I warn you: this post will be long.

Mark Dvoretsky (1947-2016)

Mark Dvoretsky. Photo: ChessBase

Muscovite Mark Dvoretsky was a very strong player, becoming an International Master in 1975. In this period he reached his peak as a player but soon became a trainer.

And what a trainer he was! He worked extensively with such players as Women’s World Championship Challenger Nana Alexandria, Valery Chekhov, Sergei Dolmatov, and Viktor Bologan, among many others.

His most prominent student was Artur Yusupov, who rose to World #3 in 1986. Dvoretsky and Yusupov would collaborate on many books for very strong (or at least very ambitious) players. These were borne out of training sessions with future stars, including Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Svidler.

NOT for Beginners!

Honestly, no other author scares me the way Mark Dvoretsky does. That’s a compliment, by the way: his books will make you work like no others that I’ve seen. A trademark of his books is very deep analysis of his own games or his students’ games. He will often discuss how well or poorly his students did in solving these training positions.

I’ve read reviews that complain about the inclusion of chapters from other trainers’, but I appreciate the different viewpoints. Dvoretsky frequently gets lost in a forest of analysis so dense you question how helpful it is to your chess development. The contributors tend to stick to one topic and cover it in very instructive fashion.

I consider my study session a success if I can get through one chapter of one of these books.

Batsford Series

These are the books that introduced the West to Mark Dvoretsky. They feature lectures at the his chess school, sometimes with chapters from other contributors like Igor Khenkin, Aleksei Kosikov, and Boris Zlotnik.

Secrets of Chess Training (1991), Secrets of Chess Tactics (1992)

I have not read these two books, unfortunately. Well, maybe I have…we’ll come back to that.

Training for the Tournament Player (1993)

Steve Colding of Chess for Children lent me this book in 1998. I remember taking notes and studying it very seriously. The problem, of course, was that I was only a 1400 player…

Opening Preparation (1994, with Artur Yusupov)

I absolutely love this book. It isn’t about opening theory, but typical maneuvers and operations in a variety of opening systems. This book forms the basis of how I play the Sicilian against the Grand Prix Attack, and helps orient me when I face King’s Indian Attack-style setups.

Technique for the Tournament Player (1995, with Artur Yusupov)

I think I got my hands on this one, but I’m not totally sure. I’ll discuss it below.

Positional Play (1996, with Artur Yusupov)

Devour this gem one bite (chapter) at a time. It discusses positional play in ways you wouldn’t expect having read other classics. The contributors each have something valuable to add — including chapters by top players Vladimir Kramnik and Evgeny Bareev!

Assiduous study of this book will vault you far ahead of other class players when it comes to positional understanding.

Attack and Defence (1998, with Artur Yusupov)

This one is quite good, but literally makes my head hurt! Dvoretsky keeps making you think he has revealed the answer to one of his analysis positions…only to go back and reveal a further nuance to consider. The lasting impact it has left on my play is don’t assume. The attack you think is irresistible…the defense you think is impenetrable…may not be so!

Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual (2003, 5th edition 2020)

This is perhaps the most popular of Dvoretsky’s books, as it is not aimed towards master-level players only. It contains a lot of explanatory material and diagrams, but personally I am not a big fan. Probably I would have a different opinion if I was taking my first steps in chess.

Dvoretsky’s Analytical Manual (2008)

I have never read this book, and don’t intend to. It’s famous for its dense analysis, and is geared towards budding International Masters and Grandmasters.

Edition Olms Books

Before talking about the books, let me just say that I have never regretted purchasing an Edition Olms book, or paying their high prices. They produce gorgeous paperbacks that you never want to ruin: high-quality paper, print, and binding.

Some of these books are reprints of the Batsford books that have long been out of print.

School of Chess Excellence 1: Endgame Analysis (2003)

I have not read this one.

School of Chess Excellence 2: Tactical Play (2003)

A good mental workout! It’s not a puzzle book, but a collection of positions are discussed which feature unexpected tactical solutions. I didn’t find this book as challenging as Dvoretsky’s other works, because of I’m used to solving paradoxical “Russian” tactics.

School of Chess Excellence 3: Strategic Play (2002)

This book is original, and not a reprint of the earlier Batsford series. It’s challenging, and stresses the importance of small nuances. It’s really helpful if you play King’s English (1.c4 e5) or Reversed Closed Sicilian (1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 etc.) positions from either side.

