Chess Books

This set is an incredible find for anyone looking for information on Tigran Petrosian. I snapped up a set here on amazon and the money was well spent. It's too bad that Pergamon Chess doesn't reprint this series, because anybody studying chess needs to study Petrosian's games, sooner or later. Both volumes combined have over 2100 games.

This set is an incredible find for anyone looking for information on Tigran Petrosian. I snapped up a set here on amazon and the money was well spent. It's too bad that Pergamon Chess doesn't reprint this series, because anybody studying chess needs to study Petrosian's games, sooner or later. Both volumes combined have over 2100 games.

Having all of Steinitz' games, in this beautifully produced book, is such a chess joy. His games were always so entertaining, hard fought contests, lots of open games, yet he was a positional player. His competition was fierce, Anderssen, Zukertort, etc. I play lots of his openings, so this book is a real boon to me. It is filled with Vienna's, Ruy Lopezes, and Dutch Defenses. This is an essential book.

This is a delightful reader. There are seven stories/poems. My daughter's favorite was the Little Green Bottle. This is the story of the Kate, the school bully, and Joe, one of her victims. One day Kate went too far, she bullied Joe into giving her his bycicle. This time Joe told the teacher, and Kate got into trouble. True to bully form, she threatened Joe with the infamous "I'll get you." But Kate, died before she could fully carry out this threat. She returns as a ghost and she is determined to "get" Joe. This is a story of empowerment. Joe tricks Kate the ghost, and as you would expect from a first grade reader he wins in the end.

My first grader loved this book. It's an age appropriate Halloween read.

My daughter LOVED this book. Sometimes I would hear her laughing from the other room as she read it. She would even bring up some of the issues she read about during dinner. She said that even though it was written by adults, it was presented in "her language" (funny, I thought she spoke English like the rest of us). She really liked the chapters by Mark Bernstein and Keith Hawkins in particular. Thanks for a great read. Go MAD is great!

The St. Petersburg Grand International Masters' Tournament of 1914 was undoubtedly the most important tournament since the first San Sebastian Tournament, when Capablanca won his spurs, or, as some will have it, since the St. Petersburg Quadrangular Tournament of 1895.

It would be noteworthy even if for no other reason than that the World's Champion, Dr. Emanuel Lasker, took part - the first occasion since the last International Tournament in St. Petersburg in 1909. On that occasion, however he tied for the first place with Akuba K. Rubinstein instead of winning outright, as on this occasion and in 1895.


It is a remarkable circumstance that this time Rubinstein did not even attain so high as fifth place, which would have enabled him to play in the second section for the allocation of the prizes, the more extraordinary in view of his almost unbroken success of late years. The St. Petersburg Chess Society was responsible for the initiation, organization, and conduct of the Tournament, the Tsar himself subscribing 1,000 roubles towards the prize fund.

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.

The grandmasters of chess are a strange and fascinating group of men. Several died mad, others led bizarre and dramatic lives. Not one was dull. Each altered the game in some significant way. In Grandmasters of Chess, Harold Schonberg traces the history of modern chess through the lives of these great players, the kings of a most demanding and abstruse art. The book is illustrated with many extraordinary photographs and drawings; and a number of complete games are included--history making contests and immortal performances.

A fan (and an Inernet student) of mine recently sent me a copy of this book. He asked me to review it. (I already own a copy, he should have checked my wish list!!)

But as such generosity cannot be ignored, so here goes!

What do you get when you get this book? (Which I think is out of print ... a bloody shame, since this is a really great book!!)

The author carefully goes through the chess tournaments, (10 great and classic events, London, 1851 & 1883; through San Antonio, 1972); and carefully tells you all about the event. You often get many of the best games, a crosstable, MANY fascinating and entertaining stories ... it IS the next best thing to being there.

There are DOZENS of games in here, carefully and well-annotated, in the style Andy is famous for. The mistakes are made clear, as well as many of the inside stories of the games themselves. (Where he got all this great stuff, I haven't a clue!!)

I have owned this book since 1975 or '76, I practically know it by heart. It is now a great resource, I refer to it often to annotate games.

Can I say anything bad about this book? Not really. The only valid knocks on this book are: A.) It is out of print, and B.) It is in descriptive notation. (Hint to the publisher!)

IF you love chess, and don't have a big library, you will enjoy this book. (IF .. you can get a copy!)

A Short History On The Evans:

The Evans-gambit is the subject of hard debate; still not too many modern players were brave enough to take the challenge of mastering it. Rhode was probably the bravest of them all! He gladly took on the challenge and read all the other books on the Evans, these include: Play the Evans Gambit by Tim Harding, The Evans Gambit Revolution by Richard Moody, Giuoco Piano by Eduard Gufeld and Oleg Stetsko, The 23, 1996 issue of Inside chess by Christensen, Books by murray chandler and others...
In Rhode's own words:
"When Kasparov crushed Anand in the Tal Memorial at Riga 1995 in their last tournament game before their 1995 World Championship Match, he sparked an amazing debate concerning the strength of the Evans Gambit, the most "romantic" of all chess openings"
Indeed the Evans was the weapon of choice for chess legends such as Morphy, Anderssen and others but with the rise of players of a more subtle approach it was regarded as "un sound". When the chess world perfected the art of defense it gave birth to players such as Steinitz, Lasker and among all others at that time, Capablanca... 1.d4 took-over for the old 1.e4 and players began to believe that in the opening stage one should just develop in comfortable manner before tactics take place. Even the adventuress Frank James Marshall was playing 1.d4 ... 1.e4 was almost tossed aside and when ever a player played it he would play the Ruy-Lopez not "giving in" to such childish openings as the Evans or King's gambit.
The Evans always remained in the shadows, lurking, waiting for the right time to strike back with full force... Now is the Time!
With this simple book, or rather a booklet Rhode reopened Pandora's Box and set free once more the true magic of chess!
New plans are given, new variation to replace with the old... old lines have been remanded, corrected and perfected. Rhode introduces the new theory of the Evans, challenging the old ideas he carefully explains why he regards some of the "taboo" lines not to be best and give others instead.
The famous "Lasker's defense" has enjoyed the reputation of being the refutation to the Evans gambit, Alas! No more! The New research by Rhode has opted for a move which puts the violent assault back into white's hands!

About the Book:

While giving many variations Rhode replaced the almost automatic response of 6.0-0 with 6.Qb3! against 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.Qb3! - putting the pressure right on the money! Obviously the analysis still considers 6.0-0 and 6.d4 against the referring line.
Against the line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 he gives two options, 6.d4 and the intriguing 6.Qb3
Against the line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5?! He gives lines with the continuation 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 where the game branches to many sub-lines.
Against the line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bd6 he gives 6.d4 and explains why other mover are too slow.
Against the declined variation (4...Bb6) he gives these three tries: 5.a4 as played by Kasparov, 5.b5 and 5.Bb2
And for final note there is a whole chapter regarding the "Odds and Ends" that you may encounter.

Conclusion:

A great book! If you're interested in the Evans or in chess history you'll find this booklet of great value.
Pluses: very nice format, easy to understand and right to the point
Minuses: Too small, could make it a lot bigger, including more variations.

Fantastic Material, 5 stars!!