Quality Chess Book of the Year 2012 – Chess Tactics from Scratch & Grandmaster Repertoire 11

Not surprisingly Boris Avrukh did very well in the voting for the book of the year from Quality Chess, but he was overtaken by Martin Weteschik. This book certainly has longevity and some very dedicated fans, which is marked by the jump from obscurity to first place overnight in the middle of the voting period. I do suspect that someone fiddled with the settings and voted repeatedly.

However, it is clear that both books have tremendious support. So, I have decided to divide the honour into best middlegame book and best opening book.

113 thoughts on “Quality Chess Book of the Year 2012 – Chess Tactics from Scratch & Grandmaster Repertoire 11”

  1. Do you have any updates on what Yusupov would write for QC. You have one confirmed customer for his books.

    The more I struggle with his books, the more I know myself and this is how I improve.

  2. I’m missing John’s book on the King’s Gambit in the poll on which books to buy in 2013. Is that a slip of the key or was that omitted intentionally, in order to not raise the pressure on John more than strictly necessary?

  3. @Ray

    @The Lurker

    I will be asking Jacob the same question tomorrow. I suspect the answer is ‘a slip’. There is no photo of the King’s Gambit cover in our 2013 catalogue, which I guess is how Jacob made up his 2013 list.

  4. Gilchrist is a Legend

    GM11 was one of the most useful books for me, given that even at the 2250-2350 level, people still play the Torre, Colle, and London, with a smaller percentage the Veresov, 3. g3 systems, Barry Attack, and odd setups such as 1. d4/2. Nf3/3. Nbd2/4. Nb3.

    Since I get such systems in >75% of 1. d4 games, it probably helps more than the Grünfeld books, but only because of the high percentage. In weekender tournaments years ago sometimes it was 100% non-2. c4 systems after 2. d4, which seriously annoyed me.

  5. Jacob Aagaard

    @Ray
    Was not in the catalogue, which was the starting point. And did not want to put more pressure on him now he is 98% done.

  6. Andrew wrote a blog post a week ago and indicated that Nessie was cancelled. John read over his shoulder and turn ashen. It was not put online.

  7. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Ray
    I am of the same opinion, I would buy half the list. I have already pre-ordered the French book, but insofar the other books cannot be pre-ordered yet. Otherwise I would have pre-ordered all of them..

  8. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    First review of Grandmaster Repertoire 13 – The Open Spanish by Victor Mikhalevski:

    Uwe Bekemann, BdF – http://www.bdf-fernschachbund.de/

    “The Open Spanish” von GM Victor Mikhalevski aus der “Grandmaster Repertoire”-Serie von Quality Chess ist ein Repertoirebuch für Schwarz für die offene Spanische Partie, konzentriert sich also auf die Eingangszugfolge 1.e4 e5 2.Sf3 Sc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.La4 Sf6 und dann 5.0-0. Es deckt aber auch alle wichtigen Abweichungen für Weiß im 5. Zug ab, was den Autor zurecht zu dem Hinweis veranlasst, dass sein Werk ein Repertoirebuch für die gesamte og. Zugfolge bis 4 … Sf6 ist. “The Open Spanish” berücksichtigt grundsätzlich alle vollwertigen Linien für Weiß, eben weil es gerade Schwarz für die eigene Partie und alle zu beachtenden Eventualitäten rüsten soll. Es ist natürlich auch für Weiß im Rahmen des behandelten Materials vollständig nutzbar. Nur kann der Anziehende nicht erwarten, dass er alle “seriösen” schwarzen Zugalternativen antrifft, auch nicht in den Hauptlinien. Wie jedes Repertoirebuch konzentriert sich “The Open Spanish” auf Vorschläge, hier eben für den Nachziehenden. Der Autor nimmt nur die Alternativen auf, denen er nach allein seinem Urteil den Vorzug gegenüber anderen Möglichkeiten gibt, die gleichermaßen gut sein können. Hier spielt also in einem ganz besonderen Maße auch Subjektivität bei der Auswahl eine Rolle. Schon die Tatsache, dass “The Open Spanish” in der Serie “Grandmaster Repertoire” erschienen ist, schraubt die Erwartung an das Werk nach oben. Dieser Anspruch wird von diesem auch erfüllt, es reiht sich nahtlos in die Serie ein. Zwei Aspekte sind mir aufgefallen: 1. Mikhalevski erklärt weniger intensiv die Gründe für seine Vorschläge und geht auch weniger auf strategische Aspekte von Linien ein, als man es in anderen Werken der Serie schon gesehen hat. Allerdings ist dies kein alle Inhalte erfassendes Urteil. So gibt es auch Passagen, in denen er den Standard beispielsweise von Awruch in seinen Werken erreicht. Ich möchte meine Feststellung auch nicht als Manko gewertet wissen, sondern lediglich als Hinweis darauf, dass der Leser dieses Buches passagenweise mehr auf eigenes Verständnis setzen muss als vielleicht aus anderen Werken der Reihe gewohnt. 2. Mikhalevski führt in einer sehr hohen Zahl Neuerungen ein, auch in den Hauptlinien. Damit bestätigt er eine entsprechende Ankündigung des Rückentextes. Insoweit werden in den Repertoireempfehlungen ganz sicher auch Spieler Neuerungen finden, die schon sehr gut mit den Buchvarianten vertraut sind. In einigen Fällen habe ich Neuerungen erkannt, die sich mehr als Übergänge in bekannte Abspiele erweisen, also eher eine Zugumstellung abschließen. In ihnen sehe ich eine “Neuerung 1b”, die meisten Neuerungen, die ich mir zum Zwecke der Prüfung angeschaut habe, fallen aber in die Gattung “1a”, sind also tatsächlich echte Neuerungen. Ob sie auch “1a” spielbar sind, dürfen dann die Leser erforschen und bestätigen. “The Open Spanish” enthält 19 Kapitel, die den drei folgenden Teilen des Buches zugeordnet sind: A. Seitenlinien (1.e4 e5 2.Sf3 Sc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.La4 Sf6) – Kapitel 1-6 B. 1.e4 e5 2.Sf3 Sc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.La4 Sf6 5.0-0 – Kapitel 7-9 C. Hauptlinien (1.e4 e5 2.Sf3 Sc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.La4 Sf6 5.0-0 Sxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Lb3 d5 8.dxe5 Le6) – Kapitel 10-19. Die Kapitel sind identisch aufgebaut. Zunächst wird das jeweilige Thema definiert, wobei die Startzugfolge wie auch die sich anschließenden Hauptalternativen angegeben werden. Diese Eingangsübersicht des Kapitels, die um Diagramme ergänzt wird, kann zugleich auch wie eine “Unter-Inhaltsübersicht” genutzt werden, da auch die Seitenzahlen der folgenden Behandlung der Alternativen angegeben werden. Dem schließt sich der eigentliche Körper an, die Darstellung der Theorieinhalte. Der Aufbau des Werkes ist klassisch, es folgt also einem System von Haupt- und Nebenvarianten und orientiert sich nicht an vollständig abgebildeten Partien aus der Praxis, denen der Leser sonst durch Sprung von Partie zu Partie folgen müsste. Wie für die Grandmaster Repertoire-Serie typisch werden im Werk keine vollständigen Partien abgebildet. Es darf nicht verwundern, dann bei der Darstellung der Theorie in der Spanischen Partie eine besondere Breite des Materials gebändigt werden muss. Dies gilt nicht weniger, wenn wie hier “nur” ein ausgewählter Bereich der Eröffnung thematisiert wird. Das Werk ist aber ausgezeichnet gegliedert, sodass die Variantenfülle gut beherrscht wird. Die Bezifferung der Subvarianten kann dann schon mal ein leicht akademisches Aussehen entwickeln, aber dies ist eine natürlich und damit ganz normale Folge. Die Buchsprache ist Englisch. Im Bereich der Darstellung der Theorie ist es besonders wichtig, dass das Werk auch vom Fremdsprachler gut aufgenommen werden kann. Hier sehe ich für den Leser, der über Fremdsprachkenntnisse auf Schulniveau und vielleicht auch noch ein Wörterbuch verfügt, keine Probleme. Die Kapitel werden mittels einer kurzen Zusammenfassung abgeschlossen, die sich aber regelmäßig auf ein sehr generalisierendes Fazit beschränkt. Die Bibliografie bestätigt nicht, dass alle wichtigen Neuerscheinungen der letzten Jahre auf dem Buchsektor für das Werk berücksichtigt worden sind. Ich kann aber bestätigen, dass “The Open Spanish” theoretisch auf dem aktuellen Stand ist. Die aufgeführten Periodika sowie die elektronischen und die Internetquellen dürften nicht unmaßgeblich dazu beigetragen haben. Mit Mikhalevski hat das Werk übrigens einen Autor, der als großer Kenner seines Eröffnungsthemas gilt, von Quality Chess auch unmittelbar gefragt worden ist, ob er das Werk schreiben will, und der die Eröffnung seit Kindeszeiten auch selbst spielt. Abgeschlossen wird “The Open Spanish” durch ein erfreulich detailliertes Variantenverzeichnis, das als “Kompass” quer durch das Werk ausgezeichnete Dienste leisten kann. Noch ein “Opportunitätsgedanke” zum Abschluss: Wenn man die Bücher wie dieses aus der Grandmaster Repertoire-Serie von Quality Chess sieht, dann drängt sich der Gedanke auf, dass man sie als ambitionierter Spieler einfach nicht ignorieren kann. Trifft man auf einen Gegner, der – besonders im Fernschach – mit diesen Büchern ausgestattet ist, während man selbst nicht über sie verfügt, dann gewährt man ihm von Beginn an eine Option auf Vorteil. Oder ist das selbst gebratene Steak so gut wie jenes vom Meisterkoch und ist die Beilage genauso schmackhaft wie jene aus dessen Hand? Fazit: “The Open Spanish” ist erneut ein Sterne-Menü aus allerbester Küche. Ich kann das Werk einfach nur zum Kauf empfehlen, besonders dem Spieler mit Schwarz, wenn er der Spanischen Partie nicht generell in seinen Partien ausweicht.”

