Book Description
The player with a positional advantage has a better chance at a direct attack, and this complete guide by a grandmaster shows how to develop a more powerful strategic game. Key squares, bad bishops, pawn structures, other examples appear in ascending difficulty, with cross-references. For players at every level. 495 black-and-white illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Solid Book for Chess.......2007-03-14
I recommend this book for any 1500+ ELO player who wants to improve their strategic game. A lot of the variations are given few comments, so a solid chess understanding and playing the moves on a board are essential. The book is organized into themes which any chess player can appreciate: discussion of good/bad knights/bishops, endgames, 2-bishops, bishops opposite colors, etc.
The Best Value For A Positional Chess Book!.......2004-08-18
This is an excellent book on chess. The diagrams are clear and can easily be followed through and the previous reviewer who commented that they were too small, was on my part greatly exaggerated and didn't do any justice. Buy one copy for yourself and decide. This book gave me countless hours of enjoyment and I am sure it will do the same for you.
Excellent Material for the Price.......2002-05-10
First off, this book is a compilation of strategic examples. The author groups these examples according to theme (Key Squares, Pawn Structure, Positional Sacrifices) and presents them with a few explanatory textual comments and variations. The author is far from prolix, so you should already understand the strategic themes and want to peruse a selection of illustrative examples and analyze them yourself. For the price, I feel this book is outstanding and one of the best of the Dover reprints. The author does not swamp the reader with Fritz like variations, but provides enough input to guide the independent reader on their way. For those formulating their approach to positional chess, the Positional Chess Handbook would be worth the $.
Book Description
Using a Socratic teacher-student approach in the characters of GM Noah Tall, and Pat Sayre, the topic of this aspect of chess centers around the subjects of materialism, give and take, myths, difficulties, picking and choosing, rules, decisions, de-booking, and many more—dealt with from a veteran chess grandmaster's perspective.
An illustrative way is used so that everyone can grasp the concepts quickly; to improve in a shorter amount of time. Charts, graphics, and modern games in algebraic notation will add to your enjoyment and a faster learning of the preliminary phase of chess.
This is volume to of our Grandmaster series by Andrew Soltis. Check out volume 1, Grandmaster Secrets: Endgames.
Customer Reviews:
Laugh And Learn.......2007-07-20
I enjoyed this book. It is quirky, funny, and yet highly informative. I wouldn't call these "grandmaster secrets" but things that average players need to know. I don't think you can find this sort of advise anywhere else. I have the endgame book, too, and like it for the same reasons. The style won't appeal to everybody, obviously, but I got a big kick out of it and maybe you will too. But the main point is that it improved my chess.
Book Description
Using a Socratic teacher-student approach in the characters of GM Noah Tall and Pat Sayre, Soltis centers his comments around the subjects of: the various pieces, techniques, plans, mismatches, rules, and how to get started—all dealt with from a chess grandmaster's perspective. Profuse illustrations and games allow everyone to grasp the concepts quicker, so you will improve in a shorter amount of time. Charts, graphics, and annotated examples in algebraic notation will add to your reading pleasure.
Customer Reviews:
Probably the best book for the average player.......2005-12-22
Well, I don't normally write reviews, but given the quality of some of the earlier reviews, I feel compelled to speak up. I am a reasonably strong player (USCF 2200 years ago, today FIDE 2100) and know a little bit about chess theory, having trained several junior players over the years. I have bought hundreds of chess books and I know what it takes to improve.
The key to improving in chess is to learn the basic principles and then study typical positions which exemplify those principles. The study of master games is the best way to do this and there are no strong players who have not made a study of many master games.
The problem with the endgame is that there are few good books on the subject. Part of the problem is that, unlike the early middlegame, the endgame cannot be easily categorized into specific pawn structures. Most books deal with very basic endgames such as rook and pawn against rook. Perhaps you will play some of these endgames every now and then, but most players need to know how to play more complex positions. This book does an excellent job and, in my opinion, accomplishes the task of teaching this aspect better than almost any other book. A series of basic principles are laid down: 1) when to exchange and what to exchange 2) the two on one 3) strategic thinking etc etc and examples are shown.