School of Chess Excellence 4: Opening Developments (2003)

I have not read this one.

School of Future Chess Champions 1: Secrets of Chess Training (2006)

This one really helped me in my coaching endeavors. It stressed to me how individual chess improvement really is, and how much of a disservice coaches can do to their students if they take a cookie-cutter approach.

I very much enjoyed the anecdotes Dvoretsky provides about his experiences as a trainer, and the frame of mind a coach should approach helping a student from. I recommend it to coaches and to anyone directing their own self-improvement.

School of Future Chess Champions 2: Secrets of Opening Preparation (2007)

I have not read this one, but I think it’s a reprint of the 1994 Batsford book.

School of Future Chess Champions 3: Secrets of Endgame Technique (2007)

I believe this one is very similar to, if not a reprint of, Technique for the Tournament Player. Since I couldn’t get that one, I got this version.

The book doesn’t really teach endgame play per se. It discusses the player’s frame of mind when dealing with endgames, and gives some advice for improving your endgame play.

School of Future Chess Champions 4: Secrets of Positional Play (2009)

This is the same book as Positional Play.

School of Future Chess Champions 5: Secrets of Creative Thinking (2009)

This is the same book as Attack and Defense.

Others

I stopped buying Dvoretsky’s books because they require a commitment to study that I was no longer willing to give, but I might read his two autobiographical works at some point. His other titles include:

Maneuvering was the great coach’s last book, as he died in September 2016 at the age of 68. The wealth of training material he created will long outlive him.

What are your thoughts on Mark Dvoretsky’s legacy? Please share!

The post Mark Dvoretsky: Great Chess Authors, Part 7 | Chess Essentials appeared first on Chess Essentials.

Getting Started: Essential Books for Chess Beginners

Those starting out in chess have much to learn before developing true competency. Fortunately, there exist numerous quality texts offering an accessible entry point while laying the groundwork for future improvement. Here are some top recommendations:

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess
Authored by the legendary grandmaster himself, this book leverages a unique question-and-answer format to actively engage readers. Bobby Fischer masterfully covers fundamental tactics, ensuring newcomers build technical proficiency and sound logical thinking.

Chess for Dummies
True to the tried-and-tested Dummies formula, this book presents complex ideas in simple, easy-to-retain ways. Expert author James Eade methodically introduces foundational concepts, strategic frameworks, practical tips and more, seamlessly scaling readers’ knowledge.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess
Grandmaster Patrick Wolff helps readers comprehensively learn chess and bridge into intermediate skills. This book is richly illustrated with photos and over 400 chess board positions. With such deep insight into openings, tactics and general theory, it fast-tracks progression.

Logical Chess: Move by Move
Renowned author Irving Chernev unpacks 33 complete games, showcasing the logic underlying each move in an instructional format. This book ingrains strong fundamentals across strategy, planning and execution, preparing any beginner for competitive play.

Winning Chess Strategies for Kids
Jeff Coakley created this workbook-based series specifically for young chess enthusiasts aged 8-13. Comprising puzzles, exercises and games centered on key themes like defense tactics or checkmates, it empowers kids to accelerate their progress with fun activities.

Steps Method Chess Course
This structured program by Brunia and Van Wijgerden spans six training manuals and 20 specialized workbooks. Originally developed for European chess education, it massively speeds up learning via a skills-building curriculum. Budding players worldwide now leverage its methodology.

Additional recommendations like Pandolfini’s “Beginning Chess,” Chandler’s “How to Beat Your Dad at Chess” and Polgar’s progressive workbooks further bolster beginners’ journeys. With such wealth of instructional material available, new players have all the tools necessary to rise through the ranks.

Advanced Strategies for Established Players

While beginner books confer technical knowledge and basic strategy, advanced players demand texts delivering specialized insight. Mastering chess’ nuances requires principles and frameworks from games played at the highest levels. Some all-time classics of the genre include:

My 60 Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer
This book compiles annotations by Fischer himself across 60 career-defining matches. Beyond showcasing his creative genius, it offers unprecedented access into a champion’s decision-making, teaching advanced strategic thinking.

