Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsI don't think I'm interested in this one, as I'm sure it's far beyond my novice abilities.
40. Chess Tactics For Advanced Players By Yuri Averbakh
CLASSIC
Great book. Be warned ... It covers some very advanced (hard) tactics. It is certainly a great book though. Well Worth The Time And Effort.
Highly Recommended
But, for those interested, it's back in print, thanks to Ed Labate (I think he bought out Chess Digest's publishing business way back when). It's in softcover, figurine algebraic notation, for somewhere around $24 or $25. He's selling it on his website (www.labatechess.com) and on ebay.
Originally posted by KneeCapsWinning With The Nimzo Indian By Keene
Could you give a review of #457 Winning with the Nimzo by Keene? Thanks.
1991 160 Pages
The introduction has games (lightly annotated) that show themes in the defense.
Then, he begins to tackle specific variations, starting with the Capablanca variation (4.Qc2).
The book uses games (moderate to little text) with the analysis withing.
I feel as though this may be a good general guide to the Nimzo Indian, but there isn't enough analysis to take it up seriously.
I will give an example.
The first game in this chapter starts 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 (No other white move is examined.) Bxc5 (With a note preferring 5. ... Nc6/Qa5/Qxc5).
The next game drops c5 completely and switches to 4. ... d5.
After a mere 3 games, 4. ... d5 is dropped and 4. ...0-0 is covered.
This ISN'T enough analysis.
Every variation is covered (including 4.Nf3 b6) about the same way.
There also isn't an index in the back.
I own this book and still wouldn't rely on it to play the Nimzo-Indian.
Maybe, and just maybe, a good first guide.
Generally, Not Worth Owning
Find a better book on the Nimzo.
Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsThanks for the info.
Winning With The Nimzo Indian By Keene
1991 160 Pages
I own this book and still wouldn't rely on it to play the Nimzo-Indian.
Maybe, and just maybe, a good first guide.
Generally, Not Worth Owning
Find a better book on the Nimzo.
Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsThanks for the info. Yea, I've been dabbling with the Tarrasch lately and I'm not sure if I like it. I played a good game at the club with a semi-tarrasch, actually I blew the win and it ended with a draw. I play the Caro-Kann against 1.e4 and should probably try out the Slav against 1.d4 since it has similar pawn structure, is solid, but can be dynamic as well.
To review Meeting 1.d4, I would first like to review A Complete Defense To Queen Pawn Openings (Both books cover the Tarrasch Queen's Gambit (1.d5 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5) from black's perspective.
Compete Defense To Queen Pawn Openings By Schiller
1998 288 Pages
First, there is an overview, followed by strategic themes in the Tarrasch Def ...[text shortened]... th it, however.
You really do have to decide for yourself. Buy one and try it out.
I'd like to try out a dvd, but like you said, they can be pricey. One of the prizes at our club championship this year is a chess dvd, so I guess I'll just have to win it!
Thanks again, I may ask for some more reviews soon.
Originally posted by AttilaTheHornI don't really have a book I feel comfortable with on the Nimzo.
Do you have a book you can recommend on the Nimzo?
Winning Against 1.d4 by Tangborn is a repertoire book with The Nimzo/Bogo Indians for black. I has analysis of most of white's setups and illustrative games. The book is kind of thin though. It only covers a set repertoire (deviations for black really aren't looked at). It does seem pretty good though.
Mastering The Nimzo Indian By Kosten is supposed to be a good guide to the structures. It is not like Mastering The French (one of my favorites) and is also very thin. It may be a good book but I really haven't given it much time.
I was thinking of ordering a good general guide to the Nimzo, myself.
Here are a few books that I was thinking about (You should go to Amazon.com and read their reviews.)
Play The Nimzo Indian (I think by Dearing) Again it is a repertoire book, not a whole guide.
Starting Out: The Nimzo Indian If it is like Starting Out: The Caro-Kann, it should be good. You don't get pages and pages of analysis but they do cover the main lines and alternatives pretty well.
I also noticed a lot of books on specific variations of the Nimzo-Indian but don't know much about them. I generally hate the books that just annotate games. I like books with lines and lines so you can see everything.
There is an older book called Play The Nimzo Indian (70s or 80s) by Geller. It is dated but does seem to cover everything.
I think a new book on the Nimzo Indian is needed on the market.
I just thought of another one to look for a review of. Chess Explained The Nimzo Indian .... I don't own any of the Chess Explained series but they may be good as well.
- Joined
- 07 Jan 08
- Moves
- 34575
I have a book called New Ideas In The Nimzo-Indian Defence, by Tony Kosten, 1994.