This book would suit players up to about USCF 2000, ELO 1900 etc. (yes, even the more experienced can benefit from this book). By all means read a book on basic endgames (I like Albert's book "Just the Facts") but have a look at this book. The endgame demands serious study by all players who aspire to a rating of 2200 or above. Shereshevky's book "Endgame Strategy" is good too, but this book is better for the average player. In fact, there is some overlap (at least conceptually) between the Shereshevsky book and this one, but this one is a more entertaining read!).
Yes, in reply to one reviewer, the format is a little cute. But it seems to work (at least it does for me, and I am quite critical). It certainly isn't dry. Perhaps, in my dotage, I need to be entertained as well as informed.
Everyone should have a copy of this book. Andy Soltis continues to produce great books. This is one of his best.
Really Good Read on a critical subject.......2004-05-27
This book is really good at teaching the most critical aspects of the endgame. It is probably suitable for players up to around 1800 USCF.
Beyond that rating level, something more like Shereshevkys' series would be more appropriate.
Don't be put off by the single reviewer who signed on and left 3 reviews (two from Australia, one from new York) with 1 star. He clearly has some sort of ax to grind.
This book is very good, and worth getting.
Amazon.com needs to do a better job at eliminating multiple reviews from the same person.
What Secrets?.......2003-07-26
It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the great reviews about it on this website were written by the author himself. The book is absolute RUBBISH.
I have never read a book with so little genuine chess content. The vast majority of the book consists of stupid (and annoying) discussion between the author, and a pupil concerning endgame principles. The trouble is, the discussion is so general and basic as to be meaningless. It only offers basic principles such as "keep your rook active", with little to no practical examples.
The book fails to cover numerous key endgame topics, such as pawn structures, pawn breakthroughs, entry squares for the king.
The title is completely misleading. The book is limited to basic concepts, which even then, are poorly explained, with very little supporting analysis or examples. The depth of analysis is truly pathetic - frequently no more than one or two lines of play, looking ahead 3-4 moves. If only endgames were this simple.
DON'T BUY THIS BOOK.
What Secrets?.......2003-07-25
Having read all the great reviews about this book, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that they were written by the author himself. This book is DREADFUL.
Contrary to the title, it contains no secrets whatsoever. Rather, it states no more than obvious principles that any half decent player knows. What's more, it is full of general statements, lacking in concrete examples. Further, numerous key topics are not covered at all; eg pawn break throughs; penetration squares for the King.
The book contains extremely little analysis. On numerous occasions, it says something like: "If White plays this move, he should draw" without offering any supporting analysis whatsoever.
Making it even worse is the endless discussion between the author and pupil. I suspect this was put it to compensate for the lack of genuine chess content. Take out the endless dialogue bewteeen author and pupil and the book would only be around 20 pages.
Don't buy this book.
Don't waste your money.......2003-07-24
This book has to be the worst chess book of all time. 75% of the content consists of inane discussion between the author and a fictious pupil, containing no insight or relevance to chess whatsoever.
The analysis of positions is extremely scant; typically one or two lines of play only, looking ahead just four moves.
A more appropriate title for the book would be "Secrets for Players Rated Below 1200". For example, the book contains such wonderful insights as "Passed pawns increase in value as they progress further down the board" - hardly the insight of a grandmaster.
Don't waste your money.
Book Description
A classic, now available in modern algebraic notation for the first time! Few books have had as much impact on chess literature as this: the first edition sold out within months, and it was immediately recognized as a masterpiece of chess instruction. Twenty years later, it remains a bestseller in the field and one of the best practical training manuals available.
Customer Reviews:
Think like a Grandmaster.......2006-12-23
Kotov covers the way top players think and common patterns of mistakes that all players make. It's really entertaining and you don't have to wade through miles of chess annotation to benefit from it.
Think Like Agrandmaster, by: Alexander Kotov.......2006-08-09
This book is very good in my study of chess.
Flawed classic.......2006-05-26
This is the book that has spawned a large number of other books on the subject of the Grandmaster's thinking processes. It is a classic and for that reason gets 3 stars from me. However, I do believe that the premise upon which this book is based is flawed and for that reason I do not give it a higher rating. Let me explain what I mean.
In this book, Kotov outlines his theory on why GMs are better than IMs, why IMs are better than FMs etc. It all has to do with analysis. They analyse better. Yes, yes, yes. He is right. They do. But why do GMs analyse better? This is the key question. I think Kotov got the answer wrong.
