does not mean that the authors are not able to play a good game of chess,for example I found the following game in this book: Jerry van Rekom – Jan Timman,Tilburg 1998: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.f4 e5 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nxe5 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Bg5 c6 9.0-0-0+ Ke8 10.Nf3 h6 11.Nxe5 hxg5 12.Bc4 Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.h3 Bc5 15.Rhe1 Bf2 16.Re2 Bg3 17.Nc4 Ke7 18.e5 Nd5 19.Ne4 Bf4+ 20.Kb1 b5 21.Na5 Rac8 22.g3 Bxe5 23.Nxg5 Bf6 and white the chance of his life to beat Timman with 24.Rxe6 Kd7 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Rxd5 Kc7 27.Nxc6 with a great plus.
And now we must show also a game from the inventor of the Lion: Karpov- Jansen,Rotterdam:
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 h6 6.0-0 c6 7.a4 Be7 8.Re1 Qc7 9.a5 Nf8 10.h3 g5 11.d5 g4 12.hxg4 Bxg4 13.Be2 Ng6 14.a6 c5 15.axb7 Qxb7 16.Nd2 h5 17.Nc4 Rg8 18.Na5 Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Qd7 20.Qb5 Nh4 21.Qxd7+ Kxd7 22.Kf1 Nxg2 23.Rd1 h4 24.Rd3 Bd8 25.Nc4 Nh5 26.Ne2 Rg4 27.Rf3 f6 28.Ra6 Bc7 29.Ne3 Nxe3+ 30.Bxe3 Bb6  and a draw was agreed, but as Jansen pointed out in this book 24…Nh5 would have won.
Georg Marco enjoyed a king’s flank attack and was very successful with it against Yates:
Yates,Frederick - Marco,Georg [C41] The Hague The Hague (1), 1921
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nd7 4.Bc4 c6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.0-0 h6 7.Be3 Ngf6 8.Bb3 Qc7 9.Nd2 g5 10.a4 Nf8 11.a5 Ng6 12.Re1 Nf4 13.f3 Rg8 14.Nf1 Be6 15.Ng3 Qd7 16.d5 Bh3 17.gxh3 Qxh3 18.Qd2 N6h5 19.Qf2 g4 20.Kh1 gxf3 21.Rg1 Bh4 22.Bxf4 exf4 23.Nxh5 Bxf2 24.Rxg8+ Ke7 25.Nxf4 Qh4 26.Rg7 Kf8 27.Rxf7+ Kxf7 28.dxc6+ Kg7 29.Ne6+ Kh8 30.Nd5 bxc6 0-1.
Tartakower tried the same move order against Tylor,Nottingham 1936 and Castaldi Stockholm 1937 but as  the two Dutch amateurs explain in this book 10…Nd7-f8 is a awfull mistake,Castaldi,Vincenzo - Tartakower,Saviely [C41] Stockholm ol (Men) Stockholm (2), 01.08.1937
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Be2 Be7 6.0-0 h6 7.b3 c6 8.Bb2 Qc7 9.Qd2 g5 10.Rfd1 Nf8 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Nxe5 Be6 13.Nb5 Qb8 14.Qa5 Bd8 15.Rxd8+ Qxd8 16.Nc7+ Ke7 17.Ba3+ 1-0,quick debacles in the Philidor are not uncommon, but it is a surprise to find grandmaster Tartakower among the victims,wrote W.H.Cozens "The Lost Olympiad, Stockholm 1937”.
Fascinating are the lines with the moves: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Ne6 Qe8 9.Nxc7 Qg6 10.Nxa8 Qxg2 11.Rf1 exd4 12.Qxd4 Ne5 13.f4 Nfg4 14.Qd5+ Nf7 15.Qc4 Bh4+ 16.Kd1 Be6 17.Qe2 Nf2+ 18.Rxf2 Bxf2 19.f5 Qg1+ 20.Kd2 Ne5 21.fxe6 Be1+ 22.Qxe1 Nf3+ 23.Ke2 Nxe1 24.Be3 Qxh2+ 25.Kxe1 Qh1+ 26.Ke2 Qxa1 27.Nc7 h5 28.e7 Kf7 and black must win!
Indeed the Lion is a opening that needs some memorizing but,if you ask me perfect for correspondence chess!
Conclusion: One of the most exciting opening's books of this moment!

