300 Most Important Chess Positions, Thomas Engqvist, Batsford, Paperback, ISBN 9781849945127, 302pp., $21.95 Thomas Engqvist is an international master from Sweden, who has been a chess coach and teacher for more than thirty years. He has worked with players at world championship level in both junior and correspondence chess. Here is how 300 Most Important Chess Positions is described on the publishers website (as of this writing): “These are positions every chess player must know, presented by an international grandmaster and expert teacher. This strategy-packed book offers 50 openings; 150 middle-game positions, arranged by theme; and 100 endgame positions that cover everything … [Read more...]
Book Reviews
Lasker: Move by Move, Zenon Franco
Lasker: Move by Move, Zenon Franco, Everyman Chess, Paperback, ISBN 9781781944349, 448pp., $29.95; Ebook $21.95 Zenon Franco is a Paraguayan grandmaster who is an experienced trainer and has authored numerous books on chess. He represented Paraguay on top board in seven Chess Olympiads, and won individual gold medals at Lucerne 1982 and Novi Sad 1990. Here is how Lasker: Move by Move is described on the publishers website: “Emanuel Lasker was world champion for a remarkable 27 years (1894-1921) and is generally regarded as having been way ahead of his time in his understanding of chess. He primarily regarded chess as a fight and considered that the strongest move in a position was … [Read more...]
Opening Repertoire: 1 e4, Cyrus Lakdawala
Opening Repertoire: 1 e4, Cyrus Lakdawala, Everyman Chess, ISBN 978-1-78194-475-2, 336pp., Paperback $29.95; Ebook $21.95 Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master with numerous open and state championships alongside other accolades. Lakdawala probably needs little introduction as an author to any seasoned reader of chess literature. He is a prolific and sometimes polarizing writer in the chess world, authoring more than two dozen books – some of which featuring the very lines this book is meant to face (Caro-Kann, Alekhine, etc). The back cover has a straightforward and, as it turns out, mostly accurate description of the book: “The suggested variations for Whites are ones that … [Read more...]
Queen’s Gambit Declined: Vienna
Queen’s Gambit Declined: Vienna, Jacek Ilczuk and Krzysztof Panczyk, Everyman Chess, Paperback, ISBN 9781781944776, 336pp., $28.95; Ebook $21.95 Jacek Ilczuk is a senior international master in correspondence chess; while Krzysztof Panczyk is an international master in over-the-board play. Panczyk placed third in the 1991 Polish championship and was awarded a medal for outstanding services to chess by the Polish Chess Federation. The authors have been publishing together for sixteen years in which they have written several books and more than fifty theoretical surveys for the New in Chess Yearbook. They are described as “leading chess theoreticians, well known for the depth and … [Read more...]
The Schliemann Defence: Move by Move, Junior Tay
The Schliemann Defence: Move by Move, Junior Tay, Everyman Chess, Paperback, ISBN 9781781943267, 400pp., $29.95; Ebook $21.95 Junior Tay is a FIDE candidate master and an ICCF senior international master. He is a former National Rapid and Cairnhill Open Champion and has represented Singapore in international events, including the 1995 Asian Team Championships. He is a frequent contributor to New in Chess Yearbook opening surveys and also writes articles for CHESS magazine. He has been a chess trainer, author and editor for the past three years, after working as a school teacher for seventeen years. Here is how The Schliemann Defence: Move by Move is described on the back … [Read more...]
First Steps: Caro-Kann Defence by Andrew Martin
First Steps: Caro-Kann Defence, Andrew Martin, Everyman Press, ISBN 9781781944165, 240pp., Paperback $24.95, Ebook $21.95 Andrew Martin is a FIDE Senior Trainer and International Master. He is the current head of the newly-formed ECF Academy, which provides elite training for strong, young players. He teaches in twelve schools, is an experienced chess writer and has produced numerous chess DVDs (including some on the Caro-Kann; He also used to manage the Caro-Kann theory section of Chesspublishing.com). As described on the back cover: “The Caro-Kann Defence arises after the moves 1.e4 c6. With this first move Black (as is also the case with the French Defence – 1.e4 e6) plans … [Read more...]
British Chess Literature to 1914 by Tim Harding
British Chess Literature to 1914, Tim Harding, McFarland, Paperback, ISBN 9781476668390, 393pp., $49.95 Tim Harding is a well-known writer on many aspects of chess and chess history. He is the former editor of Chess Mail magazine and he contributed the monthly “The Kibitzer” articles for almost twenty years here at ChessCafe.com. He is a senior international master of correspondence chess. He lives in Dublin, Ireland and represented Ireland at the 1984 FIDE chess Olympiad in Thessaloniki. Here is how British Chess Literature to 1914 is described on the back cover: “A huge amount was published about chess in the United Kingdom before the First World War. The growing popularity of chess … [Read more...]
First Steps: 1 e4 e5 by John Emms
First Steps: 1 e4 e5, John Emms, Everyman Chess, Paperback, ISBN 9781781944134, 304pp., $24.95; Ebook $21.95 British grandmaster John Emms is an experienced chess coach who has trained many national junior champions. He has coached teams at the World and European Youth Chess Championships, and is a coach at the Kent Junior Chess Association, whose Under-9 team won the national championship in 2016 and 2017. Emms has played for England at two Chess Olympiads and captained the team at the 2002 Bled Olympiad. He has authored many books on all aspects of chess. Here is how First Steps: 1 e4 e5 is described on the back cover: “Starting a chess game with 1 e4 e5 is so common that the … [Read more...]
First Steps: The Scandinavian by Cyrus Lakdawala
First Steps: The Scandinavian, Cyrus Lakdawala, Everyman Chess, Paperback, ISBN 9781781944547, 224pp., $24.95; Ebook $21.95 Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master, a former National Open and American Open Champion, and a six-time State Champion. He has been teaching chess for more than thirty years, and is said to coach some of the top junior players in the U.S. He is a prolific author for Everyman Chess, having penned at least twenty-seven titles to date. Here is how First Steps: The Scandinavian is described on the back cover: “The Scandinavian (also known as the Centre Counter Defence) occurs when Black meets White’s 1 e4 with 1...d5, immediately countering in the centre. White … [Read more...]
The Modern Samisch by Eric Montany
Opening Repertoire: The Modern Sämisch: Combating the King’s Indian and Benoni with 6 Bg5!, Eric Montany, Everyman Chess, Paperback, ISBN: 9781781944011, 368pp., $29.95; Ebook $19.95 Eric Montany is a USCF National Master and has twice won the state championship of Colorado. He studied physics and engineering and is currently a science teacher and chess club advisor at The Harker School in San Jose, CA, whose students won the 2016 Team National High School Chess Championship. The Modern Sämisch is his first book. Here is how it is described on the back cover: “The Sämisch variation is a powerful method to counter the popular King’s Indian Defence. The key move is the advance f2-f3, … [Read more...]
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