5 comments about Grandmaster Chess Move by Move: John Nunn Applies the Move by Move Approach to His Best Games.

1. Since he is now more or less retired from active chess, John Nunn has taken advantage of his increased leisure time to bring his best games collection up to date, the present volume dealing with the years 1993-2003.
   
   John Nunn is well known for his detailed analysis of his (and other people's) games, and at times in the past this has led to some criticism on the grounds that the annotations get in the way of the game. Mindful of this, and taking heart from the success of his previous book ;Understanding
   Chess Move By Move,' he describes his approach as follows: "I have tried to comment on every significant moment in the
   game, keeping the explanations as general as possible and avoiding getting bogged down in too much analysis except where the position really demands it." The end result is a really wonderful collection of 46 games and part games, well up to the usual impeccable Nunn standard.
   
   The games alone would be well worth the money, but there are more goodies to follow. For there is also a section containing 25 studies composed by the author, and 18 problems, all with solutions. There are then two short final chapters, which I found particularly interesting. The first contains Nunn's views on the present state of the chess world, which are in general pretty pessimistic. He traces most of the problems to the Short-Kasparov breakaway in 1993, and he sees no reason to be optimistic for the future. The second short chapter deals with chess publishing, and the precarious situation facing both authors and publishers alike. He uses this opportunity to vent
   both his frustration and wrath on Batsford in particular, with some justification as he and many others were treated very badly by Batsford in the 1990s and lost out financially.
   
   With John Nunn you always know that you will get good value for your money, and that is certainly true of this latest book. There are many hours of wonderfully instructive reading contained within its covers, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
   
   This review first appeared in the magazine En Passant.



2. Excellent book. If you buy Nunn's books sight unseen as a matter of course, you should buy this book sight unseen. The usual high quality of his work is evident in this book.
   
   However, minus 2 stars for the subtitle, and the chicanery I think was involved in selecting it.
   
   Nunn wrote "Understanding Chess Move By Move" (hereafter UC) a book ,geared for the intermediate player (though advanced players could benefit as well). He commented on nearly every single move in that book, offering verbal reasoning when warranted. An excellent book.
   
   The subtitle of the book under review is misleading. This is not really the "move by move" approach of "UC" but an failed (in my opinion) attempt to dummy down his analysis to a slightly higher level than what was presented in "UC."
   
   By using titles that nearly mirror each other "Grandmaster Chess Move By Move" vs "Understanding Chess Move by Move", additional confusion is evident.
   
   I believe that the title of this book and subtitle of this book were designed to get (the many) readers of "UC" to think that they were getting a book very close in tenor to "UC."
   
   This is not the case.
   
   Nunn tactitly admits this in his introduction, essentially saying that this book was written for a higher level of chess player than was "UC."
   
   That major quibble (in my opinion) aside, this book can be studied with enjoyment and pleasure, and is recommended highly for those willing to go over thoroughly annotated games.



3. I don't see how saying such negative things about a dead man is going to help anything, John! (Except maybe your ego!)



4. As a chess player rated in the 1500s I found this author's "Understanding Chess, Move by Move" to be about right for my level, perhaps even a little beyond me. Dr. Nunn goes a step further by providing his own games in a like, move by move analysis, except the analysis gets even deeper and I found that the author expects you to have a solid foundation and understanding of concepts when tackling his analysis. This is a book for the advanced player, or at very least an intermediate player at the top end. A big easier reading using the move by move concept for the advanced beginner and intermediate player would be "Unbeatable Chess Lessons" (2 volume set), which is also good. I also liked Chernev's "Logical Chess" but it is too repetitous and outdated.



5. John Nunn is a wonderful chess writer. His 'Understanding Chess Move by Move' is possibly the most instructive chess book ever written. And his two previous books on his own games are excellent. However this book is a major disappointment. For a start it is dishonest. It does not, though the title suggests otherwise, apply 'move by move' analysis to the games. The title is a cynical attempt to cash in on the success of his previous book using that approach. Also, unlike his other game collection books, the book also has a tired feel to it and Nunn on the evidence of this book seems fed up with chess. The book also has quite an amount of 'filler' - studies, compositions, articles on chess publishing (hardly of much interest except to chess authors). In summary this book is cynically misleading in its title and very disappointing in its content. Instead read John Nunn's other excellent books.

