New Chess Books and CD-ROMs (Page 3 of 4)

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Books by Year Published: 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • Garry Kasparov Books

My Best Games in the Spanish Vol. 2 by Alexei Shirov (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£21.99 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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Shirov’s first Ruy Lopez DVD found an enthusiastic reception from its audience. In this second volume, Alexei Shirov continues his presentation, with topical games of his own, starting in October 2006. At top-level tournaments of last year and also during his Candidates' matches in Elista (versus Adams and Aronian), Shirov used the Spanish/Ruy Lopez with both the white and black pieces. As Black, he had a most successful returned to the system with 5. ... b5 6 Bb3 Bc5 (5 games). As White, he had to face the difficult question how best to deal with the popular Marshall Attack (8. ... d5) (3 games). Further topics of discussion are the Berlin Defence as well as highly important Lopez systems such as the Breyer, the Flohr-Saitzev and the Chigorin. Enjoy six hours of chess with one of the best players of our times. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows Vista, Windows XP, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard • Read the January 2008 review
 

My Best Games in the Grünfeld by Alexei Shirov (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£21.99 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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The Grunfeld is an active and dynamic reply to 1 d4 which can lead to complex and extremely sharp positions. So it’s no wonder that Alexei Shirov included this opening in his repertoire. At the PCA Candidates’ final against Vladimir Kramnik in Cazorla in 1998, he exclusively - and successfully - trusted the Grunfeld with Black; the victory over Kramnik gave him the right to play a world championship match versus Kasparov (though, tragically, he never had the chance to play the match). In the first part of the DVD Shirov discusses his five Black games from the Kramnik match, revealing deep insights into his opening preparation and match strategy. In the second part Shirov shows how in his opposite-coloured bishop endgame against Topalov in Linares in 1998 he found the amazing and unique move 47...Bh3, which has gone down in chess history as the most amazing move ever played. Running time: 5:25 hours. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows Vista, Windows XP, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard • Read the January 2008 review
 

The Samisch King's Indian Uncovered
by Alexander Cherniaev and Eduard Prokuronov (Everyman, 2007)
£14.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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The Sämisch King's Indian continues to be one of the fiercely contested openings in chess. White's play is based around an extremely solid centre, and there's the very real possibility of launching a direct attack against the black king; a welcome change because often it is Black who goes gunning for checkmate in the King's Indian. But the Sämisch is flexible too; if White wishes he can instead try to strangle Black with his obvious space advantage. It's these features that have made the Sämisch such a popular weapon for White both at club level and with the world's elite. World Champions Botvinnik, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Karpov, Kasparov and Kramnik have all utilized the Sämisch at one time or another, a testimony to the strong reputation of this opening. In this book, opening experts Alexander Cherniaev and Eduard Prokuronov present an up-to-date study of the Sämisch and its many offshoots. Using illustrative games, they look at the traditional main lines, the trendy alternatives and the tricky sidelines, while outlining the typical tactical and positional ideas for both White and Black. A study of this book will allow the reader to begin playing either side of the Sämisch with confidence in his or her own games • 175 pages, softback • Read the January 2008 review
  

From London to Elista by Evgeny Bareev and Ilya Levitov (New in Chess, 2007)
£21.95 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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The inside story of the World Chess Championship matches that Vladimir Kramnik won against Garry Kasparov, Peter Leko and Veselin Topalov, From London to Elista gives a fascinating look behind the scenes of top-level chess. It provides superb analysis of all the games by Bareev, and it does much more. In Socrates-style dialogues, Bareev and co-author Ilya Levitov reveal everything about the preparation, the progress and the aftermath, about the secret strategy and the brutal stress of the three battles.This rich book is indispensable for anyone who wants to know what makes top grandmasters tick. It is written from the horse’s mouth, and it is full of honesty, irony, history, wit, anger, wisdom, and even poetry. With many photographs • 398 pages, softback • Read the January 2008 review
 

