bookReviews71

Two New Books by Gambit - December 2004

Play the 4.f3 Nimzo-Indian (Gambit - www.gambitbooks.com, 2004, 128 pages, figurine algebraic, paperback, $23.95) by GM Yury Yakovich is a book that covers more than the title suggests. Yes, this is a book on 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3, but since Black most common response is 4...d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ it is also devoted to the Saemisch Nimzo. All told half of the 99 page theoretical section is devoted to the Saemisch which isn't often reached as much via it's traditional move order these days because of lines like 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 b6 and 5...Nc6 where Black defers committing his central pawns in favor of organizing immediate action on White's c-pawn with ...b6, ...Ba6 and ...Na5.

Yakovich, who is a big supporter of 4.f3, offers detailed analysis of the variations that goes way beyond what is found in more traditional general coverage books on the Nimzo. One case in point is his look at 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Be7 which is often given as a simple answer to 4.f3 with the followup 6.e4 dxe4 7.fxe4 e5 8.d5 Bc5. If that is all the information you know about this line it just enough to get you into big trouble! Consider Yakovich's main line: 9.Nf3 Ng4 10.Na4! Bf2+ 11.Ke2 b5! 12.h3 bxa4 13.hxg4 Bg3 13.Rh3 Bf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Rh4 (16.Qd4 0-0 17.Rh4 is another goog option) 16...0-0 17.g5! Re8 18.Qd4! c5 19.Qxc5 Rxe4+ 20.Kd1 Nd7 21.Qf2 Ne5 22.Nxe5 Rxe5 23.Bd3! with advantage to White. Could you find this over the board? By the way such wild and woolly play is typical of 4.f3.

The chief part of the book is devoted to trying to find a promising line for White after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e4 when of Black three retreats (9...Nc7, 9...Nf6 and 9...Ne7) theory gives preference to the latter two moves but without any clear-cut preference. To readers use to reading opening books with well-defined lines the material in this part of the book may be a bit disconcerting as many main variations have yet to be worked out. Yakovich's supplies plenty of original analysis as he guides the reader towards what he sees as best play. The sort of enterprising play that is required to play the White side of 4.f3 is not something that will be second nature to most players therefore it was an excellent idea of the Russian GM to include 14 well-annotated illustrative games to introduce the 4.f3 Nimzo player into the intricacies of this variation.

This book is absolute must reading for 4.f3 Nimzo players and aggressive players who play 1.d4 and are looking for something to play after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6. Likewise those who defend the Nimzo will also want to get this book but with the one small caveat that the infrequently seen sideline 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.Qa4+ is not covered.

365 Ways to Checkmate (Gambit - www.gambitbooks.com, 2004, 208 pages, figurine algebraic, paperback, $23.95) by GM Joseph Gallagher might seem to be yet another puzzle book in what seems a never ending flood of works on the subject but that would be an inaccurate assessment. While many recent releases are little more than collections of positions dumped straight from a database Gallagher has given you quality control, a priceless commodity in today's information explosion.

As the title implies Gallagher offers the reader 365 puzzles to solve which start at relatively easy (a National Master should be able to solve most if not all of them and a club player will do pretty well) and move to quite difficult exercises as one progresses from level 1 to level 5. Near the end there are three sets of puzzles, each with 15 exercises, that offers a chance to compare results with other players who have taken the tests.

One of the things that makes this a good book is Gallagher's skill at selecting examples and placing them at the right level of difficulty. Another is offering detailed solutions which often cover plausible sidelines that might have attracted the reader. Gallagher does not restrict himself to just the moves of the solution but often inserts helpful prose to make things clearer. Going though a tactics book can often be a bit of a dry exercise but I found the author's humor and personal observations of various players livened things up.

This book has several reader friendly features. I have already mentioned the detailed solutions. Should one get stuck on a puzzle before looking at the solution there is the option of consulting the hints section. This is nicely placed near the back of the book so as not to be used as a permanent crutch. The author has arranged the puzzles by difficulty and not by theme but a glossary/themes index at the end of the book allows the reader to investigate a particular subject.

365 Ways to Checkmate is a book that should appeal to a wide audience from club to international players and would make an excellent Christmas present.