Together with his longtime trainer Matthias Krallmann, GM Matthias Blübaum describes his path from his early youth to the title of European champion. According to his own statement, he particularly benefited from the 'Group of Princes' of the German Chess Federation, which was founded in 2008 by national youth coach IM Bernd Vökler. In this actually not so long journey of an outstanding young talent to the German top player, the reader is not only taken along, but he can also learn a lot for his own practice 'on the way' and is offered all kinds of instructive tips and tricks. In his foreword, IM Bernd Vökler writes: "...a special highlight has been achieved: Renowned endgame guru, Dr. Karsten Müller, dissects selected endgames by Matthias Blübaum ... A double delight for the reader! – In the next part, a look into the treasury of every grandmaster is granted, namely into his opening repertoire. Matthias Krallmann notes that even former world champion Alexander Khalifman once praised Matthias' complete and self-contained repertoire. – The following chapter offers some of Matthias Blübaum's games against the top stars of the scene, annotated by himself. It's mouth-watering! – At the end, the reader is once again challenged himself. The big tactics test invites you to puzzle and calculate. Matthias Krallmann and Matthias Blübaum don't offer easy reading! Typically East Westphalian, labour-intensive, exhausting, honest and straight – the portrait of the chess worker, the chess grandmaster, the chess practitioner Matthias Blübaum. You don't become number one in Germany in a sprint, but in a marathon!"304 Seiten, kartoniert, Joachim Beyer Verlag
4 types of players with their strengths and weaknessesPlaying styles in chess are an important and often discussed topic. GM Dr. Karsten Müller and GM Luis Engel take up a model by GM Lars Bo Hansen based on 4 types of players – 'activists', 'pragmatics', 'theorists' and so-called 'reflectors'. Their respective strengths and weaknesses are explained based on many examples, complemented by numerous exercises to enable the reader to assign himself to one or the other category. "As part of the preparation for my opponents, I often try to research their typical player characteristics ... In this respect, it can be helpful to draw conclusions about the type of player, and thus about strengths and weaknesses, by looking at the openings they play – or to use the characteristics of certain players to infer the likelihood of which opening lines they might choose. These and numerous other considerations are presented in this book in a condensed and systematic form. The division of players into four prototypes is extremely helpful not only in terms of game preparation, but also to determine your own characteristics as a player. In addition, the book can serve as a helpful guide for amateurs and chess fans to get a more precise picture of certain players." (Excerpts from the foreword by GM Vincent Keymer)
248 Seiten, kartoniert, Joachim Beyer Verlag
Review from Professor Barry Hymer, Former CSO, Chessable, May 2022
As someone who has had a lifelong professional interest in and scepticism about the value of ‘learning styles’ approaches (or their family variants, like ‘player types’), and who has even penned a savage takedown of their value in the chess world - I was intrigued to read The Human Factor in Chess by Karsten Müller and his fellow GM, Luis Engel. The title alone made me wonder if there’d be any similarities with one of my all-time favourite chessbooks – Fred Reinfeld’s The Human Side of Chess, from 1953 (Faber & Faber). There weren’t many, at least in terms of the book’s aims. Almost as prolific as Reinfeld, but with an even more consistent output in terms of quality, Müller’s stellar reputation as a chess writer and theorist needs little by way of introduction of course, and I was worried that my high regard for his work wouldn’t survive this foray into the fascinating but theoretically questionable and fundamentally untestable world of ‘learning styles’. In particular, would I encounter facile conflations of playing styles (a chessplayer’s habitual preference for playing certain types of positions – and not just won ones – and in certain types of ways) with assumptions that these are built on certain supposedly innate and immoveable qualities or predispositions? Turns out F. Scott Fitzgerald was right, and it’s quite possible to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time, and still function. At least it is in the hands of first rate minds and authors like these.
First things first. The book builds on the classification of player types introduced by Lars Bo Hansen in his book Foundations of Chess Strategy (Gambit, 2005). Though there are some divergences from the Hansen book in the attribution of individual players from chess history to certain categories, both books posit the existence of four player types: activist, theorist, reflector and pragmatic. Having acknowledged that this won’t be the only possible model, and ‘stereotyped’ or overly dogmatic thinking inevitably brings dangers with it, the suggestion is made (endorsed by Vincent Keymer in his preface) that knowledge of one’s own and one’s opponent’s typology can be helpful in terms of game preparation and self-knowledge. Strengths and weaknesses of each type are outlined, with suggestions for leveraging one’s own strengths whilst exploiting one’s opponent’s weaknesses – in a manner analogous to the old game rock, paper, scissors: eg reflectors’ mastery of prophylaxis can trump activists, who in turn can use their knowledge of sharp opening lines to discombobulate both reflectors and theorists, who in turn can aim for quiet, technical positions in order to frustrate calculation-loving pragmatists.
