Books published by Thinkers Publishing

The Modernized Grünfeld Defense will be extremely helpful for any chess player looking for a reliable lifetime repertoire against White¿s 1.d4. It will benefit current Grünfeld players as Yaro unveils his analysis and numerous novelties waiting to be played over the board.

The Najdorf is one of the most respected variations of the Sicilian Defence. Over decades it has remained a sound yet attacking weapon in the hands of the world's finest players including several world champions. Join Robert James Fischer, Kasparov, Anand, Topalov, MVL and legions of club players by playing for a win with Black using the Najdorf. Expert and Grandmaster Milos Pavlovic will be your practical and honest guide in this fifth book for Thinkers Publishing.

This bookin front of you assists all players in their efforts to improve, and alongtheir way, our young chess guns provided fresh insights how to trap and trickyour opponent in the opening and early middlegame. With the many computer-assistedlearning tools available, the player’s capacity to improve is limitless. Thisbook offers the reader an insider’s candid view of how to unbalance the game inthe modern age of chess.

Do you relish the prospect of setting your opponent awkward problems from the early start of the game? If so, you should just continue reading, for in the Bg5 Najdorf, it’s every man for himself, and only the best informed and most creative resourceful player survive. The Bg5 variation gives White very dangerous attacking ideas, and Blacks really needs to know a precise defense to come out of this variation alive. This book provides weapons that are ideal choices for those who revel in forcing opponents into chaotic and uncomfortable positions.Lukasz Jarmula, a player and writer of international caliber, will be your truthful guide!

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Averbakh variation against the King's IndianDefense (KID). Who would not want to have a variation against the KID thatkeeps White's position completely under control, that is positional in natureand that stays away from dark and murky waters or messy tactical situations?Many players like to play a variation against the KID that bears the hallmark ofstrong grandmasters and has stood the test of time. This book examines suchvariation with a repertoire for White and an in-depth analysis of all ofBlack's responses.The Averbakh variation represents a shift in White's approach to the fight againstthe KID. Rather than focusing solely on the queenside while accepting a certaindanger of being checkmated on the other side of the board, as it happens in theKID in many lines, White uses a strategy of positional control, in which heuses the KID in a calm, positional way. Initially, the character of the battleis indeed relatively calm and positional, but not too calm to land innear-equal positions immediately. White's development schedules followstrategic logic. In the following parts of the game, White generally retainshis first mover advantage, in positions where he retains control.Repertoire books on the KID start from Black's point of view, overestimating Black'schances and downplaying White's options and plans. In my opinion, that requiresan analytical response from White's point of view. In this book, I will showthat, using recent theoretical developments and my own novelties and analyses,White has a serious chance to come out of the opening with a long-term plus.

In his well-known entertaining style, the author takes us through the fascinating history of the World Champions of Chess. A striking and beautiful book full of anecdotes, stories and thrilling games played by the titans of our royal game. It is a book you can read time and again and will surely find a treasured place on your bookshelf!

In the first volume of "Crucial Chess Skills for the Club Player", attention is given to the three key elements of practical play. These three aspects aren't closely related to each other, but together form the key to improvement for any ambitious chess player. In the first 3 chapters Ris explores the most essential positions for rook endgames, offering practical advice along the way. He also offers ways to sharpen tactical vision in chapters four to six. In particular, he seeks to cultivate an ability to sense opportunities to strike. The final part, chapters seven to nine, he examines positional play in such a way that the student's overall understanding of the game is deepened. The result is that Robert offers a course to help students master all facets of the game! Volume two is expected end of 2018.

Adrian and Oleg compiled, resulting from all different kind of middlegames, an impressive amount of most instructive endgames. The ideal material for any chess player or trainer in search of the need endgame finesses and skills.

Do you relish the prospect of setting youropponent awkward problems from the early start of the game? If so, you shouldjust continue reading, for in the Mar Del Plata and King's Indian, it’s every man for himself,and only the best informed and most creative resourceful player survive. This variationgives both colors very dangerous attacking ideas, and you really needs to knowa precise defense to come out of this variation alive. This book providesweapons that are ideal choices for those who revel in forcing opponents intochaotic and uncomfortable positions.