Play 1.b3! by Ilya Odessky
2008
New in Chess
http://www.newinchess.com/
258 pages
Price €22,95
ISBN 978 90 56912789


The International master from Russia, Ilya Odessky deals in a very special way with the Nimzowitsch Larsen Attack {1.b3}.
This book is more than a overview from basic elements and strategies, usually Ilya Odessky digs with move to move annotations as for instance there is a whole chapter on the Litus Gambit: 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bg4 4.f3 Bh5 4.e4!?
I aware that Jacobs and Tait did step on the Litus,but Odessky digs in it with his 21 pages of games and instructive text explanations.
Strange enough Odessku does not deal with all lines of  the Nimzowitsch Larsen Attack  as Jacobs and Tait did they nearly had place no place left  for a decent  introduction.
No Odessky has all the time of the world in this book and he enjoys writing and explaining the secrets with readable words.
Odessky presents throw this book a lot of blitz games and personally I would have preferred high level correspondence games.
Interesting for Bird players is also chapter 22 with the Nimzowitsch Attack: 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.e3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bd7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.0-0 e6 7.d3 Be7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Ne5 and good for 24 pages of text!
But this line does it  bad in the statistics but I am sure Nimzowitsch would not agree!
Wise are the words from Odessky here: One can play 'like Nimzowitsch',but one must be ready for the opponent to play better.
Fun is the move order: 1.b3 a5!? 2.Bb2 a4 3.c4 but maybe white can better go for 3.b4!? Or does a Nimzo- Larsen Attack player feel nothing for a Sokolski move?
The book has as all New in Chess products  a very  high standard of layout.
Conclusion: Certainley the best book ever written on the move 1.b3!

Winning chess middlegames by Ivan Sokolov
2008
New in Chess
http://www.newinchess.com/
286 pages
Price €24,95
ISBN 978 90 56912642


GM Ivan Sokolov explains at the hand of 45 well analysed games the secrets of pawn strategies as double pawns, isolated pawns, hanging pawns etc.
All at the hand of a collection of 45 complete games where Sokolov handles all phases of the game,and that is from opening to endgame,a strong point of this book is that Sokolov analyses also some of  his own games, and that are not only wins!
His deeply analyses make this book extremely interesting with his touching and honest notes,where usually he needs around eight pages of text to explain the subtleties of a game to the reader.
The chess student will appreciate the instructive openings notes as for example after the moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Qa4+ Sokolov writes: The purpose of this check is to slightly disrupt black’s regular Grünfeld development. However ,given the fact that white is also losing time with his early queen moves in the opening,the main idea behind the move is to avoid the direct, sharp lines of the Grünfeld.7…Qd7 The other main move is 7…Nd7.Then the idea of 7.Qa4+ becomes clear.With a knight on d7,just like in our previous game Galliamova – Tiviakov,it would be more difficult for black to expert pressure on white’s d4 pawn.
Or after the moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.e3 Be7 8.Bb5+ c6 9.Bd3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 c5 11.0-0 Nc6 12.e4 0-0 13.Be3 cxd4 14.cxd4,Kasparov – Najdorf,Bogojno 1982:{These 14 moves are good for nearly four pages of text!}
Sokolov writes:A good moment to take stock and compare this position to the previous Semi-Tarrasch game.The pawn structure is the same,but the difference is that here the dark-squared bishops are still on the board.In my opinion,in general this should be favourable for white since:
Black has considerable less space to manoeuvre his pieces;Black queen sorties {to f6}are not possible; In the case of a central pawn blockade after d4-d5 and e6-e5 ,it is,in general, positive for white to have the dark squared bishops on the board.Should a black pawn appear on h6,white may get sacrificial motifs with Bxh6 and,in general,in many lines white simply has one more piece for the kingside attack.The plus for black-perhaps the only one-is the fact that f7-f5 idea,to undermine white’s pawn centre and take control of the d5 square,is much easier to execute with the dark-squared bishops still presents.
All together we have a unique chess where the reader has the opportunity to learn all phases of the game.
But also the inside information on Sokolov’s  colleagues are worth reading.
Conclusion: This book is truly  overloaded with instructive notes!

