bookReview122

The English publisher Everyman (www.everymanchess.com) has just released two new titles.

Play the Queen's Gambit (2006, 175 pages, paperback, figurine algebraic, $23.95) by Chris Ward is a one volume guide for White and covers pretty much everything after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 except 2...e6 3.Nc3 a6 - which is not such a bad line. In trying to cover such a large amount of material in a relatively small space Ward is forced to make choices and usually emphasizes more popular topical lines - for example Shabalov's 7.g4 in the Semi-Slav gets 6 pages but the coverage of the recommended line against the Tarrasch stops right at the tabiya (9.Bg5 cxd4 10.Nxd4 h6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Rc1 Bf8 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Na4). On the other hand the old/new 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c6 5.e3 a6 gets a couple of pages.

In order to keep thngs from getting out of hand Ward sometimes ducks the sharpest lines but his alternatives, though not as popular, have some venom. For example after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nbd7 11.Rd1 e5 Ward proposes 12.Bb3, with the followup 12...exd4 13.exd4 Nb6 14.Bg5 Qd6 15.Bf4 Qd8 16.Be5 over the more complicated 12.d5.

Play the Queen's Gambit is appropriate for players 1800-2400 , who want to play the White side.

Rudolf Spielmann Master of Invention ( 2006, 144 pages, paperback, figurine algebraic, $21.95) by Neil McDonald is a new book on a famous master of the past who has yet to have the definitive tome written on his career. Older well-stocked libraries will likely have the trilogy by Jack Spence and some newer one's Eric Schiller's effort, but neither they nor McDonald provide the sort of comprehensive effort like Foster's brillliant book on Amos Burn or Jeremy Silman's on Pal Benko. That is not to say there is nothing of value in Rudolf Spielmann Master of Invention. On the contrary, the selected games are nicely annotated by a fresh pair of eyes. There are also many positions to solve that take advantage of Spielmann's well-known expertise in combinative play. McDonald doesn't give only wins by Spielmann and is objective in his comments. If you don't expect lots of biographical material, crosstables, photos (except for one on the cover) this is a nice book and now the best one available on Spielmann.