| New Books by Everyman Chess (www.everymanchess.com) reviewed by IM John Donaldson The English company Everyman Chess has recently been publishing an increasing number of chess titles. Among their recent offerings are fully revised and updated versions of Winning Chess Tactics (2005, algebraic notation, paperback, 240 pages, $19.95) and Winning Chess Strategies (2005, algebraic notation, paperback, 256 pages, $19.95). Both books are authored by former World Championship Candidate Yasser Seirawan with IM Jeremy Silman. The original editions of both these books were published by Microsoft Press in the mid-1990s and went through several printings. Going through the new editions I didn't see any new material but observed a significantly nicer page layout and much crisper diagrams. If you have the original of either of these books there is no reason to get the new edition, but if you don't and are are looking for first rate primers on either tactics or strategy these books are for you. Particularly strong is the work on strategy, an area of the game where Seirawan and Silman are noted experts. Lots of clear explanatory prose make these books accessible to players from 1400 to 2200. Those looking to take up the Dutch will find GM Neil McDonald's Starting Out: the Dutch Defense (2004, algebraic notation, paperback, 173 pages, $18.95) a good guide. Following the usual Starting Out formula this is is not a hard core theoretical work. Rather it is a very reader friendly book with over sized pages, lots of explanation, helpful tips and material grouped around illustrative games. Such a format might sound like it is aimed for players below 2000, and indeed I am sure that is this book's primary target audience, but stronger players will also learn some things due to some well chosen examples and perceptive comments. Opening books of a considerably different ilk are the Offbeat Nimzo (2005, figurine algebraic notation, paperback, 144 pages, $19.95) and The Trompowsky-2nd edition (2005, figurine algebraic notation, paperback, 144 pages, $19.95) by English GMs Chris Ward and Nigel Davies. Both of these are note pure theoretical tomes along the lines of recent Gambit books or Batsford in the old days. Instead the material is arranged around model games. In Davies case this is 67 well-annotated games, in Ward's 47. Ward writes primarily from Black's point of view covering the Saemisch, Leningrad, 4.f3, 4.g3, 4.Qb3 and various odds and end. Approximately half of the book is devoted to 4.f3/4.a3 a subject dealt with extensively in a recent Gambit monograph by GM Yury Yakovich. The Trompowsky book covers 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 extensively but not 1.d4 d5 2.Bg5 except via transposition (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5). One very nice feature are several suggested repertoires for both White and Black taking into account stylistic preferences and the need to mesh with one's answer to 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4. Both of these books benefit from the personal involvement of the authors who in many cases have tried the respective lines for both White and Black. |