Kotov claims that he was a poor analyst, but that he improved by doing regular exercises in which he analysed complex positions, writing down all the variations. Each position was analysed only once to create a "Tree of Analysis". Candidate moves are chosen and then each move analysed one by one, branch by branch until the analysis is complete. The problem with this idea is that if flies in the face of contradictory evidence that this approach works. I DO agree with Kotov that improvement in analysis is the key to becoming a stronger player. I do not agree that his method will do more than produce a small change in your playing strength.
The contradictory evidence:
1) As so clearly pointed out by Richard Reti in his classic "New Ideas in Chess" even if there is a choice of only 3 moves at each branch point in the tree of analysis, the number of branches becomes so thick that it is impossible to analyse each branch. What distinguishes a titled players analysis from the analysis of a weaker player is the ability to EXCLUDE irrelevant moves, not include ALL moves. Humans will never be like computers in this regard.
2) Brain imaging studies show very clearly that GMs different from IMs and so on down the food chain by their use of memory patterns. They do not think more deeply. This is clearly the conclusion of a number of serious studies on the psychological basis of chess talent (de Groot for example).
3) Strong players have the capacity to hold positions in their heads more easily that weaker players. But it is clear that this is due to pattern recognition. Give a strong player a random position and they are no more able to remember the position that a weak player. This then is the basis of the stronger players greater ability to visualise the board. It is memory for patterns which creates vision. For example, it doesn't take much effort to remember the position Pf2, Pg3, Ph2, Bg2, Rf1 and Kg1. You can visualise it and remember it in seconds.
4) It is clear that strong players perform extremely well at rapid chess. Visit ICC (www.chessclub.com) and watch a lightning match between two GMs. There is no time for analysis when the clock is set for 1 min. There is only time for pattern recognition. Yet lightning ratings correlate very well with FIDE ratings (they are not the same, but they correlate positively).
Club players often ask why it is so hard to improve. They often spend their money buying books which offer advice. In many cases, these books are written by GMs or very strong players. But just because a player is strong, does not mean that they understand the source of their chess talent.
The reason why improvement is hard is clear. First, playing strength is related to the number of patterns learnt. When a player learns the game, they first learn how to move the pieces and on which squares the pieces move. The number of pattern is much less than 100. They can achieve some success with this number of patterns. But as the player advances the number of patterns needed increases - exponentially. It is sometimes estimated (how, I do not know) that GMs need to know 100,000 patterns. FMs may need 10,000 patterns. Strong club players may get away with knowing only 1000 patterns. Do you see why it is so difficult to improve. To increase your rating by 400-500 points, you probably have to learn at least 10 times as many patterns as you know now.
A second point is that as a player matures, i.e. into the 20s and 30s, the capacity to learn new patterns decreases slightly. The brain is less plastic at later ages. This is a reason why mature players find it difficult to improve. This can only be overcome by increased practice.
A third reason why improvement comes early on, but less later is that there is substantial scope for improvement in the teens and early twenties at the period when the brain is myelinating the frontal cortex. At this stage, the player becomes more cautious and is able to concentrate better.
OK, so I have prattled on about why Kotov is wrong about his famous Tree of Analysis. I do want to add that analysis exercises do help with concentration and visualisation. However, they are not the only answer to improvement. Learning patterns is the key. There are few better ways to do this than by playing through Master games - particularly the games of players like Capablanca, Rubinstein, Botwinnik, Tal... Play them, study them, copy them. At later stages, the student can develop by studying games that are more intimately related to the opening repertoire that he or she adopts.
So is there anything good about the Kotov book? Of course there is. I just wanted to emphasise that this book is NOT the answer to How do you think like a GM? Many GMs would agree with me on this. You can learn from this book, but do not take it as the only or major route of study.
I particularly liked Kotovs anecdote in the book about Capablanca's treatment of an ending. There is much to be learned about endgame play in this chapter. There is also a great deal of good advice interspersed through the book, so it does earn its 3 stars.