  9. Hi QC Team,
    I’ve just received “Beating 1.d4 Sidelines” and I’ve only one (but a serious one) critic : When Boris will write “Beating 1.Sidelines” ? I mean 1.c4, 1.f4, etc. With the same choices, that is to say for the Nimzo, Grundfeld, …, players. I’m sure it will be a higly awaited book !
    But please don’t tell us that King’s Gambit book should be published on April 1st … 😉

  10. Guten Tag an alle! Good day to all!

    First, I want to greet Jacob Aagaard and John Saw. Thanks for resolving doubts.

    I’d like to ask, especially Aagaard who knows more about it, one thing. I have a 2153 ELO FIDE and I have 21 years. After much thought, I decided to hire a coach who is GM, two hours a week.

    He has seen my games and still not sure yet where to start working my game. My question is: Aagaard, how should focus training to get more elo? I guess I should first strengthen and study well my openings? My question is: I take my coach to train openings or is it better to use it for another aspect of the game?

    A greeting.

  11. @Michel Barbaut
    I think the King’s Gambit can make it for late April. Maybe early may. I am on the other hand sorry to say that STRATEGIC PLAY was so difficult and time-consuming that we will have to delay the French book a little bit longer. Lots of work has been done and I have a semi-clear run at it (away for 9-10 working days in the next month, but few other duties). Nikos has worked hard and this book is more his than mine, of course.

    On the other hand Kotronias on the King’s Indian and Playing the Trompowsky have arrived ahead of expected and will be available in May as well.

  12. I would love to see a book called “The Kings Indian for the Lazy Club Player” or similar featuring the move order 1… Nf6 2… d6 3….Nbd7 4….e5 5…..g6. I know this is an opening for “amateurs”, but I think there would be a big market.

  13. @Greg
    We are not doing that sort of books. There is a market for lots of things we do not do better than others; we leave it to them.

  14. the time for change

    Aagaard, do not you think there are exercises like calculation, positional chess, etc, should also have openings exercises?

  15. Thanks Aagard.

    Actually I had not made my statement clear.
    What I wanted to ask was
    “What we readers can expect from QC from Martin Weteschik, Yusupov & Marin”

    I still remember over one year back, you had blogged that Yusupov has one amazing idea which would be developed as a book. I was not able to see this book in the catalogue, so thought of asking you, if you have anything to share with us on his book.