This book has 189 complete games and is like many opening books - you're not going to go page by page through it, but rather look closely at the variations and lines that interest you. It's not a book that looks friendly for the beginner but at the same time it's not as cryptic as some opening books that I have. It has variation summaries and seems to cover all the major lines that I know of.
I found this seller on ebay:
http://stores.ebay.com/labatechessdautkaum
This might be useful for anyone thinking about buying a chess book. This seller displays about 6 or more pages from every book he's selling. It's a good way to get a sample of the book before buying. He has a lot of the books that Paul has recommended.
He even has Winning against 1.d4 by Tangborn that Paul mentioned in his last post.
Originally posted by KneeCapslabatechess.com is his own website, with chess books as well.
I found this seller on ebay:
http://stores.ebay.com/labatechessdautkaum
This might be useful for anyone thinking about buying a chess book. This seller displays about 6 or more pages from every book he's selling. It's a good way to get a sample of the book before buying. He has a lot of the books that Paul has recommended.
He even has Winning against 1.d4 by Tangborn that Paul mentioned in his last post.
Sometimes his prices are cheaper on ebay, sometimes at his site.
He even has listings on amazon.com.
He will give you the lowest price of the 3 if you mention it to him.
He also gives free shipping in the U.S. on orders of 3 book or more (as long as it is three seperated books - 4 book bundles count as 1).
Mr. Labate has many out of print books, especially those published by Chess Digest.
I think that he bought out there books when they went out of business.
His prices on those books are very good.
He even gives free books like Chess Digest used to.
I usually buy newer books from Amazon and older ones from Mr.Labate.
Feel free to compare prices and decide. 🙂
Originally posted by daviddenisI'll start with the Grunfeld. It's easier. 🙂
Can you give a recommendation for a book on the Kings Indian defense and the Grunfeld.
Thanks for thsi great thread. I have created a large wish list based on the reviews you have written. Hopefully Santa is good to me this year.
I only have two really good books on the Grunfeld.
The Complete Grunfeld By Suetin
1991 306 Pages
This is not an instruction manual on the Grunfeld. It is just pages and pages of analysis.
Every variation is covered and there is a nice index in the back.
It is a very good reference book to all the variations.
That being said, it is sadly dated.
17 years is a long time to not be covered in an opening as commonly used in GM chess as the Grunfeld.
Very Good But I Guess Too Dated Now
Understanding The Grunfeld By Jonathan Rowson
1999 240 Pages
This book takes an opposite approach from the previous one.
Here the Grunfeld is looked from an instructive standpoint.
There is a lot of discussion/text on STRUCTURES that arise from the Grunfeld.
Don't get me wrong there is some good analysis of many variations (and an opening index in the back), but the emphasis is more on planning than memorization.
This is not your usual opening book.
The author has his own style, and it is quite enjoyable.
Chapters include Why The Grunfeld, Appetizers (Great Games Played With The Grunfeld), Dealing With Delroy (Delroy, if I remember correctly, is his term for the passed d-pawn that white typically gets out of the opening.), Side Steps ( A look at the lesser used lines),A Pint Of Carlsberg, The Eager Lady (early queen move variations),and many more !!!
There is even a quiz in the back.
This is ONE OF MY FAVORITE OPENING MANUALS.
The author has not only written a new and instructive format, it is also kind of fun to play through.
VERY WELL DONE
There are obviously other (newer) books on the Grunfeld out there (Starting Out ... Explained ... etc). You should maybe check amazon for some of those titles and read the reviews.
While I can't recommend The Complete Grunfeld (due to aging), I can recommend Understanding The Grunfeld. It is really good.
I'll do The King's Indian in another reply.
Originally posted by daviddenisThe King's Indian Defense is a hard one to tackle. There are many many books on it (being the most popular defense to 1.d4).
Can you give a recommendation for a book on the Kings Indian defense and the Grunfeld.
Thanks for thsi great thread. I have created a large wish list based on the reviews you have written. Hopefully Santa is good to me this year.
Here are some reviews of my books on it.
The King's Indian Defence By Barden, Hartson, & Keene
1973 334 Pages Descriptive Notation
This was a great early book on the King's Indian.
Every variation is examined with pages and pages of analysis.
It is a good one book guide to all the variations.
That being said, it too is aged very badly.
35 years is simply too long to go without analysis updates.
Don't get me wrong, everything is looked at in this one, including the modern trend --- the Bayonet Attack.
