CHESSBOOK REVIEWS

Latest book reviews of 1 June  2014
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg


                                 Chess Books & Magazine's

Sabotage the Grünfeld
A Cutting-Edge Repertoire for White based on 3.f3
by Larry Kaufman
2014
New in Chess
http://www.newinchess.com/
187  pages
Price € 19,95
ISBN: 978-90-569-1440-0 
                
LarryKaufman (born 1947) is a chess Grandmaster, a title which he automatically earned after winning the 2008 World Senior Championship, but he already
was an International Master and computer expert before that.
Larry Kaufman provides the reader with a well thought easy to understand repertoire book on the line 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 which throws all Grünfeld fans
out of there repertoire.
The heart of the is devoted to the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0-0-0 Qd6 10.Kb1 Rd8
11.Nb5 Qd7 12.d5 a6 13.Nc3,instead 13.dxc6 wins a pawn and trade queens,but with precise play black gets full compensation in terms of superior activity.
Kaufman explains after the alternative 8.f4: favoured by Evgeny Postny recently.Amazingly,no ones plays the replay both engines swear is the best and fully
satisfactory, namely 8….c5! If black doesn’t play this move,he must thread a very narrow path or risk serious trouble,but it seems that if he plays perfectly
he can force white to settle for perpetual check.This is a very wild line and likely to be very effective against an unprepared opponent,but not against someone
who has read this book!
Interesting to mention are the notes from Kaufman on the line: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nc3 0-0 6.Be3 c5 7.dxc5 dxc5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8
9.Bxc5 Nc6 10.Nd5 Nxd5?! 11.cxd5 b6 12.Ba3 Nd4 13.0-0-0 e6 14.Ne2 Nb5 15.Be7 Rd7 16.d6?! Be5 17.f4 Bxd6 18.Bf6? Bb7 19.e5 Rc8+
20.Kb1 Na3+! 21.bxa3 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 Rxd1+ 23.Kb2 Rd2+ 24.Ka1 Be4 25.Nc3 Rxc3! And white resigned,Dlugy – Dzindzichashvili,rapid New York
1990.The moves where given writes Kaufman from memory by ‘Dzindzi’.The game is not in any database.
Very readable is chapter one with the history of the f3 Anti-Grünfeld where I found games from Aaron Nimzowitsch against Aaron Tartakower,Karlsbad
1929.The Karlsbad 1929 was one of the strongest tournaments ever played,so there is really nothing wrong with the move 3.f3!
Conclusion: A well produced and high quality written repertoire book!

Chess Training for Post-Beginners
A Basic Course in Positional Understanding
by Yaroslav Srokovski
2014
New in Chess
http://www.newinchess.com/
220  pages
Price € 19,95
ISBN: 978-90-569-1472-1 

The international chess crack Yaroslav Srokovski comes with a smashing trainings course based on logical understanding of patterns, which is closely  related to a framework
 of positional understanding, for example this frame work can be extend by your own play.
This all is based on the understanding of positional play and the chosen positions are all well chosen and above all excellent explained, where the reader does not have
 to fear to get lost in the mass of analysed lines.
For that reason it is very important to structure your chess knowledge in a reasoned way.
A nice example of this is the following game where white has only two pieces for the queen:
Handke,Florian (2427) - Murdzia,Piotr (2418) [B90]
Hamburg-ch int Hamburg (8), 25.05.2002
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Rg1 Nc6 7.g4 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 e5 9.Qa4+ Bd7 10.Qb3 b5
11.g5 Be6 12.gxf6 Bxb3 13.axb3 Qxf6 14.Bg5 Qg6 15.Rxa6 Rb8 16.Ra8 f6 17.Rxb8+ Kd7 18.Bxb5+ Kc7 19.Be8 1-0
The key success  is simple  positional understanding where the aim of the book lays on club level play.
Conclusion: A masterpiece of explanation!

E-Book Marshall Gambit Made Easy by John Elburg
2014
Price $2.99
John Elburg
E-mail chessbooks@chessbooks.nl

My Marshall project from 1994 has become a collectible,here I offfer the reader a electronic update in Chessbase file for the bargain price of $2.99
Included is an extra Marshall database with over 21000 entries.