Great Middlegame book for INTERMEDIATE level players..........2003-08-21
There are many books out there that claim to teach the Intermediate level player how to look for the best move during middlegame play but fall short of fulfilling their end of the bargain. This book is one of the ones that goes above and beyond what the title promises. Even as far as to show you how to create a PLAN (contrary to what "How To Reassess Your Chess" by IM Jeremy Silman states in regards to books that show one how to form a plan; also another great middlegame book by the way). However, there are some mistakes that must have occured when transposing the original descriptive notation to algebraic notation. But if your're looking to 'really' improve as a chess player then you have to expect to run accross some mistakes along the way. A word of advice: Ignore the mistakes the minute you find them and just forge ahead! There are some great ideas given in the examples of games from many Russian Grandmasters that if looked for in ones own games it WILL help to improve ones overall rating. That is of course, if you're willing to study this book thoroughly by not only setting up the positions given in the book on your own board but also by incorporating the suggestions given into your own chess strategies. So, if you want to know how to train your mind to think like a grandmaster, buy the book!
Great Middlegame book for INTERMEDIATE level players..........2003-08-21
There are many books out there that claim to teach the Intermediate level player how to look for the best move during middlegame play but fall short of fulfilling there end of the bargain. This book is one of the ones that goes above and beyond what the title promises. Even as far as to show you how to create a PLAN (contrary to what "How To Reassess Your Chess" by IM Jeremy Silman states in regards to books that show one how to form a plan; also another great middlegame book by the way). However, there are some mistakes that must have occured when transposing the original descriptive notation to algebraic notation. But if your're looking to 'really' improve as a chess player then you have to expect to run accross some mistakes along the way. A word of advice: Ignore the mistakes the minute you find them and just forge ahead! There are some great ideas given in the examples of games from many Russian Grandmasters that if looked for in ones own games it WILL help to improve your overall rating. That is of course, if you'rewilling to study this book thoroughly by setting up the positions given in the book on your OWN board and incorporate them into your daily play. So, if you want to train your mind to think like a grandmaster, buy the book!
Average customer rating:
- wonderful
- A big disappointment
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Train Like a Grandmaster (The Club Player's Library)
Alexander Kotov
Manufacturer: B T Batsford Ltd
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Customer Reviews:
wonderful.......2002-01-07
this is a wonderful book!i advise it to everyone.if you want to be a grandmaster buy this book!it is better than the other two volumes
A big disappointment.......1998-06-13
Kotov's other 2 books in this series are very good,but this one is terrible.There is too much propaganda and little instructive value.It is not even interesting.My advice to you is--buy `Think Like a Grandmaster'and `Play Like a Grandmaster',but don't touch this one !
Customer Reviews:
Excelent.......2007-03-20
This book is ease to read and understand you dont even need a chessboard to read it.
Excelent book
Beginner's delight, club player's fright.......2006-11-26
Every review you see on this book will read the same: TONS of topics, LITTLE explanation. That is the intent of the book. Now the only question is whether or not this approach to chess authorship is appropriate.
The book is divided into four different sections: opening, middlegame, endgame, and "practical matters" (encompassing psychology, tournament play, and all the stuff that doesn't need a diagram). At the end of each section is a little quiz on the material covered previously, generally true/false. Sounds easy, and it is pretty easy.
The section on the openings gives a smorgasbord of most every conceivable opening. It covers everything from the heavily theorized openings like the Ruy Lopez and Sicilian to the less-known openings, like the Polish (1.d4 b5) and the Albin Counter Gambit. It is never in-depth on these openings (one to three pages tops) but it gives you a real vague, general summary. What use it that? Well, if you're looking to pick out a reperotoire, like many beginning players, you're in luck. You can find an opening that caters to almost any player, check the main line and see if you like it. Even a higher-rated player could use that if they wanted a new opening or two.
The middlegame section covers motifs like "blockade", "open files", and "superior minor pieces". Things that every chess player has ingrained in them. If you've never heard the terms before, they will be useful. If you know all the terms, they can still be a great refresher course for you. How many times do we read a book on the King's Indian or the Ruy, replete with blockade ideas, yet don't always remember the little intracacies? Often enough to warrant a review.
The endgame section is weak, as it would have to be (you can't really have a treatise on the many endgames included in the space provided) and doesn't really do anything for the book. The section on practical matters is pretty cool, though, and can be inspiring for someone who wants to get a routine in order for tournaments (or answer questions about things like the staredown).