It’s not an exact science of course, and it’s arguable whether it’s a science at all, but it’s no less fun and fascinating for that. The argument has considerable face-validity, however thin the theoretical base and legion the players who straddle more than one type – or perhaps even none. As a rough-and-ready heuristic for conceptualising player-types I believe it is both interesting and plausible, and it provides a helpful architecture for a player’s long-term journey towards a universal playing style (a goal acknowledged as such by the authors). Who, after all, doesn’t want to have a Botvinnik-like mastery of general principles, a dash of Smyslovian harmony and a dollop of Fischerlike pragmatism combined with an Alekhinian feel for the initiative? Come to think of it, just one of those qualities would be attractive to we amateurs!
The book is stronger for the authors’ decision to keep the theoretical overview light-touch, succinct and on-point. It recognises the dynamic evolution of many players’ styles (the early styles of Steinitz, Smyslov and Tal, for instance provide few clues to their later iterations), and for the most part it avoids assertions that are overly deterministic and mystical – though there are occasional lapses such as the unreferenced assertion that when it comes to “… a feeling for harmony and coordination like that of Karpov or Carlsen, you just have it, or you don’t” (p.99). I’d put good money on the likelihood that these sublime qualities didn’t appear fully-formed, but developed cumulatively over time. (By way of evidence, there are many early games of both these legends which are distinctly lacking in these qualities as well of course many games in which they are replete).
But for me the book’s standout strength is when the authors revert to type (!) and do what they excel at: harnessing a lifetime’s love for and high-level expertise in the game in the form of carefully-harvested and well-curated positions and exercises, powerfully and lucidly structured and annotated. Typologies provide the architecture for this assemblage, and for obvious reasons examples are included which serve to support the designations of particular players to particular types. No-one investing the time in working through these exercises can fail to benefit, and derive a huge amount of pleasure en passant – whatever their own player-type! And in terms of publication quality, the occasional translation infelicity aside, the impressive accuracy and visual attractiveness of the book comes as Joachim Beyer Verlag standard.
Find out your Player Type
After the great success of the first book (The Human Factor in Chess) on
the model of the four player types, this follow-up volume contains not only
specific tasks and exercises but also general questions such as: Do you prefer
to calculate concrete lines or do you make your decisions more intuitively? Do
you have a good sense of harmony and coordination?
This approach is intended to enable the reader to assign himself to one of
the player types and find out whether he belongs to the activists or rather to
the pragmatists, theorists or reflectors. The result allows to draw conclusions
in order to further expand the individual strengths or to develop a more
universal playing style overall.
Because even if you usually win thanks to your strengths, it makes sense to
work on your own weaknesses as well. Of course, if there is only one move in a
position, you should be able to find it. Playstyles are especially important in
positions where you have a great choice. However, they also play a role when you
choose the type of position, which you should strive for based on your
style.
Interestingly, a playstyle can also be imitated, which may even be the
appropriate strategy against certain opponents. For example, certain
characteristics stand out clearly in activists, and being able to adjust to them
as an opponent is of course very valuable. A good example is Kramnik's win over
activist Kasparov (at the London 2000 world championship match). Since Kramnik
always managed to steer the game in the direction appropriate to his style, his
big opponent never had the chance to demonstrate his own strengths in positions
with attack and initiative.
While 'The Human Factor' was about a clear distinction of the four playing
styles, this book aims to emphasize the universality of each player. After
solving the tasks tailored to the four player types, it becomes clear how your
own competencies are distributed. Accordingly, GM Vincent Keymer states in his
foreword:
"Even if the further development of one's own player personality to a
universal player who unites all player types may remain a utopia, it's still
worth pursuing."
