CHESSBOOK REVIEWS

Latest book reviews of 1 February  2015
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
John Elburg


                                 Chess Books & Magazine's

The Field 1907 Chess Column edited by Leopold Hoffer
2010
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
544 pages
Price €29,95
ISBN 978-80-7189-609-8



The country gentleman's newspaper' was published weekly in London from on 1853,
publishing House Moravian chess under leadership of the chess historian Vlastimil Fiala is compiling these weekly chess columns from Leopold Hoffer in book form.
This hard cover issue from 544 pages hold all columns from January 5,1905 till December 28,1907.
Every week there was a chess problem or game position to solve,but now and than there was even some chess theory as the MacCutcheon Variation.
On page 244 I found two games of the youthful Russian master Aaron Nimzowitsch,in the book Niemzowitsch who was below the recognised age for admission.Althrough his games have attracted very little notice because played outside the pale,he drew attention by quietly adding point after point to his score,so that he is now considerd a dangerous rival.
On page 348 we can read: Tournament at Paris.-We learn from La Strategie that a tournament has just been concluded at the Café de la Regence,Paris,in which Marshall and Tartakover joined the leading amateurs of the famous café.
It is noteworthy that a young amateur,M.Antoniadi,of Greece,tied with Marshall for first place,having beaten both Marshall and Tartakover.
Antoniadi became later well known for his observers on the planets Mars and Mercury.
Please also see http://medlibrary.org/medwiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_M._Antoniadi
Included in this book are cable matches as the Inter/University Cable Match,sponsored by the well known Professor Isaac L.Rice.
Conclusion: A fascinating view of  chess news throw  the years 1905 –1907!

Botvinnik's Complete Games
1924-1941
And Selected Writings
Part 1
2010
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
396 pages
Price € 39,90
ISBN 978-80-7189-614-2



One of the most instructive reads of all time,Mikhail Botvinnik's Analiticheskie i Kriticheskie Raboty (Analytical & Critical Works) was originally published in 4 volumes between,1984 and 1987.
The first 3 volumes covered his best games, and these have already been published by Moravian chess, please see there ,Botvinnik's Best Games Volumes 1, 2 and 3.
This fourth volume contains Botvinnik’s writings and games,all played in the period 1924-1941.
The games and selected writings are going to be published in a series of three books where Botvinnik’s Complete games 1924-1941 is the first of this new English translation, which is done by   Ken Neat.
In this book you will find every possible Botvinnik game from the period 1924-1941,where many of them are excellent analysed,as for example his match tournament for the title of absolute USSR Champion Leningrad Moscow: Boleslavsky,Isaak - Botvinnik,Mikhail [C15]
URS Absolute-ch Leningrad/Moscow (6), 31.03.1941
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd3 dxe4 5.Bxe4 Nf6 6.Bd3 c5 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nbd7 9.Nf3 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Qe2 0-0 12.Bg5 Qc7 13.Ne5 cxd4 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.cxd4 Rfe8 16.Qg4 f5 17.Qh4 Nf8 18.Rfe1 Rac8 19.c4 Qd7 20.Red1 Ba6 21.Rac1 b5 22.c5 Bb7 23.Bf1 Bd5 ½-½
The words from Botvinnik are now very interesting: Here Black offered a draw, which was accepted by Boleslavsky.With regards to this there where numerous comments about the ‘inexplicable’ draw.Chess critics often forget that chess is played by people; the pieces themselves are notable to play.And a player, like any person, may have various reasons, as a result of which on a given evening, if this is necessary and possible, he avoids a fight.
The chess code states that a chess player is obliged to conduct a tournament at full strength.
For this he needs to husband his strength whenever possible,if this is justified by fluctuations of the competitive struggle.
Conclusion: Highly recommended!