Like the title of this review suggests, the club player likely will not gain rating points from this book. A lot of people won't, even beginners. However, the book plays a VERY important role in augmenting other knowledge, making networks of association, and just being an all-around good review book. It's a fun read for the bathtub, airplane, or between rounds. If you're a beginner: go for it.
So to answer the question posed at the top: if you're over 1600 and doing a little chessic soul-searching: put it in the cart. Otherwise, perhaps you would be better served by another title.
More of a reference book than a deep strategy book.......2006-09-18
If you looking for a lot of strategies defined and briefly covered then this is the perfect book. If you are looking for a book on detailed strategies, opening traps or tactics on a deep level then this is not the right book. It simply doesn't get into anything very deeply (though it covers a lot of different strategies briefly). For what it is (more of reference book) this is a good book (you just need to understand what it is!).
A good reference book........2006-06-25
This book is the best one of the market in its field, although I question the accuracy of the openings section, obviously lots of options are missed out on (I noticed the Portugese variation of the Scandinavian was a big hole) and it would be too difficult to cover such options. I would've preferred if he got rid of the openings section altogether and put a bit more information on the helpful middlegame and endgame sections. Nevertheless, the book is a helpful addition to any player's library who is rated under FIDE 2000.
Very useful for beginners.......2006-06-25
In spite of its grandiose title, Silman's book is written for beginners, and for more experienced players who want a review of the basics. It's divided into three parts - guess what - openings, middle game, and endgame. The Middle Game and End Game sections are very good, and cover important and interesting beginning-to-middle-strength player topics like basic checkmates (Morphy's Mate), pawn structure, and knights vs. bishops. The Openings section is less successful, because he just shows the first few moves and doesn't get into the really critical variations.
Silman is a great teacher, and I wish that I had read this book when I was just starting out in chess. If you are just starting out I would recommend it very highly. It will give beginning players a very solid foundation. More advanced (1500 or so) players might want to check out "The Amateur's Mind," by the same author, that covers the same ground but more in depth.
Book Description
At the age of thirteen years, four months and twenty-six days, Magnus Carlsen became the youngest chess grandmaster in the world. The scene of this stunning record: Dubai. The date: April 26, 2004. Predictably, the international press raved about the Norwegian prodigy. The Washington Post even dubbed him `the Mozart of chess'. Magnus Mania had reached a first peak a few weeks earlier, when in Reykjavik he beat former world champion Anatoly Karpov and next held none other than Garry Kasparov to a draw. Having lost a further game with the world's number one, thirteen-year-old Magnus commented without a trace of irony, `I played like a child'. Wonderboy is the fairy-tale-like story of Magnus Carlsen's rise and the story-teller could not have been better qualified. For the past four years Simen Agdestein has trained Magnus, repeatedly pinching himself in amazement at his pupil's lightning progress. Agdestein is a most remarkable double talent. Not only did he win the Norwegian national chess championship six times, but he also used to be a highly gifted football player. He played for Lyn FC in Oslo and represented the Norwegian national soccer team on eight occasions. These days Agdestein teaches chess at the NTG, the Norwegian College for Top Athletes. While you follow Magnus on his fabulous journey, Agdestein is your guide, telling about the Carlsen family life and explaining the secrets of Magnus' play in clear and instructive comments. Any chess player could hardly pick up a more inspiring book. Wonderboy will fascinate parents and help gifted children to realize their full potential.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring Book for Juniors!.......2006-10-13
Learning about the life and games of the then thirteen year old grandmaster was very inspiring. He became a grandmaster at even a younger age than Bobby Fischer. I enjoy reading about and going over young champions games such as Fischer, Junge, and Reshevsky (I found some of their great games in "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors", another inspiring book for kids). I recommend "Wonderboy" for adults and juniors alike!
A future world champion! .......2006-03-21
As the director of marketing of World Chess Network (http://wcn.tentonhammer.com/) I highly recommend this book to the chess community. Magnus Carlson is a very serious successor of Gary Kasparov and I will not be surprise to see him as a chess world champion in a few years. A very fascinating chess player and a very good book about him! Let see what the future holds.
Book Description
The color you play matters in the opening game of chess. If you play White you go first. If you play Black you respond to White's moves. Either side can be advantageous, depending upon how you play. One half of The Chess Advantage features all the moves the grandmasters recommend for White. The other half does the same for Black.