Playing the Queen's Gambit by Lars Schandorff
2009
Quality Chess
248 pages
Price €23,99

The Danish GM Lars Schandorff born 1965 provides you in this latest Quality chess book with a complete repertoire for white on the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4.
All material is based on 66 well analysed model games where the following repertoire lines are covered: Queens Gambit Declined 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5,Queen’s Gambit Accepted 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4,The Slav 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5,The Semi-Slav 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5,The a6-Slav 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5,The Tarrasch 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3,The Chigorin 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Bg5 and some minor lines as for example  the Albin Counter Gambit and von Henning-Schara Gambit.
Some lines as the Chigorin with 5.Bg5 belong to one of the pet lines of  the author himself, and that insures you with some sharp excitement.
Pleasant to mention are between the model games of this book are fifteen correspondence games and that is for a over the board GM surprising and of course much better than dubious internet games which we see more than enough.
The work is very complete with a bibliography, index of full games and a clear index of variations so it is no problem to find your way throw this book.
Pleasant to mention are Lars Schandorff’s instructive  advises as for example after the moves: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bg4 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxg4 Nxg4 8.e4 e5 9.Qxg4 exd4, with good compensation for the piece.
This line was suggested by Palliser as a surprise weapon for black in Dangerous Weapons: The Queen’s Gambit.
A safe choice for white is after Lars Schandorff  8.e3 Ngf6 9.Bxc4 e6 10.0-0 Bb4 which looks like a normal Slav where black has given up his light squared bishop for a knight.His structure is solid,but with the pair of bishops and more space white should be better after something like 11.Qc2 0-0 12.Rd1 Qa5 13.e4 with advantage.
Conclusion: One of those books that every black player fears!


Play the Queen's Indian by Andrew Greet
2009
Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
256 pages
Price $24,95
ISBN 978-1-85744-580-0


IM Andrew Greet presents in this latest Everyman opening’s book a complete repertoire for black in the Queen’s Indian based on the following lines: Early Bishop Developments,The Straightforward 4.e3{1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6}The Hybrid System: 4.Nf3 Bb4,The Hybrid System: 5.e3,The Hybrid System: 5.Qb3!? The Hybrid System: 5.Bg5,The Main Line Hybrid: 5.Bg5 with 9.e3
The Petrosian Variation: 4.a3 Ba6,The Petrosian Variation: 5.e3,The Petrosian Variation: 5.Qc2,The Petrosian Main Line: 10.Bf4 & 10.Bg5,The Fianchetto Variation: 4.g3 Ba6,The Fianchetto Variation: 5.Qa4,The Fianchetto Variation: 5.Qc2!?The Fianchetto Variation: 5.b3 and The Fianchetto Variation: 5.b3 b5!? 6.cxb5.
The material is presented as a classical openings and not based on model games which personal prefers me, specially this one from Andrew Greet which is overloaded with instructive notes.
For the lovers of the Miles variation, Andrew Greet goes for 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Bf4 Bb7 5.e3 Be7! Greet:This is Black’s most solid move. For the time being he refrains from any central activity, preferring to develop a piece while conveniently preparing ..Nh5,forcing the exchange of the enemy bishop.Black should care to avoid 5….c5?! 6.d5! exd5 7.Nc3 which is dangerous, as shown by 7…dxc4 8.Nb5! Na6 9.Bxc4 with excellent compensation for the pawn.
In the Hybrid System Greet goes for the line: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 Ne4 and the moves with the sacrifice 8.Qc2 0-0 9.e3 d6 10.Bd3 f5 11.b4 Nd7 12.Bb2 Qe8 13.0-0 Qh5 14.d5 e5 are good for seven pages of text!
Exciting is chapter sixteen with the Fianchetto Variation,the main line of the b5 system:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 b5 6.cxb5 Bxb5 7.Bg2 d5, Greet: With this move black establishes control over the centre,while questioning the usefulness of the bishop on g2.White will usually castle either here or on the next move,but occasionally he postpones it in favour of immediate queenside action.
Conclusion: I have seldom seen such a well written repertoire book!
                            