Botvinnik's Complete Games
1942-1956
And Selected Writings
Part 2
2012
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
368 pages
Price € 39,90
ISBN 978-80-7189-626-5



Mikhail Botvinnik's 'Analiticheskie i kriticheskie raboty'{Analytical and critical works} was originally published in four volumes in the years 1984 and 1987. The first three volumes covered his best games, and these have  been pleasantly published by Moravian Chess (Botvinnik's Best Games Volumes 1, 2 and 3).As Ken Neat writes in his Translator’s
Foreword: The fourth volume contained the author's collected writings, and for the present English publication this material has been divided among three books, of which this are the first and second. These books will also include all Botvinnik's known games (apart from the 381 already published in the Best Games series), with annotations by Botvinnik where available. The resulting six-volume series will therefore present a complete collection of Botvinnik's own game annotations and the best of his chess writings.  Botvinnik's own foreword to the fourth Russian volume can be found in the previous book in this serie Botvinnik’s Complete Games 1924-1941 and Selected Writings Part 1.
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik,born August 17,1911 + May,1995) was a brilliant Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and
three-time World Chess Champion,is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time.
Botvinnik’s annotations to the games belong to the absolute top as we can see after move 2 in his game against David Bronstein,World Championship Match game1 Moscow 1951:1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5:So,the Dutch Defence.And this is no accident.In this match my opponent normally employed those openings that I had usually chosen earlier.He apparently thought that he would force me to fight against my own system.
Such a method seems to be rather naïve,if it was not forced.
It was probably all based on the fact that Bronstein did not have anything significant prepared,and in the given instance this variaten is not bad.The results,however,could not be good-I was forced to play openings which I knew quite well;of course,this made things easier for me,if it is taken into account that for three years I have been cut off from chess.
Botvinnik describes in his writings his first match with Smyslov,but my favourite read was the Alekhine – Euwe return match from 1937.
Botvinnink writes:The Alekhine – Euwe return match was the most significant chess event of 1937.Both of these outstanding players were in excellent form,apart fron Euwe’s poor play at the finish.Their games provide rewarding material for study.
The Alekhine – Euwe return match was more interesting than their first match in 1935.
Whereas in the first match Alekhine’s play in a number of games was risky,to put it crudely,in this match he played in his real style,roughly the style he displayed in his 1927 mach with Capablanca.True,in this match too he sometimes unjustifiably went in for complications{for example,the 14th game},it seems to me that this is explained by chance factors-however strong a player,he may assess a position incorrectly.
Botvinnik analyses the 22th game of the 1937 match with over 4 pages of text and ends with words:A tense and difficult game,conducted by Alekhine with exceptional mastery.
For the interested reader in this match please also see Purdy World championships 1935,1937 and 1972 plus  Euwe – Alekhine 1937 from the Schaakwerled 1937.
Conclusion: One of those must have chess books!   

Chess Competitions 1824 - 1970: An annotated international bibliography of books, bulletins, and programs by Gino Di Felice
2013
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
554 pages
Price € 39,00
ISBN 978-80-7189-640-1



Gino Di Felice has become well known with his beautiful created works on chess results
but here in this well produced Moravian book,he concentrates completely on the bibliography of books,bulletins and programs.
Again a impressive work where I found  3096 competitions and 5066 publications,  this all must have been a unbelievable research of years.
The bibliography is divided into five parts, part one is devoted to individual tournament, part two to individual matches, part three to team
tournaments, part four to team matches and part five is devoted to correspondence competitions.
The correspondence competitions are all listed alphabetically by name.
Team tournaments are also pleasantly  listed alphabetically according  to where the tournament took place.
Chess book collectors will find this book very useful, for the first time in chess history there is a bibliography of chess books!
For example it surprised me to see so many editions on the 1935 and 1937 world championship matches between Euwe and Alekhine.
But also the correspondence chess match between Amsterdam and Antwerpen of 1829 was unknown to me.
As we can see there are not many books on correspondence chess,a small 14.5 pages.
The book is completed by a list of sources and a general index of competitions.
Conclusion: This book belongs in hands of all chess lovers!