1 comments about The Queen's Gambit & Catalan for Black.

1. This is a very good GAMBIT chess book, that presents a repertoire for Black for QGD and the Catalan. This book is not heavy on explanatory prose, but iw very nicely laid out and full of practical suggestions (such as playing 3... Be7 instead of Nf6 to avoid a less favorable excahnage variation).

5 comments about Mortal Games.

1. The title is impressive, but that's about it. 'Turbulent Genius of Garry Kasparov'? Just where was the turbulency? Although Kasparov has personal problems, just like everyone else, I really didn't see a tourtured soul. The subtitle was misleading. The book read more like a second draft rather than a finished copy. I think the author was in a hurry to finish it before a deadline because his writing is not very impressive or convincing. Nevertheless, there are some fine moments, especially some sections of Kasparov's match with Karpov. But on the other hand, Garry is not the most intersting person in the world. One of the greatest chess players ever, but certainly not a man one would want to write and entire book about. The book faltered there; it was about a genius with an average personality.



2. This is not a great book, but it is a good book. Waitzkin gets to spend time with Kasparov before and during his last (5th) match with Karpov. There is a little biographical background about Kasparov scattered through the book. Most of the book concerns the time of the championship match. There is also a chapter on the Linares tournament that followed.

   Some things I found interesting about the book: (1) the behind-the-scenes view of Kasparov's preparation for the match. (2) the political turmoil in the Soviet Union. Kasparov was working to end communism. (3) the descriptions of the games without moves and diagrams. (4) amusing anecdotes about the chess world. (5) a little bit of an update on Josh Waitzkin.

   Warning: There are no game scores or analysis in this book. It is all talk. That was fine with me.

   _Searching for Bobby Fischer_ was a much more interesting book to me. I recommend you read that one. If you love _Searching for Bobby Fischer_, you will like _Mortal Games_.




3. I want to start by saying that I did enjoy this book, it's just that at the end it left me wanting a little bit more. Fred Waitzkin gained unprescedented access to the Champ, but seems a little overwhelmed by the input to give us any real sense of Kasparov. As observers we get the feeling, as Waitzkin himself writes, that GK is putting on a bit of a show for him. The tortured soul, the rebel.

   The political machinations and details of Kasparov's brush with the pogrom in Baku are horrifying, but serve to explain the darker side of our hero. Where I think Waitzkin excels, as he does in SFBF, is in his portrayal of the circus that surrounds Kasparov, and chess in general. The Kamsky's, for example, whom can only be described as a family with 'issues'. Or the background of Manny Topol, a crime writer so caught up in the spirit of the World Championship, that he takes to reporting it.
   
   But when it comes to the man himself, something is held back. It's as if the author is so frightened of those famous mood swings that it prevents him getting under GK's skin. In the book, Waitzkin tells us that he and Kasparov had many conversations without the tape running, discussing various off-the-cuff issues. The reader is left wondering whether these unrecorded moments would have provided the true insight into Kasparov. The missing link, so to speak, between the man we see on TV grimacing at IBM officials, and the one in the book playfully teasing his wife.

   All-in-all this a book that should be read by anyone with an interest in the subject matter. The questions it leaves us with can only be answered when Garry Kimovich consents to another biography. Which, I hope, will be sooner rather than later. A lot has happened since this book was written, and it would be interesting to see what GK makes of it all. So, Mr Kasparov, if you're reading this, get scribbling! Please?




4. I enjoyed this book immensely. I think Waitzkin does a good job of portraying Garry Kasparov's life both within the chess world and as a budding political figure and chess celebrity. This book does well in illustrating the hectic life that goes with being the strongest chess player in the world.

   It also shows both his strengths and weaknesses in his personality, which project themselves onto the chessboard as well. We see Garry sometimes as both the confident champion who towers over opponents both on the chess board and physically. We also see an insecure young man who has been forced to face the world early in his life because of his success in chess.

   In this book, you can perceive Waitzkin's paternal instincts kicking in, as he also has a son who is a world-class player. I think at times Garry looks to Fred Waitzkin as a father figure (or at least that's how the book makes it seem).

   Waitzkin's text descriptions of the chess matches Garry plays are interesting. I think even those who do not play chess can appreciate the intensity of the games.

   In all, I think this is a great book which shows us the personality of Garry Kasparov.




