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BCM Chess Book Reviews : June 2006Return to the BCM Review Index
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Many would prefer to see Kasparov’s own notes to these games but
Igor Stohl is a thorough and painstaking analyst, and his opinions on
the games are well worth reading. This second volume (the first was reviewed
in the June 2005 BCM) covers 1994-2005,
ending with Adams-Kasparov, Linares 2005 – a game which may prove
to be Kasparov’s last ever victory in a serious game. A total of
54 games are covered in 350 pages, in itself an indication of the thoroughness
of the annotations. Add in a sumptuous hardback production, and this is
a worthy tribute to the game’s greatest ever player. Review by
Steve Giddins.
This book is effectively a replacement for an earlier book by Sakaev
entitled How to Get an Edge Against The Grünfeld (reviewed
here in April 2004) and
covers 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4
Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Bc4. Though the book was published
in March 2006, the preface only claims that it is up to date to March
2004; however, this appears to be a misprint because later games are quoted
in the text. It is a heavyweight book backed with variation spaghetti,
and probably only for Grünfeld diehards. JS.
This is not so much a ‘second edition’, as the cover would
have us believe, but the successor to a 1998 book by Tony Kosten on the
subject (published by Chess Press), as the author acknowledges in his
wide-ranging and humorous preface. Collins has a pithy style and he tries
hard to avoid a clichéd approach to opening theory writing. As
for the subject matter, the French Advance (1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5) is perhaps
not as knee-deep in theory as other French systems, but there is still
plenty to learn. This would be the ideal first book for anyone contemplating
a switch to this line. JS.
The great Austrian player Spielmann (1883-1942) is always remembered for his attacking chess. This entertaining book by Neil McDonald provides a short biography followed by some examples of Spielmann’s play and a few tactical tests based on his games. It is not intended to be a comprehensive treatment of Spielmann’s career but is still eminently readable for anyone wanting to know something about the man and his play. JS.
A slightly thicker volume than usual for this workmanlike and thorough
book on 1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 g3. Consequently it is very
good value for the price. Plenty of top players (Spassky, Karpov, Short,
etc) have played the Closed Sicilian and it is eminently respectable.
It is curious that it has never been quite as fashionable as other Sicilian
lines (such as the less ambitious c3 lines).
As well as being a strong grandmaster, J.H. Donner (1927-1988) ranks
as one of the greatest chess writers of all time. This book is a collection
of the articles he wrote over a period of about 30 years. Somehow he managed
to convey all the joy of chess, as well as all the pain and suffering.
The overall effect is simply wonderful. This new softback edition is an
expanded version of the hardback first published in English in 1997. This
is, for the first time, the unabridged English edition of a work that
all chess players should own. It would probably be my single ‘desert
island’ chess book. JS.
As a nine year old, I was already proud of my skill as a Queen’s
Gambiteer – because, like many Kent juniors, I was coached by Chris
Ward. Nearly twenty years on, it is reassuring to see that the march of
theory has not changed his basic approach to the White pieces. Ward offers
the repertoire he uses himself after 1 d4 d5 2 c4: recommendations include
3 e4 against the QGA, the Exchange Variation against the QGD, and 1 d4
d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 e6 4 e3 with an early g4 where appropriate. Through
clear verbal explanations, Ward achieves the difficult balance of providing
aggressive options for White without ever floundering in variations. The
distribution of material looks a bit odd, with 48 pages on the QGA compared
with 22 on the Slav: but it is true that the most complex lines in the
book come in the QGA chapter, whilst the main weapon against the Slav
(1 d4 d4 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 dxc4 4 e4 b5 5 a4 b4 6 Nce2!? e6
7 Nf3 Nf6 8 Ng3) is a promising new idea that has
not yet been analysed to death. My one reservation is that the parade
of White victories – including several instructive but one-sided
simultaneous games by Kasparov – tends to convey a biased impression
of White’s chances. Still, without Ward’s optimism this would
be a totally different and probably less enjoyable book. Review by
James Vigus.
The latest hulking tome in this series of chess source books includes
articles on Oldrich Duras in 1905, a mysterious death at the Fulton Chess
Club (1898), Barmen 1905, chess biographies of Hromadka, Bartiszkiewicz,
van Lennep, and two David Janowski matches.
This issue contains 406 annotated games and 493 variations covering the
period October-December 2005. Tournaments include Stepanakert, Hoogeveen,
Khanty-Mansiysk and the Russian championship. All the usual features,
plus the best of Alexei Shirov’s creative output. Controversially
this issue contains a two-page article on the current FIDE president by
himself and Alexander Roshal which amounts to an electoral endorsement;
there is nothing equivalent for his 2006 presidential rival.
This a softback reprint of the original hardback book published in 2000,
reviewed in the BCM of December 2000.
Obviously the choice of the 100 best games boils down to Soltis’
own subjective preferences, despite his attempt to apply an objective
evaluation. The games are of high quality and well annotated and this
is a well written and pleasantly presented book.
Alexei Shirov is the latest chess superstar to enter the ChessBase studios
to record his thoughts on chess: in this case, his best games in three
major openings. It should be noted that these disks do not play on domestic
TV-connected DVD players but only via computers with DVD-ROM drives. JS.
Karsten Müller is a noted expert on the endgame and this is his
first work on the subject for ChessBase. Topics range from elementary
endings such as mating with the queen, with rook and with two bishops
and mating with bishop and knight, via the fundamentals of pawn endings,
knight v pawns endings, etc, to more advanced material. Video running
time: 5½ hours. Included on the DVD is a ChessBase 9.0 Reader.
This is a collection of 1,193 Garry Kasparov games as published in Informator
over the years. 595 of them are annotated by the man himself, and he has
also written the foreword. There is an audio file with him going through
one of his Informator best game winning games, and numerous other special
features. The disk is in four formats: Chess Informant Expert, PGN, Chessbase
and Chess Assistant.
Just
in: Kingpin Magazine
(the first issue for more than two years!), £4.95.