Writings in Chess History by John S.Hilbert
2012
Moravian Chess
http://www.moravian-chess.cz
616 pages
Price € 39,50
ISBN 978-80-7189-634-0



The well known chess historian John S.Hilbert known from beautiful  books as Walter Penn Shipley Philadelphia’s Friend of Chess McFarland 2003,provides the reader with a fantastic written essays, based on famous and less famous chess players.
The cover of this excellent made Moravian holds a picture of Alexander Sellman,who made name in the famous London Chess tournament of 1883,where he outplayed the tournament winner Johannes Zukertort.
Alexander G Sellman was born on January 15,1856 in Baltimore Maryland. When very young, at the age of seven, he suffered an attack of meningitis which left him totally deaf.
Said enough Sellman died at the age of  32 on October 7,1888.
John S Hilbert has managed to dig up a small 134 games of this young chess genius,and for example the following openings play of Sellman impressed, you get the feeling that Velimirovic is playing with the white pieces: Sellman,Alexander - Zukertort,Johannes Hermann [B88] London London (24), 1883
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.Qe2 Bd7 10.Rad1 Qc7 11.Ndb5 Qb8 12.Bf4 e5 13.Bg5 a6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nxd6 Bxd6 16.Qd3 Nd4 17.Nd5 Be6 18.Nxf6+ Kh8 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.Nd7 Qc7 21.Nxf8 Bxf8 22.c3 Nb5 23.Qd7 Qb6 24.Rd3 Bg7 25.Rg3 Rg8 26.Rd1 Na7 27.Qf7 Nc6 28.Rxg7 Rxg7 29.Qf8+ Rg8 30.Qf6+ Rg7 31.Rd7 1-0.
This is by the way pleasantly well covered with game notes from Zukertort’s annotations.{London 1883 Tournament book}
Interesting to mention are the words from Bird on the play from Sellman on his game against Blackburne:1.e4 e6 Mr.Sellman’s play greatly varies,at times being quite first class,whilst on occasions he appears to play listlessly,making singular slips in quite simple positions,yet in very difficult ones he has more than once proved himself equal to cope with the very best play.
It may be observed,however,that the Baltimore gentlemen has been more or less in indifferent health throughout the Rornament.He is a most amiable player,a capital loser,and a general favorite.
One of my favourite Sellman games is Sellman-F.Wendel,C.Punchard,Wilkes Barre CC Consulation Game August 1887,French Defence 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 Bd7 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 Qc7 9.Re1 f5 10.Bxf5 exf5 11.e6 Bc8 12.Qxd5 Nce7 13.Qd3 Nf6 14.b4 Bd6 15.Na3 Ng4 16.h3 Nxf2 17.Kxf2 Bg3+ 18.Kf1 Bxe1 19.Nb5 Qd8 20.Nd6+ Kf8 21.Kxe1 Bxe6 22.c4 Bxc4 23.Qd4 Nc6 24.Qc5 Qe7+ 25.Kf2 Qe2+ 26.Kg1 Qd1+ 27.Kh2 Qd5 28.Nxc4+ Qxc5 29.bxc5 h6 30.Nd6 b6 31.Nxf5 bxc5 32.Ba3 Nb4 33.Rc1 Kf7 34.Rxc5 a5 35.Rc7+ Kf6 36.Nxg7 Rhc8 37.Bb2+ Kg6 38.Nh4+ Kg5 1-0 because of  39.Ne6+ Kxh4 40.Bf6+ Kh5 41.Nf4#
Indeed a beautiful problem ending!
Sadley Sellman’s health deteriorated and he died four years later,at the age of thirty-two.He is little remembered today but I am pleased with this contribution from John S.Hilbert!
Conclusion: A super read!