Think Like a Grandmaster by Alexander Kotov
Kotov reverse-engineers mastery itself, analyzing top-tier planning, positional judgment, tactical evaluation and more. Think Like a Grandmaster pushes experienced players to expand their mental frameworks for breakthrough improvement.

Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy by John Watson
Watson presents modern strategic ideas in digestible style, building readers’ understanding of imbalances, prophylaxis, space advantage and other advanced themes. Players keen to transition from classical to hypermodern chess must study this text.

Life and Games of Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal needs no introduction as the archetypal tactical genius. His autobiography complete with annotated games is hugely instructional about combinational play, attack methods and dynamic momentum. This one’s truly unforgettable.

Attacking Manual Volume 1 by Jacob Aagaard
Aagaard focuses purely on offensive play, helping experienced players master attack strategies, exploit weaknesses, create threats and finish powerfully. Exercises test readers’ attacking mettle through 400 instructive positions.

There are countless other illuminating books for established chess enthusiasts such as Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Bronstein’s Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953 book, Averbakh’s Tactics for Advanced Players and more. Ultimately, tailoring one’s chess library to address specific developmental needs is key to levelling up.

Choose Books Aligned With Your Goals

In review, beginners should prioritize materials centered on chess basics, elementary tactics and foundational thinking. Intermediate players can build on initial knowledge with books integrating strategy fundamentals and positional nuances. Advanced students seeking expertise benefit most from texts examining high-level games, complex frameworks and niche play styles.

With the right books, chess players of all skill levels can enrich their understanding of the game, sharpen their skills and reach new competitive heights over time. Whether you are starting out on your chess journey or continuing a lifelong passion, feed your intrigue and development with these timeless reads. The rest depends on your dedication to apply these lessons over the board. I sincerely hope you find this “The Best Chess Books for Beginners and Advanced Players In 2024” article helpful.

The post The Best Chess Books for Beginners and Advanced Players In 2024 appeared first on Chess Essentials.

We will now look at some of Eugene Znosko-Borovsky’s other important chess writings after we finish our look at “The Middle Game in Chess.” It took a lot of work for Znosko-Borovsky to teach chess in more than one way. He taught people how to play, how to think about the game, and even how to win. That’s what “Eugene Znosko Borovsky Great Chess Authors Part 3” does.

The Art of Chess Combination

After “The Art of Chess Combination” came out in 1935, Znosko-Borovsky was known as the best chess player in the world. There are no dull intellectual talks in this book. It has a bunch of fun chess games instead, each with a tactical theme. Each job comes with clear instructions that show you how to think to figure out the moves and what the main ideas are behind them.

Strengths of “The Art of Chess Combination”:

• Focus on Practical Application: The author Znosko-Borovsky says that it’s more important to know “why” you choose and make the moves you do than to just remember them.
• Variety of Puzzles: Every level of player can find a smart job that suits them.
• Graded Difficulty: That’s right, the problems get tougher as you go along. Over time, this helps players get better at planning ahead.
• Engaging Writing Style: Znosko-Borovsky has a unique way of writing. His answers are clear and to the point, which makes learning easy and fun.

How to Use “The Art of Chess Combination” Effectively:

This book will help you the most if you:

• Each time Fix problems: Make it a habit to fix problems with ways every day. First do the things that are easy, then do the things that are harder.
• Read your answers again. You should know not only how to win, but also why it works. Feel free to make several copies and see how the other person might react.
• You can play Blitz Games and Rapid Games: It’s important to act quickly and see where you can make a play when time is running out.

How to Play Chess Endings

Someone wrote a book in 1941 called “How to Play Chess Endings” that talks about the important last move. Like “The Art of Chess Combination,” this book is based on real events. Znosko-Borovsky shows a group of ending studies that use real game positions instead of making things up. For example, these studies help people learn how to move pieces, deal with the king, and win with a rook in the endgame.

Strengths of “How to Play Chess Endings”:

• Real-World Examples: Real-life events must be used by players to see how their ending ideas work in the real world.
• Pay attention to the method: There is a lot of information in this book about important closing methods that help players figure out how to carry out their plans to win.
• Notes Included: Each endgame study has full answers that show the best moves and talk about important endgame ideas.