206 Seiten, kartoniert, Joachim Beyer Verlag
Review
by Alexey Root in August 2023
Grandmaster
(GM) Karsten Müller, GM Luis Engel, and FIDE Master Makan Rafiee are
the authors of The Human Factor in Chess - The Testbook, subtitled
„Find out your Player Type.“ Published in 2023 by JBV Books, it
is a follow-up volume to 2020’s The Human Factor in Chess,
subtitled „4 types of players with their strengths and weaknesses.“
GM Vincent Keymer wrote the forewords to both the 2020 and 2023
volumes. USCF Sales carries the 2023 book for $24.95.
The
following review also appeared on SparkChess in July 2023. I write
for SparkChess twice a month.
What
is your Player Type?
Do
you prefer to calculate concrete lines, or do you make your decisions
more intuitively? Do you have a good sense of harmony and
coordination? The Human Factor in Chess - The Testbook helps you
discover your Player Type through tasks and exercises.
The
four Player Types are Activist, Theorist, Reflector, and Pragmatic.
According to The Human Factor in Chess - The Testbook, knowing your
Player Type allows you „to draw conclusions in order to further
expand the individual strengths or to develop a more universal
playing style overall.“
Chess
Problems
While
I found excerpts from Keymer’s 2020 foreword online, I could not
find sample pages online from the 2023 volume. Publisher JBV Books
mailed a review copy of The Human Factor in Chess - The Testbook to
me. Here is a link (two problems on page 13) of the first two chess problems from the first chapter about
Activists.
Answers
For
the first problem, on the left, I initially considered 17. c3, using
my c-pawn to defend my d-pawn. Then my knight could leave that pawn’s
defense and attack Black’s king. But then I found 17.Bxg6! I was
influenced by the problem being in the „Activist“ chapter. I
figured an active move was expected.
In
my opinion, finding „How should White continue?“ in the first
problem is harder than deciding, in the second problem at right in
the photo above, if Nf5 is good or bad. After all, I have a 50%
chance to guess correctly regarding the quality of Nf5. Yet
designating Nf5 as a good move got me 2 AP (Activist Points) while
finding 17.Bxg6 got me 1 AP.
I
could not find the authors’ formula for how points are awarded.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed earning points. Also, I learned from the
authors’ explanations of why the correct answers were superior to
other moves.
In this book, International Grandmaster and senior FIDE trainer Thomas Luther offers something for all chess fans at amateur level. The ambitious tournament player can use it to improve his playing strength. However, not all chess fans have enough time for an extensive study of their game in general and tactics in particular. In this case, it is sufficient if the reader solves a few exercises every day, because even then he will learn a lot about this topic in the long term. Meanwhile, the pure "chess gourmet" is offered many interesting and entertaining examples and comments to enjoy the diversity of his favorite game.
The author takes the reader on a journey from the beginnings of chess many centuries ago to the present day. Throughout history, smart players have found clever moves and techniques that are still used today. In detailed texts, the author explains the developments in the respective epochs and shows corresponding interesting examples. In addition, the book contains chapters on tactics in the endgame and on all the subtleties related to the topic of stalemate. But don't worry, all this is not boring, but extremely instructive and entertaining on top of that!
In two longer series of tests, the reader can show how strong a tactician he already is – and what progress he has made after working with this book. A large number of diagrams in the text ensure that the reader is always able to find his or her way around and can largely get by without using a chessboard.
253 Seiten, kartoniert, Joachim Beyer Verlag
The Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend
The autobiography of an insider when chess was a vital factor in the USSR
One of the most fascinating episodes in chess history is the rise and domination of Soviet chess. It would be hard to find a better qualified authority on this period than Yuri Averbakh, who was part of the successes in the international arena and witnessed the struggles for power behind the scenes.
Averbakh won the USSR championship in 1954 ahead of aces like Kortchnoi, Petrosian and Geller and was a successful grandmaster for several decades.
In this personal memoir he looks back on his days as an active player, but also on his experiences as a quintessential insider when chess was considered a vital ingredient of life in the Soviet Union.
Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes describes the machinations of the notorious Sports Committee and offers surprising personal views on Soviet players like Botvinnik, Smyslov, Kortchnoi, Petrosian, Tal and Spassky. Averbakh recalls his dealings with Max Euwe and Bobby Fischer, writes touching portraits of some almost-forgotten masters and offers sharp analyses of 20th century chess politics.
A unique, revealing and at times unsettling story - essential reading for anyone interested in the history of chess and the Soviet Union.
