Here is our points system:
[1/5] Poor
[2/5] Below average
[3/5] Average
[4/5] Good to very good
[5/5] Excellent
The latest review on this page
was uploaded Mar/2005.
Older reviews appear further
down the page.
This new page will be devoted to reviewing chess books, videos, DVDs, software, etc. We start with almost nothing, but obviously the number of items will grow over time. If you want to submit your own review for consideration, then do please send us an email.
|
Here is our points system: |
|
The latest review on this page |
Kaj Bjorkqvist | Romantic D-Openings: An Opening Repertoire for White
| Castor & Pollux (Finland) 2003 | 51 pages
[3/5] Reviewed by Marek
Soszynski, Mar/2005
This slim book gives a repertoire for White based around the Blackmar-Diemar Gambit (BDG) 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3. Despite the BDG's mediocre reputation, it attracts a lot of enthusiastic amateurs - like the author of this book, who incidentally is a psychologist researching into aggression, which is somehow appropriate given the kind of play that ensues.
Each section has a wordy introduction followed by some complete games with few if any notes. There is reasonable coverage of Black's alternatives. For example, various ways are offered for White to cope with a transposition to the French Defence after 2...e6. Unfortunately nothing is suggested against the Caro-Kann after 2...c6. Meanwhile 1.d4 Nf6 is met by 2.g4 - "the move is perfectly sound, and the gambit is in fact extremely dangerous for Black" - which is typical of the kind of adventurous and over-optimistic attitude that permeates the book.
If you want a short and sweet introduction to the BDG, then this is the book for you. However, be advised that it lacks depth and the lines are dangerous for White too!
Nigel Davies | The Dynamic Reti | Everyman Chess 2004 | 144 pages
[4/5] Reviewed by Marek Soszynski, Jun/2004
GM Nigel Davies is known for writing good treatments of less popular chess openings such as Alekhine's Defence, and the Veresov. On this occasion he turns to the Reti (1.Nf3 d5 2.c4), and offers a repertoire for White. His book is based around 65 fully annotated games, going down some unexpected sidelines in the search for dynamic play. Davies's own experiences playing the Reti, and what he has learnt along the way, permeate the book.
What is the repertoire? Well, after 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 dxc4 Davies suggests 3.e4!?, while against 2...e6 or 2...c6 he prefers to delay b2-b3. A big plus is that he devotes two chapters to the English, which occurs after 1.Nf3 c5 2.c4. Likewise there is lengthy coverage of Black trying to take things into a King's Indian, or a Dutch style of play - so this is indeed a complete repertoire for White. He also gives games in which Black answers 1.Nf3 with 1...g6, 1...d6, or 1...Nc6 (with 1...b5 and 1...b6 in the notes to Game 65).
After 2...d5 Davies in Chapter Four recommends 3.g3. Slightly disappointingly he gives only one game with 3...c5, which is the obvious continuation for weaker players, compared to four games with 3...Nc6. Incidentally, it does look odd - even suspicious - for Davies not to mention IM Angus Dunnington's Easy Guide to the Reti Opening anywhere, especially as Dunnington has interesting things to say about 3.g3 as well as other Reti lines.
In case there is a revised edition, here is a selection of mistakes: In Game 2 it should be 28...Rb8 (not Rd8). On page 64 it should be "before committing" (not "by committing"); while on page 75 "would have give White" and "which gives hands the initiative" speak for themselves; likewise "White's two rooks are give him" on page 8, "White best bet by far is to" on page 71, and "White can maintains his" on page 81. If a reviewer can spot these, why can't an editor?
Players of the Reti should get this book immediately; they will enjoy experimenting with Davies's suggestions, and will benefit from a Grandmaster's insights and explanations. Players of the English and the Catalan (which can sometimes transpose to or from the Reti) will have their repertoire expanded. Those looking for a radical change from 1.e4, say, will find sufficient material here, but inevitably they may suffer culture shock - and so will their opponents. Whoever you are, this book is recommended.
Jacob Aagard and Esben Lund | Meeting 1 d4 | Everyman Chess 2002 | 176 pages
[3/5] Reviewed by Marek Soszynski, May/2004
The blurb claims that the Danish authors "provide an all-in-one solution to the popular opening move 1 d4 and other White systems that do not involve 1 e4. The lines suggested [...] are easy to learn and fun to play...". Unfortunately, in the first three chapters we are thrown deep into the main lines of the Tarrasch Defence with no introduction whatsoever. Not until page 77 do we get any mention of early move orders. While the discussion of 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 etc. does appear detailed and lucid, the stranger to the Tarrasch may not appreciate being thrown into the deep end like that.