Great Book ... Too Old Now
* I think Keene wrote the Complete King's Indian around 1992. It may be an updated version of the above book. It too is too old now.
Secrets Of The King's Indian By Gufeld And Schiller
2000 312 Pages
The book tries to cover every variation with games and analysis.
There is even a good chapter on heroes of the King's Indian.
That being said, I don't think there is enough analysis.
The book covers everything (or tries to) to quickly.
Many of the sources are other opening manuals (Like Nunn's Chess Openings).
Maybe Good ... Opinions Vary ... Not That Great
The King's Indian For The Attacking Player By Burgess
1993 178 Pages
A repertoire book for black with the King's Indian.
This book came out when an early Na6 was all the rage in the King's Indian. It's not necassarily all that great, but it was a novel idea at the time.
The author tries to give systems for black vs many of white's main systems.
There are games, analysis, and index in the back.
The book may be good, but I never really liked it (or perhaps the suggestions in it).
Kasparov On The King's Indian By Kasparov And Schiller
Kasparov looks at the main white tries versus the King's Indian, sighting his games (with black).
The analysis ranges from light text to textless (just move suggestions).
The games are very good (and of a high caliber).
Mostly, the main lines are looked at.
A game collection of Kasparov's King's Indians can not be considered bad on any level.
A good look at some main lines in practice but perhaps not a good first guide to the King's Indian.
Bronstein On The King's Indian By Bronstein
Bronstein takes consideralbe time looking at the functions of all the pieces. He then begins to examine variations. He looks at them mainly from a structure standpoint, rather than concrete variations.
Many of his own games are included. This is not a reference manual.
It is an attempt to study the King's Indian from a structural/strategic standpoint.
That being said, I think it misses the mark badly.
The examples are very old.
There aren't enough concrete variations.
I can see the difference between what it tries to be and what it actually is.
Bronstein is one of the great chess authors/annotators (Zurich 1953/The Sorcerer's Apprentice), but this one is really below par, in my opinion.
Not Recommended
Beating The Anti-King's Indians By Gallagher
(The Unconventional King's Indian By Watson is almost the same book ... published around the same time ... Gallagher's is much better.)
1996 191 Pages
If you intend to take up the King's Indian, I highly recommend this book.
It is a guide to all the deviations from the main lines that white can throw at you.
Included is analysis of The Four Pawns Attack, The Averbakh, The Trompowsky (2.Bg5), Torre, London, Veresov, Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (which sadly takes quite a thrashing), and many more.
There is very little text. This book is mostly just analysis.
It does give a black system (and darn good one) against all these annoying variations, however.
VERY WELL WRITTEN ... Recommended
OTHER KING'S INDIAN BOOKS
Here are some books which I do not own.
Play The King's Indian by Gallagher (I believe) is a modern repertoire book for black. I have heard good things about this one. I suggest you go to amazon.com and investigate that one.
In addition, there are many books on independent variations.
Nunn, for instance, wrote quite a few (like The Main Line King's Indian). These type of books tend to be more reference (and the Nunn ones in particular are dated by now). You may also want to explore this possibility.
Another place to start may be the Starting Out Series ... Or Chess Explained Series (although I haven't actually seen the inside of one of these yet).
I have given you a guide to the books that I own. Further exploration (perhaps at amazon.com) should give you more ideas.
I hope this helps.
I just found a CD Disc that I bought on ebay.
It is supposed to be a CD collection of classic chess books.