5. Look Clowns! - If you play chess, than you must read this book!
   There are very few (Good) books on the subject of world champions!
   Yea you might say BS - but I own over 1000 chess books and I put this one in the top 3%.

1 comments about You Move... I Win!.

1. I'm surprised no-one has written a review of this book in the three years it has been out. Perhaps people are unaware of the book: I myself -- who try to stay au courant with chess publications -- stumbled across it serendipitously only yesterday. It's a delight to read (the first criterion for a chess book). It's the only book I know devoted exclusively to zugzwang.
   
   Most of the positions belong to the endgame -- with chapters on pawn endings, minor piece endings, rook endings and queen endings. But there is a short chapter on middlgame zugzwang, which presents the famous games Samisch-Nimzowitsch and Alekhine-Nimzowitsch.
   
   Any player rated over 1400 will learn from the positions and -- equally importantly -- delight in them. Most of the positions can be gone over without a board; it would be an ideal book for an airport lounge.

No comments about French Winawer (Everyman Chess).

5 comments about Center Counter Defense: The Portuguese Variation.

1. This book is very well done. The text, diagrams, binding, organization is all first rate. The book covers the center counter defense / portuguese subvariation (i.e. 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 !?)

   This is a razor sharp / highly trappy line that didn't really receive notice until the mid 1990's. It may look a little strange, but let me assure you that it is emminently playable. One of my favorite lines runs 4. f3 Bf5 5. c4 e6 6. dxe6 Nc6 7. exf7+ Kxf7 Black is down two pawns and can no longer castle - and yet white is BUSTED!! (go check out the theory). Black has activated every piece on the board, while white's pieces are all at home.

   This may seem rather obscure, yet I have played this line countless times. There are many variations in the portuguese that run along similar ideas.

   In short, this is an excellent book that deals with a very specific opening.

   If you are below the rating level of 1900 USCF, I would strongly recommend that you give this opening a try. It is guaranteed to throw your oppoent off balance, and it is great fun. Overall, my results have been excellent.




2. I will say this might be the best book on the topic that is currently out... Yet it is not the only book and is a bit pricey for gaps that it has... I find the notation to be very annoying at best... I can not stand when they do Nd5 instead of Nxd5 and stuff like that... The book does not cover certain 4th moves by white at all to say least... Chapter 1 deals with 4 Be2 and is about 13 pages long... He considers this the "Quiet" attempt to defuse black... Chapter 2 has the "Sharp" which deals with 4 f3 lines and is about 23 pages long... Chaper 3 he calls the "Positional" with 4 Nf3 and is about 18 pages long... Chapter 4 is what he calls the "Subtle" which deals with 4 Bb5+ and is about 1 page long... Chapter 5 is a bit of a waste of the book to say least... It deals with White's Third Move... Which wastes about 20 pages on what isnt Portugeuse Variation... There are much better books for this and those pages wasted could of been used for more important things... For example the 4 Be2 lines happen more than f3 lines and about same as Nf3 lines... Yet only 13 pages at best of coverage is stupid... Also chapter 4 he only has like 1 page on the Bishop check lines... Thats pretty pathetic for an opening book thats sposed to focus on this variation... Why have 20 pages with other 3rd moves in it?? The point of getting this book is cuz you want to play 1 e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3 d4 Bg4... If white dont play d4 as his third move its not Portugeuse in its pure form at least... Also left out were moves such as 4 Ne2 and 4 Qd3 just to name two moves that happen without any coverage in this book... Least anything that I have noticed to be honest...
   Another problem is he used fritz 4 I think for lots of his lines... So expect lot of useless data dumps from a computer already out dated... Thats a bit minor though, Ill get to more important things... He does not really give a summary talking about what lines seem best for black... You really have to try to figure out things for yourself... It is the authors job to give things at end of chapter to help people on way... The way the book is put together isnt easy to follow... The back is a lie it says "This book is the first devoted exclusively to the Portuguese variation." Now if thats true why have gaps as early as move 4 by white and have 20 pages on white's third moves???
   I have been breaking down and working over games on this and Icelandic(Palme) gambit for about 3 months... This book is probably only worth 2 stars to be honest... Yet since it is almost the only book on this topic I rated it as average book... The only real use I have for this book is to augment myself on lines Ive already pulled from actual games... Also to compare with other info I have on this topic...
   The index of variations at the back of the book seems rather useful... If the notation was the proper kind that should be used it would be a solid 3 stars perhaps... Since it is Qd5 instead of Qxd5 garbage notation... I would say at best this book really should be 2.5 stars... Sadly if you want a book on this topic, this seems just about only choice... I have not had chance to check for errors in the book... I will say the text is easy to read I find... The big knock is if you see a variation and dont know exchanges cuz he dont use X's... Makes it difficult to in your head have a solid idea of what is going on... My main knock is the gaps in coverage, lack of decent summaries and the horrible no X's in notation... So realize you will have to do a lot of work to get full value from this book... This is best to augment your own work on the topic than a book that will teach you to master it... This is more of a 66 page book (content) on variation than 96 pages... You have about 30 pages of waste keep in mind...