                                                                                        Chess DVD's

ChessBase Magazine extra issue 127
January  2009
Fritztrainer videos with Lubomir Ftacnik
ChessBase

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

ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99


The master file on this CD is good for 14818 entries, and all played between October and December 2008 but all games are without any annotations to the games.The most important tournament of this file goes  with 973 games to the Belgrade Trophy,but the small entries as the Dutch Championship are certainly not less interesting.
Between these games I found a smashing Latvian win from the Yugoslavian chess player Dejan Milutinoc: Kovacevic,Boris (1899) - Milutinovic,Dejan (2076) [C40]
Belgrade Trophy 21st Obrenovac (4), 30.11.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.d4 d6 5.Nc4 fxe4 6.Nc3 Qg6 7.Ne3 Be7 8.Ncd5 Bd8 9.Be2 Qf7 10.0-0 c6 11.Nc3 d5 12.f3 exf3 13.Rxf3 Nf6 14.Bd3 0-0 15.Bf5 Be6 16.Qd3 g6 17.Bxe6 Qxe6 18.Bd2 Nbd7 19.Re1 Qd6 20.a3 Bc7 21.Nf1 Ng4 22.g3 Bb6 23.Ne2 Nde5 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Qb3 Nf3+ 26.Kg2 Nxe1+ 27.Bxe1 Qe6 28.Qd3 Bxd4 29.Nxd4 Qxe1 30.c4 Rxf1 0-1
Some manage to win in no time as the game: Ten Velde,Jeffrey (1529) - Mostertman,Conrad (1900) [C31] Groningen op-B Groningen (6), 27.12.2008
1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 c6 4.dxc6 Nxc6 5.Bb5 exf4 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.0-0 Qb6+ 8.d4 Qxb5 0-1
But it is all not very impressing, more instructive are the extra included video files from Rainer Knaak!
Conclusion: For all who like to keep abreast of latest developments!

ChessBase magazine issue #128 on DVD!
Chess Olympiad in Dreden
February 2009
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
   