When the authors go beyond the main lines of the Tarrasch, their treatment is a little odd. For example, the very common symmetrical sequence 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 does not merit a game, and is discussed all too briefly (p130-131). Chapter Ten is called "Reti Systems," and features 8 annotated games, which sounds very promising, except that the Reti Opening itself 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 isn't mentioned once in the entire chapter. It is only later on page 170 that we learn that Black is recommended to play 2...e6 - which won't transpose to any of the games in Chapter Ten.
On the plus side, there are 4 games devoted to 1.d4 d5 2.Bg5. And the lines recommended against the 1.d4 2.Nf3 systems do equalise very straightforwardly. The London System (or "Old Man's Bad Habit"), for instance, is quickly defused by 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 Bd6!
There are a number of errors and annoyances all the way through, however. For example, "All in all, there are a lot of moves are good here." (sic p161) Worse is "... when a titled player is woring with a weaker player..." (sic p5) as it means that a spell-checker was not used throughout. Also, Game 41 is missing several moves. Finally, there is no index of variations - a serious omission for an opening book of this sort.
If you already play the Tarrasch Defence, you will want this paperback; for it does contain good, deep analysis. If you want a complete repertoire against everything apart from 1.e4, as advertised in the blurb, then this book will get you started, but will require some extra work due to the unhelpful organisation of the material, and the somewhat patchy coverage. In conclusion, this is a disappointing book that could so easily have been improved by proper, tough-minded editing.
Paata Gaprindashvili | Imagination in Chess: How to Think Creatively and Avoid Foolish Mistakes | Batsford 2004 | 287 pages
[4/5] Reviewed by Marek Soszynski, Apr/2004
The title may not reveal it, but this is basically another paperback of tactical puzzles - 756 of them, mostly from Grandmaster games of the 1960s into the 1990s. Be warned that the positions can be very tough, even the ones graded as easier: many have “quiet” opening moves and longish solutions. What makes the book slightly unusual is that the puzzles are grouped into 7 chapters with obscure titles like Reciprocal Thinking - Logic, and Mental Agility - Reciprocal Thinking - Auxiliary Idea. Fortunately the chapter introductions, usually just 2 or 3 pages, explain what the author is on about - the different trains of thought involved in move selection. It makes a change from a section on pins, a section on passed pawns, etc. In any case, as with most other such books, you can safely ignore most of the text and get on with the positions, even if this isn’t exactly what the author recommends. That is just as well when you read (p103): “The exercises offered in Chapters V and VI can be effectively used to assess your mental agility, but not to develop it.” What a pity! Still, the Foreword is more reassuring: “We believe that regular solving of these exercises will improve the cognitive action of the brain and raise your standard of play.” That’s alright then.
To sum up, this is a very good collection of stimulating exercises (with a bit of psychology thrown in) for strong players or very talented juniors and their coaches.
Nikolai Shumilin | Chess Tactics Training | Moscow "Andreyevsky Flag" 1993 | 170 pages
[2/5] Reviewed by Marek Soszynski, Mar/2004
This is a paperback of 700 tactical puzzles, 6 per page, arranged by theme - Double Attack, Passed Pawn, Attack a King, and so on - with the easier ones towards the start. Apart from a short Preface (in Russian and German as well as English) there is practically no text, just diagrams and at the back the wordless solutions in figurine notation. Unfortunately, a few of the diagrams are wrong, a few of the solutions are wrong, and a few of the game details are wrong too. Paradoxically, that is not such a terrible thing. As in actual games, you are forced to come to your own conclusions about the positions in front of you, whatever they happen to be. Having said that, this is a sub-standard book in more ways than one, for its pages soon became loose in my own copy.
Daniel King | Endings - The Essentials | GM Video 1996 | 75 minutes
[4/5] Reviewed by Marek Soszynski, Mar/2004
This video (part of the "Better Chess Now!" series) is presented by the urbane English Grandmaster Danny King. It consists of two sections. The first is devoted to king and pawn endings, while rook and pawn endings - the Philidor and Lucena positions in particular - are discussed in section two. (Which means that bishops and knights are nowhere to be found, and queens are on the board only briefly, having just been promoted.) In both sections we are introduced to some timeless principles, and then shown how complicated endgames can simplify into more basic positions where knowledge of those very principles is crucial.
Danny King is enthusiastic about the ideas he presents, and besides classics from Reti and Alekhine, he also explains endings from some of his own games. Though he can hardly be expected to give a deep or thorough treatment of the subject in this medium, he does deal capably and engagingly with the essentials of the most important endings likely to be faced in practice. Any beginner would be given a great deal to think about by this video, whereas for intermediate players it would be a very useful recap. And as Danny himself says, there are probably some stronger players out there who would also benefit. Better one good quality tape (like this one) viewed from time to time than a library forever unread.