Here are the books
The Works of Gianutio, and Gustavus Selenus on the Game of Chess By Orazio Gianutio , August Translated by J. H . Sarratt Published 1817 250 pages
A handbook of chess By George Frederick Pardon Published 1860 100 pages
A new treatise on chess By George Walker Published 1832 93 pages
A Treatise on the Game of Chess: Containing the Games on Odds, from the "Traité Des Amateurs ... By John Cochrane , Ercole del Rio Published 1822 T. and J. Allman 376 pages
A Treatise on the Game of Chess ... By Jacob Henry Sarratt Published 1808 293 pages
American Chess-nuts: A Collection of Problems By W. R. Henry, Charles Alexander Gilberg Published 1868 A. W. King 627 pages
An Easy Introduction to the Game of Chess: Containing One Hundred Examples of Games, and a Great ... By Benjamin Franklin , William Jones , François Danican Philidor Published 1816 Baldwin, Cradock and Joy [etc.] 254 pages
Analysis of the Game of Chess By François André Danican, Philidor , Montigny, Benjamin Franklin Translated by William Stopford Kenny Contributor Samuel Hale Parker, Waverley Press Published 1826 S.H. Parker 252 pages
Chess Analysed ; Or, Instructions by which a Perfect Knowledge of this Noble Game May in a Short ... By François Danican Philidor Published 1750 Printed for J. Nourse , and P. Vaillant, in the Strand 146 pages
Chess and Chess-players: Consisting of Original Stories and Sketches By George Walker Published 1850 C.J. Skeet 390 pages
Chess for Beginners: In a Series of Progressive Lessons, Showing the Most Approved Methods of ... By William Lewis Published 1846 Chapman and Hall 149 pages
Chess Openings for Beginners By Edward Ernest Cunnington Published 1900 98 pages
The Chess Player's Chronicle Published 1882 J. Sampson [etc., etc.] 320 pages
Chess Praxis: A Supplement to the Chess Player's Handbook, Containing All the Most Important ... By Howard Staunton Published 1871 G. Bell & Daldy 622 pages
Chess Sparks; Or, Short and Bright Games of Chess. By John Henry Ellis Published 1895 Longmans, Green 160 pages
Chess Stars: A Galaxy of Self-mates By John Augustus Miles Published 1888 J.A. Miles 82 pages
Chess World Published 1869 485 pages
Fifty Games at Chess: Which Have Actually Been Played, Most of which Occurreed Between the ... By William Lewis Published 1832 W. Simpkin and R . Marshall 108 pages
Game of Chess Willian Lewis published 1819 490 pages
Practical Chess Grammar: Or, An Introduction to the Royal Game of Chess, in a Series of Plates ... By William Stopford Kenny Published 1823 Allman 57 pages
Studies of Chess: Containing Caïssa, a Poem By William Jones , François Danican Philidor Published 1810 404 pages
Synopsis of Chess Openings: A Tabular Analysis By Joseph W. Miller , William Cook Published 1884 R. Clarke & co. 270 pages
The Art of Chess By James Mason, Leopold Hoffer Published 1905 H. Cox 459 pages
The Book of the Sixth American Chess Congress: Containing the Games of the International Chess ... By William Steinitz Published 1891 [s.n.] 490 pages
The celebrated analysis of the game of chess, tr. from the Fr. of A.D. Philidor, with notes and ... By François André Danican Published 1832 284 pages
The Chess Player ...: Containing Franklin's Essay on the Morals of Chess, Introduction to the ... By George Walker , Benjamin Franklin Published 1841 N. Dearborn [etc., etc.] 155 pages
The Chess-player's Companion: Comprising a New Treatise on Odds, and a Collection of Games ... By Howard Staunton Published 1849 H. G. Bohn 510 pages
The Chess-player's Handbook: A Popular and Scientific Introduction to the Game of Chess/by ... By Howard Staunton, R . F. Green Published 1890 George Bell 544 pages
Chess Tournament: A Collection of the Games Played at this Celebrated Assemblage ... By Howard Staunton Published 1873 Bell & Daldy 462 pages
The Court-gamester: Or, Full and Easy Instructions for Playing the Games Now in Vogue By Esq Richard Seymour Published 1722 E. Curll 102 pages
The Elements of Chess: A Treatise Combining Theory with Practice, and Comprising the Whole of ... By François André Danican, Philidor Published 1805 Printed for W. Pelham , no. 59 Cornhill 208 pages
The Exploits and Triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the Chess Champion By Frederick Milnes Edge Published 1859 D. Appleton & Company 203 pages
The Grand Tactics of Chess: An Exposition of the Laws and Principles of Chess Strategetics By Franklin Knowles Young Published 1897 Roberts brothers 462 pages
The Philosophy of Chess By William Cluley Published 1857 Whittaker and Co. 112 pages
Sure enough many of the books are here.
I noticed a lot of the pages have a stamp with the name of the public library where they were (seemingly) photo copied.
A view pages are even so light you can't read them.
Even so, having any copy of these really old chess books is still somewhat appealing (especially for around $8).
If anyone is interested I while give the publisher/maker of the disc.
Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficscan you send me this: Chess and Chess-players: Consisting of Original Stories and Sketches By George Walker Published 1850 C.J. Skeet 390 pages by mail ?
I just found a CD Disc that I bought on ebay.
It is supposed to be a CD collection of classic chess books.
Here are the books
The Works of Gianutio, and Gustavus Selenus on the Game of Chess By Orazio Gianutio , August Translated by J. H . Sarratt Published 1817 250 pages
A handbook of chess By George Frederick Pardon Published 186 ...[text shortened]... or around $8).
If anyone is interested I while give the publisher/maker of the disc.