How to Use “How to Play Chess Endings” Effectively:

• Practice Endgames Regularly:In terms of: You should do both endgame and tactics puzzles every day as part of your chess game. You can learn more by using online tools or other final studies.
• Check out your games: Pay close attention to how your games end. Go over your final plan one last time to see if you missed any chances or found any weak spots.
• Take it easy. When the timer goes off, you have more time to think about the goal and make the right choice.

Beyond Tactics and Endgames: Mental Mastery in Chess

Znosko-Borovsky knew how important it was to be able to think like a chess player. He wrote a lot about tactics and endgames. His book “Psychology of Chess,” which came out in 1936, is about how people’s minds affect how well they play the game. He talks to you about things like how to focus, keep your emotions in check, and how important it is to be happy while you play chess.

Read More: Chess Endgame Technique 1

Conclusion: Eugene Znosko Borovsky Great Chess Authors Part 3

Eugene Znosko-Borovsky won a lot of tournaments and also left behind a long legacy. Some of his books that teach chess, like “The Art of Chess Combination,” “How to Play Chess Endings,” and “Psychology of Chess,” are still useful for all levels of players. It’s fun and easy to get better at chess with these books by Znosko-Borovsky. Along with clear explanations and helpful tips, they stress how important it is to be both physically and mentally tough. I hope you get “Eugene Znosko Borovsky Great Chess Authors Part 3”.

The post Eugene Znosko Borovsky Great Chess Authors Part 3 appeared first on Chess Essentials.

Some people might like the idea of being able to learn a game in just 40 hours. These people like games that are hard to understand and plan ahead for. Many people are curious about whether or not the title “Learn Chess in 40 Hours” is true and how far it goes. Let’s read below about “Learn Chess In 40 Hours”.

We are going to carefully study Rudolf Teschner’s book “Learn Chess in 40 Hours” and its strategies to find out if it is really possible to learn how to play chess so quickly. People who want to learn chess will also get a more honest plan.

What Does “Learn Chess in 40 Hours” Offer?

Teschner’s book is for people who have never played chess before and wants to teach them the basics! Do one thing at a time. Start with easy moves for the pieces and work your way up to ideas like checkmate, forks, pins, and basic opening rules.

What the book does well:

• Structured Learning: in a way that makes sense, the book shows new players how to play the most important parts of the game.
• Useful: It stresses getting to the bottom of “why” moves work instead of just learning different versions of them.
• Variety of Exercises: As tasks, the book has puzzles and short games that will help you remember what you’ve learned and get better at seeing the chess board.
• Accessible Language: It’s easy for other people to understand what Teschner writes.

Limitations of the 40-Hour Claim:

Reading “Learn Chess in 40 Hours” is a good start, but you won’t be able to play chess very well in 40 hours. This is why:

• Chess is a Game of Depth: Chess is a hard game to learn. There are rules for the beginning, middle, and endgames that you need to know to play well. You also need to know where your pieces are. To get good at each part, you have to put in a lot of time and work.
• Better plans need to be made: To find good opportunities, you need to keep training. To get good situational vision, you need to do more than just watch games and solve puzzles. All of these things are too hard to do in 40 hours.
• Things keep getting better: The rules of chess and the first moves are always being improved. If someone is new to chess and only studies what’s in the book, they might not be ready for how busy it is.

A More Realistic Learning Path:

“Learn Chess in 40 Hours” can be a good place to start, even if 40 hours is too long. Here’s how to build on top of it:

• Supplement Learning: Websites and apps for chess give you extra ways to learn, like strategy tasks and fun lessons, to help you learn even more.
• Every Day: The best way to get better is to practice every day. You can play chess with other people, join a club, or look for a partner to see how much you know.
• Check out your games: Every time the day is over, take some time to go over your tasks. Look for the mistakes you made, the chances you missed, and the places where you could have done better.
• Pay attention to what the experts say: You can learn more about advanced ideas and strategies by watching or listening to videos of chess grandmasters or other very good players teaching.
• Have fun on your trip: You have to play chess your whole life to become a master. Have faith in yourself, enjoy your wins, and remember that every loss teaches you something.