·The White half of the book emphasizes the best offensive opening moves and the Black half emphasizes the best traps and defenses
·Focuses on how to obtain an advantage without having to memorize vast amounts of theory
·Draws on the lessons of the world’s leading grandmasters
Customer Reviews:
Forget it.......2006-11-24
This book is really very bogus. I am not sure where this analysis comes from but it does not hold up.
Let's take one example page 297, has a variation of the Italian game. It is game 7. The note for move 12 says that white can not stand to play a3 because of ... Ba6. Well, the delorie computer webpage basically disproves that quite simply. The basic point is that black has a bishop that is hanging. He has no time to play either ...c5 or ...Ba6. After ...Bxd2 13. Qxd2 Ba6 black does not seem to have a way to get at the "stuck" king. Since white simply plays Qc2 and Ng5 is aways a threat. This whole line seems to be predicated on some wild dream. The book is full of this kind of blathering and not worth the money.
The Chess Advantage in Black and White: Opening Moves of the Grandmasters.......2006-11-06
The Chess Advantage in Black and White by IM Larry Kaufman is something new. There have been many opening repertoire books have appeared before but either they aim merely to get the student out of the opening at all costs or demand large chunks of time to memorize lines for an opening advantage at the 2500 level. A good example of the second type of repertoire book is the excellent series on 1.Nf3 by GM Alexander Khalifman.
Kaufman's proposed repertoire, 1.e4 as White with the Exchange Ruy and Bb5 versus the Sicilian and the Semi-Slav and Berlin Ruy Lopez as Black, won't blow opponents off the board, but has sufficient venom to fight for an opening advantage. The advantage of this kind of repertoire is that theoretical study becomes much more manageable when you escape the highway of trendy theory.
Most of the book is IM Kaufman and some of his silicon friends. Computer analysis can often be useful but definitely benefits from tweaking by a knowledgeable user. Kaufman is certainly a knowledgeable user that has been at the cutting edge of computer chess development for many years.
The repertoire itself is quite reasonable. It seems like the Rossolimo Sicilian (3.Bb5) appears more often as 3.d4 these days. Certainly the Semi-Slav (Meran and Moscow variation) is no stranger to GM chess. I also like the idea of advocating the subtle Berlin defense.
Few openings strike terror into the heart of a chess fan like the Berlin Defense. Using it like a virtuoso, Vladimir Kramnik not only won the (a?) world chess championship from Garry Kasparov, but also, simultaneously, succeeded in putting thousands of chess lovers into a coma-like state. Okay, let's grant that the Berlin isn't the Botvinnik Variation of the Semi-Slav or the English Attack in the Najdorf. What it is, however, is mysterious and annoying to many players - and that's a fact that we as chess players, as opposed to chess fans, can certainly use! If we play and understand the Berlin and our opponents play natural, normal moves, we will have excellent winning chances! Best of all, while the games will be long, some themes are pretty straightforward. The power of the two bishops, a little patience, and ...the Berlin Defense - it will be worth your while.
The Chess Advantage in Black and White provides a solid repertoire but begs the question exactly who is it aimed for. Players below 1500 FIDE will see 500 pages of analysis and throw their hands up. Super GMs will want more than the clear pluses for White that the repertoire leads to. My guess is that this book best serves players in the FIDE 2200-2500 range who are ambitious about their chess and who want save precious time on study.
Deeply Recommended
The Pacifist Repertoire: Snooze Fest from The Mathematics Professor.......2006-03-27
Larry Kaufmann is an older IM who happens to be a mathematics professor, and in this book it really shows. As you might expect from a mathematician, his primary criterion for selecting a repertoire is numerically-calculated past performance by rating. This trust-the-numbers approach produces a repertoire that could put anyone to sleep. It is all early endgames and quiet variations. Hey, I like to play endgames, but this repertoire goes way overboard in that direction. You might call it the Stillwater Repertoire. It is for people who despise tactics, hate sharp positions, and cannot stand attacking the opponent's king. It is the Quaker Repertoire. It is the Pacifist's Last Stand. It is the Repertoire for Nodding Off In Math Class.