  16. As your San Luis 2005 book was a great sucess, was any thought given to a book devoted to the forthcoming Candidates tournament?

  17. @Matt

    Hi Matt,

    To expand on Jacob’s answer, San Luis 2005 was a great success in terms of reviews and our enjoyment of the book. But we spent many many months of effort and then not enough people bought the book. We do not always choose the most commercial projects but there are limits on how uncommercial we can be without threatening our future.

    We should do a desperate threat-filled sales push: “Buy San Luis 2005 or else the future of tournament books gets it.”

  18. Sveshnikov’s book on the French Advance has a bunch of exercises. Oleinikov’s excellent QI CD from ChessBase has exercises, as do a lot of the ChessBase opening CDs, I think.

  19. All of the “Move By Move” books have exercises in them. Thus far, I believe the following openings are out (or coming in the near future as indicated below)

    Ruy Lopez (White)
    Slav (Black)
    Nimzo-Indian (Black)
    1…d6 (Black)
    Torre (White)
    Modern (Black)
    Sicilian Scheveningen (Black)
    Sicilian Taimanov (Black)
    French Winawer (Black)
    English (White)
    Four Knights (White)
    Caro-Kann (Black)
    King’s Indian Attack (White – Being published in 2013)
    Colle (White – Being published in 2013)
    Scandinavian (Black – Being published in 2013)

    Then there’s a couple of middlegame books and a couple of game collections with the Simulated Q&A and Exercises on Capablanca and Kramnik.

  20. @Patrick
    It is a bit impolite to advertise our competitors books here. But I think if people read those books and our books, our sales will not go down ;-).

  21. @Jacob Aagaard
    Sorry about that. The post before mine was an Ohms book.

    Actually, in some ways, I think one way to increase your sales is to get people to read the Starting Out or Move by Move series. They go hand in hand. If the first book you ever read on the English Attack was “Cutting Edge: Sicilian Najdorf 6.Be3”, I’d say you were nuts. However, if you read “Starting Out: Sicilian Najdorf”, ended it there, and told me that you were now going to be a master, I’d also say you were nuts.

    This is a true fact. I see a lot of reviews on Amazon.com (The Amazon site for the United States) where the review has nothing to do with the book, but rather, “It’s so difficult” and “The book should have more basic explanation”. Well, the audience for your books is not that of a beginner. The books you write for the most part are 5-star books (Amazon is based out of 5, not 6). If the beginners were to read “your competition” first, and only then read yours to expand their knowledge, I’d bet all reviews would be at worst 4 stars, and your sales would actually go up! 🙂

  22. @GM Aagaard:

    Looking forward to both the Tal book and the Mating The Castled King book? Can you please provide an estimate of how many pages in each?

    And sorry I overlooked that link under Special Offers for the Yusupov hardcovers set.

  23. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Jacob Aagaard
    Time for celebrations for the publication of GM12 and Middlegame Technique? The Modern Benoni has not had very many books about it, despite being a good opening, especially to force tactical play. During online blitz, quite a few GMs play it against me, so I am surprised that chess literature has not covered this as much. The tactical level to me sometimes seems similar to the Semi-Slav.

  24. @Gilchrist is a Legend
    Hi Gilchrist, I think the reason for this is that ‘the Modern Benoni is considered shaky at GM-level? I have the feeling it’s status is always on the verge of being refuted. Actually I’m a bit surprised it’s being published under the banner of GM Reportoire before sound openings like the Slav, Semi-Slave, Queen’s Gambit Declined or Nimzo-Indian, given that not that many top-GM’s have it in their reportoire on a consistent basis. On the other hand, I guess you could say the same about the Tarrasch Defence or maybe even the Open Spanish… Buy the way, did you receive your copy already?

  25. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Ray
    Somehow I am slightly discombobulated, as I thought today was Friday. But still, Friday is tomorrow, the publication date. I went through the entire week thinking each day was one day forward..unsure how I managed to do that.

