Science of Strategy
Chess is a strategically deep game and it is no surprise that players often struggle to find the right strategy over the board. Computers may be able to show a good move in a position, but they can’t explain how it should fit into an overall plan.

In The Science of Strategy, Alexander Kotov takes a methodical approach to this mysterious subject, breaking it down into clear themes. He starts with the crucial role of the pawn in chess, before systematically discussing a series of key strategic elements to complete the overall picture. Finally, building on what has gone before, one of the most difficult aspects of chess is discussed: the ability to evaluate a position and conceive a plan on the basis of this evaluation.

Kotov’s clear and methodical style makes this book an ideal guide to chess strategy. He describes the chess in words rather than relying overmuch on variations, and illustrates his ideas in insightfully annotated positional games, with the likes of Alekhine, Botvinnik and Karpov featuring heavily.
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Science of Strategy
Chess is a strategically deep game and it is no surprise that players often struggle to find the right strategy over the board. Computers may be able to show a good move in a position, but they can’t explain how it should fit into an overall plan.

In The Science of Strategy, Alexander Kotov takes a methodical approach to this mysterious subject, breaking it down into clear themes. He starts with the crucial role of the pawn in chess, before systematically discussing a series of key strategic elements to complete the overall picture. Finally, building on what has gone before, one of the most difficult aspects of chess is discussed: the ability to evaluate a position and conceive a plan on the basis of this evaluation.

Kotov’s clear and methodical style makes this book an ideal guide to chess strategy. He describes the chess in words rather than relying overmuch on variations, and illustrates his ideas in insightfully annotated positional games, with the likes of Alekhine, Botvinnik and Karpov featuring heavily.
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Science of Strategy

Science of Strategy

by Alexander Kotov
Science of Strategy

Science of Strategy

by Alexander Kotov

Paperback

$29.95 
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Overview

Chess is a strategically deep game and it is no surprise that players often struggle to find the right strategy over the board. Computers may be able to show a good move in a position, but they can’t explain how it should fit into an overall plan.

In The Science of Strategy, Alexander Kotov takes a methodical approach to this mysterious subject, breaking it down into clear themes. He starts with the crucial role of the pawn in chess, before systematically discussing a series of key strategic elements to complete the overall picture. Finally, building on what has gone before, one of the most difficult aspects of chess is discussed: the ability to evaluate a position and conceive a plan on the basis of this evaluation.

Kotov’s clear and methodical style makes this book an ideal guide to chess strategy. He describes the chess in words rather than relying overmuch on variations, and illustrates his ideas in insightfully annotated positional games, with the likes of Alekhine, Botvinnik and Karpov featuring heavily.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781784830793
Publisher: Quality Chess UK Ltd
Publication date: 06/07/2019
Series: Chess Classics
Pages: 240
Product dimensions: 6.60(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Alexander Kotov was a formidable grandmaster of the Soviet school. He was the 1948 Soviet Champion (jointly with Bronstein), and a member of the USSR gold-medal-winning team at the 1952 and 1954 Olympiads. He is also renowned as a chess author, most famously for Think Like a Grandmaster.

Table of Contents

Publisher's Foreword 3

Preface 6

1 The Pawn - Its Strength and Weakness 7

Pawn structure in the centre 8

Closed centre 8

Open centre 20

Mobile centre 26

Fixed centre 50

Volatile centre 72

2 Attack in the Centre and on the Queenside 95

Characteristics of central and queenside attacks 95

Attacking with pieces 97

Pawn offensives 106

Open files 111

Pawn sacrifices for opening files 123

Other typical methods of attack 129

Transferring the attack from one wing to the other 137

3 Play on Both Wings 143

Tacking to and fro 158

4 Defence and Counterattack 167

Sense of danger 167

Creating maximum difficulties 172

Transition to the endgame 175

Removing the king from the danger zone 178

Counterattack 182

5 Manoeuvring 187

6 "Simple" Situations 197

Simple situations of the endgame type 198

Simple situations of the combinative type 201

7 Major Piece Endings 207

8 Positional Evaluation - Planning 213

Unified plan 215

Creative thinking 225

Game Index 235

Index of Openings 237

Name Index 238

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