Secrets of Opening Preparation by Mark Dvoretsky & Artur Yusupov (Olms, 2007)
£18.00 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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How should a chessplayer prepare his or her openings when facing a well-prepared opponent? How should an opening repertoire be built? Which opening should be used when a win is essential? Or a draw is sufficient? This book addresses these questions, explains the basic principles of the opening, discusses how to produce opening novelties, and explores the connection between the opening and the later stages of the game. This is a revamped edition of the ground-breaking 1994 Batsford book Opening Preparation, (re-edited and retranslated by Ken Neat) • 277 pages, softback • Read the January 2008 review
 

Tactics in the Chess Opening 6 by Ernst & van der Stricht (New in Chess, 2007)
£13.95 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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Every chess player loves to win early in the game with a deadly combination or a cunning trap. On the other hand, nobody wants to be tricked by his opponent before the game has really started. This book covers all the tactical themes and typical traps in the main lines of the English, the Dutch and the Reti, as well as a couple of interesting gambits. They are explained in more than 200 carefully selected and annotated short games. This book teaches how to recognise opportunities to attack early in the game and how to avoid standard pitfalls in the opening. It will make the adventurous player win more games. This is 6th and the final volume in a 6-part series covering the entire opening spectrum. It is a guide for further study and for setting up an opening repertoire • 231 pages, softback • Read the January 2008 review
  

Common Sense in Chess (New Algebraic Edition) by Emanuel Lasker (Russell Enterprises, 2007)
£12.50 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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In the spring of 1895, reigning world chess champion Emanuel Lasker gave a series of lectures in London. These were geared to the level of the club players, or intermediate level. Later that year Lasker gathered his lecture material together and wrote it up in manuscript form to be published, retaining the informal, conversational tone of the lectures. The result was Common Sense in Chess, long regarded as a classic both during Lasker’s lifetime and for generations afterwards. It is a masterpiece of compression and exposition, and in the whole of chess literature, there is nothing that quite compares with it. Respected chess author Bruce Alberston has taken Lasker’s classic and created a 21st century edition. The text has been converted to modern algebraic notation and more diagrams have been added (there are now more than 330 diagrams!). Splendidly complementing Lasker’s original masterpiece, Alberston has added seven games annotated by Lasker that were played in the famous Hastings Tournament of 1895 • 127 pages, softback • Read the January 2008 review
 

Beating the French Vol. 1 by Rustam Kasimdzhanov (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£18.99 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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In his DVD series on the French Defence, Rustam Kasimdzhanov presents a promising White repertoire based upon 3 Nc3. The topic of the first DVD is the position following 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5, in which the pawn on e5 secures the first player a space advantage in the centre and on the queenside. In 13 video lessons the author shows how White has to use his trumps to get an attack on the king or a better endgame. During 3½ hours of analysis, featuring mostly topical games of top grandmasters, Kasimdzhanov conveys valuable knowledge of attacking ideas, typical manoeuvres and plans in an easily understandable way. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard • Read the December 2007 review
 

Beating the French Vol. 2 by Rustam Kasimdzhanov (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£18.99 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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In his DVD series on the French Defence, Rustam Kasimdzhanov presents a promising White repertoire based upon 3 Nc3. The topic of the second DVD is the position following 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3. Very often this leads to a queenless middlegame or endgame with a white knight on d4 versus a bad bishop on c8 which offers White excellent winning prospects. In 12 video lessons Kasimdzhanov explains, in easy to understand detail, how White can be successful in this position. For players who prefer a dynamic middlegame with queens, he also shows (via games of Kasparov, Shirov and Kramnik, among others) how White can sharpen the fight and go for an attack on the king. Video running time: 3 hrs. 17 min. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard • Read the December 2007 review
 