Yuri Averbakh (1922) is a distinguished Russian chess grandmaster who has enjoyed a long and varied career. He has been a top player, a journalist, an editor, an arbiter, a trainer and a long-time member of the board of the Soviet chess federation.Averbakh won the USSR championship in 1954 and was a leading Soviet grandmaster for two decades. In this personal memoir he looks back on his days as an active player, but also on his experiences as a quintessential insider when chess was considered a vital ingredient of life in the Soviet Union.Yuri Averbakh, who used to be known as the most powerful man in Soviet chess, is currently the oldest living chess grandmaster in the world.
268 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag New In Chess
Competitive chess is not only about presenting your chess knowledge and turning it into a full point or defending a position for 5 hours and then missing to claim a three-fold repetition just because you are unaware of the chess rules and their proper implementation.
Imagine that, no matter how good your coach is, he may have never dragged your attention to explaining some simple cases that could arise in a tournament game. Or worse, say you are a chess professional, but failed to study the latest changes on the laws of chess and namely this brought you to a situation where you simply lost your prize money due to the mentioned fact.
So, a natural question would be: Who this book is intended for?
First and foremost - the chess arbiters, as it is stated on the book cover. Bojovic and Suhartovic, experienced International Arbiters and FIDE lecturers, have tried to handle the matter in such a way that even the beginners may master it, and that at the same time it would be useful to any chess arbiter as well. Since the jobs of arbiters and organizers are inextricably linked, it is considered that also the organizers shall find useful information in it. In addition, it will be useful to all chess players, primarily to professionals.
In the last several decades, chess has undergone large changes. On the one hand, the number of tournaments has significantly increased, and on the other, the mass usage of computers has opened hitherto unimaginable possibilities for progress and improvement of players, but unfortunately for misuses as well. This has led to the fact that also the Laws of Chess have been changing and adapting to new circumstances. Accordingly, the demands put before the arbiters, organizers and the players themselves are getting increasingly higher. Even though all the regulations may be found in the FIDE Handbook, the authors considered that it is not enough.
“Namely, that would be as if we gave some layman a collection of laws and expected him to become a lawyer.”
The objective was to present the most important regulations (for practical application) and to explain them in the textbook form, with as much examples as possible. The matter covered is divided into three units.
The first part deals with the Laws of Chess with numerous examples and comments. The chosen examples clearly illustrate the purpose and essence of the Laws of Chess. Of course, at the same time it would be impossible to cover all the situations which could arise in a chess competition. This part contains also the Tournament Rules, which represent (mostly technical) addition to the Laws. Special attention was given to cheating in chess through history and the ways how to battle against modern cheating by means of IT.
The second part covers the systems of competition. The Dutch variation of the Swiss system was covered in detail, not only because it is used most often, but also because it has undergone important changes which are valid from 1 July 2017. Special attention was given to the tie-break criteria. The authors are aware that many arbiters consider that making of the pairings and calculation of the MB are not their job, and that the computer does that automatically. Disagreeing with such view, authors consider that the pairings and calculation of standings are solely arbiter’s responsibility, and that the computer is an aid only. Even if the opposite opinion is accepted, the arbiter must always know this matter well enough to give an explanation to a player.
The third part comprises the Rating system, the International Title Regulations and the FIDE Online Arena. Even though it’s still in its infancy, everything indicates that in the future more and more competitions will be organized online.
292 Seiten, gebunden, Verlag Chess Informant
The Tata Steel Chess Tournament - A Celebration of 85 Years
Every winter, the world's strongest chess players and most promising
chess prodigies travel to a small seaside village in the Netherlands to
immerse themselves for two weeks in chess and chess only. Usually, the
World Champion is there, vying for victory. Garry Kasparov won three
times, Vishy Anand won five times, and Magnus Carlsen won a record eight
times.
The tournament is a gift of the local steel company to their
neighbours, the shops, restaurants and B&Bs, and the global
community of chess lovers. Hundreds of amateur chess players come to
Wijk aan Zee and play in the same hall as the elite grandmasters. Fans
all around the world can follow the games with expert commentary during
the online live broadcasts.
In 2023, the Tata Steel Chess tournament celebrates its 85th edition.
This book captures the uniqueness of the festival in 160 pages. It
tells the stories of the winners, the amateurs and their favourite
restaurants. Dozens of pictures highlight how photogenic the event is.
And, of course, the book includes magnificent chess games annotated by
the winners. Wijk aan Zee and the Tata Steel Chess Tournament bring out
the best in chess..
