CHESS LESSONS
Author: Vladimir Popov
Quality Chess (2010)
256 pages
Hardcover - $34.95
Paperback - $21.95
Reviewed by John Donaldson
Many chess books that aim to help amateur players improve are filled with classics from World Champions and often emphasize fancy openings and flashy attacks. That’s not the case with Vladimir Popov’s CHESS LESSONS. The author states early on that the main aim of his book is to help readers minimize the quantity of errors in their games. A highly respected coach in Russia and not to be confused with GM Valery Popov, he believes the best way to do this is by examining games in which typical mistakes are made by amateur players. Vladimir Popov is a practical and realistic man.
The majority of the examples in CHESS LESSONS come from the Kosintseva sisters, Tatiana and Nadezhda, who Popov started training when they were ages six and seven respectively. They are now both nearing 2600 FIDE. Going through the many mistakes they made along the way one can appreciate just how much hard work that they and Popov have put in.
CHESS LESSONS is organized around a theme for each chapter with introductory prose and examples followed by positions to solve. The material examined includes:
Chapter 1 – Errors Due to Lack of Knowledge 11
Chapter 2 – Evaluating the Position 19
Chapter 3 – Planning 27
Chapter 4 – Piece Play 39
Chapter 5 – Pawn Play 49
Chapter 6 – Co-ordination of Pieces and Pawns 59
Chapter 7 – Arranging and Altering the Pawn Structure 69
Chapter 8 – Exchanging 79
Chapter 9 – Transition to the Endgame 95
Chapter 10 – Asymmetrical Exchanges 103
Chapter 11 – Prophylaxis 113
Chapter 12 – Monitoring Counter-Threats 127
Chapter 13 – Too Much Calculation 143
Chapter 14 – Calculation Neglected or Cut Short 155
Chapter 15 – Spotting Aggressive Sorties 165
Chapter 16 – Detecting Ideas 175
Chapter 17 – Blow and Counter-Blow 191
Chapter 18 – Obvious Moves and Reflex Answers 203
Chapter 19 – Deep Calculation 213
Chapter 20 – Enterprise 225
Chapter 21 – Hard Work Pays Off! 235
Appendix – Examples from Classic Games 253
The generic title CHESS LESSONS doesn’t do justice to this book. Popov gave up playing in his twenties to devote his life to developing young talent, and he has given a lot of thought how best do this. The chapter on monitoring counter-threats examines a topic that is seldom covered in the chess literature, namely how to avoid allowing your opponent tactical opportunities that have developed from your last move.
CHESS LESSONS is an excellent book that will prove helpful for not only the examples it offers but the ways it teaches one how to look at the game.
Highly recommended for players from 1800 on up.
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