Also Read: Jacob Aagaard: Great Chess Authors, Part 10

Conclusion:

“Learn Chess in 40 Hours” is a good place to begin learning new moves in chess. But if you want to get really good at chess, you need to put in a lot of work, play often, and be willing to learn from people who are already good. You can get better at chess if you play a lot, learn in different ways, and look back over your games. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Don’t forget that losing at chess is still fun. The game is fun, but it also keeps your mind sharp and helps you learn new things. I hope you like reading “Learn Chess In 40 Hours”.

The post Learn Chess In 40 Hours appeared first on Chess Essentials.

Have at least 1400 ELO and want to get better at the endgame? Sarhan Guliev’s book Chess School 4: The Manual of Chess Endings is a great pick. This book tells you a lot about the most important part of the game. Plus, you need to know the rules and be good at math to win. Let’s read below about “Chess School 4 The Manual Of Chess Endings”.

Structure and Content:

These ending groups make up the Manual of Chess Endings. They were all made to be useful in real life. The book’s more than 600 well-chosen poses make its points clear without giving you a lot of options. Because of this, you can play both easy endgames with few pieces and hard ones with weird material mismatches.

Here are some of the book’s most important ideas:

• Pawn Endings: Things like pawns going forward, passed pawns, king and pawn endgames, and resistance are talked about in the first part of this section.
• Rook Endings: The endgames with rooks are a big part of chess. This book talks about different rook structures, endgames with rooks and pawns, and tactics like connecting queens in squares and getting three points.
• Queen Endings: A queen is better than a rook because it lets you do more. You can end games with queens and pieces, and the idea of a “fortress” is very important.
• Minor Piece Endings: It’s possible to learn about bishop and knight endgames with and without pawns. You can also learn about bishop pairs and knights of different colors.
• Mixed Piece Endings: Players have more trouble in this part when they have a mix of different types of pieces. To get better at these games, you need to learn how to move your pieces together and use the other player’s mistakes against them.
• Unique Endgames: The book doesn’t shy away from giving you unique endgames. One rook is facing a small piece, and the other is facing a rook and a pawn.

Strengths of the Book:

• Focus on Practical Application: It’s important to remember that you should know “why” you should do certain moves, not just different ways to do them while reading this book.
• Graded Difficulty: Levels that get tougher as you go, so you can take your time and figure out how to win.
• Answers with Solutions: There is a full answer for each move that talks about important strategy ideas and how the best moves were picked.
• Variety of Material: You can find places that work for your own games in the book that have a lot of different ways to end.
• Emphasis on Calculation and Technique: If people want to win, the book says they need to get better at math and learn easy ways to end games.

Who Should Use This Book?

If you want to get better at the endgame and have an ELO of 1400 or more, Chess School 4: The Manual of Chess Endings is the best book for you. The book has math in it, but you should already know how to play chess. This tool will be most useful for players who already know how to start a game and spot simple patterns in the way it is played.

Beyond the Book: Tips for Mastering Endgames

You still need to learn more about endgames and work harder. Begin with Chess School 4. These things could help you study:

• Every day you should end something: Do your endgame problems every day along with your tactics problems. You can read about endgames or use tools online to learn more about them.
• Take a look at your games: Watch out for how your games end. One last time, look over your plan to see if you missed any chances or found any weak places.
• Don’t stress: When the timer is longer, you have more time to think about how the story ends and make a clear choice.
• Seek Coaching or Join a Chess Club: You can learn more about the game and get answers to any questions you have from someone who has played or taught it more than you.

Read More: Chess Tactics: Svidler — Vallejo-Pons, 2004

Conclusion: Chess School 4 The Manual Of Chess Endings

Would you like to get better at the endgame? Read Chess School 4: The Manual of Chess Endings. People can use the book to help them win the ending by giving them clear explanations, useful information, and well-chosen situations. Remember that getting better at the finish line is a process, not a goal. You need to practice, think things through, and really want to learn if you want to turn your hard-earned perks into wins. I hope you like reading “Chess School 4 The Manual Of Chess Endings”.

The post Chess School 4 The Manual Of Chess Endings appeared first on Chess Essentials.

I can’t remember how I discovered this book, but I’m glad I did. It was hard to put this book down, and I read it all in a few sittings.

Because the interviews were collected in the late 1970s and 1980s, this book doesn’t talk about analysis engines or databases at all … I find this refreshing! The respondents also don’t give too much advice on openings.