Erwin l'Ami is a Dutch Grandmaster and a regular participant in Wijk aan Zee.
Peter Doggers is Chess.com's Director of News and Events.
Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam is editor-in-chief of New In Chess magazine.
Peter Boel is the managing editor of New In Chess books. 160 Seiten, Hardcover, Verlag New in Chess
In 2018 DeepMind published the shocking results of their chess-playing artificial intelligence software, AlphaZero. Chess players looked in disbelief and immediately wondered how AI would affect the future of chess. Less than a year later, a whole new wave of chess engines emerged that were based on using neural networks to evaluate positions in a completely new way. This book is about the extraordinary impact that AI has had on modern chess.
The games of top chess players since the end of 2018 have reflected the use of these new engines in home analysis. They have significantly developed opening theory as well as the general understanding of middlegame concepts. By analysing these games with the help of neural network engines, FIDE Master Joshua Doknjas discusses numerous exciting ideas and examines areas of chess that had previously been overlooked. With thorough explanations, questions, and exercises, this book provides fascinating material for masters and less experienced players alike.
Joshua Doknjas is a FIDE Master from Canada who has enjoyed success competing internationally. He has won seven national titles for his age and tied for 1st in the 2019 U18 North American Youth Chess Championship.
336 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag Everyman Chess
Korchnoi and his Chess Grandchildren features 25 of Viktor Korchnoi’s best games from the latter stages of his glorious career. The latest game is from 2011, when Korchnoi was still potent enough to defeat Fabiano Caruana. The annotations are mainly in Korchnoi’s own words, with insightful additions from other top players and the author. Between the annotated games are numerous articles and interviews – some with Viktor, and others featuring top players talking about the great man.
Viktor Korchnoi is a legendary figure in chess, and is often considered the strongest player never to become World Champion. He was already an elite player in the 1950s and remained a formidable force well into the 21st century, capable of beating top players who were young enough to be his grandchildren.
International Master Vladimir Barsky is a respected author, journalist and coach.
384 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag Quality Chess
The rivalry between William Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort, the
world's strongest chess players in the late nineteenth century, became
so fierce that it was eventually named The Ink War. They fought their
battle on the chessboard and in various chess magazines and columns. It
was not only about who was the strongest player but also about who had
the best ideas on how to play the game.
In 1872, Johannes Zukertort moved from Berlin to London to continue
his chess career. Ten years earlier, William Steinitz had moved from
Vienna to London for the same purpose; meanwhile, he had become the
uncrowned champion of the chess world. Their verbal war culminated in
the first match for the World Championship in 1886.
Zukertort is certainly the tragic protagonist of this book, but is he
also a romantic hero? He has often been depicted as a representative of
romantic chess, solely focusing on attacking the king. Steinitz is said
to have put an end to this lopsided chess style with his modern
scientific school. This compelling story shakes up the traditional
version of chess history and answers the question which of them can
claim to be the captain of the modern school.
With his first book, Move First, Think Later, International Master Willy Hendriks
caused a minor revolution in the general view on chess improvement. His
second book, On the Origin of Good Moves, presented a refreshing new
outlook on chess history. In The Ink War, Hendriks once again offers his
unique perspective in a well-researched story that continues to
captivate until the tragic outcome. It gives a wonderful impression of
the 19th-century chess world and the birth of modern chess. Hendriks
invites the reader to actively think along with the beautiful,
instructive and entertaining chess fragments with many chess exercises.
480 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag New in Chess
Twenty years ago, New In Chess magazine started its own Proust Questionnaire, entitled Just Checking. In this back page column, chess players and personalities named their favourites, preferences, moods, life mottos and what not. One of the questions has always been: What was the most exciting chess game you ever saw?
Chess greats such as Anand, Shirov and Ivanchuk (and probably any other top player you can think of), authors and commentators such as Jeremy Silman, Jennifer Shahade, and Tania Sachdev nominated memorable games. This anthology presents the 45 most exciting of these most exciting games.
Besides inevitable ‘usual suspects’ like Kasparov-Topalov (Wijk aan Zee 1999) or the ‘Immortal’ Anderssen-Kieseritzky (London 1851), you’ll be treated to a wide variety of lesser-known gems. You’ll see Ding Liren revelling in an all-out attack, Ivan Saric juggling a knight and five pawns versus two rooks, and Sergei Radchenko chasing the white king all over the board.