3. This book is a mediocre work on an interesting opening. The author is not a strong player, and it shows in the position evaluations and elsewhere. And he has used Fritz (an old version of it) a little too much: opening strategy is really one of the weak points of the computer.

   On the positive side, most major variations are covered. Of course, deviations from the true Portuguese only get a superficial treatment. But this variation is easy to play or write about. What matters is piece placement and some reoccurring tactical patterns. Therefore this book is pretty useful. I use this opening to beat strong players with good effect and I learned quite a lot from this book, especially something about the differences betw. BQ's placement on h5, f5 and d7, and when ..e6 or ..Nc6 should be played first.

   This is also a thin book. I wish someone wrote a better one on this opening that scores very well for Black, as there is plenty of material. My database tells me that 3...Bg4 has recently become half as popular as 3...Nxd5, so it is good to understand for the White player as well.




4. This book suffers for having been published in 1997. Take for example this line in the Portuguese:
   
   1. e4 d5
   2. exd5 Nf6
   3. d4 Bg4
   4. f3 Bf5
   5. Bb5+ Nbd7
   6. c4 e6
   7. dxe6 Bxe6
   8. d5 Bf5
   9. Nc3 Bb4
   10. Nge2 O-O
   11. Bxd7 Nxd7
   12. O-O Ne5
   
   Here Anderson considers only b3? and Kh1 for White, but the simple Ng3, harrassing the bishop, followed by Qd4 if the bishop retreats, looks like bad news for Black. There are about six games referenced in The Scandinavian (2nd) by Emms and The Scandinavian Defence by Plaskett in which Black gets whipped in this variation. All of them are from 1997 or later. I don't think there is a known good way for Black here (and 12 ... Nc5 is equally unsatisfactory) which blows a pretty big hole in the Portuguese.



5. As stated by others, dated, holes in the coverage, holes in the analysis, and difficult notation and organization.

1 comments about Play Stronger Chess by Examining Chess960: Usable Strategies of Fischer Random Chess Discovered.

1. This is a chess book, one that uses chess960 (FRC) as tool to better understand chess. Traditional "chess1" is a subset of chess960. Thus chess1 has revealed to us only a subset of what there is to learn about fundamental chess.
   
   The first World Checkers Championship match was won by Andrew Anderson in 1847. Did you know that in 1900 the Checkers world switched to their version of the same idea as chess960? Checkers156 anybody?!
   
   There is a lot to say about chess when viewed through the lens of chess960. As just one example, the setup attribute named "knight opposition" has never been so clearly identified before as in this book. The one setup reused in traditional "chess1" has the value of "Full" for this attribute, but only 11% of all chess960 setups have that exact same value. The other 89% of setups have something interesting for chess enthusiasts that they have been missing out on.
   
   This book is rather visual as chess books go, containing many tables, charts and graphs. For instance, the section comparing "king fort" designs between chess960 and chess1 is eye-opening.
   
   A companion setup id conversion program is available for download from CastleLong.
   
   - - - - - - - - - -
   
   TABLE OF CONTENTS
   
   Introduction
   
   PART 1: Beyond the Board
   1 Terminology and CRAN Notation
   2 The Tyranny of Tradition
   3 Formalizing the Rules of Chess960
   4 Setup Id Numbers
   5 Additional Rules to Consider for Chess960
   6 FEN and Chess960
   
   PART 2: New Chess Principles Discovered
   7 Strategies for the Modified Setup Phase
   8 From Setup Attributes to Opening Moves
   9 Is the Middle Game Really the Same?
   10 Influences on the Endgame
   11 Winning Comparisons
   12 Reviewing Our Broadened Understanding of Chess
   13 Annotated Games
   
   Diagram Classification Answers
   Bibliography

3 comments about The ...a6 Slav: The Tricky and Dynamic Lines with...a6.