    I am not sure of the status of the Modern Benoni, but I think the perception that you had is probably due to the nature of the opening. It can be extremely sharp, sometimes I think comparable to the Semi-Slav main lines. Quite some GMs play it at very high levels, and probably between 2200-2500 it is quite common. Perhaps also because it is one of the openings that can be characterised as having a situation after move 8 or 9 in some of the sharper lines in which one must delve into heavy tactics and long, forcing lines with moves that are not obvious and almost impossible to find during the game via intuition, like in the Najdorf Poisoned Pawn. But I think it is very good to play for a situation in which one must win, and/or for tactical players.

    I think QC are releasing as the authors finish. QC already have the Semi-Slav repertoire book by Vigorito, however that was published several years ago. I am not sure about the GM Repertoires on Slav and Nimzo-Indian, but I think it was said earlier that the Slav GM Repertoire was delayed. And technically the Tarrasch is a QGD technically, but not many books insofar have been attributed to the classical QGD complex.

    Since the pattern is the same, with the publication on the Friday (and today is still Thursday, I must remember), they probably post their websales next Monday the 18th. So probably that week we will receive GM12, if you already ordered it.

    A new GM Repertoire book would be good about now. I was in Amsterdam few weeks ago, still some nice cold weather, but if you are there it would be quite pleasant to go to the pub with GM12, relax, and skim through it, then go home and have a thorough read, especially since it will snow soon.

  26. @Gilchrist is a Legend
    This is an opening played by Kasparov, Fischer, Topalov, Radjabov and Gashimov at the peak of their powers. The fact that it suits poorly to Kramnik, Carlsen and Aronian does not make it a bad opening, it just does not fit them.

  27. In brief will Strategic Play!

    Aagaard, think that this book will help people who have 2000-2300 to improve their level?

  28. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Jacob Aagaard
    I anticipate them, as well as the French book. I think Nikos said it was the sequel to the Greek project, which also could form a dual repertoire. 1. d4 e6 and if 2. c4 d5 to intend to play the Tarrasch without committing to …d5 in case White plays some non-2. c4 system (and then use Avrukh’s GM11). Then 1. d4 e6 2. e4 is simply a French. Or perhaps, with GM12 published tomorrow, one can use 1. d4 e6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 exd5 4. exd5 and transpose to the Modern Benoni.

  29. I just noticed GM 12 is already available from Niggemann and so I made my order together with the last book of Yusupov´s series…

  30. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Jacob Aagaard
    Which line is that? 1. d4 e6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 exd5 4. exd5 d6 5. e4 Nf6 6. Bd3 g6 7. a4 Bg7 8. Na3 0-0 9. Ne2 or so? I suppose due to the move order it will not be covered in GM12 though.

  31. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    Jacob Aagaard :
    @LE BRUIT QUI COURT
    See the catalogue. We have other hopes, but these are our promises.

    Thanks bro 🙂 I’m checking news on your site by the hour-per-hour basis so nothing escapes me! I’m welcoming GM French vol 1&2, but besides Kotronias books which actually won’t have GM REP title, I’m not aware of any forthcoming GM REP. Am I wrong 🙂

  32. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    Jacob, you’re writing GM Repertoire 1.e4 series. How do you comment following statements:

    “… I believe that 1.d4 is by far the more practical choice for the vast majority of players. In order to demonstrate any advantage as White after 1.e4, you must play very sharply in many openings, especially the Sicilian Defense. One wrong move will likely give you inferior or even lost game…. In most lines, if White makes a mistake he usually keeps the draw in hand, which is not so likely to be true with 1.e4. But the biggest reason is that I have discovered that the vast majority of amateur players (even including masters) are simply much better prepared against 1.e4 than against 1.d4!!”

    – Larry KAUFMAN in „The Kaufman Repertoire for Black & White“, 2012.

    “Over the last few years the trend has changed and players such as Leko, Morozevich, Svidler, Grischuk and Ponomariov, who used to almost exclusively play 1.e4 … are all now relying on 1.d4 more and more for important games…. As White struggles to find an advantage against these defences and the Berlin Wall, many have found that life on the other side is indeed greener. The reason for this is quite simple. The openings after 1 .d4 are for good reason called closed, as it is harder to launch an immediate attack on the opponent when you have not opened up the development of the kingside pieces, as you do when you play 1.e4. Among other things, this leads to less forcing positions. For this reason, it is less likely that the opponent will manage to analyse the opening all the way to a position where there is not much play left, where the draw is close; the opportunity to outplay your opponent is kept alive. Obviously there are still many 1.e4 games played at the top level, but increasingly 1.e4 is only employed against the more bloodthirsty grandmasters, who will not try to vacuum the pieces off the board from move 1. So for this reason I am happy to be writing the Quality Chess repertoire book with 1.d4, while I feel a bit sorry for whoever will write the 1.e4 manual!

