Build up your Chess is best instructional book – FIDE

We are delighted to announce that Artur Yusupov has won the prestigious Boleslavsky Medal for his series Build up your Chess. This prize is awarded by FIDE, the World Chess Federation, to the best instructional book (it is also open to computer software or articles).

Winning a worldwide prize is remarkable, but the standard of the competition makes it even better: 2nd place was awarded to Garry Kasparov and 3rd was Mark Dvoretsky.

The full announcement can be seen at the FIDE website

16 thoughts on “Build up your Chess is best instructional book – FIDE”

  1. for me it works:)

    That’s really great achievement!

    I’ve got a question: which level (I mean rating) of chessplayers this book is destined for?

  2. These books are intended to be for 1500, 1800 and 2100 level, but this is one part of the German books we did not like. To us, these 9 (!) books form a full school of chess, where some things are easier than others, but where the exercises, the core material, is really challenging. I have personally struggled with some of the exercises, and last time I looked my rating was 2538. Stronger players will find more easy things in the “Fundamentals” series, but would probably prefer to quickly look at them to be sure that they know everything. The “Mastery” series is challenging for any untitled player.

  3. I’m 2360 player. Also I was interested in some GM Aagard’s books (I mean those not about openings). There’re quite many of them now and in fact now I’m a little bit confused…
    I’ve got one Aagard’s book in Polish language. I believe that all of them are very good, but I can’t afford to buy every…
    What can you recommend to me? What is most essential for such a player like me?

  4. I think the best books I have written are the Attacking Manuals. They will be out in 6-8 weeks from now, I hope. I would recommend to go for those.

    Practical Chess Defence is also a very good book, I think. It is hard work, and maybe for even stronger players.

    Of earlier books, I prefer Excelling at Technical Chess and also like Excelling at Chess Calculation. The previous books I don’t really think about anymore, although I have nothing bad to say about them. The main point is that I reached GM level in 2004 when I wrote the last two books, and have become a good deal stronger since. I still have the same chess philosophy, as it is tried and proven; not just by me, but by hundreds of GM’s. But mainly I understand more nuances and thus explain things better in the books from 2004.

  5. I can’t wait to have my hands on these BUYC books and start doing some serious training work ( for my level ), everyone says they are excellent.

  6. When you win an award in front of DVORETSKY’S ANALYTICAL MANUAL and Kasparov’s two books on his matches with Karpov, you cannot do better, I think. I have not been able to take my hands down yet!

  7. Thanks for the advice!

    I’m 18 now and still improving. Currently I’m aiming for IM title but basically I want to become GM in few years thus I need such books very much. Some holes in my chess understanding has to be covered as well as I need to get to know what I don’t know yet (I mean what is above my level at this moment).

    I’ll consider buying those books. (and probably buy and enjoy reading them!)

  8. Question is perhaps out of thread, but I would like to ask you Jacob why is your companly so lacking at endgames. You have only Marin’s book.

    When can we expect endgame books and why do you not consider republishing some Russian classics as Averbakhs works?

    I’m really astonished and embarassed! We all now that Averbakh is THE ENDGAME MAN but nobody is interested for his books.

    Today’s players only baffle openings. And cause of that they play so bad chess,,,

  9. Jeff “notyetagm” Hall :
    GM Aagaard,
    Could you please explain how Yusupov’s Boost Your Chess will be different from Build Up Your Chess?
    Thanks

    Jeff,

    The two series you mention will have similar formats and intentions, but totally different content.

    Yusupov is writing a complete series of 9 books about chess improvement. So, 3 Build up your Chess, 3 Boost Your chess, 3 Chess Evolution. Since these series follow the same method of gradually increasing difficulty you could also consider the same 9 books as being 3 Fundamentals, 3 Beyond the Basics, 3 Mastery.

    Whichever direction you look at it, it is 9 books in 3 series of 3 books.

  10. “Question is perhaps out of thread, but I would like to ask you Jacob why is your companly so lacking at endgames. You have only Marin’s book.”

    There are so many end-game books for all levels these days. What do you think is still missing?

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