Every game is a showcase of the richness and resourcefulness of chess.
Steve Giddins edited this selection, a job he immensely enjoyed: ‘I hope that every reader will find games here which bring a smile to their face and a lift to their heart’.
200 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag New in Chess
The KGB Plays Chess is a unique book. For the first time it opens to us some of the most secret pages of the history of chess.The battles about which you will read in this book are not between chess masters sitting at the chess board, but between the powerful Soviet secret police, known as the KGB, on the one hand, and several brave individuals, on the other. Their names are famous in the chess world: Viktor Kortschnoi, Boris Spasski, Boris Gulko and Garry Kasparov became subjects of constant pressure, blackmail and persecution in the USSR. Their victories at the chess board were achieved despite this victimization.Unlike in other books, this story has two perspectives. The victim and the persecutor, the hunted and the hunter, all describe in their own words the very same events. One side is represented by the famous Russian chess players Viktor Kortschnoi and Boris Gulko. For many years they fought against a powerful system, and at the end they were triumphant. The Soviet Union collapsed and they got what they were fighting for: their freedom.
Former KGB Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Popov, who left Russia in 1996 and now lives in Canada, was one of those who had worked all his life for the KGB and was responsible for the sport sector of the USSR.It is only now for the first time that he has decided to tell the reader his story of the KGB’s involvement in Soviet Sports. This is his first book, and it is not only full of sensations, but it also dares to name names of secret KGB agents previously known only as famous chess masters, sportsmen or sport officials. Just a few short years ago a book like this would have been unimaginable. Read this book. It is not only about chess. It is about glorious victory of the great chess masters over the forces of darkness.
176 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag Russell
Collector's volume, developed by FIDE for the 100th anniversary - printed in only 1000 copies
For one hundred years, FIDE has stood at the heart of the global
chess scene – standardizing regulations and titles, organizing
tournaments and matches, and promoting and protecting the game's
integrity.
Regardless of FIDE’s leadership, the goal has always been the same – to
celebrate the beauty of chess and give it the global prominence it
deserves. As we celebrate the first centenary of the International Chess Federation, we aim to provide both the chess audience and the general public with a concise summary of FIDE’s history, from its formation in 1924 in Paris to today.
The book before you is the result of that effort. It features
images, many rarely seen before, along with details of events,
organizers, players, arbiters, and key dates in the modern history of
chess, all meticulously compiled by Willy Iclicki and Dmitry Oleynikov.
As you go through the pages, remember that behind every story or event described in this book are thousands of hours of work, on and off the chessboard,
by enthusiasts from different eras, cultures, and backgrounds, all
united by their love of chess. The chess world is deeply indebted to all
of these people who have enriched the beauty and history of our game
and elevated chess to new heights of global appreciation and respect.
This book is also a celebration of them.
Collector's volume, developed by FIDE for the 100th anniversary - printed in only 500 copies
The history of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), one of the
oldest global sporting organizations, is not only an important part of
the centuries-old story of chess but also charts FIDE's growing
influence on the world stage.
Amidst the whirlwind of the 20th and early 21st centuries, FIDE played a
significant role on the global stage as it endeavored to dismantle
barriers between East and West, bridge the gap between North and South,
and unite humanity across the chessboard under our motto — Gens Una Sumus (“We Are One Family").
Right from the first chess Olympiad in London in 1927, FIDE has
stood at the epicenter of historic events both on and off the chess
board - without FIDE the geo-politically symbolic match between Spassky and Fischer in 1972, the epic duels between Karpov and Kasparov, and the rise of the new generation of chess players nurtured by the chess engines, simply would not have happened.
The Golden Book of FIDE, written by Willy Iclicki, Chair of FIDE's
Historical Committee, provides the most comprehensive account of the
first 100 years of FIDE. The book starts with the first steps to
form an international chess federation in 1914 and covers the entire
period of chess history up to the end of 2023. In providing a
comprehensive overview of all the key events and milestones in the first
century of FIDE, it meticulously chronicles the birth of international
chess tournaments, the grandeur of the Olympiads, the fervor of World
Championships, and the enduring legacy of players who adorned the game
with their brilliance.
Within these pages lie the accounts of passion-driven minds whose
unwavering commitment and passion are etched permanently upon the
chessboard of history.
