Montmirel - Le guide complet des jeux

World Chess Champion Max Euwe, who held the title from 1935-1937, is one of the greatest chess players in history. Much has been written about him, and he authored dozens of books himself. But missing was an outstanding collection of games of this 'efficient, man-eating tiger' as the chess player William Napier once called Euwe.

Max Euwe's Best Games fills this gap. And it couldn't have been written by anyone else than Euwe's successor in Dutch chess – Jan Timman, World Champion finalist and arguably one of the leading chess analysts of our time.

This book offers eighty of Max Euwe's games annotated with great clarity, starting in his early twenties when he worked his way to the world top, up until his late seventies when he was still a force to be reckoned with. It is incredible how high Euwe's level of play was for over fifty years – and how attractive his attacking style was.

Timman made many discoveries in Euwe's best and most famous games but has also unearthed several lesser-known brilliancies. Some interesting paradoxes are addressed along the line. For example, although he was an amateur almost his entire life, Euwe was better versed in opening theory than most of his top-level opponents. Although he was the underdog, he beat the mighty Alexander Alekhine in an epic World Championship Match in 1935. At 52, he could still beat top players like Geller and Najdorf with fantastic attacking play in the Zürich Candidates Tournament. And when he was over seventy, he was still highly dangerous for the new upcoming Dutch generation.

This game collection of an often underrated World Champion, annotated by top grandmaster Jan Timman, is a must-have for anyone interested in World Championship chess.

Cette série porte un titre légèrement trompeur : si le premier tome s'adresse effectivement à de complets ou presque complets débutants, les volumes suivants montent assez rapidement en puissance, le quatrième s'adressant à des joueurs autour de 5 kyu, voire un peu plus. Quoi qu'il en soit, il s'agit là d'une série remarquable, dont l'étude rendra de grands services à tout débutant motivé.

Konstantinopolsky - Obsession : A Chess Biography of Vsevolod Rauzer. Vsevolod Rauzer, born in Kiev in 1908, was one of the world’s leading chess opening theoreticians and thinkers in the 1930s. As a player, he was an uncompromising attacker, trying to avoid draws as well as to prove that 1.e4 wins by force. According to Mikhail Botvinnik, “His opening research…with linked middlegame plans, gives us every reason to place V. Rauzer among the founders of the Soviet chess school.”

Awarded the Master of Sport title in 1929, Rauzer’s best tournament performances included joint eighth place in the 1931 Soviet Championship, sixth in 1933 and eighth in 1937. According to Chessmetrics, he was ranked in the world’s top 30 for several years.
He made big contributions to theory in the Sicilian, French and Caro-Kann defenses among others. The book’s introductory articles contain deep dives into Rauzer’s opening laboratory and shed light on the historical development of key variations.

The present work contains 96 games, nearly all of them played by Rauzer. Opponents include Botvinnik, Fine, Levenfish, Lilienthal, Romanovsky, the author and other leading pre-War Soviet players. Many games come with Rauzer’s own annotations together with analysis by Konstantinopolsky, Botvinnik, Levenfish and others. The commentary has been updated by International Master Grigory Bogdanovich using the latest engines. Ultimately, Rauzer’s story was a sad one. Chess, and especially opening analysis, was an obsession for him: he once told Panov: “Unfortunately, I just can’t make myself work on theory of the game for more than 16 hours a day! My head can’t endure more.” This obsession eventually drove him mentally ill and he spent much of his final period in care. Vsevolod Rauzer lived largely in poverty and tragically died in the Siege of Leningrad. 237 pages

The Semi-Slav Defense transcends its classification as a mere defensive response to 1.d4. It embodies a dynamic and multifaceted system that offers Black not only solidity in defense but also active counterplay and strategic flexibility. Here’s why the Semi-Slav is more than just a defense:

Rather than passively defending, the Semi-Slav allows Black to counterattack in the center and on the flanks. Moves like …e6-e5 and …c6-c5 often lead to sharp, tactical positions where Black can seize the initiative.

By delaying the development of the knight to f6, Black achieves a solid pawn structure with pawns on d5, e6, and c6. This structure provides a firm foundation for Black’s pieces and restricts White’s options for pawn breaks.

The Semi-Slav leads to strategically rich positions with multiple pawn breaks and piece maneuvers. Both sides must navigate intricate plans, making it a fertile ground for creative play and deep strategic understanding. Within the Semi-Slav, there are numerous variations and sub-variations, each with its own unique characteristics and strategic ideas. Players can tailor their repertoire to suit their style and preferences, whether they prefer solid, positional play or aggressive, tactical battles.

The Semi-Slav has been embraced by many top-level players, including World Champions like Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand. Their success with the opening at the highest levels of competition demonstrates its effectiveness and versatility.

In essence, the Semi-Slav Defense transcends its classification as a defensive system by offering Black a rich tapestry of strategic possibilities and dynamic play. It is a complete repertoire choice that can suit a wide range of playing styles and preferences. 173 p.