One of the important issues players face ¿ both relatively inexperienced ones at the beginning of their career as well as seasoned ones as they realize their chess craves change ¿ is choosing an opening repertoire. As a player and a coach, I have seen many approaches to this question, both remarkable and mistaken. Some players believe that the opening is something to ignore, that everything is decided in the middlegame. Others think that studying opening traps is what wins games.Some tend to follow their favorite world-class player's recommendations, while others like to sidestep well-known opening theory early on, preferring unpopular side-lines.To me, opening choice is about all those decisions. I think that many openings are good; there are some dubious ones, but they can also yield formidable results overall or in specific situations if chosen and handled carefully. I firmly believe that your opening repertoire should mostly be based on your playing style and other personal traits, such as memory and work ethic. It is important to evaluate yourself as well as your strengths and weaknesses properly in order to be able to build the right repertoire that would not only suit you well, but also improve your overall chess.The little detail, though, is in the word ¿mostly¿. Namely, I firmly believe that there are a few classical, rock-solid openings with an impeccable reputation, such as 1.e4 e5 as a response to 1.e4 or the Queen's Gambit and Nimzo as an answer to 1.d4 that players of all styles and standards should try, no matter what their style is. This will enable players to learn, appreciate and practice some of the key chess values, such as the importance of space, lack of weaknesses, bad pieces, and comfortable development and so on ¿ you name it. I, myself, started out as a keen Sicilian player. Just like all youngsters, I cheerfully enjoyed complications, tactical massacres and everything else that the Sicilian is all about. However, as I was developing as a player, my style was changing also. Eventually, I realized I was much more successful with positional play, so it was time to change the outfit ¿ and 1.e4 e5 suited me well. I have used this move as a response to 1.e4 nearly exclusively in recent years, both versus weaker and stronger opposition, with fantastic results. If only other openings would grant me such results as well! I have not only studied these variations myself but have also shown them to numerous private students. To be frank, we have almost always concentrated on White's most dangerous possibilities, such as the Ruy Lopez, Italian and Scotch. Occasionally, we have also analysed the side-lines ¿ either as a part of preparation for specific opponents or to make sure my students become more universal players and gain more all-round knowledge. Eventually, I realized that the knowledge I gained from 1.e4 e5 can and should be shared with more players, and this is how my book came to life. Of course, the readers will differ, so there is a no ¿one-size-fits-all¿ solution. But, I have carefully and diligently tried to achieve the same goal I used when working with my students: to keep my recommendations both theoretically sound as well as practical and accessible. I expect not only titled players but club players and the less experienced readers to equally benefit from this book. So, sometimes you will find razor-sharp novelties, but in many cases, we will rely on positional understanding, typical structures and standard ideas. I believe the opening is not all about memorization, so I have taken a different approach from many authors by keeping the balance between recommending objectively good variations as well as making sure an adequate amount of work will suffice to get you started. You won't need to spend years studying the material, fearing there is still much more to learn. 1.e4 e5! is not just an opening. It is repertoire that represents our game as a whole. It is something players of all styles will enjoy due to the countless possibilities 1...e5 provides. Hopefully, learning 1...e5 will also make you a better player. And, finally, I hope the book you are now holding in your hands will not only give you joy but illustrate a passion for chess with the variations presented in this work.

In his revolutionary opening books, Bauer reveals the secrets of how to play certain unknown variations. He takes an in-depth look not only at the main lines but also more offbeat tries, creating a comprehensive, ready-to-use manual for any player. Beyond any question or doubt, Christian is a top author.

Proper handling of Bishops in the Endgame is an important feature in today¿s chess and a must for every chess player who wants to climb the world¿s chess hierarchy. This book deals with all important themes and ideas on the world of Bishop endings.

Before you is the tournament book of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021. Theevent that has been won in sensational fashion by the young Dutch grandmasterJorden van Foreest. In a tiebreak in the third blitz game, he was just a bit faster ofhis compatriot Anish Giri. The barrage was necessary because both players verysurprisingly ended with the wonderful score of 8½ out of 13 in joint first place. Withthis they had left behind, among others, World Champion Magnus Carlsen (7½) andthe number two in the world, Fabiano Caruana (8). An unprecedented achievement, because the tournament in Wijk aan Zee is sometimes called the "Wimbledon of chess" of the elite tournaments. After the last round, in which Van Foreest in a formidable way had left the Swede Nils Grandelius chanceless, it was waitingfor the game between the Spaniard David Antón Guijarra and Anish Giri. Ourcompatriot was in a bad position, lost perhaps, but he managed to free himself fromthe tangled position and gain an important half point. It was decided beforehandthat a tiebreak would be held, consisting of at least two blitz games. Should theseresult in a 1-1 score, an Armageddon game would be played. This turned out to bea nervous and blood-curdling fight, with the pieces flying around. In the end theyounger OF the two, Jorden van Foreest, emerged victorious and thus the youngGroninger booked the greatest success of his still young career. Apart from thecommotion in the Dutch seaside resort of Wijk aan Zee, where the tournament washeld – under strict corona rules – the whole of the Netherlands rose to its feet whenthis great result became known. Hadn't we had to wait since 1985, when JanTimman won the Hoogovens chess tournament, for a Dutch chess player to standon the highest podium? And now it was even two players from this country whocould dispute together who would take the highest honor

One, and sometimes more engines, toil without rationing electricity, sometimes checking on their master¿s ideas or more oft en showing their own evaluations and recommendations on screen with each conclusion supplemented by an exact numeric equivalent. There is no arguing with such an expert. Is it even necessary? He, as the almighty judge, knows all and can answer any question. All that is needed is patience. During a mutual training session, a young player who is currently one of the top in the world, asked Garry Kasparov: ¿How did you evaluate positions in the past?¿ After all standard evaluations like ¿better¿ or ¿worse¿ are too vague and cannot begin to satisfy a modern professional. Th e very question feels like a giant gap between the approach to solving chess problems then and now. Intuition and improvisation are gradually phased out by exact knowledge and calculation. So far this has only become fully evident in the opening. More than anything else it has become opening preparation which has made the biggest fundamental change to professional chess. So now let us peer behind the curtain!