You’ll find answers given by players like Nick DeFirmian, Larry Evans, Bent Larsen, Vladimir Liberzon, Viktor Kortschnoj, Yasser Seirawan, and lots more.

The players often have conflicting opinions, but that shows there isn’t just one recipe to success as a chess player. I find it inspiring that different approaches can be highly successful. Find what works for you.

The authors also includes a selection of games.

If you’re a fan of “thought-provoking” chess literature, I consider this book a must-buy!

The post How to Get Better at Chess: Chess Masters on Their Art appeared first on Chess Essentials.

Photo: Sabina Foisor’s Twitter: @Foisor_Sabina

First, I believe 1700-2300 is an appropriate range for Sherlock’s Method. Second, the authors are being too modest about what they have created. Having gotten to know them a bit personally, I’m not surprised as they are both very down-to-earth.

Also, full disclosure, they sent me a copy of the book to review. [Other authors or publishers can do the same; just contact me: infoATchess-essentialsDOTcom.]

Now onto the review!

Sherlock’s Method is Exactly What Most Players Claim They Want!

After spending a few hours with the book, my conclusion is this: Sherlock’s Method has removed most of the typical excuses a wide swath of the chess population gives for being unable to improve:

• A thick workbook aimed at “normal” players, not just masters or budding stars.
• Puzzles with only broadly defined themes that don’t “prompt” the correct answer.
• Exercises from mostly recent games: tactical, strategic, and endgame.
• Plenty of good explanations that help a player with their thinking process.
• Enough variations in the solutions to satisfy the computer jockeys.
• A rich selection of challenging material that would take months to work through, at least.

Sadly, I think these are reasons Sherlock’s Method will not become as popular as it should! Bad for the authors, but good for readers …

Use this book to reach 2000+. It will train your brain to come up with good ideas when you reach parts of the game that cannot be prepped.

I imagine your chess will become more natural and enjoyable, too.

Contents and Sample Pages

A Thinking Game?

In 2015, I gave this prescription for players trying to reach 2000 USCF:

I still believe this method is effective, but it is brutal and in some ways a crime against chess:

Often I talk about grinding, memorizing, solving tactical puzzles till your eyes bleed, and most of all: studying openings.

Effective, yes … but I would not encourage someone to start playing chess to become a flesh-and-bones machine. If I could start over, I wouldn’t have become a serious chess player if I knew this is what it took.

A New Hope

I resorted to the methods above because I wasn’t talented, and recommended them to other players with a lack of talent but a burning desire to improve raise their rating. Players who didn’t start playing chess right out of the womb and didn’t have extensive (and expensive) coaching to make playing chess natural for them.

Is this attitude too negative or defeatist? Probably. And it may be outdated as well, with the release of the Moradiabadi and Foisor book.

Sherlock’s Method: The Working Tool for the Club Player will develop your ability to use your brain to solve chess problems, and not be merely a programmed computer that can keep a 2000 rating by exploiting gaps in the preparation of others.

I encourage you to take the authors up on their offer. Maybe, after reaching the 25 year mark in my chess tournament career last week, I will as well.

The post Sherlock's Method: The Working Tool for the Club Player | Chess Essentials appeared first on Chess Essentials.

Andrew Soltis

Andrew Soltis. Photo: World Chess Hall of Fame

Andrew Soltis (1947 – ) was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania but grew up in New York City. By contemporary standards “Andy” started in chess late, not playing tournaments until his teens.

In an exceedingly difficult age for American chess players to make a living from the game, Soltis nevertheless became an International Master in 1974 and a Grandmaster in 1980.

Soltis twice won the U.S. Open (1977, 1982) and Reggio Emilia 1971/1972.

It is fitting Andy Soltis is Part 9 of this series, as he won the Marshall Chess Club Championship a record nine times!

Like Mednis, Znosko-Borovsky, Reinfeld, and Marin — Soltis is another author in our series for whom writing was a full-time career. He worked at the New York Post as his day job for over 40 years, writing more than 100 chess books during that time. He has also written the Chess to Enjoy column in Chess Life magazine, a great representation of his pithy writing style.

A Tour of the Andrew Soltis Library

This won’t be an exhaustive list, but I’ll cover some highlights in different categories.

