CHESSBOOK REVIEWS 
Latest book reviews of 1 December
BOOKS REVIEWS BY JOHN ELBURG.Wilhelminalaan 33John Elburg
7261 BP RUURLO
The Netherlands.
Chess Books
Chess for Zebras by Jonathan Rowson
2005
Gambit Publications Ltd
http://www.gambitbooks.com
E-mail info@gambitbooks.com
255 pages
Price $ 17.95
ISBN 1-901983-85
GM Jonathan Rowson has made great fame with his highly original book Seven Deadly Chess Sins and in this latest work with the amusing title Chess for Zebra’s he investigates the so difficult subject from how to improve in chess.
This is all done by three major parts :Improving our capacity to improve, A mental toolkit for the exponential jungle and Thinking colourfully about black or white.
All this is under divided in fourteen different sections and that is good for around 115 complete games where we can desribe
the annotations from Rowson as intensive and overloaded with instructive advises, a fine example in this book is for example the fine game; de Firmian – Rustemov,Politiken Cup,Copenhagen 2001, 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Qa4 8.Rb1 c4 9.Qc1 Nc6 10.Nf3 Nge7 11.g3 b6 12.Bg2 Bd7 13.0-0 h6 14.Re1 0-0-0 15.Re2 Nf5 16.h4 Rdg8 17.Ra1 Kb7 18.Bf4 Ka8 19.Qd2 Nfe7 20.h5 b5 21.Nh4 Nc8 22.g4 Nb6 23.Bg3 g6 24.Kh2 g5 25.Nf3 Qa5 26.Re3 Rf8 27.Bh3 Na4 28.Ng1 f5 29.exf6 Rxf6 30.Nf3 Rhf8 31.Bg2 Qd8 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.dxe5 R6f7 34.Bxd5+ Kb8 35.Be4 Qc7 36.Qd6 Nc5 37.Bg6 Rf3 38.Rae1 Kb7 39.Rxf3 Rxf3 40.Re3 Rxe3 41.fxe3 Qc6 42.e4 Kc8 43.Qd4 a5 44.Bf2 Nb3 45.Qe3 a4 46.Kg1 b4 47.cxb4 c3 48.Be1 Nd2 49.Bxd2 cxd2 50.Qxd2 Qc4 51.Qf2 Qa2 52.Qc5+ Kb7 53.Qc3 Qb1+ 54.Kf2 Bb5 55.Ke3 Qc1+ 56.Qd2 Qxa3+ 57.c3 Qa1 58.c4 Qg1+ 59.Kf3 Qf1+ 60.Kg3 Qxc4 61.Bf7 Qxe4 62.Bg6 Qxe5+ 0-1 this difficult game gets around 6 pages of a4 text!
On move 27…Na4 we can read: The position is highly unbalanced,as French Winawers often are.However,White is probably somewhat better if only because both the main pawn breaks,…f6 and f4,will significantly increase the influence of White’s unopposed dark-squared bishop.In the opening black played …c4 very early,something which French expert Lev Psakhis told me is “always a mistake”.The problem for black is that with the queenside closed,the sphere of activity moves to the kingside,where white usually has a natural advantage due not only to his extra space there{even more so here to the pawn on h5}but also the influece of his bishops,which normally have access to the kingside,but are cu off from the queenside due to the locked central structure.The following few moves seem to follow this pattern,and see white gradually taking control.
At last a wise advise from Rowson:If you want to become a better player,you need betterhabits,and you cultivate better habits through training.The best training is the kind that pushes you up against the edges of your comfort zone,where you force your self to take responsibility for difficult decions.
Conclusion: A important chess book!
Garri Kasparow Schachmatt!
Mein erstes Schachbuch
2005
Progress in Chess
Edition Olms
http://www.olms.de
info@edition-olms.com
Price € 14.80
A eye catching invitation from Garry Kasparov to our favourite game of chess, funny enough nearly the same book was also brought out by Everyman Chess under the title Checkmate!
Funny enough the Everyman edition has a extra dust cover but Edition Olms prefers a extra photo from Kasparov.
This book leads you throw the first elements of the game plus a hand full tips as how to open a game or how to mate with a king and rook.
At the end of Kasparov his journey throw this book you are able to play a real game of chess
and it does not matter against who!