When you are building your repertoire youhave many choices available against 1.e4. Everyone knows the Sicilian is themost dangerous reply but there are so many choices! Most of them are highlytheoretical such as the Najdorf or the Dragon. Some are very difficult tounderstand from a positional and dynamical point of view. The Kalashnikov andthe Sveshnikov are two good examples, without even mentioning the amount oftheory.I have always been interested by lesstheoretical Sicilians. I have been playing the Classical Sicilian for a longtime and right before the covid period, I decided to find a new one. TheSicilian Kan came to me as a very serious option, and I decided to work on it.In the meantime, my friend and editor Daniël Vanheirzeele offered me the chanceto author a book about it. This came to me as a complete surprise, as I had noexperience with it. In comparison with my work on the Reti and the Dutch (mytwo previous books), I am a newbie on the subject. But I decided to accept thechallenge. I found it extremely interesting, as this gave me a fresh look atthe positions. I think I managed to ask myself the questions everyone wouldhave asked. I also work as a second for others and am accustomed to working onopenings I do not necessarily play as well as finding the key ideas very quickly.So, after a deep initial work to understand the variations, I was ready tostart writing8In opposition to my prior efforts, Idecided to start with the mainlines. I did it both during my work and then inthe structure of the book. It seemed better to address the most difficult linesfirst to prove that Black gets playable positions, and then take care of the lesschallenging lines. This approach allows you to have an idea of the typicalpositions and then compare it with the less usual lines so you may understandwhy the sidelines are not as good. I take this as an opportunity to sharemy knowledge of openings and how I analyze them. I started this book with theidea that I wanted it to be useful for all levels of playing strength,from amateurs to even top grandmasters. I really consider the best books to bethose where everyone can understand the basics of the variations while alsobeing of use to anyone that aims at going deeper into the theory. I based many of the lines andconclusions in this book not only on computer evaluation, but also from apractical point of view. While I did a deep dive using strong engines whenanalyzing the lines I cannot say that they are perfect. The most importantthing is that all of the evaluations are based upon my own understanding and knowledge ofchess. Adrien Demuth November 2021

Gata will share in his first volume how he became one of the world elite class players and contender for the title of World Chess Champion. Why and how he used different styles of play and will reveal how this learning process helped him to become a chess professional.

This book invites the reader to enter the wonderful elite chess world with one of the most creative GM¿s of all time, Alexander Morozevich. It tells about his approach to the core of fighting, about his strongest points but also about his weaknesses. It presents masterpieces and painful losses. However, the author not only shows a panorama of his creativity but also offers the reader to think over the problems together with `Morö. You can simply take place in his seat, look through his eyes and finally play like Morozevich!

The Richter-Rauzer is one of the most complex and rich battlegrounds in the Open Sicilian. This book is the distillation of the authors' decades-long experience in this variation, offering a practical approach based on understanding and knowledge of typical ideas. Do you wish to explore something double-edged and sharp, this book will leave you confident and fully armed to play for a win. For this second revised edition, Grandmasters Kozul and Jankovic teamed up to present you a way to even throw your most experienced opponent off balance!

The Berlin Defense is one of the most popular openings for Black against 1.e4 for the last two decades in the higher echelons of the chess world. In this book, the critical ideas are explained in a way that even Club players will feel the confidence to add this evergreen opening to their repertoire by explaining the opening concepts lucidly in such a way that anyone who reads this Book will have the courage to play Berlin in their games. In this book, GM Priyadharshan Kannappan has chosen some off-beat tracks on the Berlin endgame and also has considered 4.d3 as the mainline of Berlin, the 1st for any Berlin book, but is a modern necessity due to the increasing popularity of 4.d3.The book packs enough punch in novelties for the opening aficionados, and this up to date book presents new ideas and variations that were previously never shed light on in the Berlin. GM Priyadharshan has given equal importance to the various sidelines that lead up to the Berlin endgame, and also in the Berlin endgame, and has suggested options where Black actively fights for dynamic positions, and not just gets satisfied with equal positions.The book also has 100 games suggestion that one must study to improve their overall understanding of the various pawn structures and ideas involved in the Queenless endgame.

These three volumes contain the most memorable games of five-time US Champion Gata Kamsky. Volume 1 covers the period before his early retirement. Volume 2 and 3 cover the period after his return to the game and will be available in the Autumn of 2019 and 2020.The annotations are an attempt to search for the truth and reveal the workings of a Grandmaster's mind. The introductions are designed to show the reader what he thought, felt and experienced at the time and during each game. In addition, he sometimes shares his personal opinions on subjects like politics and his philosophy of life.