Paulbuchmanfromfics Chess Book Reviews

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
I am thinking about reviewing my entire collection for fun.

The collection is over 400.

Is anyone interested?

Hi Paul.
I notice you're rated over 2000 on this site. Do you play any chess in real-life, because the only Paul Buchman I can find on the USCF player database has a rating of 468 elo points???

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
I imagine your copy of the Suba book must be falling apart. 🙂

The first and the second yes, they drove both totally BLR; but the third one I have right now is still in perfect condition😵

Originally posted by Squelchbelch
Hi Paul.
I notice you're rated over 2000 on this site. Do you play any chess in real-life, because the only Paul Buchman I can find on the USCF player database has a rating of 468 elo points???

I haven't played OTB since I was a beginner (over 9 years ago).

I'll admit my rating isn't very high (and Paul Buchman isn't my real name).

In fact, I didn't really know much at all in my first tournaments. I remember my very first game going 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6. I played d6 because I wanted to play e5 and reach something similar to a double king pawn opening. A few rounds later I played 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 exf4, running right into 4.e5.

I did beat two masters in one tournament (Game in 29) around 1998 though. That was one of my last tournaments OTB. I finished with a score of 7/8, but the winner had 7 1/2 / 8 !!! I can't be sure of the exact date (You don't write down the moves in under G/30.), but I do know it was around the time of the first addition of A Strategic Opening Repertoire by Donaldson. I used that set up in every round.
One of the masters played 1.Nf3 d6 2.c4 e5 3.g3 Bg4 4.Bg2 f5 (or something very similar). The other played 1.Nf3 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.g3 e5.
The one I lost was a Grand Prix Sicilian where I made the setup with black and got myself mated. 🙁


I have a friend that is USCF 1850, and I do really well against him (once had a 26 game winning streak). My FICS ratings are all over 2000. I believe myself to be in the 2000 - 2100 range. I have beaten people as high as 2400 on FICS, but I can't do it regularly. 2100 players are where my troubles begin. I'd say I break even around there.

A little more info ... I did have a ICC account back around November (free week trial). I beat quite a few GM's at 1 0 !!! I guess I'm mostly a clock player.

All time highs

Redhotpawn 2108 (I put off resigning the losses to get as high as I could, so that isn't completely accurate.)

FICS 3 Minute : 2100 (Mar 2, 2009)
1 Minute: 2179 (Jan 11, 2009)
15 , 20 , and occasionally 30 minute 2168 (High)/ Current 2137

Paul,

That was a fine job of reviewing chess books . . . and a bit overwhelming! If you (and anyone else) are up to it, what I'd like to see is any one or all of the following:
1) your top ten favorites, in general
2) your top ten best recs for the intermediate player
3) something like your top 3 or 4 recs in each category, e.ge., tactics, positional play, etc.

Again, great book reviews. Thanks!

Coming Soon:

Garry Kasparov On Modern Chess Series
Chess On The Edge 1-3 By Bruce Harper
Play The Grunfeld By Yelena Dembo
Dangerous Weapons:1.e4 e5 By Emms, Flear, And Greet
Smyslov's Best Games Volume 2: 1958-1995 By Smyslov
The Chebaneko Slav According To Bologan By Bologan
The Berlin Wall By Cox
Kasparov's Fighting Chess 1993-1998 & 1999-2005 By Karolyi And Alpin
World Champion At The Third Attempt By Sanakoev
Winning Pawn Structures By Baburin
Leonid Stein Master Of Risk Strategy By Gufeld

1. Garry Kasparov On Modern Chess Volume 1 (Revolution In The 70's)

This is a nice hardback book but unlike the others in the series. It takes a look at the opening innovations from that era and how they evolved. I consider it more a nice book to learn about openings and opening ideas than a real improvement book. I haven't read the entire book, but I did read a few of the sections. I read the sections on the c3 Sicilian and Advance French, for instance. It both cases it leads the reader from the early opening experiences in these openings to the modern interpretations with some nice commentary. The real gem to me is the last chapter titled, The Opinions Of 28 World Experts. They ask various talented players about the changes in chess over the years.