Conclusion: A very inviting book to pick up chess!
The Batsford book of chess records by Yakov Damsky
2005
Batsford Ltd London
http://www.Batsford.com
304 pages
Price $25.95
ISBN 0-7134-8946-4
Interested in the shortest or longest game? or the longest king walk? All these and more you shall find in this compressive work from the Russian chess journalist Yakov Damsky.
Did you know that Max Euwe did held the title of ex world champion for the longest time-44 years and the great Emanuel Lasker reigned over he chess kingdom for the longest,26 years,11 months and two days.
Alekander Alekhine kept the championship title for more than 16 years,Garry Kasparov for nearly 15 years and Mikhail Tal’s reign turned out to be the shortest of all time with one year and five days.
Pawns are important but the game from Frank Marshall with the wing gambit still stand as record for making 14 pawn moves, Damsky gives the black player a NN but in my database I found the name Ragozin.
Marshall,F - Ragozin,V New York, 1940
1.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.a3 Nc6 4.axb4 Nf6 5.b5 Nd4 [5...Nb8 6.e5 Qc7 7.d4 Nd5 8.c4 Nb6 9.c5 Nd5 10.b6 Qd8 11.Rxa7 Rxa7 12.bxa7 Qa5+ 13.Nc3!! Nxc3 14.axb8Q Nxd1+ 15.Bd2! Kujoth--Faschingbauer/USA/1950/1:0] 6.c3 Ne6 7.e5 Nd5 8.c4 Ndf4? 9.g3 Ng6 10.f4+- Ngxf4 11.gxf4 Nxf4 12.d4 Ng6 13.h4 e6 14.h5 Bb4+ 15.Bd2 Bxd2+ 16.Nxd2 Ne7 17.Ne4 Nf5 18.h6! g6 19.Nf6+ Kf8 20.Nf3 d6 21.Ng5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Qxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Ke7 24.Rh3 b6 25.Bg2 Rb8 26.Ngxh7 1-0
The material in this book is divided into four sections: Games; People; Tournaments, Matches and Events and at last Around the Black and White Board but even that there is a excellent index of chapter sections and player index it is still difficult to find your way throw this book.
So I would like to suggest take up this book with Christmas and I can insure you that you are going to have with this book the time of your life!
Conclusion: A remarkable book!
The Hippopotamus rises by Andrew Martin
2005
Batsford Ltd London
http://www.Batsford.com
141 pages
Price $22.95
ISBN 0-7134-8989-8
The Hippopotamus is some way related to the double fianchetto where black deploys his bishops on b7 and g6.
Original the Hippopotamus was a invention from the eccentric chess player Thompson who played it like this: 1.d4 g6 2.c4 f6 3.Nc3 Nh6 4.Nf3 Nf7 5.Bf4 e6 6.e4 d6 7.Bd3 c6 8.0-0 Be7 and even wrote a book about it!
But IM Andrew Martin brings the Hippopotamus in this book to life with a more modern approach and learns the reader at the hand of a collection instructive games how and when to strike back from his cramped but not compromised position.
A nice example of play is the game between Spoelman and Hort from the EssentOpen,Hoogeveen 2002;1.e4 g6 2.d4 d6 3.Be3 Bg7 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4 b6 6.Qd2 Bb7 7.Bc4 Nd7 8.Nf3 e6 9.0-0 h6 10.Rfe1 Ne7 11.Rad1 Kf8 12.Bd3 Kg8 13.Ne2 Nf6 14.Ng3 Qe8 15.Qb4 a5 16.Qa3 Rd8 17.c4 Nd7 18.h4 Nc6 19.Bb1 Nb4 20.b3 e5 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Qc1 Qe7 23.Rd2 Kh7 24.Red1 Na6 25.Ne2 Ndc5 26.Nc3 Nxb3 27.Rxd8 Nxc1 28.R8d7 Qe6 29.Bxc1 Bc6 30.R7d3 Nb4 31.R3d2 Qxc4 32.Bb2 Re8 33.Rc1 Qe6 34.Ba3 Re7 35.Nd5 Bxd5 36.exd5 Qg4 37.d6 cxd6 38.Rxd6 e4 39.Nh2 Qxh4 40.Rxb6 Bd4 0-1
The author writes instructively; A remarkable little game which should really have been concluded 15 moves ago.White’s intitial advantage in space and time seemed to evaporate and he was left only with weaknesses. Spoelman was doubles baffled-where on earth did he go wrong? {17.c4? was a horrible move!Please see Tiger’s Modern!}
Creeping around de edges in the Hippopotamus but as Tiger Hillarp Persson described it in his Tiger’s Modern the Hippo lies low in the water. It looks almost ridiculously passive and many theoreticians consider the hippo to be a peaceful almost meek animal. But nothing could be further from the truth!
