Review: The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces Of Chess Strategy
“Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do.” – Savielly Tartakower.
Irving Chernev was a popular chess writer who primarily wrote books for amateur players. His books were designed to both instruct and entertain. In many ways, he was like his compatriot Fred Reinfeld, with whom he also wrote several books.
This book is typical of his writing, and while it is primarily one of his instructive books, it’s also entertaining to read. It was originally published in 1965, and this version is the 1981 republication in algebraic notation from Dover. While the moves conform to modern notation, it’s worth noting that the comments sometimes hark back to the original English descriptive notation. However, this quirk doesn’t distract from the book.
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played
Author: Irving Chernev
Publisher: Dover Publications
Of course, the title of the book is a bit bombastic. It’s also easy to argue whether the chosen games are indeed the most instructive games of chess ever played up to the time of the book’s original publication. For example, is Tarrasch – Thorold, Manchester, 1890 below the “most instructive rook and pawn ending ever played” as Chernev claims? Readers can decide for themselves, but it certainly is an excellent example of how to play such endings.
Although it’s easy to quibble about such details, there’s no denying that the book has a fine collection of games. The strongest players, including world champions, of the late 19th century up to around 1960 are well-represented. The games are also complemented by a good range of photos of some of the players.
Each game has a short introduction that sets the theme of the game. The games cover all areas of chess, although with greater emphasis on middlegames and endgames. There is some discussion on openings and opening themes. However, the book doesn’t emphasise opening theory, and some of the opening theory has of course been superseded in the last sixty years. Given the major themes of the book, this aspect does not detract from the book.
Another aspect that is worth noting is that none of the analysis has been updated from the book’s original publication. This means that some of the analysis may be faulty and needs to be corrected, particularly in the more tactical positions in the games. However, readers can readily check some of the more difficult positions with the current super-strong chess engines if desired.
The commentary on the games is clear and useful, and this is the strength of Chernev’s writing. The analytical variations are always accompanied by inciteful verbal commentary so that readers can absorb the lessons from the games. The book also includes some instructive rules to guide the reader. Some examples are:
- If once a man delays Castling and his King remains in the center, files will open up against him, Bishops sweep the board, Rooks will dominate the seventh rank, and Pawns turn into Queens.
- It is as important to prevent the opponent from making good moves as it is to make them yourself.
- “In the beginning of the game ignore the search for combinations, abstain from violent moves, aim for small advantages, accumulate them, and only after having attained these ends search for the combination−and then with all the power of will and intellect, because then the combination must exist, however deeply hidden.” – Emanuel Lasker
Two examples from the book are given below, with annotations from the book.
In conclusion, this is an instructive and entertaining book of chess instruction. The combination of an excellent collection of games and Chernev’s lucid and infectious commentary means that this book will be very useful to amateur players who want to improve their skills in chess strategy.
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played
Author: Irving Chernev
Publisher: Dover Publications
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His Logical Chess book is a classic too. Hope you can get some Dover Books authored by Edmar Mednis too