It's a nice book overall, but it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the series.

2. Garry Kasparov On Modern Chess Part 2 (and 3)

Part 2 is a really nice book. It covers the early encounters between two of the greatest players of all time (Kasparov and Karpov). First, are the prematch encounters from various years. Then, comes the meat of the book the first two matches that they disputed for the world title. There is a lot of commentary and backstories in this book. In fact, there is so much, that I didn't even read it all. I did, however, play through every single game in the book!!! The games are quite excellent and really well annotated. Be warned however, the games are of a very high standard, and sometimes it is really hard to grasp what is going on. These guys are that good!!! Also, this book fills a gap in chess literature (here in America at least). A book on these matches has been unavailable for many years.

Highly Recommended

As for Volume 3, I haven't actually read much of it. It does have the exact layout as the previous volume (and pick up on the Kasparov-Karpov matches where the other left off). It's really more of a continuation of the previous volume (which I highly recommend). The analysis looks just as nice, but I can't officially give it a rating because I haven't technically read it.

Quit goofing about with second rate masters and finish the one on suttles 😠

😛

Suttles was brilliant, as was Tal.

But Suttles was Suttles.

I played his ideas (I think we all did when they his games crossed the pond).
We all got hammered.

Same happened with the Miles a6 game.

'Never before in the field of human Chess play have so many been totally confused
by so few.'

Tal. Miles, Suttles.....yes worship them, but emulate them at your peril.

3. Chess On The Edge Volume 1 (2 and 3 are in the mail now!)

This book takes a look at quite an interesting player, Canadian GM (and Correspondence GM) Duncan Suttles. His games are really different from anything you may have seen. Duncan had his own style and perfected it.
He is most famous for being a pioneer of the Modern Defense (1. ... g6) in the 60's and 70's.

This book takes a look at 100 of his best games by theme (positional play, space, The Suttles Style, etc). (Volumes 2 and 3 are games by ECO code.) The annotations are really nice (with commentary not codes/symbols), and the games are quite interesting. Each game Duncan does something that totally surprises me. Therefore his greatest assets are his originality and his endless fighting spirit.

The series is a bit pricey (hardback though). I suggest anyone interested start with book one, like I did. It contains some really nice games and may be enough on its own.

Highly Recommended

4. Play The Grunfeld

I don't spend much time reviewing opening books. In fact, our own Tony has reviewed this book himself (quite nicely). I'll just say this is an excellent book and a necessary update to Rowson's Understanding The Grunfeld. The repertoire is complete, gives nice alternatives to messy main lines, and is really well done.

Great Book

5. Dangerous Weapons 1.e4 e5

This is my first venture into Dangerous Weapons territory. I was quite happy when I opened the book. It is like a collection of surveys of various opening innovations (or revisions) in all the open games. Each "survey" does a really nice job. It includes illustrative games, ideas, and an analysis section with variations. The thing that lured me in was the section on the Center Game. No one has done a real analysis of this opening in years (although top players have played it occasionally).

Nice Book ... Mostly For Opening Book Junkies (Like Me)

6. Smyslov's Best Games Volume II: 1958-1995

I don't own Volume I because I own a different book by Smyslov that covers his early career (not as completely though).

Volume II picks up in Smyslov's career with his return match against Botvinnik. I have played through at least 15 of the games so far, and each one is excellent. The annotations are nice (by Smyslov himself). The games are very positional (and enjoyable to me). There are 186 games total, and all of the crosstables from his later career are included. The book is in hardback and quite unique in its shape and design. These publishers did a 3 book set on Botvinnik in addition to the 2 on Smyslov.

Nice Book ... Mostly For Smyslov Fans

7. The Chebanenko Slav According To Bologan

I bought this book to learn about a fairly new variation (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6). The opening chapter about the invention of the variation and its actual inventor is excellent. After that, the book takes a turn for the worse. My biggest problem is the layout. The author will mention a move, and there will be six replies to it. You'd think each reply would at least have a page number to reference. This is not the case. You have to go through each one, wondering which is the best and hope you don't overlook the one you are searching for. It's like the main lines are camoflauged to fit in with the other variations. I have had fits trying to make out a variation. I know this doesn't really say anything about the analysis, but the format of the book has really thrown me off. Seek another review.