The significance of this book transcends that of a mere chronicle. It
is a glorious celebration of a monumental milestone - a century of
FIDE's unyielding dedication to chess and a testament to its
transformative influence on the global chess community.
This opus is a tribute to the relentless pursuit of excellence, the
unwavering dedication of countless individuals and the pivotal role
which FIDE and its people have played in shaping the illustrious history
of chess.
As we commemorate the centennial anniversary of FIDE, we pay
homage to the countless creative minds, unsung heroes and legions of
spirited competitors whose collective ardor demonstrates beyond cavil
that chess is no mere game but can stand proudly as a cultural
phenomenon.
Computers have permeated almost every facet of modern chess, yet few players know how to gain the maximum benefit from working with them. Computers function as playing partners, opening study tools, endgame oracles, tactics trainers, sources of information on opponents and searchable game databases. Kongsted provides practical advice on how to use computers in all these ways and more. He also takes a look at the history of the chess computer, and how its thinking methods have developed since the early days. The book features an investigation of human vs. machine contests, including the recent Kasparov vs. Deep Junior and Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz matches, in which honours ended even.Christian Kongsted trained as a journalist at the Danish School of Journalism, and is an experienced chess writer. His correspondence chess rating is over 2500, and his Elo rating is over 2200. He has been interested in computer chess ever since he got his first chess computer at the age of eight. 192 Seiten, kartoniert, Verlag Gambit, 1. Auflage 2003
Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. It may sound quaint today, but not so long ago, computers battled humans for supremacy at the game of chess. The challenge of building a computer program capable of defeating the best of human-kind at chess was one of the original grand challenges of the fledgling field of artificial intelligence. On one side were dedicated scientists and hobbyists who invested decades of effort developing the software and hardware technology; on the other side were incredibly talented humans with only their determination and preparation to withstand the onslaught of technology.
The man versus machine battle in chess is a landmark in the history of technology. There are numerous books that document the technical aspects of this epic story. The human side is not often told. Few chess players are inclined to write about their man-machine encounters, other than annotating the games played. This book brings the two sides together. It tells the stories of many of the key scientists and chess players that participated in a 50-year research project to advance the understanding of computing technology.
From the Foreword by Vladimir Kramnik, 14th World Chess Champion"Grandmaster Karsten Müller and Professor Jonathan Schaeffer have managed to describe the fascinating history of the unequal fight of man against machine in an entertaining and instructive way. It evoked pleasant and not so pleasant memories of my own fights against the monsters. I hope that their work gives you as much pleasure as it has given me."
Jonathan Schaeffer is a Professor of Computing Science at the University of Alberta in Canada. For over 35 years he has been doing research in artificial intelligence using games and puzzles to demonstrate his ideas. Two of his games-related research projects have found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. He is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of artificial intelligence and is best known for using games as his experimental test bed.
Schaeffer’s scientific paper, Checkers Is Solved, was a runner-up in Science’s breakthroughs of the year for 2007, was named by Nature’s readers as the ninth Most Important Achievement of the Year, and was one of the New York Times’ “Ideas of the Year.” His published works also include One Jump Ahead: Computer Perfection at Checkers.
Schaeffer’s other game successes include Phoenix, a program that tied for first place in the 1986 World Computer Chess Championship, and Polaris, the first program to become competitive with world-class poker players.
International Grandmaster Karsten Müller is recognized as one of the world’s top endgame experts. He is the author of many books on endgames and chess tactics.
479 Seiten, kartoniert, Russell
The Dutch Grandmaster Paul van der Sterren was a professional chess
player for over twenty years. At the peak of his career, he qualified
for the Candidate Matches for the World Championship – and was only four
victories away from the World Title. In Mindful Chess, you will get his
long and short answer to whether meditation or mindfulness will help
your chess.
As a boy, Van der Sterren became fascinated by chess and became a
gladiator at the chess board. To quote Theodore Roosevelt, he met with
both victory and defeat, much joy and suffering. When, later in life, he
discovered vipassana meditation, he met again with joy and suffering –
and approached these issues with the same total devotion as he had
brought to chess—thousands and thousands of hours on the cushion and
studying Buddhist literature.
The reader will follow the two journeys through chess and meditation.
And find answers to questions such as: What is chess? What is
meditation? Who am I? What is I? Or will the answer elude you, is too
much inexplainable and unknowable?