Kaufman maintains that his soporific suggestions are perfect for battling higher-rated opponents. When things are very quiet, you might hang on for a draw, and maybe even occasionally win. That is an old ploy: against better players, steer the game into quiet waters. Like most old ploys, it fails miserably. Strong players always jump at the chance to grind you down in a long endgame. That is what they do best. Against lower-rated opposition, they are much more concerned about sharp positions, where one blunder might lose the game for them. Well, they will never face a sharp position against any sucker who plays the Pacifist Repertoire.
With White, Kaufman suggests 1. e4. Against 1. ... e5 Kaufmann recommends the ultra-quiet Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez. It could be called the Endgame Variation. Against 1. ... c5 you can play the silent Rossolimo and Moscow variations with Bb5, except after the move-order 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6, when Kaufman varies with the Super-Ultra-Quiet 3. b3. Yes, your main weapons as White will be sustained efforts to bore your opponents to sleep. You can probably guess what will happen against the French: that's right, the Tarrasch, the Quietest One. Ditto for the Pirc (h3 variations), the Caro-Kann (the Advance variation), and Alekhine's Defense (early Be2 and O-O). You could play these lines for a year without attempting one kingside attack.
As you may have guessed, with the Black pieces Kaufmann recommends the quietest first moves for Black: 1. e4 e5, and 1. d4 d5. Your main weapon against 1. e4 will be--you guessed it--the Berlin variation of the Ruy Lopez. Yes, the favorite of Kramnik, a GM noted for continuously drawing, especially with black. Catch Kramnik's new book, "My 60,000 Memorable Draws," where half the games are Berlins. I tried the Berlin Ruy for quite awhile online. It is excruciatingly uncomfortable. Your king can barely move. Your bishops can barely move. Your rooks cannot get out. Oh, and your bishop pair might be worth something by move 144, but probably not, as one of your holy men gets traded long before then. Against the King's Gambit, the Scotch, the Vienna, etc., Kaufmann found lines that rush the queens off the board (perhaps he dislikes queens) and steer directly into Quietville Junction. Keep the rules of chess handy if you take up this repertoire, because periodically you will forget how the queen moves and what she looks like.
Against 1. d4 Kaufman recommends the quietest possible variation of the Semi-Slav, with ... Bd6 against almost everything, which GM Arthur Bisguier has used for decades as a drawing weapon. Most of the Meran variations reviewed by Kaufmann lead to rapid exchanges and early endgames. Kaufmann gives reassurances that you will grind out victories against lower-rated opponents. Not that you will enjoy fighting for the full six hours against an opponent rated 300 points below you, struggling to prove that your bishop is slightly better than his knight, when you know that he would have folded by move 28 had you played a normal opening. If you play this repertoire, you may motivate the tournament organizers to make a special endurance prize, just for you, for being the very last to finish his game in every single round of the tournament.
Unlike everyone else, Kaufmann takes seriously the weird mathematical conclusions that he published in an infamous Chess Life article. He analyzed a big database and came up with some pretty strange theories. He maintained, for example, that the bishop pair is worth half a pawn. That remark provoked sardonic cracks in innumerable chess books and articles. Kaufman's trust-the-numbers dogmatism is the opposite of what you learn from Silman or Soltis, who teach you how to fight for an advantage on either side of the bishop pair. Another eccentric conclusion was that a rook pawn is worth more when it gets doubled on the knight file after capturing toward the center. So Kaufmann hilariously keeps commenting on how, in this or that opening variation, your position is improved after your opponent "promotes" your rook pawn to a doubled knight-pawn. All these bizarre numbers-are-gods comments cannot be read with a straight face.
Instead of taking Kaufman's suggestions, fire up your database and start scanning through games, quickly and easily, until you notice openings that lead into the kinds of positions that you find appealing, positions that you enjoy playing, and can therefore play well. That is how tournament players select an opening repertoire. It is a personal matter. The opening repertoire suitable for one player is unlikely to be suitable for another. People are different, and prefer different kinds of positions. This is the major argument against any opening repertoire book. Kaufmann's repertoire may be suitable for Kaufmann himself, but people are different, so it is unlikely to be the preference of anyone else. Save your money and buy some other book that is more likely to be useful.
The Chess Advantage in Black and White: Opening Moves of the GMs.......2006-03-15
This is a great repertoire book. Lots of work went into the book and it was also computer-checked for accuracy. The lines, after reading some reviews, are probably a bit for the 'positional player' (Note: I have actually read the book). I particularly like how the author, IM Larry Kaufman, sometimes chooses the '2nd' best option to cut out theory (i.e. we don't have to memorize as much).
