Just completed my set of Kasparov's books by purchasing volume II from USCF for twelve bucks on sale. Fascinated by the game between Botvinnik and Fischer at the 1962 Olympiad. Kasparov gives the background of Botvinnik--a great teacher but a not very likeable person, staunch communist (unlike Kasparov himself), someone who had already declared that Fischer could never be world champion because he lacked "character." Versus the maniacally anti-communist, anti-Russian, and just plain maniac Fischer. This game is also covered in Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games. Kasparov adds Botvinnik's commentary as the game progresses and his own analysis. Fischer gains what he thinks is an unsuperable advantage from his Grunfeld, but Botvinnik fights on, analyzes into the night (with the help of a Russian team) until he reaches a paradoxical draw from the endgame. Crushed by his inability to wrest the win from his communist enemy, Fischer walks away with tears in his eyes. This isn't just chess, it's high drama and great entertainment. This series of books and chess literature is unrivalled by anything written on the subject. I can't think of anything else like it. Full of flaws and errors and of course not entirely written by the great K, these volumes offer the best history of chess in any language. Kudos to K.
Originally posted by TommyC On the subject of predecessors, Kramnik gave an interesting interview here: http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=61
Originally posted by TheDarkKnight read it, pretty interesting, now ill think of those players styles a little differently.
I agree. Also Kramnik tends to link positional play with supersharp calculation of (often little) tactical lines, something I'd never thought of before, but which makes a lot of sense. His unfussed view of Botvinnik and identification of Karpov's main weakness as strategic (!) were also of particular surprise to me.
Oh, by the way, speaking of errors. My book (vol 2 Great Predecessors) has the first move of the Botvinnik-Fischer game wrong. In my edition it has Botvinnik playing e4 instead of c4, which makes more sense cause it is a Grunfeld. But aside from the set having hundreds of errors, it still is a fantastic achievement and anybody who is interested in the development of chess must have it! Also, i understand K is revising it for a new edition. Probably he will clear up all these annoying errors.
Originally posted by TommyC On the subject of predecessors, Kramnik gave an interesting interview here: http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=61
My Great Predecessors--Revisited
07 Jun '06 20:41
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