Quality Chess Blog

In our next release, Champions of the New Millennium, we have  changed the type of paper we are using. Instead of the usual Multioffset paper, we are using the classier Galerie paper. This works very well with the colour photos in the book and makes the book.

The quality of the paper made me think about the pricing of our books. In 2004, we charged 24.99 euros for Experts vs. the Sicilian, today we are charging 24.99 for the GM Repertoire books as well as this new (colour photo) book. You would think that in a world where prices are increasing rapidly, that this should slowly move us towards the cheaper end of the spectre, but this appears not to be the case.

Gambit and Everyman have lowered their prices, as they are operating their business in pound sterling. They can do this because they print in the UK and distribute from here as well. We are printing in Estonia and distributing from Poland, so our expenses are in euros only. Compared to for example New in Chess and Chess Stars, Quality Chess are actually cheaper.

It should of course be mentioned that the books from Gambit and Everyman, which cost 18.99 or 19.99 euros, are usually 128-160 pages on low quality paper. Compared to these, a 456 book on high quality paper, should not be 24.99, but 49.99…

All in all, the world has turned and left us here. But I am actually quite happy with where we are standing. Maybe we will stay here a little longer…

Here is the latest publishing projections. The main change in dates is because of the IM-tournament in Edinburgh starting the 12th, that we are not only sponsoring, but also means that we have to be without Andrew for a week.

SEPTEMBER
9th    Ftacnik, Kopec & Browne    Champions of the New Millennium
9th    Mihail Marin    Grandmaster Repertoire 3 – The English Opening vol. 1
OCTOBER
14th    Marin/Garrett    Reggio Emilia 2007/2008
14th    Tibor Karolyi    Genius in the Background
14th    Boris Avrukh    Grandmaster Repertoire 2 – 1.d4 Volume Two
28th    Jacob Aagaard    Attacking Manual Volume 2
28th    Jacob Aagaard    Attacking Manual Volume 1 2nd edition
NOVEMBER
15th    John Shaw    Quality Chess Puzzle Book
15th    Boris Alterman    The Alterman Gambit Guide – White Gambits
15th    Artur Yusupov    Boost your Chess 1
DECEMBER
1st    John Shaw    The King’s Gambit
1st    Lubomir Ftacnik    Grandmaster Repertoire 5 – The Sicilian Defence

This weekend Chess Scotland organised a seminar with GM Jacob Aagaard at Quality Chess’ headquarters in Glasgow. The following positions were used and will be available for a week: PGN-file

Finally it is possible for me to confirm that Grandmaster Repertoire 3 – The English Opening Volume One by acclaimed author Mihail Marin and Champions of the New Millennium by Ftacnik, Kopec and Browne are set for release on the 9th of September (unless something goes wrong at the last moment).

Both books are up to date, with editing on Champions ending a few weeks ago, and editing on GM Repertoire 3 ending today (although the last chess was added Friday).

You will be able to find excerpts from the books here:

GM REP 3 excerpt

Champions of the New Millennium excerpt

An update on the remaining books will follow next week. Right now I am busy preparing for the four day seminar I am giving at the Quality Chess headquarters Thursday to Sunday this week.

Jacob Aagaard

If you have always wanted to watch two International Masters playing chess 400 feet off the ground in a helium-filled balloon, then today is your lucky day.

During the recent British Championship IMs Andrew Greet and Jack Rudd (rivals from the neighbouring English counties of Cornwall and Devon) played just such a match. Andrew has been working at Quality Chess for a few months, so we pay particular attention to what he gets up to on his holidays.

YouTube has the story in two parts:
Part One Part Two

We were delighted to receive the following excellent review from Danish GM Peter Heine Nielsen (FIDE 2680) of Attacking the Spanish by Sabino Brunello.

“Attacking the Spanish gives a repertoire for Black against the Spanish and uses the atypical concept of giving three lines instead of the usual one, a concept previously used with success in Beat the KID, (Quality Chess 2008). The three lines are: the Schliemann (3…f5), the Marshall Attack as well as the popular ‘Gajewski’ gambit with 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 d5!?. It is noticeable that all three lines lose a pawn, but the Marshall still has a reputation for solidity and is working quite well at the top level at the moment.

All the variations are well researched, and in the two more spectacular variations, the Schliemann and the Gajewski, the author is fully objective, pointing out why Black has had problems in these lines in the past.

The book has a lot of new analysis, but the lines are build firmly on modern grandmaster practice; for example, the Schliemann is built on Radjabov’s repertoire.
A good book by an author who tells you everything he knows about the openings. A great debut.”

Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen

It is very difficult to predict when authors will finish their works – also for the authors. Writing a book, even about chess, is an unpredictable business, and so is the life of the chess professionals we prefer as authors to our books. For example, Mihail Marin was working on his book on the English opening, when one chapter spun “a bit” out of control and ended up being 700 pages in draft form. Once edited and polished, this will be an entire book, and we had to split it in two. Another example, Boris Avrukh, working on GM Repertoire 2, is coming towards the end, but the theory keeps moving and he keeps getting good invitations to tournaments, which we always encourage him to play, should he want to.

Having come with this disclaimer, here is the latest publishing schedule.

Ftacnik, Kopec & Browne: Champions of the New Millennium September 9, 2009

Mihail Marin: Grandmaster Repertoire 3 – The English Opening vol. 1 September 9, 2009

Marin/Garrett: Reggio Emilia 2007/2008 September 30, 2009

Tibor Karolyi: Genius in the Background September 30, 2009

Boris Avrukh: Grandmaster Repertoire 2 – 1.d4 Volume Two October 15, 2009

Jacob Aagaard: Attacking Manual Volume 2 October 15, 2009

Jacob Aagaard: Attacking Manual Volume 1 2nd edition October 15, 2009

John Shaw: Quality Chess Puzzle Book November 15, 2009

Boris Alterman: White Gambits November 15, 2009

Artur Yusupov: Boost your Chess 1 December 1, 2009

John Shaw: The King’s Gambit December 15, 2009

Mihail Marin: Grandmaster Repertoire 4 – The English Opening vol. 2 January 15, 2010

Our authors have been playing great chess recently.

At the very strong Politiken Cup in Denmark, Boris Avrukh was first equal, while Tiger Hillarp Persson won the Best Game Prize. Lars Schandorff scored a respectable 7/10.

Mihail Marin played a couple of tournaments. He was first in Benasque (with 9/11) and second in Andorra. These fantastic  results have pushed his rating up to a personal best of 2610.

John Shaw

Just a passing thought sparked by reading a comment on another chess site: how do you define what is the main line of an opening?

Is it the sharpest line? The most popular line over a number of years? The line currently favoured by the elite?

My approach seems to be a mixture of all three of the above, with added weight for the last point. Take, for example, the Queen’s Gambit Declined.  Avrukh recommends the Catalan, Schandorff prefers the Exchange Variation. Both main lines, I think, but some disagree.

John Shaw