1. If you need a solid all round answer to 1 d4, 1 c4 and 1 Nf3 you may like the new kid on the block in openings - the a6 Slav. The range of possibilities is narrower (i.e. less to learn) than the more well-known Slav 4...dxc4 lines.

   Home preparation may be your friend as your White opponent may not be able to devote as much time as you to a minor line against 1 d4. The opening has withstood the test of numerous top GM games over the last 10 years.

   Glenn Flear patterns his book after the pleasing format of Matthew Sadler's excellent book: "The Slav." The chapters are organized according to White's various responses to 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 a6. (Games that start with 1 c4 or 1 Nf3 are easily transposed to the a6 Slav.)

   Each chapter has an introduction to the main ideas of that line followed by well annotated GM games. At the end is a summary and opening key.

   "The a6 Slav" is new (published in 2003) so most of the theory and conclusions still hold. The latest games are through the end of 2002, so you will want to supplement this book with a6 Slav games from 2003 from Mega Database 2004 to stay abreast of the latest novelties.




2. Here is a blurb from IM J. Donaaldson's book on the Semi-Slav (which I think leads to the reason for buying Flear's book). "One interesting idea favored by Larsen and Portisch is the move order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3" Of course, he is making an argument for playing the Semi-Slav. He starts by saying, Black should not play 4...Bf5 because it leads to trouble after 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Qb3. This leads Black to choose 4...e6 (Semi-Slav), 4...g6 (Schlecter Slav). Donaldson's book is older so 4...a6 was not given as an option. My assumption is that you don't intend to play the Semi-Slav and Slav together unless you are IM to GM strength (or plan to be) because this is an incredible amount of work. There is nothing written on the move 4...g6 (as far as I know unless there are Grunfeld transpositions or something like that). If you would like to travel the uncharted territory and dig up the games of Carl Schlecter and revive this so-called passive line you could go buy Carl Schlecter books by Crain or Goldman and forge ahead on your own. The last option would be to play 4...a6. It appears that Flear's 170+ page book assumes you know something about the Defense from the beginning. I think this is fair. Though the presentation format is similar, Flear's book does not hold your hand as well as Sadler's book on the Slav. Be aware that Sadler's book is more general in content. Burgess devotes 23 pages to the main line (4...a6). With the Burgess book you see how this line fits in with the rest of what can be played against you as Black. If you intend to play the Slav as Black, my thought is that you should have all three if you can afford it. If you can't then buy the Burgess book. If you are playing this as White maybe buy Burgess, and then Flear, if you face a lot of 4...a6 as White. The Burgess book, unlike the Sadler book, gives White a lot of early divergences. If you play the Slav as Black and have only the Sadler book, the early divergences will take you quickly "out of book". The strength of the Sadler book is that it gives you some idea of what is going on in the middlegames of various Slav lines. That approach was not the mandate of the Burgess book. Sadler does do a nice job of discussing the pros and cons of ...a6 with the idea of defending ...b7 via ...Ra7. The move 4...a6 is a very useful waiting move to see what White will play on move five.



3. I suppose most openings and variations in chess are in a state of flux but this one probably more so. The author admits this and attempts to try to give you snapshot of theory as it existed at the time of the book's publication. I was interested in knowing about the variation from White's point of view as I usually try to force my Slav opponents into the Meran with the move order 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 and then 4 e3. Mark Morss, in a Hard Chess column mentions that this was Portisch's move and that 4...Bf5 gives Black a bad position. That leaves the Meran 4...e6, the Schlecter with 4...g6 (a solid but passive type variation), and the move the book covers--4...a6. I found adequate information for my arsenal as White. The book is not biased toward one side but does seem to find some good ideas for White in all the lines I might meet. There was also some information about a kind of Delayed Shlechter (4...a6 first then a later ...g6)which was helpful. For my purposes the book was suitable. I gave it one less star just because I really don't like the whole game format that much. I think it gives authors an excuse to do less work. They are able to get by with tracing the history of the variation through games rather than attempting to tell you what the actual best moves for both sides are. To be fair, the author does give an opinion within the text of the games and a short summary at the end of each chapter, but if you like to use opening books as a reference source rather than work your way through the entire thing at your computer or board then the format can get in the way. This book did help to fill in a gap in my repertoire. Fortunately, I purchased it before I actually saw 4...a6 on the board.

