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BCM Chess Book Reviews : July 2007Return to the BCM Review Index
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Andrew Soltis seems to have hit on an original topic here: the art of
transposition. After a breezy introduction on the advantages gained –
and risks run – by trying to transpose, the author divides his work
into seven chapters: ‘double KP’ openings (i.e. 1 e4 e5), Ruy
Lopez, Sicilian, Semi-Open, 1 d4 d5, Indians and Dutch/Flank openings.
Indexing is good and it is relatively easy to find what you are looking
for. The book cannot hope to be comprehensive in coverage but it does
manage to cover most of the ground and identify most of the commonest
transpositions, plus a few ingenious ones which the reviewer had not seen
before. An extremely enjoyable and informative read. JS.
This substantial volume is subtitled “The Complete 1 e4” and
the series (two or possibly three volumes in due course) is sub-titled
“the ideas and plans behind all chess openings”. It gives an
outline of each opening and major variation in turn, explaining the ideas
and most popular choices for the benefit of elementary players. The reviewer
was impressed by the practical advice given in the notes in this well-produced
volume. After the notes come illustrative games (though some of the Informator-style
symbols may puzzle inexperienced readers – they are not decoded in
the glossary). The authors are not afraid to contradict established theory
in some cases. JS.
In the third volume of his Najdorf lectures, the former world champion
looks at lines with 6 Be3. As the man himself says, “this
variation [with bishop on e3 and] pawn on f3 proves to be one of the most
effective weapons against almost any variation of the Sicilian, including
the Paulsen”. At one point, Kasparov says “I’ve not played
chess for more than two years, so you have to be very cautious in following
my advice.” However, his analysis is peppered with references to
2007 games so it is evident that he is keeping himself up to date on theory.
Five hours of private tuition from arguably the world’s best ever
player (and almost certainly the world’s best chess lecturer): it
doesn’t get any better than this. JS.
The Colle (1 d4 d5 2 Nf3) is the club
player’s opening par excellence. One is tempted to analogise it as
the chess equivalent of a Skoda car: it works, it is quite reliable but
it is not exciting and you wouldn’t want your friends to see you
using it. Book blurbs (though not this one) like to say that it has a
‘sting in the tail’. The reviewer has seen little evidence of
this, though it is certainly possible for a Black player to be bored to
defeat in having to meet it. However, the author has seen such cynics
as me coming and he writes a heartfelt defence of the opening against
its bad press. The book doesn’t fully cover the Colle-Zukertort (where
White opts for an early b3 rather than c3), but the author deserts the
Colle completely in the line 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e3 c6!?
and tells the reader he really must play 4 c4 (rather than try 4 Bd3
Bg4) – which of course transposes into a Slav. A thoughtful
and thorough work. JS.
The book is sub-titled “a hard-hitting chess opening repertoire
for White.” Title and sub-title are well-chosen and should leave
you in no doubt that the contents are not for the faint-hearted. After
the chosen opening move (1 e4), the main recommendations are the Wing
Gambit against the Sicilian (1 e4 c5 2 b4) and also against the French
(1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e5 c5 4 b4!?), the Danish Gambit against 1...e5
(2 d4 exd4 3 c3) and the Fantasy variation against the Caro-Kann (1 e4
c6 2 d4 d5 3 f3). Amongst unusual lines recommended against other responses,
perhaps the most outlandish is this line given against the Centre Counter:
1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qa5 4 Nf3 Nf6
5 b4!?. Probably only an unusually cavalier White player would choose
all of these lines as a main repertoire, but some of them might make excellent
back-up repertoire choices for use on the internet or just for having
fun. Even if you don’t intend playing any of them, the book is still
excellent value as a collection of 59 entertainingly annotated games –
or as a useful check-list of aggressive openings which might be played
against you when playing Black. JS.
Everyman’s formerly slim opening manuals seem to be developing middle-age
spread. This one is quite chubby, though you would hardly expect the Sicilian
Sveshnikov to be ‘fat-free’ given the bulk of theoretical material
needed to play it properly. There’s a fair bit to know but this is
a good place to start. The author candidly admits at the beginning that
he himself has never played the Sveshnikov in a serious game so he too
had to start at the beginning but, as he says, perhaps that is not a disadvantage
in writing what is an introduction to the opening. Probably only a deep
reading of the book would reveal the answer to that conundrum. But it
is certainly a well-organised and interesting work. JS.
With an eye-catching title like that and various slogans such as “avoid
blunders”, perhaps this book should contain a warning in the small
print that, in reality, chess skill is not so easily acquired. The book
is divided into “days” rather than chapters. Though it is not
possible to take the ‘seven-day miracle’ too seriously, the
book contains some entertaining and humorous annotations by BCM’s
regular columnist and also some basic advice for elementary players. JS.
All the usual features: the forum includes contributions by Erling Mortensen,
Bogdan Lalic and many others. Sosonko’s Corner is dedicated to Ivanchuk’s
newest opening exploits. Glenn Flear looks at the fifth edition of ECO
Volume C (1 e4 e6 and 1 e4 e5), Andrew Greet’s Play the Ruy
Lopez and Johnsen/Johannessen’s The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for
Black. JS.
