CHESSBOOK REVIEWS

Latest book reviews of 1 February 2013
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg


                                 Chess Books & Magazine's

Das Gambit-Buch Der Instruktiven Schachaufgaben by Graham Burgess
2012
Gambit Publications Ltd
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail info@gambitbooks.com
127 pages
Price €14,95
ISBN 978-1-906454-37-1

 I am pleased to announce this excellent German translation of Graham Burgess his super read on exercises.
This eye catching working from Burgess is no normal exercise book but it is based to improve your creative thinking!
It is all a matter of finding the winning key idea, and this all well packed by Burgess with instructive chapters as creativity,vision, attack, defence and counterattack.
But there are more enjoyable chapters, as a Tough day at the office,Leaving the comfort zone behind,Vision, Endgame skills, Putting your
knowledge to work and Not just for beating your dad!
All together there are 300 exercises where you can make your points!
The price is low and the solutions to the exercises are well and instructively explained!
All material comes from the years 2010/2011 and that makes it all very special!
Conclusion: This book is an invaluable exercise tool!


Kramnik: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala
2012
 Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
400  pages
Price € 25,95
ISBN 978-1-85744-991-4

The American Cyrus Lakdawala digs with his latest move to move book into the mind of the great Vladimir Kramnik and explains, with  highly instructive
 explanations 59 of his greatest games, all well packed with Kramnik his talented skills, which made him so outstanding in the world of chess.
Lakdawala has packed these 59 games into the following sections: Kramnik on the Attack,Kramnik on Defence, Riding the dynamic element, Exploiting
 imbalances, Accumulating advantages and Kramnik on the endgame.
A fine example of this all is model game 15:
Kasparov,Garry (2849) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2770) [C67]
World Championship London (3), 12.10.2000
1.e4 e5 2.Pf3 Pc6 3.Lb5 Pf6 4.0-0 Pxe4 5.d4 Pd6 6.Lxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Pf5 8.Dxd8+ Kxd8 9.Pc3 Ld7 10.b3 h6 11.Lb2 Kc8 12.Tad1 b6
13.Pe2 c5 14.c4 Lc6 15.Pf4 Kb7 16.Pd5 Pe7 17.Tfe1 Tg8 18.Pf4 g5 19.Ph5 Tg6 20.Pf6 Lg7 21.Td3 Lxf3 22.Txf3 Lxf6 23.exf6 Pc6
24.Td3 Tf8 25.Te4 Kc8 26.f4 gxf4 27.Txf4 Te8 28.Lc3 Te2 29.Tf2 Te4 30.Th3 a5 31.Th5 a4 32.bxa4 Txc4 33.Ld2 Txa4 34.Txh6 Tg8
35.Th7 Txa2 36.Txf7 Pe5 37.Tg7 Tf8 38.h3 c4 39.Te7 Pd3 40.f7 Pxf2 41.Te8+ Kd7 42.Txf8 Ke7 43.Tc8 Kxf7 44.Txc7+ Ke6 45.Le3 Pd1
46.Lxb6 c3 47.h4 Ta6 48.Ld4 Ta4 49.Lxc3 Pxc3 50.Txc3 Txh4 51.Tf3 Th5 52.Kf2 Tg5 53.Tf8 Ke5 ½-½,
Lakdawala writes after move 8….Kxd8”This is one of the most subtle and heavily contested opening/endgame positions on the top level
circuit.
Many people, including your writer, believe Kramnik’s impossible deep understanding of this Berlin Lopez ending was the core element which
allowed him to defeat Garry Kasparov in their world title match.To this day he continues to weaponize this position against all comers, utilizing
 his vast experience and profound knowledge in the line.
Anand once called Kramnik’s understanding of the Berlin Lopez:”simply stunning”.
Game two of this book holds a classic Sveshnikov: Brodsky,Michail (2310) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2480) [B33]
URS-ch U26 Kherson (7), 1991
1.e4 c5 2.Pf3 Pc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Pxd4 Pf6 5.Pc3 e5 6.Pdb5 d6 7.Lg5 a6 8.Pa3 b5 9.Lxf6 gxf6 10.Pd5 f5 11.Ld3 Le6 12.Dh5 Tg8
13.0-0-0 Txg2 14.f4 Pd4 15.Pe3 Tf2 16.exf5 Lxa2 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Pxb5 Lh6 19.The1 axb5 20.Lxb5+ Ke7 21.Dh4+ f6
22.Dxf2 Lf7 23.Ld3 Db6 24.Le4 Ta2 25.c4 Lxc4 26.Kb1 Da5 27.Pd5+ Lxd5 28.Dxd4 Ta1+ 29.Kc2 Txd1 30.Dxd1 Da4+
31.Kc3 0-1,the amusing thing was that this tournament was reguarded as qualifying tournament for the open championship of
New York,please see Kramnik my life and games,Everyman Chess 2000.
Included are many latest games as Gustafsson,Jan (2629) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2799) [E94]
Dortmund SuperGM 40th Dortmund (2), 14.07.2012
1.d4 Pf6 2.c4 g6 3.Pc3 Lg7 4.e4 d6 5.Pf3 0-0 6.Le2 e5 7.Le3 c6 8.0-0 exd4 9.Pxd4 Te8 10.f3 d5 11.cxd5 Pxd5
12.Pxd5 cxd5 13.Tc1 a5 14.Db3 a4 15.Dxd5 Dxd5 16.exd5 a3 17.b3 Pc6 18.Pc2 Txe3 19.Pxe3 Pb4 20.Tc4 Pxa2
21.Ta4 Txa4 22.bxa4 Ld4 23.Kf2 Pb4 24.Tc1 a2 25.Txc8+ Kg7 26.Tc1 Pxd5 27.Td1 Pxe3 0-1.
Conclusion: Super instructive!