Chess DVD's

ChessBaseDatabase
Opening Encyclopedia 2014
2014
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price Euro €99.90
€83.95 without VAT (for Customers outside the EU)
$116.82 (without VAT)
System requirements:Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard


The new Opening Encyclopaedia 2014 holds now over 4.9 million games, exactly counted are there 4958288 games and all of them are holding the famous and only  ECO code.
Where  83 000 of these games  are more than excellent annotated.
Included are over 5500 opening surveys, where many of them cover latest developments.
With the large openings key you have a direct go to all the games.
Pleasant to mention are the 799 specialised theory databases which gives the user a unbelievable access to latest chess theory.
All games of this DVD are compressed in a Hugh openings book,that gives the user truly the latest lines and fascinating statistics.
Included is the new ChessBase 2013 Reader for access to the whole content of the DVD.
Conclusion: This DVD is must have chess product!

TrainingPower Play
Power Play 21: A repertoire for black against the Anti-Sicilians
by  Daniel King
2014
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price Euro 29.90
ISBN: 978-3-86681-425-7
Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard


The well speaking GM Daniel King handles in two languages  the secrets of the Anti Sicilian lines and explains with instructive video files how to handle with black all kind of Anti lines, as for example the good old Morra Gambit: Morra I [A00]
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 [6...Nf6? 7.e5;
6...e6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1 e5 is the old main line - and this too is perfectly acceptable for Black.] 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qe2 [8.e5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.Nxe5 e6 (10...Be6) 11.Rd1 Nd7 12.Nf3 Be7 13.Bf4 0-0 14.Ne4 Nc6 15.Bd6 Nb6 16.Bb3 Bxd6 17.Rxd6 Rd8 18.Rad1 Rxd6 19.Nxd6 h6 20.Ne4 Kf8 21.Nc5 Ke7 22.Nd2 Nd7 23.Nde4 Nxc5 24.Nxc5 b6 25.Ne4 Na5 26.Ba4 b5 27.Bc2 Nb7 28.b4 Bd7 29.Kf1 Rc8 30.Rd2 f5 31.Ng3 Rc4 32.Re2 g6 33.h4 h5 34.a3 Nd6 0-1 (34) Lochte,S (2050)-Wells,P (2545) Berlin 1995] 8...Bg4 9.Rd1 e6 [9...Ne5 10.Nxe5+-] 10.Bf4 Qb8 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Be7 13.Rac1 0-0 14.Bb3 Rc8 15.Qe3 b5 16.Bg5 Na5 17.f4 h6 18.Bh4 Ng4 19.hxg4 Bxh4 20.g5 hxg5 21.f5 Nxb3 22.axb3 g4 23.fxe6 fxe6 24.Qf4 Bf6 25.Qxg4 Re8 26.e5 Bxe5 27.Ne4 Qb6+ 28.Kh1 Qe3 29.Rc7 Qh6+ 30.Kg1 d5 0-1 (30) Ackermann,R (2295)-King,D (2505) Bern 1992 Line,
Morra II [A00]
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 [7.Bg5 This was recommended in a recent tome on the Morra as the way to rehabilitate the variation. Nope. 7...Nf6 8.Bxf6 the big idea behind Bxf6.
(8.0-0 e6 would transpose into lines considered later on (for example Fischer-Korchnoi)) 8...gxf6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.Nd4 This is a normal Sicilian position, but without a White pawn on c2! 10...e6 Black covers the crucial d5 and f5 squares, blocks out White's bishop and prepares to unleash the bishop with ...f5. 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Qg4 0-0 13.Rad1 d5 14.Bd3 f5 This is practical chess - Black seeks clarification, returning the pawn but bringing the queen over to protect the kingside. (14...Rb8 15.Rd2 Qd6 16.Re1 Rb4 is perhaps even stronger.) 15.exf5 Qf6 16.fxe6 fxe6 17.Qh5 Qh6 18.Qe2 (18.Qxh6 Bxh6 should be played, but obviously Black has the better chances.) 18...e5 19.f3 Rb8 20.Na4 Rb4 21.b3 Rh4 22.g3 Rh5 23.Rc1 e4 24.fxe4 Bd4+ 25.Kh1 Bf2 26.Rxf2 Qxc1+ 27.Rf1 Rxf1+ 28.Qxf1 Qxf1+ 29.Bxf1 dxe4-+ 0-1 (41) Eames,R (2275)-Edouard,R (2636) Hastings 2010] 7...Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.Rfd1 Qc7 11.Rac1 0-0 12.Bb3 h6 13.Bf4 e5 [13...Rd8 14.h3 (14.Nd5 exd5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Bf6³) 14...Qa5 15.Bd2 Qh5³] 14.Be3 Qd8 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Bd7 17.Nd2 Nb4 18.Bb3 Bg5 19.Bxg5 Qxg5 20.Nf3 Bg4 21.Rc7 Qd8 22.Rxb7 Rb8 23.Rxb8 Qxb8 24.h3 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Nc6 26.Qd3 Nd4 27.Bc4 a5 28.b3 Qb4 29.f4 Kh7 ½-½ (29) Fischer,R-Kortschnoj,V Buenos Aires 1960 and Morra III [A00]
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.h3 e6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.Bf4 Ne5 12.Bb3 0-0 13.Rac1 Qb8 14.Nd4 [14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Be3 b5] 14...Bd7 [14...b5 is more active than my move: 15.Bg3 (15.Bxe5 dxe5 16.Nc6 Qc7 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7µ) 15...Bb7 16.f4 Nc4 17.a3 Re8 18.Nf3 g6 (18...d5! 19.e5?! Nh5 20.Bh2 Bc5+ 21.Kh1 Be3-+) 19.Kh1 Bf8 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.Qxc4 d5 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 exd5 25.Qxd5 Qb5 26.Qa2 Rac8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.Ne5 Qb7 29.b4 Bg7 30.Qe2 Rc3 31.Kh2 Rxa3 32.Nc4 Rc3 33.Nd6 Qd7 34.f5 Rxg3 0-1 (34) Baldursson,H (2100)-Lobron,E (2500) Merida 2002] 15.Bg3 Nc6 16.Nxc6 [16.f4 Nxd4 17.Rxd4 Bc6] 16...Bxc6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Bxe5 Qe8 19.g4 Rd8 20.Bc2 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nd5 22.Ne4 f6 23.Bg3 Kh8 24.Nd6 Qd7 25.Nc4 b5 26.Ne3 Qb7 27.a3 Bc5 28.Qd3 g6 29.g5 Nxe3 30.fxe3 Qb6 31.gxf6 Bxe3+ 32.Kh2 Rxf6 33.Qc3 Kg7 34.h4 Kf7 35.b4 Bf4 36.Qc5 Bxg3+ 37.Kxg3 Rf3+ 38.Kg4 Qxc5 39.bxc5 Rc3 40.Rd6 Bf3+ 41.Kf4 e5+ 42.Kxe5 Rxc5+ 43.Kf4 Rxc2 44.Kxf3 Rc3+ 45.Ke4 Rxa3 etc... (0-1, 56) Mescher-King, Sydney 1988.
As we can see in the in the lines of the Morra Gambit the material is impressive and the Morra is only a small part of this DVD.
Included are repertoire lines against The Grand Prix Attack,Closed Sicilian etc.
Yes David King truly explains you what to do when white avoids the Open Sicilian!
Included are self tests and a impressive extra database of 50 selected games.
Video running time: 5 hours 22 min (English)
Conclusion: Awsum material!    