Very interesting in this book is the chapter Friends of the Hippo where Andrew Martin digs in some exciting sub lines of the Hippo which you normally only see in obscure gambit magazines as 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 g6 4.f4 f5!?
A hero of the Hippopotamus was Dr.Max Ujtelky who blazed the next generation with his wacky ideas.{A Martin}
Conclusion: A very creative written openings book!
The Ruy Lopez explained by Gary Lane
2005
Batsford Ltd London
http://www.Batsford.com
141 pages
Price $22.95
ISBN 0-7134-8978-2
The bright Gary Lane digs in this latest Ruy Lopez explained book in a collection exciting {repertoire} lines for white against all lines of the Ruy Lopez opening, as for example 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.d4!? against the good old Marshall Gambit but here white does not have to worry about memorizing complicated Marshall lines.
Or the straight forwarded move from the great Paul Keres in the open Spanish 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Qe2 the so called Worrall attack or the Schliemann variation where Lane suggest the less popular; 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qg5 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.f4 Qxf4 10.Ne5+ c6 11.d4 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qh3 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Bf4!?
Lane gives on every possible {main} line in the Ruy Lopez a interesting alternative for white even with moves as 3…Qf6 and 3…f6
gets someway of attention plus a lot of text how to tackle these lines..
Included are plenty of 2005 games and that makes this book very up to date!
Conclusion: A interesting work how to get involved with the Ruy Lopez!
1 move checkmates by Eric Schiller
2005
Cardoza Publishing
http://www.cardozapub.com
144 pages
Price $9.95
ISBN 1-5804-2171-3
The American chess master Eric Schiller concentrates in this latest Cardoza chess book on simple one move checkmates.
Found around 200 exercises unfortunately all without one word of text!
No there is not much to read here!
Conclusion: This book must have been made in a hurry!
Meesterlijke schaaklessen by Hans Böhm & Herman Grooten deel 3
2005
Tirion Sport
http://www.tirionuitgevers.nl
95 pages
Price € 12.95
ISBN 90-771-5
Meesterlijke schaaklessen is exciting mate book based on the principles from the famous Dutch “Stappen Methode” {Step method} and that means in big lines that both authors prefer a good understanding of the basics and I this case different mate {step} methods as for example a first touch of double attacks, forks but also some not to difficult defence strategies as elimination of defenders.
This all is brought under a small 150 exercises where the aim of this book lays around the 1400-1500 ELO.
The pocket size of this book makes it all very entertaining for a boring train trip or a visit to your parents in law.
Hans Böhm was once a professional chess player and Herman Grooten is a rewarded chess trainer.
Conclusion: Very Instructive!
De wereld van de Schaakopening by Paul van der Sterren
Deel 2 Flankspelen
2005
Tirion Sport
http://www.tirionuitgevers.nl
144 pages
Price € 18.95
ISBN 90-4390-770-7
The former chess professional GM Paul van der Sterren concentrates in this second part of de the world of the chess opening, {wereld van de Schaakopening} in a overview from the most important Flank openings, as the Reti and English opening plus some 1.d4 lines that where not discussed in part one of “De wereld van de Schaakopening” as for example the Dutch and English defences.
This all is brought up to a move of ten but than included with a lot of readable text to explain the reader why he or she is playing this move, the aim of this book is for all who are interested in chess openings or who wants to improve his of hers openings knowledge.
Conclusion: A very clear work on openings!