 
Dangerous weapons: The Ruy Lopez by John Emms,Tony Kosten & John Cox
2012
 Everyman Chess
http://www.everymanchess.com
299  pages
Price € 21,95
ISBN 978-1-85744-691-3

John Emms,Tony Kosten and John Cox are in this latest Dangerous Weapons good for the following off beat lines:Aronin Variation
 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nge7 {Kosten},
Classical Berlin: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Bc5 introduction and  5.c3 {both by Kosten},6.Ba4 versus the Berlin:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Ba4 {Cox},New ideas in the 4.d3 Berlin:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
Nf6 4.d3 {Cox},An Evans Gambit in the lopez:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.0-0 Nd4 5.b4!? {Emms},Fighting the Exchange
Variation: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 {Cox},New ways to play d3:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.d3 {Emms},
Another g4 lunge: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 4.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.g4!? {Emms},A gambit against the
Anti-Marshall:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 Na5 {Emms},The 9…a5 Variation:
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 a5 {Cox} and at last An Open Chigorin:
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 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 exd4 {Emms}.
Cox comes in the 4.d3 with the new idea from McShane: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.b3!
A few years ago Cox wrote in his book the Berlin Wall” 5.Bxc6 Not a fearsome move.White enters the same sort position as
 4.Bxc6,but argues that he has gained a tempo because black will need to play …Bd6.This is true enough, but the position type is so harmless that black still has easy play”
Strong from Emms is the move 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.0-0 Nd4 5.b4 Bxb4 6.Nxd4 exd4 7.c3!? in An Evans Gambit in the Lopez.
We saw the Exchange Variation: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 also the recent book from Boris
Alterman “Gambits mit Schwarz” but I can insure you the lines here Dangerous Weapons are much more deeply analysed!
Conclusion: A must buy for all Ruy Lopez lovers!



Chess DVD's

ChessBase12
2012
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Euro 99,90 

Minimum: entium III 1 GHz, 1 GB RAM, Windows Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), DirectX9 graphics card with 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, Windows Media Player
9 and Internet access to activate the program, Playchess.com, Let’s Check, Engine Cloud and updates. Recommended: PC Intel Core i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Windows 7 (64 Bit) or Windows 8 (64 Bit), DirectX10 graphics card (or compatible) with 512 MB RAM or more, 100% DirectX10 compatible sound card, Windows
 Media Player 11, DVD ROM drive and Internet access to activate the program, Playchess.com, Let’s Check, Engine Cloud and updates.

It is surprising to see how many new innovations have been packed in this latest release of ChessBase12,for example the use of the new Cloud analysis is,if you ask me
the complete end of correspondence chess.
It is now possible to do parallel  analyses by several engines on the ChessBase Play server, and the best of all that it is possible for everyone now to make
use of  unbelievable strong  hardware.
With a simple laptop you have excess to run chess engines from remote computers, connect your own machine or just borrow one the many that are
available there.
I did this several times and I was able to use machines with  up to 8CPU’s but it cost some Ducats and I an insure you, it was certainly worth it.
Also new in ChessBase 12 is the use of deep analyses, this is even an improvement on Fritz because it can run for ever and ever.
By the way access to the over 6.4 super million base is free,on modern 64 bit systems the whole search process is done in no time,because
the database is stored in the main memory and several processors can work it out  in parallel.
Pleasant to mention is the new engine dialog with CPU-optimisation,but the new look for the ChessMedia window with big d
atabase symbols is a pleasant for the eye.There is now a Online player encyclopedia with Elo ratings,that is  upgraded throughout the year.
In ChessBase12 endings can be searched  for with a single click for your mouse,it recognizes passed pawns, blockade pawns, pawn chains and
islands, isolated pawns and backward pawns.
Also found are some piece positions as are the rooks behind or in front of passed pawns,is a rook cutting a king off from a single pawn.
And are we dealing with a good of bad bishop.
And is the king positioned within the square of the pawn,and is it close to the pawns or far away from them.
A other technical innovation is the improved wood textures for the board,which makes it all very eye catching. Useful is liveBook with with all the latest
openings keys, and I did not even mention, find the theoretical novelty
This is all done with one simple click of your mouse!
ChessBase12 runs smoothly and with in a small 30 minutes you are completely devoted to this fantastic made program.
Conclusion: ChessBase12 is truly thrilling!


