Dear Quality Chess Reader,
We have just sent three new books to the printer, and we predict these books will be available on April 30th.
Mikhail Tal’s Best Games 1 – The Magic of Youth by Tibor Karolyi is the first of three volumes covering Tal’s life and games. In addition, the author contacted many of Tal’s contemporaries, who were kind enough to share their personal stories about a popular champion. A pdf excerpt is here.
In Endgame Play Jacob Aagaard continues his Grandmaster Preparation series. Rather than me say how good this book is, let’s see part of what GM Karsten Müller writes in the Foreword: “With Endgame Play Jacob Aagaard has again proved convincingly that he is indeed one of the best chess authors of modern times.” A pdf excerpt is here.
Mating the Castled King by GM Danny Gormally is an entertaining guide to attacking play. Well-chosen model examples and test positions are complemented by the author’s lively writing style and original terminology. Clobber your opponents with motifs such as the “Shotgun” and the “Tower of Terror”! A pdf excerpt is here.
There are no chess files with this newsletter, as we have concentrated fully on completing these three books. We will make up for this in our next newsletter.
Regards,
John Shaw
Chief Editor
Quality Chess
I will have to transgress my chessbookbuyingban 🙂
What will include Chess Structures by Flores? Strategy? Exercises also?
@LE BRUIT QUI COURT
It is a strategy book, with model games and plans for each of the (20+) most common pawn structures. The objective was to provide specific rules and ideas that apply under a well-defined context (a given pawn structure), rather than general strategy advice.
This avoids the confusion/ambiguity that occurs when you have learned many rules, but do not know which one of these applies here and now. Exercises/solutions are included.
I will be glad to tell you more, if this is OK with the editorial. Thanks for your interest =)
When can we expect a look into The Grandmaster Program? Or some words as to what it is about?
@Phille
It will be out during the Olympiad. We might have an early look in June, but this is by no means a promise.
@Phille
It is about how Grivas helped Turkey to go from very few to quite a lot of GMs, including a Junior World Champion and a defeat of Russia in the World Teams event.
@Mauricio Flores
Sounds interesting! Can it be compared to ‘Pawn structure chess’ by Soltis?
@Ray
Ray, I was thinking exactly the same. Soltis’ book is good but not all that deep.
@ Jacob Aagaard
Is the title of the book about Grivas and Turkey, “Grandmaster Program??” I have a Turkish friend I would like to get this book for.
@Mark Moorman
“The Grandmaster Program” is the title of the book by Grivas. And it is about his experiences coaching in Turkey – his success there really is impressive.
@Ray
Hi Ray! I am happy to see interest. I actually hadn’t heard about Soltis’ book until I was half-way through writing. Thankfully John pointed out the similarity and I read this book before proceeding, hoping to improve upon it.
The goal of “Chess Structures” is similar to Soltis’ book, but I estimate that “Chess structures” is almost twice longer, allowing for wider/deeper coverage.
@Mauricio Flores
I’m also interested in your book. Hope to see it soon.
It is great to know that you’ll try to improve the Soltis book.
Me da mucho gusto ver que Quality Chess haya tomado en cuenta a un autor latinoamericano. Espero ver vuestro libro muy pronto. Buena suerte y, sinceramente, es un enorme gusto.
@Mauricio Flores
It sounds very interesting with a book similar to Soltis’ book including exercises. Sokolov also wrote “Winning Chess Middlegames: An Essential Guide to Pawn Structures” which goes in the depth with some pawn structures which arise especially from 1. d4 games; it got excellent reviews but I haven’t read it.
Even though I enjoy Soltis’ book and it is good, it is very tempting to read it quickly when there are no exercises and no deep analysis. This is IMO a big weakness in many books on middle games. This is in general an incredible strength with QC books, a combination of thorough analysis and devilish exercises.
Sokolov’s book is very good. It deals with standard pawn structures arising mainly form the Nimzo Indian. It is very concrete and modern, so not many rules and hard fighting chess with objective analysis. Not exactly similar to Soltis’ book.
@pabstars
Thank you. I try my best to make you suffer :-).
@Mauricio Flores
I had been wanting a detailed book on the most common/important pawn structures so Im very interested in your book. I will list some of the things I would like to see, feel free to fulfill those you consider appropiate:
1- A Big book (For wider/deeper coverage as you said)
2. Lots of excercises after each chapter/structure (to really develop skills)
3. “Diagram Introduction” at the beginning of each chapter (a concept GM Aagaard used in his attacking manuals)
Best Regards
@Mauricio Flores
WHEN THIS TITLE WILL BE AVAILABLE…BEST