    – Avrukh Boris: “Grandmaster Repertoire 1 1.d4 vol 1”, 2008.

  33. At 2008 when Boris Avrukh wrote those lines, the Petroff and the Sveshnikov were looking like impossible to find something against them. This is not true today. Also, from 2008 untill today the Scotch and the Spanish have been greatly developed (the Spanish for both sides actually). Also, 6.Bg5 against the Najdorf has been improved. In general, from 2008 untill today the trend is for White (imho) for 1.e4. If we had the same conversation in 2004-2005, then the status of 1.e4 for White was even worse than it was at 2008!

  34. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    @Nikos Ntirlis
    Nikos, my man! Long time no hear from you on this blog!

    Look at my nice win few minutes ago on playchess.com in “my” book 🙂 GM Rep Open Spanish 🙂

    aid302 (2108) – me [C83]
    Friendly Game, 3 min Main Playing Hall, 15.03.2013

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Be7 10.Nbd2 Nc5 11.Bc2 d4 12.Ne4 dxc3 13.bxc3 0-0 14.Nxc5 Bxc5 15.Be4 Qe8 16.Bf4 Rd8 17.Qc2 h6 18.h4 Bd5 19.Rfd1 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Na5 21.h5 Qe6 22.Nd4 Bxd4 23.cxd4 c6 24.Be3 Nc4 25.g4 f5 26.gxf5 Rxf5 27.Qg4 Rg5 aid302 resigns 0-1

    And I’m hitting hard with your 🙂 GM Rep Tarrasch :), take a look:

    Lenny80 (2500) – me [D30]
    Friendly Game, 3 min Main Playing Hall, 14.03.2013

    1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8.b3 0-0 9.Bb2 Bg4 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.h3 Bh5 12.Rc1 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Ba3 Lenny80 resigns 0-1

    Coma (2463) – me [D34]
    Friendly Game, 3 min Main Playing Hall, 02.03.2013

    1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bg5 Be6 11.e3 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Na4 Bd6 14.Nd4 Rfd8 15.Rc1 Ne5 16.Nc5 b6 17.Nb7 Rd7 18.Nxd6 Rxd6 19.Qa4 Bd7 20.Qb3 Nc4 21.Rfd1 Qe5 22.Bxd5 Rxd5 23.Qxc4 Rc8 24.Qe2 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Rxd4 Coma resigns 0-1

    What do you think, my Greek friend!

  35. LE BRUIT QUI COURT

    @Jacob Aagaard
    Excellent! Honsetly, my beloved titles for this year would be:

    1. Grandmaster Repertoire The Open Games for Black 🙂 Marin, be more angry when you’ll select lines 🙂

    2. Grandmaster Repertoire Non-main lines on move 1 for Black 🙂 Come on Boris, I’ll give you 1000 Euros by myself 🙂

    3. Grandmaster Repertoire Sicilian Kalashnikov 🙂 you could hire the authors from French edition – M. Cornette, F. Libiszewski — Degainez la Kalachnikov (see: http://chess-evolution.com/download/CE-Kalashnikov-Promotional.pdf)

    4. new!!! 🙂 A Quality Chess Benchmark 🙂 an original test & improve book consisted only of excersies which could easily round the Yusupow series. It could have cca 2000 examples divided in 5 categories per 400 exercises in:

    a) tactics
    b) calculation
    c) strategy
    d) positional play
    e) endgame.

    Jacob, this would be an ultimate tool for us, 1800-2300 levelers. By the way, with such monumental work you could challenge and “defeat” other publishers blockbusters in this field, if any.

