Chess Secrets: The Giants of Power Play

by Neil McDonald

Overview

Chess Secrets isa series of books which uncover the mysteries of the most important aspects of chess: strategy, attack, opening play and gambits, classical play, endgames and preparation. In each book the author studies a number of great players from chess history who have excelled in a particular field of the game and who have undeniably influenced those who have followed.

In The Giants of Power Play, Neil McDonald selects five players who have excelled in the field of ‘power play' – the art of putting opponents under constant pressure. The methods of doing so are numerous, including gaining rapid development in return for material to build up an initiative, preparing powerful opening ideas in advance, or even developing completely new opening systems. McDonald examines the contributions made by each player, their differences in approach and style, and from Morphy to Topalov, how they followed in each other's footsteps. A study of this book will help you to enhance your skills in one of the most crucial elements of the game.

*An entertaining and instructive guide to power play

*Learn from the greats of the game

*Discover how famous chess minds work

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781857445978
Publisher:	Everyman Chess
Publication date:	10/14/2009
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Grandmaster Neil McDonald is an experienced tournament player, a respected coach and a talented chess writer with many outstanding works to his name.

Table of Contents

Introduction 5

1 The Dynamic Element 11

2 Catching the King in the Centre 35

3 Opening Old (and New) Wounds 56

4 The Life History of a Knight 83

5 The Goldilocks Queen 107

6 Energizing the Pawns 129

7 A Battering Ram on the f-file 153

8 Backward Pawns and Indian Bishops 172

9 The Psychology of Preparation 191

10 The Art of Surprise 215

Index of Openings 235

Index of Players 237

Editorial Reviews

‘It’s a book rich in insights, and a book whose annotations consistently achieve the difficult – making the ideas and struggle of a game comprehensible and exciting.’

- David Kaufman reviewing Neil McDonald’s Chess Secrets: The Giants of Strategy for ChessCafe.com.

"GM Neil McDonald never before wrote a book that I didn’t like, and his new Everyman work "The Giants of Power Play" is no exception, as I really love it!"

- Paul Motwani, The Scotsman

From the Publisher