Thank you 🙂

8. The Berlin Wall By John Cox

This is a Quality Chess book. First of all, let me say that this is the best publisher in the business today!!! I'm not just saying that because they published Greenpawn's book either, rather in spite of it. hehe I have yet to buy a quality chess book that hasn't been excellent. I bought an early version of Experts VS The Sicilian, and they emailed me the revisions! Then, I found a typo in Marin's Play The Open Games As Black, and John Shaw wrote me back the very same day! These people know their business and are at the top of their game. Also, the Quality Chess website gives you an inside preview of most of their books! (Chess Champions Of The New Millennium is now on my wishlist.) Back to the book at hand ...

The Berlin Wall doesn't fail the great tradition of quality from Quality Chess. Since 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 (Berlin Main Line) goes right into an endgame, why not study it first? That's what this great book does. The first 137 (!!!) pages are devoted to themes and endings (good endings for black, bad endings, bishop endings, knight endings, everything you can imagine). You learn how to play before you begin memorizing variations! That's the way an opening book should be. Next, comes the variations (sometimes with more that one choice) and a complete repertoire against all of white's deviations from the main line. This is a nice book for endgame lovers or anyone needing a solid defense to the Ruy Lopez.

Excellent Book

9. Kasparov's Fighting Chess 1993-1998 & 1999-2005

These are two nice books that pick up on the latter part of Garry's career. (His Fighting Chess book was published around 1995.) The games are naturally of a high standard and very well annotated. I have noticed that a lot of the games I have played through are from rapid events. Kasparov must have played a lot of the faster time controls in his later career. The books are quite large (and thick) and not that expensive ($10 from one site). I believe to get better you have to study the games of great players. This set will not let you down.

Recommended

10. World Champion At The Third Attempt By Sanakoev

" 59 Chess Masterpieces by a Correspondence World Champion"
That sums it up. hehe
I haven't read much of this book. My friend really enjoyed it and has mostly told me about it. The book covers Sanakoev's three attempts to be the best in the world. The first two were failures (and apparently he goes in nice detail explaining the ups and downs). This book does include losses! ( a rarity)! I have played through maybe 3 games myself. They are of a very high quality and the annotations include both nice commentary and really deep variations of analysis. The author really was searching for the truth in the positions.
My review here is more of food for thought. Seek another review or just buy it and see.

11. Winning Pawn Structures By Baburin

Last year, my friend loaned me his copy. I had always had trouble with isolated queen pawn positions and was very interested in learning about them. This is definitely the book for that (only focus of the book). I devoured this book the minute I got my hands on it. Included are many white ideas (push to d5, sac on f7, sac on h6, etc) and black ideas (trade, blockade, etc). Even endgames are covered. The format is like a very good games collection. Whole games are included (with original players analysis and some computer analysis!). This is one of the best middlegame books I have ever read.

That being said, this book is nearly impossible to find (out of print too expensive compared to the original 15.99 price). In fact, I don't think it was even published for America at all (the 15.99 is not in dollars). My friend found a copy and gave it to me for Christmas!

Excellent Book ... Highly Recommended

12. Leonid Stein: Master Of Risk Strategy By Gufeld

Stein was another of the truly great Soviet masters. In addition, he had a dynamic style and introduced many nice ideas (in KID, Modern Benoni, etc).
This book takes a look at his games. The first 92 pages include a biography (with photos). Next, come the games (61 + various positions). The games are annotated quite nicely with commentary and variations. Stein's games speak for themselves. I have only played through about 5, and they were very tactical. I haven't read enough for a complete review, but what I have seen, I like very much.

Did you review: "How to Play Against 1 e4" Mcdonald

Wow! Thank you for sharing! Great Stuff.

Originally posted by sydsad
Did you review: "How to Play Against 1 e4" Mcdonald

Hi ... I'm sorry, but I don't have that one.

Originally posted by surgubbe
Wow! Thank you for sharing! Great Stuff.

Very Welcome!