ChessBase Magazine extra issue 159 Extra
May  2014
Videos by Adrian Mikhalchishin,Valeri Lilov & Robert Ris
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99

ChessBase Magazine issue 159 Extra comes with a impressive collection of 19275 games,all taken from the period February April 2014.
The most games 1212 come from Reykjavik and probably the most impressive player is the Dutch player Nico Schouten who won the European Championship for seniors and made here his first GM norm!
Impressive also is the following win from Montoya with the good old Latvian Gambit!
 Uribe Valencia,Victor Alexis (1793) - Montoya Diaz,Cesar Augusto (2139) [C40]
Antioquia op Medellin (5), 06.04.2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.exf5 e4 4.Ne5 Nf6 5.Be2 Be7 6.Bh5+ Kf8 7.d4 d6 8.Nf7 Qe8 9.Nxh8 Qxh5 10.Qxh5 Nxh5 11.g4 Nf6 12.g5 Nd5 13.g6 h6 14.Nf7 Bxf5 15.Rg1 Nd7 16.Na3 Bf6 17.c3 a6 18.Nc4 Ke7 19.Bxh6 Bxg6 20.Nfxd6 Bh5 21.Nf5+ Kf7 22.Bxg7 Nf4 23.Nh6+ Ke6 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Ne5 Rh8 26.Nhg4 Nxg4 27.Nxg4 Rg8 28.d5+ Kd6 29.h3 Nxh3 30.Rg3 Bxg4 31.Kd2 Kxd5 32.Rh1 Nxf2 33.Rf1 Nd3 34.Rfg1 Ne5 35.Ke3 Rg6 36.b3 b5 37.c4+ bxc4 38.bxc4+ Nxc4+ 39.Kf4 Ne5 0-1
The great video files cover a game from  Robert Ris who shows a game played between by Robert Fischer and David Byrne.
Valeri Lilov digs in the game  Ivanchuk-Wang Hao,of  Istanbul 2012 and Adrian Mikhalchishin how to handle a old fashion kingside attack!
Conclusion: Smashing game material for a bargain price!