Superbly written, but it's not for everybody..........2005-08-09
This book is the model of how a repertoire book should be written. There is an overall philosophy guiding the choice of openings and variations; complete games are given to illustrate main lines; commentary includes typical middlegame plans (and in some cases, endgames as well); the author's IM-level analysis is checked against three computer engines; the breadth of the repertoire covers the full range of sensible responses for both Black and White; database statistics help the reader to gauge the attractiveness of the recommended lines. At the same time, the author never descends into gratuitous overselling of his ideas, and he does not try to back to his recommendations with dubious analysis. The illustrative games are from recent high-level practice. The target audience is roughly 1600-2200.
Kaufman's repertoire is designed around the following themes: to cut down on theory by choosing what is often the "second best" option at certain junctures; to avoid the forced draw whenever possible; to choose lines that are strategically similar to other repertoire recommendations; to seek a lasting advantage for White, and dynamic chances as Black. The core of the repertoire is as follows: As White, play 1. e4, heading for the Exchange Spanish or Sicilian with Bb5(+). As Black, answer 1. e4 with the Spanish Berlin Wall, and 1. d4 with the Semi-Slav. In all there are 32 chapters, organized by opening. Each chapter includes a "Chapter Guide", which works in place of a centralized index of variations.
I was extremely impressed with the thought and labor that went into the selection and development of each line. There is a certain overall coherence to the repertoire that makes it easier to put into use successfully. The analysis and position evaluations can be used with confidence, as Kaufman gives both the positive and negative aspects, and candidly points out whenever the computers disagree. Clearly he has poured his heart and soul into this work.
Having said all this, I do not think that this repertoire would have much appeal to most players (all the better for the few who decide to adopt it!). I, for one, cannot imagine going through life without playing the Main Line Closed Spanish, or facing the slings and arrows of the Open Sicilian (with both colors). So relatively few players will want to use this as their repertoire book - perhaps it is best suited to positional players who don't mind grinding out a lot of tight endgames. On the other hand, I found it highly instructive just to see how an intelligent repertoire is put together. And I do use Kaufman's recommended lines for sideline responses to 1. e4.
Other reviewers have criticized the lack of an index of variations, but I think that the Chapter Guides fulfill that purpose adequately. Some professional reviewers have questioned a few of the recommended lines; in my amateur opinion, however, that sort of thing is inevitable, and the reader will have to do a little on-going maintenance to keep up with theory anyway.
Nice binding and paper quality, plenty of crystal clear diagrams. Text is single column, but that is okay in a thick pocket-sized book. The game moves are in boldface, with analysis in regular face. There is a sensible system for labeling and numbering the illustrative games.
Book Description
From the archives of Britain's first grandmaster comes a fascinating and entertaining collection of games, articles, annotations, and reviews. This is the book Tony Miles would have written had he not died so prematurely in 2001, compiled by three of his close friends, and it contains all of his most famous wins, some of his losses, and some hitherto unpublished games from his earlier years. Among the gems that will intrigue chess lovers: a full run-through of the famous match against Karpov with the St. George's opening 1 e4 a6, as well as a much less well-known victory over the then-world champion from a television tournament. Almost all of the games have commentary by Tony, in his own inimitable style. As well as being a great player, Tony Miles's notes prove that he was one of the funniest writers on the game.
Customer Reviews:
requiem for a lost boy.......2007-09-12
Tony Miles was (he died a few years ago) a magnificent player and among the strongest players in the world between 1980 and 1990. Although he was best remembered for his swift victories using the black side of the Sicilian dragon at the beginning og his career, he was in fact a player with a liking for strategic games and queenless middlegames; he was overshadowed in England
by the rather less interesting (but extremely strong) player known as Nigel Short who was also one of his "bête noire" i.e. most difficult opponent; a crushing match defeat against Garry Kasparov was also instrumental in leading him to a severe nervous breakdown which seriously impaired his chess level; the book tells the story of this well loved player through his most devoted friends; it gives us the chance to meet a very witty and entertaining player who fell prey to the pettyness and low tactics of some other English players much less talented in chess but surely much better connected to the then reigning powers in chess.
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