The highlight of this DVD are  the Olymiad games of Dreden,where I found 5520 games where 46 of them are terrible well analysed.
But first one of those high quality analysed  games: Kramnik,Vladimir (2772) - Short,Nigel D (2642) [D07]
Dresden ol (Men) 38th Dresden (6), 19.11.2008
[Krasenkow]
1.d4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 Bg4 4.Nc3 e6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 A quiet response to the Chigorin Defence. 6...Bd6 7.Bg3 Nge7 8.e3 Qd7 Here are other practical examples: [8...a6 9.Bd3 (9.a3 Bxg3 10.hxg3 Qd6 11.Na4 Nd8 12.Nc5 Rb8 13.Rc1 Ne6 14.Qa4+ c6 15.b4 f6 16.Bd3 Bf5?? (16...g6²) 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.Nxb7 1-0 Spiridonov,N (2405)-Ligoure,G (2240)/Cannes 1990/EXT 1997) 9...Bh5 10.a3 Bg6 11.b4 Na7 12.Na4 Nb5 13.Nc5 Bxg3 14.hxg3 Nd6 15.Ne5 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 g6 17.g4 c6 18.a4 b5 19.a5 Nc4 20.Ke2 Qd6 21.f4 Kf8 22.g5 Nf5 23.Rh3 Kg7 24.Rah1 Qc7 25.g4 Nfd6 26.Rh6± 1-0 Cebalo,M (2515)-Fioramonti,H/Martigny 1986/EXT 2002 (36);
8...0-0 9.Be2 a) 9.Rc1 Qd7 10.Be2 Rfe8 11.a3 Nf5 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.0-0 a6 14.Qb3 Nce7 15.Rfe1 Rab8 16.Rcd1 c6 17.e4 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Nh4 19.Na4 Qf4 20.Nc5 1/2 Lalic,B (2503)-Skytte,R (2404)/Aarhus 2003/CBM 097; b) 9.Bd3 h6 (9...Kh8 10.a3 a6 11.Qc2 Qd7 12.b4 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Rae8 14.Ne2 a5 15.b5 Na7 16.0-0 h5 17.Rfc1 c6 18.bxc6 Naxc6 19.Kh1 g5 20.Rg1 Rg8 21.Nc3² 1-0 Iskusnyh,S (2482)-Kuzmin,I (2198)/Russia 2007/EXT 2008 (36)) 10.a3 Bxg3 11.hxg3 Qd6 12.Rc1 Qf6 13.Be2 Rad8 14.Nb5 a6 15.Nc3 Rfe8 16.Na4 Nf5 17.0-0 a5 18.Nc5 b6 19.Nd3² 1-0 Bosboom Lanchava,T (2363)-Botsari,A (2297)/Ermioni Argolidas 2005/CBM 107 ext (26); 9...Nf5 a) 9...a6 10.Rc1 Qd7 11.a3 f5 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.g3!? Rae8 14.0-0 f4? (14...Kh8 15.Na4² Atalik,S) 15.exf4? (15.gxf4! Bh3 16.Re1 Qg6+ 17.Ng5± .h6? 18.Bh5+- Atalik,S) 15...Nf5 16.Ne5? (16.Qd3!± Atalik,S) 16...Bh3 17.Nxd5? Nfxd4! 18.Bc4 Rxe5! 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20.Nf4+ Nxc4 21.Nxh3 Nf3+ 22.Kh1 Ncd2 23.Ng1 Nxf1 24.Qb3+ Kh8 25.Nxf3 Nd2 26.Nxd2 Qxd2 27.Qc2= 1-0 Atalik,S (2619)-Hamad,A (2277)/Izmir 2006/EXT 2007/[Atalik] (40); b) 9...Ng6!? 10.Rc1 Nce7 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.0-0 c6 13.Na4 Nc8 14.Nc5 Qe7 15.b4 Nd6 16.a4 1/2 Sundararajan,K (2495)-Roy Chowdhury,S (2393)/Visakhapatnam 2006/CBM 111 ext; 10.Qb3 (10.Qc2 Nh6 11.a3 Re8 12.Nb5 Bf5 13.Bd3 Bb4+?! 14.Ke2?! (14.axb4 Nxb4 15.Bxf5 Nxc2+ 16.Bxc2±) 14...Be4? (14...Bxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Ba5) 15.Bxe4? (15.Nxc7! Bxf3+ 16.Kf1!±) 15...dxe4 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Bd6 18.Qxe4÷ 0-1 Savchenko,S (2532)-Schuermans,R (2239)/Le Touquet 2006/EXT 2007 (24)) 10...Nxg3 11.hxg3 Bb4 12.Rc1 Qd6 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.Rxc3 Nd8 15.Bd3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 c6 17.Kg2 g6 18.Rh1 Kg7 19.g4 Qd7 20.Rcc1 f6 21.Rh4 Nf7 22.Rch1² 1-0 Relange,E (2490)-Schuermans,R (2165)/Le Touquet 1998/EXT 2000 (30)] 9.a3 [9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 Bxg3 11.hxg3 Ng6?! Here it doesn't work. 12.Qb3! Nce7 13.Qxb7 Rfb8 14.Qa6 Rxb2 15.Qa3 Rbb8 16.Rab1 c6 17.Rfc1 Bf5 18.Rb3 Rxb3 19.axb3 Rb8 20.Na4 Qb7 21.Nc5± 1-0 Milos,G-Van Riemsdijk,H (2375)/Brasilia 1982/EXT 2002 (72)] 9...0-0 10.Bd3 a6 11.Bxd6 Bxf3 [11...Qxd6? 12.Bxh7+! Kxh7 13.Ng5+ Kg6 14.Qxg4 f5 15.Qf4 Qxf4 16.exf4 Nxd4 17.0-0-0±] 12.Qxf3 Qxd6 13.Qg3 Rfd8 14.b4² Black has yet to rearrange his knights; White is preparing his queenside attack. 14...g6?! Looks like a loss of time. [14...Nc8 could have been met with 15.b5!;