Autobiographical

Confessions of a Chess Grandmaster (1990)

Soltis discusses his chess career and lightly annotates many of his games. Progress didn’t come easily, but he persevered on the path to Grandmaster when few of his peers crossed that hurdle. In some ways this is an inspiring book, as few of us are stars and have to grind away for years to reach our chess dreams. I couldn’t put it down. A very underrated book!

Historical/Biographical

Soltis has written several books in this genre, but it’s just not my cup of tea.

Titles include: Frank Marshall: United States Chess Champion (1994), Soviet Chess, 1917-1991 (1999), , and Mikhail Botvinnik: The Life and Games of a World Chess Champion (2014).

These books contain games, are beautifully produced, and would look great on a bookshelf!

Middlegame

Pawn Structure Chess (1976, new edition 2013)

This is maybe the most highly-regarded Soltis book. The idea was perhaps revolutionary at the time, but I was never a fan. I have not read the new version, however. A big plus for Pawn Structure Chess is the “supplemental games” at the end of each section — they are well chosen and annotated with typical instructive and to-the-point Soltis comments.

The Inner Game of Chess: How to Calculate and Win (1994)

I have trouble with books that try to explain calculation processes. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Other candidates (surely no pun intended there…) to consider for your calculation studies include: Think Like a Grandmaster by Alexander Kotov, Improve Your Chess Now by Jonathan Tisdall, and Excelling at Chess Calculation or Grandmaster Preparation: Calculation, both by Jacob Aagaard.

The Art of Defense in Chess (1986), New Art of Defense in Chess (2014)

There aren’t too many books on chess defense. I haven’t read the Soltis books, so I can’t really comment. Paul Keres wrote an instructive chapter on “How to Defend Difficult Positions” in classic The Art of the Midddle Game. Another title is in this genre is The Art of Defence in Chess by Lev Polugaevsky and Iakov Damsky.

Endgames and Strategy

An interesting early Soltis book is Catalog of Chess Mistakes (1980), which introduces a variety of different errors a player can make playing chess or in their approach to the game. These include tactical, strategic, and especially attitude or psychological failings that can doom a player.

If you’re comfortable reading descriptive notation, I recommend giving it a look. You can find a used copy cheaply on Amazon.

The book I really want to emphasize in this section, however, is my favorite Soltis book of all: Turning Advantage into Victory in Chess (2004). This book will really help reframe how you think about chess technique — which is often regarded as elusive and mysterious.

I find a lot of players don’t appreciate static nuances the way they could, and this book will help with that.

Also give 100 Chess Master Trade Secrets and What it Takes to Become a Chess Master a look. The former is a great book to digest over time on-the-go, as it provides useful ideas and well-chosen examples in bite-sized pieces. The idea of “priyomes” is a very helpful way to build up your play.

Openings

Soltis has written a great deal in this category, but opening books were not his strength in general. However, I do recommend his old titles Winning with the English Opening.

Titles, plural? Yes. The funny thing is, I recommend both the 2nd edition (1987) and 3rd edition (1997) of this book, as I believe they are cheap and different enough to both warrant purchase!

An obscure Soltis opening book I recommend is Beating the Pirc/Modern with the Fianchetto Variation (1993).

As a 2000+ player, I found this book quite instructive as a middlegame text generally! I think this may be because the Fianchetto Pirc/Modern doesn’t have a ton of theory, so the author discusses more strategy than reams of variations. Many of the ideas can be applied against other fianchettoes.

I’ll stop here. There are so many more Soltis books that I have either not read or simply missed!

What are your favorite books by Andrew Soltis?

The post Andrew Soltis: Great Chess Authors, Part 9 appeared first on Chess Essentials.

After starting his pro career in 1932, Reuben Fine (1914-1993) had a claim to being the best player in the world during the late 1930s. He won a string of elite tournaments including Hastings 1935/36, Zandvoort 1936, Amsterdam 1936 (tied with World Champion Max Euwe), Margate 1937 (tied with Paul Keres), and AVRO 1938 (also tied with Keres). AVRO is considered one of the strongest tournaments ever held. World Champion Magnus Carlsen also rates Fine very highly.

Fine wrote Basic Chess Endings in 1941, and it covered endings of just about every type. BCE was a monumental work at a time when endgame books were scarce, especially one authored by a player of Fine’s caliber.