    Give it a hard try! No one has something similar 🙂

  36. @LE BRUIT QUI COURT
    Obviously in the second Tarrasch game our proposal was 10…d4 instead of “Spassky’s” 10…Be6. And i think that in GM10 we gave quite a good reason why not only in the “Petrosian” endgame (covered in GM1 among others) Black has problems in that line. The first one though was a nice smooth win!

  37. Jacob Aagaard :
    @LE BRUIT QUI COURT
    I feel that too many have listened to those sales texts! 1.e4 is very demanding, but to me it is the favourite. Not the least because I lost in 12 moves with 1.e4 last Sunday!!

    Jacob is still confused about that game – he lost in 12 moves with 1.d4.

  38. @LE BRUIT QUI COURT
    Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought your 4th suggestion is already covered by the already monumental GM Preparation series? Or do you think there is a gap between the Yusupow series and Jacob’s opus magnum?

  39. @Jacob Aagaard
    I have played both 1.e4 and 1.d4 myself (at the moment I play 1.d4), and based on my own experience I do think there’s some truth in the observations of Kaufmann and Avrukh. 1.e4 is generally more combative, but also more risky in my humble opinion. In many 1.e4 openings (especially the Sicilian, but also e.g. Caro-Kann) I think white is forced to attack / play sharply in order to prove an advantage, and each move somehow weighs more than in 1.d4 openings. That being said, the same holds for black, so in the end it’s probably mainly a matter of taste :-).

  40. I found out that 12 move game in which black played the Leningrad Dutch. But against 1.e4 there is the even more deadly Elephant Gambit which gave black many quick victories so 1.d4 and 1.e4 are both bad 🙂

    Seriously though according to statistics the difference between 1.e4 and 2.d4 has been very small and changing but I think the main difference is that with 1.d4 due to more closed nature of positions white can get away with less preparation if he plays the more positional lines while with 1.e4 you have to be more careful with allowing too many exchanges. But of course 1.e4 gives more opportunities for direct attacks but at high levels that’s not a plus.

    It also depends on the person. Until 3-4 years ago I was a 1.e4 player and my results with white were getting worse. I switched to 1.d4. Problem solved and never looked back.

  41. George Hollands

    @Jacob

    Off topic but a short piece re: “Positional Play” on DM’s blog has just appeared.

    http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2013/3/15/a-quick-reflection-on-aagaards-_positional-play_.htm

    He raises an interesting point regarding why the Rook isn’t the worst placed piece in the position he shows. Just wondered if you could shed some light on it for me, as at first sight I agree with Dennis but know there must be something we’re both overlooking.l

  42. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Ray
    I see that several hours ago QC transferred GM12 to the Opening section from Coming Soon section, and both Schachversand and New In Chess in Alkmaar have the book listed as in the “New” sections.

  43. To the comment on position play by Dennis on Chessmind: I guess maybe: One seldom thinks of a rook as a bad placed piece too early in the game. More classic to maneuver e.g. a knigth to good square. Rooks work from far behind. It is generally more important to find a stable square for the knight?

  44. I noticed now we were of topic. I will not comment more on this in this thread not because I don’t like disturbing a thread with being off topic..

  45. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Ray
    I am not sure, perhaps they will have it next week. “Dit artikel zal op dinsdag, 19 maart 2013 op voorraad zijn.” from my poor A2-level Dutch skills I suppose that means next Tuesdsay the book will be in stock. From where did you pre-order your copy? I suppose GM12 is not early in Glasgow like GM13, so Monday I infer shall be the websales ship date from there.

  46. @George Hollands
    I think that Mr Monocroussos is wrong in this example. OK, the Knight has prospects but this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t stand badly at b1! If the Rook was the most badly placed piece, then we should think about improving it first, but how to do it without moving the Knight? In general, it is OK to put the heavy pieces in the game slightly at a later stage of the game, but this is not so acceptable for the Knights (specially them) and the Bishops. OK, it is too much generalisation from my part, i know, but for this certain example i don’t see any problem about Jacob’s description.

  47. @Gilchrist is a Legend
    I haven’t pre-ordered this time – in general I prefer to leaf through a book before buying it. Besides, I like to support chess specialists like ‘Het Paard’ in Amsterdam. Only if I want to have a specific book really quickly I sometimes order directly from QC.