No comments about Chess World Championship: Fischer Vs. Spassky 1972.

3 comments about Dynamics of Chess Strategy.

1. This book is, for me, easy to read without using a chessboard. It is primarily about chess openings and mainly covers the Ruy Lopez, Grunfeld, and Scheveningen Sicilian. Many other chess openings are covered more briefly.
   
   The author's approach to studying these openings is represented in the somewhat misleading title of the book. He will present a series of moves that lead to a typical position in these openings, then demonstrate the correct continuation using strategies and tactics dictated by the position.
   
   Among the many less covered openings, he discusses a white square strategy against the Sicilian Sveshnilkov. There he spends several pages showing game positions where that strategy is successful and not so successful. Jansa believes in his white square strategy, so in the not so successful tries, he demonstrates logical ways White should have continued in order to maintain an edge.
   
   This is the only book I've found that gives me a good feel for the 6.Be2 Sicilian Scheveningen (which was the main reason I purchased it). I also have Emm's book 'Play the Najdorf Scheveningen style' which discusses these lines as well, but that book was a bit challenging for me when it came to the 6.Be2 Scheveningen section. Jansa's approach is less about memorization and much more on strategies, common themes, and ideas.
   
   Jansa equates some positions from the CaroKann and Scandanavian to demonstrate how the reader can often think out of the box (of their particular opening), and come up with good moves in positions they may not be that familiar with.
   
   In much of the book, Jansa will present a series of moves leading to a diagrammed position, and ask the reader to come up with the correct followup. Most the time he will do this after a description of some of the ideas in that particular opening. These are mostly not tactical 'White to move and win' questions though, and often lead to only small advantages or even equality. The solutions are often a combination of strategical and tactical ideas which he explains after the question is posed.
   
   This is a great book on strategical thinking in the opening and middlegame for experienced chess players and perhaps even the not so experienced. I had no idea of the content based on the title, if I had known, I would have purchased it as soon as it came out. I discovered the book while perusing the chesspublishing.com forums, someone there mentioned it as a good source of information on how to play the Scheveningen.



2. Occasionally, one finds a book where the author really pours his heart and soul into it. This is such a book. The author's love of the game and the desire to pass that desire on to the reader is apparent with every turn of the page. With that said, the author attempts to personalize his instruction and you really do feel like you're getting a one on one lesson with the author (a fairly strong GM from the Czech Republic).
   
   In particular, the real strength of this book is in positional evaluation. The author uses a small number of openings (with an 80 page treatise on the Ruy Lopez) to illustrate the critical points of evaluation. This is something that is overlooked by many books. Often in chess books, every move has a list of alternate continuations with some minor comment at the end that really doesn't provide any significant insight into the position. This book really helps you understand the strategical pivot points in the game and forces the reader to be better disciplined in the evaluation of the position (strategic and tactical). I believe this skill alone will help anyone improve at least a one level. But more importantly, will help the reader to transfer the same kind of analysis process into their own games.
   
   I gave this book only four stars for one simple reason. The author does not take great enough care in referencing the critical positions (relative to the analysis). Although this is bothersome, it doesn't happen frequently enough to really deter significantly from the book. The book is 100 percent readable without a chess board (although the author encourages you to set up a board to evaluate the critical positions).



3. This is an advanced book. It is, for the most part, way beyond my abilities. I have been working through the Scheveningen section (40 pages or so) very very slowly. There is gold in them thar hills, but it takes a bit of serious digging for a weak player.
   
   The other reviewers have described the contents very well, so I won't dwell on that.
   
   It is a very personalized, impassioned challenge to the reader to dig deep and learn. In particular there are very profound studies on the Spanish, the Grunfeld, and the Scheveningen Sicilian. It's hard to describe how engaging the author is. He is demanding, playful, encouraging, aggravating, tormenting. He is like an old uncle who can tell you wonderful secrets but makes you work to extract each morsel.
   
   This book would be excellent for an advanced student to go over with a coach. In fact, it is essentially a series of lessons with a GM.
   
   The translation is a little awkward and stiff, but still entirely readable.
   
   I wish there were other authors who could take this approach with more accessible material.