The Art of Checkmate Paperback
by Georges Renaud & Victor Kahn 
2015
Batsford Ltd, London
http://www.Batsford.com
240 pages
Price $21.95
ISBN  978-1-84994-270-6



It is a pleasure for me to announce this new update from the Batsford on “ The Art of Checkmate “, written by the two France chess masters
Georges Renaud and Victor Kahn.
Originally published in the late 40s it has become throw the years a wonderful classic based, on the “new” concept of  recognizing mating patterns.
Both authors give  several mates as the Boden one  but also Andersen,Pillsbury Damiano,Morphy and Blackburne’s mate are well covered with a
lot of instructive explanations.
As for example the following game from Blackburne with his famous mate played at a simultaneous exhibitions at Simpson’s Divan 1880:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4#
This book is not only available in Algebraic chess notation but all mistakes have been rectified.
Conclusion: A classic master piece!    
Chess DVD's

ChessBaseProgram Packages
ChessBase 13 Download
2014
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price Euro 99.90
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Minimum: Pentium 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, 8 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.


Again ChessBase has managed to improve there Rolls Royce, ChessBase 13,
there Standalone ChessBase database program which has become throw the years the must have program for every chess lover who likes to play around with
chess data, it does not make any difference if you are an amateur or a professional, this database chess  program does it all for you!
Brand new is the possibility of the ChessBase Cloud,a online utility where you are now able to make use of your databases from any computer where you are!
Imagine the possibility of mobile device or smart phone. Just set up your games,or the games from your chess students in the ChessBase cloud, suddenly they all have access to the same database.
ChessBase cloud is wonderful new feature where,you only have to create a account.
With this account you can input your own games and you don’t have to fear the lost of material with a hard disk crash, you games stand here so safe as a house!
And you can easy share your files with others but on the other hand  the free 20 MB is for me far not enough!
New is also the possibility to optimise the performance of your engines with analysis tasks,
and this gave me a lot of engine enjoyment!
Ergonomic operation: Easier analysis and annotation by a new series of buttons. More efficient input of variations during analysis, and  new variations are accepted now without a request for confirmation.
 Let’s Check service access lasts till: 31.12.2016 and  Live-Database access also lasts till the end of 2016.
Personally I would buy ChessBase 13 for the wonderful analyses possibilities and it works all so much more easier than with my older  ChessBase 12.
For example cloud analayse is for me as correspondence chess player the perfect tool and
putting annotations to your games have never been so easy as in this latest release.
Pleasant to mention is that updates work automatically and no input of keys is necessarily!
Conclusion: ChessBase 13 is the perfect tool for you!


ChessBase Magazine extra issue 163
January 2015
Videos by Adrian Mikhalchishin,Nicoholas Pert and Robert Ris
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99

ChessBase Magazine 163 Extra holds exactly counted 13.470 entries and are all played between October and December of 2014.
Going throw the games,I found for example  the following smashing win with the Latvian Gambit:
Quinones,Hector Alejandro (1919) - Perez Pietronave,Carlos (2236) [C40]
Villa Martelli op-B 21st Villa Martelli (1), 07.11.2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.Nc4 fxe4 5.Nc3 Qg6 6.d3 Bb4 7.Bd2 Nf6 8.dxe4 0-0 9.Ne3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Nxe4 11.Qd5+ Kh8 12.Bd3 Nxc3 13.Bxg6 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Na6 15.Bd3 Rb8 16.0-0-0 c6 17.Ne7 Nc5 18.Bf5 g6 19.Bxg6 d5 20.Bh5 Bd7 21.f3 Kg7 22.Bg4 Kf6 23.Rhe1 Rbe8 24.b4 Bxg4 25.fxg4 Ne4 26.Nf5 Nc3 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Rf1 Kg5 29.a3 Kxg4 30.h3+ Kg5 31.Nd6 Re7 32.g4 Ne2+ 33.Kb2 Nf4 34.Rf3 d4 35.Nf5 Rd7 36.Kb3 Nxh3 37.Nxd4 Kxg4 38.Rd3 Nf4 0-1
The video files go to: Adrian Mikhalchish who shows us  a variation of the Two Knights Game and demonstrates that it is very important to know your lines!
Nicholas Pert presents us a game where he is very proud of and  Robert Ris goes back in time.
Conclusion: This is must have material!