| Three New in Chess Book Reviews by John Donaldson The latest edition of the New in Chess Yearbook series, number 75 (Publisher: New In Chess, 2005, paperback, 251 pages, figurine algebraic, $26.95) follows the usual format that has been developed over the last twenty odd years. The bulk of the book consists of opening surveys with prose introductions putting the current state of theory in context, recent key games extensively commented and supplementary games - some annotated and some unannotated. 33 NIC Surveys Yearbook 75 Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation 3...Bd7, by Boersma Sicilian Defense: English Attack 6.Be3, by L'Ami/Smeets Sicilian Defense: Sozin Variation 6.Bc4, by Van der Weide Sicilian Defense: Rauzer Variation 9...h6, by Avrukh Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation 3...g6, by Greenfeld Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 5...a6, by Langeweg Sicilian Defense: Paulsen Variation 6...Qb6, by Fogarasi Pirc Defense: Shirov Gambit 5.g4, by Olthof Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack 6.e5, by Afek Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack 6.Bd3, by Tzermiadianos King's Fianchetto: Anti-Maroczy 4...d6, by Marin French Defense: Rubinstein Variation 4...Nd7, by Fogarasi Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall 8.d4, by Karolyi Ruy Lopez: Breyer Variation 9...Nb8, by Olthof Ruy Lopez: Open Variation 9.Be3, by Van der Tak Scotch Opening: Mieses Variation 8...Nb6, by Van der Wiel Scotch Opening: Classical Variation 4...Bc5, by Panczyk/Ilczuk Two Knights Defense: 5...Nd5, by De Zeeuw King's Gambit: Bishop's Gambit 3...Nc6, by Narings Various Openings: English Defense 3.e4, by Stohl Various Openings: Chigorin Defense 3...e5, by Karolyi Queen's Gambit Declined: Blackburne Variation 5.Bf4, by Karolyi Queen's Gambit Declined: Anti-Tartakower Variation 8.Qc2, by Morgado Slav Defense: Chameleon Variation 4...a6, by Lukacs/Hazai Slav Defense: Krause Variation 6.Ne5, by Lukacs/Hazai Slav Defense: Meran Variation 8....Bb7, by Nikitin Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation 4...c5, by Anka Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation 4...d5, by Van der Stricht Nimzo-Indian Defense: Queen-Nimzo Hybrid 6.Nd2, by Scherbakov Bogo-Indian Defense: 4.Bd2 Qe7, by Hansen Grunfeld Indian Defense: Exchange Variation 7.Nf3, by Van der Tak King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation 3.g3, by Dautov English Opening: Double Fianchetto Variation, by Marin The New in Chess Forum contains plenty of interesting contributions but what I feel stands out most in this volume are Sosonko's corner and the book reviews by regular Glenn Flear and special guest Sergey Tiviakov. Sosonko focuses on the extensive contributions of Kasparov to modern opening theory. These contributions are not confined to novelties the former World Champion employed time and time again against the best in the world, but also his revolutionizing the process of preparation. Sosonko feels that a particular key is Garry's ability to work effectively with the computer, a skill not shared equally by all the world's top players. Kasparov started working with a computer early on and feels that only Anand has matched his talent of harnessing the computer's strengths without becoming a slave to it. Regular NIC YB reviewer GM Glenn Flear has done his usual excellent job and has strong praise for Konstantin Sakaev and Semko Semkov�s profound Latest Trends in the Semi-Slav: ANTI-MERAN, an opening that Flear has played throughout his career. Guest reviewer Sergei Tiviakov is sure to rattle some chains with his frank look at Play the Sicilian Dragon by Edward Dearing. A former Candidate, with a FIDE rating rapidly approaching 2700, Tiviakov is the highest rated player in the world who regularly employs the Dragon and his games and comments are closely examined. He does not have kind words for Dearing's book, though it seems that much of his criticisim is directed more at lines that were omitted rather than analytical errors. Particularly interesting to me was Tiviakov's assertion that Dearing should have not left out coverage of 9...Nd7 and 9...a5 which he calls "also very important and not without venom". Theory has never been particularly keen on either move and Tiviakov's results with 9...Nd7 haven't seen so pretty (for example his game with Shirov from Dos Hermanas 2003) so it would be very interesting to see what he has in mind. Perhaps some of his upcoming tournaments will yield answers. Recommended Curacao 1962 - The Battle of Minds that Shook the Chess World A fresh look at the games of the legendary Candidates Tournament by Jan Timman (NIC, 2005, 216 pages, figurine algebraic, paperback, $24.95) is that rare book today, one devoted to a tournament. That hasn't always been the case, one can think of a long line of famous works from Alekhine�s New York 1927 and Bronstein�s Zurich 1953. Two more recent works that aren't often mentioned with these two classics, but deserve to be in my opinion, are the tournaments books for the 1966 Piatigorsky Cup (with Isaac Kashdan as the editor and the tournament participants commenting on their games) and Lubosh Kavalek's Wijk aan Zee 1975.� Now add a new book to the list! The 1962 Candidates� Tournament in Curacao was one of the fiercest chess battles of all time. At the height of the Cold War, eight players contested the right to challenge World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik. The format of the tournament was a grueling quadruple round-robin. Twenty-eight games were to be played on the tropical island, in a contest that lasted two months. Many players will know the general story, how three of the Soviets made a pact to draw with each other to conserve strength in the marathon event, Fischer's charges of cheating and Tal's illness, but Timman goes well beyond this. The reader gets everything here. Well-annotated games by an author who combines the rare abilities of being a world class player, a shrewd observer and an excellent writer take up most of the book. Timman's insights are not just confined to the top names in the crosstable. Playing through his annotations to the games of tailender Miroslav Filip one can't help but feel that the Czech giant was one unlucky participant. Many times as White he would outplay his opponents in nice strategical fashion but then fail to bring the bacon home. Rounding out this well-done book are lots of historical writing on the event which put things into context, and many interesting photographs, most of which have never been seen before. Highly Recommended SOS - Volume 3 Secrets of Opening Surprises (New In Chess 2005, 144 pages, figurine algebraic, $21.95) edited by Jeroen Bosch is based on the regular feature in New in Chess Magazine but this volume has little overlap. There are many authors besides Bosch,� including such top GMs as Mikhail Gurevich, Alexander Beliavsky and Oleg Romanishin. Lines considered run the gamut coming from fairly popular openings like 5.h3 versus the topical Chebanenko system in the Slav (4...a6) to Portisch's ingenious 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 Bd6!?. Most of the articles are stand alone, but there are possibilities for quickly picking up an opening repertoire. For example in the Classical Sicilian 6...g6 versus the Richter Rauzer and 6...Na5 against the Sozin are both given a close look. An answer to 1.d4 is provided in 3...Nd7!? in the Queen's Gambit Accepted. Recommended |