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Magazine Chess Book Reviews : January 2009Return to the Magazine Review Index
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The John Watson series was planned as a two-volume work, but the US author has now expanded this into a scheduled four volumes, the one under review being, as sub-titled, Understanding the English Opening and related structures. Volume 4 is to be on the Réti and also-rans like Bird’s, 1 b3, 1 b4, 1 e3, 1 g3 and so on. It is a very detailed work mentioning a bibliography of some 39 titles! Since it has many verbal annotations as well as variations and assessment, it is an impressive production. One point of detail struck the reviewer: pages 115-120 deal with The Cautious 4 e3 after 1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Nf3 Nc6 compared to the 19 pages devoted to 4 g3. However, after 4 e3 Bb4 5 Qc2 Bxc3 6 Qxc3 Qe7, Watson writes “... following 7 Be2 d5 Black has several ways to sidestep the standard 8 cxd5 Nxd5”, but fails to consider this continuation. Nevertheless, despite this point of detail, the overall impression must be of a thorough work that is impressive for quality of production and value for money. Review by Bernard Cafferty.
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As might have been expected from the author, the move to be played against 1e4 is 1...e6. But further down the line, after 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3, he gives you a choice depending on your experience and style. For the unambitious or theory-phobic there is the ‘Fort Knox’ – 3...dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bd7 and 5...Bc6; for the more ambitious or experienced, there is the Classical 3...Nf6, with the McCutcheon (4...Bb4) should White continue 4 Bg5. Against the Tarrach (3 Nd2), he recommends 3...Be7. All in all, it is a fresh and illuminating look at the basics of this ever-popular defence, written by an acknowledged expert. JS.
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This is an updated edition of the book The Lion: The Black Weapon, by the same authors (and reviewed in Magazine, April 2002). The Black Lion is the authors’ name for the opening system beginning 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Nbd7 (or 3...e5). There is no kingside fianchetto so it is more akin to the Philidor than the Pirc. The authors, Dutch amateur players, are hugely enthusiastic about their pet opening. One considerable advantage, of course, is that it can be used in response to either 1 e4 or 1 d4. It is a substantial tome, with plenty of original ideas and well-indexed. JS.
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All the usual features, including articles by Glenn Flear, Bogdan Lalic and Richard Palliser, with Glenn Flear also reviewing the latest books. Genna Sosonko gives some advice about what to do when faced with a theoretical novelty in the opening (which boils down to “don’t panic”). There is some particularly interesting material about Magnus Carlsen and the Dragon (Carlsen and Svidler are both quoted as making ‘special contributions’ to this). It is lively and topical as usual, and geared to the needs of keen and ambitious tournament competitors. JS.
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This is a weighty tome in which the young Israeli grandmaster expounds his repertoire ideas for White after 1 d4 d5 2 c4, focusing on main lines with a kingside fianchetto. Consequently you learn what his thinking is on the Slav, Catalan and Queen’s Gambit Accepted. The book is well laid out, with a move index for each chapter as well as at the back, so that navigation is straightforward. It is a highly detailed book but has plenty of textual explanations to keep things flowing. JS.
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The ‘KID’ is the King’s Indian Defence, of course, and the Slovak grandmaster has three main recipes for beating it: the Bayonet Attack (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0–0 6 Be2 e5 7 0–0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 b4); the main line (which Markos thinks should be named after Korchnoi – 9 Ne1); and Krasenkow’s pet line 6 h3). This is a very thoughtful and well structured work. Markos has a pleasantly intimate style of writing which enhances some obviously thorough research and analysis. JS.
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Not just a book on chess but on philosophy and aesthetics. On Steinitz: “The world did not listen but mocked at him... so the world spoke and acted accordingly, but the world was entirely mistaken. The world would have benefited if it had given Steinitz a chance. He was a thinker worthy of a seat in the halls of a university.” Lasker’s touching tribute to his predecessor is an example of the style of this famous work on chess. Editor Taylor Kingston has computer-checked the contents but changes are both unobtrusive and sparing. Quite simply a classic work. JS.
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A slim volume on the recent ‘Battle of Bonn’ where Anand beat Kramnik for the title. Roughly half the book is introductory material on the contenders and their predecessors, before coverage of the games begins about halfway through the book. Some of the games receive only perfunctory notes. In this day and age, an ‘instant book of the match’ hardly seems worth the bother given that the games can be followed in real-time along with much more extensive related material. JS.
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This issue has coverage of the World Championship match in Bonn. JS.
Endgame Fireworks by Alexei Shirov (ChessBase DVD-ROM), £27.95;
Mega Database 2009 (ChessBase DVD-ROM), £99.95;
Big Database 2009 (ChessBase DVD-ROM), £39.99;
Power Play 8: Knights and Bishops by Daniel King (ChessBase DVD-ROM), £23.95.