Chess CD's
Fritz9
2005
http://www.ChessBase.com
E-mail info@ChessBase.com
Price € 49.99
System requirements: Minimum : Pentium II, 300 MHz, 64 MB RAM, Windows98 SE, Me, 2000, XP, DVD-ROM drive, Windows- Media Player9 Recommended: Pentium IV 2,2 GHz or better, 256 MB RAM, Windows XP, GeForce5 graphics card (or comparable) with 128 MB memory or better, 100%DirectX compatible, sound card, Windows Media Player 9, DVD-ROM-drive
The new Fritz9 comes with a brand new 3D out fit as the famous chess automaton so called “Chess Turk” from Baron von Kempelen with a real 2 D control board {If your computer can handle this all so please check the above mentioned system requirements of 2.2 GHZ for all the 3D stuff {The speed of hardware has great influence on Fritz9 but on C:\ChessBase\ChessProgram9 you can find a small program Fritz Chess Benchmark which is able to run a internal test on your system and give you useful values for the speed relative to a benchmark processor and the average nodes-per-second count. You can compare these values for different hardware configurations.}A 3D stereo-surround sound in all boards ,the chess pieces fall very realistically and that is really great!, optimised graphics performance which is using the latest DirectX-9 features. As the real “Chess Turk” Fritz9 can play chess all by itself and without a hidden human operator.
Fritz9 is completely new rewritten with a large amount of human chess knowledge which runs on the first impression not only super vast
but ensures the user that it will for example not sacrifice tactical strength for general chess principles.
Fritz9 comes with a impressive power book from 217 MB and a extra database from around 1 million games.{All games 1000688 run between 1625 and 2005}Also new is a Position explainer where you can find a positional comment of the position that you are analysing,new forms of training, new handicap function, printout of the score sheet, evaluation profile,two alternative forms of chess engines for giveaway chess and Fischer random{Chess960}a chess beginners course from one hour, and a chess course from three hours for advanced players both in the new Chess Media system and a lot of extar server functions for on the playchess.com site as
multi-board possibilities where you have access up to 9 games,other forms of chess as Capture chess ,Chess960,Twin chess and OukChatrang, search for titleholders in all room and more.
But first a test with the new Fritz and well in the famous match game between Taimanov and Fischer:of the Candidates Match of 1971 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Bd2 Ne8 10.Rc1 f5 11.Qb3 b6 12.exf5 gxf5 13.Ng5 Nf6 14.f4 h6 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.c5 Nfxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.cxb6 axb6 19.Rc6 Kh8 20.Nf3? Fritz9 plays here directly the winning?! 20.Qh3! and other engines as Fritz8 have more difficulties to find this hidden move.
Some times Fritz9 even plays as a real Grandmaster as for example like Spassky but after a little while he even plays better moves,for example please see the game: Spassky,Boris V - Fischer,Robert James,World Championship 28th Reykjavik (21), 31.08.1972 move 41.Bd7?? nearly instantaneoously but when with a full undersytanding of the position he goes for the correct move in this position 41.Kh3! but it does not save the game!