Unfortunately, such an extensive book published in the pre-computer era had errors and was notoriously tough to slog through. It was also written in Descriptive Notation (P—K4, Kt—KB3, etc.), which put many readers off.

So in 2003, Random House published a new edition revised by Pal Benko (1928-2019), former world championship candidate and renowned endgame expert. It also includes a forward by another renowned endgame authority, Yuri Averbakh. This version of BCE was written in algebraic notation (e4, Nf3, etc.) and is much easier to read.

What I like about Basic Chess Endings

The explanations are very well done; but many contemporary books could say the same.

What sets BCE apart is the sheer number of instructive examples: 1,131 in all. Not all of them have diagrams; often, just the positions of the white and black pieces are listed and the line of play given. But these are supplemental examples, and never the main teaching positions.

Too many endgame books skimp on the number of examples, especially positions with several pawns for each side.  Another favorite endgame book of mine is A Guide to Chess Endings by Euwe and David Hooper, which contains only 331 examples. That one is a pocket guide, but still.

What I don’t like about Basic Chess Endings

My only complaint is that a hardcover edition isn’t available. A softcover reference book 586 pages long? I try to be very careful with my copy. Economics were surely a factor; most readers wouldn’t shell out $40+ for a hardcover edition, but couldn’t they have done a limited run?

Study suggestion

I recommend picking a section and working through all of the examples. Not all of “Knight endings” in one sitting, but a section, e.g. “One Knight and Pawns vs. One Knight and Pawns — Material Advantage.” Pick a section and work through the examples — you’ll learn exactly how you should play similar positions.

The post Basic Chess Endings (2003 revised edition) appeared first on Chess Essentials.

Authors: GM Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott

Note: I may receive a commission on products purchased through Amazon links on this page. Thanks for your support!

An Uniquely American Phenomenon

There is no chess event quite like the World Open.

The first thing that stands out is the massive prize fund, and chess hopefuls from around the world show up hoping to win their share. For example, the 50th edition (Summer 2022) will guarantee $225,000! First prize in the Open section is $20,000. First prize in most of the class sections (Under 2000, Under 1800, etc.) is $10,000.

A few other events have popped up over the years offering huge prizes, but none have lasted.

Many players only play this tournament and a few others each year; the World Open has the toughest competition most players will ever face. Many players relish that challenge.

It’s not cheap, either: there are no sponsors, and the prize fund is made possible entirely by the entry fees collected from players. The lowest entry fee for the upcoming edition was $308; if you enter on-site, you’ll pay $350! Factor in travel, hotel, and food as well…

In some ways, I think this boosts the popularity of the event! The 2019 edition (the last before COVID-19) drew 1,348 players.

A Fruitful Collaboration

Readers of NYSCA‘s Empire Chess already know that Harold Scott is one of the best chess journalists we have in the United States currently. He is also a chess Expert and an experienced tournament director.

GM Joel Benjamin hardly needs an introduction; the three-time U.S. Champion (1987, 1997, 2000) reached the Top 25 in 1987 and has been writing chess books and magazine columns for decades.

What’s the result? High-quality writing and analysis! You get insightful prose commentary, and not an endless stream of computer lines.

The first World Open was held in New York City in 1973, and the book has a chapter on each decade of the tournament’s existence. It also features one chapter for each of 16 previous winners, including Larry Christiansen, John Fedorowicz, Gata Kamsky, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Shabalov, Alex Yermolinsky, and co-author Benjamin himself.

The last two chapters of the book contain 30 quiz positions from critical World Open battles, and their solutions.

I Almost Forgot…

The World Open is infamous for players attempting to cheat in various ways to win prizes: human and electronic assistance, intentionally mis-marking results and doctoring scoresheets, even hiding or changing their identity…

The book contains an amazing chapter recounting some of the skulduggery attempted over the years. I was present for the 2006 incident but didn’t deal with it directly, as I was chief of the Under 1400 section…though I did get an anonymous phone tip(!) about a player in my section!

Yeah…welcome to the World Open!

Winning the World Open is a must-buy for anyone interested in this most unique chess tournament. You get important historical background on Bill Goichberg and the Continental Chess Association; the World Open itself decade-to-decade; fascinating interviews with more than a dozen winners; and a selection of well-annotated games.

Highly recommended.

The post Winning the World Open appeared first on Chess Essentials.