Paul van der Sterren (1956) was a professional
chess player for over twenty years. At the peak of his career, the Dutch
grandmaster qualified for the Candidate Matches for the World
Championship – and was only four victories away from the World Title. He
is the bestselling author of Fundamental Chess Openings (Gambit Publishers). In 2023 New In Chess published his book In Black and White - a chess autobiography.
128 Seiten, gebunden, Verlag New In Chess
Teaser The Imparable Logic and Psychology in Chess
We live in era of computers (unfortunately!) and we are simply forced
to use them often and widely. Chess is no exclusion – it is impossible
even to imagine modern chess without computers, engines, databases,
online platforms, etc. Modern generations have their first connection
with chess through computers, not books, and that is wrong of course!
Young players prefer to memorize than to understand; they follow some
fashionable line even if they do not know what is going on!
That motivated me to write this book – logic must be included in the
process of chess education! Moreover, logic must be the most important
part of that education process. Youngsters often neglect logic and not
surprisingly they get surprised when their “well-remembered” variation
doesn’t work.
Experienced players often lead the game out of theory, to places
where understanding will prevail over memory and energy. That is my
favorite concept against youngsters –setting static situations on the
board – because young players usually go for dynamics, because they are
good at calculating and memorizing. Understanding and logic are
everything you need with statics on the board.
316 Seiten, gebunden, Thinkers Publishing Verlag
We all have an intuitive feeling of the stress, pressure and frustration on the path to winning a World Championship in sport, but rarely will you get as unfiltered and raw an insight into the struggle to succeed as in The Mental Game.
Aleksandra Maltsevskaya won the 2018 World Junior
Championship and 2022 European Rapid Championship. This book reveals the
inside story of an 18-month period in which she worked with Grandmaster Alexander Galkin. A year later, Maltsevskaya became World Junior Champion.
Galkin holds nothing back in revealing the highs, lows, jubilations and
frustrations that were experienced in their collaboration, all while
providing expert insights that will benefit chess players and coaches
alike. The book contains a wealth of bonus material, including all
eleven annotated games from Maltsevskaya’s World Championship victory.
288 Seiten, gebunden, Verlag Quality Chess
The vast majority of chess games witness familiar strategies and well
known tactical motifs. These are the games that you will find in the
anthologies and opening repertoires. Sometimes however, games appear
that seem to have been played on a different planet.
Conventional strategies go out of the window. Familiar tactical
themes are nowhere to be seen. Chaos has broken out. The pieces appear
to be in open rebellion and are steadfastly refusing to do the natural
jobs that they were designed for.
Having to navigate a path in such a game can be a nightmare. Do you
rely purely on calculation? Is it better to trust your instincts? Can
you assess the position using “normal” criteria?
In order to answer these questions, prolific chess author and coach
Cyrus Lakdawala has assembled a collection of brilliantly unconventional
and irrational games. The positions in these games appear almost
random. Kings have gone walkabout, pieces are on bizarre squares, huge
pawn rollers are sweeping all before them.
Irrational chess is like nothing you’ve seen before. As well as being highly instructive this is a hugely entertaining book.
Do not adjust your set. It’s chess, Jim, but not as we know it.
Cyrus Lakdawala is an
International Master, a former National Open and American Open Champion,
and a six-time State Champion. He has been teaching chess for over 30
years, and coaches some of the top junior players in the U.S.
400 Seiten, kartoniert, Everyman Chess Verlag
Boris Zlotnik is an
extraordinary trainer and coach. He was the director of a legendary
chess school in Moscow before he emigrated to Spain in 1993. Ten years
later, the super talent Fabiano Caruana moved to Madrid with his entire
family to live near his trainer Zlotnik.
As a former coach of U.S. Champion Caruana,
Zlotnik knows how top players work on their chess improvement. And his
experience with club players allows him to translate that understanding
into practical lessons for amateurs about highly original subjects like
creativity or 'putting up resistance' - topics seldom touched on in
other chess manuals.
Zlotnik covers a wide variety of topics and
uses a wealth of material. Readers will love this new book, as they did
his first book, Zlotnik's Middlegame Manual. 'A brilliant,
important and extraordinarily instructive book', said Florian Jacobs,
the book reviewer for the Max Euwe Center in Amsterdam. 'This is how
probing, rich and motivating studying chess can be.'
248 Seiten, kartoniert, Everyman Chess Verlag
27,95 €*
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