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.0-0 Bd6 10.Nxc6?! Purdy [¹10.h3 Purdy] 10...bxc6 11.Bd4 0-0 12.Qf3 Be6 13.Rfe1 c5 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Be2 Rab8 18.b3 c4! Purdy 19.Nxd5Bxd5 20.Rxd5 Bxh2+ 21.Kxh2 Rxd5 22.Bxc4 Rd2 23.Bxa6 Rxc2 24.Re2 Rxe2 [24...Rbc8 25.a4! Rxe2 26.Bxe2 Rc2 27.Bc4 Rxf2 28.a5! Ra2 29.a6+- Purdy] 25.Bxe2 Rd8 26.a4 Rd2 27.Bc4 Ra2 [27...Rxf2 28.a5 Ra2 29.a6 Rb2 30.Bd5 Ra2 31.Bc4=] 28.Kg3 Kf8 29.Kf3 Ke7 30.g4? f5! 31.gxf5 [31.g5 f6] 31...f6 32.Bg8 h6 33.Kg3 Kd6 34.Kf3? [¹34.f4 Karpov] 34...Ra1! 35.Kg235...Ke5 36.Be6 Kf4 37.Bd7 Rb1 38.Be6 Rb2 39.Bc4 Ra2 40.Be6 h5 [¹40...Kg4 Hutchings] 41.Bd7?? [41.Kh3 Rxf2 (41...Kg5 42.f3 Kf4 43.Bd5!) 42.a5 Rf1 a) 42...h4! 43.a6 Kg5 44.Bd5 (44.b4 Rf3+ Führt zum Matt Purdy) 44...Ra2 45.Bb7 Ra3 46.Kg2 Kxf5 47.b4 Kg4 48.b5 h3+ 49.Kf2 h2 50.b6 Rxa6 Purdy; b) 42...Kg5 43.a6! Ra2 44.Bc4 Kxf5 45.Kh4! Ra1 46.Kg3 Ke4 47.Kh4 Rh1+ 48.Kg3 Kd4 49.Be2 Kc5 50.Kg2 Ra1 51.Kg3 Kb6 52.Kh4 Rh1+ 53.Kg3 h4+ 54.Kg2 (54.Kg4 h3 55.Kg3 f5-+) 54...Re1-+ Hutchings; 43.a6 Rh1+ 44.Kg2 Ra1 45.Bc4 Kxf5 46.b4 Ke5 47.b5 Kd6 48.b6 Kc6 49.b7 Kc7-+ Matanovic;
41.Bd7 Kg4 Gligoric 42.b4 h4 43.a5 h3+ 44.Kg1 Ra1+ 45.Kh2 Rf1 46.f3+ Rxf3 47.a6 Rf2+ 48.Kh1 h2 49.a7 Kg3 50.Bb5 Rg2 [35.Bc4 Ke5 36.Be6 Rg1-+ Matanovic] 51.a8Q Rg1#]0-1 This game is taken from the ChessBase Monograph CD from Robert Hübner on World Champion Fischer.
Fritz9 works perfect in ChessBase8&9 but it is necessarily to keep him in your DVD when you play with Fritz9 otherwise there is no engine fun.
Fritz9 is around 100 elo points stronger than Fritz8 and that is not all together as chess engine not very spectacular but it is again a small step forward and with all the extra’s as the 3D Chess Turk animation ChessBase has managed to launch a very attractive chess package.
Conclusion: A very impressive chess package!
Andrew Martin The Scandinavian by Andrew Martin
The easy way
2005
http://www.ChessBase.com
E-mail info@ChessBase.com
Price € 24.99
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive
IM Andrew Martin concentrates on this Fritztainer opening DVD on the Scandinavian defence with 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd6!? All together there are nine opening sections on this DVD where the Scandinavian expert Andrew Martin explains you all the secrets of this line in around a small 90 minutes.
It is very interesting to see in this line how black can develop a dangerous attack with simple moves as a6 & b5.
Probaly white's light-squared bishop fianchetto with 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 is one of the most dangerous plans against this line!
Jan Timman once said that there are many viable and untried ideas in the openings even before the fifth move and 3…Qd6 is certainly one of them!
Conclusion: A very interesting made openings DVD!
Andrew Martin The Trompowsky by Andrew Martin
The easy way
2005
http://www.ChessBase.com
E-mail info@ChessBase.com
Price € 24.99
System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Media Player 9.0, DVD drive
The Tromp 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 has become a very popular opening and it is excellent suited to aggressive chess players who are searching for a original way of play and don’t want to spend to much time on latest chess theory.
Grandmasters use the Tromp as a surprise weapon ,but even at this level there are professionals who nearly play anything else.
Andrew Martin has made a very interesting DVD on this line with some repertoire lines for the white as for example 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.e3 Bd6 5.c4 dxc4 6.Bxc4 c6 7.Nd2 !?
Andrew Martin is a educative teacher and enjoys throwing throw the game all kind of useful advises to the viewer.
The DVD is overloaded with around 30 sections from a total of 767 MB of AVI files and that is quite overwhelming.
Conclusion: Highly recommended for all starters of the Tromp!
ChessBase magazine issue 108
ChessBase magazine issue 108 comes with a main database from 1926 entries where a small 490 of them cover excellent annotations to the games. For example I found annotations from great players as GM Karsten Müller,Rogozenko,Kortschnoj,Psakhis,Hübner,Stohl etc.
