212 SURPRISING CHECKMATES
Author: Bruce Albertson and Fred Wilson
Russell Enterprises Inc. (2011)
152 pages
$9.95
CHESS MOVIES 2: THE MEANS AND ENDS
Author: Bruce Pandolfini
Russell Enterprises Inc. (2011)
200 pages
$19.95
TRAGICOMEDY IN THE ENDGAME: INSTRUCTIVE MISTAKES OF THE MASTERS
Author: Mark Dvoretsky with a foreword by Karsten Muller
Russell Enterprises Inc. (2011)
264 pages
$29.95
Reviewed by John Donaldson
The number of American companies publishing chess books that have gone out of business the past twenty years is large. David McKay, RHM, Chess Enterprises and Hypermodern Press are but four well-known firms that are no longer around. Fortunately some newcomers have stepped into the breach. One such firm, that already has a substantial catalog with offerings on all aspects of the game, is Connecticut based Russell Enterprises Inc. Owned by Hanon Russell, the founder and former owner of Chess Cafe, Russell Enterprises Inc. has three new offerings.
212 SURPRISING CHECKMATES by Bruce Albertson and Fred Wilson is aimed at the scholastic and lower end of the club player market. 212 SURPRISING CHECKMATES is an updated and expanded version of the two author’s 202 SURPRISING CHECKMATES published by Dover in 1998. The new work starts with a ten-page introduction and is followed by 100 exercises concerning one move checkmate with the remainder focusing on checkmate in two and three moves. Two positions to solve per page are offered with solutions (including a diagram with the final checkmate) in the back of the book. The price of $9.95 is a good value in 2011.
CHESS MOVIES 2: THE MEANS AND ENDS by Bruce Pandolfini is aimed at a slightly more advanced level of player and offers 64 “chess movies” ranging from Philidor vs. Wilson, 1789, to Carlsen vs. Shirov, 2008. The “chess movies” are not entire games. Instead Pandolfini presents their conclusions, terminating his move-by-move commentary when checkmate is imminent. The term “chess movie” is applicable as a diagram is given after each move, enabling less experienced players to follow the game without the use of a board, making it ideal for travel or late night reading before going to bed. CHESS MOVIES 2: THE MEANS AND ENDS concludes with a useful summary of endgame advice and three indexes (type of checkmate or principal force, player and concept theme).
Light years away in terms of its target audience is TRAGICOMEDY IN THE ENDGAME: INSTRUCTIVE MISTAKES OF THE MASTERS by Mark Dvoretsky with a foreword by Karsten Muller. This followup to the reference work Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual (also published by Russell Enterprises), the present book is aimed at 2000+ rated players and up who wish to learn the principles of endgame play with an emphasis on thinking about why fundamental mistakes are made in this phases of the game by players of all levels.
Like all of Dvoretsky’s books, TRAGICOMEDY IN THE ENDGAME: INSTRUCTIVE MISTAKES OF THE MASTERS, is not light reading. This is a dense book packed with demanding material which will richly reward those who are willing to invest serious time in studying it. The price of $29.95 represents good value as this book will keep one busy for several months.
Click to buy (or get more information about) CHESS MOVIES 1: QUICK TRICKS ($16.95)
