Sicilian Repertoires and Unexplored Territory by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month Sveshnikov vs. the Anti-Sicilians by Evgeny Sveshnikov Modernized: The Open Sicilian by Zhanibek Amanov and Kostya Kavutskiy The Killer Sicilian by Tony Rotella 1...b6 Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala This month I will review one title from New In Chess: Sveshnikov vs. the Anti-Sicilians, one title from Metropolitan Chess Publishing: Modernized: The Open Sicilian, and two titles from Everyman Chess: The Killer Sicilian and 1...b6 Move by Move. These four books should all appeal to a broad range of chess players. Sveshnikov vs. the Anti-Sicilians by Evgeny Sveshnikov, New In Chess 2014, Figurine … [Read more...]
A Mixed Bag and Several Gems
A Mixed Bag and Several Gems by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month The Liberated Bishop Defence by Alexey Bezgodov Grandmaster Repertoire: 1.e4 Volume 2, 1.e4 vs The Sicilian I by Parimarjan Negi Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 2: Mar del Plata I by Vassilios Kotronias Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 2: Mar del Plata II by Vassilios Kotronias This month I will review one title from New In Chess: The Liberated Bishop Defence and three titles from Quality Chess: Grandmaster Repertoire: 1.e4 Volume 2: 1.e4 vs The Sicilian I, Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 2: Mar del Plata I, and Kotronias on the King’s Indian Volume 3: Mar del Plata II. The first of these books is … [Read more...]
Two Pounds of Bologan and Pick Up the Czech
Two Pounds of Bologan and Pick Up the Czech by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month New In Chess Yearbook 112 edited by Genna Sosonko Bologan’s Black Weapons in the Open Games by Victor Bologan The Czech Benoni in Action by Asa Hoffman and Greg Keener This month I will review two titles from New In Chess: New In Chess Yearbook 112 and Bologan's Black Weapons in the Open Games, along with the Mongoose Press title The Czech Benoni in Action. New In Chess Yearbook 112 by New In Chess 2014, Figurine Algebraic Notation, 256pp. Hardcover, $39.95 (ChessCafe Price $32.37); Paperback, $33.95 (ChessCafe Price $27.47) Condensed Contents: Opening Highlights (2 pages) Your … [Read more...]
ChessBase and the Mega Database
ChessBase and the Mega Database by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month ChessBase 13 by ChessBase Mega Database 2015 by ChessBase This month I will review two software titles from ChessBase: ChessBase 13 and Mega Database 2015. This software is useful for both master level and club players. Chess software has become an essential tool for efficient chess study. The majority of chess players utilize software to record games and prepare openings – chess software is also indispensable for writing chess books and publishing to the web. The ChessBase software program is the industry-standard tool utilized by both professional and club players to record and study their own games. A … [Read more...]
Kasparov, Patterns, and Rulebreakers
Kasparov, Patterns, and Rulebreakers by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov Part III: 1993-2005 by Garry Kasparov Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition by Arthur van de Oudeweetering Play Unconventional Chess and Win by Noam A. Manella and Zeev Zohar This month I will review three recent titles: two from Everyman Chess and one from New in Chess. These books should satisfy both master level and club players. Game collections written by world champions belong to a special category of timeless chess books – classics by Alekhine, Botvinnik, Tal, and Fischer spring to mind. This type of book may seem less relevant in the age of instant information and … [Read more...]
The Concrete Block Test
The Concrete Block Test by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month New In Chess Yearbook #111 edited by Genna Sosonko The Secret Life of Bad Bishops by Esben Lund This month I will review two recent titles: one from the New in Chess Yearbook series and one from Quality Chess. Both of these books are primarily for advanced players, but club players can benefit also. One method of deciding whether or not to purchase a particular chess book is to apply the Concrete Block Test: Will I utilize this chess book to improve my play, or will it have the same impact on my play as if I had driven to the local home improvement store, purchased a concrete block, and placed it on my … [Read more...]
A Sparkling Debut and Too Much C.R.A.P.
A Sparkling Debut and Too Much C.R.A.P. by Jim Rizzitano Reviewed this Month Grandmaster Repertoire: 1.e4 Volume 1 by Parimarjan Negi The Trompowsky Attack: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala Grandmaster Repertoire 18: The Sicilian Sveshnikov by Vassilios Kotronias Play the Accelerated Dragon by Peter Lalic This month I will review four recent titles: two in the Quality Chess Grandmaster Repertoire series, one in the Everyman Chess Move by Move series, and another book from Everyman Chess. The two Grandmaster Repertoire books are for advanced players and the Everyman titles are primarily for club players. The two happiest days in the life of a chess book author are: The day he … [Read more...]
Dynamic Openings
by Carsten Hansen Reviewed this Month The Tarrasch Defence: Move by Move by Sam Collins The Extreme Caro-Kann: Attacking Black with 3.f3 by Alexey Bezgodov Playing the Trompowsky: An Attacking Repertoire by Richard Pert Play the Accelerated Dragon by Peter Lalic This month we will look at four recent books on openings that have a decent following at many levels, but are not currently as popular as their reputation suggests. The Tarrasch Defence: Move by Move by Sam Collins, Everyman Chess 2014, Figurine Algebraic Notation, Paperback, 254pp. $27.95 (ChessCafe Price $23.87); Ebook $21.95 In my February 2012 column, we looked at the very advanced Grandmaster Repertoire: … [Read more...]
Grandmaster Reference Guides
by Carsten Hansen Reviewed this Month The Alekhine Defence: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala Kotronias on the King's Indian, Volume One: Fianchetto Systems by Vassilios Kotronias A Cutting-Edge Gambit against the Queen's Indian by Imre Hera & Ufuk Tuncer Grandmaster Repertoire 12: The Modern Benoni by Marian Petrov This month we feature four recent titles: one in the popular Move by Move series by Everyman Chess, and three distinctly more complicated and advanced works, all written by grandmasters and opening specialists. It would be nice to say that there is something for everyone in this month's harvest, but they are either decidedly for advanced and strong players or for … [Read more...]