2005
October
ChessBase http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Price Euro 19,90 per issue
Annual subscription costs Euro 99,7
The correspondence section brings a interesting selection of 1797 correspondence games exactly counted 1804 entries, Johannes Fischer has written a interesting article on the Chess Olympiad from Leipzig 1960;The Unfulfilled Promise: Chess Olympiad Leipzig 1960
Since being founded in 1949 until the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 East and West Germany were rivals. Politically, economically and in sports. And as competition gives life to business, East Germany, when organising the Chess Olympiad 1960, did not want to stay behind West Germany, where the Munich Chess Olympiad 1958 had been played. Thus, under the direction of Dr. Johannes Dieckmann, president of the Volkskammer, the parliament of the GDR, and president of the organisation committee, and Herbert Grätz, president of the executive committee, from 26th October to 9th November 1960 a unique chess show was organised in Leipzig. Apart from lavishly attending to the players and their staff, the organisation committee also took care to offer an attractive supporting program: e.g. a meeting of correspondence chess players and of the veterans of the worker's chess federations, a women's tournament, excursions to museums in Leipzig and Dresden as well as trips to the home of Goethe and the Buchenwald memorial in Weimar. Not to forget the exhibition "Schach im Wandel der Zeiten" (Chess through the ages) in the Ringmessehaus, the venue for the Olympiad. It showed a multitude of exhibits from the century old history of the game and demonstrated the ongoing fascination of chess.
Included are 1622 entries and 18 games of the 17 year old Bobby Fischer who made his debut on board one of the US team!
Other contributions are Strategy, The Pros and Cons of a Pawn Break - ...d5 in the Open Sicilian by GM Pete Wells,Tactics Summer Tactical Potpourri by Valery Atlas, Endgames in CBM 108 by the great endgame expert Karsten Müller and Fritz forum which contains all the games from the latest Computer Chess World Championship.{67 entries}
Included are seven theory sections A63 {Kapengut:1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 a6 10.a4 Nbd7 11.Bf4 Qe7},B33 {Rogozenko:1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Rb8 13.h4 Be7},B90{Konikowski:1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3},C10{Finkel:1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nbd7 6.Nf3 h6 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 8.Bd2,8.Bf4 and Be3 } C40,{Leisebein:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Bd6 4.Bb5},C83{Postny:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Be3 Be7 10.c3 Nc5 11.Bc2 Nd7 } and at last D39{Ribli:1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bg5 c5 7.e5 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.exf6}
Plus 478 MB AVI files from the Dortmund Super-GM tournament where you shall find reports, pictures and games!
A booklet from 27 pages and all the necessarily ChessBase updates!
Conclusion: A must!
ChessBase Magazine extra issue 108
November 2005
ChessBase
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12.99
ChessBaseMagazine extra issue 108 comes with a Hugh collection of 20109 games {All with out any comments!}starting with Banyoles 2005 and ending with all the games of Tulsa 2005.
The 472 MB AVI files are good for some exciting interviews with players as GM Ian Rogers and GM Joel Lautier,all together there are twelve interviews all taken from players who where at the famous tournament of Dortmund 2005.
Interesting is the interview with the 69-year-old Alexander Roshal who is the long-standing editor of "64". In the course of his 40 years as a journalist, he has witnessed the rising of many Russian talents (and future world champions). Once, he played a blitz game with a very young Anatoly Karpov.Karpov won, and Roshal went on to explain the spectators exactly
why he had lost. They played the next game, the same result, and again Roshal indulged in lengthy didactic explanations for his defeat. And so it went on and on, until Karpov shyly said, "Maybe it's just because I'm better than you.
Conclusion: I would buy it for the interviews!
Dutch A80-A85 by Boris Schipkov
2005
ChessBase
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price € 24.99
The well known Russian theoretician Boris Schipkov concentrates on this part three of his Dutch Trilogy on some exciting collection sub lines and early deviations as for example the exciting Staunton gambit 1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4.
But also some serious lines as the Rubenstein variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 f5 and the Stonewall 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 f5 4.Nf3 Nf6 are well covered with explanations and games.
All together there are around 20 database texts,370 key games all annotated by be Schipkov {with not to heavy annotations}from himself plus a database with around 37573 entries and a trainings database.
A large amount of the master file covers sources from the well known ChessBase magazines.
where all material can be opened with the new ChessBase reader that is based on the latest ChessBase 9.0 techniques.
Included is a openings book from 50.6 MB.
Conclusion: A professional made openings CD!