Mega Database 2013
2012
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Euro 159.90     

1 GHz Pentium PC, Windows 8, Windows 7 / Vista/XP, 512 MB RAM, DVD-ROM Laufwerk, ChessBase 11 oder 12, Internetverbindung für Online-Updates erforderlich!


The new MegaData Base is good for 5462144 entries and that is over 300.000 games more than issue 2012.
67,000 games obtain comments from top players as for example  Magnus Carlsen {23} and Vishy Anand 262!
A player as Finkel is good for over 1700 annotated games and Ftacnik even goes over the
4800 annotated games.
All games hold a  opening classification with over  100,000 key positions,which give  direct access to players, tournaments, middlegame themes,and  endgames positions.
Included is a weekly online update to keep abreast of all latest games and this works till the end of 2013!
A major part of the reference material comes from the ChessBase Magazines with there excellent analyses.
Mega 2013 also holds a new edition of the playerbase 293,000 names and 33,000 pictures  which brings a major part of these games to life.
Conclusion: One of those must have game DVD’s!

Fritz Powerbook 2013
2012
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Euro 49.90
Pentium PC, 32 MB RAM, Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 or XP and Fritz13/Fritz12, DVD drive.


Fritz PowerBook 2013 holds over 21 millions opening positions, all derived from over 1,5 million high class  tournament games.
Pleasant enough all these games are covered on this DVD but more interesting is that all relevant information of these openings positions are 
stored with rating,success and performance results.
Included also is a extra book with the best of the best,all above ELO 2550 and good for over 2 Million positions.
All together we have here a super ECO of chess Information which gives you more information that 100 openings books!
Conclusion: Super Openings information and a must for Fritz and users of  ChessBase!

Corr Database 2013
2012
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Euro 99.90
Pentium PC, 32 MB RAM, Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 or XP and Fritz13/Fritz12, DVD drive.

Correspondence base 2013 holds over 1 041 845 games and that is a 206996 games more than issue 2011.
Included on this DVD are hundreds of analyses but the power of this DVD lays in the high quality of the correspondence games often played with fast computers
and the best available chess engines.
These games usually come back in latest openings books as novelties,
so with these games you are insured from latest played inventions.
Many famous chess players have played correspondence chess Alekhine,Keres and Nimzowitch who played the following beauty in
1912/1913: Nimzowitsch,Aron (LAT/DEN) - Fluess,Georg dr [C50]
corr 1912-13, 1912
1.e4 e5 2.Pf3 Pc6 3.Pc3 Pf6 4.Lc4 Lc5 5.d3 d6 6.Lg5 h6 7.Lh4 g5 8.Lg3 Lg4 9.h4 Ph5 10.hxg5 Pd4 11.Lxe5 Lxf3
12.gxf3 dxe5 13.Txh5 Tg8 14.f4 exf4 15.Dg4 Pxc2+ 16.Kd2 Pxa1 17.Lxf7+ 1-0,please also see the  book
Aron Nimzowitsch On the Road to Chess mastery,1886-1924 by Per  Skjoldager & Jorn Erik Nielsen and ofcourse My System,
Conclusion: With these games you are really well prepared!

ChessBase Magazine extra issue 151
January  2013
Videos by Andrian Mihalchishin,Leonid Kritz & Lawrence Trent
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99

This ChessBase Magazine is good for 10.179 games,and all  played between October and December of last year.
Included for example are all the games of the world championship for seniors.
But also the Rapid chess tournament in Mexico that was won by the brilliant Magnus.
Included are superb. video files as the one from Leonid Kritz who analyses a classic game of the famous  Euwe-Alekhine match from 1937.
Adrian Mikhalchishin shows us an interesting idea in the English Opening and the great Lawrence Trent goes for the good old Trompowsky Attack.
Conclusion: Smashing material for a bargain price!