CHESSBOOK REVIEWS

Latest book reviews of 1 October 2024

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
           John Elburg

                                                                                                                   Chess Books

101 Tips to improve your chess by Tony Kosten
2024
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail info@gambitbooks.com 
115 pages
€18,90
ISBN (13 digits):
978-1-80504-088-0 

It is a great pleasure for me to announce this new revised edition from 1996 of Tony Kosten highly rewarded work for beginners in chess,101 tips to improve your chess.
Each tip presents a specific rule or tip accompanied by practical examples and diagrams.
On each page there is a useful ‘tip’,plus explanations and ofthen three diagrams for illustration.
This format allows readers to visualize concept effectively, making it easier to grasp complex ideas.
The inclusion of multiple diagrams per lesson helps reinforce learning through visual aids, which can be particularly beneficial for those who struggle with abstract concepts in chess.
Tony Kosten writes: Really strong players ofthen know just the right time to break the chess laws, although just as often they will discover that they were guilty of lax thinking and will castigate themselves afterwards!
Personally,I find the most of my defeats arise from me doing things I know I should not!
And when I find myself in a loosing position I try to squeeze out every last possibility before admitting defeat,please see tip 97.
Yes chess is complicated and the reader has here the chance to learn chess in a unique way of understanding.
Conclusion: This revised edition is an excellent source for a deeper understanding of the game!

Chess Highlights of the 20th Century (Greatest Chess Games) Hardcover
by Graham Burgess
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail info@gambitbooks.com 
293 pages
€25,20
ISBN (13 digits):
978-1-80504-043-9


A other pleasant update is this hard cover work from Graham Burgess with a presentation of the 20th century finest games and combinations.
This book spans from 1900 to 1999,providing readers with a year by year account of significant events, notable game and key players in the chess world.
Each year is allocated with two pages that include game fragments, historical context, and insights.
Burgess has chosen encounters that are not only famous but also instructive. Each game is accompanied by biographical sketches.
Chess Highlights of the 20th Century is a fine combination of entertainment with education.
This second from Burgess is more free flowing,with only each decade a seperate chapter,rather than each year.This change also allows for several hundred
additional diagrams,improved and updated are the 1980s and 1990s with important births and more.
Not changed is the conclusion on page 289,it is exactly as written in 1999.
For this new edition:all analysis are revised by using powerful NNUE based engines and greatly expanded  content with additional analyses and more diagrams.
Conclusion: This book offers something for everyone who is interested into the world of chess! A great read!!     
                                                                                                               Chess DVD's                                                         

                                                                                       
ChessBase Magazine issue 221
September/October 2024
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 21,90
System requirements:
Minimum: Pentium III 1 GHz, 1 GB RAM, Windows Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), DirectX9 graphic card with 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, Windows Media Player 9, ChessBase 12/Fritz 13 or included Reader and internet connection for program activation. Recommended: PC Intel Core i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, DirectX10 graphic card (or compatible) with 512 MB RAM or better

