Emms - First Steps: 1e4e5

Deuxième ouvrage sur le sujet en un mois, et aussi différent du précédent (Secrets of Positional Chess de Marovic) qu'il est possible de l'être. Si le GMI croate visait clairement le public des joueurs moyens en s'attardant longuement sur les bases du maniement des pièces, le MI danois s'adresse quand à lui aux forts joueurs désireux de progresser dans les finesses du jeu positionnel. La partie théorique de l'ouvrage est restreinte : six courts chapitres (encore deux d'entre eux n'ont-ils aucun rapport avec le sujet) exposent (ou rappellent) les principes de base : amélioration du placement des pièces, utilisation optimale des dites pièces, exploitation des faiblesses adverses. L'essentiel vient ensuite : un choix de 108 positions proposées comme exercices d'application, suivies bien sûr de solutions commentées. Disons clairement que ces exercices sont très (trop ?) difficiles. Aagaard a en effet sélectionné des positions complexes et des manoeuvres surprenantes, et l'absence de toute indication ou conseil n'arrange rien. A l'arrivée, il est à craindre que ce livre serve plus de recueil d'exemples commentés que d'ouvrage d'entraînement... Un conseil en tous cas : n'abordez cet ouvrage que si vous avez déjà lu - et maîtrisé - le Can you be a Positional Chess Genius de Dunnington.

Victor Bologan is not only a strong and creative chess grandmaster, he has also made a career in Moldovan and world chess politics. His strong will and incredible versatility have enabled him to lead a colourful and interesting life. ‘Believe in yourself’ is his motto and it has taken him to places many of us will never see.

A sparkling description of the many roads Bologan has travelled lies before you. In this autobiography you will read about the adventures of an enterprising youngster in turbulent Moldova, his collaborations with renowned chess coaches such as Vyacheslav Chebanenko, Zigurds Lanka and Mark Dvoretsky, and his alliances with top players such as Alexander Morozevich, Ruslan Ponomariov, Vladimir Kramnik and Garry Kasparov. The book also offers a candid insight into Bologan's activities as Executive Director of the World Chess Federation FIDE and his career in Moldovan national politics.

Central to this book, of course, is Bologan's chess career. His most impressive tournament victory was in Dortmund in 2003, where he beat both Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. But he also won the incredibly strong Aeroflot Open in Moscow in 1995 and twice came first in a personal favourite, the annual Poikovsky tournament. Bologan has extensively annotated 88 of his best and most attractive games. 424 pages

Nice wooden chess box for chess pieces, perfect for the classical size.

Size 23 x15.5 x 15 cm

Think like Ivanchuk : Practical Chess Exercises: Tactics, Strategy, Endgames by Viktor Moskalenko (Hardcover Edition). Think Like Ivanchuk is a celebration of a true chess genius. This book is a collection of Vasyl Ivanchuk's best games, a chess biography and a highly entertaining training manual all in one.

Vasyl Ivanchuk, a super-grandmaster from Ukraine, was born in 1969 and was the best player in the world in the 1990s behind World Champion Garry Kasparov. He has won the Olympiad, the super-tournaments in Linares and Wijk aan Zee, and many, many other events. He is an incredibly versatile player and has employed almost every possible opening variation known to chess.

Grandmaster Viktor Moskalenko has known his compatriot since childhood, has been his second and sparring partner, and understands his style like no other. Moskalenko has selected Ivanchuk's most fascinating games against world champions and top grandmasters and has derived more than 500 training positions from them. The exercises are fun, engaging, and presented in a way that any chess player can understand.

This collection of Ivanchuk's best artistic ideas will make you think like Ivanchuk and reach new heights in chess. Welcome to Planet Ivanchuk!

Viktor Moskalenko (1960) is one of the leading chess instructors of our time. The Ukrainian Grandmaster has authored numerous inspiring opening manuals such as.Trompowsky Attack & London System, An Attacking Repertoire for White with 1.d4, The Fully-Fledged French, The Wonderful Winawer, and The Fabulous Budapest Gambit. 286 pages