The Vienna game by Gregory Huber
2005
ChessBase
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price € 24.99
On this latest ChessBase trainings D you shall find two openings and well the Bishops opening 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 as the Vienna game 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3.This CD covers four main files, a big database with 27.578 entries mainly taken from the ChessBase magazines and a more interesting instruction base with around 330 analysed games and 26 text files from the author himself.
Interesting are here the annotations from Huber on the Frankenstein- Dracula variation
Specially on the game Ekebjaerg,Ove (2635) - Timmerman,Gert Jan (2745) [C27]
cr NBC, 1991 [Huber,G]
1.Nc3 Nf6 2.e4 e5 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.Nb5 g6 7.Qf3 f5 8.Qd5 Qe7 9.Nxc7+ Kd8 10.Nxa8 b6 11.d3 Bb7 12.h4 f4 13.Qf3 Nd4?! 14.Qg4 Bg7 Black abandons the ineffective ...¥h6 and ...e4 ideas, and instead is content to play normal developing moves in hopes of generating a long-term initiative for the exchange. Schwarz gibt die wirkungslosen Ideen mit ...¥h6 und ...e4 auf, und begnügt sich stattdessen mit normalen Entwicklungszügen in der Hoffnung, eine langfristige Initiative für die Qualität entwickeln zu können. [14...Bh6?! 15.Nh3 N6f5 16.Ng5± shuts out the bishop and is examined in a separate game. schließt den Läufer vom Spiel aus und wird in einer separaten Partie untersucht.] 15.Bd2 Most common, but perhaps not best. White has better chances playing c3 either immediately or in the next couple of moves to force the ¤/d4 to commit itself. Am gebräuchlichsten, aber vielleicht nicht das Beste. Weiß hat bessere Chancen, wenn er c3 entweder sofort oder in den nächsten Zügen spielt, um den ¤/d4 zu zwingen, sich festzulegen. [15.c3!? is quite rare, but promising since it disrupts the strong ¤/d4. ist recht selten, aber wirkt viel versprechend, da es den starken ¤/d4 entwurzelt. 15...h5 16.Qh3 N4f5 17.Bd2 (17.Nxb6 axb6 18.Bd2± is similar. ist ähnlich.) 17...Bxa8 18.0-0-0± left black without enough compensation in Larsen-Michalek, 1997 (1-0). und Schwarz hatte keine ausreichende Kompensation in Larsen-Michalek, 1997 (1-0).] 15...Bxa8 16.0-0-0?! Again common but a bit suspect. The strong ¤/d4 is left undisturbed, and black obtains some chances to develop a queenside initiative. Erneut gebräuchlich, aber ein wenig verdächtig. Der starke ¤/d4 bleibt unbehelligt und Schwarz erhält gewisse Chancen, Initiative am Damenflügel zu entfalten. [16.c3! h5 (16...Nxb3 17.axb3 h5 18.Qh3± and the open a-file is good for white. und die offene a-Linie ist gut für Weiß.) 17.Qh3 (17.Qxg6?! leaves the white queen quite vulnerable. lässt die weiße Dame ziemlich verwundbar.) 17...N4f5 18.0-0-0± and white is largely out of danger. und Weiß hat die größte Gefahr hinter sich.] 16...Bf6 17.Bb4 Sensibly exchanging one of the dangerous knights, but white's king is left a bit bare. 17.c3 is not as effective now since the white rook is no longer on the potentially-open a-file. Tauscht klug einen der gefährlichen Springer, aber der weiße König bleibt dabei ein wenig entblößt zurück. 17.c3 ist jetzt nicht so wirkungsvoll, da der weße Turm nicht mehr auf a-Linie steht, die sich irgendwann öffnen könnte. 17...a5 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.Nh3?! Rather slow, allowing black a strong build-up on the queenside. Ziemlich langsam und gestattet Schwarz einen starken Aufmarsch am Damenflügel. [19.c3!? an untested idea, immediately exchanging the strong ¤/d4 to ease the defense. eine noch nicht erprobte Idee: Weiß tauscht den starken ¤/d4 sofort ab, um die Verteidigung zu erleichtern. 19...Nxb3+ 20.axb3² with good chances for white to consolidate. und Weiß hat gute Chancen, sich zu konsolidieren.] 