Besides the over 5 hours video entertainment from Daniel King, Rainer Knaak, Jan Markos, Mihail Marin, Karsten Mueller, Oliver Reeh, Robert Ris, Dorian Rogozenco, Ivan Sokolov and Nico Zwirs there is a main file with 820 entries where a small 32 of them are more than excellent analysed.
As the following example: Shen,Yang (2443) - Ju,Wenjun (2519) [E97]
CHN-chT Ningbo (3), 14.04.2011
[Berg,Emanuel]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 The Bayonet Attack - one of the main alternatives for White. This prepares c5 in order to attack black's pawn chain on d6 and to open up the queenside. Der Bajonettangriff - eine der Hauptalternativen für Weiß. Dabei wird c5 vorbereitet, um die schwarze Bauernkette auf d6 anzugreifen und den Damenflügel zu öffnen. 9...Nh5 Black on her turn goes for a counterattack on the kingside preparing for ...f5 while also ...î?¨f4 is on the agenda. Schwarz ihrerseits geht zum Gegenangriff am KÃnigsflügel über und bereitet ...f5 vor, während auch ...î?¨f4 auf der Tagesordnung steht. 10.g3 Prevents ...î?¨f4 but weakens the pawnstructure on the kingside. Verhindert ...î?¨f4, schwächt aber die Bauernstruktur am KÃnigsflügel. [The main continuation is Die Hauptfortsetzung ist 10.Re1 preparing to meet 10...î?¨f4 with 11.î?§f1 to maintain the pair of bishops. , was sich anschickt, 10...î?¨f4 mit 11.î?§f1 zu begegnen, um das Läuferpaar zu behalten.] 10...f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.f3 f4 Aiming for an opening of the kingside. Now the weakening pawn move g3 makes itself recognized. Strebt eine Ã-ffnung des KÃnigsflügels an. Jetzt macht sich der schwächende Bauernzug g3 bemerkbar. 13.b5 Having prepared for c5 this move looks a bit strange in a way. However with the knight on g5 it makes some sence. White is now getting ready to jump in on e6 and get good control on the light squares. Nachdem WeiÃY zuvor c5 vorbereitet hat, sieht dieser Zug in gewisser Weise etwas seltsam aus. Mit dem Springer auf g5 macht er jedoch durchaus Sinn. WeiÃY bereitet sich jetzt bereit, auf e6 einzudringen und gute Kontrolle auf den weiÃYen Felder zu bekommen. [13.Kg2 has been the most popular continuation war die beliebteste Fortsetzung;
while the third choice während die dritte Wahl 13.c5 also is a very natural continuation. ebenfalls eine sehr natürliche Fortsetzung ist..] 13...fxg3 Black opens up the game and goes for straightforward actions on the kingside. Schwarz öffnet das Spiel und wählt geradlinige Aktionen am Königsflügel. 14.hxg3 Nh5 15.Kf2 [15.Kg2 is well met by the tactical shoot wird gut beantwortet durch den taktischen Kniff 15...Nf4+! 16.gxf4 exf4 with the strong threat of ...î?¨f5. White should now settle for mit der starken Drohung von ...î?¨f5. WeiÃY sollte sich nun fügen in 17.e5! Bxe5 18.Nge4 Nf5© with full compensation for the piece and a promising game for black in mit voller Kompensation für die Figur und vielversprechendem Spiel für Schwarz in Taimanov,M-Gufeld,E/URS-ch28 Final & Zonal 1961 (7)/0-1] 15...h6 16.Ne6 Bxe6 17.dxe6 Qc8 18.Nd5 Qxe6 19.Nxc7 This leads to a very sharp game which is extremely dangerous for white. Dies führt zu einem sehr scharfen Spiel, das für Weiß extrem gefährlich ist. [19.Kg2!?N is worth to consider. White is a pawn down but has compensation in view of more active pieces and the potentially strong pair of bishops. ist eine Ãoberlegung wert. WeiÃY hat einen Bauern weniger, besitzt aber angesichts der aktiveren Figuren und des potenziell starken Läuferpaars Kompensation.] 19...Qh3 20.Rg1 Nf6 Looking for tactics along the f-file thus forcing white's monarch to walk further away. Sucht nach taktischen MÃglichkeiten entlang der f-Linie und zwingt so den weiÃYen Monarchen, weiterzuziehen. 21.Ke3?? This move actually appears to be the decisive mistake. Although there is nothing straightforward for black white simply can't get her king into safety. Dieser Zug scheint tatsächlich der entscheidende Fehler zu sein. Obwohl es für Schwarz nichts Direktes gibt, kann WeiÃY seinen KÃnig einfach nicht in Sicherheit bringen. [Necessary was Erforderlich war 21.Ke1!N when the king has more shelter. , wonach der KÃnig mehr Schutz hat.] 21...Rad8 Getting ready for a timely opening with ...d5 in case white's king tries to flee to the queenside. Vorbereitung einer eventuellen Ã-ffnung mit ...d5 für den Fall, dass der weiÃYe KÃnig versucht, an den Damenflügel zu fliehen. [21...Rac8! is also strong. ist ebenfalls stark.] 22.a4? A very slow approach which makes black's task easier. Eine sehr langsame Fortsetzung, die Schwarz die Arbeit erleichtert. [22.Ba3 or oder;
22.Nd5 were more stubborn defences. waren hartnäckigere Verteidigungsmaßnahmen.] 22...Qc8! A nice retreat with the queen heading for a crucial check on c5 pretty soon. Ein schÃner Rückzug mit der Dame auf dem Weg zu einem wichtigen Schach auf c5 in Kürze. 23.b6 Looking for a square on b5 for the knight. Sucht nach einem Feld auf b5 für den Springer. [23.Nd5 loses material following verliert Material nach 23...Nexd5+ 24.exd5 (24.cxd5 Qc3+) 24...Qc5+ 25.Kd2 Qd4+] 23...axb6 24.Nb5 Qc5+ 25.Kd2 d5! Black opens up the d-file with a crucial attack. Schwarz öffnet die d-Linie mit einem entscheidenden Angriff. 26.Kc2 dxe4 27.Qe1 exf3 28.Bxf3 Black has a totally won position and has several ways to victory. Ju decides to go for active piece play towards white's exposed king. Schwarz hat eine völlig gewonnene Stellung und hat mehrere Möglichkeiten zum Sieg. Ju entscheidet sich für aktives Figurenspiel gegen den exponierten weißen König. 28...Nfd5! 29.Be2 Nb4+ 30.Kb3 [30.Kb1 e4-+] 30...Nd3 [30...Nec6!-+] 31.Ba3 Qe3 32.Bxd3 Rxd3+ 33.Nc3 Rf3 White resigned in view of the hopeless situation also in case of entering an endgame. WeiÃY gab auf angesichts der aussichtslosen Lage, auch im Falle des Eintritts in ein Endspiel. 0-1
But there is more!
Opening videos:
van Sokolov: Slav Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.a4 b4 7.Na2 Nxe4 8.Bxc4
Nico Zwirs: English Opening
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 g6 4.Qa4 Nf6 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.h4
Daniel King: Englund Gambit
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6/d5
ChessBase Magazine #221 delivers 10 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire!
And that are:
Renato Quintiliano: Dutch 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3
Robert Ris: Caro-Kann Panov Attack 13.Qc5+
Sergey Grigoriants: Caro-Kann 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5
Alexey Kuzmin: Sicilian Accelerated Dragon (...a5 / ...a4)
Evgeny Postny: Vienna Game 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 c6 5.f4
Petra Papp: Spanish 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a4 4.Ba4 f5
Imre Hera: QG Exchange Variation 5.cxd5 exd5 6.h3!?
Spyridon Kapnisis: Blumenfeld Gambit
Balazs Csonka: Nimzo-Indian (Rubinstein) 10.Ba2
Krisztian Szabo: King's Indian Makogonov 5.h3 e5!?
Higly recommend is: "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" – Part 11: "Knight endings are like pawn endings"
In the introductory video, endgame expert Dr Karsten Mueller presents the most important techniques and tricks. Then it's your turn in two interactive training videos! Plus "Endgame highlights from Ju Wenjun" (video + analyses).
Plus: Tactics: "Lucky bag Open",Practical Tips for the Tournament Player: "If one piece is bad, the
entire position is bad",Modern Classics,Topcial opening traps,New ideas for your repertoire and more!
Conclusion: This is must have material!