but 14...Na7!? 15.Na4 Nac8 16.Rc1 c6 17.Nc5 Rb8 , then trying to transfer the knight to d6 (or just putting it to b6), was probably still possible.] 15.Na4 Nc8 16.Rc1 The c6 knight can't move now. 16...Ra7 17.0-0 b5?! Desperation but what to do? If Black waits, White doubles his rooks along the c-file.
 18.Qxd6 Rxd6 19.Nc3! [<19.Nc5 Nb6] 19...N6e7 20.Bxb5! In the endgame a rook and two pawns are usually stronger than two knights. 20...axb5 21.Nxb5 Rda6 [21...Rb7 22.Nxd6 Nxd6 23.Rc5] 22.Nxa7 Rxa7 23.Rc5 Nb6 [23...Rxa3 24.Rxc7] 24.Ra1 Kf8 25.a4! Ke8 26.a5 Nc4 27.Ra2 f5 28.Kf1 Kd7 29.Ke2 Nd6? This allows the white pawns to move forward. [29...c6 30.Kd3 Nd6 31.f3²] 30.b5! Nc4 [Black probably overlooked 30...Nb7 31.Rxc7+! Kxc7 32.b6+ Kb8 33.bxa7+ Kxa7 34.Rc2+-] 31.Ra4!? Kd8 [31...Rxa5? 32.Rcxc4; 31...Nxa5? 32.Rc2] 32.a6 Nb6 33.Ra1 Nec8 34.h3! Opening a "second front" - a standard technique. 34...h5 35.g4! hxg4 36.hxg4 fxg4 37.Rg1 Ne7 38.Rxg4 Na4 39.Rh4!? c6 It was probably better for Black to accept the exchange sacrifice but White should win anyway: [39...Nxc5 40.dxc5 Kd7 41.Rh8 Nc6!? 42.Kd2! Nb4 (42...d4 43.e4!?) 43.Rh7+! Kd8 (43...Ke6 44.Kc3 Nxa6 45.bxa6 Rxa6 46.Rxc7+- ) 44.Rh4 Nc6 (44...Nxa6 45.Ra4) 45.Rh8+ Kd7 46.Kc3+-] 40.Rh8+ Kc7 41.Rc2 Nb6 42.Rh7 Kb8 43.bxc6 Rc7 44.Kf3 Ka7 45.Ra2 Nbc8 46.Rb2 Kxa6?? A blunder in a lost position. [46...Rxc6 47.Rb7+ Kxa6 48.Rbxe7 Nxe7 49.Rxe7 Rf6+ 50.Kg3 Kb6 51.Re5 Kc6 52.f4 Rd6 53.Kg4 Kd7 54.Kg5+-;
46...Nb6 47.Ke2 Kxa6 48.f3] 47.Rh1 [47.Rh1 Nxc6 48.Ra1+ Na5 49.Rba2+-]  1-0
Other important tournaments that are covered on this DVD are Nanjing and the Fide GrandPrix.
Hot are the theoretical surveys,starting with : The Giuoco Piano,C50 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 by Mihail Marin,The Classical variation in the Exchange Ruy Lopez,C69 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5  Dejan Bojkov.
Lubomir Ftacnik digs in the Chigorin Defence D07,1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6,Michal Krasenkow goes for the Semi Slav D45,1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 dxc4 8.Bxc4.
Evgeny Postny discusses the Grünfeld D85: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Be2 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.d5!?.
The great Efstratios Grivas provides the reader with a complete repertoire against the Bogo –Indian Defence E11,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2.
Alexey Kuzmin is doing the Queen’s Indian E15,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Bg2 c5 7.d5!? exd5 8.cxd5.
Igor Stohl looks at the Sämisch Variation in a WCh Match,Nimzo Indian E25,1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 f5:Many considered this position as a sensation!
Hannes Langrock looks the French Defence C03: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.e5,A repertoire for black against the Tarrasch-Part 3.
Tibor Karolyi Looks at the Sicilian B67,1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 NF6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f3 Be7 10.Be3,This move as we can read is not a loss of a tempo!
Peter Lukacs and laszlo Hazai look both at a Colle setup against the Caro-Kann B10,1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5.
Mihail Marin studies the Sämisch in the Pirc B07: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 c6 5.Qd2 nbd7 6.f3 b5 and Leonid Kritz handles the Centre Counter B01,
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.d4 0-0 6.c4.