19...Qc6!?© The game is a tactical mess after this, with black having excellent play for the sacrificed material. In true Frankenstein-Dracula style, he abandons the ¦/h8 for a strong queenside attack which is ultimately successful. Hiernach entwickelt sich die Partie zu einem taktischen Durcheinander, wobei Schwarz über ausgezeichnetes Spiel für das geopferte Material verfügt. Im wahren Geist der Frankenstein-Dracula Variante gibt er den ¦/h8 für starken Angriff am Damenflügel, der letztendlich entscheidet. 20.Ng5 a4 21.Bc4 b5 22.Nf7+ Kc7 23.Nxh8 Bxh8 White is up two exchanges, but has a very difficult time organizing a defense of his king. Weiß hat zwei Qualitäten mehr, aber große Schwierigkeiten, die Verteidigung seines Königs zu organisieren. 24.h5 g5 25.c3 bxc4 26.cxd4 cxd3+ 27.Kb1 Qc2+ 28.Ka1 a3 29.Rb1 Be4 30.Qd1 exd4 31.Qf1 d6 32.f3 Bf5 33.Qc1 d2 34.Qxc2+ Bxc2-+ 35.Rhd1 d3 36.Rxd2 Kb6 0-1
Included is a large trainings base from 54 entries and a large openings key from 52.6 MB.
Conclusion:A very interesting made openings's CD!
Game Service 2005
Convekta
http://www.convekta.com/
http://store.convekta.com/shop_model.asp?gid=62&sView=Catalogn
Game service 2005 - Oct4.comes with excatly 2275 games build op from the following tournaments:
2005, Alushta (Ukraine), It (cat.7) 76,2005, Davos (Switzerland), It (open) 145, 2005, Germany, Bundesliga 2005/06 152, 2005, Hamburg GER, It (open)108 2005, Internet, US Chess League 16 2005, Kharkov (Ukraine), It (cat.8) "Femida" 65, Kharkov (Ukraine), It (w) "Femida" 65 2005, Kishinev (Moldova), Cup ULIM (open)190 2005, Madrid (Spain), Tournament "Maestros Pueblo Nuevo" 90 2005, Munich (Germany), It (open)2 005, Sainte Marie de la Reunion (France), It (open) 241 2005, Sheki (Azerbaijan), It (w) "Independence Day" 45 2005, Skanderborg (Denmark), It (b) 45 2005, Skanderborg (Denmark), It (cat.16) 45 2005, St.Petersburg (Russia), Memorial M.Chigorin (open) 733 2005, Struga (Macedonia), Ch Macedonia (team)165 05 and Tulsa (USA), It (open) 42 games.
Conclusion: Excellent material!
British Chess Magazine No.11
Volume 125
December 2005
Price: £3.50
This heavy loaded BCM magazine starts with Topalov and his road to the FIDE world championship .Ian Rogers was on the spot so tell you the story of the 30 year old world champion who defeated all his rivals in the first seven rounds {Good for 21 pages of this heavy loaded issue!}
Others are: Isle of man, the Monarch Assurance tournament was won by a US champion and teenager star Alexander Areshchenko.{10 pages!}Fide Ratings October 2005, Reviews and new books, News in Brief, Part two of Vladimir Simagin- Chess Artist, Spot the continuation,Quotes and queries, Forthcoming events etc.
Conclusion: A very good read!
Latvijas Šaha Vēstnesis
Issue 5 2005
For information mail Val Zemitis chess@davis.com
It has been some time ago that we received the interesting Latvian correspondence chess & Latvian gambit magazine and I thought it has a quite death but nothing of this is true a group of fanatic chess player have found ways to publish a interesting chess magazine based on the Latvian chess scene. Latvijas Šaha Vēstnesis makes a good impression and I think we can compare in with the first issues of the Dutch chess magazine “ Schaak Bulletin”.
Every issue covers around 24 pages and it covers correspondence and over the board games but I don’t have any information about the price but I guess that it belongs to the cheap ones. The old master Val Zemitis is from April 11 1925 and played chess with players as Kashdan,Prins,Steiner etc. Currenty Val Zemituis is working on three projects! A Chess term polyglot dictionary, a chess calendar and a book Encyclopaedia of Latvian chess players
Conclusion: Interesting!