  48. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Ray
    I see, that is a good choice, unfortunately I do not live near to a shop that like that. Although when I was in Paris last year I went to Variantes chess shop in the 7e arrondisement. ChessDirect are close to Sheffield, but I do not know if they have an actual store to buy in person. There are two football stadiums and a cricket pitch in Manchester but no chess book shop..

  49. @LE BRUIT QUI COURT
    1) I would like to see this book myself. I think everyone here agrees that the lines need to be sexed up a bit!

    2) Boris has wriggled out of this. We are trying to get another highly estemed guy to do it.

    3) No Kalashnikov coming from us soon, but I am personally looking forward to the Everyman book.

    4) As always, I read, think and don’t necessarily comment.

  50. @George Hollands
    Because the bishop is not only bad, it is also in the way. If you have read the book carefully, I am sure it will be mentioned once or twice. But maybe I could have made that point clearer; it is a recurring thing.

  51. @Ray
    1.e4 is more instantly confrontational. Thus easier to analyse with computers. Thus a bit more drawish in some people’s hands. In others, not.

  52. I posted a reply to Dennis’ blog. I was a bit provoked, but genuinely, I just like the discussion :-).

    1. I am a bit confused by this question. I think there are a number of books on strategy, all with their own views. Reading them all would do you no harm.

  53. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Jacob Aagaard
    Playing the Modern Benoni seems similar to me like playing the Sicilian against 1. d4, if that makes some sense, in terms of sharp play. Also I am really anticipating this book. The last time I studied it was with the old Everyman book. I cannot remember by whom, but I remember it had a red cover. And the last time I played it was in a weekender Swiss almost ten years ago, so I wonder what has changed since then.

  54. @Gilchrist is a Legend
    I ghosted Starting out in the Modern Benoni. As a primer I think this book is as valid today as it was then. Obviously I am not into the theoretical details of this opening and Endre was supposed to do that. It did not turn out that way and I finished the book in a sprint, sending it off at the morning of my wedding day. My wife was not impressed.

  55. Hi all.

    I bought books and 3 Avrukh Grandmaster PREPARATION.

    One question, I can read the book Strategic Play or Positional Play before CALCULATION? At the moment i do not want to train the calculation because Because I am with the puzzle (John), so I say.

    1. I recommend that you go through calculation before strategic play. But of course this is not forced. With Calculation and Positional Play, there really is no difference to where you start.

  56. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @Jacob Aagaard
    Although the Modern Benoni can be very sharp, I do not think all of the main lines have changed dramatically with respect to theory compared to the Semi-Slav or Grünfeld, probably because every top GM seems to be playing those two, so more theory changes. I feel most comfortable where White plays Nf3 without f4, but I do not remember many of the lines from last decade so much.

    Websales for Monday I suppose?

    1. We reply to everyone. However, when you post over the weekend, no one can check if you are not a spambot, so you have not yet been approved.

  57. Gilchrist is a Legend

    Cheers..and looking at the cover of Kotronias’ book, it shows g3 with no c4 on the chessboard on the cover, so does it cover both c4 and non-c4? I also think it is interesting for King’s Indian players to transpose to the Fianchetto Grünfeld via …d5 early, given the popularity and renaissance that line is enjoying since 2010.

  58. Javier Castellote

    I am Javier Castellote, I´m 21 years old and 2200 fide elo. I am new to this forum and, therefore, I present myself.

    1. Welcome!

      I should say to others that I have promised Javier that I will do a weekly blog post regarding chess training.

  59. @Jacob Aagaard

    For me I started with calculation. And the first chapters worked fine, but then it got difficult…. And the most bad thing, my practical play did not get better. More time trouble. I wanted to calculate to much.
    Then I used Positional play and it made me play better and quicker. The good thing was to see that i could solve most positions. So why calculate so much, just play, and trust my intuition.
    So for me this combination of using both books works better. But maybe this is not for everyone, maybe i am just bad in calculation….

  60. @Jacob You’re a stronger person than I am, Gilchrist’s relentless questions would have driven me into the mad house by now.

  61. Gilchrist is a Legend

    @James
    It is not my fault you are not as interested as I am then, but I would not mind answering questions about my book if I wrote one, even to someone who has to resort to rudeness.

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