Other files of interest are the  ICCF Telechess files  with over 2000 correspondence games,Karsten Müller Endgames {Not only 17 games but also eight endgame videos in Fritztrainer format!}
Daniel King with his excellent Move to Move column,Rainer Knaak Opening Trap,Oliver Reeh Tactics and a lot of extra video reports as the one from Magnus Carlsen who annotates  his impressive victory over the top Czech player David Navara!
Plus a booklet of 25 pages included!                            
Conclusion: Dear reader, there is no better way to spend your {chess} money!

         

                                           ChessMagazine's   



British Chess Magazine No.2
Volume 129
February 2009
Price: £4,05

This issue of BCM starts with a detailed coverage of the Hastings tournament,which was won by the Russian chess player Igor Kurnosov.But Simon Williams won the 1000 brilliancy prize for his last round win against Stephen Gordon.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.e5 Nd5 11.Nd2 Nd7 12.Nde4 Qb6 13.a4 a5 14.Rc1 Nxc3 15.Nxc3 b4 16.Ne4 c5 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Rxc4 Bd5 19.0-0 0-0 20.Rxc5 Bxe4 21.Rb5 Qc6 22.f3 Bc2 23.Qd2 Bxa4 24.Rc1 Bxb5 25.Rxc6 Bxc6 26.h4 Rfd8 27.hxg5 Nf8 28.Qc1 Be8 29.gxh6 f5 30.Qg5+ Bg6 31.Bc4 Rd1+ 32.Kh2 Re8 33.Bb5 Rb8 34.Qe7 Bf7 35.Qf6 1-0.
 In Chess Questions Answered, Gary Lane goes for the Scandinavian line 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Wa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Ne4!?
In games department we can see a game from Sam Collins who just made his first grandmaster norm.
The 4NCL {British Team Championship} is reported with seven pages and many wil enjoy the game David Eggleston – David Howell,where black went for the Colman variation:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3 Rb8.
Other readable contributions are Speelman on the endgame,News in Brief,Reviews and New Books,Quotes and Quotes and Queries,Problem World and a superb. Article from Bernard Cafferty {Conversations at the chess board}.
Conclusion: Hours of good read are insured!