Beating the French Vol. 3 by Rustam Kasimdzhanov (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£18.99 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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In his DVD series on the French Defence, Rustam Kasimdzhanov presents a promising White repertoire based on 3.Nc3. Subject of the third DVD is the position after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4. White has a space advantage in the centre, (pawn d4 versus e6), yet Black strives for equality by piece exchanges and the break c7-c5. Explaining top grandmaster games, Kasimdzhanov shows how White can fight for the advantage. In 11 video lessons he reveals the most important strategies and plans, analysing both sharp attacking performances and patiently won endgames. This way, studying Kasimdzhanov’s commentaries will not only help you to master to a particular opening variation, but also vastly improve your chess understanding in general. Video running time: more than 3 hours. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard • Read the January 2008 review
 

Starting Out: Classical Sicilian by Alexander Raetsky & Maxim Chetverik (Everyman, 2007)
£14.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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The Classical Sicilian is one of Black's most popular and highly regarded opening choices against 1 e4, and it's been a favourite of such greats as Vladimir Kramnik, Alexei Shirov and Vishy Anand. White has a number of aggressive ways to battle against the Classical: the fashionable Richter-Rauzer Attack; Bobby Fischer's favourite, the Sozin Attack; and finally the wild Velimirovic Attack, and no work on the Classical would be complete without a study of these fascinating variations. In this book, Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik revisit the basics of the Classical Sicilian, elaborating on the crucial early moves and plans for both sides in a way that is often neglected in other texts • Starting Out opening books are ideal for enthusiastic chess players who have little experience of the openings in question and who wish to appreciate the essential principles behind them • 176 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

The Complete Chess Workout by Richard Palliser (Everyman, 2007)
£17.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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All top chess players agree that to keep your tactical muscles in shape it's imperative to continue training, and the easiest and most fun way to do this is by performing tactical exercises. Even solving a few puzzles for ten minutes each day can be of the utmost benefit for the aspiring player. But where can one find the required number of suitable puzzles to satisfy this demand? Look no further than The Complete Chess Workout. In this book, tactics expert Richard Palliser presents the reader with a massive 1,200 puzzles, all checked for accuracy by the latest computer engines. There is something for players of all levels here: a huge number of basic tactics - forks, pins, skewers and checkmates - to appeal to beginners and improvers, and several brain-teasers that will tax even the strongest of players. Palliser has meticulously collected puzzles from practical play in recent years - a large percentage of the exercises here will be completely new to most readers. All the important tactical themes are covered, while there are special sections on opening traps and endgames. Work your way through this book, and your opponents will soon be on the receiving end of your increased tactical powers! • 318 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

Grandmaster Secrets: Winning Quickly at Chess by John Nunn (Gambit, 2007)
£15.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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A much expanded edition of 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures • In this tremendously instructive and entertaining work, John Nunn selects 125 of the finest short decisive grandmaster games of the modern era. For a grandmaster to lose a game in 25 moves or fewer takes something special, and club players can learn a great deal from studying these miniatures. Each of these games is a true battle, with the result often in doubt until near the very end of the struggle. Nunn identifies the most common causes of the errors that lead to the loser's demise, and how one can seek to take dramatic advantage of the opponent's risky or faulty play. In his thought-provoking extended introduction, he explains that, in many cases, the problem was of a psychological nature: often the loser fails to accept that events have not unfolded according to plan, and as a consequence steers into the reefs when there was still time to head for safer waters • 255 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

Grandmaster Secrets: The Caro Kann by Peter Wells (Gambit, 2007)
£15.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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The Caro-Kann is one of the most popular responses to 1 e4. Black stakes a claim to the central squares and seeks free development for all his pieces. While solid, it is by no means a drawing weapon - the resulting positions generally contain at least a degree of imbalance and the critical lines lead to sharp positions with chances for both sides. Many new approaches for both sides have been developed in recent years, and a good understanding of these ideas is vital for anyone looking to handle either side of the Caro with success • 175 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

