Ostende Internationales Schachmeisterturnier 1937 by Emil Joseph Diemer

http://www.mediafire.com/file/y9kbe... (pdf)

<I actually got a copy of it about a week ago as a gift. To be honest, it's my new favorite chess book. The games are high quality, there's interviews with Benko, Larry Evans, and NM Gross. There's also something like 100 pictures, which comes out to a picture every few pages. There's even some pictures of Fischer visiting Tal in the hospital at Curacao, 1962. The book is also filled with anecdotes from Benko. After reading them, he knew practically everyone and has a story for each person. Scattered throughout the book are blurbs about certain players, and Benko says what he thought about them, or tells a story about them. At the end, there's an opening survey from John Watson, where he analyzes Benko's games in depth and breaks them down into each opening. I think what sets the book apart though is the actual writing. Most chess "biographies" are just some games with a paragraph of background, but here, every chapter starts with numerous pages about Benko's life. He tells about how he escaped the army in the middle of the night, about how bad his life became at some points. He actually seems like a real person, compared to most GM's who make their life seem like nothing more than chess. There's even some pictures of Benko with his wife and children. Last but not least, the quality of the actual book is great. The pages are thick, the layout is nice, and the dust jacket is very cool. I've heard that all copies are hardback, so they're bound to hold up. I know that was really longwinded, but in conclusion this book is my new favorite, and I can't put it down.>

<PizzatheHut:March 2004>

Benko vs Taimanov, 1960

<I’ve been fascinated by chess openings from the time I first learned the game during Christmas break, 1966. I recall being thoroughly enchanted as I worked through Modern Chess Openings, 10th edition by Larry Evans.>

"French players are a breed apart" and "Blessed with a catchy prefix" (regards the Nimzo-Indian).

I have all the MCOs but of course '10' has a special meaning to me. Really, of the later editions I think it is the best. Evans did a great job!

Evans did a nice job with Vienna 1922. London 1922, also - Maroczy's annotations are short but very good. Botvinnik doing the Soviet Championship 1941 is excellent.

Of the (relatively) more recent I still like the two Piatigorsky Cups. The First is mostly annotated by Reshevsky, the Second has annotations by both players of a game.

Special notice to Karklins' 1964 USSR Zonal, "Modern Grandmaster Chess."

Tournament books are a BIG space! I have around 300 and haven't really scratched the surface! Sadly, many great ones have never been translated into English.

Those you listed are great! Zurich by Najdorf makes an good companion to Bronstein.

I had a brief discussion with <Zanzibar> on the Battle Royal book some time back. I have never seen a copy which didn't have a badly chipped DJ.

That covers a lot of strategic ground...everything save 'position.' There are sites to download chess book pdfs (just do a Google search) but be careful of them - especially the torrents. And, of course, copyright issues.

I was thinking of one today when I saw it - Learn Chess From the World Champions by Levy. WCs analyze their own games. It is a price sleeper, also. Nice hardback Pergamon book, goes for $5-$10.

I was browsing Chernev's 'Golden Dozen' book and on the back inside flap it lists other books by Oxford.

One of them caught my eye 'Chess Technique and Bobby Fischer' by Burger. I've never seen or heard of it and not finding on a quick search of the Internet.

I suspect it is the same as 'The Chess of Bobby Fischer' by Burger but of course cannot be certain. Does anyone have a copy of the Oxford tome?

Also - peripheral Q - What do others think of Sam Sloan listing himself as co-author on many of the classic chess books being reprinted by the new (relatively, they did wonderful Go books for many years) Ishi Press?

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

As every British schoolboy knows, Batsford published several series of opening books 1970s-1990s.

Contemporary Opening Series (alias the ‘Batsford Whites’ and the beginning of the British Invasion). Most of these nice HB/DJ books can be had for a song.

Algebraic Opening Series

Tournament Players Series

Tournament Openings (mostly translations from Russian and not in white covers)

Winning With (into the 2000s)

My question regards the Algebraic Series: I have the Colle/London/B-D, Nimzowitsch Attack and King’s Indian 4.e4 in hardback...

Can anyone assert that any/all of the others were issued in hardback? I know the three I do have are HTF now. And/Or offer more information on the Batsford opening books – especially the relationship with Chess Digest.

Yes, the Nimzo book is one of Keene's best efforts.

Another Hippo tome! This one from the pen and engine of Alessio De Santis, FIDE Master from Italy.

Subtitled, “A Deceptively Dangerous Universal Chess Opening System for Black.” Whew.

The book is cleverly divided into three Sections: Flash, Reflection and In Depth. Basically, topics are covered in more and more depth; I like that idea a lot!

What stands out for me is De Santis’ beginning attempt to categorize setups, motifs, breaks for both Black and White. To do this he discusses in some detail a variety of Semi-Hippos for Black. Some White setups suggest one of a number of Semi-Hippos instead of a Full Hippo.

Although it is not extremely systematized – it is somewhat new territory – the attempt to match the best Setup for Black against White setups is laudatory. He also does this, if even more informally, for various motifs and pawn breaks for each side.

OK, so De Santis is ‘only’ and FIDE Master and there are games with sub-2000 players. I am fine with that as I play mostly sub-2000 opponents. Obviously, this raises the question…why are there so few >2400 games available for comment? You’ll need to draw your own conclusions.

The book is nicely laid out and there are three to four diagrams per page! If the Robatsch or Owens/English are of interest, you should probably have this book as both can lead to Full-Hippos or Semi-Hippos to Black’s advantage.

A Hippo Reader:
The Hippopotamus Rises – Martin
The Hippo System – Briffoz
The Hippopatamus Defence – De Santis

There are also Hippo chapters in Persson’s two books – Tiger’s Modern and the Modern Tiger. Lakdawalwa gives it some space in both 1….b6 Move by Move and The Modern Move by Move, also discussing when a Hippo may be the way to go.

I was delighted to see this book is not just another Tiger’s Modern tome!

I have played the Robatsch/Modern since the late 1960s and Lakdawala advocates for the three lines I have always played:

Against e4 and not-c4 by White (what I call the Robatsch) he recommends the ‘classical’ d6 and c6 lines against most White setups.

Against the f4 Austrian Attack he recommends a ‘delayed Gurgenidze’ with d6 ->d5 after White’s f4. The Gurgenidze is my ATF variation! The delayed two-step with the queen’s pawn is no big deal. The position is quite closed and more often than not in the Austrian the bishop goes back to f8.

Sadly, this means he doesn’t cover the Old Main Line of c6 and b5 or the Robatsch Poisoned Pawn of c6 and Qb6. I think both of those are very playable against the Austrian with f4.

(As to the Gurgenidze, there is also an ‘advanced’ variation where white tries to save a temp by not playing an early ….Bg7 and …d5 in a single stroke. Of course, this gives White the opportunity to not play f4. Something gained, something lost.)

Against the Averbakh (which I call the Modern) with White’s c4 he recommends a Benoni with …Ne7. I’d call this a Franco-Gunderdam. I have also always felt the Benonis with a delayed …Nf6 or …Ne7/…Nh6 placement have real potential. If this appeals also see Soltis’ Franco-Benoni and Field’s Barcza Larsen Defense.

I am grateful for Lakdawala for promoting these lines. I guess great minds think alike, LOL!