One of the greatest books ever written about a world championship match.In 1960 Mikhail Botvinnik was the pillar of "scientific " chess and the ironwilled champion of the world. The young attacking genius Mihail Tal the "Wizard of Riga" put the magic back into the game by defeating Botvinnik with spectacular tactics in one of the most dramatic and celebrated world championship matches of all time.This is Tal's own classic work on the contest. In it he sets the stage and explains every on...

Mikhail Tal, the 'magician from Riga,' was the greatest attacking World Champion of them all, and this enchanting autobiography chronicles his extraordinary career with charm and humor.

The legendary Mikhail Tal was the finest ever exponent of attacking chess. His all-out sacrificial style took him all the way to the World Championship title. Dogged by ill-health, Tal's reign was a short one, and he was never able to regain his crown, but Tal remained an outstanding player right up to his death in 1992. His departure has taken away one of the chess world's most charismatic figures; a player who excited chess passions wherever he went. In this, his last book, written toget...

Mikhail Tal is one of the all-time chess greats. In 1960 he became the youngest champion in world history at the age of 23, sweeping to victory at his first attempt. His extraordinary tactical ability has never been bettered, and his reputation goes from strength to strength.This absorbing book, first published in the early 1980s, is based on diaries kept by Tal's coach from their training sessions, and this unique perspective makes it a fascinating and effective chess instructor, ...

The Luck of the Draw!? We have all seen games – and perhaps even played them – in which a difficult or lost game is salvaged by a brilliant drawing combination. In the early 1970s, Soviet International Master Leonid Verkhovsky collected some of the most fantastic draws ever played. You will be captivated by combinations and threats, as inexhaustible imagination in defense and attack counterbalance each other. The chess prowess of one player is basically in equilibrium with the mastery ...

The English Opening, from the Flank Games group, was developed by Howard Staunton. In this opening, white avoids or delays the occupation of the centre with Pawns. Once considered a minor diversion, the English is now one of the main openings and all modern world champions have played it. One of the most famous world champions, Anatoly Karpov, brings his sharp eye and extensive experience to bear in this concise introduction to the opening. Like the previous volumes from Karpov on the Caro...

'Alekhine's games and writings inspired me from an early age...I fell inlove with the rich complexity of his ideas at the chessboard... I hope readers of this book will feel similarly inspired by Alekhine's masterpieces.' From the foreword by Garry KasparovAlexahnder Alekhine captivated the chess world with his dazzling combatitive play. His genius has been a strong influence on every great player since, none more so than Garry Kasparov.This book contains a selection of the...

Learn how to convert advantages into points. One of the most important stages of a chess game is the exploitation of an advantage, gained in either the opening or middle game. It is at this point of the struggle that many points are lost, especially at the club level.

This book has two purposes. First, the authors would like to honor their great friend and mentor by memorializing his works and teachings. Second, we believe that Platonov’s principles, methods, and ideas—and unique approach—are still applicable today, and can greatly enhance the understanding of our readers. It is our obligation and pleasure to pass on the knowledge Igor kindly shared with us to the next generation of players.

Every chess player needs to know how to handle his pawns. Pawns form the 'playing fields' of chess games, a semi-permanent 'structure' that can determine whether a player wins or loses. This comprehensive guide to pawn structure teaches the reader where pieces are best placed, which pawns should be advanced further or exchanged, and why certain structures are good and others disastrous. This invaluable book is a major update of this chess-world classic, first published in 1975 and unavaila...

An easy-to-understand guide to chess strategy—conceptual planning—has always been the amateur’s dream. The Complete Book of Chess Strategy makes that dream a reality. This comprehensive guide in dictionary form, the first of its kind, makes all aspects of chess strategy quick, easy, and painlessly accessible to players of all degrees of strength. Each strategic concept is listed alphabetically and followed by a clear, easy-to-absorb explanation accompanied by examples of how this strategy ...

Improve your chess by studying the greatest games of all time, from Adolf Anderssen's 'Immortal Game' to Anand versus Kramnik 2008, and featuring a foreword by World Champion Vishy Anand.The 125 greatest chess games of all time, selected, analysed, re-evaluated and explained by a team of British experts and illustrated with over 1,000 chess diagrams. Join the authors in studying these games, the cream of two centuries of international chess, and de...