Hi guys! Sorry that there has been a bit silent on the blog lately. John is as always pulled in 27 directions at once. Nikos has been ill and is finishing his book, Playing 1.d4 d5. Finally, I was in America where I managed to play a friendly blitz game with the World no. 4 and play on stage with one of the greatest guitarists of our time…
I lost of course, but still… Thanks to Wesley for agreeing to play with me, it was truly an experience of a lifetime.
The main reason I was in St Louis was because the US Team was being honoured at a fundraiser for the St Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center, or however their long complicated name goes… I was meant to be in California cracking the whip over Sam Shankland, but we had to do this in St Louis instead, where it was quite a bit colder than California! Still, we survived by baricading ourselves in the five star hotel. Here is Sam calculating…
Oh yeah, and then I indulged in my guitar habits. I am a poor player by any standard, but I enjoy it and that makes me a grandmaster in having fun. Here I am on stage with Steve Vai and band. Around 1990 Vai won award after award as the best guitarist in the World. Then “Grunge came along and chopped everyone’s heads off” as he phrased it. It was an honour and a privilege to get to play with him.
“Nikos has been ill and is finishing his book, Playing 1.d4 d5. ”
What book is this, GM Aagaard??
You are coaching Sam Shankland? Had not read that before.
Any news on “Tal the Invincible” ?
@PaulH
Three and a half years already. Two Olympiad golds so far and from 2600 to 2681 peak.
@Thomas
The editing process is quite advanced. A few months at most.
@Jeffrey Hall
Playing 1.d4 d5 – A Classical Repertoire. A follow-up to the 1.e4 e5 book. There has been chatter on it on these pages and Nikos has answered some questions.
Good morning Jacob,
Thank you very much for the news. I would like to ask you when we might be getting the 2017 pdf catalogue and also an updated publishing schedule. I’m sure this is your most hated question, but I thought it might be my time to play the bad guy this time.
Thank you.
James
@James2
I don’t mind that people are interested in what we do. The answer is yes.
Can you share some typical working plan schedule with players of high calibre? (IM or GM level). I will be very happy if you write an article (at the blog) related to work schedule at chess (not revealing the real schedule of your students, but sharing some general info).
Thank you in advance!
BTW. How long have you been playing the guitar?
I might write something about it in Box.
A few years in total, with a break of 12-14 years in the middle. But I really do not get a lot of time to practice.
Is the nimzo alreeds on firwardchess
Yes, absolutely, and some people are already reading it!
Thanks for clarifying this – so we can expect an updated publishing schedule on ‘yes’ 🙂 .
@ForwardChess
Presumably on their android device….not in iOS store yet.
@Paul H
Yes no luck on Apple devices
Sorry about that, this is odd. We flipped the switch on iOS a couple of hours ago.
Could, you, please, restart your device and take another look?
The Nimzo isn´t in Forward Chess for Ios yet.
@ForwardChess
Well I still can’t get it on iOS?
Restarted my device, but still hasn’t appeared.
Me neither, obviously a problem their end
Same here – restarted iOS device and it’s still not showing up. Thanks for looking into it!
Not sure where other people are but perhaps with Apple reportedly dramatically increasing prices in U.K. (And perhaps other non US) App Store in next day or so, there is some moratorium on things being released outside US?
Strange indeed. The book is “green” in the console. Maybe the fact that Apple is reviewing the next version of the app is interfering somehow. We will try to investigate.
Sounds like we are going to get it any time soon. I’ll try again tomorrow ?
I meant to say NOT going to get it any time soon
I live in Trumpistan and still have the issue, so It doesn’t appear to be a country thing.
Oh well, I think I can live with playing the Semi-Slav a few more days. 🙂
It’s there. Woot!
Excellent! Please let us know if you have any feedback.
(info at forwardchess.com)
Hi Jacob,
I am watching the current round at Tata Steel. I noticed Ahdiban played the English Defence (1 d4 e6 2 c4 b6) and I was wondering if there might be any plans to produce a book on this by Quality Chess? I know it isn’t a hugely popular opening, but playing this way against 1 d4/ 2c4 and also 1 c4 b6 seems very interesting. (Obviously 1 e4 b6 and 1 d4 b6 are not as good and wouldn’t be played as white can play 2 e4). There aren’t too many books on this opening and an up to date book could be useful.
Thank you.
James
Isn’t 3 e4 Bb7 4 Bd3 meant to be a pretty big problem in that opening?
@James2
Not much has happened since Bauer’s book on the subject. Get that 🙂
And for a good reason in my opinion. White has several ways to an advantage. Imo the English Defence is just an inferior opening.
Hi All,
I wouldn’r have expected this opening to feature in books by QC, I thought I’d just ask that as I was waiting for the commentary break to end.
Anyway, back to forthcoming books, if I may. Nikos mentioned on one of the threads that he was days away from submitting his 1 d4 d5 book for editing. I know he has been ill, but has this happended yet. I, like many I suppose, am very interested in this book.
Thank you.
James
I just looked at Forward Chess, It looks like The Forward chess version of Quality Chess books have just gone up by 33 percent typically £19.99 when before most were around £14.99
The Pound hasn’t dropped by that much is it possible to buy in Euros or Dollars on the app?
@Soviet School
It is something Apply did. I am not happy about it. We will see what we can do.
Can someone else from around Europe and the US tell us which prices they are seeing?
@Jacob Aagaard
As I understood it was just UK, Turkey and India where Apple changed prices. In U.K. It took effect of £1 being $1. I went on a bit of a buying binge the last week….was sure to pick up Roiz the moment it appeared on Forward Chess.
Of course not your fault, but at £19.99 I prefer to buy the hardback from yourselves or Chess and Bridge in London.
@Paul H
And so you should!
In Spain it costs 22.99€, which in my humble opinion is a lot more than it should cost, but I buy openings books there as I find it more comfortable in electronic format.
@Gollum
Our problem is- as Jacob allludes- living in the EU, where in many places there is no/reduced VAT on printed books, but Brussels dictates the full rate is always charged on their electronic counterparts.
@Jacob Aagaard
Still seeing $19.99 in the US. With no VAT, it’s no surprise that the I’ve bought the vast majority of my QC titles via the FC app (saves paper and clutter, so I’m being environmentally and maritally sound).
Hi Jacob,
Playing on stage with Steve Vai probably eclipses winning the British!
How did that opportunity come about?
@Trevor
Vaiacademy
The best friends one will ever make are the ones they pay.