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BCM Chess Book Reviews : October 2001Return to the BCM Review Index
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The sub-title describes the book: “A new endgame encyclopaedia for
the 21st century”. FCE – as the book will surely become known
– is conceived as a textbook and is divided into 12 chapters with
exercises. The authors have achieved their aim admirably and FCE will
undoubtedly become the standard text for anyone teaching endgame theory.
An attractive feature is the use of modern positions, though many of the
great classic endgames are included.
John Nunn points out in his introduction
that endgame theory is rapidly advancing, not least as computers clarify
previously unclear positions. As chess speeds up it becomes increasingly
a knowledge game and since players are liable to reach endgames with little
time on their clocks, theoretical knowledge of the endgame will be as
important as in the opening. FCE is strongly recommended and the reader
can be passed in confidence as John Nunn puts it “to Karsten, Frank
and their silicon friends”. John Nunn has contributed an article
on this new book which can be found in the printed magazine.
The strap-line on the cover is “a detailed account of the solid
opening favoured by Vladimir Kramnik and other super-grandmasters.”
This defence had been living a life of quiet respectability until thrust
into the limelight by Vladimir Kramnik. Now it seems that most of the
‘Linares group’ use it to draw against 1 e4, although Kramnik
famously switched to the Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, in order to wrest
Garry Kasparov’s world title (and perhaps because he hadn’t
won a game with the Petroff since 1998). It really is very difficult for
White to whip up a melee against the Petroff, short of trying the pawn
sacrifice line 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Bc4!? (which has few adherents at the
top level) and the desperate Cochrane Gambit 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nxf7!? (which
has even fewer, now that Vitolinsh is no longer with us). Morozevich used
3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 Bd3!? to beat Shirov in Astana but then lost with
it to Topalov in Dortmund. The book is up-to-date to 2000 so these 2001
references aren’t included. Georgian grandmaster Janjgava treats
these lines with as much respect as more orthodox lines though obviously
the latter get more in-depth coverage. There are some personal suggestions
of his in the text but mainly it is a detailed survey of the theory to
date. It will be popular with Petroff aficionados and perhaps also those
keen to understand games from supertorneos.
1942 saw the USA in the grip of war, but there was still considerable
chess activity. Manhattan Chess Club’s championship saw Bernstein
and Reinfeld share the honours, with many games annotated in lively and
amusing fashion by Santasiere. But the famous club was to lose two of
its most valued members. First there is the obituary of Walter Shipley,
one of the great figures in US chess history as player and administrator.
Then the March/April issue brought the sad news of the death of Capablanca
shortly after collapsing at the Manhattan Chess Club. The US Championship
of 1941 receives a thorough report. Reshevsky and Kashdan tied for first
place. Later in the year, a play-off match was played, with Reshevsky
winning to retain his US title.
This reprint starts with an 1832 preface by George Walker recording the
main details of Philidor’s life leading up to his death in 1795.
Thereafter are a number of games and variations with light notes by Philidor,
translated from French and with further commentary by Walker. The final
100 pages of the book are filled with problems composed and/or collected
by Walker.
Edited by Kolisch and Zytogorski, who were proving to be worthy successors
to Staunton. That said, there is an interesting review of Chess Praxis:
A Supplement to the Chess Player’s Handbook, ostensibly by Staunton
by probably by his collaborators, which subjects the work to considerable
criticism. There was a meeting of the British Chess Association in Cambridge
at which only four or five members of the said association were present,
prompting questions as to whether it has ceased to exist. Elsewhere, the
usual quantity of games, news, problems and entertaining articles.