50 Ways to Win at Chess by Steve Giddins (Gambit, 2007)
£14.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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In a sequel to the hugely successful 50 Essential Chess Lessons, Steve Giddins now presents 50 games that each illustrate an important winning method. This engaging and highly readable book is a painless way to build your personal arsenal of techniques and ideas. The games are mostly from the modern era, but with a few classic examples chosen to show key themes in as clear a way as possible. In these cases, the defender may have never seen the critical idea before, and fails to react appropriately. We then move on to more complex examples where the attacker needs to overcome stiffer resistance. Giddins repeatedly shows that despite the tactical complexity of many of these battles, the fundamental concepts can be grasped by all chess-players, and will help them navigate through apparently intimidating terrain • 173 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

New In Chess Magazine 2007/7
(New in Chess, 2007)
£6.50 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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Coverage of Anand's victory in Mexico, plus an interview with the new world champion • in Amsterdam the 'rising stars' defeat the 'experienced players' 26½-23½ • China vs UK match at Liverpool • and much more.
 

The Endgame by Marat Makarov (Chess Stars, 2007)
£14.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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The author Marat Makarov is a grandmaster and he has been practising as a coach for more than 20 years. "It was a great pleasure for me to work with this wonderful book. It includes more than 300 skillfully selected endgame positions which are of immense value for the practical player. It looks like you can encounter them in every tournament and I myself learned a lot from that book, while translating it. I believe this work is a necessity for every chess player’s library and it will ensure for you plenty of well-deserved points in your chess games," writes GM Evgeny Ermenkov. Among the author's pupils is the former USSR and Russian woman champion WGM Julia Demina • 180 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

Sicilian Defence with 2 c3: Alapin Variation by Sergei Tiviakov (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£18.99 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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The author Sergei Tiviakov writes: "I started playing the line 1 e4 c5 2 c3 in the Sicilian Defence as White in 1988. Since then I have employed it in more than 100 games, achieving a high performance score. My personal peak were the years 2005 - 2006, when I managed to win twelve 2 c3-games in a row. Yet I also know the other side of the coin - countless times I had to face this opening with Black when the opponents wanted to avoid my Dragon, for example during the World Candidates Match against Adams in New York in 1994. White tries to occupy the centre with a second pawn, and Black must know his stuff very well in order to be able to equalize. And this is only possible with 2...Nf6 - all other lines give the first player a small edge everywhere. Especially against stronger opponents, 2 c3 is an excellent weapon. If White doesn‘t risk anything, he cannot lose! Controlling the game, he can always make a draw from a position of strength. In contrast, playing for a win with Black is always connected with a extremely high risk, and we have seen many games when much higher rated players were completely smashed by White. In comparison with the main lines of the Sicilian, there is much less theory to study - and yet a lot of room for improvement for both sides." Video running time: 4 hours. System requirements: Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows Vista, DVD drive, mouse, soundcard • Read the December 2007 review
 

ChessBase Magazine 120 (ChessBase DVD-ROM, 2007)
£17.50 plus postage £1.50 UK, £3.00 overseas

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Mihail Marin annotates the World Championships in Mexico City. Also included are the latest tournaments - 40th Biel Chess Festival - Russia against China - Carlsbad. Opening surveys on English Defence A40 (Langrock), Czech Benoni A56 (Marin), Benko Gambit A57 (Stohl), Dutch Stonewall A90 (Moskalenko), Caro-Kann B14 (Hazai/Lukacs), Sicilian B45 (Rogozenko), Sicilian Najdorf B99 (Ftacnik), Ruy Lopez C66 (Marin), Tarrasch Defence D34 (Grivas), King's Indian E70 (Horvath), King's Indian E97 (Postny) • Read the December 2007 review
 

Chess Success: Planning After the Opening by Neil McDonald (Batsford, 2007)
£14.99 plus postage 10% UK, 20% overseas

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There are plenty of chess books that cover openings, but not so many that tell you what to do next. Every player has encountered problems once the opening phase of the game has ended, and this book provides solutions. Renowned chess author Neil McDonald guides you through a selection of over 40 recent instructive and entertaining Grandmaster games, all of which illustrate how sound planning and a clear head can help you through that crucial post-opening phase • 267 pages, softback • Read the December 2007 review
  

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